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“I would never tell anybody.”
And so for the next hour, I confessed everything to Gabe—the arrangement, my fears, what I’d witnessed already, and how it hurt me.
“So what do you think?” I asked as I leaned back on the counter behind me.
“Wow. This is a hard one.” He held a spoon full of sauce, blew on it, and then positioned it an inch in front of my lips. “Try it and let me know what you think.”
I sampled some.
The delicious sauce awakened my taste buds.
I gave Gabe a thumbs up.
“Well, you have two options,” he said. “One, you can end it now before you get hurt anymore. Two, you stay in this situation, but do things that won’t harm you.”
I wrinkled my forehead. “Like what?”
“Stay at your place. It sounds like you aren’t comfortable in this mansion, so why even force yourself to be here?” He dropped the spoon I’d used in the sink. “And if you can date other people, then do that. It would probably keep your mind off what he’s doing.”
“Maybe.” I shrugged.
“You should really think about dating other men.” He placed the lid on the pot and faced me, holding a tiny bowl of melted chocolate. “You could start with me.”
“Excuse me?”
He came close to me until only the bowl was between us. “I’ve been taking it slow with you because I thought that’s what you liked, but damn girl, it’s been close to five years and this guy swoops in and grabs you within days.”
I dipped my finger into the chocolate and tasted it. “I don’t know, Gabe. I’ve thought about you and I getting together, but could never really see it working out.”
“Why not?” His eyes followed my chocolate dipped finger as I sucked on it. “Aren’t you attracted to me?”
Was I? Whenever I thought about Gabe coming to visit me I got really excited, but I never knew if that was due to him making great food or if it was having a gorgeous man in my kitchen.
He was definitely handsome. Vivian had coined him the Sexy Cook. And all the food magazines raved about his looks as well as his cooking.
“I think I’m attracted to you.” I offered him a weak smile.
He sighed. “I’ll take whatever I can get at this point.”
I gathered a little bit of chocolate sauce on my index finger.
“Can I take you out on a date?” he asked. “No pressure or strings attached. If there’s no sparks between us then we’re back to foodie partners-in-crime.”
That doesn’t sound too bad. What do I have to lose?
“Deal.” I licked my finger. The warm chocolate slid onto my tongue with ease. “This is so good. Did you put something extra into this chocolate?”
“I used Venezuelan cocoa to make it. It’s supposed to be the best cocoa in the world.”
“So it’s expensive?”
“Yep. I put most of my paycheck in it, to get it for you tonight.” He moved in closer to me, and this time I concentrated on seeing him as more than a friend. I drank in his soft chocolate skin, his full lips, the sweet aroma of brown sugar on his fingers, and the chiseled definition of his shoulders under his thin shirt. He didn’t have Chase’s muscular build, but Gabe still had a nice body, one that any woman would love to caress.
“Thank you. I’m flattered you went through the trouble just to make this for me. Have you tasted it yet?” I grinned.
“Only a little bit.” He licked his lips. “The first time I saw you, I thought you were the most beautiful girl in South End.”
“No you didn’t.” I blushed.
