Temptation on Ocean Drive - Jennifer Probst Page 0,9
wedding.
“Right now, I don’t know if I’d give my right arm for a cold crab cake or a shot of tequila.”
Her lip twitched and she turned toward Gabe. He’d stripped off his jacket and tossed it over a chair as he stopped behind her. Weariness carved out his features, and he arched his back until he got a satisfying crack.
She leaned against the wall and flexed her foot. “Crab cake, definitely,” she said.
“Agreed. Let’s go to the kitchen and grab something to eat before we head home.”
She hesitated. Whenever she completed a wedding with her sisters, they retreated to the war room back at the office so Avery could go over all the high and low points. If Bella was working solo, she usually pulled something indulgent together in her own kitchen—either grilled cheese or an omelet. She’d never been alone with Gabe after an event before.
“Oh, I’m really not that hungry.” Her stomach let out a loud growl, announcing her lie.
He arched a brow. “Really? You dislike me so much you can’t even eat some leftover wedding food with me? Or are you still pissed about me screwing up with Paul?”
Shock barreled through her. “I don’t dislike you, and I’m not pissed. That was a mistake anyone could have made. I just usually make myself something to eat when I get home.”
He nodded and scratched his head. “I get it. But just this once, will you sit with me? I’m buzzing too high. Avery and I usually talk a bit to give me some time to come down.”
She understood what it was like. People who worked late nights sometimes had screwed-up sleeping schedules due to the adrenaline. And even though being alone with him made her uneasy, she needed some food and downtime before she’d be able to sleep. “Of course.”
They headed to the kitchen and spoke to the staff they knew well. Before long, they’d gotten plates with salad, seafood risotto, and grilled veggies. Gabe came back with two cold beers, and they sat in a small corner in the back on wooden stools.
“So are we going to get it over with?” he asked, tipping back his bottle.
She watched the strong column of his throat work, then tore her gaze away. “What?”
He snorted. “My dancing, of course. I told you I didn’t know what I was doing.”
The thought of his wild movements on stage hit her, and a giggle escaped. “I thought we were dead,” she admitted. “But at least you finally did something, even if it was a strange mating dance for extinct birds.”
He shook his head. “I froze up there. But then I looked at you and caught the panic on your face, so I knew I had to step it up.”
“You saw me?”
“Yep. And you’re always unflappable, so when you looked like you were about to vomit, I knew the wedding was at stake.”
She forked up some risotto, and the delicious mix of seafood and carbs sang in her mouth. His words repeated in her mind. Yes, he was right. She rarely let her emotions take hold, especially with work. Usually, she was proud of her ability to take it all in stride and maintain her control, but lately, she was wondering if she’d taken it too far. Everything was so well planned in her life, there was no longer any time or space for impulse. What would it be like to lose control in a safe way? Was that even possible? Or maybe she was destined to keep things exactly as they were to avoid trouble. After all, she needed to provide stability for her daughter. A single mother didn’t pair well with risk. She pushed the odd questions from her head and refocused. “Well, once again, you managed to charm everyone, even in a Santa suit. They thought the whole performance was rigged and on purpose.”
He laughed, and the warm, rich tone caressed her ears. “Damn, did we get lucky. I’m going to start vetting new vendors for next holiday season so we don’t run into this problem again.”
She took a sip of her beer and enjoyed the sluggish warmth in her blood. “Good idea. But I must admit, it was nice seeing a part of you that wasn’t perfect. I didn’t believe you about not knowing how to dance.”
“You think I’m perfect?” he asked with an edge instead of his usual flirtatiousness.
“Let’s just say you seem to have it all together.”
His gaze was a laser that dove deep and lit up her