Chapter 44 - Lily
LILY
As much as I loved my job, going back to work after a week off took some getting used to. But it was time to open the café, get back to baking, and do something productive with my days that wasn’t only spending time with Gabe…even if that had become one of my favorite pastimes.
Tiffany and I spent the first couple of days getting back into our routine and brainstorming new ideas that we wanted to try this year, and it was another reminder that I didn’t have to do any of this alone.
Now, the fourth day back, I felt a rush of excitement about all the new drinks and treats we’d be able to try out, as well as the baking classes I’d signed up to start in the coming months.
A month ago, expanding Purrfect Blend and opening a second location felt like a pipe dream.
Now? It all felt within reach, although I wasn’t going to rush it.
I wanted to take my time getting there, building my team, and expanding on my skills.
I had loyal customers in Golden Falls who I was confident were going to support me each step of the way.
And I had Gabe.
I loved telling him about my ideas and getting his input. He was always supportive but sometimes mentioned aspects I hadn’t even thought of, which helped me think more strategically and be more confident in my ideas. We were a good team.
Unfortunately, I hadn’t had much time with Gabe this week. While he still stopped by in the mornings, he was swamped with work at Nelson Group, more so than usual. I wasn’t sure if it was because he was catching up after the holidays or if his dad was giving him more work on purpose. Maybe both.
My eyes flicked to the table he normally sat at when he was here, which was empty again. My heart clenched. I couldn’t be thinking about that as Gabe’s table. What about in a year from now—in two years from now—would I still look at that goddamn table and think about him?
I let out a heavy sigh and returned to rearranging today’s pastries for the fifth time.
An embarrassing boost of serotonin coursed through my body when my phone vibrated in my apron pocket. I pulled it out, hoping for a text from Gabe but instead seeing it was from Grant, Jules’s older brother.
Grant
Hey, Lily. Sorry I missed your call earlier. I’m in meetings with clients all day today, but I can give you a call tomorrow morning, if that works? Happy to answer whatever questions you have as best I can.
I typed out a reply.
Me
Tomorrow morning works for me! Before 9 a.m. would be great, but if there’s a time that will work better for you, let me know. Looking forward to it! Thanks again for making the time to talk with me.
Grant
I’ll call you at 8 a.m. And it’s no problem at all. Talk to you soon.
Grant was one of the top lawyers in Chicago and specialized in labor and employment law.
I’d asked Jules for his number, saying I had a couple of questions after hiring Tiffany and potentially bringing on another employee in the coming months.
That was true…to an extent. It was more that I had some questions about non-compete agreements.
Being on my feet normally didn’t take such a toll on me. But being on my feet after a week of time off?
It was Friday afternoon, and I was both beat and energized. All I could think about was lying down on my couch, and I was nearly there. Tiffany was going to close up the café and take care of the cats, allowing me to head home earlier.
I climbed the stairs to my apartment and pushed the door open. Gabe had come by the café about half an hour ago, asking if he could get my key to wait for me at the apartment. He had one more call to do and then said he’d be mine for the rest of the day. I couldn’t wait.
Sylvie and Bandit came running toward me, and I crouched down. “Hi, my lovelies,” I cooed, petting them both and relishing the immediate purrs I got. My cats had gotten used to having me around this past week and were as eager to have me home.
“Gabe?” I called out, standing. I toed off my shoes and slipped off my coat, hanging it by the door.
“In here!” he called out.
Confused, I walked over, the cats following me.
The bathroom door was half open, allowing me to peek inside before I opened it fully.
The blinds were drawn and the lights were off, but the room was illuminated by candles lining the edge of the tub.
There was a tray resting across the tub with a plate of charcuterie, a glass of wine, and a new book.
The aroma of eucalyptus from the bubble bath immediately calmed me.
Gabe had transformed my bathroom into a relaxing oasis.
“How did you…” I trailed off, closing the distance and wrapping my arms around him.
He pulled me flush against him, his palm on my lower back. “I wanted to do something for you. Something to help you relax now that you’re back at work and on your feet all day.”
My eyes got watery over the gesture, over how thoughtful he was, over how he knew—even before I did—how much I needed this. “Gabe, this is so sweet. Thank you.”
