Page 29 of Forever Mine

Progress. That is fucking progress.

I whistle as I walk to my car.

Maybe next week won’t be so bad after all.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Monica

I shouldn’t be looking forward to the conference as much as I am. Especially considering how much Marcus complained once he realized I’d be gone all week and who I would be with. Marcus doesn’t know that Gabriel and I kissed, and I plan to keep it that way. I’m growing less and less interested in keeping any kind of relationship with Marcus. My initial hope to keep him as a fuck buddy has now morphed into just trying to stay away from him. Emily has let me stay a few nights at her house under the premise of babysitting her girls. Since Marcus has a key and comes and goes as he pleases, I never feel like I can relax at my apartment.

The sex has always been really good with Marcus. But lately, I can only get off by thinking of Gabriel. I feel incredible guilt about this and don’t know how to make peace with it. I hope this week in Boulder with Gabriel will help me see him in a new light, and I won’t be attracted to him anymore.

At twelve on the dot, a knock sounds on my door. I swing open the door to find Gabriel with a sour expression.

“Anyone can get in the building,” he states.

“Yes?”

“Why isn’t that front door locked?” he asks.

I shrug. “It’s been that way since I moved in.”

“It’s not safe, querida.”

I raise an eyebrow at him, and he chuckles.

“Sorry. I know I’m not supposed to call you that.”

I don’t respond. Secretly I love it. Marcus only calls me babe, and I have a feeling he calls any woman babe. For some reason, Gabriel’s term of endearment sounds much more special. Maybe someday I’ll have the guts to ask him how many women he has cute nicknames for.

I grab my suitcase and pull it into the hallway before turning to lock my door. Gabriel has already taken the suitcase and motions for me to walk in front of him down the stairs. As we arrive at the building door, he reaches around me and pushes the door open. I get a whiff of his cologne, and my breath catches. I feel a puff of his hot breath on my neck, and I shudder.

“You okay?” he says quietly, and I nod. I’m afraid to speak. Afraid I’ll blurt out my thoughts, and I won’t have time to filter them. He’s myboss. My boss. Monica, get it together.

As we approach his car, he again beats me to the car and opens the passenger door for me. “Are you always this chivalrous?”

He chuckles again. “My mãe raised me to respect women,querida.”

I don’t correct him when he says it.

After placing my suitcase in the trunk, he rounds the car and slides into the driver’s seat. As the car turns on, I’m surprised to hear the radio tuned to a country station. I don’t say anything as Gabriel begins to drive, but I realize a few moments in that he’s humming along to the song.

“Do you like country music?” I blurt out, my mouth hanging open.

Gabriel gives me a crooked grin and a wink. Jesus. I’m immediately soaking wet.

“I grew up in Texas. It’s basically all I experienced there,” he tells me.

“Oh, really? What part?”

“Near Fort Worth.”

“Oh, that helps to explain the music,” I muse.

“Meghan told me you’re also from Texas. What part?”

My good mood dims as I think about my childhood.

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