Page 80 of Vicious Temptation

Except you don’t do those things with Clara, do you? So it’s different. It’s a date. A real date.

I swallow hard, trying to ignore the thought. Gabriel wouldn’t call it a date, and I’m not going to, either. He’s been very clear about what we are to each other—all of the boundaries and lines set. But I find myself not wanting to wear the heavy, uncomfortable clothes that I’ve covered up in for the last several months.

I’m not ready to go out in shorts and a tank top yet, either. But surely there’s a middle ground—I thumb through my stacks of clothes, thinking about the fact that we’ll undoubtedly encounter other people, and how that will make me feel.

But Gabriel will be with me, and I know he’ll keep me safe.

I take a breath, going to my closet. There’s a gorgeous, silky maxi dress hanging in there that I love, with spaghetti straps and a v-neckline, that comes down to my ankles but has slits up either side to just above my knees. It’s white with a vibrant sunflower pattern that takes up most of the dress, the back scooping low, with the straps criss-crossing in the back. I take it out, considering.

When I slip it over my head, the silk feels sensual against my skin, slippery and smooth, almost indulgent. It flatters me beautifully—I’ve gained a little weight since moving here, in all the right ways, and it clings attractively to my hips and breasts, the v-neck showing the smallest hint of cleavage. When I move, my legs peek out of the slits, but not drastically.

I take a lightweight chambray shirt out of the closet, pulling it on, and tying it at my waist. After a moment’s thought, I take a deep breath, and roll up the sleeves to my elbows.

There. I look in the mirror, realizing that I don’t feel as afraid as I thought I would. There’s a tremor in my stomach, but it’s more at the thought of Gabriel seeing me like this than anything else—wondering what the look on his face will be, what he’ll say.

I slip on my rose gold jewelry, the familiarity of it comforting, and slip my feet into a pair of sandals. My toes are unpainted, but I can’t bring myself to think about that right now. The fact that I’m wearing shoes other than heavy combat boots is enough to tackle at the moment.

Gabriel is waiting for me in the foyer. And when he turns around, the look on his face is enough to stop me in my tracks—enough to make me glance around quickly to see if anyone else is there, because if anyone else saw it, they would know instantly everything that’s happened between us.

There’s so much heat in his gaze that it could set me on fire. It sweeps over me, and he swallows hard, his throat constricting as he takes me in. “You look fucking incredible,” he murmurs, his eyes raking over me again, as if he can’t get enough. “You—are you going to be okay in that?”

Something melts in my chest, that his next thought so quickly after seeing me is my well-being. I nod, a small, jerky motion. “I think so.”

“I planned on taking you to lunch.” He’s looking at me hungrily, as if he wants to eat me instead, and something in my stomach tightens at the thought. “And I thought you could show me those botanical gardens. There’ll be other people around.”

I nod again, nervously. “I think I’ll be okay. I—I want to try.”

Gabriel smiles, a slow, bright smile that spreads across his face. He crosses the space between us, stopping just in front of me, and he lifts his hand, stopping just shy of cupping my cheek. When I meet his gaze, he brings his hand in slowly, his fingers grazing my jaw, and I shiver.

But I don’t flinch. I don’t flinch. I feel a burning behind my eyes at the realization.

“If you can’t handle it,” he says quietly, “I’ll bring you back home the second you say. No questions asked. We just go, if you’re uncomfortable. Promise you’ll tell me if you are.”

I bite my lip, trying not to let tears well up. I can see the heat in his eyes still, can see his desire for me—but all of that is taking a backseat to his concern. And nothing has ever meant more to me in my entire life.

I nod. “I promise.”

“Okay.” Gabriel steps back, shoving his hands in his pockets, as if he needs to stop himself from touching me before it goes further. “Come on. We’re taking the Ferrari.”

My eyes go wide. “You’re teaching me how to drive the Ferrari? On my second lesson?”

A guilty expression crosses his face. “I hope you’re not too disappointed,” he says slowly. “I think we’ll put off the driving lesson for another day. I’d like to spend more time in the city with you. And give you plenty of time for taking photos of whatever you want.” There’s a hint of something else in his face, a glint in his eyes that makes me think he’s not telling me everything, but I’m too busy absorbing everything else to think very much about it.

“That’s fine,” I tell him quickly. “I want another driving lesson, but—as long as we can do it another day? I want to take pictures more.”

Gabriel grins. “I thought you’d say that. Let’s go.”

I can’t help thinking, as we walk out to where the Ferrari is parked in front of the house, how easy this all is. Too easy. Gabriel is cautious with me, not taking my hand, giving me room still. He opens my door for me, and I realize that from the house to the car, I haven’t thought about or worried about what I’m wearing. About the feeling of having my arms bare and my legs peeking through my skirt.

It wouldn’t seem like much to most people, but it’s a huge step for me.

The car purrs as Gabriel starts the engine, and I bite my lip, sliding my hands over the seats. I love the car, and I can’t help hoping that, eventually, Gabriel might actually let me try driving it. Sometime in the future.

There’s no future with him, I remind myself firmly. Not one past friendship. There’s room in that for him to teach me to drive his favorite car, I know that—but I also know I have to be careful. That Gabriel will make it so easy for me to fall in love with him, and I’m going to actively have to work not to.

And he won’t even mean to, because he’s been perfectly clear that that’s off the table.

The drive into the city is perfect. Gabriel puts the top down, and I pile my hair on top of my head, a few wisps flying out around my face. I see Gabriel looking at me in my periphery as I slide a pair of sunglasses on, and he reaches out, his hand hovering a little over my thigh before he gently sets it on my leg.