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“Hugh, stop.” Gabrielle turned her mouth away from his frantic kisses. “We can’t.”
“That’s not what your body’s saying.” He sucked her neck, lips smacking. “You gonna deny yourself what you want?”
The pleasurable ache from her neck reached her nipples. “I—”
“See?” He held her neck with both hands as he thrust his tongue in her mouth. “I can make you feel so good.” While kissing, he transported a strawberry seed from his mouth to hers. “Just give me the chance to.”
“Hugh.” That ache found its way to her belly button, another one of her favorite erogenous zones. “I’m warning you. If you don’t let go—”
“I haven’t been able to let go of you yet.” Still kissing her, he rose, his knee buried in the couch. “Bodies don’t lie, Gabrielle.” He pushed his hand under her Nike shorts. “Yours is telling me something different from what your mouth is saying.”
“I forgot.” She moaned, praying he’d ignore her objections and make her surrender. “You know so much about women, right?”
“There are no other women.”
“Not even Sierra?”
He stopped in mid-kiss, squinting. “She has nothing to do with this.”
“She’s your woman, and you’re trying to fuck me. What’s wrong with this picture?”
“I don’t love her.”
“Then why are you with her?”
He bit his bottom lip. “It’s complicated.”
“Yeah right.” She pushed at his chest but it didn’t faze him. “That’s what cheaters always say.”
“The only woman I’m cheating on is you because you’re who I want.” He positioned his mouth to kiss her, but she yanked her head in the other direction. “Gabby, I love you.”
“Let me go.”
He brushed her cheek with his nose. “I’m never letting you go.”
“I don’t sleep with men who are taken. I’ve been on the receiving end of a man who couldn’t keep his hands off other women.”
“When he had you?” He panted, looking dumbfounded. “How could a man want anyone else? You’re a goddess.”
“Get off.” She grunted, thwarting his kisses.
“You’re gorgeous, sexy and you play basketball?” He fondled her breast, teasing her nipple. “How can I resist?”
“I’m telling you one more time to get off me.” She stiffened. “Now, Hugh.”
“What?” He let her go. “Don’t act like you care about Sierra.”
“I might not be her biggest fan, but I know what it feels like to be used by a man—”
“I’m not using her.” He waved his arms. “You don’t understand the situation.”
“I understand it.” She stood, fixing her shorts. “You want your cake and you wanna eat it too. You got to find someone else for that, Hugh.” She headed to the door.
“Wait.” He stood. “I’ll get rid of her then.”
“What about not mixing business with pleasure? I’m going to be in your movie, remember?”
“Forget about the fuckin’ movie.”
She shook her head, grinning. “It’s not happening, Hugh.”
“Why not?” he shouted. “We were doing fine. You wanted this and suddenly you get a conscience?”
“You love me so much yet you want me to be the side chick?”
He slouched, sighing.
“Gabrielle Montane is no one’s side chick.”
“You could never be my side chick.” He swayed to her. “I love you. How many times do I have to say it?”
“You can say it until the cows come home, but actions speak way louder than words.”
****
“I’m serious,” Ashleigh whined through the phone. “Give me the steamy details and don’t you dare leave anything out.”
“There are no steamy details.” Gabrielle plopped on her couch and took off her sneakers. “I’m sweating like a dog, that’s all I can say.”
“Sweating like a dog because you and HuMac were getting busy?”
“Ashleigh.” Gabrielle turned on her television. “Nothing happened. We had chocolate-covered strawberries and wine.”
“And, I’m supposed to buy that? Please. Why are you being so secretive? I thought I was your girl.”
“You keep bugging me you won’t be.” Gabrielle went into the kitchen and got the apple juice from the refrigerator.
“I can’t believe Hugh didn’t make a move on you.”
Gabrielle put the phone on speaker and set it on the counter. “I didn’t say all that.” She snickered.
Ashleigh howled. “I want the T.”
