Page 2 of Playboy

Leo spotted them almost at the same time, and his face lit up as he pushed his way through the crowd. “Gabby!” he yelled, a little too loud. He pulled her into a bone-crushing hug that was borderline painful. Sometimes, the guys forgot how much smaller she was compared to them. She only stood at five-foot-three. “You made it!” His face held a goofy grin that she knew all too well. He was already drunk.

“Of course I did,” Gabby said with a smile, gently nudging him back so he wouldn’t topple them both over. “And this is for you,” she said as she handed him the gift bag containing the present she bought him.

“Awe, Gabby, you didn’t have to get me anything. Just having you here and celebrating with me is enough.”

She smiled and waved him off. “It’s not every day you make Chief.”

“Can I open it now?” he asked, looking excited. His reaction made Gabby laugh. Leo was like a little kid. When she joined their team about a year ago, she quickly learned that Leo’s personality alone provided most of the entertainment.

“By all means. It’s your present,” Gabby told him with a slight wave of her hand.

He pulled out the decorative tissue paper stuffed into the top of the bag. When he peeked into the bag and a smile spread across his face, Gabby knew she had found the perfect gift for him. Reaching into the bag, he pulled out the box and opened it.

“Oh, wow! It has my name on it. This is awesome, Gabby! Thanks!” he told her, giving her another hug.

She smiled, happy that he liked it. “You’re welcome. I thought you’d like it.”

“You’re the best,” Leo slurred before one of his other friends, clearly just as drunk, came over and told Leo and James about some hot chicks who wanted to meet them.

Gabby shook her head as she took the bag from Leo’s hands.

“Go and have fun. I’ll take this to the kitchen and put it in your cabinet so it doesn’t disappear,” she told him, knowing full well someone would try to crack into it before the night was over.”

He hugged her again before he and James were pulled into the crowd. And just like that, Gabby found herself alone in a sea of drunk strangers. She squeezed through the dancing bodies, heading toward the kitchen where she knew Leo kept his private stash of liquor.

The kitchen was just as packed as the living room, a mix of people talking loudly over each other and someone attempting to make frozen margaritas. Gabby made her way to the corner, where Leo kept his liquor in a high cabinet. She tucked the bag behind a bottle of rum and closed the door.

The thought of heading home crossed her mind. She kept her promise and made an appearance—Leo and James were her witnesses. Plus, there were so many people that it wasn’t like anyone would miss her.

She weighed her options.Mingle with sweaty, over-beveraged strangers or indulge in chocolate and the Golden Girls?

However, before she could decide, two women, a blonde and a brunette, staggered through the crowd and stopped right next to Gabby to lean against the counter.

The brunette was giggling at her friend as she shoved a bottle of water into her hands.

Gabby shook her head, feeling both amused and sorry for the two women. Watching the half-drunken brunette trying to hold up the plastered blonde was a sight to see. She had to hide her laugh when the blonde brought the water bottle to her lips but missed her mouth, causing most of the water to dribble down her chin and onto her blouse. They were a mess and would most likely have a hellacious hangover the following day.

Gabby noticed the blonde’s eyes were half-closed as she started to sway on her feet. Gabby feared the woman was going to pass out.

“Hey, are you okay?” Gabby asked, taking a step toward the girl.

But before she could do anything, the girl leaned across Gabby, her head dipping into the trash can. And then it happened—the unmistakable sound of someone vomiting.

Gabby froze as she felt something splatter against the arm of her sweater. And not just any sweater. It was her favorite sweater.

Gabby was also a trained EMT and could handle blood, broken bones, and all sorts of injuries. But puke? Nope. She couldn’t stand puke.

“Are you kidding me?” Gabby muttered under her breath, her stomach doing somersaults.

She probably should’ve ensured that the blonde was okay, but Gabby was more preoccupied with controlling her own gag reflexes.

She scrunched up her nose in disgust, looking at the sweater she loved but knowing she would have to burn it. Breathingthrough her mouth so she wouldn’t have to smell the putrid odor, she backed away from the drunk girls, desperately tugging at her sweater, trying to peel it off without gagging.

If the guys could see me right now,she thought bitterly, imagining their laughter. They all knew how much she despised vomit, and this situation would’ve had them in stitches.

Thank goodness she had worn a camisole under the sweater, or else she would have been screwed.

Some guy, thankfully sober, rushed over to help the girls, and Gabby quickly tossed her now-ruined sweater into the trash can. Barely holding it together, she decided that was it. She was heading home.

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