Gabi and Josh were having their punch card relationship where they were supposed to be having sex with no emotional attachment because they couldn't seem to figure out how to be together in an actual relationship.
One night Josh told Gabi, Yolanda and Elliott to take off early, saying he had a college buddy coming over.
Yolanda and Elliott happily accepted and ran out the door but Gabi was suspicious.
She knew he was lying when she saw a server going to his penthouse. She intercepted her and found out who was coming for dinner. Gabi sent her away and knocked on Josh's door.
"Gabi" he said surprised, clearly expecting someone else.
"Oh were you expecting someone else?"
"Yeah, I told you, my college buddy" he said, confused, knowing she knew this.
"Hmmm that's odd because I happen to know everything about Natasha Cook Campbell because I'm obsessed with her, and I know you didn't go to the same college!" she said calling him out.
"Damn it!" he said making a face.
"Look Gabi, this is a very important business deal for me, there are millions of dollars on the line. I cant have you ruin it by being a psycho fan girl"
Gabi gasped "hurtful"
The doorbell rang "Uh oh, too late looks like I get to stay" she gloated.
"Fine" he sighed heavily. "Just promise me you'll keep it together" he said.
"Obviously I'm going to be totally professional, you'll see" she said getting the door.
She served her amazing dinner which she loved while Josh pitched his app to her.
She was more impressed with Gabi and her young sexy style than Josh's app that was the same as all his competition.
Gabi won her over with her charm.
"You know what, I would like to do business with both of you. Josh, the contract is yours, she said shaking his hand.
"And Gabi what do you say to writing a cookbook with me?"
"Oh my God" she said looking at Josh, who smiled proudly back at her.
"I say hell yeah lets do this" she said excitedly before wrapping her arms around Josh's midsection. He put his arm around her in return.
"I have a really good feeling about this, you two make a great couple, that's definitely a fresh dynamic" she told them.
Josh started to correct her "Oh. we're not…"
Gabi jumped in "The thing is, we don't like to publicize our relationship because this guy's kind of a big deal, she said pointing at him, you know how it is"
"Babe, its okay, we're going to be doing business with Natasha, I'm sure we can trust her with our privacy" she said.
"Of course you can, I love knowing things other people don't, it makes me feel even more powerful" she said waving her hand dismissively. "My people will be in touch" she said, leaving.
Josh closed the door and leaned back against it, blowing out a breath.
"I cant believe we just pulled that off!"
"I know right? My God you got the deal with Natasha frickin Cook Campbell" she said flopping back on the couch.
"So did you, nice save with the relationship thing by the way" he said, flopping back on the couch beside her.
"Um, excuse me? don't you mean nice save with everything? She thought you were just another pasty tech guy, I saved your deal too, and you thought I was going to ruin everything for you" she smirked.
"Good thing I keep this fun, sexy, young person around to save me from myself" he grinned "But seriously thank you" he said appreciatively.
"What are fake girlfriends for?" she said "besides its not that big of a lie, we are sleeping together after all"
"You know its too bad we're not in a relationship, we work well together, we'd make a good team" Josh said nudging her leg with his knee as they sat side by side on his couch, as close as they could be to touching without actually touching.
He left his leg there, touching hers, he only wished it were his bare skin touching hers. He felt a deep need to touch her, to feel her skin on his but that wasn't within the unwritten rules of the punch card relationship. They were typically only affectionate when they were having sex or were about to.
Gabi's heartbeat sped up at the mention of a relationship. She didn't dare look at him. She wondered if he had seen her breath catch or her swallow hard as her heart did backflips.
She decided to play it safe "Well our parts certainly work well together" she wagged her eyebrows suggestively.
He smiled "They definitely do" he nodded in agreement.
They were both quiet for a moment.
"Do you ever want more though?" he asked, after gathering his nerve to risk this conversation and potentially their punch card relationship for the possibility of a real relationship.
Now she turned her head slightly to look at his face, needing to be able to read his expressions. She instantly knew he was serious by the way he was looking at her, longingly, lovingly.
