Page 5

Chapter 5

The Undeniable Attraction Between Us

Wade

Someone prep my Oscar.

My years of theatrical training are being tested. The dumb jock routine is a piece of cake, but pretending I wasn’t excited to have Gabe Finch all to myself took everything I had. Though faking a relationship will require more finesse.

Indi’s frustrated whisper toward her husband isn’t much of a whisper. “They’re holding hands, Landon!”

A significant portion of the Regents roster ends their conversations to stare. Jaeg, Skylar, Landon, Indi, and Fletch await us in the suite’s seating area.

Gabe focuses straight ahead, but a swallow travels down her throat. Her slow, defeated blinks set off a pinching pain in my chest. I recognize that look. It’s the same one she wore last night when Kurt Vaughn got too close.

Won’t be me. I never want her to feel uncomfortable in my presence, no matter how awkward the situation.

My thumb draws a hidden circle in her palm, a repeat of how I got her attention before we entered. She sucks in a quick breath.

“ Heyyyyy , guys,” I start. “What’s up?”

Skylar’s eyebrows shoot to the middle of her forehead. “What’s. Up ?”

They stand in various states of confusion. Hands on hips, arms akimbo. A couple of them sneer and narrow their eyes. I extend a hand to the empty couch in silent offering. Gabe accepts.

When I lower to join her, the soft seat cushion gives in and squishes our bodies together. Her warmth hits my bare skin. The thumping in my chest climbs to my ears.

Stop that, heart. It’s fake.

“Cut the shit, Wade.”

Leave it to Jaeg to ruin the moment.

“This cannot be happening.” Indi bends and inches forward to Gabe as if approaching a skittish animal. “Gabe, sweetie? If you’re being held against your will, blink three times.”

Call me a caveman because a primal need to protect Gabe has my adrenaline rushing. I straighten and meet her at eye level. “Indi, I like you. But you have three seconds to back away from my girlfriend.”

“ Girlfriend ?” Fletch asks.

Gabe shrugs and confirms with a silent nod.

The red-headed bastard throws up his arms. “You were literally flirting with that Kyra girl last night. And now Gabe Finch is your ‘ girlfriend ?’” Air quotes taunt me.

“ Kyra , huh?” That wakes Gabe up. Her glare could shred flesh. “Who’s Kyra, sweetheart ?”

I don’t miss the knife-like stab hidden under her sweet tone.

“ Baby ,” I say through my teeth, “we talked about this.” Now to face the accusers. “That was before .”

“Before what?”

Fletch is a rascal.

“Before we talked about it.”

Indi’s confusion is blatant. “ It ?”

“You know, the undeniable attraction between us.” My arm tucks behind Gabe, squeezing us together by the shoulders. “We got tired of fighting it.”

Fletch scratches his head like a cartoon.

Indi re-crosses her arms, her mouth flattening, unimpressed with the explanation. “Oh, yeah? When did it all happen?”

“See, a few years ago, your husband blew the playoffs.”

Indi’s eyebrow rises in Landon’s direction.

“ Hey ,” he snaps. “Don’t bring me into?—”

“ Anyway , we were drowning our sorrows at a club called Persepolis. I didn’t know who Gabe Finch was but thought she was hot as fuck. Landy told me she was engaged, so I kept my distance but couldn’t stay away. Remember when I said you were beautiful in front of everyone at your first press conference?” My head turns to Gabe.

She bats her eyelashes coyly, rage brimming in those pretty hazel tones. “I do.”

“You hated that!” Indi addresses her.

“You did?” I ask.

I hurt her?

“I had no idea.”

“Don’t worry, baby .” Her hand squeezes my thigh, too harsh for forgiveness. “It was kinda cute.”

“You said it was embarrassing and unprofessional! And that you loathed him.”

“I was fighting my true feelings.” Gabe smiles, faker than some women orgasm— not that I’d know —and pats my knee. “Like he said.”

“Yep, and then we kissed on New Year’s Eve.”

Gabe pales. So does everyone else.

“You kissed her?” I don’t know if I can handle any more of Indi’s shrieking. The pitch keeps getting higher and higher.

“Which New Year’s Eve?” Landon holds out questioning palms.

“The one where Indi looked sexy as hell, and you told me to pretend to be blind.”

Landon hides his eyes while Indi gapes. “When she told you off and choked you?”

Gabe goes red. Her grasp on my knee tightens.

“Yep.” A sheepish grin splits my face in half. “And I liked it.”

My fake girlfriend’s eyes widen. Her pulse drums every place we touch.

“Oh, my God,” Indi laments.

“Also, we had a quickie in the stairway closet before your wedding reception.”

Those thick lashes of Gabe’s flutter closed as she pulls her lips into her mouth.

Oops. I’m so fucked.

