I Have to Have Her

Claire burst out laughing. It was just so ludicrous. She started to gain the attention of a couple of customers. Covering her lips, she tried to contain her laughter.

“I’m not joking,” Rhianna said.

“I’m sorry but it’s not going to happen. Me and your brother. It’s not … no, not even a little. I promise. He’s not in love with me.” She sipped at her coffee. “How did you find out?”

“Like it was hard to see?” Rhianna rolled her eyes. “It was my brother. When he didn’t think I was looking, he’d touch you and watch you. It was like the moment you were near him, he gravitated toward you. At first, I thought it was just me seeing things, then he confirmed it the other night with that guy who was dancing with you. I’ve never seen him lose it like that. Not in a public setting with prying eyes. He doesn’t claim any woman.”

“He doesn’t like other men playing with what belongs to him.” She pressed her lips together.

“Do you want to be with him or is he forcing you?”

“No, this isn’t forced and we’re not together.” She winced. “Wow, it makes me sound like a slut.”

“It doesn’t.”

“Why aren’t you angry? You hated it when your friends tried to get to you because they wanted to be with Gabriel.”

“Simple, you were my friend long before he showed any interest in you. As far as I’m concerned, you’ll be my friend after.”

“Yes, after.” She didn’t even want to think about what it was going to be like after they broke up. It wouldn’t really matter. It wasn’t like she had to deal with him all that much. In fact, she rarely saw him.

“Do you love him?” Rhianna’s question pulled her out of her thoughts.

“What?”

“You heard me.”

“Love, no. It’s not love and I really don’t feel comfortable saying exactly what this is.” She scrunched up her nose. “It’s sex. There, I’ve said it.”

Rhianna sat back, staring at her. “You do have feelings for him?”

“Me, have feelings for Gabriel?” She thought about the way he touched her. The heat and passion brimming between them, but that wasn’t love. It was lust.

“It’s okay if you do.”

Claire leaned forward and stared into her friend’s eyes. “Rhianna, me and Gabriel, it’s … it’s on a time limit. We’re not going to be together for that long. It really isn’t what you think it is.”

“And what if Gabriel keeps on pushing those days?”

“You’ve told me he has limited time for women. I’m nothing special.”

“He’s never treated a woman like he did you at the society event with that guy.”

“Who was that guy?”

“Some businessman’s son. He wasn’t important.”

“I don’t know, he was at that party. He looked pretty important,” she said. She really wanted a change of subject.

“We’re not talking about the party anymore. We’re talking about you and your feelings.”

“Yeah, I had figured.” She picked up her coffee cup. “I really don’t know what to say to you, Rhianna. I mean, Gabriel and I aren’t close. It doesn’t take a genius to realize that and we’re never going to be.” She shrugged.

“You can walk away?”

She pressed her lips together and jerked her head. She didn’t know if it was a head nod or not. This seemed like a really bad conversation to be having with her best friend.

“That’s not an answer. You forget, Claire, I’ve known you my whole life. That kind of action is not an answer and don’t keep trying to pacify me as if it is one since we both know it’s not.”

“When did you get so smart?” Claire asked.

“It would appear when you got so dumb.”

She threw her head back and laughed. “Can we not talk about him anymore? Please. I’m … it’s all a little … I don’t know.”

“Intense?”

“Kind of weird because you’re his sister and we’re talking about sex and stuff, and that doesn’t seem right to me.”

This time, Rhianna laughed. “You always were such a prude.”

“And that’s why you love me.”

“I will let it drop so long as you go shopping with me.”

She groaned. “Shopping, really?”

“Yes. Really. You’ve got to come with me and I get to play doll with you.”

“I’ll be the doll?”

Rhianna nodded. “I’ll dress you up real nice.”

She rolled her eyes but she smiled. “Thank you.”

“What for?”

“For not … you know, ditching me. It means a lot.”

“We’ve been friends longer than we haven’t. I know you’re not with me to get to my brother. I love you like a sister and I care about you a great deal.” Rhianna reached across the table. “I think you’re amazing and I can only hope Gabriel realizes how special you are. I need to go to the bathroom.”

“You go. I’ll pay.” She watched her friend leave.

She nodded at the waitress for their receipt. Seconds later, she pulled out some money and put it on a small tray before getting to her feet. She was pulling on her jacket as Rhianna arrived.