him. How could anyone
not
be attracted to Gabe? He was the fantasy of every woman in Washoe County…maybe even the world. “You mean to tell me you’ve been avoiding me for ten years because you’ve got a crush on me?” Lucy snapped. “For Christ’s sake, Gabriel, that’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard!”
Well, it made sense at the time
, Archie thought to himself. He turned away from Lucy only to find her in his face again. He rebuffed her, putting even more distance between them. “Cut it out!”
Lucy shook her head fiercely. “You don’t avoid someone you care about because of a little sexual tension! I thought I’d done something wrong, Gabe. I thought maybe I hurt you somehow…”
Archie did hurt…he came from a long line of drunks, junkies, and abusers. The Archers were the scum of the earth and no one felt that more acutely than he did. Lucy was incredible. One day she would be loved by a man who would worship the ground she walked on; she would have children with a man who adored them all. Archie wouldn’t give her those things…his blood was a curse. He was destined to become the same kind of scumbag his father was. If he let Lucy get closer, if he gave in just a little bit, he would never be strong enough to leave her. The cycle had to stop somewhere and Archie was determined it would be with him.
Archie turned his back, icing her out yet again. “I’m done with this conversation, Lucy.” The heavy knock of room service was a welcome relief from the heated argument they were having. He answered the door gruffly, but tipped well enough to make up for his sour attitude. His appetite was spoiled now but he sat down at the table anyway, stabbing at the steak he’d ordered.
Lucy grabbed her plate and plopped down across from him. Heavy silence hung between them, causing the tension to rise even further. Grabbing the remote, Lucy flicked through six hundred channels of nothing. “Saved by the Bell?” Archie didn’t look amused. She rolled her eyes pointed at the television mounted on the wall. “Do you want to watch it or not?”
“You’re purposely trying to provoke me.” Archie grabbed the bottle of champagne, fully intending to drown away his sorrows. He poured them both another glass and pounded it down.
They ate in silence, avoiding each other’s gazes. Lucy tried to focus on the television but the uneasiness between them was too much of a distraction. Finally, she was unable to hold back her ire a moment longer. “You know what I think?” Gabe opened his mouth to cut her off but Lucy was faster. “I think you’ve overestimated what you feel for me. It’s just a teenage crush. We just need to get past this and I think the best way to do that is to get it all out of your system.”
Archie mulled over Lucy’s words, searching for meaning but coming up empty. Food forgotten, he peered at her levelly. “How the hell do you propose we do that?”
“I think we should have sex.”
The champagne flute in Archie’s hand went flying, spilling its contents all over the table before it crashed onto the floor. “Are you out of your mind?”
“Come on, think about it!” Lucy pressed. “Half the time when you get something you really want, it doesn’t live up to your expectations. The novelty wears off and you move on. What’s between us is no different …” Or so she thought. “We have three days in this stupid hotel room. I bet by then you’ll be satisfied and ready to move on. Then we can pretend like none of this happened and focus on the club.” Lucy paused. “Besides, we’re
married
. It’s basically our job to do it.” There was a part of Lucy that was dying to know what it would be like to take him to bed. She, too, had nursed a crush on Gabe for far more years than she cared to admit. This would satisfy her curiosity, cut the tension, and Lucy had no doubt it would be incredibly fun.
Archie tried to come up with a viable argument against her proposal
not
be attracted to Gabe? He was the fantasy of every woman in Washoe County…maybe even the world. “You mean to tell me you’ve been avoiding me for ten years because you’ve got a crush on me?” Lucy snapped. “For Christ’s sake, Gabriel, that’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard!”
Well, it made sense at the time
, Archie thought to himself. He turned away from Lucy only to find her in his face again. He rebuffed her, putting even more distance between them. “Cut it out!”
Lucy shook her head fiercely. “You don’t avoid someone you care about because of a little sexual tension! I thought I’d done something wrong, Gabe. I thought maybe I hurt you somehow…”
Archie did hurt…he came from a long line of drunks, junkies, and abusers. The Archers were the scum of the earth and no one felt that more acutely than he did. Lucy was incredible. One day she would be loved by a man who would worship the ground she walked on; she would have children with a man who adored them all. Archie wouldn’t give her those things…his blood was a curse. He was destined to become the same kind of scumbag his father was. If he let Lucy get closer, if he gave in just a little bit, he would never be strong enough to leave her. The cycle had to stop somewhere and Archie was determined it would be with him.
Archie turned his back, icing her out yet again. “I’m done with this conversation, Lucy.” The heavy knock of room service was a welcome relief from the heated argument they were having. He answered the door gruffly, but tipped well enough to make up for his sour attitude. His appetite was spoiled now but he sat down at the table anyway, stabbing at the steak he’d ordered.
Lucy grabbed her plate and plopped down across from him. Heavy silence hung between them, causing the tension to rise even further. Grabbing the remote, Lucy flicked through six hundred channels of nothing. “Saved by the Bell?” Archie didn’t look amused. She rolled her eyes pointed at the television mounted on the wall. “Do you want to watch it or not?”
“You’re purposely trying to provoke me.” Archie grabbed the bottle of champagne, fully intending to drown away his sorrows. He poured them both another glass and pounded it down.
They ate in silence, avoiding each other’s gazes. Lucy tried to focus on the television but the uneasiness between them was too much of a distraction. Finally, she was unable to hold back her ire a moment longer. “You know what I think?” Gabe opened his mouth to cut her off but Lucy was faster. “I think you’ve overestimated what you feel for me. It’s just a teenage crush. We just need to get past this and I think the best way to do that is to get it all out of your system.”
Archie mulled over Lucy’s words, searching for meaning but coming up empty. Food forgotten, he peered at her levelly. “How the hell do you propose we do that?”
“I think we should have sex.”
The champagne flute in Archie’s hand went flying, spilling its contents all over the table before it crashed onto the floor. “Are you out of your mind?”
“Come on, think about it!” Lucy pressed. “Half the time when you get something you really want, it doesn’t live up to your expectations. The novelty wears off and you move on. What’s between us is no different …” Or so she thought. “We have three days in this stupid hotel room. I bet by then you’ll be satisfied and ready to move on. Then we can pretend like none of this happened and focus on the club.” Lucy paused. “Besides, we’re
married
. It’s basically our job to do it.” There was a part of Lucy that was dying to know what it would be like to take him to bed. She, too, had nursed a crush on Gabe for far more years than she cared to admit. This would satisfy her curiosity, cut the tension, and Lucy had no doubt it would be incredibly fun.
Archie tried to come up with a viable argument against her proposal
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