Unexpected

Chapter 23

JOANNA

The shining rays of sunshine coming through the window stir me from my sleep. Lying on my stomach with my pillow hugged close to me, I can feel the weight of Gabe's broad chest against my back. His leg is protectively tucked around mine, and his nose is buried in my hair. We're so perfectly locked together, it takes me a moment to understand I'm not dreaming.

Grabbing my phone from the nightstand, I see it's six thirty. "Shit," I murmur, getting out of Gabe's hold.

"What is it?" He mumbles.

"Your sister is probably up." I sit up, brushing the sleep from my eyes.

"I assumed you had spoken to her about us yesterday." He opens one eye and I grin at how cute he looks with his sleepy face and mussed-up hair.

Not resisting, I pull him into a quick kiss. "We didn't have a chance to talk yesterday. I'll talk to her now."

"Alright, I'm going to get dressed so I can join you." He shifts his position to get up, but I hold him back with a gentle squeeze on his shoulder.

"Let me talk to her first." I run my fingers through his hair, not missing the way he leans into my touch. "I'm her best friend, and I'm sleeping with her brother. I should be the one talking to her first."

"She's always said she'd kill me if I tried anything with you." His eyes shine as his lips curl into a smile.

"I'm sure she'll have a word or two to share with you." I kiss his jaw before standing up. "But let us girls talk first."

"Whatever you say, baby." He rolls his eyes playfully, and I rush to get dressed.

******

Taking great caution to be as quiet as possible, I tiptoe my way into the hallway like a thief, carefully trying not to make a sound when I shut Gabe's door. Since everyone moved to the rented house, we switched to different rooms yesterday. Glancing quickly into Maria's bedroom and finding it empty, I sprint to my own room.

Only to come crashing into her in the process.

"What the hell?" She holds my shoulder so I don't fall.

My heart stops beating for a second. "Wh- What are you doing here?" I ask.

"Where were you?" She looks at me, her eyes narrowing curiously.

"Uh..." I open and close my mouth, trying to think. "I was... Uh..."

She can see right through me. "Was where?" She asks, and I shut my eyes closed.

Taking a deep, fortifying breath, I slowly open my eyes and reluctantly meet her gaze. "Gabe's room," I whisper.

The deafening silence that encompasses the hall is so profound it could fill up a football stadium. I feel my heart thumping against my ribcage as her gaze shifts toward Gabe's room. The wheels are turning in her head. She is trying to come to a conclusion, and the surrounding quiet as she put two and two together is overwhelming.

"Say something," I whisper, and her eyes lock with mine. She's got her poker face on. Shit!

"Is it serious?" she asks.

"I..." My breath hitches. "I'm not... We haven't really talked much about what comes next for us, but..."

"But?" She raises her eyes, her eyes softening when she sees the answer on my face.

"I'd like for it to be. You know, serious."

Her eyes shut, and the sound of the sigh leaving her lips speaks much more than any words ever could. But as her eyes come back to meet mine, the powerful emotion I witness in there causes me to frown.