CHAPTER 31
Hero & Leander
Gabriela
The past seven days flew by in the blink of an eye.
Midterm season was nearing its end, so we were busier than ever.
I had two written exams and three assignments to hand in from Monday to Thursday.
Hunter’s schedule was just as hectic. As a result, we saw each other sparsely, save for our Horror & Cult Classic Cinema class, the two times Hunter drove us to Vesta University in the morning, and the one evening walk we took around our neighbourhood Tuesday night.
Safe to say, I couldn’t wait to see Hunter again.
I missed him so much.
Luna missed him too, occasionally wandering out into the hallway and pawing at his door with soft meows, trying to urge him out, without realizing that he wasn’t there. My poor baby. I had to give her cat treats to assuage her until Hunter could return and give her the cuddles she demanded.
Wednesday afternoon, he sent me a text before his football practice. I read it while rushing from one classroom to another.
Whatever plans you have on Friday evening, cancel them. —Hunter
I texted back, in the mood to banter with him.
Sorry, me and Luna are busy We’re doing our nails, putting on face masks, and watching Supernatural reruns. —Gabby
That was a lie. We had no such plans.
I’m actually offended that I wasn’t invited. —Hunter
Girls’ night No boys allowed. You have cooties! —Gabby
Did you think I had cooties last week when you sucked my cock and I licked your pussy in the club? —Hunter
Speechless, I abruptly stopped in the middle of a busy hallway leading to a large auditorium. Passersby bumped into me with mild annoyance before I moved over to lean against a wall. A goofy smile smarted my lips at his response.
I definitely didn’t think he had cooties then.
Hunter took my lack of reply as a no.
Didn’t think so. Now back to what I was saying. Cancel your plans on Friday. You’re busy with me. —Hunter
Officially seven days of being my boyfriend and you think you can boss me around, huh? —Gabby
You love being bossed around. But only by me. Remember? —Hunter
Oh, did I ever. That heated hookup in Club Azul would remain a lifetime highlight.
Fineeeee. What are we busy with, pretty boy? —Gabby
You’re my plus-one. We’re going to a fundraising gala in the city. I get an invite every year and I want to take you. —Hunter
An opportunity to get all dolled up and wear a cute dress? I would never pass that.
I would love to go with you —Gabby
There’s one problem though… —Gabby
Tell me, baby. —Hunter
I really did love it when he called me baby.
I don’t have a dress for the occasion —Gabby
We both knew I was bluffing. I had an entire wardrobe filled with dresses and I could certainly find one fitting for a black-tie event. If not, Layla and Anna would let me borrow one of theirs.
I’ll leave my card on your console table tonight. Get yourself whatever you want. —Hunter
You’re the best —Gabby
I know. You can repay me by sitting on my face Friday night. —Hunter
I fought the crazy grin threatening to take over my face. I adored this man to pieces. There was no denying it.
It’s a date —Gabby
And that was how I found myself at Anna’s place, forty-five minutes before Hunter arrived to pick me up.
The girls wanted to help me get ready for the gala and offered to cat-sit Luna for the night.
They seemed to be just as excited as Mamma that Hunter and I were finally dating.
I also wasn’t fooled—this was a chance to quiz me about what happened last weekend at Club Azul.
Since our brunch got cancelled last minute, I was all too happy to divulge the details now.
“So you’re saying,” Anna began with a lilting voice, brushing my cheeks with pink blush. “That while the rest of us were dancing the night away, you two were doing the nasty in the office upstairs?”
I met both their gazes in Anna’s vanity mirror, nodding earnestly. “Yup.”
They burst into chuckles.
“I will never look at a dartboard the same way ever again,” Layla mused, running a straightener through my red hair. “Or a champagne bottle, for that matter.”
Honestly? Me neither.
“Platonic, my ass,” Anna tittered, switching the blush compact for a shiny highlighter one, dabbing the product on the high points of my cheeks. “You’ve been lying to yourself this whole time.”
“I really have.” I could openly admit it now. “It was foolish of me to assume that we could only ever be just friends. Especially when I feel this way about him. I’m glad I snapped to my senses before it was too late.”
I could barely fathom the thought of losing Hunter forever because of my self-sabotage.
The girls smiled. It had been two years since I took a chance on someone, and they were firsthand witnessing how Hunter melted the icy layers I built around my heart to keep myself safe.
“And how is it that you feel about him?” Layla prompted, adding the finishing touches to my hair.
