Game Saver - BJ Harvey Page 0,53

know when you’re bullshitting? Is it Cade? Has he done a stupid man thing?”

I snort, all tension disappearing. “Stupid man thing?”

She waves her hand in the air. “Oh, you know what I mean. All of the boys do stupid shit. Not often, but I swear, the more time you spend with them, the more likely it is that you’ll witness their expertise at being stupid, be it through their words, actions, or sometimes, even the mere thought of something stupid is enough to get themselves in trouble.”

I giggle. I can’t help it because everything she just said was one hundred percent true. “Whatever was wrong isn’t any more, Danika Roberts, knowing you’ve let Zach tap your ass,” I say, slapping her butt with the palm of my hand, “has made everything better.”

“Stop trying to change the subject,” she grumbles.

“Did it work?”

“Obviously not,” she retorts.

I let out a loud melodramatic sigh, knowing she’s not gonna let this one slide. “What if I told you I’m just working through some shit in my head?”

“I’d tell you that a problem shared is a problem half-solved?”

I scrunch my face up. “I don’t think that’s the saying.”

“Me either, actually,” she says with a laugh. “You’re okay though?”

“I will be. Is that enough for you?”

She narrows her eyes at me. “I suppose. As long as you promise to talk to me if you need help sorting your head out. Deal?” She holds out her pinky finger to me.

“Deal,” I reply, wrapping mine around hers and shaking on it.

Now to actually sort my head out because Lord knows, Dani won’t let me get away with it for long.

And if I’m honest with myself, I know Cade won’t either.

I’ve never spent the holidays with a woman.

I had a few girlfriends during high school and pre-med, not so much during my residency, but the decision to not pursue anything serious was mainly because I was dedicated to my career, knowing that it wasn’t fair to anyone to be in a relationship that wasn’t going to be my priority. So Thomas and I would go out, pick up, and get laid, but it never went any further than that.

Then fifteen months ago, I saw Abi sitting at the bar in Throb, and it was as if there was a string pulled tight between us, drawing me in.

Still stuck in the mindset that I wasn’t in a place to start anything with anyone, I left her bed the next morning and didn’t look back. Actually, that’s a lie. I spent many a night wondering whether I should give her a call. It wasn’t as if she was a complete stranger. We saw each other a few times over the following ten months, and every time that string tugged at me.

Ten months later I saw her—again at Throb—laughing and dancing with all the girls while the guys and I sat sentry on the balcony above them, and I knew I had to have her again. When she shot down her ex-fuck buddy, I wanted to lock her up and keep her forever.

In the months we’ve been working on our “real,” I’ve come to realize that she’s the calm in my life. It doesn’t matter what happens at work, or with my family—as long as I know I have Abi at my back, nothing fazes me.

Now she’s in my bed, a fixture in my life that I hope stays that way, and a bright light to combat the shadows caused by my parents and their campaign for power. I’m not planning on ever letting her go. Thanksgiving with her family is a good start.

However, Abi has been a bundle of nerves all day—despite the double orgasm I gave her in the shower this morning. Knowing my parents have threatened to fuck with her in the past—both to her face and to me—I do wonder whether she has moments of indecision about us. If I was in her shoes facing the baggage à la Carsen, I’d definitely be taking stock of our relationship because I’m the first to admit that I’m a lot to take on.

When she told me about my mom cornering her, I wasn’t surprised. I didn’t need to know what Mom had said because I could just imagine it would’ve been along the lines of ‘Name your price to walk away from our son.’ One of the most frustrating things about my parents—besides their need to control everything and everyone—is their mistaken belief that money can buy you anything.

“You okay with