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.”