I pulled out a fresh change of clothes from my duffle bag and turned the rain shower on. A moan left my lips as I stepped under the spray. The warmth of the water was perfect, and I closed my eyes, imagining I was somewhere in the tropics. As the heat of the water sank into my bones, I rested my head againstthe tiles. The sensation of liquid sluicing down my neck and back was one of the greatest sensations in the world.
The sound of pots and pans banging around pulled me from the tranquility and I examined the selections of high-quality soaps, shampoos, and conditioners. I smelled each and every bottle and discovered Gabriel had an affinity for natural scents like sandalwood, pine, and almond. I took my time washing using the sandalwood bar of soap, then scrubbed my hair with something that smelled like roasted almonds. I could get used to all this luxury.
When I was done, I wrapped the heated towel around my body and snuggled in it like a teddy bear. I sat on the edge of the tub for a long while, just savoring the humid heat and coziness wrapped around me. Hope and happiness were tangible things.
When I was ready, I dressed in a pair of jeans and a long-sleeved T-shirt. I combed my hair and brushed my teeth. Feeling nosy, I glanced at the fancy man-scaping instruments tucked away in the linen closet. He had everything from shaving supplies to ‘down-there’ care. I wondered if one day, my simple and cheap toiletries might be next to his.
I joined him in the kitchen, the scent of garlic luring me in. Except for when Maria cooked, I didn’t get to experience everything that went into preparing a meal.
“Feel better?” He inquired with a smile as he dumped chopped green pepper into a large pot of sauce.
“Yes.” I eyed the ingredients set out on the counter. “Can I help?”
“If you can peel and mash some garlic cloves, that would be great.”
“Okay.” The task had sounded easy enough, but working the garlic masher wasn’t as straight-forward as I thought it would be. I’d never used one before.
“Here,” he said and took the masher from my hands. I watched as he showed me how to properly peel and mash garlic cloves.
“Sorry, I don’t…cook very much.”
He kissed me chastely. “It’s okay. You’ll learn and I’m a great teacher. At least, I like to think so.”
I offered him a smile and set about the task of mashing garlic. When that was done, he had me slice up the baguette and lay them on a tray. I found that I enjoyed cooking together, even if my contributions were limited. It made it feel…normal, as if I were a part of something.
We sat down at a darkly-polished table. He lit a single green candle in the center then poured some wine into two glasses. An explosion of spice hit me, like fresh mint or pine. The dinner was delicious, the substitution of vegetable noodles curious but good and my garlic bread had turned out half decent.
“Good?” He prompted.
“Mhm,” I said with a full mouth.
“It’s taken me years to perfect this lasagna. Glad I can entertain your taste buds.”
“You’ve certainly impressed, sir,” I said and took a sip of the wine.
He rewarded me with a dazzling grin. He didn’t say much more, and the silence only made everything peaceful. A few months ago I never thought I’d be enjoying a home-cooked meal with wine, and candlelight with a man I was crazy about. It made the whole thing magical. When we were done, we cleaned up and he turned some music on. His expression was playful as he held out his hand for me.
I shook my head, taking a step back. “I can’t dance.”
“What do you mean?” he asked and pulled me close, our hips meeting. “Anyone can dance.”
“I’m awkward,” I countered.
“Adorably so,” he murmured and guided my arms around his shoulders. “There isn’t any trick to it. Just feel the music and move with me.”
In the spirit of being adventurous and trying new things, I followed his instructions. The wine probably helped, too. Resting my head against his shoulder, I moved with him. It was more of a rock back and forth, his hands cupping my ass, his lips roaming my neck.
“See?” he murmured. “You’re a great dancer.”
I tried to fight my smile, but it was futile. My heart thrummed hard, next to his, the caress of his hands all over my body reaching deep down to what remained of my soul. This was the man I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. He was my perfect match in every way. I prayed to whatever gods might exist:Please let him keep me.
CHAPTER TWENTY
GABRIEL
I’d been looking forward to dessert all evening. Now that I’d had a taste of Jake, I was desperate for more. I wanted to know every inch of him, see what kind of ecstasy-centers I could find, and squeeze out all sorts of pleasure-filled sounds.
Smirking, I popped the buttons to my shirt, his eyes tracking my every move. He swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing. His eyes were dark with lust as I slowly revealed my chest to him. He must have liked what he saw because his cheeks plumped in a big smile. And he surprised me when he slipped his fingers under the lapels of my shirt and pushed it off my shoulders. He slid his palm down my pec, my attention on his expression, noting little changes as he explored me.
