Aaron
As I make my way across the dance floor towards Gabby, I can feel Jenna-Lee's disappointment behind me. She was clearly upset that I cut our dance short, and her pouting is hard to miss. But my attention is focused on August and what he said to make Gabby frown. I need to know what's going on, and I can't enjoy dancing with anyone until I do.
Besides, my head is full of all the things Gabby was saying before August interrupted us. She threw me for a loop when she said our priorities will change when we’re partnered up. I can't imagine us being any different with each other, even when we are both involved in relationships. But clearly Gabby does.
I don't know how to deal with that.
I always pictured us sharing every moment that matters; every moment that is important. Until today, when she has sprung the whole dating agency thing on me, I have never really thought about what it would mean when she finally settles down. Eventually, however, she will meet a man she wants to marry; someone else she will share the important moments in her life with. She will let someone else in, and then she won't need me anymore. The thought is like an arrow piercing my heart.
I stalk across the dance floor and cut back in, ignoring the way August smirks at me. I also choose to ignore the way Gabby seems to fit against me better than Jenna-Lee does.
"You and August seemed to be having quite the conversation," I say as we begin to move around the ballroom once more together.
"We were."
"What did he say?"
"He told me he was going to ask me out once, but you told him not to."
"He's just trying to draw you into the game."
"So it isn’t true?"
"That he wanted to ask you out?"
She nods.
"At the time I thought it would be a really bad idea."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"See, this is exactly what August does–"
"I’m surprised, Aaron. We're supposed to tell each other everything."
Is she angry or not? I can't tell. I did her a favour, saving her heartbreak. I didn't know August well when he asked me if he was a good match for Gabby, but now I'm glad I made that decision. August doesn’t have an ounce of genuine emotion for women.
Gabby doesn't look impressed with my answer. It's bad enough things are changing between us without August trying to cause trouble.
"What else did August say?" I ask when she remains quiet.
She sighs. "He's not buying it."
"What do you mean he's not buying it?"
"He doesn't believe that you're in love with me, or that we're together."
I told August that Gabby was like a sister and best friend, all rolled into one. Now those words haunt me. Not just because they give August more ammunition to cause trouble between us, but because they mock the thoughts I’ve been having about my best friend ever since she opened the door to me this morning. My resolve to never complicate my friendship with Gabby by getting physical with her has been stretched to near-breaking point. I glance over and see August twirling Jenna-Lee around the dance floor. Gabby watches them too. The idea is to make Jenna-Lee believe I'm with Gabby, but if I want August to back off and leave Gabby alone, it's equally important that August believes it too.
"I obviously need to work harder at convincing him then," I tell her.
When Gabby looks up at me, I brush my lips against hers for the second time today, letting them linger a little longer this time. The gentle contact sends sparks shooting through me. When I break away to look at her, she is looking back at me with an expression of wonder. Her dark eyes are filled with liquid heat that makes me feel more off-balance than all the cocktails I’ve consumed so far tonight.
We stare at each other for a moment before I lower my head again and capture her lips with mine, seeking to explore whether the sparks I experienced during our last kiss were a fluke. When her lips part beneath mine, I don't hesitate to take what she’s offering me. Damn, she tastes like the decadent chocolate torte we had for dessert and the fortified wine served with it. Addictive. She feels so good - so right – pressed against me as my tongue slides along hers.
She twines her arms around my neck, pulling me closer, arching into me. My blood goes from hot to boiling in the blink of an eye at the way she hungrily kisses me back. My hand tangles in her silky hair as she presses her soft curves against me. Need hums beneath my skin and throbs low in my belly, as fantasy blurs with reality. I burn with the need to get closer to her. She moans into my mouth as our kiss turns into something more heated. Would she make that same noise in bed when we're together?
It is her soft gasp as my growing arousal presses against her that smashes through the fantasy and brings me back to reality. God, what the hell is wrong with me?
When I pull away, her cheeks are rosy, her lips bruised, but it’s the confusion washing over her features that hits me hardest. She isn’t the only one confused. What the hell did I just do? What the hell was I thinking kissing her like that? Gabby is my best friend- the person who means the most to me; the only person I can’t live without.
"I'm sorry, Gabby." I pull away. "I forgot who I was with."
The look on her face, the hurt in her eyes… Shit! That was not the right thing to say.
“Gab-”
She steps out of my arms and glares at me. "You're sorry? You forgot who you were with? Did you think I was Jenna-Lee?"
"No!" I deny hotly.
She doesn't believe me; I see the doubt in her eyes. And I’m not sure what to say to put things right. First, I practically forced my affections on her, kissing her without warning, and then I said the worst thing possible. I always knew getting physical with Gabby in any way would be a mistake, it’s why I’ve been so careful to never complicate our friendship that way. Yet here I am, complicating everything.
It couldn’t have happened at a worse time either. She’s keeping things from me and telling me it’s inevitable we’ll drift apart. Then I go and kiss her like that.
All these changes… they’re making me act funny and messing with my head.
"Aaron.” Edward puts his hand on my shoulder. “A word please."
I need to try and explain myself, I need to fix things, but Gabby is already walking away. Maybe I shouldn’t have asked her to come with me. I thought we'd have fun together, but what's happening between us doesn't feel fun; it feels downright scary. Gabby is the most important person in my life. How am I supposed to focus on anything when things aren't right between us? I can't. Things with Jenna-Lee will have to wait. I'll fix things with Gabby, and then maybe I can actually concentrate on winning Jenna-Lee back.
