“They’re her boyfriends,” Joy said, smiling at the group that had finally settled into position. “Now smile!”
Sabrina groaned inwardly even as she scooted out of the shot. Jimmy and Gabriel leaned against the wall, smirking. They must have heard everything. Gabriel had his arm slung around the taller man. They look like brothers, she thought. Or lovers.
“There is no way Sabrina has even one boyfriend, let alone two,” Angelina insisted cattily before smiling at the camera. Sabrina rolled her eyes again, muttering under her breath about stupid blondes. “And why does he have a gun?” she asked.
“Because he works for the FBI,” Sabrina said, unable to keep quiet any longer.
“Why the heck did you say they were my boyfriends?” Sabrina whispered to the older woman as she adjusted the tripod before shooting again. Angelina was glaring daggers at them between shots, but Sabrina did her best not to notice.
“Because they are, honey.”
“Oh for god’s sake, they’re not,” Sabrina denied, thinking how neither man would touch her. Bah. She frowned, then saw Gabriel smiling at her. He winked as Jimmy ran his hand up Gabriel’s side. Sabrina stopped breathing for a moment, feeling her nipples pucker against her tank top. She cursed herself for not wearing a bra. She didn’t have a lot of chest and didn’t really need one for support, so she often went without. She hadn’t even thought about it today except now Angelina and Mike were staring at her as she readjusted the lights. Gabriel and Jimmy just stood there, looking sexy. Sabrina wanted to jump them. Or pummel them. She felt a mix of arousal and irritation. They were doing this on purpose, she decided. They weren’t usually so blatant with their attraction for each other, or for her, for that matter. And whatever happened to cooling it? Sabrina thought, exasperated.
“How in the world did you get a boyfriend, Sabrina? And don’t tell me Jimmy is one of them because I know he was just your neighbor’s kid.” Angelina’s voice grated. The other girls giggled. Sabrina noted another one of the guys staring at her breasts but made no effort to cover herself. Damned if I’m going to give them the pleasure of seeing me cower, she thought rebelliously.
“Jimmy is my friend, not just the neighbor’s kid, Angelina, and Gabriel is an old friend of his.” Sabrina stepped back again. The stupid lights wouldn’t stay put. She prayed the screw would hold this time and signaled to Joy.
“Wait, then maybe Jimmy’s dating Gabriel! Everyone knows Jimmy is a fag.”
Sabrina grimaced at Mike. The stupid bigot said it loud enough for everyone in the studio to hear, and Sabrina could see Jimmy frowning. Gabriel smirked. Sabrina rubbed her hands over her face in frustration. Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea to come to work today, she thought, then reconsidered. No. She wanted to get out, spend some time with Gabriel and Jimmy somewhere other than her house. Sabrina wanted them both, together, and if she couldn’t face a little mild derision from some kids she used to go to school with, she didn’t deserve to have either man. Sabrina straightened her shoulders. She saw Jimmy eyeing her speculatively and threw him a quick smile.
“Hey, yeah, that makes more sense than nerdy Sabrina having a boyfriend!” one of the girls chimed in. Sabrina shook her head. They were acting like extras on a reality show. She drew on her newfound determination and ignored them, rolling her eyes yet again. It is all so ridiculous, she thought absently, then jumped as Gabriel grabbed her around the waist and kissed her bare shoulder. She hadn’t even heard him walk up!
“Sabrina is my girlfriend.” Sabrina looked at Gabriel, astonished. Then Jimmy slid his arms around her waist atop Gabriel’s arm and kissed her cheek on the opposite side.
“She’s my girlfriend, too.” Jimmy stared at Angelina. The girl’s eyes bugged out of her head while the rest of the group sat there looking perplexed. Gabriel laughed like a loon at the bunch of them.
Sabrina snorted. Even if no one believed them, Jimmy and Gabriel were funny. She smirked. “Guys, trying to work here?” Sabrina nonchalantly stroked first Gabriel, then Jimmy’s hand. They smiled and walked back to the doorway as Joy snickered and Sabrina rolled her eyes yet again.
“Say cheese!”
An hour later and the shoot was done. Angelina didn’t say much more as they gathered up their things, and Sabrina snagged Gabriel’s jacket to carry at his request so his hands would be free. She felt Jimmy watch her grab the jacket, and she couldn’t resist bringing it to her nose to sniff the worn fabric. It smelled like cinnamon. Jimmy’s eyes darkened when he saw, and she noticed him swallow, then look away from her.
“You know, I don’t believe you,” Angelina said from behind, startling Sabrina as she waited with Jimmy in the front room of the studio while Gabriel checked the back door a final time.
Sabrina raised an eyebrow. “Don’t believe what?” She buried her nose in Gabriel’s jacket again.
“You are not dating him,” Angelina retorted, pointing at Jimmy, who looked at her calmly, then smiled. Uh oh, Sabrina thought. When he gets that look on his face, bad things happen. She stared at him warily, savoring Gabriel’s scent as she wondered what Jimmy would do.
“What would it take to prove to you that Sabrina and I are dating?” he asked playfully. Oh dear, Sabrina thought, embarrassed but also slightly curious. Where was he going with this?
“Kiss her,” Angelina stated, looking smug. “I bet she’s never been kissed.”
“What do you care, Angelina—” Sabrina began, when Jimmy interrupted.
“Done.” He turned, pulling her into his arms. Angelina twisted her mouth with disbelief. Sabrina didn’t blame her. She hadn’t had so much as a date the entire time she was in high school or the local college. Mike hooted and the other guys began to heckle them when Gabriel walked in from the back room. He stopped abruptly as he saw Sabrina and Jimmy embracing.
“What’s up?” he asked, cocking his head while his eyes dropped to where Jimmy’s hands gripped Sabrina’s hip. Gabriel licked his lips and smiled when Sabrina gasped. Jimmy pulled her closer and Gabriel looked up, meeting her gaze. Sabrina could see the arousal on his face.
“They don’t believe that I’m your girlfriend,” Sabrina stated, a little breathless from how tightly Jimmy held her.
“Oh, you are,” Gabriel said, smiling as he quirked an eyebrow at Jimmy. Jimmy grinned and lowered his head to Sabrina’s lips, licking into her mouth. When his tongue swooped in she closed her eyes, clutching his shoulders to keep her balance. She gasped for air when he pulled back a moment later.
“That doesn’t prove anything,” Angelina retorted, looking a bit flushed.
“Oh?” Jimmy handed Sabrina off to Gabriel. She didn’t speak, too startled to think when Gabriel’s full lips touched hers and she felt his tongue lapping at her lower lip. She gasped and opened her mouth as he pressed his arousal against her belly.
“Mmm, minty,” he whispered, then fit his mouth over hers more closely, sending his tongue deep.
Sabrina knew he could taste Jimmy on her tongue and she trembled, then sucked at him before he pulled gently away. When Sabrina looked at Angelina, the girl’s anger was obvious but she said nothing. Gabriel made no move to hide his arousal as he stepped back, and Sabrina saw Angelina staring at him. Sabrina slid her hands over his waist smugly. Angelina probably thought they were faking, and she supposed they were, in a way. Truthfully, Sabrina didn’t care. She could barely focus with the way her lips were tingling. She didn’t think she could stand it if Jimmy and Gabriel continued this not-touching thing they insisted on until the shooter was caught.