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He smiles. “I’m glad you noticed that. Regarding that woman, I promise she must have taken something to behave like that.”
“Something?”
He leans closer, bringing his lips to my ear. “You know…something strong. There’s a lot that goes on at these non-profit events. I bet she thought I was someone else.”
Tsking, I push him away and fold my arms. I purse my lips, too.
“Really? She said your name. Is there any other Gabriel Everhart besides you who announced his engagement this evening?”
Gabriel shrugs. “I don’t know. Maybe?” He smiles. “You know what? I am pretty sure there was another Gabriel Everhart because I did not announce our engagement by word of mouth. I went on stage, took the microphone, and announced to everyone that we were getting married.”
“You didn’t.”
“Did too,” he argues.
“You didn’t,” I repeat, “I’m sure I would have heard you.”
“It was when you were outside,” he tries to back his claim. “Why do you think I wasted so much time and forgot your drink? It was because I was telling the world how much I love you and how I can’t wait to make you my wife.”
I feel my cheeks hot, and I put my hands over them.
“You don’t mean that,” I argue, even as my heart begins a pit-patter and my stomach flutters.
Gabriel leans closer again, and his hand goes to my waist. I can smell him, and my eyes drift to his lips, which are a kissable distance from mine. The combination of his heady, intoxicating scent and the memories from kisses before makes my eyelids grow heavy and my heart race faster.
“I could prove it to you right now,” he whispers. “Would you like me to?”
He’s teasing. There is no way Gabriel is in love with me.
My eyes fly open as I put my hand over his mouth. “If you are thinking of kissing me, don’t. I’m too tired.”
He pouts as he pulls away. “I thought we were setting the mood.”
“We are not setting anything,” I turn to face the window. “I am so tired I might fall asleep right here.”
I stay facing the window until the car begins to pull away. The cool air in the car does nothing to ease the heat that has crept all over my body, so I roll down the window and stick part of my head out.
Gabriel laughs.
“You act like Bucky, you know.”
“I do not.”
“Yes, you do. I took your dog for a ride, and he loves to stick his head out the window. Just like that.”
I don’t answer him, but a permanent blush settles on my cheeks for the rest of the ride. When we get home, I jump out of the car and race towards the elevator, ignoring Gabriel’s call for me to wait.
I’m afraid he’ll see what I’m trying to hide.
Gabriel will see that I’m falling for him, and I will have nowhere to hide my heart in case my feelings are rejected.
Chapter 20
Gabriel
"Take the day off and come somewhere with me,” I hold Harper’s hand to keep her from leaving.
She hasn’t looked at my face since she walked into my office, but the worrying aspect is that I haven’t seen her one-on-one since the party two days ago. It might have been forty-eight hours for her, but it feels like forever to me.
