Page 24

Comparison

S he stood on the stairs, and everything else went black.

I’d grown accustomed to the natural beauty of Fern that outshined that of any other woman I’d ever laid eyes on.

But there, on the stairs, was a stunning woman in a smoking hot dress that hugged every curve to perfection.

Something tugged as my stare glided over her perfect breasts, to the dark, silky hair that I already knew smelled like coconuts with loose curls cascading over her shoulders.

I wanted to take her away from here, to my apartment in the city, and not stop until her legs were shaking and the neighbors knew my name.

She wore a small smile, having no idea she controlled me. One single look could bring me to my knees. She glided down the stairs before Liv met her with a glass of wine.

Thirty minutes later, the car dropped us off at The Soiree Supper Club, and we were seated at a table just off the dance floor.

I’d been there once. The place oozed sophistication with the mahogany floors and marble crawling up the walls.

The club had an old Hollywood vibe about it with dim lighting, crisp white table clothes, and warm candle light.

There was a dance floor, but no bangin’ tunes tonight. It was smooth old-school jazz.

Tawnee clapped her hands. “I’m in love with this place.”

While making a serious dent in the bacon-wrapped fillets, our gang was chatting and laughing, but my eyes were dangerously glued to the woman in the silky merlot dress. (Yes, I even know the fancy colors.)

She noticed my stare and shot me a warning with her eyes as Dave was seated to her left.

Dave stood. “Let’s burn off dinner. Tawnee, my favorite cousin, let’s dance.”

She giggled. “Let’s do it!”

An unexpected plan poofed into my brain like magic. “This is fun. How about everybody dance with not the person you came with.”

There were shrugs and head nods as everybody shuffled out to the dance floor, leaving only Fern and me at the table. “I guess it’s all non-couples dancing. Nothing weird about you and me. Right?”

She stood. “Have I told you you’re brilliant?”

I walked over to her. “Not yet, but I knew it was just a matter of time.”

The jazz music danced around me as I held Fern in my arms. I reached for her right hand and ran my finger over the ring. “I like our promise.”

Her smile was electric. “Me too.”

I looked down between us at her dress. “You look amazing. If you could read my mind, I’m pretty sure you’d either be traumatized, aroused, or maybe both.”

“Listen to you taking dirty with my brother three feet from us.”

“You’re turn.”

She gasped, “Me? Talk dirty? I can’t.”

“Oh, I think you can.” I popped a brow, “Challenge extended.”

She bit her lip for a second, “Don’t make this a contest. You know I can’t resist a contest.”

“Oh, it’s definitely a contest. Are you going to be the loser tonight?”

“Gabe, I can’t just talk dirty .”

“Sure you can. I’ll start. Your ass looks lonely without my hands on it.”

Her mouth dropped open, “I just thought that back at the cabin. My mind said I wanted your handprints on my bottom.”

I teased, “I knew you had plenty of dirty talk dancing through that mind of yours. Now spit one out, or you’ll be the loser right here at the dinner club.”

Her eyes did a quick scan around us before she giggled and closed her eyes tightly. “I want you to lean me against the wall and do filthy things to me.”

I chucked because she was adorable. “Look at you go, Fern Ethel.”

Her eyes opened, and her soft laughter danced in my ears. “I wish you were touching me inappropriately right now. Your fingers and mouth everywhere.”

I put my finger over my lips, “Shh.”

She pushed my chest lightly and used a sexy whisper. “I want you to kiss me often, make love to me like a crazy man, feed me Jelly Bellies, and kill all the spiders.”

“I’ve created a monster.”

“So, am I the winner?”

I nodded, “You are. Fern is the winner.”

She nodded her head. “I had a feeling. What’s my prize?”

“Oh, I’ll show you your prize alright.”

It was cheesecake, toasts, and more dancing before we headed back to my place.

We got back to the cabin, and I was ready to call it a night and find my way to Fern. “This has been a great.” I spoke to the room.

Tawnee clapped her hands. “It’s not over yet. Girls, let’s meet in Fern’s room in ten minutes. I have facials, champagne, and girl-time planned.” She walked over and gave Ed a kiss. “See you in the morning.”

My heart sank as Tawnee pushed Fern up the stairs. She looked over her shoulder and gave me a tiny wave.

I don’t always plot a murder at three a.m., but when I do, it’s because I couldn’t sleep through all of Tawnee’s damn snoring.

