Page 20 of Stick Games
Once again, Gabe’s muscles tighten. “Speaking of Ryder…that’s who I was texting. He was asking how the beach was.”
“He texted me to wish me a happy birthday. We’re going to video chat later.” I smile as I think of Ryder. I miss him terribly now that we’re living on opposite coasts.
He waves a finger back and forth between the two of us. “What would he think?”
While I understand the rules of this hook-up, I say, “I’m a grown woman, Gabe. Who I choose to sleep with is my business. Besides, he’s never going to know. There’s no need for him to know.”
“What if he did know, though?”
I eye him and take in the seriousness on his face. That’s when understanding hits. “Are you worried about losing him as a friend?”
He scrubs his face, and he exhales loudly as he stares blindly toward the ocean. “Yeah, actually I am.”
“You guys go way back,” I tell him as the worry in his eyes tugs at my heart. “I know Ryder better than he knows himself, and you do too. I’m sure our hook-up might shock him, and like I said, he’s never going to know, but he’d get used to it. He does know I’m all grown up and can make my own choices.”
“Grown up or not, he’s pretty protective of you, Millie, and he trusts me. That’s why he asked me to take you to the prom.”
My stomach twists again as I think about the prom and the lost years between us. “Just so you know, when he texted I told him we were spending the day together, and you offered to play the ‘yes’ game.
His eyes go big and his chair scrapes the floor as he grips the arms, and pushes with his feet. “Are you fucking kidding me?”
“It’s fine. He was thrilled that we were hanging out and having fun.” His mouth falls open. “No, he doesn’t know what kind of fun we’ve been having. It’s not his business.” I put my hand on his leg, and squeeze. “Listen, if he trusts you, Gabe, and he does...” I take a sip of my soda. “…then he knows you only have my best interests at heart, right?”
He shrugs. “Maybe, but I’m not sure he’d consider me sleeping with you to be in your best interest.”
“Then that’s his problem.”
“He kind of asked me to look out for you when you moved to Boston. He counts on me to know what’s best for you.”
I dip a tortilla chip into the gooey cheese. “I know he loves me and worries about me, but only I know what’s best for me, Gabe. I can make my own choices, and sometimes those choices are good, and sometimes they’re not. I grow from the good choices, and learn from the bad.”
He leans toward me and as I breathe in the scent of his skin, going deeper than the body wash, to something uniquely Gabe, it arouses me all over again. “What do you think about what we just did, Millie? Good choice or bad?”
“I think it’s too early to tell.” I give an easy shrug and wipe my hands on a napkin as he eyes me.
“Meaning?”
I stand, and release the belt holding my robe together. “We might need to find our way back to your bed a few more times before I can make my final decision.”
8
Gabe
Jesus, it’s so nice to see her smiling and having fun, being carefree for a change. It’s been too long since I’ve seen her this happy and I’m loving it. As she rides the four-wheeler through the dense jungle, the ground wet and muddy from last night’s rain, the trees blur into a green haze before me.
Like a child exploring puddles in rainboots for the first time, she runs her tires through every wet hollow along the way. Her long red locks, tied back in a ponytail, ping pong on her back as she tries to stay ahead of me. She’s actually a pretty damn good driver. Not that I’m surprised, since Ryder and I both took turns giving her lessons after she got her learner’s permit all those years ago.
As I enjoy watching her, she hits another puddle, her tire sinking, and her four-wheeler rocking as she guns it. Her laughter fills the air as she glances over her shoulder and grins at me. And why is she grinning? Oh, just because she knows the spray from her tires is soaking through my clothes.
Well, two can play that game.
Up ahead, the path widens and I give the four-wheeler a shot of gas. Fumes fill the air, and when I see a big, muddy puddle I go straight for it. When I do, the water splashes up and soaks her. She screams and laughs, and I glance back to see her release the gas and slow down.
“You’re going to pay for that,” she yells, waving a fist at me. I slow ahead of her, and as she comes to a stop, I kill the ignition.
“What are you talking about? That was payback for soaking me,” I tell her. I grab my water bottle, and walk back to her as she squeezes water from her ponytail. I laugh and brush my fingers over her face to wipe away the dripping water. Jesus, she’s adorable.
She wipes the back of her hand over her lips. “I think I got it in my mouth.” A look of horror comes over her. “Ohmigod, Gabe, is it going to make me sick?”
