Chapter 7 Taylor
TAYLOR
When I got Gabriel’s goodnight text last night, I regretted not kissing him. More accurately, I regretted not kissing him as soon as I’d let him walk back into the bar. The text only served to remind me what an idiot I was.
It had taken me a long time to fall asleep. I spent so much time second-guessing myself and every word I’d said—and what I hadn’t said. In the end, I slept just as much as I would have if I’d brought him home with me, except in this scenario, I woke up alone.
Now, I was awake way too early, glaring at the coffee machine on our kitchen counter like it had personally wronged me.
Kai rummaged in the fridge behind me, pulling out a jar of overnight oats. He was headed to work, and I forgot I wouldn’t be joining him until I was already dressed.
“Want one of these?” he asked.
“Only if there’s a raspberry one. Blueberries are the worst.”
“You’re in luck.” Kai pulled out a second jar and placed it on the counter beside me. “You look terrible. Was the date a bust?”
“The date was perfect,” I grumbled.
I wished it had been less perfect because it made it hard to keep him at a safe distance.
“Ok. So, what’s the issue? Did he sneak out before you woke up or something?”
“I didn’t bring him here. We didn’t even kiss.”
Kai narrowed his eyes. “Why not?”
I loaded up my mug with coffee. “First of all, not everyone is as quick to bed as you are. Second of all, he’s playing in a volleyball tournament today, and I knew he needed sleep. If I kissed him, I wouldn’t have been able to stop.”
“That’s sweet in a very you-fucked-up kind of way. Did you make plans to see each other again?”
Kai handed me his mug, so I filled it as well.
“He invited me to the tournament this afternoon, but I’m not sure I’m going to go. I feel all out of sorts.” I sighed. “It feels too soon to meet his friends, right?”
“Yeah, makes sense. A workaholic has a few hours with nothing on his calendar, and it prompts a whole-ass crisis.”
I glared at Kai as he sipped his coffee.
Kai continued, unbothered. “Here’s what we’re gonna do. I’m gonna go to work, and you’re going to sit your cute butt on the sofa and binge-watch some mindless reality TV. I’ll swing by here at lunchtime to pick you up, and we’ll go to his game.”
“We?”
“Yeah.” Kai slid his laptop into his cross-body bag before throwing it over his shoulder.
“If you’re meeting his friends, it’s only fair I get to tag along and vet him, too.
Plus, what gay man is going to turn down an IRL Top Gun volleyball montage moment?
That movie turned a whole generation of boys into members of the alphabet mafia. ”
I rolled my eyes, but he wasn’t wrong. I definitely wanted to see Gabriel jumping around in some little volleyball shorts.
Would he want to be with someone like me? Who was I without this job? Would I be able to continue paying all these medical bills if I started getting lazy now, when I was so close to the finish line?
“I can hear you overthinking.” Kai ushered me to the couch, forced me out of my suit coat, and turned on the TV. “Nothing will blow up if you have a little fun.”
I responded with a noncommittal grunt. It was annoying as shit when Kai could read my mind, but I wasn’t about to admit it out loud.
“I’d better see you in that same spot when I get home,” he said. “You’re only allowed to get up for snacks or to change into beach clothes. See you at noon!”
And with that, he was gone.
Promptly at noon, I hopped into the passenger seat of Kai’s BMW, and we were off to the beach.
I texted Gabriel to let him know I’d see him soon and that I was bringing a friend. I didn’t expect an answer since I figured he’d be playing or busy with his teammates, but it wasn’t long before I got a party emoji and a location pin.
After we parked, I made Kai stop at a convenience store to grab a few lemonades and sports drinks.
“You haven’t even kissed yet, and you’re already taking care of the man.” Kai tugged my earlobe affectionately. It was something he’d done since college.
I punched him in the arm and threw the bottles in our beach bag.
I was thankful Gabriel had sent the pin and saved us the hassle of checking every court for his team; the crowds on the way to the courts were intense. We arrived mid-game and found a spot on the bleachers to watch.
“Which one is he?” Kai asked.
“Toward the front with the incredible hair and the hot pink shorts.”
They were all wearing matching team shirts. Gabriel’s was cropped, which was the best thing I’d ever seen.
Kai fanned his face. “If you don’t kiss that man today, I will.”
“You absolutely will not.”
“Hurry up and mark your territory then.”
We fell under the game’s spell after that.
Kai whistled loudly each time a player stripped off their shirt and muttered about Tom Cruise and aviators.
I didn’t know enough about volleyball to know what made a team or player good, but it was fun to cheer regardless.
Plus, watching Gabriel’s strong thighs as he jumped around was a definite bonus.
I could get used to this.
Wait, I’m not getting used to anything. Promise.
“I am so glad I made you bring me here,” Kai said when Gabriel’s team scored the winning point. He stood and shoved me down toward the sand.
“I’m going to regret this, aren’t I?”
“Absolutely.”
I finally caught Gabriel’s eye and waved as he celebrated with his teammates on the sidelines. His smile got almost impossibly wider, and he ran over to me.
He jumped up the remaining bleacher steps that separated us two at a time, and time seemed to slow as he approached.
