Chapter Two
Gabriel
Sitting in the boardroom, my focus isn’t on budgets, projects and contracts. My mind is on Brooke.
The bell chimed over the door of the coffee shop, and I curiously turned around. My breath hitched as I watched a brunette goddess stroll inside.
She wore leggings and an off the shoulder top, giving me a glimpse of her smooth skin. Her soft curves threatened to bring me to my knees. I itched to run my fingers through her long, dark hair. When our gazes locked, her chocolate eyes damn near made my heart stop.
I couldn’t resist the charge in the air between us. Grabbing my coffee, I made my move. Once we were seated, I hung on every word she said. I couldn’t help but smile at her body language. Obviously nervous, she squirmed and darted her eyes away from me more than once.
She said her marriage wasn’t a good one. I’ll dig into that later, but obviously the guy was a fucking idiot. How could any man mistreat a woman so beautiful?
Brooke Monroe is the entire package.
My bed’s been empty over the past year. Women want to sleep with the man on top, but not a damn one of them tried to dig deeper and get to know me. I’m thirty-five years old. Eventually, my looks will fade, and I need someone to love me for the man I am.
My thoughts are interrupted by Dalton, one of my construction supervisors. Looking up, I see him patiently waiting.
“I’m sorry. What was that?” I sneak a glance at my assistant, Barbara. She gives me a disapproving glare as she looks back at Dalton.
He clears his throat, repeating his question. “I asked if you had a chance to sign off on the new safety protocols, sir?”
Thinking of the thick folder with the new safety measures, I nod. “Yes, I signed them. Barbara has them on her desk.” He nods, returning his attention to the front of the room.
Lana, our budget analyst, begins her PowerPoint presentation.
Looking at how much my company has grown, pride swells in my chest. I’ve done well for myself over the years.
I own the most successful construction company in the south.
Starting the company to build homes, I slowly slipped into commercial buildings.
My patience paid off; success finally achieved.
I’ve made a few enemies over the years, notably William Johnson of the now bankrupt Johnson Construction Company. He’s a crooked bastard who’d do anything to make a dollar. Irritation flares at the thought of my rival, but I force it down. I haven’t heard from him in a month.
My mind drifts back to Brooke, and I want to see her tonight, but tomorrow’s duties start early.
I have another meeting first thing in the morning.
Being the owner of the company, I know I should be more interested in the numbers.
But I can’t get my mind off of her. I still smell her vanilla scent, wrapping around me like a warm breeze on a cold winter’s day.
Finally, the room is quiet. Before leaving, I glance at Barbara, and she pins me with another glare.
She knows I lose focus at these meetings, and she’s not afraid to scold me.
I grin and wink at her, earning an eye roll.
I head to my office, sifting through the mound of paperwork on my desk.
I spend the next hour reviewing contracts and invoices.
Unable to concentrate any longer, I head to the gym. After a long, hard work out, I opt for a shower.
Once I’m dressed, I check my phone. Brooke replied to my text, thanking me for the restaurant information.
Me: What are you doing right now?
Brooke: I just finished editing a book. It was a dark romance novel. I had to break out the wine for that one.
Me: Was it that bad?
Brooke: No, it was that good! ;)
Interesting.
A smile tugs at my lips. She seems more at ease talking through text, or maybe it’s the wine. Either way, I won’t waste the opportunity.
Me: What was so good about it?
Brooke: Ugh, where do I begin? The male main character was dark and broody.
Dominant. He was so commanding, and it was hot.
The female main character was annoyed by it at first and resisted, but then she realized he liked to be in control and keep her safe.
When she finally gave in to him, he brought her pleasure beyond anything she had ever known.
Me: It sounds like a good book. How many glasses of wine have you had?
Brooke: Two. Three? Why?
I don’t answer. I’m already in my truck, pulling out of the parking lot. I need to hear her voice.
“Hello?” She answers, sounding a little breathless.
“Hey, beautiful. I want to hear more about this book.” Putting her on speaker, I lay my phone in the cradle.
She giggles, the melodic sound releasing all the tension from my body. “You really want to hear about it?”
“Of course, tell me everything.”
“Okay, Gabriel. You asked for it.” Clearing her throat, I chuckle at the determination in her voice.
