Page 104 of Enchanting the CEO

"No, but I missed you." He looked down at the casserole. "This looks delicious."

"It is, but it still needs to cool a bit."

He nodded but didn't say anything.

“Are you okay?” I asked. “You seem a bit tense.”

He cleared his throat. “Leo found out Dad wants to buy a property in Essex to build a hotel. Maddox and I decided to buy it instead. The new distillery and the hotel will be there.”

My eyes bulged. “Holy shit! No one messes with you Whitleys, huh?”

“No. We’re going to see the property next week on Tuesday, and if everything looks right, we’ll make an offer.”

“I’ll keep my fingers crossed.”

I decided on the spot to schedule apartment viewings on the same day. Then hopefully we could sort everything out that evening, after he’d put the debacle with his dad behind him.

"How was your day?" he asked, grabbing a fork. The man was impatient, as always.

"It was... okay."

"Don't sound too enthusiastic." He took a mouthful of casserole and then sucked in air to cool it as he chewed.

"Everything was fine until Chuck showed up to get his laptop. That put me in a sour mood."

Gabe put the fork back down, straightening up. "Chuck, your ex?"

I nodded. "Yes. He'd been bugging me about giving back his laptop for a while, and I kept postponing it. I told him to come get it today."

"When was he here?" Gabe asked. He had a strange look in his eyes, and his voice was a bit tight.

"Two o'clock. I wanted him to come when you weren't home. I figured middle of the day is best for that."

He stared at me. "You purposely asked him to come when I wasn't around?"

I shrugged. "He's got a penchant for annoying anyone he comes in contact with."

"Is that the only reason you didn't want me to be here?"

The hair at the back of my neck stood on end. "What other reason would I have?"

"I don't know. You tell me."

"I don't like what you're implying."

"I don't like that you asked him here at the house when you were alone."

"What exactly do you think? That I had a quickie with him before returning his shitty laptop?"

Gabe didn't say anything.

"Oh my God. You really think that?" My heart rate accelerated. "You can’t be serious."

"I can't believe you wanted to meet him alone."

"So I could spare you from having to face him," I repeated slowly.

He swallowed hard, putting his hands in his pockets. He looked so sexy even when he was annoying.

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