Page 25 of Bedding The Best Man (Bedding the Bachelors)

Right. The least he could do.

For his friend.

“Fine, Gabe. Thank you.”

* * *

Gabe drove away from Brianne’s feeling as if he had been struck in the face by a wrecking ball. He should have bowed out from helping her when she’d given him the chance. But she’d been through so much already. She needed him. Besides, other than last night, he’d spent six years managing to keep his hands off her. He could make sure things between them went back to the way they should be.

Friendly.

He’d do exactly what he had promised, no more, and once he proved to her she was more than capable of pulling off the glamping event, he would take off like Eric had and sort his head out. Actually, he needed to get his head sorted out right now, because all he could think of was how she’d felt in his arms. On his tongue. Around his cock. Suddenly, he could barely stop himself from turning around, heading back to her place, sweeping her in his arms, and saying to hell with Eric.

Feeling desperate, he headed to the gym. He needed to pound some frustration out and one of the employees there, Huck, was always good for a no-holds-barred scrap.

He parked by the curb, and locked up. He often thought it was a little pointless because if anyone around there wanted to take his little sports car, a lock wouldn’t stand in their way. Fortunately, most people in the neighborhood would recognize his car, and his reputation as a brawler was usually enough to hold them off. He moved to the almost hidden door in the large warehouse in front of him, and pushed it open, wincing as the stench of sweat hit him in the face.

“Hey Gabe, I wasn’t expecting you here this weekend,” Sam called down from his office overlooking two full size boxing rings, and all the equipment an aspiring boxer could ever need.

“It’s been a tough week, Sam,” he called back. “Is Huck around?”

“Shit, that isn’t a tough week, that’s a fucking suicidal one. Anything I can help with?” his wiry trainer asked as he came down the stairs.

“Nah, nothing a good fight won’t sort out.”

Sam slapped him on the back. “Huck’s on the punch bags. I think he’s had a rough one, too. You sure you don’t want to spar with me instead?”

Gabe smiled. He was half Sam’s age and twice his size, but Sam was an ex-welterweight champion, fast on his feet. He could land a swift jab before his opponent even knew where he was.

“Huck’ll do me fine. Leave the two of us lumbering heavyweights to it. You stick to picking on people your own size,” he joked.

“Go and strip down, I’ll get Huck ready for you. Go easy on him, you really do look like shit.”

Once he was in the ring, Gabe finally felt back under control.

Sam had been right—Huck was definitely in a bad mood, and it made his punches come thick and fast. Unlike Gabe, he had never learned to control his rage in order to best use it, which gave his opponents the chance to outwit him. Unfortunately, Gabe wasn’t focused either. He kept thinking of Brianne and before he knew it, Huck had planted a perfect uppercut on his jaw. Gabe could almost feel his brain rattling around inside his skull. Huck hit like a locomotive at full speed.

Gabe shook his head, and vowed not to let his guard drop again. He danced around the big man, dropping great combinations and keeping out of the long reach of the heavy punching brawler. Thirty minutes later both of them were sweating hard, and puffing from the exertion. They tapped gloves and called it a draw, though both knew Gabe had landed more punches. The kids in the gym had crowded round, and Gabe stopped to talk to them. Like Sam, Gabe made time for the kids from the neighborhood and enjoyed helping them improve their skills.

He headed for the showers, feeling calmer and better able to put everything into perspective again. Working with Brianne was going to be really tough, but he could do it. She deserved his support right now. The last thing he was going to do was abandon her in her time of need.

However, he couldn’t forget that his role as her white knight was both limited and temporary. Eric would come back, he was sure of it—and when he did he was more than certain that the pair would sort out their differences. They were perfect for each other, after all.

Chapter Ten

“You’re going to what?” Evie’s expression was priceless.

“I’m going glamping.” Sitting in her office at her desk, the apprehension Brianne felt at spending another night with Gabe was almost worth watching Evie implode.

“I’m having a lot of feelings right now,” she said, fanning herself.

Brianne could only laugh. “About what?” she asked.

“Let’s see. For starters, there’s you, Little Miss ‘I Didn’t Know I Could Get Sunburned On A Cloudy Day’. You, who hates Spring because that’s when the bugs come back out. I’ve seen you lose your shit over an ant walking across the carpet.”

“Wow, I sound so low-maintenance,” Bri smirked.

“Low-maintenance is overrated. But moving on. Next, there’s the person you’re going with. I mean, hello! You, Gabe, in the woods? It’s like something out of a steamy movie. OrPenthouse Forum.”

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