Page 26 of Never Fake Date the Financier
“You too,” I say, ignoring the fact that I have no clue who she is.
“We were just talking about your cat.”
I swallow. Glance at Ella as she sucks in her bottom lip, trying her best to hold back a fit of laughter. And then I turn back to the woman. “My cat?”
“Snickerdoodle! It’s such a wonderful name, and Ella was telling me the story about how you nursed the poor thing back to health. All those fleas. The mange. How she slept in the crook of your neck and wouldn’t leave your side, so you had to bring her to work with you in a little carrying case.” The woman cups her hands in front of her, nearly swooning as she recounts the story of my nonexistent cat.
I blink slowly, shaking my head as I slowly peer at Ella as the woman continues talking. Well played, Ella. But two can play this game. And when I play, I never lose.
“And you did it all for Ella, even though you were allergic.”
“All of it true,” I say as Ella turns around, her cheeks ruddy and bottom lip swollen. There’s no more perfect sight or perfect opportunity.
I step forward, grabbing Ella by the wrist and pulling her into me. Her body tenses for a moment as she looks up at me. I slide my hand under her arm, resting it on the small of her back while I brush stray curls away from her face. I can feel her chest heaving against my body.
And her scent.Fuck. I’m a goner.
“Anything for love.” My voice is thick and raspy as I stare at her perfect lips.
Her tongue slips between them before retreating as she stares at mine, and then up at my eyes. There’s no hesitancy in her gaze. No deer in the headlights. Anticipation. Desire. Heat? I feel it all as I lean in, finally coming close to tasting those sweet lips of hers.
Her eyes close as everything around us seems to recede as Ella’s lips, the way she feels in my arms, and a burning need to claim her mouth come into sharp focus.
One more inch. One more inch. My muscles tighten along with my grip around her as my body is electrified, until it feels like it has been doused with water as Lillian squeals behind us.
“Time to go, ladies!”
Both of us turn to face Lillian. She’s heading for us.
“Gabs get your butt over here. You’re riding with me.”
Ella glances at me and sighs. “Lucky me.”
“Lucky you.”
Fuck. I should kiss her now, but she slips from my grasp. I snatch her hand before she gets too far away. Her eyes flare as I tug her toward me. I let out a throaty rasp. Swallow.
“We’ll finish this later.”
She stares at me for a brief moment, heat simmering beneath her gaze. But then she smiles. “So long as I haven’t been arrested for murder.”
I raise a brow.
“I’m not ruling anything out if Lillian keeps calling me Gabs.”
I kiss her hand. It’s a poor substitute for what I want to do to her, but I’ll take it for now. She’s momentarily flustered, cheeks blooming with color before she turns and strides away, turning back only once to say, “Don’t forget to check in on Snickerdoodle.”
How could I forget?
9
ELLA
Miraculously,I make it back to the hotel without a murder charge, even though Lillian made it incredibly tempting.
Gabs. Gab Gab. Gabberino. Gabster. G-Unit.
Even though it’s not my real name, my heart goes out to anyone named Gabriella if they had to endure this sick form of torture. Seriously, though, how did Ella not make the list of nicknames but Gabba-dabba-doo did?
