Page 13 of Gabe (Blue Team #2)

“I didn’t take you for a sports car type of guy,” Evette said from the passenger seat.

I’d opted to exchange the company SUV with my Lexus. What could I say, I missed driving my baby.

“No? What’d you take me for?”

“I don’t know. A truck guy, I guess.”

Evette’s innocent comment sent shards of irritation through me.

Garrett drove a truck. Maybe that was what Evette liked. Smiling, happy men who didn’t have a shedload full of bad history who would have no issue taking what she was offering and do it while driving a jacked-up pickup truck.

“Right,” I snapped.

Silence fell in the car and I instantly regretted biting at her. Yet I offered no excuses for my rude behavior, nor did I make an attempt to clear the air.

I couldn’t begin to find the words to apologize when all I could think about was Garrett asking her out and why I was taking her home instead of her going out to dinner with him.

Fuck.

Maybe they’d set a date for another night.

Unholy jealousy reared. I spent the rest of the drive working myself up until I was pissed the fuck off .

What the hell did I care if she went out on a date with Garrett? He was a good guy, maybe Evette was just what he needed to help him move on. So why did it make my stomach clench every time I heard the two of them laughing together?

She wasn’t mine.

But she could be, asshole, if you got your shit sorted.

When we got home—not home, to the safehouse—I pulled my Lexus into the garage, cut the engine, and used the remote to close us in.

She didn’t speak.

Neither did I.

It was an uncomfortable silence, the kind that went beyond awkward. The kind that filled the interior of my car until it was pressing against my chest. And the longer we sat there the more unpleasant the building pressure became.

“I’m sorry, Gabe.”

She was apologizing? For what, being a beautiful woman that any man with a functioning dick and penchant for a great ass and a pretty face would trip over himself to ask out?

“Why are you sorry?”

Please don’t say for making a date with Garrett.

“For disrupting your life. For being a pain in the ass.”

“You’re not disrupting my life,” I sighed.

“It sure feels that way and I’m really sorry. I could go hide out at my parents’ timeshare in Florida. I’d be out of your hair and—”

“No.”

“No one followed me here and as far as…well, I don’t know who exactly, but as far as anyone knows the gun-to-my-head trick worked because I haven’t left any more electronic pings looking into stuff they didn’t want me looking into.

I’d be perfectly safe in Florida and you won’t have to put up with me anymore. ”

The thought of her going to Florida made me insane. She wasn’t leaving. I wasn’t ready to let her go.

When did I become such an asshole?

“You’re not going to Florida unprotected.”

“I don’t get it. ”

“Get what? That Kyle would be down there in a heartbeat to bring you back? That Anaya would be worried? That Zane promised Phantom and Ace that he had you covered?”

That I’d miss you .

Yeah, I wasn’t going to tell her that.

Hell, I shouldn’t even be admitting that in my head.

“Right.”

How can one word feel like a thousand knives stabbing your heart?

Without inflicting more pain, Evette got out of the car and slammed the door behind her.

What came next had me wishing I’d stayed in my Lexus.

We were barely in the back door when she asked, “When’s Cooper gonna be home?”

Great, now I was envious of another teammate.

“Not for a while.”

Evette nodded and placed her purse on the counter.

“Why didn’t you go out with Garrett tonight?”

Serious as fuck, did I really just ask that?

Her head whipped to the side and she skewered me with a dirty look.

If we were in a horror movie that included the female lead being possessed by the devil this would be the part where her head spun around in circles while she spewed green vomit.

I’d pissed off a lot of women in my day; normally the anger came when they realized I’d been telling them the truth and no matter how hard they tried I remained true to my vow—no commitment.

But never had I seen a woman who I hadn’t had in a biblical sense so furious with me.

“Why do you care?”

Her hand went to her hip which meant my gaze followed.

But not before my eyes took the long way down taking in the swell of her breasts, the creamy cleavage that was clearly visible under the sheer white flowy top.

The tight pink tank top she wore underneath only highlighted the valley between her breasts that had been the epicenter of many of my fantasies.

Full, heavy tits I could push together and slide my cock between them while she licked the tip .

The sight made my mouth water.

Such an asshole .

