Diving In (Open Door Love Story) by Stacey Wallace Benefiel Page B

know exactly where he’s coming from. He’s that for me, too.
    Gabe kisses my forehead. “Damn right you do.” He chuckles. “Although, it’s better as a metaphor for falling in love than it is in practicality.” He points to himself. “Exhibit A.”
    “Why you always gotta ruin a moment, man?”
    “Why you always gotta talk like a hustler from a ’70s TV show?”
    “Bitch, I gots no idea what you’re talkin’ about.” I sit up, resting back on my heels. “Is this how your make out sessions have always gone? In my experience, there is less endearing love talk and mention of hustlers. Usually, you know, mouth on my tits, hands down my pants, that sorta thing.”
    “I strive to not be Andy,” Gabe says, resting his hands on my hips. I feel him flexing his fingers against my skin. “And I want to be your friend, too, as shocking as that may sound. I think the high dive emotions only come for someone you actually like in addition to wanting to bang.”
    And that’s when he gets hard.
    I take his hands, placing one on my left breast and one on his erection. “Which do you think did that? Boobs or friendship?”
    “Huh,” he says, then laughs. “You. Both are part of you, and this is what you do to me.”
    I fall on top of him and look into his eyes. “That’s the rightest answer any man has ever given any woman.”
    “The water feels perfect, doesn’t it?” he asks.
    “You got that right, my man.”

     
    Chapter Eleven
     
     
     
    I go into, well downstairs to, work on Friday to catch up on paperwork and to do some research on hiring people in wheelchairs. Sure, we got the front door working properly, but who knows what all else might need fixing or brought up to ADA standards?
    Ginormous coffee in hand, I settle in at my desk for a few hours of fun, but my mind keeps slipping away to thoughts of Gabe and yesterday evening on the couch. Nothing more happened physically, and not because of either one of us not wanting it to, but I think we both were still soaking in the fact that someone who wanted us also accepted us. There was a whole lot of mental and emotional going on, so the physical had to be put on hold.
    Except, once I’d kissed him goodnight and hopped out of the van, alone in my apartment all I could do was think about having him. So much so, that I’d dreamt of him. And it was most certainly not a dream about jumping off of a high dive.
    Gabe’s legs worked. He walked toward me. He lifted me up and held me off the ground in a hug. Gabe gazed down at me, took my hand, led me to the end of the dock. We sat there, our legs dangling over the sides, kicking water at each other, kissing, his arm wrapped around me.
    It was so utterly like how it could’ve been that I woke up angry and disappointed and then immediately felt guilty because the Gabe of could’ve been never would have looked at me twice. Not because he wasn’t a decent person or because he was a snob, I just wasn’t on his radar. Now, I’m on his radar. And the Gabe I get is a little bit, okay a lot, broken and that isn’t exactly fair. Especially not to him, but also not to me.
    For the first time, I get why Dani loves my brother despite the fact he and my family put her through hell. She is the only person who can love him the right way, the exact way he needs. And Gabe, maybe he needs me in the same way. He needs the person who is going to protect him, even if it means sacrificing some of herself to do it. I don’t doubt that holding on to the secret of Gabe’s accident is going to destroy me at some point, but as long as it never touches him, well, maybe that is some fairness coming his way. Some balance.
    I think about the napkin in my coat pocket and the note from Izzy. I should text her about a meet up. The sooner I explain where I’m coming from and find out what she’s planning, the better.
    My phone chimes and I look at the text from Gabe.
     
    Wondered if you could do me a favor? Let me borrow your keys to the