Chapter Four
Gigi
“ Y ou give the best hugs. Thanks for listening.”
“Anytime, princess.”
I push off the solid wall of muscle, otherwise known as Marcus’ chest. “Let’s watch the rest of the game.”
He picks up the remote and turns the volume up while I return to my side of the couch.
“Let’s play Gin.” The game ended twenty minutes ago, and I’m on my second glass of whiskey. Considering I haven’t eaten since lunch, I probably should have stopped at one with Marcus’ heavy pour.
“G, it’s ten-thirty.” He finishes his water.
I grab the deck of cards from the drawer in the end table. “Just one game. We’ll stop at eleven.”
“Alright, but at eleven, I need to go to bed.”
“You got it, prince.”
I down the rest of what’s in my glass and shuffle the cards. After I deal, we’re arranging our hands, and Marcus starts the game.
“Pass.”
I take the card on top of the discard pile and lay one down in its place.
“You aren’t planning on driving, are you?” Marcus takes my card and shuffles his hand around, discarding a king of spades.
“No.” My nose is feeling funny. Damn it, I’m tipsy.
“You’re rubbing your nose, you’re cut off.”
“Sorry, I might have drank too much.”
“I’m not judging. You’re a big girl. I’m just worried about what Lewis will think of you coming home tipsy.”
“I don’t really care if it bothers him.”
“Gigi, that’s not nice.” He smirks at me. Damn him and his smirk. His full lips upturned in a mischievous way. I only get small glimpses of his smiles, so I stare at him a little longer than I should while I have the chance.
“Your turn.”
“Yeah.” I play my turn.
We each take a couple more turns, and I glance at the clock above Marcus’ fireplace. I only have five more minutes.
I lay down a five of hearts in the discard pile. “I don’t want to go home.”
“I know.” He picks up my discarded five. “Knock.”
Damn it, I lost. “Can I stay here?”
He lays down his cards, displaying his winning proof, and looks up at me. “G, you know my door is always open if things go south, but you can’t sleep here tonight. I don’t want to be in the middle of the mess that you sleeping here could cause.”
I nod. “I know. I wouldn’t want to do that to you.”
I pick up my phone and order a ride.
“Just promise you’ll start thinking about what you really want with Lewis. I want crazy Genevieve back.”
I grab the throw pillow beside me and throw it at him. I never should have told him what my full name is. “I hate that name.”
He easily bats away the pillow, smiling. “I know you do.”
I stand up, and he follows me to the door. I turn and look up at him. “Thanks for letting me hang out.”
“You’re welcome. I’ll bring your car over in the morning.”
“I’m going to hug you.” I rise up on my tiptoes and put my arms around his neck. I breathe in his comforting scent of bergamot and cedar, and it calms me.
My phone buzzes, so I let him go. “Car’s here.”
“Text me when you get home.” He opens the front door for me, and I step out onto the porch as the car pulls up.
“I will.” I walk out the door and call over my shoulder, “Bye, prince!”
“Bye, princess.”