Page 51 of Family Bonds- Gabriela & Luca

“Barely,” she said, laughing. “He handled it surprisingly well. You know how it can be. It’s a lot. All those new faces, the family and assumptions. He didn’t flinch. Or not that I could see.”

Gabriela had tried to watch for it too. She had to admit she was pretty impressed.

Her mother appeared in the doorway, hair tousled from changing, and grabbed her cup. “I noticed. And he actually laughed at the terrible jokes your dad hates when too many doctors get together in one room.”

“That’s impressive,” she crooned, raising her eyebrows. “Guess I missed that. Most men would been running for the hills.”

Her father snorted. “I like him. He was professional and polite, not that I expected any differently. And he seems genuinely kind. Again, with his profession and dealing with kids, he’d have to have some level of patience or be a kid himself.”

“I’ve seen a playfulness to him in and out of work. I think it’s natural for sure.” She crossed her ankles in front of her, shifting her butt against the counter, smiling despite herself. “He makes me laugh. I haven’t laughed like that in a while. I mean, like not around another adult. He gets my sense of humor.”

“Which few do,” her father said.

Her mother’s eyes softened. “That’s important. You need someone who can make you laugh.”

“Exactly,” her father added. “And someone you enjoy being around.”

She swirled her coffee in the cup carefully. This was getting out of hand.

“We’re just friends,” she mumbled, more to herself than them. “And I know, I’m protesting too much, so I’ll stop.”

“Just friends, huh?” her mother said, arching an eyebrow. “Sure, sure. But it doesn’t mean you can’t notice when someone’s good for you.”

Her father looked at her mother, nodded his head and then turned to her. It was like they’d rehearsed what they were going to say. “Pay attention, Gabriela. That’s all I’m saying.”

She forced a frown on her face as if they were getting on her nerves, but they thought she was kidding. She wasn’t though. Not really.

“I am. I really am. Now, if that is all for the night, I’m going to enjoy my coffee in my room and unwind.”

She marched past them, back up the stairs and hit the power on the remote. She didn’t really want to watch TV.

What she wanted to do was talk to Luca.

But what was she going to say to him?

She looked around her room, found her bunny slippers and couldn’t resist.

After slipping them on, she snapped a picture to send.Much better footwear now.

She put her back to her headboard and surfed the channels for anything to catch her attention.

The minute her phone went off, she picked it up and read:Joke or tease.Like real tease, cuz you know...part of a bunny outfit.

Oh, Lord. That hadn’t even crossed her mind. But now it was.

And now this could turn into some other teasing. One she’d been dying to try out but had been fearful of it with him.

He made the first move though. Might as well push a tiny bit more.

How much do you really like bunnies?

He was typing back, then his message appeared:More than might be good for me.

Her thumbs were flying over her keyboard:I might have to put more thought into this.

I’m not sure I can survive that.

Her body was heating. She put the coffee on the stand next to her bed so she didn’t spill it, then crossed her legs on the bed and searched for aPlayboyBunny costume, copied the picture, then did the same for a cuter costume but still sexy in its own right. Like girl next door sexy.