I’ve never seen a James Bond movie. I’ve never read any of the books. I know that Sean Connery played Bond and so did Pierce Brosnan and a bunch of other people, but that’s the extent of my knowledge about the canon.

Some might say this should disqualify me from writing about the next—and most controversial—Bond. They might be right, but it’s too late. The article is already written and if you’ve gotten this far, you’ve already read it.

Even though I’m on the outskirts of Bond culture, I still know enough about what he represents as a character. He’s masculinity personified—smooth, suave, debonair. He always gets the girl—and the martini. He’s an icon, and he’s far bigger than the man who plays him.

Knowing this, I can say with all confidence that Gabe Parker is the Bond we need. He might even be the Bond we deserve.

Then

Chapter 28

Chapter
28

I COUNTED TO ONE HUNDRED.

When I was certain that Gabe was in his room, that he was probably asleep, and that the front door was far enough away that he wouldn’t hear it open, I gathered my things. My shoes, my purse, my jacket.

I didn’t put any of them on, flinching when the guest bedroom door creaked as I opened it. I held my breath but no sound came from the other side of the house.

I couldn’t stop the swell of embarrassment that hit me each time I thought about Gabe’s face—how he had looked when he came back into the room after I’d turned him down. It was as if every emotion—every feeling—had been wiped clean. As if that moment had never even happened.

It had felt like a slap in the face, but one that I’d needed.

I’d needed to be reminded of who I was. Who he was.

Sleeping with him would have been the biggest mistake of my life.

My bare feet were silent on the hardwood floor and the front door opened without a sound. I pulled it closed until I heard the soft, muffled click of it locking behind me. It felt final. Even if I wanted to get back inside, I couldn’t.

I carried my shoes until I was out of his front yard. I sat on the curb and pulled them on. As I walked to the bottom of the hill, the sun was just beginning to light the sky—a hazy amber that made the houses around me glow.

I called a cab and went home.

Now

Chapter 29

Chapter
29

I’M WOKEN BY SUNLIGHT IN my face and a buzzing from my phone.

I stretch my arms wide and find nothing. The sheets are wrinkled, the bedding pushed back like a dog-eared page. I can hear Gabe in the other room. He likes to whistle to himself in the morning.