AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I wonder what made him take the gamble I’d let him act like an overprotective boyfriend and play along. I guess Gabriel must know about my history with Justin, and he decided the risk of being publicly rejected was worth the chance to come and liberate me from an unwanted homecoming.
And the scary truth is, I suspect having MGM’s solid frame this close to me would feel good even if my sleazy ex weren’t involved.
Justin’s brows raise in his forehead as he flips a probably-mangled-by-Gabriel’s-handshake finger between the two of us. “You two know each other?”
As he asks the question, Justin’s eyes turn calculating. Should he make a pass at his now-billionaire ex? Or should he leave the field clear for the decabillionaire to stake his claim on me, score a few buddy points, and possibly open the road for ten times more money and business opportunities?
Not that I care about the outcome of his tally. But it’s still somewhat depressing to watch whatever romantic impulse Justin might’ve had toward me get curbed in pursuit of the almighty dollar. It becomes starkly clear what Justin values more in life when my ex takes a step away from me, leaving a healthy amount of space between us. He has basically offered his belly to the alpha in submission, accepting the female as belonging to the bigger wolf.
Again, how did I waste so much time on this guy?
In response, Gabriel pulls me even more into him until our bodies are so close I can feel the heat of his skin seeping through his clothes, even if we’re not properly touching.
The gesture doesn’t escape Justin’s shrewd gaze.
“I think I’ve overstayed my welcome,” Justin says with a smirk. “We should get together again soon to talk,” he says to Gabriel. MGM dignifies the offer with the tiniest nod. Justin turns to me next. “I’ll see you around, Blake.”
Before I can answer, he walks away.
I shake my head, feeling mostly sorry for myself, and drag my attention back to Gabriel. A shrug of my arm, and my elbow is mine again.
“Thank you for that,” I say, adding a joke so as not to let MGM know how truly grateful I am, “oh White Knight in a Shining Rolex.”
MGM’s jaw relaxes as he weaponizes one of his crooked grins against me. “Jousting for your honor has been my pleasure, m’lady.”
I point a finger at him. “You get a pass only because you actually did me a favor getting rid of that sleazebag.”
In synchrony, we start walking toward the exit and stop on the outdoor patio just off to the left of the hotel entrance doors.
“So,” MGM starts. “Is a pass all I’m going to get for defending your honor?”
I cross my arms over my chest. “Why? What would you like in return?”
“What was it ladies gave to knights before tournaments as tokens of their affection… a jewel? A handkerchief? The promise of a kiss?”
As he says the word kiss, I lose the battle not to lower my gaze to his mouth. His lips are full and luscious and supple. I imagine how soft they’d feel against my own, how perfectly they would fit with mine. I force my gaze back to his eyes—not that their dark intensity is of any help in keeping my cool. “I think kissing among unmarried couples was frowned upon in the Middle Ages.”
“Good thing we live in the present, then. You should do more of that.”
“More of what?”
“Living in the present.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“That we shouldn’t let our past cloud our future,” MGM whispers.
There’s too much insight in that simple phrase. Even glad as I am for the rescue, I’m not comfortable with how much of the real me he’s seen today. The naïve young woman who could be swindled into almost anything by a pair of pretty blue eyes and a fake smile.
“I should probably go now,” I say.
“Should I escort you to your cabin?”
“I can manage on my own, thanks.”
“Are you sure? The woods are dark at night and—”
“Full of terrors? You’ve really gone medieval on me tonight. Thank you, but I’m sure I’ll survive.”
