AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Of course,” I answer.
And that’s all he needs to hear. His grin makes me feel a little better. Gabriel’s does not.
“Ready to do this?” he asks.
“Yes,” I lie.
When we return, questions fly from every direction, asking how Gabriel and I met, and how we fell in love.
I smile until my cheeks hurt, while Gabriel answers questions like a pro. He never once falters, or trips over his words. Meanwhile, I can’t make anything come out of my mouth. So, I just become a mute accessory on his arm, waiting for it to be over.
After another fifteen minutes, the interview ends, and we head back to the ballroom to feign happiness.
“I can’t believe this is your life,” I say to Gabriel as we step into the space filled with people ready to celebrate our impending forced marriage.
He kisses my hand, and even if it’s for show, the warmth from his lips causes an eruption of goosebumps. “It’s our life now.”
We spend the next few hours in a whirlwind of introductions. Gabriel’s esteemed guests include an assortment of politicians, CEOs, and anyone with a Roman numeral at the end of their name.
“Wow, you look…wow,” Erin says, as soon as I get a break from my duties. “Like you were born to do this.”
“I definitely wasn’t born to do this.”
We find a secluded corner away from the activity and I lean my back against the wall while Tennyson investigates what’s beneath an empty table nearby.
“You’re doing great,” she says. “I almost forget it’s not real.”
Me too. I still feel Gabriel’s handprint etched in tingles on my lower back, the spot he’s kept his hand since we walked back in here. “Thank you for coming. I don’t think I could’ve done this without you.”
“I’ve met some interesting people.” She leans in. “I told them I was in the amenities trade.”
I laugh.
“Hello, Erin,” Gabriel says, joining our seclusion. “I hope you’re having a good time.”
“The best,” she says. “Your hors d'oeuvres are top notch.”
He smiles. God, he’s so gorgeous when he smiles.
“Well, I have connections, if you’d like to take some home,” Gabriel says with such charm it makes my body melt.
“Don’t tempt me,” she replies.
“I’m bored,” Tennyson says.
To my surprise, Gabriel laughs at his honesty. The action causes a startling transformation to his face, removing the stone mask and revealing a very appealing side of him in its place. A side that is human. A side under different circumstances, I might want to explore.
“We should go soon,” I say to Gabriel, wanting to run away from this unwelcome attraction over a laugh. “This is a long day for him.”
Gabriel’s eyes meet mine and sear right through me as if he knows what I was thinking.
“I’ve got an idea,” he says, looking down at Tennyson. “I have a movie room. Want to watch a quick movie while your mom and I finish up?”
“Yes,” Tenny exclaims.
“I’m up for a movie,” Erin says. “I’ll stay with him while you two do your thing.”
“I need my cape,” Tennyson says.
