Gabriella laughed. “Come hold this for me, please? What has gotten into you lately? Ever since the trouble with the credit union, you haven’t been acting like yourself. Is it still bothering you? Is there anything you want me to do to help you get through this?”
Again, her and the barely-there red panties.
He shook his head, hard. “I’ll be fine. Lucy and I are going out to dinner tonight to that new restaurant by the mall. Have you tried it?”
“No. Brandi and I want to but haven’t found time yet. Are you and Lucy finally an item?” She bent lower, painting along the lower rim of the chair as Logan held the back, tilting it just enough for her to reach. Her auburn hair was pulled back in a loose ponytail and she balanced on her paint-splattered shoes, deep in thought. She wore her grubby clothes to paint. Her denim cutoffs paired with a pink V-neck shirt.
“No, we aren’t an item. We are still just seeing each other. We are free to date whomever we want. No strings attached.”
Gabriella rolled her eyes. “Is that what you think she wants?”
“No. She wants to be exclusive but I’m just not feeling it yet. Anyway, what about you and what’s his name? Are you guys “together” together?”
“His name is Cody and things have potential but so far, I’m much too busy for a relationship.”
Logan wasn’t sure what his problem with Gabriella was lately. He’d been around her more than any other female in his entire life aside from his mother. She was his nearest and dearest friend. They had laughed and cried together. Had gone through break-ups together. Had experienced college and everything thereafter together. And here he was unable to stop himself from looking down her V-neck shirt at her voluptuous tits that he had no business looking at. Especially when all she had asked from him—a friend—was a helping hand.
Logan let out a groan as he closed his eyes, trying to get the image of Gabriella’s creamy white skin out of his head. This couldn’t go on much longer. There was no way he could be around her and let his imagination run wild—what was it doing? He was appalled with himself. He had never thought of Gabbie as his sister—ever. But he had never, ever looked at her the way he was right now. Sure, he appreciated her silky auburn hair, her stunning green eyes, all of the freckles that lined the bridge of her nose and her curvy body, but he hadn’t ever appreciated them.
Not like he had been lately.
As he sat there holding her chair, trying to look anywhere but down at her and at the curves inside her blouse—because that is where his gaze kept going—he pondered when his sudden attraction began. He thought about the last few times they had been together hanging out and for the life of him, he couldn’t think of a single moment that stood out.
Besides, he wasn’t sure it was full-blown attraction anyway. He didn’t know what it was. All he knew was that he had begun to see Gabbie in a new light, had suddenly begun to appreciate the curves of her hips as well as the curves of her breasts. He started noticing the flecks of brown in her green eyes and the way her hair would go from straight to wavy to curly all in a day’s worth of hard work.
He looked around at haphazard boxes and a few lacy items that lay in the back room. A strappy bra—with straps that circled her breasts and nipples—that didn’t actually cover the nipple part, was strapped around a mannequin. She wore the lingerie she sold.
As good of friends as they were, he never dared ask her what she wore for undergarments. If he had to guess, he would bet his last dollar that she wore this stuff just like all the women who came here because she loved what she did and Gabbie couldn’t sell something she didn’t love herself. He knew her well enough to know that was how she rolled.
“Logan? Logan Anthony Reeves?”
Bringing him out of his daze, he looked down at Gabriella, trying hard to be a gentleman and keep his eyes on hers. “What?”
She wriggled her nose at him for about the millionth time since they’ve known each other. “Are you sure nothing is bothering you? You know you can tell me, right?”
Not this. He could never tell her this. Who knew what her reaction would be? She could very well threaten him with her handgun. He shook his head. “Nothing’s wrong. I’m fine. I was just thinking about things going on at work. That’s all. Have you been to the shooting range lately?”
Her eyebrows rose and she shrugged her shoulder. “Okay. I won’t ask anymore. You can set the chair down. Thanks. Oh, and yeah, Brandi and I went two days ago. They have these hot pink paper targets now. It was fun.”
She stood up and began putting away her paint supplies. She took her brush to the sink and began rinsing it off. Logan put the lid on her paint can and set the empty cup she had filled with paint into the sink, watching the turquoise color the water as it swirled down the drain.
“What are you doing tonight? Going to the shooting range?” He teased. For a woman who’d gone through the trouble of getting a license to carry a concealed weapon, she took it pretty seriously. He was sure there were people out there who got one and never learned to shoot, but not Gabriella.
“No, I’m not. Why? What are you doing?”
“Do you and Brandi want to come with us tonight? You can be my buffer.”
“Did you just roll your eyes? Logan, if you don’t like her, why are you wasting your time with her? Why are you wasting her time?” She looked at him pointedly.
“I’m not wasting anyone’s time.
