Page 71 of Enchanting the CEO

"What paperwork?" I asked.

"She mentioned something about insurance."

I couldn't imagine what it was like to go through life getting what you wanted simply by being able to pay more.

"Wow," I said.

He looked at me intently. "You're uncomfortable."

"I'm just not used to handling money like this. I usually have to save every penny, so paying double wouldn't even have occurred to me." I was panicking a little on the inside because I frankly couldn't afford to pay double. I could barely afford the regular entry price, but I couldn't tell him that.

"It wasn’t a big deal. She said to pay on the website. I'll do that right now."

"I'll give you my card too," I said, continuing to panic.

He stared at me. "What are you talking about?"

"For the course."

"Diane, this is a date."

"No, come on. It's an activity we do together. I don't want to take advantage of you."

"Diane!" He cupped my face, drawing his thumb over my lips. "You're mine. You're spending time with me. Call it whatever you want—date, activity, whatever—but I pay, always. I take care of you, always. I'm not negotiating this."

"I'm not used to this, Gabe," I said, pulling back a bit because I couldn't entirely focus when he was touching my mouth. Come to think of it, I couldn't focus properly even when he was just looking at me like that, so I averted my gaze. "I'm a modern woman, you know? I want to split costs, and, you know, I wouldn't be one to expect my husband to financially support me. Though I would expect him to do half the housework."

There was a pause, and then I almost face-palmed myself.

"I meant generally. Don't worry, I'm not fantasizing about you putting a ring on my finger."

"I'm betting my grandmother will," he teased. "Especially after Maddox tells her about today."

"What do you mean?" I asked quickly, happy for the distraction from my faux pas.

“Let's just say what you saw this morning isn't how I usually am with my brothers. We give one another shit about everything. Grandmother is obviously trying to matchmake us. And I'm telling you, all three of those bozos are happy as clams that I showed up with you today."

"How come?"

"Because it would mean our grandmother is occupied with me."

"And that's a good thing? I'm not following."

He laughed. "I think the joke's on them because if Grandmother gets wind, she'll think her job here is done and focus on them."

"Ooooh, now I'm getting it," I said and started to laugh too.

I never knew family dynamics could be like this. My sister and I were close, but we didn't, as Gabe put it, "give each other shit." About dating, anyway. Must be a guy thing. I had no idea.

"Let’s drive straight there, but we’ll be a bit early," he said.

"Maybe we should make a pit stop and grab something to eat, just in case."

He frowned. "But we're cooking."

"I went to a cooking class a few years ago, and it takes a while till everything's ready, so we shouldn't go in there starving. It's going to be torture."

"You're right. What are you in the mood for?" he asked.

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