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She grinned. “All right, but it might take a lot of touching. He’s a big real-estate guy now. Really rich. A great catch.”
He caught her at the corner and leaned down to growl into her ear. “I’ll fuck you until you can’t remember that guy’s name.”
“Oh, God,” she whispered. “I forgot it already.”
“Good. Let’s get you fucked, Dear Veronica.”
“Yes,” she whispered. “Let’s.”
***
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
ITDIDN’TGOSMOOTHLY, of course. It wasn’t as if Veronica’s terrible streak of bad sexual luck could be broken by one glorious man. Before she’d taken two steps toward her official deflowering, her phone buzzed. She winced, offered a quick apology to Gabe and read the text from her father.
Got a text from Dillon Tettering. Says he just spoke to you. Butter him up, will you? I’m playing hardball on a new investment.
Typical. I barely know him, she sent back.
So get to know him. And tell me if he says anything about Blue Sky.
Sure, she answered, then tucked her phone away without even a twinge of guilt. She cared as little about her dad’s investments as he did about her life.
“Sorry,” she said to Gabe. “My dad.”
“Better now than later,” he said, and delight bubbled up inside her again.
They had to stop at the next intersection for a fire truck. It rumbled past in a cloud of exhaust on its way back to the station. One of the men waved to Gabe, and Veronica felt immediately guilty for the hand she’d wrapped around his arm. This was a small town, after all.
But Gabe didn’t flinch away. He just raised a hand and they walked on as if nothing had happened. Her phone buzzed again, but she ignored it. She couldn’t handle her dad in her head when she was trying her best to get laid.
“Do you want to go climbing this weekend?” Gabe asked once they’d reached a quieter street.
“What? No!”
He looked down at her and ignored the way she shook her head. “I saw the note on your fridge. ‘Try new things.’”
She felt a brief pang of mortification that he’d seen her stupid notes, but she shoved it aside. “I’m trying a lot of new things, in case you haven’t noticed. I’ll climb you. Isn’t that enough bravery for now?”
“Aw, come on. That’ll be easy.”
“Not that easy. I’ve seen your cock.” Her face flamed at her own words, but she loved saying them, and she loved his pleased grin.
“More flattery, Veronica?”
“I’m just trying to close this deal,” she said.
“All right. Then say you’ll come climbing with me. Nothing too hard. You can trust me. I’ll keep you safe.”
The strange thing was that she did trust him. She had from nearly the first moment she’d met him. He’d been talking only about climbing, but there was something honest about Gabe. Something safe.
She liked to think that her ability to be herself with him was because she was getting older and stronger, but she couldn’t imagine being this honest with another man. She knew Gabe would take care of her in bed. She knew he wouldn’t tell anyone her secrets. She knew she was seeing the real him when they were together.
She felt like herself with him, the person she’d always hoped was somewhere inside her.
“Why do you want me to climb with you?” she asked, genuinely curious, even if she wasn’t tempted.
“I think you’ll like it. It’s quiet. Peaceful.”
