Page 44 of Enticed
He flinched, and pain flashed across his face. Glancing away, he drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly as he pinched the bridge of his nose.
“Think about how worried we were about your cousin catching us kissing. Now just imagine how much worse it would be if it was your dad,” he said, meeting my gaze again, his pleading blue eyes filled with concern. “Or one of your brothers,” he added.
“Nobody would have to catch us if we didn’t try to hide anything from them,” I explained. “We wouldn’t have to tell them right away. We could take our time exploring this thing between us first, and if we decided we wanted to pursue something serious, we could tell them then,” I added hopefully.
“It’s not that easy, and you know it. Your family would never accept us being together. You’re too young for me.”
“I’m not,” I countered, taking another step toward him. “I’m old enough to know what I want, and I want you,” I declared, closing what distance remained between us and placed my hand on his chest. His pulse thundered against my palm and his breath hitched.
“If I touch you and they find out, I’m a dead man.”
I slid my hand up to his face and cupped his cheek. He closed his eyes and leaned into my touch, reveling in the feel of my soft skin against his scruff. “They might be upset at first, but they’d eventually come around.” We were almost chest to chest now. I could lean up and kiss him, but I wanted him to come to me.
As though he could read my thoughts, a pained look flashed across his features before he squeezed his eyes closed. “We can’t,” he claimed in an agonized voice.
“We can,” I countered, trying to make him see that even though it would be hard in the beginning, it would be worth it. He opened his eyes and looked down at me with steely determination.
“We shouldn’t.”
“That’s debatable.” We stood so close that I could pick out every shade of blue in his sapphire irises as his eyes searched my face. They dropped to my mouth and a storm of longing swirled in the indigo depths. He was about to crack. I just needed him to take that leap of faith.
Instead, a fissure opened up in the center of my chest when he stepped out of my hold and shook his head. My hand fell limply at my side as I swallowed the emotion that threatened to come screaming out.
“I-I need a moment,” Gabe said, deliberation creasing his brow. He was a man on a precipice, grappling with a decision that could alter the entire trajectory of his future. Would hefollow his heart and take a chance at finding true love, or would he let his fear of everyone’s disapproval rob him of the possibility of a happily ever after? “I’m going to take a walk, clear my head for a bit. I’ll check on Juniper and make sure she’s settled in for the night.”
Clearly, he needed space, and that was fine. I would give it to him. He needed to choose this, and he needed to have a clear conscience when he did. I stepped aside to let him pass, folding my arms over my middle to avoid reaching for him. A wave of exhaustion washed over me once he was gone, and I slumped against the counter, defeated. I rushed through my nighttime routine and fell into bed bone tired. It wasn’t long before sleep pulled me under, and my dreams were filled with sapphire blue eyes blazing with desire and lips I feared I’d never feel on mine again.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
GABE
“What am I going to do?”
Juniper snorted her frustration, mirroring the inner turmoil settling heavy in my chest. I’d spent the last fifteen minutes pouring my heart out to Jasmine’s horse, trying to make sense of it all. My feelings for her were so intense, so unlike anything I'd ever experienced before, that I would burst if I didn’t get this off my chest, and I couldn’t exactly tell anyone else. So I had to settle for venting to an eleven hundred pound animal.
I stroked a hand down Juniper’s neck, and she nudged my shoulder. Whether it was in affection or impatience, I couldn't be sure. She was a fickle beast who only liked me when the mood struck her and typically only when Jasmine wasn’t around.
I peeled the banana I’d selected for her and broke it in half. She let out a soft knicker when I presented the first piece to her.
“Jasmine’s right. I do have feelings for her,” I admitted as she chewed. “My best friend’s daughter,” I added, my voice barely above a whisper. It terrified me to admit it out loud, to acknowledge the desperate, helpless yearning that had consumed my every waking moment for a woman who should beoff limits. I waited for the guilt to bowl me over, but this time, it was less like a tsunami and more like a tidal wave. It was just enough to cover my feet in sand and keep me rooted in place. I couldn’t move forward, not with the very real possibility that doing so could ruin the most important friendship I’d ever had.
Juniper dipped her head, reaching for the other half of the banana. I lifted it to her mouth, scratching her forehead as she pulled it between her lips. She eyed me like I was testing her limits. She’d clearly had enough of my attention and was probably tired of hearing my voice.
Ensuring she had enough hay and water, I slipped out of her stall and secured the latch. I took my time walking back to the trailer, drawing the balmy midnight air deep into my lungs and releasing it slowly to calm my racing thoughts. By the time I reached my destination, I was self-composed enough to face Jasmine again, but silently prayed she was asleep so I wouldn’t have to.
I opened the door and quietly slipped inside, trying not to wake her. Dropping onto the sofa, I toed off my boots. That was when I heard it. There was a low buzzing sound that was barely detectable. At first, I thought it might be Jasmine’s phone vibrating with an incoming call, but it didn’t stop. If someone was trying to reach her, there’d be a break between her voicemail picking up and the caller trying again. This was something else.
I stood and stepped toward the platform that housed the bed. Peering into the darkened alcove, I searched for any sign of her phone screen lighting up, worried it may be an alert from her CGM. Suddenly the buzzing turned into an insistent beeping, and a twinge of panic twisted my gut. I climbed up the two steps to the platform and crawled over to her. The space was cramped, making it difficult to stand, so I kneeled beside her on the mattress. Flipping on the nightlight, I took in her sleeping form. She was on her side with her back to me, so I leaned forward andtouched her brow to ensure she wasn’t clammy. When she didn’t stir, I gently shook her shoulder. I tried to ignore the softness of her silken skin against my palm.
“Jasmine,” I said in an attempt to rouse her. She groaned and rolled onto her back. The movement caused the sheet to slip down her body, exposing her torso. Her nipples pebbled against the thin fabric of her tank top as the cool air whispered over her skin.
Swallowing hard, I had to look away for a moment to gather my composure. I would never tell a woman what to wear, especially to bed, but her little sleep sets drove me wild. It was practically torture seeing her in them every night. The lace framing her perfect tits, the crop top exposing a strip of golden skin, and shorts so tiny they were barely more than underwear tested my resolve every time I saw her in them.
“Jasmine,” I repeated a little louder. She groaned again and her brow furrowed, but she still didn’t wake. Fear flooded my veins, so I leaned over her, shaking her again, this time more forcefully.
“Jasmine.” My voice boomed in the small space, and finally her eyes fluttered open. She blinked up at me a few times to clear away the fog of drowsiness.
“Gabe?” Her voice was scratchy with sleep, and her wide eyes flicked back and forth between mine. My body sagged with relief, and I cupped her face with my hand.
