Page 37 of XOXO, Valentina

Her chin came up, and her jaw flexed. “Why was she here, Joey? Do you have something going with her too?”

My body tensed. Gabriella assumed I couldn’t keep my dick in my pants. It was true I was no saint, but I wasn’t a lowlife. “I don’t have anything going with Chelsea Taylor.” I placed my hands on her shoulders and lowered my chin so our eyes met. “Believe it or not, I don’t have anything going on with anyone—besides you.”

Her breath hitched, and her eyes softened. I could tell the idea of having something going with me intrigued Gabriella. She couldn’t argue that we had a good thing going, but we just had to figure out how to keep it.

“What about the BJ bandit?”

The question baffled me. “What?”

“The woman on her knees behind your desk.” Gabriella crossed her arms over her towel-clad chest. “It was only a few weeks ago, Joey. What about her?”

My stomach clenched. There had never been anything of substance between me and Caroline. When she was in town, we met up. It had been fun, but nothing more. Nothing like Gabriella. I wanted more than an occasional meet-up with Gabriella if we could somehow make it work. I’d settle for keeping it a secret if that was how it had to be.

“She doesn’t matter,” I said, shifting my hand from her shoulder to curl around her neck.

She leaned into my touch for a second, then stiffened. “What about Kaitlyn’s bikini top? Did you give it back to her yet?”

Frustration mounted inside me when she pulled away. “Gabriella.” I tightened my hold on her. “Kaitlyn was changing in my bathroom. Everyone from the building was over here watching Manchester City play Club América.”

Gabriella rolled her eyes. “You have an answer for everything.”

I shrugged. “It’s true.”

She stared up at me, a war going on behind her eyes as she decided whether to trust me. I stood patiently under her thorough inspection. When a reluctant smile tugged at her lips, I knew she’d made her decision. “Stop looking so cute,” she said. “You make it impossible to concentrate.”

I swept my thumb across her collarbone, smearing syrup. Bringing my thumb to my mouth, I sucked off the syrup.

Gabriella moaned and melted against my chest. “I really need to go,” she said, her hands snaking around to my back.

“You’re covered in syrup. Why not stay and take a shower?”

Her hands spread over my back, and she leaned against my chest. “I have to be somewhere.”

A fist tightened around my heart. “Somewhere like a date?”

“Supper at my parents’ house.” She dropped her hands from my back and pulled away. “I don’t date.”

That was a relief and a tragedy. “Why not?”

“I need to go.” She eased out of my arms. “Have you seen my phone?”

I jerked my head toward the door. “Probably still in your shorts.”

She brushed by me, heading toward the living room.

“Wait.” I snagged her wrist. “Why don’t you date?”

A frustrated huff escaped her mouth. “I don’t have the time or energy for dating.”

I wrapped my fingers around her wrist and tugged her closer. “Maybe you should make time.” Dipping my head, I kissed the corner of her mouth. “Start with a shower. With me.” I trailed my lips across her jaw. “My friend in Costa Rica owns a hotel with outdoor showers. Mine doesn’t compare, but it isn’t so bad.”

She turned her head, and we kissed again. Freeing her wrist from my hold, she hooked her arm around my waist and pulled me closer. Our tongues slid together, and my body filled with heat. Kissing her was like a drug, and I was already addicted.

A song burst into the air, and it took me a moment to register the noise as Gabriella’s phone. She jerked away from me and scrambled to grab her phone.

“Hello?”

I watched her face change as she listened. Her alarmed expression softened, and she laughed.

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