Gable Read online

  “You’re right about me being huge, Priss.”

  “God, why’d I even come today?” and I knew my mistake the minute I said this.

  “I just seem to have that effect on women,” he answered, grinning.

  I huffed out a laugh. God, he was annoying. “You’re too much.” I stood and started down the steps.

  “That’s definitely what she said,” he replied from behind me.

  This all just pissed me off because, God help me, I was totally into him and I knew he was just messing with me, so once outside, I spun around to face him. “This has to stop now, Gable. You can’t talk to me like that.”

  His eyes danced with amusement then he leaned down and whispered in my ear, “Apparently, I can and you love it. You think I can’t see how you respond to me?”

  I pulled my face away from him as I took a step back. “That’s called disgust.”

  “It’s called lust. You know you want me.” His honey eyes burned into mine. I shook my head, throwing in an eye roll, and walked away only to hear him call after me, “As soon as you admit it, things’ll be a lot more fun.”

  That’s what I was afraid of.

  ~*~*~*~

  Thursday night I sat at the kitchen table staring at my phone knowing I should just reply to Gable’s email and ignore my dumbass feelings for him when Amy came in with a bag of hamburgers and fries from work.

  “Hey, thought you might be hungry,” she said, setting the bag on the table. A bag whose contents assaulted my nose with all things delicious, that is.

  “Just when I think you can’t get any better…” I said, reaching a hand in and pulling out a paper-wrapped burger and a carton of fries. “I haven’t eaten all day. This smells amazing.” I tore open the paper and stuffed my mouth full of glorious, juicy beef. Yum.

  Amy laughed. “Calm down, Hoover. You’re practically inhaling it.”

  “I can’t help it. So… good…” I answered, mouth full. When I swallowed, I asked, “You’re not eating?”

  “Already did. And, once again, I smell like a giant French fry and need a shower.” She started down the hallway then turned and informed me, “There are two more burgers and fries in there if that one doesn’t do the trick.”

  “’Kay,” I mumbled as I chewed, knowing that since the burgers were huge, I wasn’t even sure I could finish the one I was munching on. When my phone rang, I saw it was Bodhi calling. “’Lo,” I answered as I stuffed some fries into my mouth.

  “What’s up? Did I interrupt dinner?” He chuckled at hearing my garbled voice.

  “Yeah, but it’s okay. Amy brought some burgers and fries home from work.”

  “Some?” he asked, his interest piqued.

  I snorted. I’d eaten lunch several more times with him and it was safe to say the guy could seriously throw down some chow. “Got two of everything left. You’re more than welcome to them.”

  “Be there in ten,” and he hung up.

  I walked down the hallway and knocked on the bathroom door.

  “Yeah?” Amy yelled over the shower.

  I opened the door and stuck my head inside. “Bodhi’s coming over to eat the other burgers. That okay?”

  “That’s fine. Just make sure to tell his gay ass to stop and get some beer. I’ve fed him twice already this week.”

  “Gotcha,” I said with a snort, closing the door and going back to the table to get my phone and text him.

  Text Message—Thurs, Oct 3, 9:34 p.m.

  Me: Amy says to bring beer because she’s already fed you twice this week. And she also won’t give you her brother’s # if you don’t.

  I threw that last part in just to mess with him.

  Text Message—Thurs, Oct 3, 9:34 p.m.

  Bodhi: Damn. Tell her to stop being so bossy. And who says I want to meet her brother anyway?

  Text Message—Thurs, Oct 3, 9:35 p.m.

  Me: Long eye lashes. Hazel eyes. Muscles. Cute butt.

  Text Message—Thurs, Oct 3, 9:35 p.m.

  Bodhi: Shit. I’ll get a case…

  This made me laugh out loud.

  Bodhi and Amy had met two weeks ago when I’d invited him over to help me with my first movie review and they’d absolutely hit it off by instantly throwing insults at each other. When she’d told him that her older brother who attended UDub was gay and single and that Bodhi was totally his type then shown him some pictures, we both could tell he was interested. I think it may have been the way his mouth had hung open when he’d seen the pictures. Or maybe that he’d grabbed her phone and sent them to his own phone which made Amy warn him that he’d better not be adding them to his spank bank. Bodhi had blushed profusely at that which had made us crack up at him.

  While I waited for him to get here, I sat at the table researching a couple movies on my laptop, hoping he’d be willing to help me again. I also once more contemplated emailing Gable but decided to wait until later.

  Amy had dressed and come out of her bedroom just in time to answer the door when Bodhi knocked.

  “What’s up, loser?” she stated upon letting him in.

  “Not much, loserette,” he countered. He walked into the kitchen, setting the beer he’d bought on the counter then tossed each of us a bottle before putting the rest in the fridge.

  “What kinda beer is this?” Amy asked examining the label. “Never heard of it.”

