Page 28 of Scoop Me Up
As I sat, my phone buzzed in my pocket, which I quickly discovered was because of an incoming text.
Cooper: You want to get a drink tonight? You deserve it after looking at real estate all day. I’ll rally the D&D crew.
I chuckled to myself and tapped out a reply.
Sam: Sure. Mind if I bring Gabe along?
I hadn’t spilled the news that Gabe was staying with me, and I smirked as I waited for his response.
Cooper: You’re bringing Gabe? What did I miss?
Sam: The inn was booked, apparently. He’s staying with me after all.
Cooper: Sucks for him, but lucky you. Maybe you’ll convince him to bat for your team while he’s living with you.
Sam: Please. He’s straight and we're just friends.
Cooper: Famous last words.
We agreed on a time to meet at The Striped Maple and I put my phone away. After a few quiet moments, footsteps echoed on the wood floors, signaling Gabe’s approach.
“All settled?”
“For now,” he said. “Almost everything is unpacked. I’ve got some work to catch up on. I was wondering if I could work at the kitchen table?”
“Yeah, of course. You can even use the office, if you need a little more privacy than my kitchen table has.”
Gabe shook his head. “That’s not necessary, but thank you.”
“Oh, hey. Cooper and I are going to The Striped Maple tonight with friends. Do you want to join?”
He hesitated for a moment. “Sure, yeah. That’d be great. Sounds like a—a plan.”
I decided it was too nice to stay indoors. I went out to pull weeds in the flower beds for an hour or two while Gabe worked,enjoying the quiet peace of gardening. It wasn’t my favorite pastime, but I liked seeing the results of my hard work when I looked at a well-kept flower garden. Time passed quickly, the sun sinking in the sky as I worked.
When I was satisfied with the weeding I’d done, I headed back inside, covered in sweat and dirt and desperately needing a shower. I found Gabe still sitting at the kitchen table, focused on his laptop.
“How’s work?”
He looked up at me and gave me a genuine smile, his face lighting up. Butterflies fluttered in my stomach, heat flaring deep inside me.That damn smile. “Great. How’s whatever you were doing out there? Yard work?”
“Unfortunately. One of my least favorite chores, but it’s satisfying at least.” I looked down at my grime-covered hands. “But now I need a shower, immediately.”
His breath hitched and he shifted in his seat a little. “Have fun.” His voice was rough, and he turned his focus back to his laptop a second later.
Stop,I chastised myself. There was no reason to get all up in my imagination.Nothing is going to happen with the straight dad. It can’t.
With a sigh, I went to my bedroom and grabbed clean clothes before my shower. I didn’t want to risk an accidental near-exposure like the one that had happened to Gabe when I’d had dinner with him and Ellie. I took a quick shower, all business, just getting the important things done. No lingering for me. I didn’t want to let my mind wander to things that would definitely be forbidden—water, nudity, and my hot new housemate. As soon as I was out of the shower, I pulled on my jeans and a tank top—my standard non-work outfit for summertime, although I confess to picking a tighter tank top than strictly necessary.
Once I was dressed, I swung open the bathroom door and called out to Gabe. “You ready to hit the road?”
He stepped out of the guest room—his room—running a hand through his short, reddish hair. He was wearing jeans and a fitted T-shirt, nothing remarkable, but somehow he looked even better than usual. He stopped abruptly, frozen for a second, before clearing his throat. “Yeah. Yes. I’m ready. You… you look good.”
Heat flooded my cheeks, creeping down my neck and throat, and I looked at the floor briefly before my gaze met Gabe’s again. “Thanks. So do you.”Maybe he’s not as straight as he seems?I wondered as we watched each other.
He chuckled and nodded a little, a small, embarrassed smile on his face. “Thank you.”
We held each other’s gazes for another long moment, neither of us speaking, tension stretching between us in a way that made my chest ache and my hands itch to reach out and touch him. I forced myself to look away again, shaking my head a little and turning down the hall.
