realized how wonderful she was.
“I wanted you then.” I cupped her face. “I want you more now, only because now I know you. And every day since knowing you, I’ve fallen a little bit harder, a little bit deeper, a little bit more . . .” I didn’t say “in love.” But I wanted to.
Gabi blinked back tears. “I don’t understand. Then why didn’t you say something?”
“One word,” I confessed. “Ian.”
“Right, he’d be pissed, but . . .” Her eyes narrowed. “Has he said anything else about us?”
“Other than telling me I’d never be good enough for his best friend? Someone he considers a sister? He told me that if I touched you he’d cut my hand off, or what’s worse . . . if I pursued you, our friendship would be over.”
“WHAT?” Gabi roared. “Are you serious?”
“Yeah,” I croaked. “Look, I’m not proud of the way I treated you, but I keep my promises, and the idea that he would just cut me out of his life, well, I felt like I had to choose you or him.”
“But it doesn’t have to be that way!”
“Doesn’t it?” I fired back. “Do you know Ian?”
“He’ll get over it!”
“Gabs, you are the only family he has other than his sister, and you and he are closer than they’ve ever been. You were there when his parents died, you were there for all the birthdays they missed, and when I moved away, you were still there for him. You are everything to him, and as stupid as it sounds, he’s like a brother to me. Hurting him . . .” I sighed.
“What do we do?”
“Sex.” I nodded confidently. “It solves everything, like coconut oil.”
“Huh?”
“Coconut oil. Premed, hmm? And you don’t know the many uses of coconut oil?”
“Guys!” Ian’s voice traveled from downstairs.
Gabi panicked while I tried to lift her out of the chair only to realize her legs were stuck under its arms.
“Help!” she squeaked.
“Stop squirming!” I hissed as I shoved one leg out of a hole and nearly fell on top of her. “Bend your knee!”
“If I bend it any further it’s going to snap!” she yelled.
“Gabi! If there was ever a time to impress me with your flexibility, this is it!” I tried to ease to the right at the same time she went left.
“Ouch!” Gabi smacked me in the leg. “That hurts!”
“Oh I’m sorry, did you want our best friend to find us pretzeled up in my room?”
Gabi’s eyes widened as we heard Ian climb the stairs. “Maybe if you push my foot left, I’ll pull right—”
“Shit!” I was about to give up when her leg came free, causing her to tumble to the floor with me on top of her as the chair slammed backward against the bed.
“Whoa!” Ian stepped into my room. “Have we moved past the verbal insults? Are you guys getting physical now?”
“Yes!” Gabi shouted as she started pounding my chest with her tiny fists. “Now get off, you ass!”
“YOU LOVE IT!” I yelled back, unable to think of what else to say while my body responded so exquisitely to her wiggling. I tried to send her a silent plea to stop moving, but her hips rocked.
Damn it!
“Dude, get off her, she’s a quarter of your size. We’re lucky we don’t have a Gabi-sized pancake on the floor.”
“Hah,” I laughed in fake amusement and moved away from Gabi, trying to stay hunched on the floor so Ian couldn’t see just how much I enjoyed our little wrestle time.
“Geez.” Ian held out his hand to her. “Are you okay, Gabs?”
She took it and stood. “Sure!”
“You look . . .” Ian’s eyes narrowed. “You’re seeing the guy again, aren’t you? The one who stole your treasure!”
“She’s not a pirate,” I commented as Gabi smacked Ian in the chest.
“My treasure?”
“Your booty.” I laughed.
“Not helpful, Lex!” Gabi glared and then turned to Ian. “And why do you even care? I’m a woman. I have needs!”
“Oh, hell no!” Ian raised his voice. “You can meet your . . . needs in other ways!”
“How’s that?” I loved Angry Ian. He usually made no sense at all, and it was hilarious as hell to watch.
“There are . . .” He gulped and looked to me. “I’m not going to sit here and talk to you about sex toys.”
“Oh, so you want me to use sex toys? Is that what this conversation is about?” Gabs crossed her arms.
“NO!” Ian roared. “Just—” His helpless gaze found mine. “No guys, no toys, no