Page 10 of Mr. Infuriating (Mister #1)

Gretchen

Gabriel’s lips touched the outer shell of my ear, causing my body to break out in goosebumps. A tiny shudder ran down my spine as my nipples became hard points.

Laura was right. Toys were no substitute for the real thing, because if this man just whispering in my ear affected me like this, I could only imagine how my body would react if I were naked underneath him.

And telling me Troy was a fool to let me go? That felt like balm to my bruised ego.

“What makes you say that?”

“No man in his right mind would.”

Still, I wasn’t a believer, and I brushed off the compliment with a flippant, “You’re very sweet.”

I was hyperaware of his arm along the back of my chair and his masculine, woodsy scent, when he chuckled, “Darlin’, I’m a lot of things, but sweet ain’t one of ‘em.”

I stared up at his handsome face. The scruff along his cheeks was probably four or five days old and had hints of grey mixed in with the black stubble. I found myself wanting to lean against his frame and run my fingertips along his jawline as I softly kissed his neck.

“I find that hard to believe. You just came from your son’s lacrosse game, so you’re obviously a caring father.

You haven’t bad-mouthed your ex once, so that tells me that you’re a decent guy.

And Derrick looks at you like you’re the best big brother in the world.

If that’s not sweet, then I don’t know what is. ”

That made him laugh out loud .

“I’ll give you I’m a pretty great dad.”

His admission made my heart ache for my son who would never have that. At least he had my dad and my brother for male role models.

Gabriel continued, “The worst part about being divorced is not being with my kids every night.”

Okay, I might have swooned a little while he continued, “Bad mouthing my ex would mean I’d have to spend energy thinking about her, and I try not to do that.

And as far as the best big brother award, that would have to go to our oldest brother, Pete—also known as Maverick.

He’s a silent investor in all of the brothers’ businesses, and he’s as wise as he is rich. For the most part.”

That made me cock my head. “For the most part?”

“Well, after his oldest two boys were all grown up and moved out, he had a baby with his now-second wife.”

I felt my mouth turn down at what he was implying.

“So having a baby with his new wife makes him unwise?”

“Starting over at his age does, yeah. I couldn’t even imagine having a baby at thirty-nine let alone forty-two. It’d be lunacy.”

Disappointment zinged through me.

Gabriel’s response immediately moved him into the “not gonna happen” column. I was surprised at how let down I felt about that. Not that I’d had a chance to begin with. But even if he really was interested, I wouldn’t date him now.

“But I’ve never seen Mav happier,” Derrick chimed in as he wiped down the bar in front of me.

“That’s true,” Gabriel replied with his arm still thrown along the back of my chair .

I liked the feeling of his possessiveness, and Laura’s one-night stand suggestion sounded better and better. Maybe there wasn’t a future beyond tonight with this man, but maybe tonight was all I needed.

Besides, my confidence could use a boost.

I can’t go home with a stranger , my conscience reminded me.

The drunk devil on my shoulder chimed in. Get to know him better so he’s not a stranger.

I leaned into Gabriel’s body and asked, “So, what’s your business?”

He narrowed his eyes, like my question confused him, so I clarified.

“You said Maverick is a silent investor in all the brothers’ businesses. I know Derrick’s is the bar, what’s yours?”

“Oh, I—”

“Sorry this took so long,” Derrick announced as he set a hamburger and fries in front of me, sliders and fries in front of Laura, and then a burger and fries in front of Gabriel.

Gabriel looked up at his brother. “I didn’t order this.”

Derrick shrugged as he set silverware rolled in napkins in front of us. “I figured you were hungry.”

Gabriel smiled as he placed his napkin in his lap. “Thanks, bro. I am.”

“I got your back, big brother.”

I bit a fry and groaned out loud.

“You weren’t lying,” I told Laura. “These fries are amazing.”

“It’s the beer batter,” Gabriel interjected .

“That’s what Derrick said.” I picked up another fry, but before putting it in my mouth, said, “So, you were telling me about your business.”

Before Gabriel could answer, Derrick asked, “Do you want ketchup or mustard?”

