“What are you thinking?” he asks softly.
“I was just thinking that no one’s ever touched me the way you do.”
His hand pauses for a moment, and then resumes. “I should hope not.”
“Does it bother you that I don’t have a lot of experience with men?”
Why did I just ask him that?
“Why would it bother me?”
“I mean, I’m twenty-seven. Shouldn’t I have had more partners?”
“I don’t think so. It’s been a lot of fun to show you new things. To watch you experience new feelings. It’s been a privilege, Gabby.”
I nod, but don’t open my eyes.
“How old were you when you lost your virginity?” I ask suddenly.
“Sixteen,” he replies immediately. I open my eyes to find him looking down at me with a grin. “No need to lie about that. Or anything else, for that matter.”
Direct hit.
“I was nineteen,” I reply. “And I got pregnant at the same time.”
“That’s crazy,” he replies.
“How many partners have you had?” Don’t ask questions you don’t want the answer to, Gabrielle!
“My fair share.” He narrows his eyes on me. “You’re acting very strangely tonight.”
“I’m just getting to know you better.”
“Okay.” He tosses his head back and forth. “I guess there have probably been about a dozen women.”
A dozen.
“I guess that’s not bad for a professional athlete. I mean, what’s the average? Fifty?”
“I have no idea,” he replies with a laugh. “Probably more than a dozen, yes.”
“So you’re not a man-whore.”
“No.”
“What’s your favorite flavor of ice cream?”
“Wow, your brain is on fire tonight.” His fingers drift down my cheek to my neck. “Cherry Garcia.”
“Favorite sexual position?”
“Any position that includes you in it,” he replies immediately.
“Good answer.” I grin up at him, and try to think of more questions. “What’s your shoe size?”
“Sixteen.”
“Holy shit! That’s a big foot.”
“I have to special order shoes.”
“Do you like to read?”
“I’m a Clive Cussler fan,” he replies and shakes his head. “I think we’re playing twenty questions.”
“I think it’s fun.”
“When is it my turn?”
“Go ahead.” I shift my hips so I’m lying on one side, but I’m still looking up into his handsome face. “Ask away.”
Just don’t ask me if I’m pregnant.
“Are you comfortable?”
“That’s an easy one. Yes.”
He chuckles. “What’s your favorite flower?”
“Magnolias.”
I close my eyes and enjoy the feel of his fingers in my hair.
“What’s your favorite dessert?”
“Hmm, that’s a hard one. I guess it’s a tie between Mama’s pecan pie and key lime pie.”
“Favorite alcoholic drink?”
“Margaritas.”
“Are you getting sleepy?”
I grin as he brushes a fingertip down the bridge of my nose. “Yes.”
“Do you want to go to bed?”
“Not yet.”
“Okay. Tell me about the best concert you ever saw.”
“That’s an easy one too. I saw Nash a few years ago, and those guys put on one hell of a show. Also, Leo Nash is my boyfriend.”
“I think he got married.”
“Yes, we’re fighting because he got married without asking me if it was okay, but he’s hopelessly in love with me. I’m pretty sure that the whole time he was singing at the concert, he was singing just for me.”
“I’m sure he was. What’s the appeal of Leo Nash?”
“Have you seen him?” I open my eyes and lift my head, looking at Rhys like he’s grown a new nose.
“Of course.”
“Well, there’s the tattoo thing, and the playing guitar thing, and the man can sing like crazy.”
“Declan can sing like crazy.”
“Declan is my brother,” I remind him. “Declan will never be sexually attractive to me.”
“Point taken.”
“Speaking of celebrity crushes, who’s yours?” I ask.
“I don’t know.”
“Lies! Of course you do. We all have our hall pass list.”
“The list of people we get to sleep with without any repercussions?”
“That’s right.”
“So, you mean there’s more on your list than just Leo Nash?” He’s frowning, but I can tell that he’s fighting a smile.
“Maybe. Who’s on yours?”
“I don’t think I have any,” he says after giving it a moment of thought. “There are some beautiful women out there, but I don’t think I want to have sex with any of them.”
“If you don’t want to tell me, just say so.”
He suddenly stands and lifts me into his arms, walking toward my bedroom.
“I’ll show you who I want to have sex with, Gabrielle.”
“Oh, okay then.”
Chapter Seventeen
~Rhys~
She hasn’t been herself for days and it’s making me crazy. She won’t tell me what’s wrong, and when I ask, she just says she’s tired. Or she doesn’t feel well.
But it seems that she’s backing away from me, and no matter what I do, it doesn’t change. Even during her silly twenty questions game on the couch the other night, I could feel the coldness from her.
But when I took her to bed, she let go, and it was normal, she was normal.
I need to sit her down, right now, and have a heart to heart. I need to know if she’s done with me, because I’m sure as fuck not done with her.
I’ll never be done with her.
My phone rings and I answer without looking at the display.
“Hey, Rhys, this is Eli.”
“Is Kate okay?”
“Yes, she’s fine. I’m calling because I’m just hanging out here with Beau, Declan and Ben, and we’d like for you to join us.”
“Now?”
“Now.”
“Is this an emergency?”
“No, this is a guys’ night in, and you’re one of the guys. We’re at Ben’s house. I’ll text you the address.”
And with that, he hangs up, not even giving me a chance to turn him down.
So much for that talk with Gabby.
Gabby’s in the kitchen with Sam and Derek, just finishing up dinner.
“Did you get Eli’s call?” she asks with a smile.
“Yeah, we just hung up. They want me to go into the city for a while, but if you’re not feeling well, I’ll definitely stay.”
“I’m fine.” She waves me off and sets a bowl of mac ‘n cheese with hot dogs in front of Sam. “Eli called me to get your number, and told me that you have to go. If y’all sacrifice a virgin or something, I don’t want to know about it.”
I chuckle and pull her into my arms, kiss her head, and just enjoy having her against me for a moment. She’s been pulling away from me lately, which also has me on edge.
I need to touch her.
“Are you going to kiss and do gross stuff?” Sam asks while shoveling pasta into his mouth.
“Not right now,” I reply and back away from Gabby. She won’t look me in the eye, and I’m done playing this game. I tip her chin up so she has to meet my gaze. “We’re going to talk later. Something is up with you, and I want to know what it is. I won’t be late.”
Before she can answer, I leave through the back door and head into the city. One way or the other, I’m going to know the score with Gabby before I fall asleep tonight.
***
Ben’s house is in a nice neighborhood in New Orleans. All of the homes are large, surrounded by massive green oaks and tall wrought iron fences.
And Ben’s home is simply impressive. I have no idea what the man does for a living, but whatever it is, he does well at it. I pull into the driveway behind a black Mercedes and cut the engine. I’m not stupid. I’m well aware that this is most likely an ambush.
I’m just hopeful that I can take at least one of them before the others kill me.
I can probably take Declan.