Authors: Kayla Perrin
All I Want Is You (17 page)
As the thought crossed her mind, the man looked up, meeting her gaze, and he smiled, clearly amused. Brilliant white teeth shimmered like polished pearls behind full lips that begged for her attention. Malisa heard herself gasp as she stepped quickly out of view, tripping and almost falling to the floor when she bumped into Baylor and a tray of dirty dishes the girl carried.
“Hey, be careful,” Baylor chimed, annoyance coating her words.
“Sorry,” Malisa mumbled, blushing profusely.
Baylor brushed past her, moving into the kitchen to drop the contents of the tray into the sink. From the other end of the room, Anitra was laughing loudly.
“Oh, shut up, Anitra,” Malisa fumed.
Her sister continued to laugh, shaking her head.
Gabriel chuckled, the easy laugh pulling his full lips into a wide smile. He'd caught the woman peeking from the kitchen for the third time since he'd taken a seat. This time, she'd been so flustered that she'd tripped out the door, almost falling face-first to the floor. Her recovery had been swift, and he was willing to bet her brothers and sisters would give her a hard time the minute he was out of earshot.
She avoided his gaze as she stepped back into the room. Crimson-red flooded her cheeks.
“Here, Malisa,” he said politely, “come sit.” He gestured to the empty chair at his side.
Knowing that it would be a waste of energy to argue, Malisa moved to sit down. As she did, Gabriel rose from his seat to pull out her chair. Miss Etta smiled, approval raining from her eyes.
Malisa was caught off guard as the man moved behind her, his hand brushing ever so slightly against her arm as he reached for the chair. She inhaled swiftly, hoping that her discomfort would not be noticed. Her heart was suddenly beating too rapidly in her chest, perspiration rising to her palms. The light scent of his cologne billowed in the air around him. Malisa found it intoxicating as she took a deep breath and then a second.
As Gabriel sat back down, he glanced out of the corner of his eye to observe the young woman. The color had risen to her cheeks a second time, a hint of red brightening her face. He smiled again, clearing his throat slightly as he caught her eye, lifting his eyebrows teasingly.
He reached for his glass of ice water just as Miss Etta asked about refilling his plate.
“Miss Etta, I couldn't eat another bite,” he said, patting his stomach. “And I hate to eat and run, but I really do have to be leaving.” He glanced down at his iPhone, noting the five missed calls from his ex-wife. Although he'd been having a great time, ignoring her would prove to be a headache for him much later.
“Well, I hate to see you rush off, but it was nice to meet you, Gabriel. I hope that we'll be seeing much more of you,” Miss Etta said, the comment directed more at Malisa than him.
Gabriel smiled again, turning to look at Malisa. “I certainly hope so, Miss Etta. I certainly hope so,” he said, the warmth of his smile caressing her like a wave of heat.
Rising from his seat, he helped Malisa out of her own chair. He moved around the room and shook hands with Malisa's father and brothers, kissed Miss Etta's cheek, and wished everyone a very Merry Christmas.
“I'll walk you out to your car,” Malisa said, ignoring the looks her family members were giving her. “Zachary, let me borrow your jacket,” she said as she reached for the coat hanging against the back of the man's chair. She slipped it on without waiting for him to answer and led Gabriel back through the house and out the front door.
Gabriel's smile widened with each step as he watched her ease her way beside him. He'd been completely enthralled as he had sat staring at her. The woman seemed to radiate light, a glow of energy encircling her petite frame. The cashmere dress she wore hung casually around her feminine physique, complementing every inch of her lush curves. The fullness of rounded breasts peeked from the opened buttons at the neckline that stopped before too much could be exposed. Those large eyes, high cheekbones with just the hint of a dimple in her round cheeks, and full, pouty lips filled her round face. Gabriel suddenly wondered once again what it might be like to taste her mouth, to feel those lips against his own. His eyes widened excitedly at the thought.
Outside, Malisa apologized. “My family can be a bit much sometimes,” she said.
“I like your family. And I had a great time. I appreciate you inviting me inside.”
“I'm glad you could stay. And thank you again for rescuing me earlier,” she said softly. She looked back at the light-filled windows to see if any of her family was watching. For a brief moment, she thought her mother might have been peeking from behind the bathroom blinds, and she shook her head.
“So, when can I see you again?” Gabriel questioned, turning around to face her. He leaned back against the fender of his car.
Beneath the darkened sky, Malisa met his stare, knowing that he was eyeing her intently beneath the dim lights.