He cupped the side of my face, resting his forehead against mine. “My pleasure,” he murmured, running his thumb over my cheek. “Enjoy, and try to relax.”
By his words, it sounded like he was going to leave. Like he’d done this just for me…but he could use the relaxation, too.
“I want you to enjoy this with me. Don’t you think you need some help relaxing?”
He hummed, his nostrils flaring as heat blazed in his eyes. “I have been pretty tense lately.” He licked his lips, a smirk forming. He kept his arm wrapped around my waist and reached with his other hand to start to close the door. The cats scurried out before he shut it.
“I have two ideas to help you relax.” I eagerly started to unbutton his dress shirt and pushed it off his broad shoulders. I then moved my attention to undoing his belt.
“The bath, and…” Gabe trailed off, his hands starting to make quick work of ridding me of my sweater and jeans.
I decided to show him instead of telling. I dropped to my knees, pulling down his slacks and boxers so his length could spring free. I wrapped a hand around it and stroked.
“Fuck,” he hissed. He leaned against the bathroom counter, gripping the edge of it. His cock twitched, and I couldn’t wait to wrap my lips around him. Make him feel as good as he’d made me feel.
I ran my tongue along the side of his length eagerly before guiding him into my mouth with a hum.
“Lily. Holy shit…” His head tipped back, mouth ajar. His grip on the counter tightened, making the veins in his forearms even more prominent.
I worked my tongue along him, exploring and tasting as I bobbed my head up and down.
“Just like that, baby,” he rasped. “You look so fucking beautiful taking my cock.”
When his cock twitched, I took him deeper, using my hand to pleasure the base of him.
He sucked his bottom lip into his mouth, another groan escaping him. “That’s my girl.”
He brought one of his hands to the back of my head, wrapping my braid around his fist and pulling my mouth away.
“But—” I protested. I wasn’t done—not even close.
“I want to feel you,” he growled, his voice urgent, restraint snapping.
His grip on my hair loosened. He guided me to standing, turning me around so I was flush against the edge of the counter and he was standing behind me, his breath hot on my neck.
“You’re all I’ve been thinking about this week.
” Our eyes locked in the mirror. “Can I have you? Can I fuck your pretty pussy?”
My knees buckled, goosebumps forming on my skin from his breath, from the hungry look in his eyes, and from the way his cock pressed against me.
I let out an airy laugh as my stomach clenched with want. With so much desire I could barely stand.
Was that even a question?
“Yes,” I breathed, wanting to tell him always.
I stood naked in front of the counter, facing the mirror.
And any insecurities I normally had when I looked in the mirror—whether they were big or small—disappeared.
Because it was hard to feel insecure when Gabe looked at me like that.
Like he wanted to devour every inch of me.
Like he thought I was the most beautiful woman in the world.
Maybe, to him, I was.
“Oh, fuck,” I gasped as he slid inside me from behind. I leaned against the counter, my palms splayed against the cold surface. “Gabe!” I cried out, immediately clenching around him as he moved his hips. He brought a hand to cup my breast, the pad of his thumb teasing my hardened nipple.
“Fucking dream come true,” he groaned. “Everything about you.” He set his hand over mine, our fingers intertwining.
“Gabe, please don’t stop. Feels so good.”
Gabe grinned against my neck, pressing another series of kisses to the curve of my neck. I tipped my head back toward him, my eyes about to flutter closed when I heard Gabe’s voice.
“Keep those pretty eyes open,” he murmured. “I want you to see for yourself how beautiful you look when you come all over my cock.”
Our eyes locked in the mirror. Another kiss. Another thrust. Another feeling of his rough touch on my breasts. And I was gone.
My vision blurred, and I came undone for him. Within moments, I felt him finish, a low groan vibrating throughout his chest as he rasped my name, our gazes staying locked.
I was a mess—strands of hair escaping my braid, my cheeks flushed, a layer of sweat coating my skin—but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Gabe pulled out but stayed behind me, tucking a strand of blonde hair behind my ear and pressing a kiss to my temple.
I turned around in his arms, the cool marble pressed against my lower back.
His hands cradled my face. His expression was soft, so soft.