"It's uh been a while since we've talked about this" she said blowing out a nervous breath. "Since Hawaii" she said and couldn't prevent the frown that instantly formed at that memory.
Their love had been such a roller-coaster ride and after another near miss at happiness together, they decided they needed to get off the ride.
They had spent a long, lonely month not speaking but thinking of each other constantly, both too scared to reach out to the other, partly because it hurt too much to not be together in the way they had so desperately wanted, and partly because neither wanted to risk not being together becoming a finality. Like if they didn't see each other to say it then it couldn't be their reality.
Once they started speaking again it still took them a while to get back to a good place where they truly felt like friends again.
He nodded "Probably because we're both terrified of each other" he said honestly.
"And by the way, you didn't answer my question" he noted.
"I didn't think more was a possibility, after last time. I thought that's why we agreed to do this punch card thing so there wouldn't be feelings…" she said trailing off.
"That is what we said" he agreed, pausing briefly.
"But it didn't work, not for me at least" he said honestly, his heart beating furiously, waiting for her response which could change everything between them forever. She might be his for real, together in every sense of the word, or she could walk away saying this isnt what she signed up for after he let her down the last time they attempted a relationship. That thought caused a knot to form in the pit of his stomach.
"I've never not had feelings for you Gabi." He said tentatively reaching for her hand. He breathed a sigh of relief when she interlaced her fingers in his.
She turned fully toward him, folding one leg in front of her on the couch. He rotated his body to face her as well.
"It didn't work for me either" she admitted, staring into his eyes. "I just thought this was all that it could be and don't get me wrong, its been amazing getting to be with you in the sexy time ways but of course I want more, how could I not?" she said, her eyes dropping to his lips that felt like home whenever they were on hers.
He leaned over and kissed her, his hand on her cheek, his thumb softly stroking her skin.
"I'd like another chance, if you're up for it. I wont let you down this time Gabi" he promised.
"It wasn't all you" she shook her head, putting her hands on his shoulders.
"I think we put too much pressure on it to be perfect, with my fairy tale romance expectations and all" she smiled slightly, " And I should have been more supportive of you when you were going through your sturf but I was just so hurt and wrapped up in my own feelings I couldn't see straight" she admitted for the first time
He took both her hands in his
"Look at us, we're already doing better. We've got this" he said, smiling confidently.
"Famous last words, we're always sure when it starts but we screw it up anyway" she sighed.
You're sure about this?" she asked hesitantly, needing reassurance before she committed her heart again.
"I've never been more sure about anything in my whole life." He said, unwavering. "I want to be able to hold your hand and hold you and kiss you whenever I want, I want to be able to take you out on actual dates, go on trips, I want you to sleep in my bed, leave your stuff here, live here or maybe somewhere else if you want as long as its with me, and eventually ask you the most important question I'll ever ask" he said decidedly, risking going too far to let her know how serious he was.
"Well you already asked that question…to someone else…the day after we slept together" she couldn't help but tease, with a huge grin, lightening the serious tone of the conversation.
He dropped his head and laughed at the typical Gabi response while he poured his heart out.
"You got me there. And I cant change that I did that but it was a mistake, with you it wont be." He said assuredly. He took her left hand in both his hands and held out her ring finger.
"I'm going to put a ring on this finger and then another ring when we are standing in front of our friends and family in some beautiful place but all I'll be able to see is you" he said holding her gaze.
"That's actually my line" she smiled. "Wow" she breathed. "This is a lot"
"And what we have now isnt enough. Look I'm not asking for all this tonight, but maybe you could spend the night with me?" he asked.
"I'd love that" she smiled and kissed him, leaning into him so that he laid back on the couch, taking her with him in his arms.
They kissed for a minute before she pulled back.
"To be clear I meant to all of it, everything you just said" she told him smiling happily.
A huge grin appeared. "I love you Gabi"
"I love you too Josh" she smiled back and resumed kissing him.