“I'd like that,” she said softly. “Maybe we can do dinner sometime.”
“What are your plans tomorrow? Do you have any free time at all?”
Surprise registered in her expression. “But tomorrow's Christmas. I'm sure you have plans with your family. Your son . . .” She paused.
He nodded. “We're spending the day at home, nothing special. And once Trey opens his gifts, he won't be interested in anything until the food is ready. Then he'll eat and forget all about me again.” Gabriel pushed his hands into the pockets of his jacket. “I was thinking that maybe if you're not busy, you could stop by for a little while. It'll be very casual, and since I met your family, I would love to introduce you to mine.”
There was a moment of silence before Gabriel continued. He took a step toward her, moving his body closer to hers. His voice dropped two octaves. “I hope I'm not being too forward, but I would really like to spend more time with you, Malisa,” he said as he stared down into her eyes.
Malisa couldn't deny the wave of wanting that had suddenly consumed her. The man had her breathing heavily, and she was grateful that he couldn't see how her body was responding to the nearness of him.
“Unless, of course, you have plans?” he finished.
She shook her head, her fists clenched tightly at her sides. “I'm just spending time with my family. And there will be a few friends I plan to visit in the afternoon. Why don't you give me a call tomorrow and we'll take it from there?” she said. She boldly reached for the iPhone in his pocket, accessed his address book, and entered her contact information.
Gabriel grinned as she gently tucked the device back into the pocket she'd taken it from, drawing her palm easily across his chest. She lifted her eyes to his and smiled sweetly.
“I will call you in the morning,” he promised, still not moving from where he stood.
She nodded, shifting her eyes back and forth across his face. Heat wafted between them like a rolling tidal wave.
Malisa was feeling out of sorts, unable to explain the undeniable attraction between them. He felt like an old friend and not a new acquaintance, someone she knew well and wanted to know better. Gabriel was equally mystified by the depth of chemistry that had drawn him to her, but he liked every ounce of it, wanting to see where it might take them.
Above them, bright stars shimmered in the darkness. The first flakes of Christmas snow began to fall, billowing like flecks of glitter in the late-night air. Malisa looked up into the night sky, a wide smile flooding her face. Gabriel's gaze followed hers, his own smile deepening warmly. He held up the palm of his hand, the downy specks melting against the heat of his skin. He dropped his eyes to hers, desire dancing between them in the dark orbs.
“Merry Christmas, Gabriel,” Malisa said softly.
“Merry Christmas,” he answered. Then, without a second thought, Gabriel Whitman leaned in and kissed her, gently pressing his lips to her forehead.
When he pulled his car out of the driveway and disappeared from sight, Malisa was still standing in awe.
Chapter 4
The three sisters were snuggled down in Baylor's bedroom, the teen more than perturbed by the intrusion. Had she had her way, her sisters would have bunked together in the family guest room, and her aunt and uncle would have stayed in town at one of the many hotels. As her mother would have it, the aunt and uncle were taking up space and she was stuck with her older siblings.
She tried to ignore them as she skipped about on the Internet, flipping back and forth from a news site to her Facebook page when neither of them was paying any attention.
Malisa raised an eyebrow in her direction. “Santa's not going to bring you any gifts if you don't go to sleep, Baylor.”
“Santa already stuck my gifts under the tree before she went to bed, thank you very much!”
Anitra laughed. “Good try, Malisa, but that stopped working when Baylor was fourteen.”
“No, it stopped working when I was nine and found out Mommy and Daddy were the ones buying all my toys.”
“Who told you?” Anitra asked.
“Kenny Banes. A dumb boy in my gym class!”
Her sisters laughed. “All boys are dumb. Don't ever forget that,” Malisa stated matter-of-factly.
“Is Gabriel dumb?” the girl asked, her eyebrows lifted curiously.
“Gabriel's not a boy. He's a man!” Malisa exclaimed.
“And a very fine specimen if I do say so myself,” Anitra noted.
Malisa grinned. “Yes, he is!” she agreed.
“His son is kind of cute too,” Baylor interjected. “How old did he say he was?”
“How do you know what his son looks like?” Malisa asked.
The girl pointed to the screen on her laptop. “His Facebook page. He has over a thousand friends.”
The two older sisters sprang from their beds to peer over Baylor's shoulder. The girl pointed to a young man who had Gabriel's features but was darker in complexion, his skin the color of melted dark chocolate.
“What else is on his page?” Malisa asked, scanning the screen excitedly.