All I could think about was that almost-kiss last night and how good it would feel when it finally happened.
While I knew I wouldn’t be making the same mistake today that I made last night, I was absolutely not expecting Gabriel to run up and kiss me first thing.
Before I could process it, his hands were on my face, and his lips were against mine.
I was glad Kai had the beach bag because my arms went around Gabriel immediately, one hand at his lower back and the other sliding up into his hair.
He smelled like salty ocean waves and orange trees.
It was the best first kiss I’d ever had. My racing thoughts faded to white noise, and a small moan escaped me when he took my lower lip between his teeth.
I’d completely forgotten where we were and that we had an audience of our friends. That kiss could have lasted ten seconds or ten years, as far as I was concerned. Before I could coax my tongue into his mouth, someone cleared their throat behind me.
We broke apart from each other, startled, and Gabriel looked as dazed as I felt.
“Sorry for jumping you like that,” he said, shaking his head with a small smile. “I’ve been thinking about kissing you since last night.”
I laughed. “Oh, trust me. That was not a problem. The opposite, in fact.”
“You must be Gabriel,” Kai said from behind me. “Or at least I hope you are. I’m Kai, Taylor’s best friend.”
Gabriel broke eye contact with me and stuck his hand out toward Kai. “Yeah, that’s me. Nice to meet you.”
“Are any of your teammates single? After watching that volleyball performance and the free after-show, I am horny as fuck.”
I groaned. “Oh my god, Kai.”
Gabriel cracked up. “Yeah, just dive into the fray, and I’m sure you’ll do fine.”
Kai wiggled his eyebrows at me and handed me the beach bag, and then he was off to do his flirty extrovert thing.
Once we were alone, I stepped closer to Gabriel. “Are you thirsty? I brought electrolytes.”
“Ooo, do you have the blue one? It’s my favorite.”
“Obviously.” I pulled out a blue sports drink from the bag. “It’s the best one.”
He cracked the lid and started swallowing it down. I attempted, to no avail, not to stare as his throat bobbed. When he finished, I leaned in for another kiss and tasted the blue drink on his lips.
He beamed up at me when we parted.
“Thanks for the drink.” He nudged me toward his teammates with his shoulder. “Let me introduce you to my friends.”
“Yeah, we probably shouldn’t leave Kai unattended for too long.”
He touched his hand to my lower back, sending a shiver up my spine.
“You met Kat last night at Whiskey Sour, and you might have seen Alex behind the bar. Brian is the guy with all the tattoos, Lucas is the blond, and that’s my cousin, Oscar.”
“Nice to meet everyone. I’m Taylor. That was a great game.”
Kai’s attention was focused on Brian, who was exactly his type: a shirtless behemoth covered in ink.
“Yeah, you played so well,” Kai said as he squeezed Brian’s arm. “Was that your last game of the day? Anyone want to grab a drink?”
“I’m down.” Brian swung his arm around Kai. “We usually head to this bar a few blocks off the beach to avoid the tourist madness.”
“I’m glad you made it today,” Gabriel said as we walked to the bar together.
“Me too.” I entwined our fingers. “I’m sorry for not kissing you last night.”
“No need to apologize. That was the best first date I’ve ever been on.”
I blushed. “Me too.”
Now that the kiss seal had been broken and Gabriel and I had a few drinks in our systems, it was impossible to keep our hands to ourselves.
His leg pressed against mine under the table, his fingers trailed along my thigh, and damn, it felt good.
It had been so long since I’d had that closeness with anyone other than Margo or Kai, and even though they both were touchy-feely people, this was different.
I let the conversation flow around me and soaked up Gabriel’s exuberance with my arm on the back of his chair, running my fingers along his shoulder as he talked with his friends. Kai fit right in, as he always did, keeping the group laughing and making eyes at Brian as he sipped his margarita.
This whole thing was messing with my head.
I told myself I didn’t want to date, didn’t have time, didn’t want to commit. Yet here I was, meeting Gabriel’s friends and holding onto him like he was my boyfriend after just one date, even though he hadn’t indicated anything more than us having a bit of fun.
What was I doing? An anxious buzz filled my stomach, and I scooted out of the booth.
Gabriel startled at my quick movement.
“Gonna run to the restroom,” I said by way of explanation as I wiped my sweaty palms on my shorts.
Kai looked at me appraisingly and opened his mouth to say something when I shook my head subtly. Gabriel glanced between us, but I turned and fled down the hall to the bathrooms.
Safely hidden away, I washed my hands and stared at myself in the mirror.
I’d always controlled my anxiety with an iron fist, sticking to the plan, carrying out the objectives toward a clear, quantifiable goal.
My hands clenched with frustration when I thought about how close I’d gotten.
Now, the guardrails I’d constructed had been ripped to shreds, and my map had been turned upside down.
Then there was Gabriel, who was YOLO personified. Thinking about him made my heart race, and isn’t that exactly what the doctor had told me to avoid?
Stepping up to the hand dryer, I knew I’d already been in the bathroom for too long.
Three. Deep. Breaths.
Then I had to get back out there.