Page 23 of The Heiress's First Date

Women change things.

Alex puts a hand on my shoulder. “Breathe. Talk to me.”

“I—” I glance over at him, seeing my confidant of almost twenty years.

“I know,” he says, and I don’t doubt it. He’s good at reading me. Has always spokenGabrielfluently. “I get why you’re worried. It’s new, but that doesn’t mean it’s bad, right? And if we’re all enjoying ourselves and we don’t let jealousy win, it could work out better than any of us imagined, right?”

My brows lift because the man’s obviously thought about this.

He throws an arm around my shoulders. “Do you remember when we first met, and you were so overwhelmed by the city and the classes and all the people?”

I nod, anxiety gripping my stomach like a giant fist.

“But you were so excited. So ready to make all your dreams come true. This is the same thing. A new adventure. New people. A new path. You get to pave it, just like you did back then. And I’ll be right here beside you.”

Alex gives the best pep talks. Truly.

“Breathe.”

I take a deep breath.

He slaps me between the shoulder blades. “Let it out, jackass.”

Chuckling, I exhale, feeling a little calmer. But then I look up at him out of the corner of my eye. All the dormant feelings surge. But there are a host of new ones, too.

“I get all of that. But I don’t want to lose what we have for anything. Or anyone,” I add.

“How do you think you’ll lose me?”

I shrug. “Maybe you guys decide you’re perfect for each other and run away to Boston.”

He sighs, shaking his head like it’s the craziest thing he’s ever heard. But is it?

I glance around, making sure we’re still alone. And I keep my voice low because sound carries across the oak floor.

“She obviously adores you. You make her feel safe and seen. She turns to putty when you’re around.”

She said it herself. I’m an adventure. He’s her lighthouse. Eventually, adventuring gets tiresome. Monotonous.

“And?” He rolls the basketball across his hip and hands it to me. “Come on. We’re done for the day.”

He gives me a prod toward the elevators, and then we’re zooming skyward. “Go on.”

“I don’t know, man. It’s all messed up in my head.”

“Clearly.” He turns and leans back against the paneled wall, watching me in that keen way that feels like he sees too much.

I mirror his movement and toss the ball at his chest. Of course he agrees that I’m off my rocker. Floundering in the weeds. Like I said, he sees it all. Heknowsme. “Thanks.”

He catches the ball easily, propping a foot against the wall. It’s a casual pose, showing off all his muscles in the most mouth-watering way. The damp t-shirt clings to his torso, and I avert my gaze. Are we to the penthouse yet?

“Gabriel.”

My stomach drops.

“We’re not going to run off to Boston and leave you and the bestie behind. If I was going to take her anywhere, it’d be a private island in the Caribbean where I could keep her in a bikini for days on end. Or naked.” He smirks and sends the ball hurtling across the small space at me.

“How thoughtful of you.”

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