Page 82 of Gabriel
“Did I do something wrong? Did I hurt you?”
She shakes her head and a flush creeps up her neck. “I didn’t know what to expect. If I’d like it or if I’d freak out. If it would remind me of…” She shrugs. “You know.” Cecilia sinks her teeth into her lower lip.
“And?”
A hesitant smile lights up her face. “It was good.”
A weight lifts from my chest. “Yeah?”
“Yeah.” Her smile spreads and she leans in to kiss me again. “I’m sorry. I mean, to make you think something was wrong. It was perfect. All of it.”
I nip at her lips before giving her a dubious look. “Perfect, huh?”
“Don’t let it go to your head,” she warns.
I kiss her again. “Promise you’re okay?”
She kisses me back. “Promise. I think everything just hit me at once,” she admits. “But all good things.” Cecilia shifts her weight and the evidence of both our releases drips out of her once I pull my cock free.
Without thinking, I press my hand to her core and dip two fingers inside, pushing my cum back inside her.What am I doing?
“We should clean up,” I suggest, making no effort to move.
“We should.” Cecilia lays down against my chest, pressing her lips to my collarbone.
“We’re okay?”
She sighs, her body falling lax against me. “Mmm. Better than okay.”
I want to believe her. To revel in the feeling of her in my arms, but a voice in my head screams I’m missing something. And the same voice worries this is somehow the beginning of goodbye.
CHAPTER 26
CECILIA
It hits me the next morning, just like I knew it would. I try to pretend nothing’s changed. To convince myself we can get past this. But the longer the day goes on, the heavier the weight in my chest grows. He’s incapable of letting this thing with Austin go.
I wait for Gabriel on the bleachers near the soccer field. I know what has to be done and already, I grieve the loss of what I am willfully giving up. They say if you love someone, then let them go.
I’m in love with Gabriel Herrera. And giving him up is one of the hardest things I will do, but I have to. I’m not okay. I wish I was. I really do. But I’m not, and I can’t fix what’s broken inside of me overnight. He deserves better. So much better than the broken and jagged pieces I have to offer him.
I take a deep breath and steel myself, catching sight of him across the field. His smile lights up when he sees me and he jogs the few yards between us, his sure steps leading him straight toward me.
“Hey.” He swoops down and kisses my cheek before dropping his gear on the empty bench behind him. Honey-gold eyes meet mine, but when I don’t respond, his brows furrow andhis smile dims. He cocks his head in silent question and I hang mine, not sure where to even begin.
“Everything okay?” he asks. “Did Holt?—”
“No.” I don’t want him to worry about that.
Gabriel drops down into a crouch in front of me, making us eye level. He tilts my chin up, bringing my gaze to his.
Concern lines his face when he asks, “What’s going on? You know you can tell me anything.”
I open my mouth, but nothing comes out. Biting down hard, I look away, forcing myself to breathe.Come on, Cecilia. Spit it out. Just get it over with already.
His hands drop to his sides, eyes searching mine for clues to my shift in behavior. He reaches for my hand, but I pull away. He can’t touch me. Not if I’m going to go through with this.
A flash of hurt passes over his face before he schools his expression and laces his fingers together. He waits, but he’s no fool. He knows what I’m trying to do. It’s written across his face.
