Page 11 of Gabe's Obsession

"You can let her go now," Tucker said, coming up behind him.

He ignored his friend, giving Nina one last squeeze before releasing her. He'd chosen to keep his back to Tucker for the moment due to his current raging desire to punch him for interrupting. They'd been having a moment and those were precious and far between these days.

"Go eat, Angel. We'll talk later."

To his surprise, she didn't argue or complain about him calling her 'Angel' again in front of her brother.

"Are you really okay?" he overheard Tucker ask her as he backed away. He turned away from them before she could answer, preferring to give them some privacy. He sensed something between them that needed to be resolved.

Over the years, he'd believed that Mason was the one who had the power to cut her the deepest. They'd certainly bickered often enough. But her direct questioning of Tucker at the table when she'd arrived hinted at a different story.

His angel had so many layers and he couldn't wait to start working his way through them.

"Here."

Gabe looked up to find Tori holding out a plate of food to him.

"You need to eat too, you know. You've been working yourself to the bone trying to take care of everyone else. Who's taking care of you?" she asked.

"You're worried about me? I'm touched."

She shrugged. "I notice these things. Nina is hurting something fierce, but so are you. I thought she would have come around to you already."

He followed Tori's gaze to find Nina and Tucker still engaged in a quiet, but uncomfortable looking conversation. "She's stubborn. Doesn't open up much either. It's not going to be easy."

Tori laughed. "Sounds like someone else I know."

"Why don't you tell me how you really feel?"

She laughed harder. "You know I call 'em like I see 'em. You two seem to belong together. Even if she'll never admit it."

"Hmm. Maybe. There is also such a thing as beating a dead horse."

She guffawed. "Oh please, don't even pretend you're thinking about giving up. I'd bet my last dollar you'd die trying. Giving up is not in your nature."

Tori definitely had a point. He'd waited this long and he could almost taste the essence of Nina on his tongue. They certainly had no shortage of chemistry. But until she got her past where it belonged—in the past—they'd remain in limbo.

He surveyed the room. First, he had some guests to get out of his house. As everyone gathered at the table and ate their food, the conversation remained lively. Some mundane topics were bandied about and then punctuated with more serious side notes about the future.

For Gabe, he couldn't focus on anything other than the next step with Nina. How many years had she denied interest in him or his proclivities? Yet, how many nights had she come to Purgatory with her girlfriends dressed to the nines and tempting his guests with her lovely body and sharp, intelligent eyes?

Why? He had so many questions without answers and he was well past ready to get them.

"Get out," he said.

Everyone gathered ceased their discussions and turned their gazes toward him.

"Excuse me?" Mason said. “I think you and I need to have a—”

"I said get out," he repeated, uncaring about protocol or niceties at the moment. He turned to Nina. "It's time for everyone to go. You and I have work to do." He left the room without saying another word.

Chapter Five

An hourlater Nina stood on the threshold of Gabe's office, not sure she wanted to go any farther. The dark, wood door stood slightly ajar, as if he'd left it that way just for her. It shouldn't surprise her that he'd wait for her to come to him. He had that way about him that managed to get him what he usually wanted without saying a word.

His oddball demand that forced everyone to leave abruptly had come out of left field and thrown her for a loop. And yet, something about the way he'd looked at her on his way out of the room had her going along with it.

Only once everyone left, she'd spent her time cleaning up the dining room and kitchen instead of confronting Gabe. Her thoughts and emotions were still all over the map and she'd been unable to get his suggestion that she submit to him out of her mind.

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