Unexpected

Chapter 18

GABRIEL

I'm trying to catch my breath when I feel Jo snuggling by my side. I hold her tighter against me, my hand securely around her waist while her head rests on my chest. We're both silent and something in me moves when she yawns.

I've never felt so comfortable around a woman before. I have never experienced this kind of connection with no expectations or obligations. There are no pretenses when it comes to Jo. She isn't by my side because of she can gain from my fame or wealth. She is here for me only. She's with me because she wants me, the guy behind the rockstar.

This feeling is so powerful that it makes me want to keep it close and savor it.

"This is nice," I whisper, and she sighs.

"We should get up." She motions to leave the bed, but I pull her to me and roll us over so I'm hovering over her.

"I don't know what I'm doing here, Jo." I take a deep breath as I stare into her eyes. "I've never done this before. All I know is that I care about you and that sex with you is different."

She closes her eyes for a second, but not in time to hide the vulnerability that is clear in there. "I'm afraid you'll break my heart, Gabe," she whispers, and I press my forehead to hers.

"I've had a crush on you my whole life." My lips curl when she gasps.

"No way!" She shakes her head, her hands cupping my cheeks. "Stop!"

"I'm serious." I laugh when she keeps looking at me incredulously.

"You've never said anything," she says and I shrug, settling by her side and pulling her to my chest again.

"I was almost eighteen when it first dawned on me that I saw you as more than my little sister's best friend," I say. "You and a bunch of other fifteen-year-old girls were having a sleepover, and I kept finding reasons to talk to you."

"It was the first day of summer break..." She laughs softly. "We were all excited because Lucy was going on her first date."

"I had heard a guy in your class asked you out and I internally freaked out." I caress her back. "First, I thought it was because I cared about you as I cared about Maria, but then..."

"Then?" she whispers.

"I was in the kitchen late that night making a sandwich and you stopped by to get a glass of water..."

She lifts her head to rest it in the cradle of her palm. "I couldn't sleep that night."

"And I kept trying to come up with things to talk about so you wouldn't go back to your room." I smile, loving how beautiful she looks right now. "But then you started yawning and I... I said we'd better go back to bed."

"I remember you going on a date the following weekend." She searches my eyes, and I nod, not proud of my actions back then.

"Dad and I had a fight the following day because he wanted me to start thinking about college, but I..."

Her fingertips touch my jaw. "You wanted to pursue your music career with the band."

"He kept saying that it wouldn't work and that in ten years I'd only have regrets behind me." I let out a sigh. "You were too young, Jo. I had nothing to offer you back then, so I forced myself to back off."

Not that I have now... My subconscious snaps at me.

"You proved your dad wrong." She cups my cheek. "You achieved so much with your music. The entire world knows who you are."