Page 95 of Saving Ren

As I stand with two cushions in my hands, holding them up to a print I’ve just spotted, I sense Gabe’s presence to the side and slightly behind me. I smell his aftershave and everything else that makes up his unique scent before he leans in.

“You’re good at this. Watching you work is making my dick hard,” he says into my ear.

I feel heat creep up my chest, neck, and cheeks. Tilting my head to the side, I turn and look at him.

“Really? I thought you were over me and keeping quiet while considering whether you were going to dump me somewhere on the highway or take pity and return me to Jo’s.”

He takes both the cushions from my hands and throws them in the trolley along with the sheet sets and doona covers I’ve already added.

Putting his hands on either side of my hips, he turns me around to face him.

“I’m pissed off that pricks’ words have stayed with you, I’m pissed off that they’re still affecting you, and I’m pissed off you don’t always share how you’re feeling with me, but I’m not pissed offwithyou. The only place you’ll be getting dumped is back into our bed later.”

The words ‘our bed’ have me wrapping my arms around his neck and smiling up at him.

“I have no words for you sometimes. You say things that leave everything inside my head scattered and scrambled, and I can’t think of a single response.”

“An Essex Girl without a comeback? I don’t believe that for a minute, and if it’s true, perhaps it’s time to finally hand back your membership and declare yourself full-on Aussie.” The sexy smirk he’s wearing as he talks is doing all kinds of things to my insides, and before I can recover and come up with a comeback, I see a woman staring at us from across the store.

“Fuck,” I say against Gabe’s chest.

“Lauren? I thought that was you,” she calls out as she moves towards us.

Julie fucking jug ears, the wife of one of Jay’s foreman is now standing next to where Gabe still has a hold of my hips. My hands have dropped to my sides, and as I step away and turn to face her, Gabe grabs hold of one.

I can’t stand this woman. She’s a gossip. There’s barely a thing that happens on the entire peninsula that she doesn’t know about. Her eldest son went to school with Ryder, and she was all over whatever went on there too. Whenever we held work functions or dinner parties at our home, I always made sure to seat her as far away from me as possible.

“Julie,” I greet her quietly. Giving a chin lift, I turn and add the print I was admiring to our trolley.

She doesn’t take the hint that I have nothing to say and continues standing there.

“How have you been? I’m assuming by that little PDA, the rumours are true, you and Jay have split?” Holding her hand out to Gabe, she adds, “Hey, I’m Julie. My husband is Lauren’shusband’shead foreman.”

I give an eye roll as Gabe takes her hand and shakes it. I watch on as he gives it a gentle squeeze and brushes his thumb across the back.

“Hey, Jules,” he says huskily. “I’m Gabe,” I can’t help but roll my eyes when he adds a wink.

She nods. Still holding his hand, she continues to nod.

“Gabe. . . that’s. . . Gabe, right. So, you’re. . ?”

“Who I moved in with after Jay kicked seven kinds of shit out of me, and who I’m now fucking,” I tell her in my sweetest voice.

Still under Gabe’s spell, it takes her a beat to catch up and turn her wide eyes back to meet mine.

“He was beating you?”

I nod and something shifts in her eyes, her face, her entire demeanour changes.

“Oh, Lauren, really? I didn’t. Oh, Lauren. . .” Finally letting go of Gabe’s hand, she reaches for mine.

“I’m sorry. Really sorry, Lauren. I had no idea.” She finally takes a step back, her eyes darting between me and Gabe, and I’m more than a little surprised at the sincerity in her voice.

“I honestly didn’t know.”

“Why would you?” I shrug. “Not exactly something he’d go to work and broadcast.”

“No, you’re right, it wouldn’t be. Well, I’m glad you managed to get away from that situation. I wish you happiness with. . .” She gestures with her head. “With Gabe. Both of you, I wish you both happiness.”