Chapter 9

GABRIEL

“You,” I say.

“What?” Whit asks, turning around and noticing me.

“You heard me. I want you, Whit. Please tell me you’ll go with me to this dinner. I have to impress them, and I can’t show up with an idiot on my arm. I need an intelligent, beautiful woman. Plus, for some reason, the coach thinks we have something going on anyway.”

Kendrick warned me that if I took this gig, I’d be required to have a date. The coach wants to show all our sponsors that we don’t just go out partying and sleeping around. We need a certain type of woman on our arm.

Whitley must have made quite an impression on him the first day of practice. He thinks there’s something going on between us. He even went so far as to ask if I’ve been ring shopping yet. He said I’d be a complete idiot if I let this one go. I didn’t want to tell him I agreed with him.

“This dinner is for a sponsor?” she asks.

“Kind of. It’s for Maxx-U. I’m doing a commercial for their new underwear line, and they are paying me a ton of money for this, hence the ass kissing.”

“You’re doing an underwear commercial?”

“That’s all you got out of that?” I say with a smirk. Nice to know that she has a one-track mind.

“I don’t know how I feel about seeing you half naked.”

I smile and walk over close to her. I notice chill bumps pop up all over her arms from just my presence. I lower my voice just for her to hear.

“I can always give you a sneak peek.” I watch as she swallows hard.

Kendrick clears his throat.

“Dinner is ready if you two are done.”

As we sit, I look across the table at Whit.

“Please, Whit. Tell me you’ll go with me. I promise to be on my best behavior.”

She raises an eyebrow at me.

“All right, Gabriel. I’ll go.”

I smile so wide my cheeks hurt. This date will be a foot in the door to telling her how I feel. I have no idea what I’m doing with her, and Kendrick thinks it’s funny as hell. It’s about to drive me insane not to just go straight up to her and take her in my arms.

Kendrick speaks up, and I’m brought out of my own thoughts.

“You okay over there, sis? You’re awfully quiet and just picking at your food.”

“Hmm?” she says. “Oh yeah, just thinking.”

“Okay, I’m probably going to hate myself for asking, but what about?” Kendrick asks.

She raises an eyebrow at Kendrick and smirks.

~This can’t be good.~

“About calling Aubrey from the store and having a night out.”

“That sounds good,” Kendrick says, taking another bite of his salad.

“Yeah, it does,” she groans. “I need to get laid. It’s been a while.”

Both Kendrick and I choke.

~Did she say what I think she just said?~

“Seriously, Whit?” Kendrick says when he’s recovered. “Did you have to say that?”

“You did ask what I was thinking. I was thinking I need to get laid. It’s been a while.”

“I knew I would regret asking,” Kendrick mutters, picking up his plate and heading inside.

I clear my throat, and Whitley turns back to me, looking straight into my eyes.

“You know, Whit. I can help you with that.”

The one thing about Whitley is to always expect the unexpected. So, when she opens her mouth, I’m ready for just about anything.

“You do have an impressive cock,” she says. “But do you really know how to use it? Because I need someone who can make me scream.”

***

I don’t know how much more I can take. I’m waking up from dreams of Whit’s lips wrapped around my cock and then taking a cold shower with her still on my mind.

Sometimes, the cold shower works. Other times, I have to stroke myself to a hard release. What I wouldn’t give to know what it feels like to slide inside her wet pussy just one time. Damn, I can’t even say that. I know once will never be enough.

I bought my house with her in mind. It needed to be fully remodeled, but it had a good stable foundation. I think the last owners were a bunch of kinky-ass, polyester-furniture-loving, cat owners.

It was ridiculous what Kendrick and I found in that house. There were so many sex toys and so many cat toys. I’m all for a little adventure in the bedroom, but the things that were left behind make me not even want to think about what the cat toys were being used for if there weren’t any cats.

Plus, don’t get me started on the furniture. It reminded me of my grandfather’s old orange and brown plaid polyester couch with the wooden arms. I’d itch just looking at it.

I gutted the whole place, opened up a few rooms, and changed the layout of the kitchen.

It’s actually quite a beautiful piece of property and gated for security. Across the street is the beach Whitley has come to love running on every morning. What’s even better? It’s only two properties down from her brother.

I let my penthouse go even though I knew Whitley and I being together was a no-go. I was just done. I was done with the parties. I was done with the girls. What I wanted was a house with one specific green-eyed woman, and maybe, sometime down the line, we could fill it with our own children. That was my pipe dream. But it’s not just a pipe dream anymore. If I play my cards right, it could be my reality. Whit is my end game. Now, if only Kendrick and I could come up with a plan to talk her into staying.