disappeared into the crowd as Gabriel took a drink. Weirdly, she watched his mouth, and, seriously, it was the sexiest thing she’d ever seen.
Jesus. She wanted to fan herself. What the hell was in the champagne? Had to be something, because she did not react this way to men. Ever.
“Do you want it?”
Yeah. For the first time in her life, she was pretty sure she did. “Er, pardon?” But that wasn’t what he was asking.
A glimmer of amusement lightened his eyes. “The job, sweetheart.”
As an embarrassed groan filled her head, she repositioned her clutch under her arm and took another sip of champagne. “I didn’t at first. But the headhunter convinced me the position would be a good stepping-stone.”
“To what?”
“A successful career.” Was the A/C even on? “I’m not impressed by the TarMor job title because it doesn’t quite offset the expectations four years of Columbia brings.” Gabriel didn’t appear hot. Well, he was fire, but not sweaty. “But it’s still a great opportunity to gain on-the-job experience.” What would he look like sweaty? “Which will set me up for a director, or even a VP position, not far down the road.”
He nodded as she pictured him, white t-shirt stuck to this chest, hair dripping, face glistening. “Smart. I’ve run across too many young executives who invite failure by moving too high too fast. Have you recently graduated, or have you been in the market for a while?”
“I graduated this month.”
“Congratulations.” The ice rattled in his glass as he tipped it back—his throat, gawd. “And you’ve moved home? Or are you in Seattle on vacation?”
“Seattle is home,” she admitted. “I grew up here. What about you?” she snuck in when the lust cleared and she was able to form a question. “Were you in New York on business? Or are you from there?”
“Born and raised in Queens, but I reside—for the time being anyway—here in Seattle. Upstairs, as a matter of fact.”
Her brows came down. “Upstairs? You mean, you live here? In the hotel?”
He nodded, his eyes scanning the area around them. Again. What was he looking for? Or who? A supermodel date?
Ugh. Definitely something she didn’t want to entertain.
He took another drink. “I couldn’t be bothered buying a place when I wasn’t sure I’d stay here permanently. And since I own the hotel, it just makes sense.”
He’d spoken absently and without pretension, but Eva still balked. “You own this hotel?” she squeaked.
He nodded. “My partner and I.”
“Business partner,” she said quickly, to clarify, and then felt her cheeks burn.
“Yes.” His confirmation came with an amused look. “Business partner. So tell me, are you here tonight because you’ve been personally affected or are you just supporting?”
Some of her happiness seeped away. “My mom always helped organize this particular event,” she explained as she swirled the champagne in her glass. “Though, I think we’ve all been affected in one way or another by cancer. My best friends lost both their parents to it. I’ve never personally known a child who suffered through the disease, though. But if I were to wait for such a tragedy before supporting the cause, that would make me pretty selfish. Don’t you think?”
As she talked, he casually reached out and plucked her champagne flute from her fingers and replaced it with a fresh one from a passing waitress. Smooth, unhurried movements.
“I agree. You said your mother ‘used to’ aid the organization. She’s moved on to another?”
Eva shook her head. “She recently passed away.”
Genuine sympathy entered his eyes. “I’m sorry, Eva. Losing a mother can be devastating. So it’s just you and your father now? Or do you have siblings?”
Wow. Talk about ripping the Band-Aid off. He’d blown through that so quickly she barely felt it. “I’m an only child, and my father isn’t around.”
“At all?”
“No. He left when I was a baby. I wouldn’t know him if he was standing right next to me.”
Twirling the stem of her champagne flute, Eva had to admit that, with Gabriel holding her attention, if Harry and Dumbledore strolled over, she wasn’t sure she’d take any notice of them either.
† † †
As sympathy swam through him on Eva’s behalf, Gabriel’s attention remained locked and loaded.
He’d never been happier that Alek had agreed when he’d suggested they renovate and rebrand the Crown Jewel, and not sell it off as they’d originally planned. Without the hotel, he and Eva would be having this first conversation a few blocks over at the convention center on Eighth and Pike. Being here, in his place,