Page 236 of Just for the Plot

“Watch it,” Ryland growls, but he doesn’t intimidate me.

“Love is what I feel for Bower. It’s buried itself into the marrow of my bones, where I itch to see her, where I feel at ease when she’s in my arms, where I’m content and satisfied knowing that I’m the one she’s going to bed with and I’m the one she’s waking up next to. This is not a fling. This is not a one-night fuck. This is real. This is love, and she feels the same way.” Gabby’s eyes widen. “And for you to insult her, to her fucking face, without giving her a goddamn second to explain…” I shake my head. “That’s not the sister I grew up with. That’s not the sister who raised me. You’re better than that, Gabby, and I’m disappointed that you would treat someone you love in such a manner, angry or not. Broken promises and all. She deserved more than that.”

I head toward the door, ready to chase after Bower just as she walks through the door, tears still streaming down her cheeks, but with some bravado in her face.

She walks right up to me and places her hands on my chest. Looking me in the eyes, she whispers, “I’m sorry. You know I love you. This isn’t a quick fuck to me. You were never that to me. Ever.” She cups my cheek. “I love you so much.”

Fuck.

Talk about a way to make my heart nearly fly out of my chest.

She takes my hand in hers and leads me to Gabby, standing tall, chinheld high. “This is not a fling for me,” she says, standing up for me. “This is not some fantasy I’m trying to fulfill. This is real. Everything about it. I attempted to push him away every chance I got. I tried desperately to shut down my feelings. I agonized over what this would do to my relationship with you, and I tried to stuff it all away, but every day I felt pulled toward him. Like the universe was shoving me in his direction, not even giving me a chance to deny it. And so one day, I gave in. I allowed myself one moment with him, just to satisfy the feeling, but it only intensified it.”

Gabby swipes at her eyes, looking between the two of us.

“And as that feeling intensified, the more I knew I couldn’t stay away, as hard as I tried. And when…when you told me you thought Bennett was in love, I knew it was with me. I knew what you said was true, because I saw it in every little thing he did for me or said to me. And normally, I’d have run from finding out such a thing, because I wanted to protect us, Gabby. I wanted to protect our relationship, but I realized, as much as I love you…I love him more. And if you genuinely loved me the way you’ve said, then you would understand what I’m saying to you.”

Bower draws closer, and the pride in my chest nearly bursts at the seams.

“I love Bennett. I see my future with him, so much so that the moment I walked out that apartment door, I realized that if I took any steps farther away, I’d be distancing myself from the life I want, the life I’ve been working toward. And I wouldn’t allow myself to do that.” Taking a deep breath, she continues, “I’m sorry that this is how you found out, and I wish we could have told you in a way that wasn’t so shocking, but now that it’s out in the open, I will not cower. I will not change because you’re uncomfortable. I love you, Gabby, but this is my life, this is Bennett’s life, and it’s unfair for you to try to dictate how we live it.”

Holy.

Shit.

Gabby asked Bower to protect me, and well…she just fucking did.

Gabby looks between the two of us, confusion in her eyes.

“As much as I’d love to talk about this with you, Gabby, sit down and work it out, I’m late for work and I can’t call in sick.” With that, she tugs me toward the door and leads me outside into the hallway. With the door shut, she stands on her toes, pushing me against the wall, and claims my mouth, her tongue swiping open my lips.

I groan into her as my hands fall to her hips, tempted to pick her up and pin her against the wall, but I hold back. Her eyes stare up at me dreamily. “I love you, and I’m sorry for a moment it seemed like I didn’t.”

I shake my head. “Don’t apologize, beautiful, that was…fuck, thank you.”

“Anything for you,” she answers. “You’re it for me. You’re my number one, above anything and anyone else. That won’t change.”

And I hadn’t known how much I needed to hear that, because this entire journey of getting to this place in our relationship has felt like an uphill battle of me convincing and begging her to give me a chance. At times I’ve felt numb, like whatever I did wasn’t going to work. I’ve felt anxious, like at any minute she was going to slip through my fingers. I’ve felt nervous that I was coming on too strong.

But this…this reassurance, it feels like that final weight that has been resting on my chest has finally been lifted off and the girl I love is officially and forever mine.

“Thank you, baby,” I say, leaning my forehead against hers. “I love you.”

“I love you, too. I have to go, though. No game tonight, right?”

“No game.”

“Okay. Then I’ll see you tonight.” She kisses me one more time and then takes off, in only my shirt, through the hall of our apartment building.

I watch her disappear up the stairs and then I head back into my apartment, ready to face my sister.

When I shut the door behind me, Gabby is still in the same place, looking stunned and speechless.

Ryland clears his throat. “I, uh…I’ll just let you two talk it out.”

“I ordered breakfast earlier,” I say to him as he heads toward the door. “It should be delivered soon. You can eat it.”

He just nods and then heads out of the apartment, leaving me alone with Gabby.