On The Rocks

I can’t help the bark of laughter that comes out of my mouth… the way Gabby just casually told me what they did, including gossiping about my ex. My laughter is apparently appreciated, because Gabby starts chuckling in response.

Grabbing her hand, I pull it onto my lap. Her eyes go somewhat serious, although they still have a hint of mischief in them. “I want you to stay the night with me,” I tell her.

“At your house?” she asks, suddenly losing that mischievous light.

“Yes.”

She tries to pull her hand back, but I won’t let it go. “I don’t know, Hunter. I think it’ll be just really awkward with your ex there. I’m not feeling very kindly toward her.”

“Tell you what… how about at least come over for dinner? I’ll invite Casey and Wyatt, both of whom will have your back. Then that will give me time to convince you to stay the night.” I try to put on my most devastating smile, and it seems to work because she returns a small one.

“Seriously? Dinner? You want me to sit down and talk to your ex?”

“Well… maybe not one on one to start out, but it will be a group… a get-together… a shindig of sorts. We’ll make it casual, grill out… drink a few beers.”

Then I go for the kill when I tell her, “Besides… I want you to get to know John. He means a lot to me, and I want you to see that.”

Gabby’s eyes go soft at my proclamation, and I do an imaginary fist pump that I got her to agree. “Fine. But dinner is all I’m committing to right now.”

“That works for me,” I say, leaning in to whisper in a low voice because Brody has come back from the kitchen, “but I know, once I get you there, you won’t want to leave… not with the things I have planned for you tonight.”

I get the desired effect I wanted because her eyes go from soft and limpid to aroused and hot. “Oh, yeah… what did you have in mind?”

Glancing down at Brody at the end of the bar, assured he can’t hear me, I lean in all the way and run my lips along her jawline. “I want to see how many times I can make you come in an hour, just with my mouth?”

Gabby pulls back and blinks at me, her mouth hanging open. “An hour?”

“One hour,” I assure her. “We’ll time it and everything.”

“Oh,” she says, dumbfounded, but I can tell by the look in her eyes, she’s also completely intrigued.

“Hey guys,” I hear from behind me, immediately recognizing Alyssa’s voice.

I hold Gabby’s gaze for just a moment more, and then say in a voice low enough that I’m sure only she can hear, “One hour of pure pleasure.”

The pulse in Gabby’s throat literally starts beating at my proclamation, and it makes me want to stand up, haul her over my shoulder, and take her home right now to get that hour started.

Instead, I turn to Alyssa and pat the stool next to me, which she takes. Brody walks over and stares at her, waiting for her order. “Hey Brody… can I have a sweet tea and a Rueben?”

He doesn’t even respond—which seems to be classic Brody—just walks back toward the kitchen to put in the order. Alyssa stares at his retreating back for a moment before turning toward Gabby and me, shrugging her shoulders at his cold demeanor.

“Did you talk to Casey yet?” she asks Gabby, leaning forward on the bar so she can see around me.

“Yup… this morning. All is right with our world again.”

“And I take it you two are now ‘out of the closet,’ so to speak?” she asks as she points her index finger back and forth between the two of us.

“Yup,” I answer, turning toward Alyssa. “In fact, we had a glorious moment of PDA just a few minutes ago, and Gabby didn’t slap me, nor did one person raise their eyebrows.”

I can hear Gabby snort over my right shoulder. Alyssa chuckles and says, “Oh my God. You two are going to be that couple that everyone hates because they’re so freakin’ cute together, aren’t you?”