I lowered my gaze to my fresh set of sparkly crimson nails. I felt a lot of things where Hunter was concerned. I was doing my best to untangle and make sense of those feelings, but the bottom line was that I liked him. A lot. “Like he could actually be the one.”
They gasped loudly.
“I’m serious. I know this is still new, but the kind of connection I have with him? I’m convinced it’s once in a lifetime. That’s the best way I can explain it. I…I don’t think there’s another man out there who’ll treat and care for me—and Luna—the way Hunter does.”
“We’re so happy for you,” Anna said.
“And proud of you,” Layla added. “You and Hunter are going to be good for each other.”
Talking to them about this felt like coming full circle. “Thank you, girls. For listening and for helping me get ready.”
“What else are best friends for?” Anna’s hazel eyes gleamed as she gauged my reflection in the mirror. “Now go get dressed before your hot date arrives.”
Knowing Hunter’s punctuality, I practically raced to Anna’s gigantic walk-in closet.
Yesterday, I went on a last-minute shopping excursion to pick up a gown courtesy of Hunter’s card. I even left one of the ties I bought him in his locker with a note saying, Make sure you wear this tomorrow so we match, xo.
The gown in question was a strapless, mermaid-style, hunter green silk number with matching gloves that stopped above my elbows.
I wore the ensemble with six-inch heels and complementary jewelry.
The centerpiece was my necklace, a white diamond snake coiling around my neck, its head and tail meeting against a large teardrop emerald resting between my collarbones.
With my pin-straight hair parted to the side and flowing down my back, my makeup perfected with a sharp winged eyeliner, and my favourite shade of blood red on my lips, I felt beautiful beyond words.
I couldn’t wait to see Hunter’s reaction.
My best friends cheered when I stepped out and I did a three-sixty spin, preening a little extra for them.
Choruses of praise rang in the air and I soaked it all up.
Layla proceeded to marinate me in a cloud of perfume while Anna finished zipping up my dress the rest of the way.
Afterwards, I was subjected to a hundred pictures so we could capture the perfect shot for me to post tonight on my social media.
With less than a handful of minutes remaining until Hunter’s arrival, we descended the stairs and met Michael on the ground floor, his arms full of Luna, who appeared all too happy to be hanging out with her younger sibling.
“Wow, Gabby,” Michael said shyly and I bent down to kiss his cheek with a loud mwah. He handed Luna to Anna and scurried off with a toothy grin to half-hide behind Layla, his favourite person.
“I hope you all have fun tonight.” I pouted. “But not too much fun without me.”
They laughed. Layla palmed Michael’s hair affectionately. “You know we won’t.”
“I’ll come pick up Luna in the morning, all right?” I said, giving my sweet girl some chin scratches.
The doorbell rang on cue.
My best friends gave me shit-eating grins.
Anna jerked her chin towards the door. “Go answer. Don’t keep him waiting.”
When I opened the door and crossed the threshold, my exposed skin pebbling under the fall night with only a faux fur shawl to keep me warm, my boyfriend waited at the bottom step with a large bouquet of red roses.
For a few heartbeats, we simply gazed at each other.
Blue eyes cascaded down my body, committing every detail to memory.
My own eyes drank him greedily like he was a mirage that would disappear.
Tonight, Hunter appeared the embodiment of a classy hero from my favourite romantic tales, with an indomitable presence and courting his most-awaited beloved. Dashing as ever, a crisp black tux was poured over his muscular frame and he had omitted the bowtie for my gifted hunter green tie instead.
We matched perfectly.
He extended his hand.
I grabbed it.
He helped me descend the remaining steps, keeping his eyes on mine like he was voracious for the sight I created.
“You’re beautiful,” he said huskily, drawing my knuckles to his mouth for a kiss. I shivered, feeling the touch of his lips seep through the thin material of my gloves. “The most beautiful, Gabriela.”
I touched his cheek with affection. “So are you, bello.”
He kissed me, warm and sweet, smiling against my lips.
“These are for you,” he whispered, handing me my roses.
“Thank you.” If he kept at this pace, my entire apartment would be filled with roses and no place to walk. Not that I would ever complain. “I love them.”
He guided me closer. “Ready to go? We have an audience.”
I peeked over my shoulder and, true to his words, four curious heads—Anna, Layla, Michael, and Luna—were spying on us through the window. The second I caught their stares, they scampered behind the curtains with sheepish laughter.
“Yes, I am. Whisk me away, Hunter.”
Hunter
The fundraising gala was held at a pristine hotel in the heart of downtown Montardor, the inside already droning with a panoply of suits and gowns.