Chapter 10 Gabriel
“So, did you have fun on your date with Aly?” my cousin Natasha asks as she slides onto the bathroom countertop of her new home.
The one she begged me to fix up after she’d already gotten a quote from a local contractor on how much it would cost for all the things that she needs done and then cried on the phone for thirty-minutes because she can’t afford it.
And let me just say, the issues are bad. The light in the primary bathroom is burnt out and the majority of the other switches are at a serious fire risk. If I didn’t live just three doors down, I wouldn’t be okay with her sleeping another night in here.
I knew there was a lot wrong with the place, I cautioned her about buying it, but Roman told her it would be a good investment, and he likes to volunteer me for manual labor that I haven’t signed up for.
It’s not like I don’t have a hundred better things to do on a Sunday, but she luckily caught me on a lighter day.
Most of my weekend work got knocked out yesterday, so here I am, checking out her electrical issues before the dinner and game night my sister Rhiannon planned for us later.
It’s a tradition we started years ago when we all felt disconnected and going our separate ways. One that always ends up in at least half of us drunk and all of us having a good time.
“Not really,” I mutter. I move to check underneath the sink and look at the wiring that’s exposed.
This home needs a complete reboot. She’s probably going to need this whole mess ripped out.
I’m no electrician, but I’ve got an old friend that I’ve used before on a construction project back when I was working as a project manager and I’m pretty sure they can cut her a deal. It’ll still be expensive, though.
She snorts. “That’s what she said.”
I lift my head from underneath the counter. “I figured as much. She looked like she was scanning for exits the entire time she ate. You’re right about one thing, though, she’s pretty. But it seems like she’s got a lot of shit on her plate that she still needs to work out.”
She frowns. “She does, but she seemed like she wanted to get back into dating. I’m sorry it didn’t work out.”
I shrug one shoulder. “I don’t know what I was thinking either. I don’t have time to date. I’m drowning in work and your brother’s up my ass about getting the New York renovations finished by winter next year.”
She sighs. “He’s up everyone’s ass these days. He won’t shut up about me coming to work with you. I can’t count the number of times I’ve told him I actually like working in the service industry. Plus, I’m pretty sure the owners are going to sell me the bar within the next year.”
I wipe my hands on a rag. “That’d be good.”
“Aly’s going to be around more, ya know? Since she lives here and everything. It won’t be awkward for you?”
“Of course not.”
She nods. “Well, shit. I really thought you two would be good for each other. Her ex fucked her up so good I feel like she’s lost hope for men and doesn’t know how to open up anymore.”
“Sounds like it,” I admit, running a hand through my hair.
“She’s trying to rebuild her life, start a new career, and find her footing in a new town.
I get it—I respect it. But I’ve been divorced for ten years now.
I’m not sitting in that season of betrayal and heart break anymore.
I haven’t been for years. Maybe she needs to let the dust settle a bit before jumping into anything.
Find someone to let her walls down with. ”
“Do you really believe that?”
I shrug. “Maybe. I think it’ll take a patient man to get through to her, though.”
“Well, all she was looking for was a quick hookup anyway,” she whispers under her breath.
I groan, gripping the back of my neck because yeah, I understand how she’s feeling. It’s been so damn long for me too. My hands deserve a medal at this point, considering how overworked they’ve been every night in the shower when I finally drag my ass home.
A whole year since I’ve been inside a woman, and the thought of a no-strings-attached hookup sounds relieving.
But that’s not something Alessia’s ready for.
She’s not ready to let her guard down enough.
And I sure as hell don’t have the time to prove to her that I could be the guy to help her with that.
She needs someone with the energy and patience for that.
A one-night stand sounds nice on paper, but there’s feelings and emotions involved, especially for women. I would know, I’ve raised two of them.
“You don’t even have time for a one-night stand?” Natasha asks, wiggling her brows like the troublemaker she is.
“Why do you suddenly care so much about my sex life? I’ve been single for ten years and you’ve never tried to set me up with any of your friends before.”
Her lips roll under her teeth. “Well, maybe because she arranged a meet up with her cousin as payment for me scheduling your blind date.”
“How’d that go?”
She smiles and crosses her legs.
I hold up a hand to stop her. “Never mind, don’t tell me. I don’t think she’d want to see me again anyway. I’m telling you, the entire dinner she looked like I was holding her hostage.”
“Well, she might not have a choice.”
“What?”
Her grin is pure mischief as we hear the front door of her home downstairs open and then close.
“Oh, look who’s here—my roommate,” she says, barely suppressing a laugh.
“Natasha? Is that you?” A familiar voice calls from downstairs, drifting up the steps.
The last time I heard that voice, it was telling me to basically fuck off and that she was more than capable to walk home in the dark, icy cold by herself because she didn’t want to be anywhere around me.
But now, it sounds like butter and silk.
The bathroom door opens, and there’s Alessia, staring at me like I’m some goddamn burglar here to rip out the shitty wiring in her bathroom and sell it illegally for a premium.
