One word is all it takes for me. I slide my shoes off and climb into bed beside her. I stay on top of the sheets as she snuggles underneath them. Lying on my back, I put my arms behind my head, trying to be respectful even though all I want to do is touch her.
We lie in silence, but I know she’s awake. This is like the worst torture I’ve ever endured, the girl I want inches away, but I can’t do what I want to do.
I flash back to sleepovers at Kendrick’s house when we were in high school, the way it felt just being near her. I was too young and clueless to act on what I felt back then.
Now I’m old enough to know exactly what I’d do. Any other woman and it would be a done deal, but she’s still the one thing I’m not supposed to touch.
Suddenly, she reaches out, takes my arm, and wraps it tight around her. I spoon up behind her. She lets out a soft, happy murmur that damn near undoes me.
I breathe in the scent of her hair and feel the heat of her body pressed against mine. Every curve molds against me, testing my control. I shift, trying to hide how hard I am, praying she doesn’t notice.
God, I want her. I want to push past every line. Yeah, sex, of course, who wouldn’t want that with a girl that looks like Whit, but more than that, I just want this, her in my arms, every night, like she belongs here.
How in the world am I supposed to tell her how I feel? What if she doesn’t want to see where this can lead? The bad part is that I’m on a time limit here. She’s only here for the summer before she goes back to New York. What happens then? What about Kendrick? How do I tell my best friend how I feel about his sister?
I lie awake for what feels like hours, my mind spinning. Eventually, exhaustion wins, and I drift off.
I wake up to the sun shining through the sheer curtains. My arms are wrapped around Whit, and damn if that body doesn’t feel good. Whitley moves her ass against my crotch. My dick wants to sink deep into her and know what she feels like.
“Whitley, baby, you have got to quit squirming that ass.”
“Hmm?”
“I may be your brother’s best friend, but I’m still a man.”
She freezes, realizing exactly what I’m talking about. Then she does something that shocks me. She pushes her ass against me hard before pulling back, causing me to let out a grunt and say, “Oh fuck.”
She wiggles her ass back and forth, pulling another moan out of me, then says, “Hmm, impressive.”
Whit props herself up on one elbow, a teasing smile on her lips. “I’m surprised you came in last night. Thought you’d be busy with that girl.”
I shake my head, smirking. “Wasn’t into her. I sent her packing and just sat there nursing a beer. Honestly, Whit, I’m getting too old for that crap. Twenty-six, and I already feel done with the whole party scene.”
I don’t tell her that it wasn’t about the party, it was about wanting to check on her.
Whit tilts her head. “Kendrick thinks you’ve got a special lady you’re keeping secret.”
She watches me, waiting. “So? You gonna tell me who she is?”
I open my mouth, then close it again, caught between the truth and the lie. “Maybe he’s just imagining things,” I say, trying to sound casual.
She arches a brow, unconvinced. “Hmm. You’re a terrible liar, Gabriel.”
Before I can even say another word, the door opens and Kendrick comes in, stopping dead in his tracks. His eyes widen.
“What. The. Fuck!” he shouts.
Whitley calmly speaks up before I have a chance to.
“Not even what it looks like, Kendrick. So put that blood vessel on the side of your head back where it belongs. I had one of my nightmares.”
I watch as Kendrick’s eyes soften. He knows she still has them from time to time. He comes and sits on the side of the bed. I decide it’s a good time to get up and grab my shoes.
“I’m sorry, Whit. I didn’t even think about you being in a strange place might bring back the nightmares.”
“It’s okay. I’ll get used to being here soon. Gabriel helped by waking me and then staying with me till I fell asleep.”
“Looks like he fell asleep too.”
“Nothing happened, I swear!” I protest.
“It better not have,” he says, giving me the stink eye.
Yep, it’s time for me to go. I’m pretty sure there’s a lecture sometime in my near future about staying away from his sister.
“It’s okay. He made the nightmares go away. Plus, I learned something interesting this morning.”
“What’s that, Whit?” Kendrick asks.
I’m almost completely out the door when Whitley says, “Your best friend has a pretty impressive cock.”
I’m gone by the time Kendrick shouts, “What the fuck happened last night!?”
