GABE
Sasha runs a hand over the fabric of my bedspread and looks over at me nervously. Convincing her to come home with me was the easy part. What to do with her now that she's here is an entirely different matter.
She affects me like no one else, that much has been apparent from the moment we met and it leaves me at a loss. It's crazy to think that I can suddenly turn into the kind of guy who deserves a girl like her but at the same time, I know I can't let her go.
For someone like me, who has always gotten through life with a mixture of bravado and manipulation, Sasha represents an irresistible lure. The one woman who can see through me. The one woman that makes me want to truly be myself with her. No manipulation. No lies.
She also represents my worst fear. That without my usual game, I won't be able to keep her with me.
I dial Luke's number again. It goes straight to voicemail. Maybe I should have gone to his place instead of coming home. But in the heat of the moment, all I wanted was to get Sasha on my turf.
She sits up straighter when I sit on the edge of the bed next to her. I don't think she could be any more jumpy and it's completely charming. As bubbly as she is¸ I would have never guessed she'd be this uncomfortable just by being in my bedroom.
"Did you get in touch with Luke?" She grabs the edge of the coverlet and scrunches it into a ball.
"Not yet. He's not the type to ignore me so he probably turned his phone off. I left a message with his mom at the bakery and she promised to tell him as soon as he shows up."
We both fall silent and there's no sound
except for the shallow rasp of her breathing and the soft scratch of her nails as she yanks at the covers.
Part of me wants to tell her to relax but then I glance behind me at the bed. It's probably not a great idea for either of us to get too comfortable. If I don't get myself under control I'll have her on her back with her ankles by my ears and that's not why I brought her here. We're supposed to be talking. Figuring things out. I glance over at the neckline of her emerald green evening gown. It dips low enough for me to see the curves of her breasts and the rich color highlights the deep tone of her skin. Christ, we'd better talk fast.
"Hey Gabe, I thought you were going—"
The door to my room flies open and Zack walks in. When he catches sight of Sasha, he stops abruptly. For a moment he just stares at her. Then he says, "Oh … hey."
Sasha looks like she wants to die. "Hi, Zack."
I stand and grab Zack by the arm. My brother has a tendency to blurt out the first thing he's thinking and considering the situation, Sasha might run off if he says the wrong thing.
"Come on." I drag him into the hall. He looks at me, a silly little smile on his face. One that makes me want to turn around and walk back into the room.
"Don't look at me like that. It's not what you think." Then I think about the situation objectively. There's a gorgeous woman in my room that I have every intention of getting naked. "Well, it's not entirely what you think."
"It never is. Besides, I like her."
Zack leans in the doorway and waves at Sasha. With the appreciative way he's looking at her I just bet he does like her. I slap a hand in the middle of his forehead and pull him back into the hall.
"Okay, enough of that. What are we, twelve?"
"You are." Zack smirks.
“I’ll see you later. Much later.”
"Got it." Zack heads for the staircase and I go back into the room with Sasha. She gives me an amused look as I sit on the bed again.
"You could have let him come in and say hi. I really like talking to Zack."
I grit my teeth. "He really likes talking to you, too. And looking at you. As a matter of fact I think he likes looking at you a little too much for my taste."
Sasha giggles and my annoyance vanishes. "I love to hear that sound."
Her smile fades slightly. "What sound?"
"You. Laughing. You should always be happy."
Voices in the hall cut off whatever she was about to say and I have to suppress the urge to go throttle my brother. I stand and open the door. Then I rear back in surprise at the sight of Luke.