Page 81 of This Kind of Forever
He presses a kiss to my shoulder, where my shirt has slipped down to reveal bare skin. I suppress a shiver.
“You don’t need my permission,” he says. “Besides, one of the people you invited is my sister. I can hardly complain about that.”
“It’s your house,” I argue.
“It’s yours, too.” He steps closer, pressing his chest to my back. “So invite whoever you like.”
“In that case…you have to leave.”
He chuckles. “You’re kicking me out?”
I set the strawberry container down and turn, leaning back against the counter. And I come face to face with Gabe’s bare chest. The ink on his skin taunts me, begging for me to trace it with my fingers. And, if I’m feeling brave one night, maybe my tongue.
Cheeks blazing, I meet his amused gaze. “Temporarily. It’s girls’ night, and I know you. You wouldn’t know how to behave if your life depended on it.”
Gabe grins. He lets go of the counter and sets his hands on my hips, squeezing. “I can keep my hands to myself. I think it’syouwho would have trouble. You can’t resist me, Foster.”
He’s not entirely wrong…
I playfully push at his chest. He just tugs me closer, trapping my palm against his bare skin. His dark hair is still damp from his shower, and I truly can’t stop my free hand from reaching up and brushing a fallen strand off his forehead.
“See?” he says. “That was entirely unprovoked touching.”
My jaw drops. “You’re the one who won’t let me go.”
He leans closer, his lips still tilted up in amusement. “Maybe we should just agree that we both lack self-control in this relationship.”
Relationship. My heart skips a beat or two. I still can’t let myself fully believe it.
I tip my head up toward him. “Maybe that’s why we fit so well together.”
Gabe hums. “Told you that you were made for me, baby.”
My breath stutters in my chest. His eyes lock on mine, and then the distance between us is getting smaller. Just as our lips brush, a loud knock sounds on the front door.
I jump at the sound. Then my eyes widen when I hear Clara’s voice as she pushes into the house without waiting for someone to answer.
“Go put a shirt on!” I hiss at Gabe, shooing him away.
His hands fall from my sides, leaving me feeling cold. “Relax,” he says quietly. “They aren’t going to suspect anything.”
I cross my arms. “Have you met your sister?”
He throws his hands up in surrender as he heads toward the hallway. “I’m going, I’m going.”
I spin around, busying myself with the rest of the food preparation as I attempt to pretend nothing weird is going on. I have to fan my face to try to tame the redness I can feel spreading.
“Hi, Gabe,” Delilah says. She and Clara are in the kitchen now. They pass Gabe on their way over to me.
Clara wrinkles her nose. “Don’t you own a shirt?”
“Don’t you have some manners?” he counters. “What’s the point of knocking if you’re just gonna barge in anyway?”
She waves him off. “Twin privileges. Besides, you’re hogging my best friend.”
I go completely still.Does she know?But she can’t. We haven’t let anything slip at Sunday brunch. We act exactly like we always have, except our longing glances across the table have a touch more sexual tension than they used to.
Gabe grins. “That’s because she likes me better than you.”
