More than Enough (Book Two in the Enough Series)

Bennett

I smiled at Gemma, laying there in her bed, looking thoroughly ravished and painfully beautiful. Before I could crawl back in there with her, she spoke. Her voice was shaky and she looked upset, causing me to immediately worry that I had done something wrong, said something wrong, or even hurt her.

"Are you okay?"

"You need to leave." Her voice was flat, cold and she wasn't making eye contact with me. I wasn't even sure I heard her right. We'd just spent an evening of her opening up to me, sharing her family past, and her heartbreak, then we had the most amazing sex. It felt deep, emotional, and connected. That's the problem.

"I what? Seriously?" I coughed out, feeling a little vulnerable standing completely naked as she was attempting to kick me out of her house.

"I think this was all a mistake. I'm sorry, Bennett. It would be best if you left." She pulled the sheet around her, leaning against the headboard, her eyes cast down.

"Why do you think it was a mistake?" I huffed as I gathered my clothes and began dressing. "Because you actually felt something?"

"Bennett. I don't have time for anything like this right now, nothing so complex."

"It was just sex, Gemma." It was so much more than sex.

"Yes, just sex. Sex that was amazing, but I think, we shouldn't do that again."

"Yeah, okay. Fine." So not fine.

I was beyond pissed, I felt a bit used and truthfully, hurt. I was falling for Gemma and doing things for her that I'd never done for another woman. I knew she had her walls up, and after hearing her story tonight, I understood why. It still didn't ease the frustration I had with her.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize. It's cool. I guess I'll see you around." I grumbled, putting my hat on.

"Bennett..."

"Goodnight, Gemma."

I didn't give her a chance to say anything else before hauling it out of her bedroom and out of her house. I didn't want to linger too long and say something I might regret. Once in my truck, I punched the steering wheel, letting out a slew of curses before heading out. By the time I made it back to the apartment, I was seething. I couldn't believe she'd done it again. I kept getting wrapped up in everything Gemma and she was just tossing me away.

"Whoa, what crawled up your ass?" Reed laughed as I barreled into the kitchen. I was surprised to find that he was alone, his girlfriend Eden was usually attached to his side.

"Women. Fucking women."

"Women? Or perhaps just one woman?" He raised his brow with an all-knowing smile.

"Why are you here? Where's Eden?" I barked out, grabbing a beer from the fridge.

"I live here." He took the beer from my hand, opening it for himself. Ass. "She's at her place, why? Need a female perspective?" He slid onto one of the barstools while I grabbed a replacement beer and some food.

"No. I'm sick of females at this point." Not Gemma though.

"I think I just heard a collective sigh of relief from the female population." Reed quipped with a laugh. Asshole. "In all seriousness, what's up? Talk to me!"

"Bwulswhit." I shoveled in some leftover pasta in my mouth.

"I assume your rude ass is attempting to say 'Bullshit' and by that, I take it that you've finally caught yourself some feelings and either this chick doesn't feel the same or she's making you really work for it." I flipped him my favorite finger while I continued to eat. "Here's my quick advice, always be honest, trust me there. Be supportive and know when to give space and when to be there."

"She knows exactly who I am, no worries there." I had to inform him since he made sure to mention honesty because of the way he met his girlfriend. Showing up on a blind date he wasn't meant to be on turned out the best for both of them, just not in the short term when she felt betrayed because he kept up the lie far longer than he should have. Everything is settled now, but for a brief time, he was pretty miserable thinking he'd lost her for good.

"Well, if she's making you this flustered, I say she's worth the work... Welcome to relationships." He grinned before tossing his empty beer into the trash and heading toward his room.

"We're not in a relationship," I grumbled. Maybe I want to be.

"All in due time." Fucker.

*

Over a week had passed since I had seen or spoken to Gemma. Between practices and games, I'd had a little downtime and when I did, I wasn't sure what to say. I'd pull up her info and start a text then stop again. It was getting ridiculous really. Los had texted that next day, asking how things went. I told him she shut me out cold and that was that. I'd been by the coffee shop but couldn't bring myself to go in. I was bursting inside to see her or talk to her. This couldn't be the end. She was being stubborn, there was no reason we couldn't have something.

"Have you seen Gemma lately?" I asked Eden as I came down the hall of the apartment I shared with Reed and our friend Hugh.

"Hi, Bennett. Nice to see you, Bennett." She deadpanned from the couch where she sat snuggled up to Reed.

"Sorry... Hi Eden. Nice to see you again. Have you seen or talked to Gemma lately?" I plopped down in the oversized chair across from them. Reed gave me a look, thankfully not saying a word as I questioned Eden.

"I had lunch with her and Brynn just the other day actually. Why do you ask?" She raised a brow with a bit of a smirk. Reed had probably already told her his suspicions.

"I just... I helped her out not long ago and .." Fuck! I was a terrible liar!

"Oh. That was kind of you. She hasn't mentioned it. She's been struggling with her Father. He has some health issues and has been hospitalized. I feel awful for her, but she refuses to let me or Brynn help her out with anything." Eden was incredibly sweet and I knew if Gemma would let them, Brynn and Eden would be there for her. Such a stubborn woman! "She seemed more stressed than usual, but I know working two jobs is hard and then having family medical issues."

"Yeah. She's a tough chick." I mumbled, trying to decide how to reach out. "What's her second job?" I hadn't thought to ask her before now, perhaps I could pop in wherever that was.

"She's a bartender, some new place downtown. I've not been, not sure she's ever said the name actually." She shrugged, turning her attention back to Reed. "When Reed and I were working through things and you saw me at Brew..." Eden began. "Gemma was drooling over you big time, you should ask her out, take her out and get her mind off all her stress!" She smiled wide as Reed bounced his brows up and down with a smirk.

"Maybe I'll do that. Thanks, Eden." I stood. "I'll leave you two, to your cuddling." I waved my hand around with a laugh. I already had my phone in hand, Gemma's name up and a message box ready. This woman was under my skin in the worst way and I couldn't avoid it another minute.

Me: I'm not going anywhere.

I hit send before I could talk myself out of it. The second I reread the message I started to panic. In my head, it sounded reassuring, that I wasn't going to give up on her. Reading it, I sounded like a crazy stalker! I threw the phone on my bed and paced around like the idiot I was. Thankfully, I was put out of my misery shortly after hitting send.

Thank fuck! I internally screamed when I saw that it was Gemma who had messaged in response.

G: Good. Don't let me push you away.