Luke has a round of shots poured before I can respond and Gabrielle reaches for one of them. I shoot her a look and she gives me an innocent smile before putting her hands under her chin. “It’s her birthday, she’ll be okay,” Luke interjects, and in that split second when I drag my eyes away from Gabrielle to reply to Luke, I sense movement in my periphery. When I turn back to look at Gabrielle, I see her head tipped back as she drains the contents of the shot glass. She freezes when she makes eye contact with me and smiles again as she slowly swallows the liquid.

“Don’t be mad,” she says as she wraps her arms around me. “I’ll be fine and if not, you’re here.”

About an hour later, I’m coming out of the bathroom below deck when I spy Gabrielle waiting. She’s staring down at her phone and swaying her hips to the music playing. “Having fun?” I ask her.

Her eyes dart up immediately and she squeals before she’s in my arms again which tested my resolve enough the first time. “The best! Thank you so much for doing this for me.” I can hear the excitement in her voice more than likely brought on by too much alcohol and I can’t help the smile that crosses my face. She’s so beautiful when she’s happy.

“Of course.” I’m trying to disassociate as she presses up against me because if I let myself focus too much in the now, I won’t be able to control how my body reacts to her. “I’d do anything for you.” Her head is resting against my chest and I resist the urge to lean down and inhale her deeply. I press a kiss to her forehead and I’m granted with a whiff of her. FUCK. She smells so fucking sweet.

She sighs in my arms. Like actually fucking sighs and the sound goes straight to my cock. “You’re the best, J.” She squeezes me before pulling out of my arms and skips into the bathroom and shuts the door.