“What!” It’s the highest I’ve ever heard Indi’s voice.

“Radek knew about it.” I point.

If I’m going down, they’re all coming with me.

She slaps Landon’s shoulder with a loud, sharp sound. “You promised me they didn’t!”

“ Dude !” The alternate captain winces while rubbing the spot where her hand landed. “Why are you tryin’ to screw me over?”

“Jaeger knew, too.”

Sky also smacks her husband’s arm. “Derrick!”

He doesn’t flinch, the refrigerator. Instead, his eyes hone in on me, thumb motioning across his throat. “You’re dead,” he growls.

“It’s not my fault you lie to your wives. I have nothing to hide.” My chin juts up. “Gabe had such a great time; she spent the night with me.”

“I think I’m gonna be sick.” Indi hugs her belly. She looks more than a little green.

“ Baby .” Landon searches her body. “You okay?”

“No! Your manwhore friend is—” Her cheeks puff mid-sentence, and she runs toward the washroom. Landon runs after her.

Skylar shakes her head. “I don’t get it. What happened last night? The pictures?—”

“What’s not to get? Vaughn showed up, was a dick to Gabe, and I straightened him out. I took my girl back to the hotel.”

My girl? Shit. The words taste too good.

“We talked about it, and the rest is history.”

“Sure, the rest is history .” Fletch breaks his silence, still bemused. “There’s been so many women, and you’ve never?—”

I stand. “What are you trying to say?”

“I’m saying…I have no idea what you’re trying to pull, Wade, but I’m not buying it.”

Landon and Indi return. She looks a little better. “She’s fine,” he affirms softly. “Must’ve eaten something funky.”

“I’m not trying to pull anything, Fletch.”

Lie.

“You don’t even know each other,” Indi cuts in.

“We know each other well enough. Like, biblically .”

Her eyes roll. She does that a lot. It’s warranted because I’d be rolling my eyes at myself if I could.

“Don’t remind me. I meant, like, you don’t know anything about her.”

“Sure, I do,” I retort.

Indi’s beady little lawyer eyes narrow, seeking out the truth. “When’s her birthday?”

Crap.

“Oh, it’s in…” Gabe offers no clues. I have no idea what her expression means. April’s as good of a guess as any. “Ayy,” —she clears her throat with a forced cough, creating an o with her mouth— “Ahh-October.”

I know it’s not real, but Gabe beams. Something inside my gut somersaults.

Indi responds with a pursed mouth. “Lucky guess.”

“False. I knew! In fact, I had a surprise planned for her birthday. Thanks for ruining it. Nicely done.” I give her a golf clap. She rolls her eyes again. “Not that it’s any of your business, but it’s been, what, twelve hours since we got together?” I peer over my shoulder. Gabe agrees. “Everything I know so far I like.”

Where the lie ends, and the truth begins is a blur.

“Gabe is smart, we have similar interests…” I continue, “Not to mention she’s gorgeous. Almost as gorgeous as me. And I don’t think it hurts that I have a huge dick.”

Groan after groan bellow out as they swat the comment away. Can’t have them thinking I’m too serious.

“This is what I’m talking about.” Indi motions to me. “Gabe, come on. Tell me what’s going on. You can’t possibly be dating this…this…”

Gabe’s height nearly matches mine when she rises. “Go on.”

“You’ve said it before. He’s young and immature and has problems with…commitment.”

Her left eye twitches. “You mean he sleeps around.”

“Well—”

A set of Gabe’s fingers delicately thread through mine. They tense around my knuckles, firm and protective. The flitting movements in my stomach return.

What’s this?

“That’s such bullshit, Indi. Yeah, he’s younger than me. And okay, he can be immature, but the same goes for the rest of these guys. Doesn’t mean he doesn’t have good qualities. And it doesn’t give you a right to slut-shame him. Hell, you once told me he was sweet and was growing on you. I’m surprised, Skylar. I never thought you’d stop him from wanting to be with someone.”

Sky’s mouth pops open and closed.

Gabe tugs me closer. “You guys are supposed to be his team? His brothers, his best friends? Aren’t you ashamed? You’re supposed to be happy for us. We’re together. You don’t have to like it, but you have to respect it.”

Every word is more convincing than the last.

It’s not real, I remind myself. It’s not real.

Indi tilts her head. “ Gabe .”

“Unless you’re apologizing, I don’t wanna hear it.” We pause in wait. No apology comes.

Gabe harrumphs and leads me to the door. “Let’s go, sweetheart . These hypocrites don’t deserve our time.”

As we leave, I crinkle my nose and stick my tongue out at them. “Right behind you, Freckles.”

We march down the hall to my room, and before I can properly process how incredible it was to be defended like that, I’ve sandwiched Gabe between my chest and the door, my mouth latched onto hers.