“Not much. Some pictures of him at various business functions, a couple more with his son . . .” She paused. “Here's a cute one,” the girl said, pointing. “They were skiing in Colorado.”
“Stop clicking so fast!” Malisa said excitedly, wanting to examine each of the online images of Gabriel.
Baylor sucked her teeth. “Tch! Go get your computer if you want to check out your new boyfriend,” Baylor responded. “I'm trying to make my own love connections.”
“He's not my . . .” Malisa started before changing her mind. Arguing with Baylor was hardly worth the effort.
“I'm sure Mommy will have much to say about any love connections you're thinking about,” Anitra interjected.
“Not if she doesn't know,” Baylor chimed.
Malisa and Anitra cut their eyes at each other.
“Mommy knows everything,” Malisa laughed. “Don't be fooled into thinking she doesn't.”
“I know that's right,” Anitra said. “And if you're thinking it, trust that Malisa and I have already done it and been punished for it. You are not going to get much past our parents.”
Baylor rolled her eyes skyward. “So you two say.”
“So we two know!” Malisa said with a deep laugh.
“But that's okay, try your luck if you want to.” She was still laughing.
“Well,” Baylor said with a shrug of her shoulders, “if he were my boyfriend, I'd have to break up with him.”
“Why?” Malisa asked, her gaze still scanning Gabriel's profile page anxiously. “What's wrong with him?”
“Mommy and Daddy like him,” the girl said, meeting Malisa's curious gaze. “How much fun can that be?”
There was a moment of pause as Anitra and Malisa reflected on their sister's comment. And then both women burst out laughing heartily.
Anitra nodded. “Like we said, been there, done that!”
Malisa shook her head as she returned to the warmth of her fleece coverings. “I'm going to sleep so Santa won't skip me this year.”
“I think Santa brought you your gift already,” Anitra said as she climbed back into her own bed. “He's over six feet tall, employed, educated, and has the body of a Mandingo warrior. The only question is, are you going to keep him or return him for an exchange?”
Malisa grinned as she pulled the covers up beneath her chin. Her thoughts wandered momentarily. She had thoroughly enjoyed Gabriel's company. The man had incredible presence, and Malisa liked a man who commanded attention by simply stepping into a room. He'd also been sensitive to her situation, allowing his jokes about her predicament to stay between the two of them, and the man had had many jokes.
But she liked his sense of humor. In fact, there was much about Gabriel that she liked. And even more that she wanted to learn about the man. She sensed that when she was completely educated with the ins and outs of Gabriel Whitman, she would not be disappointed.
Mulling over her sister's query, her grin widened even farther. “Sister dear,” she said finally, “something tells me that Mr. Whitman is definitely a keeper.”
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Gabriel stood in the doorway of his son's bedroom, taking one last look at the sleeping boy. Quiet had finally consumed their home, his son having finally settled down for the evening. Trey lay sprawled across his bedspread, earplugs in his ears as he snored softly. He'd fallen asleep fully clothed, and knowing that his son's mother would be thoroughly annoyed by that fact, Gabriel opted to leave the youngster be.
Peering out the large bay window across the room, Gabriel saw that the falling snow had begun to cling to the landscape, a cushion of bright white decorating the tree limbs and grass. It would make for a beautiful Christmas morning.
He eased the door closed and moved down the hallway to his bedroom. Behind his own door, Gabriel undid the buttons on his shirt and pulled the garment off. He flexed his muscles as he tossed the top across a wingback chair that decorated the room. Moving to the desk and his computer, he settled down into the leather chair, switching the appliance on.
Before long, he was logged onto the Internet. Two clicks and the Google Web page filled the screen. He typed Malisa Ivey's name into the search engine and pushed ENTER. Sixteen seconds later, he was presented with a list of over six hundred fifty-five thousand entries. At the top of the page was the Web site link for the restaurant Sweet Tea and Grits.
An hour later, Gabriel had perused more pages and read as many articles about the renowned chef and bakery artist. Well respected in her field, Malisa Ivey had made quite a name for herself in the food industry.
Gabriel was surprised to discover that not only did she have a very successful restaurant in Asheville, North Carolina, but also one in Manhattan and another in Washington, DC. Malisa hosted two cooking shows on the Food Network, was the author of fifteen cookbooks, and was launching a new magazine called
Malisa Ivey's Good Eats.
Malisa Ivey's Good Eats.
He was also intrigued to discover that the woman had homes in Tuscany, Italy; Lake Luzerne, New York; and Santa Barbara, California. In addition, she was an avid reader; loved to water ski and snorkel; and had dated a celebrity or two, the last being a star forward for the Miami Heat basketball team.