  “The good kind. Just drink,” Bodhi answered shaking his head. “Burger me, gorgeous,” he said to me when he came to the table and sat down.

  As I dug a burger out of the bag, Amy said indignantly, “She gets ‘gorgeous’ and I get ‘loserette’?”

  Bodhi took the burger, immediately unwrapping it and jamming it into his mouth for a huge bite as he nodded at her. When he swallowed, he said, “You’da greeted me with ‘hey, handsome,’ maybe you’d get something nicer.”

  “Duly noted,” she replied with a raise of her eyebrows as she took a drink of her beer.

  I set both boxes of fries and the other burger in front of him and as he devoured his meal, Amy sat down across from him then getting a wicked gleam in her eyes continued the talk they’d started the last time he’d been over which made me groan and roll my eyes. “So, I still say Batman is way better than Superman.” She looked smugly at him.

  “You’re crazy,” he said between bites totally taking her bait. “Superman is practically immortal unless he’s exposed to Kryptonite. That’s the only thing that can kill him. Batman’s human. He’s killable.”

  “Killable?” She snorted. “Is that even a word, Buddha Boy?”

  “At least I believe in a higher power, Shabby Douglas,” Bodhi shot back making me raise my eyebrows impressed with his name calling ingenuity.

  Ignoring his gymnastic barb, Amy retorted, “Oh, my God! Are we going there again? Have you ever seen a higher power? No! Therefore, it doesn’t exist.”

  “Have you ever seen a thought? Does that mean they don’t exist? Jeez, examine every religion and you’ll see that each worships a god-like creator.”

  “Which are made-up beings just like Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny,” she shot back.

  “Just like you said zombies are made up.”

  “They are. Have you ever seen a zombie other than in the movies or on TV?”

  After a beat Bodhi said, “Well, one thing’s for sure,” with a sarcastic smile as he wiped his mouth with a napkin.

  Amy narrowed her eyes at him. “What’s that?”

  “If one day we do have a zombie apocalypse, and we know zombies are scavenging for brains, don’t worry. You’ll be safe.”

  Just as Amy bowed up, eyes narrowed, ready to spew a shit ton of vitriol right back at him, I shouted, “Guys, stop!”

  They stared at each other in silence before Amy muttered, “You’d better be glad I like this beer…”

  “And you’d better be glad I like the burgers you bring home,” Bodhi mumbled back.

  “Can you believe he thinks Superman’s better, Scout?” Amy as
ked me, starting up again. Jeez.

  “And can you believe she doesn’t believe in a god?” Bodhi threw out.

  I held my hands up in surrender. “Don’t even try putting me in the middle of your ridiculous arguments.”

  They looked at me then Amy muttered, “Wimp.” They both snickered then she and Bodhi bumped fists, bonding in an unlikely united front against me. Lord.

  I shook my head at them, not understanding how their arguing had suddenly cemented their friendship but glad they’d stopped. “Okay, I need help with my movie review. I’m going for comedy this week and was thinking Anchorman,” I told them.

  “I’m in a glass case of emotion,” Bodhi quoted.

  “I love lamp,” Amy added and we were off, throwing every quote we knew out there, which was good because it made them stop their stupid debating, although the quote-fest was now on and could turn ugly between them at any moment if they so chose.

  They both helped with the review and after I finished, we ended up watching the movie continuing trying to beat each other by saying the quotes first and arguing over who beat whom. Talk about a competitive group. We also almost finished off the whole case of beer because we’d thrown in having to take a drink if we messed up a quote. I’d messed enough up to make me more than tipsy and feeling pretty good, as was the case with both of them, and when he’d stood up to go to the bathroom and had almost wiped out, I’d informed Bodhi that he was staying. I made up the couch for him by throwing a pillow, sheet and blanket at him, and when I finally flopped into bed, I was at the point of not giving a shit and thought it’d be a fabulous idea to email Gable.

  ~*~*~*~

  ______________________________________

  From: 9565876

  Subject: You there?

  Date: October 4, 12:54 a.m.

  To: 9543254

  Yep.

  ______________________________________

  From: 9543254

  Subject: You there?

  Date: October 4, 1:00 a.m.

  To: 9565876

  Yep? That’s it?

  ______________________________________

  From: 9565876

  Subject: You there?

  Date: October 4, 1:02 a.m.

  To: 9543254

  What else do you wabt?

  ______________________________________

  From: 9543254

  Subject: You there?

  Date: October 4, 1:05 a.m.

  To: 9565876

  Well, I haven’t heard from you in almost two weeks, so I’d like a little more than just Yep. Is there something wrong?

  ______________________________________

  From: 9565876

  Subject: You there?

  Date: October 4, 1:07 a.m.

  To: 9543254

  Define wtong

  ______________________________________

  From: 9543254

  Subject: You there?