"You could be in trouble there," Edward says as we both watch Gabby leave the ballroom.
"Big trouble," I agree.
I have to work out how to fix this situation between us before it spins any further out of control. Unfortunately, I have no idea how I am going to do that. I don't understand how I could screw up something so much without even trying to.
More importantly, how do I fix it? Should I tell Gabby I was thinking about her; about what it would be like to go to bed with her while we were kissing? Or should I allow her to believe I was thinking about Jenna-Lee? Both options are shitty ones. There isn't a thing I can say to fix this. Gabby has always been a forgiving person, but if I don't stop acting like an idiot, we might not be on speaking terms by the time we leave the island.
I turn to Edward. "By any chance, can this wait until the morning?"
"Of course. You should go after her. It would be unwise to make her wait any longer for you than she already has."
"It's only been a minute."
Edward chuckles softly. "But she has been in love with you for that much longer."
I force a smile. "Right."
"I admit I was surprised when you said you were bringing Gabby to this couples' week away. The last time I saw you, you seemed completely unaware of how she felt about you."
My smile grows even more strained. Thank God Gabby has her Mr. X. If Gabby actually had feelings for me, it would make this situation that much worse, and that would be saying something.
Edward claps me on the back. "We'll speak tomorrow. Go fix things with your lady."
Gabby
I march straight into our room, throw myself on the bed, and pull the covers over my head. I blink away the tears that are threatening and concentrate on my breathing. Agreeing to this had been the biggest mistake of my life. I have effectively marooned myself on an island with the man I love and the woman he is in love with. What type of person would do something so masochistic? The kind who would do anything for her best friend, that's who.
Even with my grand plans to move on, my heart may not survive our week away, especially if he kisses me again. Jenna-Lee is the only reason Aaron would kiss me like that; that amazing, magical, make-you-tremble-at-the-knees kiss. It isn't about me at all. And isn't that why I am so mad? Because for a moment, I'd forgotten we were acting; that I was supposed to be acting. Instead, I kissed him without holding anything back, without holding my heart back. For the first time, I felt what it was like to kiss someone I’m so head over heels for, I wanted to make love to him on the dance floor.
And for a moment, I believed he wanted me too.
It was the second time that day I’d made that mistake - believing he wanted me, that he might even be attracted to me, only to have cold harsh reality set in quickly enough. He forgot who he was with. That’s what he’d said. Cue my heart shattering to pieces all over again. And it’s getting awfully tiring pretending it doesn’t break my heart to know he loves her and not me. But pretend I must because any minute now, Aaron is going to come through the door wanting to talk about what just happened. He’s going to try to set things straight. Talking about it is the last thing I want to do. I don't know what to say to him.
Letting out a sigh, I slip out of the bed, grab my pyjamas, and head for the shower.
When I walk out of the bathroom, Aaron is sitting on the couch.
"Hey," he says when he sees me.
"Hey."
"I would have been up sooner, but Edward-"
"It's fine. I wanted a shower before bed anyway."
He studies me for a second. "Can we talk?"
I want to tell him I'm tired. I want to go to bed and pretend tonight never happened, but Aaron isn't going to let that happen. I just have to get this over with. I reluctantly take a seat next to him on the couch.
"About before," he starts.
"Forget it," I tell him.
"Forget it?"
"I don't need to talk about it. I don't want to talk about it. I just want to forget the whole thing."
He looks surprised for a moment, but then his expression changes to one of concern. "I'm sorry for being a giant tool since we arrived here. I just want us to be okay," he says to me.
"We're fine," I tell him. "Stop worrying."
I'm about to stand up when he takes my hand and holds it in his. "You know how much your friendship means to me, right?"
I nod and try not to cry. Friendship is all he wants from me. I know this. I've always known this. But God, it hurts more now than it ever has before. I can't think of a way I could feel worse tonight.
"I don't want us to change," he tells me, his voice thick with emotion. "I don't want things between us to be different."
"I know." My throat is so tight I can barely swallow.
"I'm not good with change, Gabby."
"I know," I say again.
"I need you to promise me something." He holds my hand tightly in his own. "Promise me we'll always be in each other's lives."
"Yeah, of course we will be," I answer him, looking down at the floor. "I should go to bed," I tell him softly, trying not to look into his eyes for too long.
Aaron tries to smile, but he can't quite manage it. "Sleep well," he tells me. "I have no idea what Cain and Edward have planned for tomorrow."
"I will."
He lets go of my hand, but not before squeezing it lightly one more time for reassurance. "Goodnight, Gabby."
I force a smile, trying to mask the pain, but it's no use. I know things will never be the same between us.
"Goodnight," I whisper, trying to keep the tears at bay.
As I make my way to bed, I can't help but think about what Aaron said. Promising to always be in each other's lives feels like a band-aid on a gaping wound. It's not enough. I need to find a way to move on, to let go of this one-sided love that's been consuming me for so long. But how? How do you let go of the person who has been your everything? The person who has been there for you through thick and thin?
I climb into bed, but sleep eludes me. Instead, I lay there, staring up at the ceiling, replaying the events of the night over and over in my head. I can still feel the warmth of Aaron's lips on mine, the way his hand felt on the small of my back, the way his body felt pressed against mine. It's torture to know that it meant nothing to him, that it was all just an act and that he was thinking of someone else. But I can't keep torturing myself like this. I need to find a way to move on, to let go of this love that's been holding me back for so long. With that thought in mind, I finally drift off to sleep, hoping that tomorrow will bring a new perspective and a fresh start.