Gabrielle took a long sip of juice. “I can’t lie. He got to me.”
“Did he?”
“Yeah.” She leaned forward on the island, kicking her foot up behind her. “I’ve grown incredibly attracted to Hugh. He’s gorgeous, and that earring drives me crazy.”
“Yet nothing happened? Why not?”
“Because I’d be a fool to get involved with HuMac.”
“Then be a fool. Does he have your insides all crazy when you see him?”
“A little.”
“Do you think about him even when you don’t want to?”
“All the time.”
“You think you’re in love?”
Gabrielle almost coughed up juice. “Heck no. Sexual attraction, yes. Love? No. Now, he’s got a sista wondering about his bedroom skills...” She fanned. “I won’t deny that, but love has nothing to do with it.”
“Miss Montane?” Mateo called out.
“Hold on, Ash.” Gabrielle ran to the door and pushed the speaker button. “I’m here.”
“Warner DiMaggio is here to see you.”
“Send him up.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Gabrielle got her phone. “I gotta go, Ashleigh. Warner’s here.”
She moaned. “With his fine ass. How long’s he gonna be in town?”
“A few weeks he said so he’ll be heading to Paris soon.”
Someone knocked on the door.
“Talk to you later—”
“Girl, hook me up,” Ashleigh said. “Warner’s single, right?”
“Girl, bye.” Gabrielle ended the call and then answered the door. “Hey, there.”
“Beautiful.” Warner hugged her before entering the room. “You didn’t get all dressed up on my account, did you?” He gestured to her sweaty shirt.
“What brings you by?”
“Since when do I need an excuse to see you?” He’d smoothed his curls down with gel or mousse. “Been hard to catch up with you.”
“I’m sorry. Since I got the Iris International deal it’s been hectic.”
“I’m so proud of you, Gabs. I told you things would look up. You been working out?”
“Guess you can say that. I played basketball.”
“Basketball?” He stood to the side. “You haven’t played basketball in ages. What brought that on?”
“I guess I missed it and wanted to relieve stress.”
“I see.” He caressed his hands, scoping her. “Where did you play?”
“Eh, the gym.”
“Which one?”
She grinned. “Does it matter?”
“Is something wrong with me asking?”
“Ooh, I’m sweating like a slave.” She fanned her musty top. “And this humidity is about to kill me. You’re my bestie and all, but I gotta get in the shower. You’re welcomed to stay until I finish.”
“Nah, that’s okay. I wanted to check on you since you haven’t been answering my calls.”
“I’m sorry.” She hugged him. “Please don’t take offense. I’ve been busy.”
“Make sure you find time for me now.” He pinched her chin. “I’ll be leaving soon, but I’ll stop back in LA after I’m done in Paris.”
“I’d like that.” She put her arms around him. “We can paint the town red. Remember when we’d go out to the clubs in New York?”
“Do I? Got thrown out every one of them for acting like fools.”
They laughed.
“I miss this, Gabby.” He rocked her. “Us spending time together.”
She laid her head on his chest. “I do too.”
“I’ll let you get to your shower.” He sauntered to the door. “We can talk tomorrow.”
“Sounds good.”
“Oh, I spoke to Hugh earlier. Remember, things didn’t go well in his office when you sent me over there that day, but we hashed it out. He invited me to Ian Delfino’s birthday party next Saturday.”
“I heard about the party.”
“Yeah, he turns sixty. The party will be at Ian’s mansion and the press will be there. Hugh says they’ll do promotion for the movie. Hey, I don’t have a date and I don’t want to be Hugh and Sierra’s fifth wheel. You wanna go with me?”
“I wasn’t invited.” She held her arms behind her. “I’ve never even met Mr. Delfino.”
“I’m sure he’d welcome a party crasher that looks like you.” He pinched her cheek.
“I prefer the host invite me.” She rested her hands on her backside. “I’m glad you and Hugh are friends again though. When did you speak to him?”