Her lips part in surprise. “Um... W-what is your cousin doing in my bathroom?”
“Surprise,” I say, flashing a smile and waving a flashlight.
She doesn’t return the smile, but she does look less tense.
God, she’s stunning. She’s in this navy-blue dress skirt with a matching blouse dotted with little flowers.
Total kindergarten teacher vibes. Her hair’s pulled up in some half-up, half-down thing, and she’s wearing heels that make her legs look impossibly long.
Calves so toned that my brain instantly flashes to her wrapping them around my head while I’m between her legs.
I wonder if she’d crush me. I wonder if she’d squeeze them together to keep me right where she wants me to stay. I need to stop staring at her, but I can’t look away. Natasha was right, it has been a very long time since I’ve had sex.
Her smile says she’s caught me checking her out. I stare even harder. We might not be compatible, but I think our sexual energy is.
“I hired Gabriel to fix up the house,” Natasha pipes up, entirely too pleased with herself.
“You…” Alessia exhales sharply, pinching the bridge of her nose. “Of course you did. He works in construction. He’s your cousin. I bet he’s giving you a great deal, too.”
“He lives three doors down,” Natasha adds, completely ignoring the obvious tension that’s now between us.
Alessia’s eyes snap to mine, narrowing further. “You live three doors down?”
I raise my hands, palms up. “If you’d have let me walk you home Friday night like I wanted to, I would have told you that when we passed my place.”
Natasha looks between us, grinning like she’s orchestrated the world’s most chaotic meet-cute when really, this is the third time that we’ve met now.
“So,” she chirps, her voice sing-songy, “game night at Rhiannon’s tonight? You’re going to be there, right Gabe?”
I already know where this is going. This is my cousin’s way of giving us a round two attempt to hook up.
I don’t need another project. I don’t have time for dating, but maybe Natasha’s right.
Maybe a quick, no-strings-attached hookup with Alessia is exactly what both of us need to get each other out of our system and get something we both want.
And game night at Rhiannon’s sounds like the perfect way to get Aly’s walls to lower just enough for us to fuck.
She can dip her toes back into the dating pool, realize not all men are selfish assholes out to hurt her, and I can finally breathe again. Maybe I’ll even get rid of this damn knot that’s in my neck after coming in something other than a stream of shower water and my palm.
Standing, I brush the dust off my jeans and set the flashlight gently down on top of her counter. “Yeah. Seven o’clock,” I say to Natasha before turning my attention to Alessia with a smile. “You’ll be there tonight too?”
“Um…”
I chuckle at the hesitation etched across her pretty face because if I thought she’d be down for a quick fuck three seconds ago, boy was I wrong.
This woman’s like Fort Knox. No man is getting past her carefully constructed defenses.
A firewall waiting for the latest attack when all I’m trying to do is be nice.
Regardless, I’m a gentleman, and I do think what she needs more than another man in her life is a friend.
And my sisters are great people for that.
So is my cousin. Maybe we’ll be nothing more than neighbors after tonight, but at least she’ll get some friendship out of it and a few more people to show her around Brookhaven.
“I promise, you’ll have a good time. My sister makes killer, spicy margaritas, and she’s got a knack for pulling out the most inappropriate party games.
You said you were trying to start fresh here, meet new people.
What better way to do that than hanging out with your neighbors?
Natasha can attest; my family is a good time. ”
She’s clearly considering it now; her expression is a tug-of-war between reluctance at giving in and curiosity. I can practically see the gears turning in her head as Natasha bounces on the balls of her feet, grinning like she can’t wait for Aly’s response.
I decide to deliver the kicker. “Look, Alessia, I’m going to be in and out of this house for the next few months anyway.
Let’s not make things weird. You kissed me once—it was hot—but it meant nothing to either of us.
You thought I was someone else, you were doing a job, and we moved past it.
Hell, we survived an entire date without biting each other’s heads off, and we haven’t kissed again.
I think that officially lands us in the ‘friendly acquaintances’ zone.
” I shrug casually, locking eyes with her.
“Don’t miss out on making new friends in this town just because you think it’ll be awkward to be around me.
I’m all good over here.” I sweep my hands up and down my body. “Not an uncomfortable bone in my body.”
Natasha freezes mid-bounce, her brows shooting up. “Wait—you two kissed?”
I glance at Alessia, and it’s obvious she left that little detail out of her roommate’s briefing of how we first met in the back of my bar in New York. Her lips part like she’s about to explain, but I just laugh and give Natasha’s shoulder a playful squeeze.
“See you at Rhiannon’s, cuz,” I say, heading for the door. I’ll let her explain her way out of that one.
As I turn, I catch Alessia’s gaze focused on my back. It’s not critical or closed off anymore, she’s looking at me like she’s appreciating the view. And yeah, I’m pretty sure she’s checking out my ass. Not that I’m complaining. I’ve checked out hers a few times, too. It’s a nice one.
“I’ll see you tonight,” I say with a grin and a wink before stepping outside, leaving her with one hell of a decision to make.