The hem of the shirt brushed the top of her jeans bringing into focus her flat stomach. Evette wasn’t skin and bones. She had hips and ass. Thick thighs that I couldn’t stop thinking about. I wanted to feel them pressed against me while I hammered into her.

My wildest fantasies couldn’t have conjured up a more perfect body, a prettier face, a more perfect woman. Smart, witty, cool under pressure. Not once had she freaked out or had a meltdown. She impressed the hell out of me.

“Gabe?”

Right, she’d asked me a question: Why did I care?

That was the million-dollar question. I could lie and tell her I didn’t. I could warn her that Garrett was in love with another woman and would be until his dying breath. That he’d take her out, show her a good time, then show her the door. But I’d never betray my brother.

“I just do.”

Smooth. Real smooth . I’d turned into a punk and pussy.

“Garrett’s a nice guy,” she returned.

I bit the inside of my cheek until I tasted blood, then through gritted teeth, I bit out, “I know he is.”

“He was also screwing with you.”

“Say again?”

Evette sighed and some of her attitude drained.

“He knew you were there. That’s why he asked me out to dinner. He wasn’t actually asking me on a date. He was screwing with you.”

Of course, Garrett saw me enter his office; he looked at me right before he asked Evette to dinner. Sonofabitch .

“That wasn’t cool.”

“Maybe not, but when I asked him about it he came clean.”

Interesting. What else did my friend have to say?

“Did he tell you why he was fucking with me?”

Evette scrunched her nose and bit her bottom lip.

Christ, there was only so much a man could take.

“For fuck’s sake, stop doing that. ”

Her torso jerked and she released her lip only to step closer.

No, no, no .

Then she took another step while asking, “Do what?”

I resisted the urge to retreat like a coward. Since when had I turned into such a goddamn wimp?

Since you decided you weren’t gonna touch her.

Right.

Retreat was my only option. The only way to ensure my hands stayed off her ass and my tongue didn’t find its way to her pretty mouth or better yet her pussy.

I nearly groaned at the thought of my mouth between her legs, those thick thighs over my shoulders, my fingers fucking her while my tongue ravaged her clit until she gave up her orgasm and the taste of her flooded my…

“Gabe?”

Fucking hell .

“I need a minute.”

“I can see that.”

My jaw clenched and my cock twitched.

There was no need to attempt to cover my hard-on. I knew she was staring at my crotch because I was staring at her and saw the moment her gaze dropped. I didn’t miss the way her eyes flared, either. And knowing she was getting a good look at my erection wasn’t why I needed a minute.

I needed to gather my thoughts before I blurted out more stupid shit like I needed her to stop biting her lip because it made me want to replace her teeth with mine.

Evette took another step closer and I locked my body down the best I could considering her proximity. I might not have been able to control my natural response but I wasn’t going to lose control of what was left of my sanity.

“Don’t,” I warned.

“Don’t what?”

Her sassy, faux-innocent smirk had my cock throbbing. She knew exactly what she was doing and I needed to put an end to it.

“You’re playing with fire.”

“Funny. I kinda thought it felt a lot like I was flirting. ”

She took another step and I swear to God I physically recoiled in fear.

Evette’s head tilted to the side and the chick knew she had me on the ropes. How the fuck had this happened?

“No, babe, flirting is what you do when you’re still figuring out your next play.”

“And what’s my next play, Gabe?”

“No fucking clue. But I know if you come closer what mine’s gonna be.”

“So this is foreplay?”

Jesus Christ.

My cock wholly approved of her assessment.

“This is your warning.”

“Um. Sounds like an invitation.”

“You might think that right now. But come morning when you’re dragging your sore ass outta my bed you’ll wish your RSVP got lost in the mail.”

“Now that sounds like a challenge.” She smiled.

A challenge she was no doubt up for. One she might be able to best.

Then suddenly my brain came back on station and guilt crept in. It was all fun and games until she was impaled on my cock.

“Listen, this needs to stop.”

“You keep saying,” she said and shuffled forward.

Not a full step but a taunt.

An unspoken dare danced in her eyes.

Fuck it.

If Evette London wants to play then we’ll play.

With my decision came relief. The tension flowed from my muscles but a new feeling rushed in replacing conflict with desire.

My hands itched with the need to touch her.

My cock throbbed at the thought of getting what it wanted.

Come on, baby, one more step and you’re mine.