“The main characters, Mia and Wade, meet in a bar. Mia is drowning her sorrows after a bitter breakup with her cheating boyfriend. Wade is blowing off steam after a long day of work. They strike up a conversation, and Wade falls hard. Their chemistry is explosive, but she fights it, until she can’t anymore. ”
“What happens next?” My ears perk up when she inhales deeply.
“Things get heated when they get to his house. As soon as the front door closes, he pushes her against it, kissing her like he needs her to survive. She climbs his body, desperate for his touch. He takes her to the bedroom, tossing her on the bed.” Her breathing accelerates, clearly turned on.
“Keep going.” I demand, my own body responding to her voice and the story.
“He crawls up her body, ripping her dress open, licking and biting every inch of her. Mia tells herself to slow things down, but Wade is giving her what she craves. She’s completely lost to his touch and his primal needs. She let’s go, having the most intense sexual experience of her life.”
Fuck.
Brooke’s lust-filled voice makes me wish I was there with her. All the earlier tension in my body has returned. Knowing she’s turned on and there’s nothing I can do about it is killing me. We need to move this along.
“What happens once they’re together?”
“Oh. Well, their relationship grows stronger as they get closer. He’s controlling and paranoid, which drives her absolutely crazy.
Once someone breaks into her home and tries to kill her, everything makes sense.
Wade is a member of the mafia. When his rival goes after Mia, she barely escapes into the woods with her phone, calling Wade.
” A hint of fear in her voice, she gulps audibly through the line.
“She’s terrified while hiding in the trees, praying he gets there in time. Hearing the crunch of leaves underneath heavy footsteps, she closes her eyes, focusing on her breathing. As she feels hope slipping away, loud engines pierce the night air, the cavalry arriving to save her.”
“Wade saved her?” I’ve never been a reader. Never having the time or interest, I can only guess my body’s response is because of the woman telling me the story.
“Damn right he did. Wade and his crew came in, guns blazing. They killed them all. Once Mia heard him screaming for her, she ran out of the woods, straight into his arms. It was perfect. They admitted their love for each other. After his crew cleaned up the scene, Wade took Mia to his home, which was their home now. And they lived happily ever after.” I don’t miss the dreamy sigh escaping her lips.
“That was quite a book.”
“I’ll let you borrow it once it’s published.” She laughs.
“I may take you up on that.” The line is silent before I say, “Tell me something about yourself.”
She hums. “Well, you know what I do for a living. I work from home. I go into the office once a month to attend meetings and pick up anything I may need.”
“Do you enjoy working from home?” I pull into my driveway, shutting off the truck. Taking her off speaker, I hug the phone to my ear.
“I do, very much. It’s easier and I’m in my own space. What about you, Gabriel?” Her voice is sultry as she purrs my name.
Fuck.
“Okay. I’ll give you the cliff notes. I’m thirty-five, born and raised here. You already know I have my own company. What else?”
There’s a note of sadness in her tone when she asks, “Do you have family here?”
It’s an innocent question, but it brings a sting of pain with it.
“No. I don’t have any siblings. My mother passed away from lung cancer when I was twenty-five.
She lived a rough life. My dad wasn’t around, so mom did everything she could to ensure I’d have a fighting chance in this world.
I think that’s the reason behind my drive to be successful.
” And my need for control, but I leave that part out.
She gasps. “I’m so sorry, Gabe. I understand loss, too. My parents passed away in a car accident when I was ten. My Aunt Helen raised me, but she passed away from a brain tumor when I was twenty. I don’t have any other family either.”
It’s disturbing to imagine Brooke alone in this world. The sadness in her voice makes me want to reach through the phone and hold her close. An overwhelming urge to protect her settles in my chest.
She goes on to say since her divorce, she doesn’t really socialize. She has a few friends from work she talks to occasionally. I have some friends from work I hang out with every now and then, but I mostly stay to myself. That’s the way I’ve preferred things.
Until now.
I glance at the time on the dash of my truck. Dread settles in my gut. She’s opened up over the phone and I hate to cut things short. I hope she’s at ease like this tomorrow night, in person.
“I’m sorry, sweet girl. I need to get off the phone and get into bed. I have an early morning.” The words leave a bad taste in my mouth.
“Oh, don’t be sorry. I understand. I hope you sleep well, and I’ll see you tomorrow night.” There’s a smile in her voice and it makes me ache for her more.
“Sweet dreams, beautiful.”
She ends the call, and my head falls back to the head rest.
I’m in real fucking trouble.