Excerpt

“You’re my best friend's boyfriend, Gabriel.”  

Gabriel's steps faltered until he came to a stop, tilted his head and turned around to face Joslyn again. “Ex–boyfriend,” he corrected. 

“Whatever. It still changes everything between us,” she shrugged and started fiddling with her water bottle, suddenly feeling timid beneath his scorching gaze. 

Gabriel shook his head, walking back towards her. “It changes absolutely nothing, Joslyn. Not if you don't allow it.”

She looked into his eyes, her sweet honey-hued orbs colliding with his swirls of green and blue that reminded her of the Mediterranean ocean. The color harmony couldn't be more explosive. 

Joslyn cleared her throat and averted her gaze from the magnetic pull of his eyes. Forcing herself to stand tall, she adopted a posture of confidence and resolve—a stark contrast to the storm of emotions raging inside her. Gabriel's nearness sent a wave of weakness through her knees, but she refused to let it show.

“No matter what, I won't betray Sigourney. It’s an unspoken rule between friends to never date each other's exes. You're off limits, Gabriel.”  

“In that case, if we're gonna state the facts then it's Sigourney who's violated that rule between you two because you and I met first, didn't we, Joslyn?”

“That— That's different. She wasn't aware. We all weren't.”

“Oh yeah? Well I'm still saying this: fuck such rules. Whether they're unspoken or in the damn constitution, I don't give a fuck about that crap. And I am not off-limits, darling. Lapointe can't decide that for me. Only I can.” Gabriel moved even closer, backing her up against the wall of the hallway. “I want you, Joslyn. And I always get what I want,” his voice turned husky. 

“T–That doesn't apply to me.” Joslyn stuttered, struggling but failing to keep her voice steady.

“I always get what I want,” he repeated firmly. At this point, their chests were touching as they both panted, equally breathless from the heated atmosphere between them. 

“Why bother fighting it?” Gabriel asked softly, raising his hand to caress her face. He hooked her short silver hair behind her ears so he could feel her smooth and silken skin tingle and flush under the mercy of his mere touch. 

“Your eyes, your lips, every part of your body, is begging for my touch, baby.” He whispered, trailing his other hand down her exposed arm, feeling the goosebumps surfacing on her skin. 

“Just admit it. You're just as attracted to me as I am to you, Joslyn. You want me as much as I want you. Maybe even more.” His warm breath fanned her face, making her eyelids droopy.

His baritone voice carried the perfect blend of depth and huskiness, an intoxicating allure that wrapped around her like a siren’s song. It was temptation itself—akin to the devil murmuring sweet nothings into her soul, coaxing her closer. Every inch of Gabriel exuded seduction, and Joslyn was slipping, slowly but surely, into his grasp.

“I don’t,” she croaked before hurriedly clearing her throat. Gabriel smirked, fully aware of the effect he had on her. “Did I ever admit that?” Joslyn retorted, although deep down, she knew her protests were pointless. Every denial, every argument—it was all futile and they both knew it.

Gabriel's gaze shifted to Joslyn's mouth, taking in her unintentional pout and before he knew it, his hand still cupping her face inched closer to it. “Your lips,” he started, his calloused thumb grazing her bottom lip and tracing the delicate curve of her Cupid’s bow. His gaze remained riveted on the mesmerizing sight as he added, “need not speak the words your eyes so clearly confess, love.”

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C O P Y R I G H T

This book is solely a work of fiction. All names, characters, locations, incidents and/or occurrences are products of the author's imaginations, and have been used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual person(s), living or dead, places or events is purely coincidental.

Her Strength Her Bane © 2023 by Laramie.

Published by O. A. F., writing under the pseudonym, Laramie. 

All rights reserved. All parts of this book/publication are restricted to being reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form(s) or by any means — including but not limited to electronic, photocopying, mechanical, recording, or otherwise — without the prior written permission of the author/publisher. The only acceptable exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.