Not wanting to appear too anxious, she waited until he came to the door. She opened it and stood still, half in shock. He wore a navy blue, pinstriped suit, tailored to perfection. The light blue dress shirt and two-tone blue tie enhanced the sapphire blue color of his eyes, made them a focal point. Although the rest of him wasn’t bad either. His broad shoulders seemed broader. His lean hips leaner. Her mouth watered and her insides clenched in need. She was a sucker for a well-dressed man, especially one as handsome as Gabe.
“You look gorgeous. Ready to go?”
“Um, yes. You clean up real good too. Just let me grab my purse.”
The hotel had valet parking, so Gabe pulled up, handed off the keys, and escorted her into the building. Gabe had taken her arm in his and they walked side-by-side. Several women glanced their way with envious expressions, and some openly stared. It felt good to be with the handsomest man in the place.
Gabe carried himself with an air of confidence that had everyone rushing to do his bidding. The host seated them right away. He showed them to a small alcove dining area that was relatively private. The maitre’d appeared as if by magic with menus and a bottle of champagne, which he poured for them.
“To us and a great working relationship,” Gabe said as they clinked glasses.
Kristin’s spirits fell. “Is that what this dinner is about?” she asked.
“Sort of,” he answered. “Your thirty days are up and you’ve more than proved yourself worthy and capable. Congratulations, Dr. Thornton. You are now a permanent employee of the Hudson Clinic.”
“Thanks, Gabe,” she said, forcing a smile to go with it. She’d waited for this day, had looked forward to it, but the news arriving at this point in time left her feeling flat. Kristin had to acknowledge the truth. She’d fallen for her boss and had hoped tonight would be the beginning of a personal relationship.
“You don’t sound too enthused. I thought that was what you wanted.”
“It was. It is. It’s just that, well, I wasn’t expecting a celebration.” Which was true. She’d expected, hoped for, so much more.
“Dining and dancing and the chance to hold a beautiful woman in my arms? How could we not celebrate?”
“Well, when you put it that way…thank you. I love to dance. Do you?”
Gabe smiled lasciviously. “Oh, yeah. I love the slow tunes best.”
Their waitress arrived and they placed their orders. Talk focused on the clinic, their personal likes and dislikes. By the time the meal was finished, Kris felt as if she knew Gabe so much better. He paid the check and they crossed the lobby to the bar where a live band was playing country music.
“We’ll find a table in a moment. I can’t wait another minute to hold you in my arms.”
He gathered her close and they swayed to the music, their bodies touching, a delicious friction building as they moved together.
“Mmmm, this is nice,” he whispered in her ear, his warm breath causing delicious tingles to run rampant through her system.
Kris didn’t speak a word, just snuggled in closer. Then the music stopped. She felt bereft as he released her, although he retained hold of her hand.
“The band just announced their intermission break. Do you want to stay and wait for the dancing to start again? Or go someplace more private?”
Do I? Oh, yeah. Do I dare? Not quite.
“Gabe, we have to live with ourselves in the morning and we work together every day. I’m not sure going some place private is a good idea.”
“Totally understandable. But I want to kiss you and I’d like a more private place where I can do so properly.”
“Oh!”
“I’m being truthful here, Kris. Am I moving too fast?”
“No, not really.” They were still standing in the middle of the dance floor while the other couples had returned to their seats. “I’m feeling a little conspicuous standing here. I think this is definitely a conversation to hold elsewhere—maybe over coffee?”
“And I know just the place. Come on.”
Like high school kids, they rushed for the door hand-in-hand, earning a lot of curious stares and smiles on their way out. Gabe held her close to his side as the valet went to fetch his truck. It felt so good to be held like this. She could feel his warmth, smell the cologne emanating from his skin. Spicy with a touch of musk, and it suited him. The valet held the door open and Gabe handed her into the passenger seat. She buckled up and soon they were on their way. To where, she had no idea, but she trusted the man behind the wheel. Wherever they were headed, he’d get them there safely.
“You look gorgeous. Ready to go?”
“Um, yes. You clean up real good too. Just let me grab my purse.”
The hotel had valet parking, so Gabe pulled up, handed off the keys, and escorted her into the building. Gabe had taken her arm in his and they walked side-by-side. Several women glanced their way with envious expressions, and some openly stared. It felt good to be with the handsomest man in the place.
Gabe carried himself with an air of confidence that had everyone rushing to do his bidding. The host seated them right away. He showed them to a small alcove dining area that was relatively private. The maitre’d appeared as if by magic with menus and a bottle of champagne, which he poured for them.
“To us and a great working relationship,” Gabe said as they clinked glasses.
Kristin’s spirits fell. “Is that what this dinner is about?” she asked.
“Sort of,” he answered. “Your thirty days are up and you’ve more than proved yourself worthy and capable. Congratulations, Dr. Thornton. You are now a permanent employee of the Hudson Clinic.”
“Thanks, Gabe,” she said, forcing a smile to go with it. She’d waited for this day, had looked forward to it, but the news arriving at this point in time left her feeling flat. Kristin had to acknowledge the truth. She’d fallen for her boss and had hoped tonight would be the beginning of a personal relationship.
“You don’t sound too enthused. I thought that was what you wanted.”
“It was. It is. It’s just that, well, I wasn’t expecting a celebration.” Which was true. She’d expected, hoped for, so much more.
“Dining and dancing and the chance to hold a beautiful woman in my arms? How could we not celebrate?”
“Well, when you put it that way…thank you. I love to dance. Do you?”
Gabe smiled lasciviously. “Oh, yeah. I love the slow tunes best.”
Their waitress arrived and they placed their orders. Talk focused on the clinic, their personal likes and dislikes. By the time the meal was finished, Kris felt as if she knew Gabe so much better. He paid the check and they crossed the lobby to the bar where a live band was playing country music.
“We’ll find a table in a moment. I can’t wait another minute to hold you in my arms.”
He gathered her close and they swayed to the music, their bodies touching, a delicious friction building as they moved together.
“Mmmm, this is nice,” he whispered in her ear, his warm breath causing delicious tingles to run rampant through her system.
Kris didn’t speak a word, just snuggled in closer. Then the music stopped. She felt bereft as he released her, although he retained hold of her hand.
“The band just announced their intermission break. Do you want to stay and wait for the dancing to start again? Or go someplace more private?”
Do I? Oh, yeah. Do I dare? Not quite.
“Gabe, we have to live with ourselves in the morning and we work together every day. I’m not sure going some place private is a good idea.”
“Totally understandable. But I want to kiss you and I’d like a more private place where I can do so properly.”
“Oh!”
“I’m being truthful here, Kris. Am I moving too fast?”
“No, not really.” They were still standing in the middle of the dance floor while the other couples had returned to their seats. “I’m feeling a little conspicuous standing here. I think this is definitely a conversation to hold elsewhere—maybe over coffee?”
“And I know just the place. Come on.”
Like high school kids, they rushed for the door hand-in-hand, earning a lot of curious stares and smiles on their way out. Gabe held her close to his side as the valet went to fetch his truck. It felt so good to be held like this. She could feel his warmth, smell the cologne emanating from his skin. Spicy with a touch of musk, and it suited him. The valet held the door open and Gabe handed her into the passenger seat. She buckled up and soon they were on their way. To where, she had no idea, but she trusted the man behind the wheel. Wherever they were headed, he’d get them there safely.