42 Hours (Time for Love 3)

We drank that first drink quickly, and while Scott was making our second round I said, “Thanks again for helping me out with Tom, and for bringing me here. I feel bad about your date, and for ruining your night.”

Scott took a step forward as he handed me my drink, so close that I had to tilt my head up to look at him as he said, “You didn’t ruin anyth

ing, Gabs, and I’d like to kill that asshole for putting his hands on you, but I’m glad you’re here with me now.”

My breath caught at his words, and with the liquor running through my veins making me brave, I slid my free hand up his jacket, over his shoulder, and to the nape of his neck. The hair there was just as soft as it looked. His eyes flashed as I curled my fingers in his hair and leaned closer, so our bodies were barely touching.

“I have a confession to make,” I whispered.

“What’s that?” he asked, his eyes on my lips.

“I’ve had a crush on you for years,” I admitted, my throat so dry, the words felt like they were fighting their way out.

I couldn’t believe I’d just said that out loud. He had to hear my heart pounding in my chest, like it was trying to break free.

Scott smiled softly, causing the skin by his eyes to crinkle up in the most adorable way. I wanted to drown in that a smile.

“I’ve had a crush on you too, Gabs … Since seventh-grade gym class, when you skinned your knee stealing home.” He leaned down as I lifted myself up on my tiptoes to reach him, and when our lips touched, it was everything I’d dreamed of.

I set my cup down on the dresser, freeing up my hand so it could join the other one, and I pressed my body fully against his as I deepened our kiss. Scott moaned lightly against my lips and began to back me up slowly. When my legs hit the bed, we broke apart and I scooted myself up on the mattress and laid back; within seconds, Scott was with me, and our lips were fused together again. We laid there, exploring each other’s mouths, as our hands roamed, pausing to familiarize ourselves with one another’s bodies.

I breathed in deeply when Scott’s mouth left mine and began to trail down my throat. As I sucked in air, I felt a deep-seated need to feel his skin against mine, so I reached up to push his jacket off his shoulders. I was able to get the sleeves halfway down his arms when he broke away to take it all the way off himself. As he worked on the jacket, I sat up and began undoing the buttons of his shirt. Once I had it open enough to reveal his chest, I pushed my hands underneath the thin material and ran them over his skin. He was warm and smooth, his skin tight against his muscles from running. He’d been running cross-country for as long as I remembered, and was long and lean because of it. His breath stuttered out, “Gaby,” as he discarded the shirt.

I looked at him, everything that I was feeling apparent on my face. “I’ve never done this before. Tell me if I do something you don’t like.”

Scott groaned at my words, his hands coming up to embrace mine as the caressed his now naked torso. “I like everything you do,” he said, his voice rough. “I’ve never done this either. We’ll go slow … Please, tell me if I do something wrong.”

I felt the smile bloom across my face as his words registered. Scott dated often, so I was surprised to hear that he was a virgin as well. He must have guessed what I was thinking, because he leaned in and whispered against my lips, “I wanted it to be special. Important. No one else ever was, but you, Gaby … It’s perfect.”

Tears filled my eyes as he spoke, and my heart thrilled at his admission. I stood up and turned, looking at him over my shoulder as I asked, “Can you help me with my dress?”

Scott’s fingers trembled as he undid the clasp of my gown, then slowly slid the zipper down my back. I pushed the straps off my shoulders and the dress fell to pool at my feet. I turned slowly, my body shaking slightly as Scott’s eyes traveled my length, taking in my pink-and-white bra-and-panty set. I was glad I’d taken the time to primp and groom for prom, and, although I felt nervous, the fact that Scott obviously liked what he saw made me feel like I could conquer the world.

I crawled back up on the bed and into Scott’s open arms. He laid back on the bed, and I covered his body with my own; just like he promised, we took it slow. There was heat, awkwardness, and pain, but most of all there was trust and love. It couldn’t have been a more perfect night if I’d dreamed it. We’d stayed up all night, talking in each other’s arms, and when the dawn broke we’d agreed to keep the night to ourselves. We were both accepted to different colleges, and knew that if we tried to have a long-distance relationship, there was a chance of failure, but if we remained friends, we would be in each other’s lives forever. We didn’t want to lose our friendship, or change the dynamic of our group, so we made a pact to keep it a secret.

And we had kept that secret, until he decided to marry Victoria, and I knew I couldn’t let him enter into a marriage that would make him unhappy. So, I’d told Shelly and Sasha our story, and came up with the idea for the intervention.

“Gaby … Gabs … Hey, you okay?” Scott’s voice pulled me out of our memory and back to the present. I looked up to see him standing over me, a worried look on his face.

“Hmmm?” I asked, unsure of how long he’d been standing there trying to get my attention.

“I’ve been calling your name for a few minutes; you were really out of it,” he paused and smiled at me, and I could feel the flush run across my skin. “What were you thinking about?”

Chapter 7 – Scott

Gaby’s face was free of makeup, so the blush tinted her cheeks prettily. She wasn’t one to blush easily, so when she muttered, “Nothing,” I knew she was lying, and wondered why.

She looked fresh and pretty in her chef whites, her eyes a vivid blue, light freckles scattered across her nose. The tightening of my chest when I gazed at her was so familiar, I barely registered my reaction. “How are you doing?” she asked, changing the subject as she gestured to the seat in front of her, indicating I should sit.

I pulled out the wrought-iron chair and settled in across from her.

“I’m okay,” I answered truthfully. “I broke things off with Victoria. You guys were right, and although I knew things weren’t going to work out months ago, it almost felt like I was stuck. When I tried to break it off with her last time, I was fully resolved with my decision, until I spoke with her face to face. I don’t know what it is, Gaby, but when she fought me on it, then started crying, I gave in. I guess it was easier that way,” I chuckled humorously. “I know that makes me seem like a pushover, but I was dealing with her the same way my father dealt with my mother, without even realizing it. Now that I’ve had time to reflect on it, I realized that Victoria’s and my relationship was already exactly like theirs, and that’s not the way I want to live my life. I’m sorry that I hurt her, but I honestly think that we will both be better for it, and I’m happy with my decision.” I stared into her eyes, eager to convey my message. “Thank you for helping me see that.”

Gaby blinked, her eyes misty, and said, “I’m sorry that she got hurt … truly. But like I said at Cal and Shelly’s that day, you’re our priority, and we couldn’t stand to see you miserable. I hope you know that everything we said was out of love for you, and I hope you didn’t feel like we were ganging up on you. I’m glad that you were able to take a step back and see the situation you were in before it got worse.”

I reached my hand across the table, and when she placed hers in it, I squeezed gently. “I get where you were coming from, and I really appreciate it. I know it couldn’t have been easy, and I know how lucky I am to have friends like you.”

She squeezed my hand back and smiled gently.