VANESSA

Freshly showered and feeling a little better, the next morning, I tighten the sash of my robe before stepping out into my bedroom to find it empty.

Gabriel spent the night holding me and listening to me cry. He didn't pressure me to talk or ask questions about Keith, he just held me until sleep took over for both of us.

I walk out of the bedroom, and down the hall, his muffled voice reaches my ears and I stop before the opening, smiling when I peek around the corner finding him playing with Sergio. He shakes the ribbon teaser in front of my cat, who paws at it and jumps up trying to catch it.

"I knew you were all bark." Swinging the wand, Sergio sprints in the same direction. But then he looks back at Gabriel like he just registered what was said.

"Fine, not bark, but you know what I mean. How about we clear the air? I'm not going to hurt your mom. If anything, she could shred me to pieces." He continues playing with Sergio. "Since you seem to tolerate me, now, got any tips?" He twirls the teaser around Sergio's head before swinging it in the opposite direction again. "You and I aren't that different, you know. We both like to be well groomed, independent, dominant and like being showered with affection from a beautiful woman."

My hand covers my mouth in an attempt to stifle my laugh, but it's too late and Gabriel's head snaps over to me.

He smiles, standing as I approach. "Morning. Feel better?"

"A thousand percent better." I tuck some of my hair behind my ear.

"Hungry?"

I struggle to remember how to nod, as we gaze into each other's eyes. "Starving."

"Good, I went ahead and ordered food, it should be here soon." Gabriel checks his watch and lets a huff of air when I slam into him, hugging him, closing my eyes.

"Thank you, Gabriel." Feeling an overwhelming sense of gratitude and warmth, and the sting of tears building, I turn my face to his chest. "I'm sorry, I can't stop crying."

"I don't mind. Cry as much as you like, dollface."

I smile, remembering the realization that hit me after meeting his grandfather; his use of pet names comes from him. Pulling away, I grab his hand and sit down on the couch, tugging to make him sit next to me.

"I owe you an explanation and an apology." I begin, eyes down, noticing I like how our hands look intertwined together. "I'm sorry for causing a scene at the event before it really turned into a circus."

"I don't care about that—" he tries to say.

Holding my other hand up. I fight through the nervousness that comes over me. "Please, I have to say this. Even though I've never done anything like the arrangement we have or maybe it's had..." My eyes meet his as he lifts my hand to his lips, but I focus on what I need to say. "I know we agreed to no strings but, if I go as far as sleeping with—" I take a deep breath and correct myself. "Having sex with someone—repeatedly— it definitely means something... So, I don't think it's irrational to be offended to find the person I'm sleeping with, flirting and kissing another woman."

"Offended?" He repeats, a thoughtful expression on his otherwise neutral face. His fingers skim over the bruises on my knuckles. "Let's call it what it was, sweetheart. You felt jealous and you didn't like it. I would know because I felt the same way that day you met Eli."

"Fine. I was jealous and you're right I didn't like it. I'm not usually insecure, but if that's how you are around women, flirting—"

He inhales deeply and exhales when he interrupts me. "I wouldn't say I'm a flirt, more like...charming," he smiles while I roll my eyes. "But, I know there's boundaries. And like I told you last night Chelsea is a friend and she's always been touchy. We dated in high school, then she moved away, but we stayed in touch, stayed friends. And yes there's been the occasional hook up, but I told her I was with someone."

"You did?" I'm not sure how I feel about that, but it doesn't feel bad.

Gabriel nods. "I pointed you out to her when you were glaring down at your phone, pretending like you weren't watching us." My face heats up with embarrassment. His fingers graze my chin and he lifts my head. "I meant what I said. I only want you."

Warmth blooms in my chest, but I blink, as the reality of this entire situation sinks in. "Gabriel, you don't live here, or anywhere, from what you've told me. I won't deny we have chemistry, but sexual attraction doesn't last."

"Vanessa, this doesn't feel like just sex. At least for me." He grabs both of my hands in his. "I'm shooting myself up everyday with a goddam needle, which I hate by the way, and taking medicine just to be around you."

I lower my gaze, hiding my smile. "You're making this impossible."

"What?"

"For me to consider being more with you." I confess and then his sexy lips curve up in a smile.

"Would that be so bad?" He shifts and brings me over his lap. "I'm always thinking about you. Making love with you is not like anything I've ever experienced before. The way you look, sound and feel. The way you react when I touch you..." His hands caress my thighs and slide under my robe, squeezing my ass before they glide up, splaying on my back and he presses me against him. His nose and lips skim down my neck, my collar bone and then he moves to the other side.

His hands come around the front and he opens my robe, sliding the material down my shoulders. "You're unmatched," he tells me, brushing my hair back. There's a vulnerability to his eyes I've never seen before, but it passes almost as quickly as he lets me see it, his hand grips my nape. "I'm crazy about you, Vanessa."

"Really?"

"Really, really," he says, with a sexy smile. I pull my bottom lip in, watching as he licks his.

"If this...if this doesn't work out, we can't be friends. I'll probably hate you forever." I say, because it's the truth; I'm not like Chelsea and attempting to be friends with him if things don't work, would be torture for me.

