Page 68 of A Table for Two
“No one’s. I’m just sayin’. Look, man, just give it some thought. You said yourself that the town did have a few good points. Ms. Ida’s, Splendid Scoops, and that lake we went to would make me reconsider. Then there’s Serenity. Staying a little longer would give you a chance to see if she’s your Mrs. Right.”
He sighed. On one hand, he wanted more time with Serenity. On the other, more time could potentially be dangerous to his heart. “Hmm” was all he said. “I need to get going.”
“Another hot date?”
“Not exactly. Serenity is having one of her supper club dinners.”
“Man, maybe I need to visit more often. Maybe check out those three or four fine friends.”
“Three. But remember Terri is married. I don’t know if Natasha or Dana is seeing anyone. It hasn’t come up. I could always put in a good word,” Gabriel added with a chuckle. Then it would take the heat off him.
“Nah, I like to make my own introductions. Besides, I don’t know if I want to trust what you might say.”
He laughed. “On that note, I’m out. Talk to you guys on Tuesday.” Gabriel ended the call and went inside. He changed out of his tank top and basketball shorts into a pair of navy linen shorts and a matching shirt. He got the bag holding two bottles of wine he’d purchased earlier out of the refrigerator, locked up, and went next door.
Serenity opened the door and gave him a bright smile. “Hey, Gabriel.” She came up on tiptoe and brushed a kiss over his mouth. “We’re out back.”
The kiss wasn’t nearly long enough for him, and he pulled her flush against him and crushed his mouth against hers. As soon as their lips connected, he was lost. His tongue stroked hers and delved deeper to claim every area of her mouth. Finally, he eased back, gifting her with butterfly kisses along her jaw, then lifted his head. “Hi.”
“Um…we should…probably…”
Gabriel smiled faintly. “Yeah, probably.” Except he needed a minute to get his body in order. “But we’ll never make it to the backyard if you keep standing there looking at me like that.” The woman was temptation personified.
She shook her head but was smiling. “I don’t know what I’m going to do with you.”
He lifted an eyebrow.
“Behave and come on.”
Chuckling, he followed her out to the back, where her three friends and another couple he didn’t know sat laughing and talking.
“Hey, Gabriel,” Dana called out. “I hope that bag means more wine.”
He held it up. “It does, indeed. And it’s already chilled.”
“Now, that’s what I’m talking about.” She hopped up from her chair and claimed the bag.
Smiling, he greeted everyone.
Serenity led him over to the couple. “Gabriel, I’d like you to meet my sister, Chandra, and my brother-in-law, Mark.”
Gabriel stuck out his hand, and both rose to shake it. “Nice to meet you.”
“Same here, my brother,” Mark said.
Gabriel repeated the gesture with Chandra. The two sisters were similar in looks and color, but Chandra was a few inches taller.
Chandra studied him and smiled. “It’s very nice to finally meet you, Gabriel. I’ve heard a lot of good things about you.”
He shifted his gaze briefly to Serenity, who lowered her head, then back to Chandra. “Oh?” He really wanted to know what Serenity had told her sister about them. She merely smiled and nodded, then hooked her arm in his and steered him toward the table filled with various appetizers.Uh-oh.“How long are you going to be here?” he asked, hoping to head off any interrogation.
“Just the weekend.” She gestured to the spread. “Go ahead and fix yourself a plate. Everything is delicious.”
“If your sister cooked, I have no doubt.” Gabriel scanned the offerings, which had been labeled—bacon-wrapped scallops, crab-stuffed shrimp wrapped in bacon, mini teriyaki beef skewers, lamb rib chops, barbecue chicken bites, vegetable and fruit trays, cheese and crackers, and spinach dip with sliced baguettes. He looked at the dessert-size plate in his hand. This wasn’t going to work.
“Problems?”
“Nothing that a bigger plate won’t solve.”
