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“Yep, I only have single-serve portions since I always come alone. You can choose: sea bass or chicken breast?”
“The fish looks great.”
I take a forkful and renege on everything I just said in my head. Sex can wait. This food could give me an orgasm as well. “Oh my gosh, this is the best sea bass I’ve ever tasted. Is it from a starred chef?”
Gabriel smirks.
“Please don’t tell me you had a Michelin-starred chef come here only to cook you meals you could freeze and eat at your convenience whenever you got a foodie moment.”
The smirk widens. “I won’t tell you, then.”
“You’re so spoiled.”
“Would it make you feel better if I told you that in my year in Silicon Valley, while I wasn’t being a self-made entrepreneur, I survived on microwavable ramen noodle soups?”
“You’re never dropping the self-made thing, are you?”
“Actually, I have a confession to make.”
“Oh?”
“You were right about my father and Fidelity Credit Union.”
Being right has never made me feel lousier.
“Only it happened the other way around,” Gabriel continues.
“What do you mean?”
“Fidelity Credit Union strong-armed my dad into becoming their partner by threatening to drop my start-up if he didn’t. It wasn’t my father who bribed them.”
“That’s… slightly better? I guess.”
“Can I ask you something?”
“Yeah, sure.”
“Did you hear the rumor from Justin?”
I take a sip of water before answering, not sure fueling Gabriel’s dislike for my ex is a wise choice. But I don’t want to lie to him, or keep secrets, or keep my walls up. “Yeah, he was boasting about how he had played a big part in sealing the deal. But I didn’t know anything about the blackmail.”
Gabriel grimaces. “So, Justin is probably the one who blackmailed my dad.”
I nod. “I’m sorry, when I said those things about your financing I didn’t mean to—”
“Call me out?” He taps the tip of my nose. “Yes, you did, but it’s one thing I love about you.”
“Oh, yeah? What are the others?”
“How smart and determined you are. How stubborn, how real… and beautiful and sexy as hell…”
Heat rushes to my cheeks.
“I…” He hesitates. “I like everything about you.”
Like or love? Time to man up—or woman up—and ask the hard questions.
“Earlier… while we were… mmm…”