A handsome smile breaks on his face and he leans up to press his lips on mine hard, with a loud smack. "I don't think we were ever friends, gorgeous." The buzzer letting me know someone is downstairs interrupts us.

"That's the food." Gabriel gives me another kiss and shifts me off his lap. "I'll be right back."

When he returns he sets everything out and we begin eating. It's strange how at ease it seems sitting together, eating dinner like a domestic couple. Like this is how it's always meant to be between us. Afterward as we clean up together, I glance over at him while he's on his phone.

"Why didn't you tell me you finished the lease-up early?"

"Because you specifically said we don't talk about work when we're together," he shrugs, looking over at me.

"So, you would have just up and left?" Confusion swirls around in my mind. I dry my hands and cross them over my chest. An unsettling sensation rises in my belly. It feels a lot like panic with a low heat of anger beginning to simmer.

"No. I would have talked to you first, sugar." He comes closer and brushes his lips against mine in a feather-like kiss. "If you really wanted nothing to do with me, I figured it wouldn't matter...but seeing as you are just crazy about me as I am about you..." he dips his face down, peppering light kisses on my jaw and neck.

The fact that I haven't actually reciprocated verbally isn't lost on me.

"Why haven't you asked me about Keith?"

He leans away and exhales. His dark eyes flicker between mine. "I think I got the gist of what happened and I don't want to talk about that asshole or about anything that will upset you." He tucks some of my hair behind my ear and then his fingers skim down my cheek and jaw. "But I will say I'm proud of you for holding your own against him and finally speaking out. Now back to what I was doing before..." He gives me soft kisses under my ear.

"Mmm." My eyes close as he creates magic with his lips and tongue on my neck.

"I plan on.." He sucks on my neck. "Staying in New York." He sweeps my hair behind my shoulders and continues to make his way to the other side of my neck, the tension of the sash on my robe, loosens. "With you, as long as I can..." His hand snakes through my hair, pulling it, not painfully, but enough to lean me away to give him access to glide his lips over my chest out in display for him now. "Until my next assignment."

He bends down enough to hook his arms behind my thighs and lifts me up onto the counter. "Or...you could come with me."

Unrestrained laughter erupts out of me. I realize he's being serious when he hasn't resumed his pleasure inducing torture on me and my laugh trickles down to chuckles and then to nothing.

"Gabriel, you can't be serious. I can't just uproot my life on a whim."

"I wouldn't expect you too, but I know for a fact you never take vacation. Two weeks away from work won't kill you, ."

I snort. "Two weeks? Yeah, right."

"Don't you trust your team to handle the property?"

"That's not it—"

"It's okay to let go of the reins a little, baby."

Sighing, I lean my head on his chest. "I'm not like you Gabriel, I don't leave things to chance. I have to think it out, plan...pros and cons." I ramble.

He grabs my head, lifting it away from his chest. "We'll flip for it."

Tilting my head unamused, he laughs pulling out his coin; the same coin that started this whole thing between us.

"Heads you come with me. If not, then I'll come visit you as much as I can." He grabs my hand and places the coin in my palm, head side up. "You flip it, so you don't think I cheated."

I pick up the coin and set it on my thumb, flicking it up in the air and catching it. It's still in my hand as I hold Gabriel's gaze when I open my palm and place it on the back of my other hand. We both look down at the same time.

It's heads.

Lifting my eyes to Gabriel, he looks back at me thoughtfully. "It's still your choice, doll." He takes the coin back and slips it into his pocket.

I hold on to his face, leaning forward to press my lips to his. I pour myself into the kiss, wanting him to know how much I appreciate his understanding that it needs to be my choice. I want to show him how grateful I am for the respect he's shown me and the way he accepts me. Neurotic tendencies and all.

My heart twinges in the most wonderful way, surrounded by the warmth his presence gives. Soft whimpers pass through my lips when he lifts me into his arms and takes us back to the couch. The air pulses with the moans and sighs filling the room. Fumbling to release his growing erection under me, we work together to undo his pants, and remove his clothing, both unwilling to break the only connection we have; our lips joined together.

Both desperate for relief from the ache building between us, he shifts, while I move up enough to guide him in. My eyes roll back at the pleasure and intense feeling of him filling me. His name comes out as a moan when his lips, teeth and tongue tease one of my nipples and then the other. Heat radiates from his skin as I trail my hands over his broad chest, shoulders, rocking myself against him, head thrown back.

His soft, full lips reclaim mine and deepens the kiss with a groan of his own. Our bodies move in sensual harmony. "Baby, look at me." His husky request sends a shiver down my spine. My eyes find his beautiful brown eyes watching me. The pool of heat building deep in my core is beginning to spill over the edge, my nails dig into the flesh of his round shoulders.

The orgasmic wave crashes over me and I ride out the smaller waves, my body trembling when Gabriel kisses me again.

"Vanessa," he rasps my name, finding his release not long after.

He buries his face in my hair and I curl myself into him, embracing the safe haven he provides. 

***