“Thanks again, Markus. I really appreciate you.”
“I know. I was the only one who got a coffee card the other day.”
Gabby felt her cheeks flush.
“I was kind of hoping I’d get another one tonight.”
“A coffee card?” She shook her head at her own foolishness. “I didn’t have time or I probably would have. Or maybe something even sillier, like a potted plant or a Tupperware container of homemade cookies.” She shook her head. “Activate mom-mode at your own risk, Markus.”
“Cookies? You’re speaking my language.” Markus looked serious.
“Don’t joke with me, Markus, or you’re in for it. I’ll end up making you ants on a log, and you’ll be embarrassed to eat lunch in front of all the other spies.”
He threw back his head and laughed. “You do that. I could use more celery in my life.”
Before she could overthink it, she stood on her toes and pressed her lips against his. Like Betty said, she was “Gabby motherfucking Greene.” If she could be a spy, she could make the first move, which wasn’t even really the first move, because he’d kissed her once already.
For a blissful moment, her brain shut down. Markus placed a hand on the small of her back and pressed her flush against him. Her world was nothing but the feel of his skin against hers. “Markus?”
“Mm-hmm.” His voice was soft, and his lids heavy.
When she didn’t finish her thought, he feathered kisses along her jawline.
With a groan, she broke the kiss and leaned into his chest, theheat of his body melting into hers. “How do you still smell good after tonight?” she asked.
He chuckled.
“No, really. I held you hostage, and you still smell like aftershave.”
At that moment, Betty Danger drove by, tapped her horn, and yelled, “Get it, gurl!” out her window.
Markus squinted. “I thought she said your house was out of the way.”
With a shake of her head, Gabby said, “No, she lives like two houses down. She’s my best friend.”
With the spell broken, Markus smiled slyly. “So now that the mission is over, how about dinner? Next Friday, I’ll make reservations somewhere nice.”
The invitation sent a spike of joy through her being. She wanted to scream, “Yes!” and text everyone she knew, aka Justin, that she was going on a date with Markus, then spend all week selecting the perfect outfit that would make it look like she wasn’t trying too hard. She hadn’t had it this bad for a guy since, well, she’d never been this head over heels. A smaller part of her whispered, “Slow down, Gabby. You’re not ready.”
She wanted to tell that little voice to shut up, and hug Markus tighter. Instead, she looked into his eyes. “I really like you, Markus. Like a lot.” She overemphasized “a lot” to the degree she felt it. “But… let’s not do dinner, not yet.”
He raised his eyebrows. “What?”
“If you haven’t had a chance to use that coffee card yet, how about we grab a coffee?”
Looking a little unsettled, he said, “Um, sure, if you want to take it slow, that’s fine. How about after work next Monday?”
Relieved she was going to see him outside of work, even if she wasn’t ready for candlelight, she said, “It’s a date.”
Flirtatiously, he said, “You mean ‘a date’ or adaaaaaate?”
She laughed.
“See you after work on Monday.” It wouldn’t hurt to keep him guessing.
After seeing Markus off, Gabby walked back into the house in a mild panic. Had she just said no to Prince Charming? Well, maybe not Prince Charming, but the hottest man she knew in real life. No, she tried de-escalating her inner monologue—she’d declined a romantic date and counter-offered with a Monday afternoon coffee. Still, her ribs hurt more at the thought.
Stop it, Gabby.If she leaped into a relationship with Markus, she’d probably just start washing his shirts and packing lunches without ever getting her own life together. And Markus was fine, more than fine. Wondering whether he was going on adaaaatewouldn’t do him any harm. When the time came, she’d let him know what was up. She had value and was worth waiting for.
