Page 67 of The Boss and the Adoption Mess
“My name’s Caroline. And you’re Gabriel? That’s a really hot, unusual name.”
She moves with elegant moves, knowing exactly how to use her charms. A sway of the hips here, a glance over her shoulder there, a flutter of lashes that would normally captivate me—if my heart weren’t with someone else.
But maybe I’ll forget Kim if I spend the night with her.
Maybe she’ll stop haunting my mind.
Maybe my heart will finally rest.
It's worth a try.
I close the door and watch Caroline set her black handbag aside and glance around curiously. Her long, slender legs are inviting; she seems to float in her heels. Everything about her is meant to delight the male eye—yet… I’m not interested. That has to change.
“I want to be honest,” I begin.
“Let me guess: you’re in love with a woman who looks like me?” I don’t need to say much to confirm it. “I thought so. Someone specifically asking for a woman like me—that doesn’t happen often. Lucky for you I was in town. I’m not in London very often. Only a few days here and there. Tomorrow I fly back to Dublin. But I come over now and then.”
She comes closer, smiling knowingly, seductively. I stand still, feeling my whole body resist.
“You’re so tense, Gabriel. Come, sit down.” Her hands trail across my chest. For a moment, I remember Kim touching me like that. I close my eyes before looking back at her.
“That bad?” She gently takes hold of my tie and pulls me toward the bed. I follow as she steps backward, keeping her eyes on mine.
“I’m here for you, Gabriel. But we don’t have to do anything you’ll regret later. We can talk. Or just sit. I can listen. Kiss you. Turn off the lights. I can play a role for you. You can give meanother name. Whatever you want. However you want. Tonight, I’m all yours.”
At the edge of the bed, I cup her cheeks in my hands. My thumbs brush over her skin. How I’ve longed to do that with Kim. Not just hold her—but touch her face. Kiss her. Throw her onto the bed. Push up her dress. Make her come. Again, and again. Through the dark night. Minute by minute. Hour after hour. Until dawn, when the light kisses London awake and rouses it from its deep sleep.
How I would have loved to do it—with her.
Not with this woman, lying next to me now, while I haven’t closed my eyes at all. I never would have thought sex could feel so empty.
This isn’t what I want.
No—this isn’t what I need anymore.
And I know what that means: I have a problem.
One that can’t be easily solved with money.
Or with another woman.
Or with the pathetic attempt to trick my heart.
Chapter 17
Kimberley
I'm standing in the kitchen with Rosie. The bacon is sizzling in the pan, and the scrambled eggs are almost ready. We've brushed the toast with homemade garlic butter so it can get crispy in the oven. We're also making blueberry pancakes. There’s yogurt with fruit ready too, of course—but today we’re going for sweet and savory.
Suddenly I hear noises from the hallway—different from what I expected. The door to the garage opens. Did I miss Gabriel coming downstairs earlier?
“Hey, you two. Good morning,” he greets us. His hair is a little mussed, and he’s still in the same clothes as last night.
“Good morning!” Rosie calls out happily, immediately chattering: “We made bacon for you. And scrambled eggs. And pancakes. And waffles…” She runs through everything we’ve been cooking for the last hour, while I study Gabriel in confusion.
“Hey. Where were you?” I ask quietly as I step closer, making sure Rosie doesn’t hear.
“I fell asleep on my mother’s couch. She didn’t wake me until early this morning,” he says.
