Don't You Dare

Chapter 8: Shared Spaces

The phone rang once, then twice, before his voice came through, warm and familiar. "Hey, you."

"Hey," Andrea said softly, a smile tugging at her lips. "Did I wake you?"

"Not a chance," Gabe replied, his voice low and a little husky. "I've been waiting for your call."

Andrea's heart fluttered at the sound of his voice, and she closed her eyes, imagining him on the other end of the line. "I missed you today."

"Oh really?" he teased, a playful tone entering his voice. "Missed me how? Like, you couldn't stop thinking about my incredibly handsome face? Or were you daydreaming about my impressive soccer skills?"

Andrea laughed, shaking her head. "I'd say it was a mix of both. But mostly, I just missed talking to you."

"Talking, huh?" he said, his voice dropping a bit lower. "Because I was thinking about a lot more than just talking."

Andrea felt her cheeks heat up at his suggestive tone, and she bit her lip. "You know, my aunt actually asked me about us today."

"Oh?" Gabe's voice held a note of curiosity. "And what did you say?"

"Well," Andrea began, her heart beating a little faster. "She was worried that we might be moving too fast. She was, um, reminding me to be careful."

Gabe let out a soft chuckle. "Sounds like she cares about you a lot."

"She does," Andrea said, her voice growing softer. "But I told her there's nothing to worry about. I told her... that I'm still a virgin."

There was a brief silence on the other end before Gabe spoke again, his voice gentle and steady. "Andrea, you didn't have to tell me that."

"I know," she said quickly, her cheeks burning even though he couldn't see her. "But I wanted to. I just... I know you want more, and I don't want you to think I'm not interested. I just—"

"Hey," Gabe interrupted softly, his tone full of warmth and reassurance. "It's okay. I want you to be comfortable, Andrea. I'll wait as long as you need. There's no rush."

"I know," she whispered, feeling a lump form in her throat. "But I don't want you to feel like I'm holding back because of you. It's just... it's a big step."

"And it should be," Gabe said gently. "It's not about just wanting you. I want everything with you, Andrea. And when you're ready, it'll be perfect. Until then, I'm happy just being with you."

Andrea felt tears prick her eyes at his words, a wave of relief and gratitude washing over her. "Thank you, Gabe. That means a lot to me."

"You mean a lot to me," he said softly. "And I'm not going anywhere. Whenever you're ready, I'll be right here. And while I can assure you that my body wants you badly, and the thought of... well, let's just say I've had to take a lot of cold showers lately... I can wait as long as you need."

Andrea let out a soft laugh, her heart swelling with affection. "Cold showers, huh?"

"Oh, you have no idea," Gabe said, his voice tinged with humor and longing. "You make it really hard to be patient, you know."

"Do I?" she teased, feeling a surge of confidence. "And here I thought you were the one with all the self-control."

"I'm trying," he said dramatically. "But you're not making it easy."

Andrea's smile widened, a sense of warmth spreading through her. "Well, just know that I appreciate it. And when I'm ready, I promise you'll be the first to know."

"I'll be counting down the days," Gabe said, his voice turning serious again. "But until then, I'm good right here, just hearing your voice."

"You're making it really hard to be a good girl and say goodnight," Andrea teased, her voice light and mischievous. "But I wouldn't want you taking all those cold showers for nothing, papi."