Chapter 17

Dancing in the kitchen

If music ever disappeared, I don't think I'd last very long.

Music is a part of my soul. It always has been. It's embedded into every part of me. I love how it fills my head and drowns out the noise and the million thoughts in my brain.

So, it's only natural that I have music playing while I make breakfast.

I'd worry about waking Chris up if I didn't know he can't sleep without music. We're the same that way. We're the same in so many ways. I remember the first time he placed his headphones over my ears and helped me drown out the noise.

My parents were arguing, and he just pulled me into bed and told me he wanted to show me a new song. I climbed into bed with him, tucked against his chest with the song blasting in the headphones, until I fell asleep.

I swallow hard, staring down at my plate as I remember the night I desperately tried to drown out the noise with music. Chris wasn't there, and I needed him so badly, and I needed to not think anymore. I wanted some peace. I wanted to take the pain away. And then I finally broke. But it didn't help. Nothing did, until Chris showed up in my room.

He's seen every part of me. Every ugly, stained part of me.

But maybe that's why he doesn't feel the same way I do.

He's seen too much.

I shake the thoughts away as I take a bite of my sandwich, swaying my hips to the music. But when I turn around, I freeze, seeing Chris leaning against his doorframe, arms crossed over his chest, a lazy smile on his lips.

"How long have you been there?" I ask, setting down my half-eaten sandwich on the plate beside my phone with the song still playing, and lower the volume to a soft hum.

"A while," he says with a shrug, stepping away from the door frame and moving closer to me. God, he looks so hot. His curly hair is all tousled from sleep, and I can't help but want to run my fingers through it. My eyes linger on his t-shirt, noticing the way it hugs his muscles. I catch myself running my tongue over my bottom lip, wondering what he looks like underneath it all.

Sure, I saw him naked last week, but I was in shock, and focused on his thick cock wrapped in his fist. I didn't really have time to look at all of him.

But I really want to.

I want to know what he looks like without any clothes on, and how he feels against me.

"Why are you secretly watching me like a creep?" I tease, feeling the heat rise in my cheeks as I resist the urge to sneak another look at him.

He chuckles, and I can't help but smile at the sound. "I love watching you dance. You always look so free."

"Yeah," I say, letting out a breath. "I feel it too."

He nods, giving me a warm smile. "You're amazing, Gabs. I can't believe how fucking amazing my best friend is."

I scoff. "Stop feeding my ego," I joke, finishing off my sandwich.

"I'm serious. You're so talented."

Hearing Chris compliment me is everything I never knew I needed. I could survive on his compliments alone. "You really think so?"

He smiles, nodding as he crosses his arms, leaning against the fridge. "Of course I do. And it means more coming from me, since I was forced to be your dance partner," he says with a teasing smirk.

I let out a laugh, shaking my head. "I made you dance with me once ," I say with an eye roll. "I was high, and you agreed." Chris chuckles, pressing his lips together. "Will you please let it go if I promise I won't ever ask you to do it again?"

He chuckles, a playful glint in his eyes as he wipes a hand down his mouth while watching me. "I didn't say I didn't like it."

"No?" I raise an eyebrow, intrigued.

He smirks, straightening up, and he picks up my phone, skipping songs until he finds a slow one. One my mom used to love. Tears prick my eyes when I hear it as Chris raises the volume, the melody filling the room, and extends his hand towards me.

"You're kidding," I say with a hint of disbelief.

He shakes his head. "I want you to know I'll dance with you whenever you want, Gabi."

"You're such an idiot," I say with a laugh, reaching out to take his hand.

With a swift motion, he shifts so his hand wraps around mine, while his other hand finds its place on my waist. My eyes widen in surprise when he extends his arm, spinning me around before swiftly pulling me back in and dipping me backward.

"You remember," I say, my lips parting at the sight of his smirk. "How the hell do you remember the steps? We were high as hell that day."

My heart immediately quickens, beating back to life, as if I was simply existing until his touch brought me to life. "I could never forget a moment between us," he says, his words sending a shiver down my spine.

