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“Great, you’ll need that to get up and down. If you forget it for some reason, the concierge can help.”
When we get to Gabriel’s floor, the elevator opens, and the reality sets in. I stop in my tracks. “Gabriel,” I say, and he pauses, turning slowly towards me. “You hate people in your space. You have an entire apartment designated to guests, specifically, so they don’t have to live with you. Are you sure this is a good idea? I don’t want to be in the way. I can still go to the hotel.”
Gabriel’s dark eyes lock on mine, and he shrugs. “I can always make an exception.” He turns and lets himself into his penthouse, dragging my case behind him.
“Well, I promise to stay out of your way,” I say, trailing after him.
He carries my case up the spiral staircase, depositing it in the most beautiful room I’ve ever seen. I thought the master suite in my apartment was special. The guest room is that and more. Even the ensuite and walk-in are enormous.
“Gabriel, this is?—”
He holds up his hand.
“There are four guest rooms. This one has access to the balcony.”
He doesn’t get to finish, as a buzzer goes, making us both flinch.
“That will be the food and anything else dry enough for them to pack up. Why don’t you get unpacked. I’ll let them in.”
With that, he leaves me standing in the doorway.
I don’t argue. Instead, I set about doing what Gabriel suggested. My eyes water as I undo my case, and I shake my head, staring up at the ceiling. There’s no point crying over spilt milk... or a flooded apartment. Things could be worse. I could be unpacking in a hotel room rather than this luxury. I’m still not sure why Gabriel has opened his home to me. Dinner for a couple of hours differs from having someone in your space, morning, noon, and night. I make a vow to myself to stay out of his way as much as possible.
I turn around to the chest of drawers and realise Gabriel has placed the photograph of me and my parents on it beneath the television. I bite my lip at his thoughtfulness. Who would have thought the distant man I’ve worked for, for years, has a surprisingly caring side?
CHAPTER 14
GABRIEL
Shit! What on earth possessed me?
From the moment I received the phone call, my entire focus has been on Leah and how I can fix this. This past month, she’s become a huge part of my life. Not only feeding me, but I’ve also found myself enjoying our nightly chats. They’ve become the highlight of my day. She always has some random fact to share daily or an unfamiliar word, but most of all, she’s up on world news and current events. We’ve had some interesting debates. I haven’t truly had that since my best friend, Mark, departed for Australia. He’s the only other person I’ve ever been able to share my space with.
I sit in the dark in my living area, nursing a whiskey, filling out the insurance claim, and approaching the interior designer we’d previously employed to furnish the apartment. I also booked an appointment with my personal shopper for Leah to replace her suits. I’m expecting her to complain, and the thought makes me smile. She hates it when I do nice things for her. Colour blossoms on her cheeks, and she can’t quite meet my gaze. It makes me wonder if Vince ever did anything nice for her, at least in the last couple of years. I know the early years were different. She always had new jewellery or clothes. But then, that’s what seems to happen in all relationships. The early years are full of romance, the latter years...
My brother Elijah and his wife. My older sister, Kat, and Zach. Only my parents seem to have been love-matched. Which is funny, seeing as their marriage was arranged. The coming together of two powerful families. My mum always laughs and says it was more the coming together of two souls. Before my father’s untimely death five years ago, they were inseparable. As kids, we were raised in a sea of warmth and love. Strangely, not one of us has found that kind of happiness or connection.
I hear a noise. My breath hitches as Leah stumbles into the room. It’s clear that she’s been asleep, as her hair is mussed up. I watch in silence as she flicks on the under-cupboard lights before making her way to where I keep the glasses. She reaches up, and I bite the inside of my lip as her breasts press against the silky material of her nightdress, her puckered nipples clearly visible. I can’t see her bottom half as the island is in the way, but my imagination has no issues filling in the gap.
She reaches for a glass before moving to the American fridge freezer, a replica of the one in her apartment. She fills her glass, taking large sips, her throat bobbing as she drinks the liquid. I can’t take my eyes off her. As if sensing my gaze, she looks up.
“Sorry. I didn’t see you there. I assumed you’d be in bed.” Her cheeks darken, as if the thought of me in bed. No, that can’t be right. That’s my own mind...
“I was just filling out the insurance claim forms. The manager asked that they be done ASAP so the work could begin,” I say, my voice husky. I take a swallow of whiskey, the burn helping to calm my libido.
“Oh,” Leah says, sounding flustered.
She crosses her arms around her chest as if realising how much her night clothes reveal.
“I was just getting some water,” she stutters. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Night, Leah,”
“Good night, Gabriel.” I watch her leave. The nightgown skims the tops of her thighs. I take another swig of whiskey, the burn helping to temper the blood flow rushing south. Heaven help me. When did Leah become a temptation? She’s my employee, not one of my friends with benefits. She’s just got out of a long-term relationship.
I finish my whiskey before I get up and move to my office. I unlock the door and step inside, closing it behind me. The builders made the room soundproof at my request. I look at the clocks that line the wall, each showing a different time zone. It allows me to keep track of each market - when they come online and close for the day. Eleven hours time difference, so I dial his number.
“Wow, what did I do to deserve a call?” an amused voice answers. “Jen wants to know what the emergency is?” His voice then pauses, taking on a more serious tone. “There isn’t an emergency, is there?”
