Page 16 of Reeling in Love

“What! With you? Never. Ever. No. No. Never.”

“Wow! That’s a lot of nevers out there. I’m pretty good. Ask any of my girlfriends. But I didn’t mean me. I meant I’ll help you find a guy to please you down there. One with no strings attached. Just to make you have a good time. Be your wingman, y’know.”

Chapter 6

Gabriel: #IsThatAFlutter

I’m officially messed up. Paula has done it. She’s put this idea in my head and now my stupid brain seems to be actually thinking about it. Thinking about the one thing that is good in my life and planning to mess it up. Nora! That’s who.

Is it possible that I sabotage my relationships because of Nora? I don’t think that’s true. Not completely, at least. I mean, I’ve never thought about her that way, never regarded her in that light. That is, not until tonight.

I took her to Kelly’s after picking her up outside that ahole Rick’s apartment. As she sipped the hot chocolate, my brain couldn’t think of anything other than licking that chocolate from her lips. Jesus Christ!

How come I’d never noticed how sexy her lips are, those beautiful, curvaceous, pink lips? Why had I never thought of kissing them?

Nora has always been the girl next door. My best friend who I share everything with. Ah, there’s the rub. She knows me too well and is too smart to want to have anything to do with me as far as a ‘relationship’ goes.

And if I had any doubt, her reaction when she thought I was suggesting sex with me, cleared it up.

I hate Paula.

Why did she suggest something so bizarre? And why do I want it? Why am I ogling at her, lying on my couch with her wet hair, reading a book, as if I’m seeing her for the first time?

How did she end up on my couch?

Yeah, I did something even more foolish. I brought her home, instead of taking her to a hotel. I have two rooms, so it’s not a problem. And this is not the first time she’ll be staying over at my condo. She’s come over plenty of times after late-night parties if Rick had left early, as he was wont to do.

But this time it’s different. She’s different. Or maybe it’s me. She’s still the same Nora, my friend, who treats me as such. What’s changed is me and the way I see her.

She was too tired to unpack, so I gave her one of my shirts to wear. The shirt reaches to her mid thighs. Her legs! They’re perfect. My eyes scan her from her feet, up to her thighs, the loosely hanging shirt, her neck, the wet hair hanging around her face. My eyes stop at her lips again and I have an intense desire to taste them, to see how they will react to mine. I can feel my heart thumping against my chest, a weird feeling in the pit of my stomach. Jesus! Is Nora doing this to me? Nora!

I peel my eyes away from her and begin picking up the lamp pieces from the floor.

I’m not comfortable with these thoughts I’m getting about my best friend. I think I need to leave. Seeing her lying casually in that shirt isn’t doing me any good.

“I’m tired. Can’t believe it was only this morning I returned from a different continent. You know where to find stuff if you need anything, right? I’ll call someone to clean the house tomorrow to take care of whatever’s remaining, so you don’t worry about it, okay?”

“Of course, it’s your home. I’m here for a short time. A guest, if you will. I won’t be cleaning your house, especially any mess your ex-girlfriend made. That’s for sure.” She lifts her head from the book she’s reading. “Why’re you looking at me so funny? Is there something stuck between my teeth?”

“No. I was just… Nothing. So, I’ll… y’know, go to bed.”

“It’s your house. Do what you want. And it’s not my first time in your condo. So you don’t need to worry about me. Go and sleep. I’ll read a little before going to bed. G’nite and thanks again for picking me up.”

“Night, Nora. And you know I’ll do anything for you.” What! What am I saying? “I mean, you’re my friend, so whatever. Don’t worry about it.”

She regards me with squinted eyes. “Yeah. I know. I was only being polite, dude. Now get lost and lemme read.”

She leans against the handrest of the couch and buries her head in the book, while my eyes trace out the curves of her body. How did I never notice it before? She’s perfection if ever there was one.

Stop it! I close my eyes. I picture her as a kid, with braces and a ponytail, wearing the ugly green jacket her mother bought for her. Yes! Seems to be working. My heart calms down a little and my lips spread into a smile. She’s my safe space, the one constant in my life that I never want to mess up. And anyone who knows me can vouch that I’ve messed up all my relationships so far. So I have to—no—I need to control my emotions and get back to the friendship mode. I can’t be seeing Nora like this.

I hurriedly make my way to my room before I say or do anything stupid and lock the door for good measure.

Maybe my body is reacting in this indecipherable manner because both of us are single at the same time, which has not been the case for many years now, not ever I think since we started dating people. If that’s the case, then I know how to sort this shit. I need to get her a date. Tomorrow I’ll get to work on it.

Weirdly, I dream about her, Paula, and Sophia. Paula and Sophia are telling Nora about how shitty I am, and she hates me. She leaves me and goes back to Rick. She’s unhappy and so am I. Then the investor Gerard Dumas tells me I need to step away from Nora along with MooreGames, stating that not only am I a bad and inexperienced CFO but also an inexperienced boyfriend, since I know nothing of relationships.

I wake up with a splitting headache. Dreams are really the worst, I tell you.

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