Chapter 8 #3
Gabe introduced himself, and they got to chatting.
He was three drinks deep by the time the others arrived.
Kira wore low-slung trousers and a matching vest with nothing under it, and Simone looked fantastic in a gold cocktail dress.
But when Anya walked in behind them, Gabe’s breath caught in his throat.
She was wearing a strapless gray silk bustier top trimmed with black beads that dangled and caught the light as she walked.
It was tight across her chest—considerably tighter than that red dress she’d worn earlier, which Gabe hadn’t hated either.
It seemed like the bustier was barely containing her, and when she turned to say something to Simone, Gabe saw it tied in the back with silk ribbon, the fabric not quite coming together to cover her pale skin.
He’d never seen Anya wear anything like this; it was practically lingerie.
It didn’t help that her long black skirt had a slit that ran up to her thigh, or that her sandals were tall and strappy, or that her hair was pressed into loose waves that tumbled over her bare shoulders.
Gabe had a vicious, involuntary thought that he was glad Zeke had to leave town. He didn’t deserve to touch Anya when she looked like this.
Anya usually kept her distance with Gabe, particularly when the staff went drinking after work. But right now, staring at her, Gabe felt like he was dying, so of course she was walking straight toward him.
“Hey,” she said casually. “How are you feeling?”
“What?” He swallowed. “I’m fine, what do you mean?”
“I don’t know.” She tilted her head and looked up at him—her eyes were rimmed with smudgy gray shadow. “You seemed weird after you went bungee jumping with my mother.”
She hit the word mother a little too hard, like it was some kind of accusation.
“Just lightheaded.” He shrugged. “Taking risks will do that. You should try it sometime.”
“But I’m so comfortable exactly where I am.” She folded her arms, emphasizing her cleavage even more than the top already did. “Or didn’t you notice?”
“Hey!” Kira clapped Gabe on the back. “What are we drinking?”
“It’s your birthday, you should choose,” Gabe said.
“But you’re buying.” Kira grinned. “So it’s only polite to let you decide.”
“Hey, Morgan! Four more of these?” Gabe indicated the nearly empty glass in front of him.
“All for you?” she joked. “Are you sure that’s wise?”
“For my best friend slash boss and her very attractive entourage.” Gabe let his eyes linger on Anya’s body; her face warmed. Good. If she could torture him, he could damn well return the favor.
“We’re gonna get a table. You guys good to wait for the drinks?” Simone asked, and Gabe nodded. Gabe slid off his barstool to stand beside Anya. He liked how dangerous it felt, knowing he could slide his hand onto her back at any moment, the second he thought she might want it.
“You already made friends with the bartender?” she asked.
“I make friends wherever I go,” Gabe quipped. “Everyone likes me except you, remember?”
“Is that why you worked so hard to charm my parents?” Anya’s tone was calm, but her eyes betrayed something more volatile. “Were you trying to prove a point?”
“So they liked me.” Gabe smiled with satisfaction. “Don’t you trust their taste?”
“They don’t know you as well as I do.”
Gabe let out a short laugh. “Huh.”
“What?”
“Kind of an ironic statement for a woman who’s refused to get to know me at every turn.”
“Don’t flatter yourself.” Anya smirked. “You’re not that complicated.”
“Oh, yeah?” Gabe leaned back against the bar. “Enlighten me.”
He could see her gears turning. She glanced over at the table where a few others from the campaign were sitting with Simone and Kira, and Gabe knew she was weighing whether to leave him at the bar to go join them.
But he also knew that she wouldn’t. It was one of the things he liked best about Anya. She always took the bait.
“You’re so afraid.” She leaned toward him.
His breath quickened. “Of what?”
“Of anyone seeing you,” she said lightly. “You hop from job to job, city to city. You don’t put down roots, you don’t keep anyone around long enough to risk that they might actually challenge you—”
“And you do?” Gabe raised his eyebrows. “Is Zeke such a challenging guy? Does he push you, Anya?”