Every new photo that he found of the woman was even more intriguing than the last. The camera loved everything about her. Malisa Ivey looked like a top model for
Vogue.
Vogue.
Gabriel was half tempted to print a few out when there was a knock on his bedroom door and his ex-wife pushed her way inside.
“Am I interrupting anything?” Delores Winn said, her tone sugary sweet. She didn't bother to wait for an invitation before entering the room abruptly.
Gabriel looked from her to his computer and back again as he pressed the machine's OFF button and shut the unit down.
“What's wrong, Delores?” he asked, fighting to keep his annoyance out of his tone.
Easing her way into the room, she closed the door behind her. “Nothing,” she said as she struck a seductive pose, batting her eyelashes at him. “I just wanted to wish you Merry Christmas and say good night is all.”
Gabriel nodded. There was no missing his ex-wife's intentions as she sauntered to the middle of the room and dropped down onto the edge of his king-sized bed. Delores was wearing lingerie, a see-through peekaboo negligee, the sole purpose of which was to tempt, tease, and thrill. It fit her nicely, and Gabriel would have been lying if he didn't admit to appreciating his ex-wife's well-toned body, melon-sized breasts, and dancer legs. But appreciating her from a distance was all Gabriel intended to ever do.
The chore was made even more challenging as Delores leaned back on her elbows and lifted her legs off the floor, gliding the manicured toes of her right foot up the length of his left calf. The woman drew the length of her fingers between her cleavage and smiled seductively in his direction.
Shaking his head, Gabriel blew a deep sigh. He had grown tired of Delores's antics while they'd still been married. The two had met in college, at the University of North CarolinaâChapel Hill. Delores had been a sophomore, Gabriel a freshman. The woman had been a vulture the way she'd hooked her claws into him and had refused to let go.
Trey had been born just weeks before his graduation, and to satisfy both sets of parents and preserve the family honor everyone kept bullying him about, he'd married the child's mother. Even as they'd stood in front of the justice of the peace at the county clerk's office, Trey cradled in Delores's arms, Gabriel had known he was making the mistake of a lifetime.
For ten years he had tried to make sense of it, to do the right thing, and no matter what he did or tried to do, Delores had never been happy. And the more unhappy Delores was, the more she tried to ruin everyone else's good time. Eventually, Gabriel knew that the very best thing he could ever do for his son, and the child's mother, was to file for divorce, fight for joint custody of his son, and write Delores a sizeable settlement check. Even his mother, who had never had a negative word for anyone, had pushed him to put his marriage to rest and rid all of the family from the misery that was Delores Winn.
And even now, almost five years later, Delores remained intent on making their lives as miserable as she could possibly manage. He met her gaze and shook his head vehemently.
“That was very nice of you, Delores. You have a good night now,” he said as he rose from his seat, crossed to the other side of the room, and swung the bedroom door wide open. “Merry Christmas.”
The woman's expression shifted from coquettish to venomous, her stare abrasive enough to cut ice. Her tone was harsh as she voiced her displeasure. “You don't have to be so hostile about it, Gabriel. It is Christmas and we were married. It's not like our being together would hurt anything.”
He didn't bother to respond, the expression on his face voicing his displeasure. He had no intentions of having casual sex with his ex-wife, no matter how much temptation she tried to throw his way. She persisted before he finally said, “I'm sorry, Delores, but it's not going to happen.”
She lay back against the mattress and spread her legs, her hand cupping her crotch. “It's Christmas, Gabriel. Come get you some Christmas pudding,” she said, trying to entice him to her.
Gabriel grimaced, the involuntary muscle reflex moving Delores to frown, her ire rising. He bit his tongue, willing himself not to say how he really felt about her offer of her holiday treat. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath and counted to five. Opening them again, he focused his gaze on the opposite wall behind her head, not wanting to meet the woman's raging stare.
“Let's not fight, Delores,” he said finally. “I don't want to ruin Trey's holiday. Please don't make me regret allowing you to stay the night so that you can see your son open his gifts in the morning. You can give me a hard time if you want, but it's still not too late for you to go home. It's your choice.”
Delores jumped off the bed in a huff. She stopped short in the entranceway, her eyes narrowed to thin, angry slits. “When all you have is your hand, you'll wish you had some of this,” she hissed, and then she stormed down the hall to the guest room. Once Gabriel heard the door slam shut, he closed his own and locked it behind him.
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