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“How about some good old fashioned pizza?” Tom suggests. “I know the best place. I can pick it up, give you two some time to catch up,” he offers. To hell with Maria, I think I love this man! A man who knows when women need some girl time and offers food is marriage material.

“You’re too good to me,Papi,” She whirls around and kisses him.Papi?I laugh at her nickname for him.

He returns the kiss and his face turns red again. It’s actually quite sweet, what they have. I wonder if our friends think the same about Chase and me. We had a rocky start but aside from the demonstrative way he tries to dig his way into my life we’re really happy. Tom goes into the other room and I hear him ordering the pizza and rifling through the keys in the bowl at the side table. The last thing I hear is the door shutting and that’s my queue to pounce.

“So, Ria, you two looked pretty cozy.”

A huge smile breaks across her face. “He makes me happy and the sex,Cara Bonita, the sex iscaliente!” she confides.

“Do you love him?” I ask, holding my breath.

She sets her hands on the counter and cocks her head to the side. She bites her lip and thinks a moment. “I think so. I don’t want anyone else.” I nod in understanding. “You know how it is, Gigi. It’s hard to give my heart. He’s told me he loves me though,” she hedges.

“Oh. My. God! And you didn’t tell me. What the hell? I’m your best friend,” I chastise her. “Did you say it back?”

She shakes her head.

“Why not?”

“I don’t know. I’m guess I’m just waiting for it to go bad. Eventually, he’lljoder,” she says.

“He will not fuck up! Nojoder!” I yell as convincingly as possible, but lack the Spanish flair in pronouncing my words.

“Maybe, but I’m not there yet.” She pulls her long tresses up into a ponytail using the hair tie she has around her wrist.

“Okay, okay. Just don’t wait too long to tell him, Ria. Don’t sabotage yourself because you’re afraid of being happy.” I hit the nail on the head. She nods, tears welling in her ice blue eyes. In two strides I’m around the island and pulling her into a tight hug. “I love how he looks at you like there’s no one else in the room but you. He’s in deep, sister. Don’t think he’s not as far gone as you are.”

“You think?” Her voice comes across so small. Nothing like her typical boisterous self.

“I know,” I pull her chin and stare into her eyes. A tear slips down her cheek and I wipe it away. “I know,” I reiterate. She nods and hugs me again.

***

I spend the next two days getting ready for my trip. Maria and I go to Bree’s studio for some hardcore Yoga and meet up with Kat. We have dinner in our grubby workout clothes and catch up. Kat tells us everything is going well with Carson and that she, too, is falling in love with him. Bree let us know that things are progressing with Phillip but more slowly than our three relationships. We set her mind at ease, assuring her that he is into her but that single dads have more on their mind than hitting the sheets with a hot blonde. She feels better but is frustrated that they haven’t taken their relationship to the next level. Maria and Kat both give her their ideas for seducing him. I stayed out of it. It is like talking about getting my brother laid. It feels icky and gross. The next evening I hit the gym one last time before my flight in the morning.

Running is just what I need to release the sexual frustration built up from a two day dry spell. I up the incline on the treadmill and my heart pounds along with my feet as they thump against the revolving belt. Black Eyed Peas’ Hey Mama blares through my MP3 player as I hit the euphoric runner’s high. Images of Chase running alongside me slither along my vision. His sweat slicked chest, the shower for two after we’ve worked our bodies to the limit, the pounding sex against the shower wall like icing on our workout cake. I sigh and up the incline one more time.

After a solid hour of pushing myself, I finally hit the stop button and jump to the sides of the machine. The endorphins run rampant through my system, and I tilt my head back and practically moan. It’s the closest thing to euphoria I’ve felt in three days. I’ve gotten used to Chase pleasuring me to the point of madness each night and it’s hard to fall asleep without that release or his warm arms surrounding me. Exercise is the only option until tomorrow. I can’t wait to see him.

“Gillian?” A deep voice booms from behind me. I pull out my earphones, press stop on the Black Eye Peas screaming about “Getting it Started” and turn to see Daniel, my ex-boyfriend. I try my best not to cringe. It’s been close to a year since we last spoke.

“Daniel, wow, it’s been awhile,” I say and climb down off the machine.

He pulls me into a sweaty full bodied hug. Once our chests make contact I stiffen. The only man’s sweat I want anywhere near me is Chase’s, and, typically, while I’m licking it off his naked chest.

“What has it been, six months?” he asks.

“Closer to a year. How are you?” I ask politely, not really wanting to talk to him. Even though he treated me like a princess, I still had to break up with him. It was awkward and he was genuinely upset that I was breaking it off. It wasn’t possible for me to get past hisyou want me to fuck you like a whorecomment in the bedroom when I tried to discuss ramping up our sex life. Basically, I wanted to come and he wasn’t able to take me there. Sex with him was too nice and backed by little feeling on my part. In order for me to orgasm, I need to be emotionally invested and with Danny, I just wasn’t. He said he loved me often, I never uttered those words. After a less than a month with Chase I was devoting my heart to him forever more. That ought to say something.

“Good. What are you doing after this?” he asks as we head toward the locker rooms.

“Heading home. I have an early flight to New York City tomorrow.” There is no way I’m meeting up with him for a drink or anything remotely close to a date. No way, no how.

“Oh yeah, business or pleasure?” he asks making polite conversation. Internally I groan. I just want to get my purse and leave.

“A little of both. Donor visit for the Foundation but I’m meeting my boyfriend,” I say nonchalantly.

Daniel runs a hand through his hair and shakes his head. “You have a new boyfriend?” he says with a hint of surprise. He looks genuinely puzzled by my admission. “Who?” he asks and I don’t recognize the tone in his voice.

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