“Can I have Ranch dressing?” Laura asked.

“Oh, yes, can I have some, too? And ketchup?”

Derrick’s eyebrows went into his hairline. “Ranch dressing?”

“For the fries.”

“I can’t decide if I should be offended,” he grumbled. “Please tell me you don’t put steak sauce on your steaks.”

“Of course not,” Laura answered.

Derrick turned his attention toward me, waiting for me to answer, as well.

“I would never,” I told him, then muttered “in front of you.”

That made Gabriel bark out a laugh, which he quickly tried to disguise by covering his mouth with his napkin then pointed at his almost empty beer mug and told Derrick, “I’ll take one more when you get a chance.”

The lines around his cobalt blue eyes crinkled, and it made him even hotter, if that was possible.

“So, what were we talking about?” I asked. The three Cosmos I’d already had were taking their toll.

Gabriel gestured to one of the many TVs stationed around the bar where the basketball game was on. “I think we were talking about if the Celtics are going to make the playoffs this year.”

No, that wasn’t it .

But then Jayson Tatum dunked over his Lakers opponent, and the bar went wild. Gabriel’s gorgeous face lit up with the sexiest smile, and I forgot what I was trying to ask.

****

Gabe

The tipsy little teacher sitting next to me was really making it hard to do the right thing and not kiss her.

Because it was obvious the way she kept brushing her tits against my biceps and looking up at me with her big blue eyes, she’d be on board if I dropped my lips to hers and explored her mouth with my tongue.

My dick thought that sounded like a great idea. The longer I sat next to her basking in her scent and listening to her giggles while her petite hands occasionally stroked my arm, the harder it became for me to disagree with him.

Gretchen wasn’t to the point where she couldn’t give consent. But there’s no way she’d agree to go home with me if she knew who I was. And I’d have to come clean about that if I even considered making a move.

But, I conceded, I didn’t want to come clean. I really was having a good time just hanging out with her. Admittedly, the flirting was a nice bonus, and my dick had jumped more times than I could count, but I found I liked her. Fucking Derrick was right.

The basketball game was over, and the crowd started to thin. Laura and my brother were engaging in what could only be described as foreplay. The smoldering looks and innuendos left no doubt how their night was going to end .

Gretchen turned to me and demanded, “So, Gabriel. Are you ever going to tell me what your business is? Or should I just assume you’re a spy?”

I couldn’t help but laugh.

“Not a spy, sweetheart. No, I’m far more boring. I make custom furniture.”

“What kind of furniture?”

This is where I should have led with cabinets—since that was a large percentage of what I did and what I’d done for her, but instead I found myself saying, “Oh, you know, tables, bedroom furniture, chests with pop-up TV lifts, cabinets, that kind of thing.”

She narrowed her eyes at me as she twirled a strand of her hair, and I thought she’d put the pieces together.

Instead, she pointed a finger at me, her words slurring slightly when she said, “So, let me ask you this. If you made a piece of furniture for someone, and they wanted to cancel the order, would you sue them?”

“Well, normally I try to get paid up front, so I wouldn’t have to. But in the event that I only got a deposit…”

Gretchen gnawed on her bottom lip as she waited for my answer.

“I would have to.”

I could tell by her frown that she didn’t like that response, so I decided to try to reason with her. Probably not my smartest move, considering she was at least four Cosmopolitans in, but I figured I’d give it a shot.

“You wouldn’t teach for free, would you?

Even though you love it, you still have bills to pay.

It’s the same with me. If I spend time working on a piece, I have to get paid.

I have staff who depend on me, a building with a mortgage, utilities, materials, not to mention, I have my own personal bills. ”

She slumped against the back of her barstool.

“I guess that makes sense.”

Because I wasn’t ready to give up the ruse of not knowing who she was, I continued. “Why do you ask?”

“I was just curious.”

Part of me was relieved at her response, because if she had explained her situation, I would have had no choice but to confess.

She’d left me with plausible deniability, and I appreciated that. I was having too good a time for it to end just yet.