Taking the Heat (Jackson: Girls' Night Out 3)

She sunk her head under the water to wet her hair. “Yeah, right,” she sputtered when she came up. She was so flattered she was squirming.

When the water grew cold, she forced herself out of the tub. It was still early. She could get some work done.

“Sure,” she muttered, “I’ll work instead of getting fucked a few times. That’ll be great.” Yeah, the bath definitely hadn’t washed away that bitterness.

She put on her feeling-sorry-for-herself clothes: yoga pants and a big sweatshirt. Then she found her phone. Her heart skipped at the sight of two missed texts from Gabe, but it fell to the pit of her stomach when she read the first.

We’re going out tonight with some of my friends. Come with? The second one had arrived a few minutes later. Please?

She didn’t want to go. She could be weird and awkward around Gabe, but she didn’t want to be herself in front of his friends, and she didn’t have the energy to be edgy Dear Veronica tonight. But the idea of sitting around her lonely apartment without Gabe was too much to bear.

She wrote back before she could overthink it. You promised me drinks and orgasms. I doubt I’ll get the latter at a bar.

His reply buzzed within seconds. Drinks first, then orgasms, I promise.

You already promised that, and look where I am right now. She pouted at the phone.

Where are you right now? he asked.

She looked down at her fleece and the pink fuzzy socks she wore. I just got out of the bath.

Oh, God. You didn’t come yet, did you?

She laughed, imagining husky desperation in his words. Not YET, no...

Please, he wrote. Tonight.

With your sister in the next room?

The phone stayed silent for a long moment, and then his reply appeared. I’ll give Naomi and Monique my bed for tonight if you’re willing to share yours?

“God,” she sighed. She wanted that so much. Wanted Gabe in her bed, making love to her until she fell asleep and then waking her with more later.

My bed’s kind of small for a big man like you.

We’ll cuddle, he answered.

Laughing, she collapsed onto her bed and wished he were there already. All right. I’ll see you tonight.

As soon as he sent the details about the plans, her anxiety returned, but this time instead of indulging it, Veronica jumped to her feet and stormed into the kitchen. She jerked open the drawer, got out her marker and paper, and wrote a new note.

“Perfect,” she growled as she slapped it onto the fridge and used her last magnet to hold it in place.

#5—Have a little fucking confidence and enjoy yourself for once.

She was not going to be defeated by New York City. Not this time.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

“SHE SEEMS PERFECT for you,” Naomi said. “Very sporty.”

Gabe shot her a glare. He wasn’t sure sporty was supposed to be a compliment in this case. “I taught her how to climb today.”

“Ooh! How come you’ve never taught me to climb?”

“Because you said if you broke a nail, you’d make my life a living hell.”

“Ah, that sounds right. So.” She looked him up and down as he rolled up the sleeves of his green plaid shirt. “You’re a little dressed up for a night at the bar. Are you in love with this girl or what?”