Page 7 of Say I Do

"Right, so we keep it professional." Do I hear a hint of disappointment?

"Gabriella, our relationship goes beyond mere professionalism. Don't you think so?" I'm fishing here, but I need a feel for where she might be. The last thing I want to do is scare her off.

I have never dated. This shit is all new to me. I'm not accustomed to finding myself in unfamiliar situations.

"Yes, I was really sad I might not see you again. Then boom, you were here." I glance in the mirror again to see her smiling. Those dimples of hers are on full display. I have the greatest urge to kiss them. I can’t help it when my lips turn up into a smile. The expression feels foreign. No one has ever evoked this sort of reaction from me.

“It’s settled then. You’ll live with me and be my personal assistant. Sound like a deal?” I wait for what feels like an eternity for her reply, unsure of what I’ll do if she doesn’t agree. The thoughts that cross my mind are not the most legal solutions. I definitely cannot kidnap her.

“You’ve got yourself a new personal assistant.” Her words break me from my thoughts of living as a fugitive just to have her with me. Relief and something else fill me with her agreement. Thank fuck.

Gabriella chirps on about all the things I’ll need if we decorate my home for the holidays. I mentally jot down a note to email Lauren, informing her that I might arrive late tomorrow, if at all. I also need to arrange for her to purchase a new phone for Gabriella. I want to be able to reach her at all times. I don't want her phone to stop working.

“Are you going into your office?” Gabriella asks when I pull down into the underground garage. The guard lifts the gate when he sees it’s me. I pull back into my normal parking spot.

“The top five floors are residents,” I tell her before getting out. I open the back door to grab her two trash bags. I want to toss them into one of the dumpsters, but I don't think she'd be too happy about that.

“I had no idea.” Gabriella holds on to her tiny piece of luggage. We need to do more than get holiday decorations. I’d rather spend tomorrow getting her things.

“One of the residential floors is for people who are traveling. I take up the top two, and the other two are for some executives.” Gabriella follows me toward the elevators.

“Wait, do you own the building?”

“Yes.” I hit the button. Gabriella’s eyes widen at my response.

“I had the top floors converted. I thought it would be more convenient.” The doors slide open. “This bank of elevators is forthe resident-only floors.” I pull out my card and scan it. “I’ll get you one.”

“How do you get to the offices?”

“You take this elevator down to one of the other residential floors. There will be another set there you can use.”

“I can’t believe you own a whole building.”

“It’s an investment.” I try to downplay it. Gabriella shifts on her feet.

I understand that her upbringing differs greatly from mine. My family always had money. I went to the best of schools and had a trust fund that helped me launch my career.

One thing we do have in common is not having family. Sure, mine are alive, but my father is a piece of shit, and my mother worships the ground he walks on.

Gabriella grew up in the foster system and fought for everything she has. Still, she’s as sweet and kind as can be. While I’m an asshole. I try to keep people away. Being a dick is the best way to do that.

“Ope,” Gabriella says when the elevator doors open right into my home. “That’s fancy.” She steps off. I follow after her. God knows I’d follow her anywhere.

6

GABRIELLA

“You want me to live here with you?” I ask. This is the fanciest place I think I’ve ever been in. I'm hesitant to touch anything. It screams wealth and stature. Two things I know little about.

“Do you not like it?” Caleb glances around. The place is beautiful but it is also bare. I suppose that really makes it a blank palette for holiday decorations. I’ll be able to make it more warm and welcoming. There are so many ideas already floating through my mind.

“It’s so shiny and nice.” I hold my suitcase closer to me while Caleb sets my trash bags right down on a fancy bench thing that is next to the elevator. They appear so ridiculous and out of place. I think a bit like me. This is all so surreal.

“Relax, Gabriella, it's just things and a house.” Caleb, being his normal sweet self, tries to reassure me. “This controls a lot of the house.” He picks up an iPad. At least that’s what it looks like. I follow him deeper into his home, my eyes taking everything in. It even smells brand-new in here. It’s hard to describe the aesthetic. Everything has a place. If I had to, I would say thespace looks as though it’s staged for a showing. There are no personal touches around.

We enter what I’m guessing is a living room. You step down into it. Couches surround it, forming a giant U shape. There is a stone wall with a massive fireplace carved out. I can see decorations and stockings hanging from it in my imagination. It wouldn’t take much to warm this place up a bit.

“See here.” He shows me the pad, clicking away. The fireplace sparks to life while a TV begins to descend from the ceiling. The amount of technology in this place is a bit overwhelming. All of it is incredible. With another press of a button, the curtains begin to pull back to reveal floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook the city.

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