His eyes lock with mine, and we stop dancing, just standing there, holding each other, our breaths mingling in the quiet. Time ticks by, but we don't move. I must be dreaming, or hallucinating because I swear his eyes dip to my mouth. And I swear he leans in, ready to—

"Phone," Chris says, pulling back as a ringing noise breaks the moment between us.

I close my eyes for a moment, feeling my heart race before I reach for my phone on the counter. "It's my sister," I say, my breaths a little heavier. "She's probably calling about the wedding."

"Oh, right." Chris runs a hand through his hair, almost forgetting that's the whole reason he came to stay with me. "When is it again?"

"Saturday."

"Satu… As in three days from now?" His eyebrows shoot up. "Gabi, are you serious?"

I wince. "I uh… I might have also forgot to ask her if you could come."

"Jesus." He closes his eyes, breathing out a sigh. "You're the most unorganized person I've ever met."

I let out a laugh. "Well you don't love me for my organization skills," I joke.

His throat moves when he swallows. "You're right about that."

I don't even have time to dwell on what he meant by that, because the phone rings like crazy between us. "It won't be a big deal. I'll just tell her now," I reassure him, pressing the accept button.

"Have you packed yet?"

I let out a scoff at the sound of my sister's voice. "Hello to you, too."

My sister sighs. "I'm serious, Gabi. The wedding is in three days. Have you packed?"

"Of course not."

"What?" Her yell makes me pull my phone back, wincing at the noise deafening me. "What do you mean, of course not? It's in three days. Why the hell aren't you packed yet?"

"Because it takes an hour tops," I tell her.

"Oh god," my sister says, her voice trembling as if she's dying. "She's going to kill me." I roll my eyes. And everyone says I'm the dramatic one.

"Relax," Rachel, my sister's soon-to-be-wife, reassures her. "Everything's going to be fine. Gabi, pack your suitcase."

I scoff. "You can't tell me what to do. You're not my sister."

"I will be your sister-in-law soon," she says. "So you better listen to me, and pack your damn suitcase."

I let out a laugh. "Okay, fine, I'll pack tonight," I promise. "I'm only driving up on Friday, so I've still got time."

"Why on earth are you driving?" my sister asks. "I don't trust you to drive alone."

"I won't be alone," I say, shooting a glance at Chris. "I'm bringing a plus one."

"You're kidding," my sister says. "Please tell me she's kidding."

My eyebrows furrow. "I can't bring a plus one? It's my birth week."

"It's my wedding," she replies with emphasis. "There's no such thing as a birth week."

"Excuse me?" I scoff, shaking my head. "One day isn't enough to celebrate me. I need a whole week."

She groans. "I swear to god, Gabi, when you get married, I'm going to get my revenge."

I chuckle at her empty threat. "It's just one extra person," I try to bargain. "Chris is back for the summer, and I kind of invited him to come to the wedding with me," I explain, glancing at him, noticing him swallow nervously. "I was going to tell you sooner, but I just got caught up in spending time with him and—"

"Wait. Chris?" my sister asks, her voice tinged with surprise. "As in Christopher Hudson?"

"Yeah."

"You're with Chris?" she repeats, emphasizing his name.

"Yeah," I confirm, my smile widening when our eyes meet. "He's kind of living with me."

"Oh my god. I can't believe this. Put him on," my sister says.

I pull the phone away from my ear, leaning in to speak quietly to Chris. "She wants to talk to you," I murmur.

"Why?" Chris whispers back, his brows furrowing in confusion.

I give him a shrug. "I don't know."

He blinks, shaking his head. "What do I say?"

"I can hear you guys," my sister interjects.

Chris takes the phone out of my hand and holds it to his ear. "Hey, Jane," he greets, his lips widening. I hear my sister's excited screech from across the room, and Chris chuckles. "Yes, I'm back," he confirms, licking his lips before continuing, "Yep. I can't wait to see you, too."

My eyes light up with joy as he says goodbye and hangs up. "She said yes?" I guess.

"Yeah," he confirms with a chuckle, handing the phone back to me. "She said she was really excited to see me again after all these years."

"You know what this means, right?" I say, excitement bubbling in my voice.

"What?" he asks, arching a brow.

I shoot him a grin. "Road trip."