“This morning.”
“I wonder why he didn’t mention it when I was at his place—”
Shit.
“His place?” Warner moved from the door. “You were at Hugh’s place?”
“Yes, tonight. He was who I played basketball with.”
He batted, tugging on his ear. “Is my hearing bad or have I gone crazy?”
“Warner—”
“What the hell’s going on, Gabs?”
“What?”
“You send me to Hugh to get him off your back and now you’re playing basketball with him at his place?” He stared her down. “What else did you two play?”
“That’s way out of line, Warner.” She waltzed to the kitchen.
“Is it?”
“Yes.” She got her glass of juice from the island. “I don’t like what you’re implying.”
“I don’t like what I’m hearing. I wouldn’t have gone to Hugh looking like an idiot if I’d known you were gonna turn around and date the guy.”
“We’re not dating.”
“Then why the hell were you at his place?” He hit the island. “Why would you go near a man you claim you can’t stand?”
“Turns out Hugh is a partner of Iris International and when I signed the contract, I was unknowingly signing up for his film.”
He sat on the stool. “What?”
“There’s a clause dealing with the partners, which means I’m obligated to Hugh as much as the entire company.”
“That’s insane.”
Gabrielle pulled at her shorts. “That’s what I thought.”
“He can’t make you be in his film.”
“He can. My lawyer even says I’m assed out. Anyway, I bet Hugh that if we played a game of one-on-one basketball and I win I don’t have to do the movie.” She shrugged one shoulder. “I lost.”
Warner got up, chuckling under his breath.
“What?”
“What happened to all that anger? How you ranted that you wanted nothing to do with Hugh?”
“Warner, I have no choice.” She came from around the island. “If I don’t do the movie, then I’ll breech my contract with Iris International.”
“So a modeling contract is more important than your dignity?”
“I’m not signing up to be Hugh’s whore, Warner.”
“You sure about that?”
She gritted her teeth. “Who are you to judge me? It’s easy for you to talk when your career wasn’t sliding down the toilet.”
He gave her the side-eye. “You played me, Gabs.”
“How can you say that after all the years we’ve known each other? I don’t play people.”
“So you say, but you use what you got to make men do what you want.”
“Use what I got?”
“Don’t play innocent with me.”
“Why are you talking like this?”
“Like what?”
“Like a pig. This isn’t you, Warner.”
“Because I’m tired of waiting on the sidelines for—”
“For what? What are you trying to say?”
“You act so modest about your beauty, but it’s your biggest weapon and you know how to use it.”
She leaned back, touching her bosom. “Use it?”
“You’re flirtatious when you want to be.” His top lip curled. “When you want men to cater to your beck and call.”
“I don’t use men.”
“It’s not how I see it. You bat those brown eyes and you expect men to fall at your feet. You’re a tease, and you always have been.”
She inhaled, shock and anger tugging at her bones. “If that’s how you see it you can leave because right now I have nothing more to say to you.”
“I care about you, Gabby.” He bent over, clutching his chest. “Don’t you get that? I’m always the one who’ll be there for you, not Hugh. You’ve seen what he’s done to other women. You’re too smart to fall for his shit.”
“I can handle myself.”
“Hugh’s gonna chew you up and spit you out, and I’d think twice about rolling around on the basketball court with him again.”
“How dare you?” She slapped him. “Who do you think you’re talking to?”
He rubbed his red cheek, scowling.
“I thought you were my friend.”
“Friends tell you the truth, Gabrielle.” His eyes sunk into darkness. “Even when you don’t wanna hear it.”
“I’m not gonna fall for Hugh and even if I were it’s none of your business.” She struggled to swallow. “You really think I use men?”
“I didn’t mean that.” He kissed her forehead. “I’m afraid of you being hurt.”
“I understand, but I can take care of myself.”
“All right.” He held out his hand, smiling. “Friends again?”
She bypassed his hand, hugging him instead. “Bet on it.”