  Date: October 4, 1:08 a.m.

  To: 9565876

  Has something happened?

  ______________________________________

  From: 9565876

  Subject: You there?

  Date: October 4, 1:10 a.m.

  To: 9543254

  Why do you even care?

  ______________________________________

  From: 9543254

  Subject: You there?

  Date: October 4, 1:11 a.m.

  To: 9565876

  I guess I’m just worried about you.

  Yeah, he’d been so worried about me with his tongue crammed down Alyssa’s throat.

  ______________________________________

  From: 9565876

  Subject: You there?

  Date: October 4, 1:13 a.m.

  To: 9543254

  I’ts all good

  ______________________________________

  From: 9543254

  Subject: Tipsy?

  Date: October 4, 1:14 a.m.

  To: 9565876

  Are you drunk?

  ______________________________________

  From: 9565876

  Subject: Tipsy?

  Date: October 4, 1:16 a.m.

  To: 9543254

  Ding ding ding!

  ______________________________________

  From: 9543254

  Subject: Tipsy?

  Date: October 4, 1:17 a.m.

  To: 9565876

  Damn. You’re unusually hostile. I’m guessing you’re a mean drunk. Wish I was there getting trashed with you. I’d put you in a better mood.

  ______________________________________

  From: 9565876

  Subject: Tipsy?

  Date: October 4, 1:18 a.m.

  To: 9543254

  I’m not a mean drunk just a little mad and how could you put me in a better moood

  ______________________________________

  From: 9543254

  Subject: Tipsy?

  Date: October 4, 1:19 a.m.

  To: 9565876

  What’re you mad about? I’d tell you how smart, pretty and sweet you are. You couldn’t stay in a bad mood after that. Fuck, you’re totally my type, Six.

  ______________________________________

  From: 9565876

  Subject: Tipsy?

  Date: October 4, 1:22 a.m.

  To: 9543254

  Just am and I don’t think I’m your type buut I think you could be mine

  I was totally blaming that admission on being drunk.

  ______________________________________

  From: 9543254

  Subject: Tipsy?

  Date: October 4, 1:23 a.m.

  To: 9565876

  I know I’m you’re type. You don’t think so? What do you think my type is anyway?

  Cocky SOB. I knew what his type was and had to be careful not to inform him that it was Cunt-y Bitch.

  ______________________________________

  From: 9565876

  Subject: Tipsy?

  Date: October 4, 1:25 a.m.

  To: 9543254

  What do YOU think your type is

  How brilliant was that to put it back on him? I was grinning at my ingenuity when he wrote back.

  ______________________________________

  From: 9543254

  Subject: Tipsy?

  Date: October 4, 1:26 a.m.

  To: 9565876

  My type would be intelligent, beautiful, funny, confident like you… still curious what you think my type is

  Wow. He was anything if not charming.

  ______________________________________

  From: 9565876

  Subject: Tipsy?

  Date: October 4, 1:31 a.m.

  To: 9543254

  my brother went out with a lot of girls like you, Id have to guess prolly maybe someone whos kinda skanky and easy maybe. I don’t want to be mean. I’m sure some are really nice

&n
bsp; ______________________________________

  From: 9543254

  Subject: Tipsy?

  Date: October 4, 1:33 a.m.

  To: 9565876

  I’m laughing right now because you’re right. But let me clear something up for you, Six, since you didn’t seem to learn this from watching your brother. Guys might go out with girls like that but in the long run they end up with girls like you. You’re the kind of girl I’m looking for…I’ll PROVE you’re my type

  I snorted at this because suuure I was the kind of girl he wanted since he was an ass to me at every turn. Whatever. I knew better than to trust his sincerity anyway because it was easy to say things when hiding behind the Internet.

  ______________________________________

  From: 9565876

  Subject: Tipsy?

  Date: October 4, 1:35 a.m.

  To: 9543254

  Wow youre a real charmer arent you

  ______________________________________

  From: 9543254

  Subject: Prince Charming

  Date: October 4, 1:37 a.m.

  To: 9565876

  I think I can hold my own. Tbh, I’d really like to meet you. I want to see what you look like. It’s driving me crazy.

  ______________________________________

  From: 9565876

  Subject: Prince Charming

  Date: October 4, 1:40 a.m.

  To: 9543254

  No!

  ______________________________________

  From: 9543254

  Subject: Prince Charming

  Date: October 4, 1:40 a.m.

  To: 9565876

  Come on. This is killing me

  ______________________________________

  From: 9565876

  Subject: Prince Charming

  Date: October 4, 1:42 a.m.

  To: 9543254

  It’s against the rules

  ______________________________________

  From: 9543254

  Subject: Rules are for pussies

  Date: October 4, 1:42 a.m.

  To: 9565876

  Be a rule breaker with me

  No way was that going to happen. Time to go.

  ______________________________________