Yes, it was almost time to give someone a really good throat massage using both hands, but I resisted.

Not the night with Gabe I’d hoped for, but my cousin and the girls were pretty fun until the whole snoring like a motorcycle thing occurred.

After a quick shower, I pulled on my cozy soft black sweats and blue zippy jacket before I quickly swiped on some mascara, blush, and lip-gloss, barely able to contain myself.

An unknown happiness was oozing out of me at the thought of not saying goodbye to Gabe today.

I looked down at the ring on my finger as my heart did a dirty Tango. We would be together again.

I would go visit my parents and friends while the Minnesota Wild had their away game run.

I would curl up on the sofa, wrapped in a blanket, and sip hot chocolate as I watched him play on television.

Of course, that wasn’t true. In reality, I would sit with my dad, smoke cigars, drink beer, and curse at the TV. The only way to watch the Wild.

I tossed my suitcase on the bed, knowing I should throw my crap inside, but I literally couldn’t wait to get downstairs to see Gabe.

I was just about to enter the kitchen when my ears perked up as I heard my name. I stepped aside and peeked around the corner to see Gabe and Ed seated alone at the kitchen table with their backs to me.

“I didn’t see this coming either.” Gabe’s voice was quiet. “But the second we met, I don’t know, there was a pull to her I never expected.”

Ed leaned up on the table. “There are millions of women, and you go after Dave’s sister? This is so bad.”

“No, it’s not bad. It’s like the most amazing thing that’s happened to me.” Gabe ran his hand through his hair. “It’s weird because it’s just so easy and familiar somehow.”

My heart fluttered at his words. How could this man be talking about me like this? He was the human version of the sun. The cheese to my macaroni. The sprinkles to my fucking donut. Ahh.

Ed’s voice was hushed. “Speaking of familiar, I about choked when we were in the hot tub. What about her butterfly tattoo? It’s identical to Amy’s, isn’t it? The colors? It’s like the same one. And in the exact same spot.”

Amy? Something about Ed’s tone was making my stomach churn. What was happening?

“Just a coincidence.”

The silence between them sent an uneasiness through me.

“A coincidence? Come on, man. The same fucking tattoo in the same spot? That’s why she’s familiar. What are the odds?”

Gabe shrugged, and his voice dropped. “These things happen, I guess. Do you want to hear something else that’s a little crazy? I found out she got it at the same tattoo shop where Amy got hers.”

Ed shook his head. “This is nuts. I don’t know what’s going on, but to be honest, I don’t like it.”

Gabe let out a long breath, “There’s one more thing.”

Ed’s head shot toward him. I guess we both were waiting with baited breath.

“Well, I came here a few days ago, and she was here doing all the bridesmaid projects. Anyway, we’d hung out for a day, and then she went into town and the fender bender she mentioned was a little more than that.”

“Okay?” Ed leaned back in his chair.

“There was freezing rain and ice, and when I couldn’t reach her, I went out looking. I found her when her car had gone through a guard rail, down a ravine, and hit a tree.”

“Shit.”

“When I got to the car, the dash was all jacked up, and her legs were trapped so she couldn’t get out of the car.

” He inhaled deeply. “The tree holding the car was almost all the way out of the ground, and if I hadn’t arrived when I did, the tree would’ve gone down, and she would’ve ended up in the river. Trapped in the car.”

Ed let out a long breath. “Just like Amy.”

My jaw hit the floor as I processed his sentence. Amy was Gabe’s high school sweetheart, his wife who’d been killed in an accident. Amy drowned in a car?

“But I got to Fern. She’s safe.” his voice was defensive.

Ed leaned up on the table. “You got to her like you couldn’t get to Amy.”

Gabe’s demeanor changed. I could see his profile and the clenched jaw. “It’s not like that.”

Ed’s voice softened. “I don’t want to say it, but these feelings for Fern could just be there because of the similarities between the Fern and Amy situations.”

There was a painful twist in my chest.

“No, that has nothing to do with it.” Gabe hissed out the words. “Fern is Fern. Nothing to do with Amy.”

“Calm down. I’m just saying you’ve carried that accident with you every day , and you’ve blamed yourself even when you shouldn’t have for not being able to get Amy.

And now you save Fern like you couldn’t Amy?

It’s reasonable to consider that deep down a part of your connection to Fern might be as a protector or something. ”

“No, that’s not it at all.” His words cut through the air.