I wondered what was going through his mind, but I didn’t get a chance to ask, because he lowered his mouth to mine and kissed me.
And there was no way I was stopping that.
I leaned against Gabe’s firm chest, letting my eyes fall closed as I settled into the warm water and his even warmer embrace. He needed to refill the tub since the water had cooled, but now we were both able to sink in and relax, taking in the dim lighting and aroma of eucalyptus.
“How do you manage to do this?” he asked, giving the end of my braid a tug.
I had my hair in a French braid today, which was how I typically wore it to work.
I loved to have my hair down, but braiding it kept it out of my face as I moved around the café.
He slid off the black ponytail holder and put it on his wrist, running his fingers through my hair to undo the braid.
I let out a content hum. “That feels so good.” I relished the way his hands gently massaged my scalp and ran through my hair. “And to answer your question, years of practice. My mom used to braid my hair when I was little and taught me once I got older. I’ve gotten pretty quick with it.”
“Oh, I bet.” He pressed a kiss to the side of my head and moved my hair to one side, pulling my back flush against his chest.
“Can I ask you something?”
“Anything.”
I mulled over my words. There’d been something on my mind ever since Gabe had said it. “A couple of weeks ago at the café, I overheard your conversation with Louise.” I bit down on my bottom lip. “She asked about your first impression of me.”
“Yeah, I remember.”
“You said some…things. Did you mean them?”
I thought she was the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen.
Looking into her blue eyes calmed me in a way I’d never experienced.
My first impression of her was that she had the power to bring any man to his knees.
“I meant every word, Lily.”
My stomach pinched, and my brows furrowed. I liked that answer. I just…wasn’t expecting it.
“But we were enemies.” I glanced at him over my shoulder and saw the corner of his mouth tip up.
“I think it was more so that you thought we were enemies,” he clarified, which was fair.
“And while our first meeting was interesting, that was truly my first impression of you. And I was only more impressed with you the more time we spent together. I was—I am—impressed by your kindness, how caring you are, passionate, motivated, determined. All of that only makes you more beautiful.”
I swallowed the lump in my throat, hoping that if I took a moment to respond, he wouldn’t hear the emotion in my tone. It didn’t do any good. “That’s the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me,” I croaked.
I loved the way Gabe saw me, and it reminded me to be less critical of myself.
I wondered what this all meant for the building.
I still wanted it…but I wanted him, too.
It made me uneasy, because I didn’t want it to come between us, but I also didn’t want to step back.
He likely felt similarly, but I didn’t want to ask.
Not yet, at least. Maybe Hal would put us out of our misery and make a decision soon.
He did say he’d know by the start of the new year, although Hal had a tendency to be cryptic for a reason.
“What do you say about getting away this weekend?” Gabe murmured, snapping me out of my thoughts.
I raised my brows, curious what he was thinking. “What’d you have in mind?”
“I was thinking”—he ran his knuckles along my arm—“that we spend the day in Milwaukee visiting a bunch of different cafés.”
My lips parted, and I nodded eagerly. “Y-yeah, I would love that,” I stammered through my excitement.
Not only would it check another item off our list, but he remembered what I’d said during our dinner at Pasta Fresca about wanting to visit other cafés to get ideas for my own.
“I’m so excited. Can I see your apartment, too? And meet your cat?”
He chuckled. “You can definitely see my apartment. As far as meeting Beans, my friend Liam has been watching him. He started by stopping by my apartment, but since I’ve been here longer than anticipated, Liam brought Beans over to his condo.
He bought him a whole new setup, and I’m worried my cat won’t want to come home once I’m back in town. ”
“I’m sure you could win him back with lots of treats.”
Gabe leaned over the side of the tub, grabbing his slacks and pulling his phone out of his pocket. He brought up a text thread with Liam and showed me a series of photos of a sleeping Beans on a new cat tree, him playing with new toys, and the two of them snuggling on the couch.
“Ah.” I nodded understandingly. “I stand corrected. You have your work cut out for you.”
“The two of them didn’t even like each other before I left.”
“A lot can change in a month,” I pointed out.
Gabe nodded. “A lot can change in a month,” he repeated.