“I’d love to join.” My head made a beeline to where Allison had plopped herself on the table next to me, her skirt riding up to reveal amazing legs. She was too unreal to believe, and she was quickly becoming a pain in my ass.
“Sorry, my car only seats two.” Gabe motioned with his head for me to follow, and I didn't bother looking back at her, although I could feel the sting as her eyes bore into my back.
“Is it me or is she a little desperate?” he asked, holding the door for me as we walked out of the building. The heat hit me, singeing my throat and draining my energy. “Don’t worry, you’ll get used to it.”
“Maybe. And will I?”
He chuckled, a sound that reverberated across my skin. “She definitely is, and yes, you will.”
I bounced on my feet, a spring in my step at his words, but I didn’t dare get my hopes up. This was a work lunch with two colleagues getting to know each other. Nothing more.
His car was two spots down from mine, and he must have read my confusion. “I like to park as far away as I can for the exercise,” he said. “Especially on days I don’t hit the gym.”
I wasn’t certain my crush meter could climb any higher, but it did. He held the door of his car open and closed it when I had comfortably tucked myself in. Peering into the backseat, I gave him a questioning look as he got in.
“She wasn’t the one I wanted to go to lunch with,” he stated, giving me a bashful smile that had me thankful I was sitting.
My mouth dropped, and I slammed it shut, my teeth complaining about the impact.
The car started, the AC rushing out in a warm gust that took a few minutes to turn cold.
“There’s a sandwich shop around the corner,” Gabe said. “They have the best homemade chips if you’re up to it.”
“Sounds perfect,” I said, soaking in the air and wishing I could pick my armpits up to dry them.
Gabe chatted with me about Florida, telling me he had moved there for school even though it had driven his father mad because he hadn’t gone to school closer to home. We didn’t stop talking the entire hour we had for our break, and by the time we were back in his car, my crush had warped into something I doubted I could control.
Chapter 2
Gabe
Don’t get involved, stay focused, do the job, and get the experience. That had been my motto since leaving home. No distractions. Even in college, I’d rarely splurged on a fling with a girl. They were distractions I didn’t need, and I had a mission. The same one that had driven me since I’d left home. But the woman now buckling herself into my car had blindsided me.
Tori was too amazing to ignore. I’d been drawn to her the moment I opened the door to that room, seeing her there with her ebony hair running down her back, her dress flattering her curves and stopping at long, toned legs. She’d turned her navy eyes on me, and I’d stood no chance. I had to talk to her, ignoring the desperate move from Allison, who clearly hadn’t gotten the hint that I wasn’t looking for that kind of experience. I knew her type, and I knew she’d be a one-night stand at most. When I splurged, which was rare, she was the type I would have gravitated to, someone I knew I would have no attachment to and would only offer the necessary pleasure to get me through a few months before I gave in again.
But Tori. She was a distraction that meant more. This was the kind of woman who would draw my attention from my goal,divert me, and destroy me. And I wasn’t strong enough to stop myself from falling under her spell.
I started the car, letting it idle for a moment and debating whether I should say what I was thinking. It was risky, but seeing as she wouldn’t be working directly with me, it seemed harmless, even if it was presumptuous and bold. But that was who I was. I didn’t overthink, and I took chances.
Her blue eyes crinkled when I turned to her.
Good God, are you really doing this, Gabe?
It was insanity, but there was something about this woman that had me thinking it was worth it.
“I know we just met,” I said. Her eyes grew larger as I continued. “But I’d love to take you out for dinner after work.”
Smart and contemplative. I could see her thinking over my words, not making a rushed decision. That was what drew me to her, not just her beauty. There was something bold about her I wanted to discover.
“You’re asking me on a date?”
“I am. I really like you, Tori.”
Her cheeks flushed as she smiled. “You barely know me, Gabe.”
“Then let me get to know you better.”
She drew in a breath, her lips parting, and I wondered what it would be like to kiss them.
