Table Of ContentThe line between friends and lovers can get a little blurry…especially when
you add tequila.
A Chances Are story.
Gabby is serious about her search for Mr. Right, but no one can say she
hasn’t had a good time looking. She enjoys her numerous dates and the sex that
comes with them. Until she finds herself falling for the one man she vows to
never love. Her best friend and roommate, Justin. A player in every sense of the
word—and a reminder of her awful past.
One night, with the help of a bottle of tequila, things get a little too hot for
comfort. She moves out, intent on removing him from the line of temptation.
Justin has different plans. The tequila did more than just change how he sees
his good friend. It made him realize he doesn’t want to be just friends any more.
He’s ready for something more intimate, and he’ll do whatever it takes to find
out why she’s running. And convince her to stay.
Warning: This book has hot sweet lovin’ between friends who become
lovers.
Anybody but Justin
Shelli Stevens
Dedication
Thank you to Melissa at DAWN for your help and information on domestic
violence. Thanks to my family and friends for your continued support, and thank
you to my editor Laurie for making my books shine!
Chapter One
Oh shit!
Gabby dove behind a display of cereal boxes and nibbled her bottom lip. She
eyed the exit some thirty feet away and wondered if she could ditch her groceries
and make it out the door without him spotting her.
Her pulse quickened and she counted to ten before leaning forward just
enough to peek around a box of Lucky Charms.
“Gabby?”
She snapped back and winced, glaring at the floor of the market. Damn. He’d
seen her. So much for bolting.
Dusty brown leather shoes appeared in her line of vision as he rounded the
corner. She lifted her gaze up the length of his tall body, lingering on the broad
shoulders beneath his faded flannel shirt.
Her heart fluttered in her chest and she swallowed hard before tilting her
head that last inch to meet the blue gaze of her old roommate.
“Justin.” She forced a bright smile and switched the basket of food to her
other hand. “Hey. How’ve you been?”
“Been all right.”
His gaze, warm and knowing slid from her head to her toes in a lazy caress
that made every damn inch of her body tingle. Irritation pricked and her smile
grew more brittle.
And this was why she avoided him, didn’t answer his calls and had basically
tried like mad to forget he even existed. If she got within two feet of him, her
hormones went on the fritz and her mind went spongy. Which would be fine if it
were with any other guy. Anybody but Justin.
“Did you get my messages?”
“I did.” Her gaze slid away again and she felt her cheeks warm in a telltale
sign of guilt. “Umm. Sorry, I’ve been crazy busy. I recently stepped up in my
position at Second Chances.”
“So I heard.”
The note of admiration in his deep voice had her snapping her focus back to
his face.
“You heard?”
“Yeah. I’m proud of you.” He shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans
and the shirt tightened across his chest as a result.
His words sent a rush of pleasure through her, but with her focus once again
on his chest, she barely managed an obscure, “You are?”
“Yeah. I keep up on you, Gabby. Even if you don’t pick up the phone when I
call.”
“Oh. No. It’s not…” Her blush deepened and she bit her cheek.
“No?” He leaned forward, stretching a hand past her to snag a box of cereal
off the shelf behind her.
Her gaze locked on the hint of brown stubble on his chin and for a brief
second he was so close that she could smell the mixture of soap and man. Not
just any man. Justin man.
Gabby swallowed hard, and she felt her nipples tighten and chafe against the
cotton bra she wore.
Not good. So not good.
“Hey, look, I’ll give you a call later.” The lie came out in a husky rush. “We
can catch up. I promised Phoebe I’d stop by the Second Chances home in a little
bit. I should get going.”
She moved to step around him, but he blocked her path. Her heart thudded
faster.
This time when he reached out, it was to touch her. He caught a strawberry
blonde braid between his fingers and slid his thumb through the strands.
“I’m going to hold you to that,” he said softly.
It’d be nice if he just held her, period. Her eyelids started to flutter shut and
she swayed toward him.
Choking on a gasp, she jerked away. What was she thinking? Was she
completely out of her mind? This was Justin. No. No. And hell no!
“Of course I’ll call. I will.” Her head bobbed in an affirmation that
contradicted the decision in her heart. There was no way she would dial his
number tonight.
His lips twitched and she saw the flicker of doubt in his eyes. Finally, he
gave a short nod and stepped back.
“Great. I’ll…talk to you soon then.”
“Definitely.” She bit her lip and stepped around him, hurrying to the cash
register to check out.
His gaze burned into her back and tingles of awareness raced through her
body. Her palms were damp as she swiped her debit card.
One last glance back into the store showed Justin had likely disappeared
down another aisle to finish his shopping.
Thank God. She fished her keys from her purse and rushed to her car.
Justin set the cereal back on the shelf and scowled. Hell, he’d only picked it
up as a reason to get close to her. If only for a second.
What the hell had happened with Gabby? He hadn’t seen her in six months—
since she’d moved out of the house he owned without an explanation.
For two years they’d been roommates and good friends. And then she’d left
and cut all contact. What happened?
You know what happened.
He headed back toward the deli, pushing back the memories of that night.
The night when everything between them changed. The night that had likely
motivated her to move out two weeks later.
Grabbing a pre-made sandwich from the deli, he went up to the register to
pay. His gaze drifted out the windows of the grocery, even though she’d left
minutes ago.
God, it was good to see her. At first he hadn’t been sure it was her. Then
she’d looked up, spotted him and promptly run to hide behind a stack of cereal
boxes.
Same old impulsive Gabby. And she was avoiding him. He’d suspected as
much since she’d stopped answering his calls and never replied to the messages
he left.
He hadn’t realized how much he missed her until a few minutes ago. Until
she was standing right in front of him again and it became clear just how much
he’d lost that day she’d moved out.
She was the same Gabby he’d loved to hang out with. Cute, quirky and a
bigger sports fan than half the guys he knew. He’d ditched more than one night
out with the boys to sit back at the house and watch the game with her.
He handed the cashier his money and headed for the exit, stopping to hold
the door for an elderly man who approached with a walker.
After the man gave a quick nod of thanks and disappeared into the store,
Justin made his way to his truck.
Would she call tonight? Even though she said she would, his gut told him
she’d blow him off.
Blow him off. His mind raced with images of that night and what had almost
happened between them and the blood stirred hot in his veins.
He clenched his jaw and shook his head. This was bullshit. It was long past
time they talked about that night. She was too good of a friend to lose over
something so… Hell, who was he kidding? It was hardly trivial.
Tonight they’d talk, he decided firmly, getting into his truck to head back to
the construction site. Whether she wanted to or not.
Gabby rushed into the office, letting the door swing shut behind her,
followed by the reassuring click of the electronic lock.
She made her way down the hall to where she, Phoebe and Delanie shared an
office. She couldn’t wait to get back to her desk and get some support from her
friends.
She spotted Phoebe’s dark curls bent over a stack of papers. Hearing
Gabby’s approach, she looked up and sighed.
“You’re back. Did you bring me anything?”
“Heck yeah, I did. I know what you like.” Gabby tossed the chocolate bar
onto her friend’s desk and then went to sit down at hers. “Where’s Delanie?”
“In a meeting. She’ll be out in a few. Thanks for the chocolate, you’re the
best.” Phoebe unwrapped the bar and took a bite, closing her eyes and groaning.
“I needed this. It’s been a crap day.”
“You’re telling me,” Gabby muttered, and pulled out her grilled chicken
breast and potato wedges.
“Hmm. What’s going on with you?”
