“I need a girlfriend.” Gabe winced at how bluntly he’d tossed that out there.
An hour later, the five of them lounged around the motel room, no one anxious to rush home. After he’d shot his cum down Brooke’s throat, he’d basked in the afterglow of release as the women pleasured each other. Gabe was pleasantly surprised to see Brooke take a more active role. She helped Jacey and Shannon undress Taylor, but then Brooke had gone a step further and helped to get Taylor off.
She’d had her fingers inside the other woman. Once Taylor had finished, Brooke had bounded over to him. Gabe had grasped her hand and sucked Taylor’s musk off. Heat had flared in her eyes, and moments later, she was lying naked against him, his fingers playing over and in her pussy, while they watched the other women sexually pleasure each other.
Now, everyone was spent drinking the remaining champagne and engaging in idle chitchat. Brooke was still reclined against him.
“I need someone to pull girlfriend duty,” he tried explaining again, this time with a little more tact.
Shannon, Taylor, and Jacey exchanged a look Gabe didn’t understand, but it made him uneasy.
“Don’t all jump at once,” Gabe mumbled. The silence was prolonged, and Gabe felt the need to fill it. “My sister is getting married,” that announcement was met with a round of cheers, “and there is an engagement party next weekend. My mother is expecting me to bring someone.”
Silence reigned once more. Damn! Not a good sign. He might end up letting his mother down.
Brooke hadn’t moved from where she rested. She’d had no response to his announcement. She hadn’t smiled at him or offered herself up. Hell, she hadn’t even tensed. Based on her response, he might have been talking about the weather. The only time she’d expressed any emotion was to acknowledge that Nick was getting married.
Pride stinging, he prompted, “So?”
“I’ve already done girlfriend duty,” Shannon opted out. “You can’t take me back, or expectations will be even higher.”
He’d known that and already discounted her as a possibility. He looked at Jacey first, then Taylor. “What about you two?”
They glanced at each other. In the pit of his stomach, he sensed a giant no was headed his way.
“I don’t think it’s a smart idea for you to pick me,” Taylor started. She’d been his first choice. She was young and perky. She’d integrate into his family with seamless effort. “I’m going to B.C. in September for school. It’ll be pointless to start a relationship with me.”
It upset him when she tossed up air quotes around the word relationship. They’d never had a problem with it before.
“I’m also a no-go.” Jacey didn’t look at him.
“Why?”
She bit her lip and, for a moment, he remembered her as that shy, insecure woman he’d picked up at the bar three towns over. She hesitated, then confessed. “I might be leaving the group soon.”
Shannon and Taylor gasped. “No!”
“I haven’t decided anything yet.”
Gabe just stared at her, wordlessly encouraging an explanation.
“I have a date next weekend.”
Brooke gasped and lurched away from him. “That cute doctor from the diner?”
What diner? But Gabe didn’t have a chance to ask.
With her lip still caught between her teeth, Jacey nodded. “He’s asked me out a few times. I finally said yes.”
“He was really cute. Congrats!”
Gabe scowled at Brooke.
“What’s that look for?”
“He’s jealous,” Shannon proclaimed.
Gabe snorted in denial, but Brooke sneered. “Really? You just had four different women suck your cock, and you’re going to get pissy because we think some other dude is good-looking?” She settled back against his chest. “He was cute, and that’s that.”
Gabe rolled his eyes. He took Brooke’s hand and linked his fingers with hers. “Jacey can see whoever she wants.” He looked at Jacey. “But if you start sleeping with this guy, you take a step back from the group, at least while you’re in a relationship.”
“I know,” Jacey agreed. “It wouldn’t be fair to him if I was getting some on the side.”
There were practical safety reasons to consider as well. Gabe wouldn’t risk anyone bringing a disease or infection to their intimate activities.
“So, back to your dilemma.” Jacey swiftly changed the subject. “Why don’t you take Brooke to meet your family?”
Brooke lurched away from him but didn’t settle for a few feet away this time. She jumped from the bed and took two enormous steps backward, nearly tripping in her rush to get away.
Eyes wide with fright, Brooke stared at him as if he’d suggested she lop off her own head. “Let’s nix that idea right now!”
He wanted to agree with her. It was a terrible idea. Instead, he heard himself say, “Why?”
She motioned wildly with her hands. “What do you mean why? You know perfectly well why! Your family hates me. It would ruin Amelia’s party, confuse the hell out of Nick, and what would happen when Kevin finds out?”
“What does Kevin have to do with any of it?” Gabe pushed away from the bed. Each time he stepped toward Brooke, she took two steps back.
He’d seen Kevin at the gym, and because Gabe didn’t want to feel guilty over getting involved with a buddy’s ex, he’d asked about the breakup. Kevin claimed it was over, and there would be no chance of reviving the relationship. Gabe knew for a fact Kevin was done with Brooke, but did she? Did she think this was just another one of their breaks?
“He’s your friend. You can’t do that to him.”
Gabe pointed a finger at her. “You mean you can’t do that to him. Do you think in a few months’ time, you two will make up like you normally do? If you’re seen dating me, he won’t take you back?”
She pursed her lips in what Gabe assumed was an attempt not to yell at him, but he knew her well enough to see the anger simmering just beneath the surface.
“I saw him this week. There is no going back. He’s done.” Gabe stopped himself before he said something he couldn’t take back.
Her chest rose and fell as she contemplated his information. Her eyes were little more than narrow slits when she said, “That may be, but it still doesn’t make a difference. I can’t go with you.”
“Can’t or won’t?” He couldn’t believe he’d just asked that. He should be agreeing with her, not trying to talk her into it.
“Shouldn’t. And we both know why.”
“Because you’re worried my family will judge you? Or because you’re afraid you’ll get hung up on me again?”
Brooke growled her next words. “I promise you that won’t happen. Never. Ever. Again.”
In the background, Gabe saw Taylor’s eyes widen at the hostility in Brooke’s voice. Brooke vibrated with anger, and like always, when it came to Brooke, Gabe sensed his temper spiking. He took her words as a personal attack.
“So it’s not a problem then. It shouldn’t matter. You’ve got no reason to say no.”
Edgy, Brooke asked, “What about your family?”
Gabe shrugged with practiced indifference. “It’s a fake relationship. Who gives a fuck what they think? In the end, it won’t matter, right?”
Brooke rubbed her temples. He’d cornered her.
“Are you honestly going to stand there and tell me you aren’t the slightest bit curious to find out what it would be like?”
“To be your girlfriend?”
Before he could answer, she glanced back at the girls, and thankfully, they came to his rescue. “He makes a good boyfriend,” Shannon supplied. “Believe it or not.”
Gabe snorted at that backward insult and shot a scowl in Shannon’s direction.
Shannon smiled at him. “He’s attentive and sweet.”
Jacey grinned. “Both Paige and Samantha said he was the best boyfriend they ever had, even if it was fake.”
“That’s not the issue,” Brooke persisted. “Our past needs to be taken into consideration.”
“You said that’s not a problem.” He placed one hand over his heart, held the other up as though reciting an oath, and then proceeded to imitate her. “Never, ever, again, shall I fall for Gabe Fuller.”
Brooke huffed and glared daggers at him.
Gabe suppressed his anger as best he could, knowing it would get him nowhere. “Please, Brooke, I promised my mother I’d bring someone to the party.”
“But you never gave her a name?”
Gabe shook his head. “But the others can’t do it. What do you say, Brooke, will you be my pretend girlfriend?”