Page 48 of Hat Trick
"You're still mine. This changes nothing."
I nod, but I know it changes everything.
Chapter twenty-eight
Luca
"Coming!" Emily's sweet voice sings from the other side of her bedroom door. I check the front of me and run my hand down my chest to make sure my suit and tie are good. The door springs open and the most beautiful woman I've ever seen appears in the doorway. Emily's long brown hair is down and in waves, her makeup is subtle and adds to my favorite things about her without distracting. She's dressed in a black wrap dress that does great things for her cleavage and ends around mid-calf. It's somehow sexy but modest, elegant but humble.
"Nope. Turn around," I tease, pointing behind her. "Can't take you out in that." I brush past her into her room and into her closet, making a play like I'm looking for a different dress.
"Is it not okay?" She says worried, looking down at herself.
"If you don't want me ripping it off you before we've even gotten to the venue..." I call over my shoulder.
She laughs and I give up the ruse. I stride up to her and wrap my arms around her waist, kissing her hair. "You look stunning."
She pulls back a little to take me in. "Have I ever told you how much I love you in a suit. It's got to be custom tailored, right? To fit all your muscles?" She asks, squeezing my biceps. She sure is good for my ego.
"I'll never take it off." I say in mock seriousness.
She twists her lips in a tiny pout. "That's going to make blowing you after the reception hard."
And speaking of hard...
I grab her hand and pull her to the living room. "I'm not spending my cousin's entire wedding with a hard on, Ems. Let's go." The boys and Annie are having lunch as we go to leave. Emily pulls from my hand to give Annie a kiss on the head, repeating it on Carter. She pauses at Gabe, though, something serious and unsettling passing between them, before she slowly approaches him and leaves a lingering kiss on his temple. He catches her hand as she goes to leave and kisses the inside of her wrist.
She grabs her shoes and clutch, and we leave.
"A driver? Really?" Emily asks when she sees the man in a driving cap and black suit holding the back door of a Towncar open for her.
"You don't let me spoil you in the ways I want to, so at the very least I hired a driver to take us to the wedding." I hold a hand out for her and she takes it, letting me lead her into the car. I get in behind her but still when I see she's frowning.
"Is it too much?"
She shakes her head and rests her hand on my thigh. "No. I'm just not comfortable with overt displays of affection. I don't know how I'm supposed to react. This is nice, though. Thank you." She gives me a quick peck to my cheek but there's something else bothering her.
"What else?"
She looks to make sure the security divider is up before looking at me. The look she gives me is devastating. She looks like she's about to break up with me, or vomit. She twists and folds the corner of her clutch. "I slept with Gabe this morning." She whispers. I throw my arm around her shoulder.
I chuckle. "I know. The walls aren't exactly soundproof." Lucky bastard.
She looks up at me, eyes clouded in fear. "You're not upset?"
"Why would I be? It was fucking hot listening. I wanted to join but then I didn't want to share you tonight, so it's not fair to make Gabe share. I imagine there will be plenty of one-on-ones and some combination of us all together." I press a lock of hair behind her ear. "Is that why you're upset? You thought I'd be mad?"
She hesitates. "It wasn't...just sex...it was more like...making love." She cringes. "And I don't know what to do about it." Goddamnit, Gabe. I had expected him to go in with brute force, dominance, a quick fuck. But he's as gone for her as I am. And he's working his way into her heart, too, not just her bed. I'm just mad he beat me to it.
I kiss her hair and rub smoothing circles on her arm. "You don't have to do anything about it. He's been getting to know you over the past few months. He wants you physically, obviously, but it's only natural for like to turn into...more. Gabe's..." I pause for a moment, considering. "He's intense. He doesn't do anything half-assed. If he's decided you're in his inner circle, there's nothing he won't do for you. He likes you a lot. If he wants to make love to you, let him. It doesn't change how Carter and I want you."
She looks up at me with a glimmer of hope. "Really?"
"Yeah, babe. God, of course. Just don't go forgetting Carter and I when you fall in love with Gabe." I tease, trying to lighten the mood.
"I was afraid I'd lose you two if things got too serious with Gabe. I mean, there's still no future with this, but I'm not ready to give you and Carter up."
"Never."
