“You’re the one with the devilish smile and evil ways,” she whispered. “My mom warned me about men like you.”
“What did she say?”
“She told me, ‘They’re a lot of fun in the short run, but they’ll break your heart in the end.’”
Gabriel couldn’t help but smile. “I would like to prove her wrong.”
Suddenly, phone flashlights blinded them. Squinting against the bright lights, Gabriel peered over. The entire group stood on the porch, gawking at them.
“What the hell—” he blurted.
Halston broke away. Frustration slithered through him. He wasn’t ready to let her go.
“G, you couldn’t wait untilafterdessert to maul her?” Greystone asked.
Greystone was poking the bear… again. Only this time, Gabriel refused to take the bait. If he did, it would be a full-on assault. Rather than respond, he said nothing. Sometimes, silence sent a stronger message.
“Just for the record, the mauling was mutual,” Halston said.
Wasn’t expecting that.
Gabriel peered over at her. She met his gaze.
“I like you Halston Devereux,” he murmured.
A hint of a smile danced in her eyes.
“We lost power,” Sydney said.
“Everything went dark,” Teddy added. “Look around, the neighborhood’s in blackout.”
“So?” Gabriel asked.
“We’re sitting down for dessert,” Caroline said.
“Sounds good,” Halston replied.
Damn it.
Their moment was ripped away from them. He didn’t care about dessert or espressos or the blackout. He was done. Ready to take off and enjoy the New Year with a beautiful killer.
Because that’s exactly what Halston Devereux was to him… a beautiful killer.
Halston took a step toward the kitchen, but he wrapped his fingers around her arm to stop her.
“Two minutes,” he said.
With their phone lights illuminating the way, the group traipsed back inside.
“Do you want to get outta here?” he asked.
Stepping close, she peered up at him. “Are you asking me if I want to fuck?”
“No, I’m asking if you want to leave the group hug.”
“To fuck?”
He didn’t like where this was heading. “Yes, but no.”