“I can depend on him.” Anya’s nostrils flared.
“Really?” Gabe scoffed. “Then where is he?”
“I’m sure you wish he was here so you could keep belittling him,” Anya snapped.
“I don’t wish he was here,” Gabe blurted. Anya was so close to him, and her perfume was dark and spicy. He wanted to grab her. To consume her. He couldn’t think. “I never want to see that guy again.”
“Why are you like this?” she asked. Her voice was strained, her chest moving visibly with every intake of breath.
“I don’t know.” He was breathing hard too. “Why are you wearing that?”
“Four Chiang Mai Slings!” Morgan was back with their drinks. “Keep it on the same tab?”
“Yeah.” Gabe cleared his throat. “Thanks, Morgan.”
He and Anya each picked up two drinks and carried them over to Kira and Simone’s table, which was now full of their friends and colleagues. Anya wedged herself between Simone and Ike, and Gabe sat down on the other side of Kira.
“Dude, what happened?” Kira asked.
“What do you mean?” Gabe said nonchalantly.
“You and Anya? Fighting at the bar?” Kira spoke under her breath, and the music in the bar was loud enough that it was easy not to be overheard. “It looked pretty intense. Was it about work?”
“No, no.” Gabe ran a hand through his hair. “I was kind of an ass to her boyfriend earlier, and she was mad about it. It’ll be fine.”
Kira sighed. “Simone says we shouldn’t get involved, but I need to say it: Sometimes I wish you two would either figure things out or move on.”
“We have moved on.” Gabe bristled. “I mean, I have.”
“Have you?” Kira looked at him skeptically. “Because you’ve glanced over at her like fifteen times since you sat down.”
Gabe exhaled heavily. “Most days, it’s fine. It’s like you said—we keep it professional. She’s my colleague. I don’t think about it.”
“And today?” Kira asked.
Gabe’s chest felt tight. “I’m thinking about it.”
“Talk to her,” Kira implored him. “You’re making this so much harder than it needs to be.”
“There’s no point. I know what she thinks of me, and I know what I think of her.”
“But you want her anyway?”
Gabe didn’t want to feel this way about Anya.
He didn’t want to think about pulling her into a bathroom, or an elevator, or a dark hallway, and untying that bustier’s ribbon with his teeth.
He didn’t want to feel so desperate to touch her that he’d gladly throw away his own relationship if she’d just let him book one of the hotel rooms upstairs and keep her awake in it all night.
“Gabe?” Kira asked. She looked so concerned. She was a better friend than he deserved.
“You’re right. I’ll apologize,” Gabe said. “Don’t worry, I won’t let things get weird at work again.”
“Good.” Kira clinked her glass against Gabe’s and took a drink. “And hey—Tallulah’s great.”
“She is, isn’t she?” Gabe knew his girlfriend was amazing, which made him feel even worse about how attracted he still was to Anya.
Lu never made him feel like garbage. Being with Lu was nonstop fun (well, when they actually got to be together, which was admittedly rare).
Maybe Kira was right. He was making this a lot harder than it needed to be.
“Sorry for being a downer on your birthday.” Gabe sat up straighter, forced his voice into a brighter tone. “You ready for another drink?”
“That depends.” Kira gave him a devious smile. “Should we take this one back to Miami?”
“Oh absolutely, we should.” Gabe stood up. “One round of tequila shots, coming up.”
Gabe went back to the bar, and Morgan made a joke about him being back so soon—did he miss her?
Gabe laughed and ordered the round of shots, then looked back toward his friends.
Simone said something that cracked Anya up; Anya threw her head back laughing.
She was so beautiful. And so happy. Gabe would text her later to apologize for how he’d acted with Zeke—he’d been out of line.
Kira was right, there was no reason to make this situation any more difficult than it needed to be.
Anya was in a relationship and so was he.
There were only ten weeks left until the election.