Bedding The Best Man (Bedding the Bachelors Book 7) by Virna Depaul Page A
Authors: Virna Depaul
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night, but that kind of thing passes. It always does. You deserve to be worshipped like the woman you are. You don’t deserve a rough fuck with someone bruising your hips. You deserve flowers and rose petals and jasmine oil. I’m just a roughneck fighter, and you’re a pampered rich girl. I’m not good enough for you.”
“You’re sure of that?” she asked. Yes, he’d bruised her hips, but she’d loved it. Loved being marked by him. Loved knowing that he wanted her so badly, he couldn’t control himself. Yes, she loved flowers, too, but why couldn’t she have both? And why was he trying to put them in boxes? Reduce himself to being a fighter, and her to being a pampered rich girl? Was that really what he thought of her? “Are you really sure, Gabe?” she asked, hoping it was just guilt and fear driving him to say these things.
He hesitated, but gazed deeply into her eyes. “I’m sure.”
She swallowed hard and nodded. It was amazing how quickly acceptance overrode her disappointment. But obviously she’d grown used to the idea of never being Gabe’s woman. It was just how it was. How it would always be. Sure, the fantasies could overtake her when she slept, but even this morning, when she’d woken up, even after realizing he’d actually been inside her body, she hadn’t experienced a spark of hope for their future together. “What about being my friend? Are you good enough for that?”
“Always, Brianne.”
“Then okay. Friends we’ll stay.” She felt defeated, in every aspect of her life, personal and professional. “But I’ll find someone else to help me with the glamping fundraiser.”
He stared at her for a tense moment, then said, “Don’t. I can still help you.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” she sighed.
“Why? We’re still friends, remember?”
“I remember,” she said softly.
“So?”
God, she wanted to scream at him. Didn’t he understand it would be torture for her, being around him, especially now that she knew he was an even better lover than she’d suspected? But no. He thought their time together had been a fluke. He had no way of knowing she’d been fantasizing about him for years.
And he never would.
When she still didn’t say anything, he said, “We’re friends, and I promised to help make sure this event is the best one you’ve ever done. I have a place in mind. It’s beautiful. A lot of my clients go there and they rave about it. I’ll set up a site. Give you an idea what you’re really up for. I think you’ll have fun. It’s the least I can do.”
Right. The least he could do.
For his friend.
“Fine, Gabe. Thank you.”
* * *
Gabe drove away from Brianne’s feeling as if he had been struck in the face by a wrecking ball. He should have bowed out from helping her when she’d given him the chance. But she’d been through so much already. She needed him. Besides, other than last night, he’d spent six years managing to keep his hands off her. He could make sure things between them went back to the way they should be.
Friendly.
He’d do exactly what he had promised, no more, and once he proved to her she was more than capable of pulling off the glamping event, he would take off like Eric had and sort his head out. Actually, he needed to get his head sorted out right now, because all he could think of was how she’d felt in his arms. On his tongue. Around his cock. Suddenly, he could barely stop himself from turning around, heading back to her place, sweeping her in his arms, and saying to hell with Eric.
Feeling desperate, he headed to the gym. He needed to pound some frustration out and one of the employees there, Huck, was always good for a no-holds-barred scrap.
He parked by the curb, and locked up. He often thought it was a little pointless because if anyone around there wanted to take his little sports car, a lock wouldn’t stand in their way. Fortunately, most people in the neighborhood would recognize his
“You’re sure of that?” she asked. Yes, he’d bruised her hips, but she’d loved it. Loved being marked by him. Loved knowing that he wanted her so badly, he couldn’t control himself. Yes, she loved flowers, too, but why couldn’t she have both? And why was he trying to put them in boxes? Reduce himself to being a fighter, and her to being a pampered rich girl? Was that really what he thought of her? “Are you really sure, Gabe?” she asked, hoping it was just guilt and fear driving him to say these things.
He hesitated, but gazed deeply into her eyes. “I’m sure.”
She swallowed hard and nodded. It was amazing how quickly acceptance overrode her disappointment. But obviously she’d grown used to the idea of never being Gabe’s woman. It was just how it was. How it would always be. Sure, the fantasies could overtake her when she slept, but even this morning, when she’d woken up, even after realizing he’d actually been inside her body, she hadn’t experienced a spark of hope for their future together. “What about being my friend? Are you good enough for that?”
“Always, Brianne.”
“Then okay. Friends we’ll stay.” She felt defeated, in every aspect of her life, personal and professional. “But I’ll find someone else to help me with the glamping fundraiser.”
He stared at her for a tense moment, then said, “Don’t. I can still help you.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” she sighed.
“Why? We’re still friends, remember?”
“I remember,” she said softly.
“So?”
God, she wanted to scream at him. Didn’t he understand it would be torture for her, being around him, especially now that she knew he was an even better lover than she’d suspected? But no. He thought their time together had been a fluke. He had no way of knowing she’d been fantasizing about him for years.
And he never would.
When she still didn’t say anything, he said, “We’re friends, and I promised to help make sure this event is the best one you’ve ever done. I have a place in mind. It’s beautiful. A lot of my clients go there and they rave about it. I’ll set up a site. Give you an idea what you’re really up for. I think you’ll have fun. It’s the least I can do.”
Right. The least he could do.
For his friend.
“Fine, Gabe. Thank you.”
* * *
Gabe drove away from Brianne’s feeling as if he had been struck in the face by a wrecking ball. He should have bowed out from helping her when she’d given him the chance. But she’d been through so much already. She needed him. Besides, other than last night, he’d spent six years managing to keep his hands off her. He could make sure things between them went back to the way they should be.
Friendly.
He’d do exactly what he had promised, no more, and once he proved to her she was more than capable of pulling off the glamping event, he would take off like Eric had and sort his head out. Actually, he needed to get his head sorted out right now, because all he could think of was how she’d felt in his arms. On his tongue. Around his cock. Suddenly, he could barely stop himself from turning around, heading back to her place, sweeping her in his arms, and saying to hell with Eric.
Feeling desperate, he headed to the gym. He needed to pound some frustration out and one of the employees there, Huck, was always good for a no-holds-barred scrap.
He parked by the curb, and locked up. He often thought it was a little pointless because if anyone around there wanted to take his little sports car, a lock wouldn’t stand in their way. Fortunately, most people in the neighborhood would recognize his
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