Page 91 of Fierce-Gabe

“I know you like messy fast food.”

It reminded him of their first date. The food truck lunch. She’d debated between tacos and hot dogs.

Maybe that was what he was trying to do too. Putting a little romantic nudge her way for her to open her eyes and agree to let people know about them.

“I do,” she said. “So, how do we play this then?”

“Why do we have to play it any way?” he asked. “Why can’t we just tell people that I’m irresistible? My charm won you over and you just couldn’t help yourself another day?”

She burst out laughing. “You’re so full of yourself.”

“I’ve been told that a time or two.”

“Very cute, Gabe.”

“You’ve said that about me too.”

“No,” she said. “I told you that you were pretty.”

He snorted. “Cute and hot sound better than pretty.”

“I think I’ll tell my father that I decided your good looks blinded me. I was jealous of your skin and wanted to know your secret and that is how we got talking.”

He choked on his bite. “No,” he said. “Not even funny.”

“Sure, it is,” she said, her finger reaching out and poking him in the belly.

He put his food down and grabbed her hand and yanked her close.

This side of her he’d never seen and enjoyed it.

“Can we be serious for a minute?”

“Sure,” she said. Her arms went around his waist and held on. “What do you want to tell people?”

“The truth. I wore your stubborn pride down and got you to talk to me. From that point on we realized we had a lot in common and ended up dating. No more details than that.”

“I want to argue, but you’re right. That is the truth. I’m good with it.”

He kissed her on the top of her head. “Even the stubborn pride part?”

“Like you said, it’s the truth. I’ll tell my father on Monday in the office. We both get there early enough. Can you do it the same day? I have a feeling it’s going to make the rounds and I’d like my father to hear it from me. I figured you’d want your parents to hear it from you too.”

“Yeah,” he said. “I can do that. Guess you aren’t so stubborn after all.”

“Sometimes it’s good to change a little,” she said softly.

27

THIS WAS PERSONAL

Elise really thought this would be easier than she was feeling on Monday morning while she waited for her father to arrive.

She barely slept last night.

Though she was on board with telling everyone she was dating Gabe, it was getting the words out of her darn mouth.

Which was funny coming from someone that never had a problem making her voice heard before.

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