Page 134 of My Treasured Obsession

My palm coasted over Gabriela’s thighs, wishing her dress had a slit so I could touch her bare skin…and feel the heat between her legs. I bet I could make her come in a room full ofpeople with a few brushes of my fingers and some dirty words hushed in her ear. My little exhibitionist would enjoy the hell out of that. But I supposed that wouldn’t be very cultured of us, considering our friends were seated at the same table.

Gabriela broke away from her conversation with Darla, sensing I needed her attention. “What is it, Hunt?”

“When the auction begins, I want you to tell me what you want,” I said. “I’m going to get it for you.”

A sibilating inhale whistled through her parted mouth. “Really?”

“Anything, doll.” I punctuated my statement with a peck to her lips.

My sassy neighbour smiled excitedly. “Okay.”

Then her eyes trekked over something beyond my shoulder and the happiness drained out of her demeanour.

I followed her line of sight.

My jaw clenched.

Franco.

Her ex-boyfriend.

He wore the standard waiters’ uniform, planted behind the empty bar. His own expression was slightly dumbfounded and uncomfortable. Like he’d been watching me and Gabriela interact for quite some time now and didn’t like what he saw.

My neck bore a visible red lipstick stain from when she’d kissed me earlier.

Even from far away, I could tell he zeroed in on the mark and hated it.

Good.

Fucking prick. I wanted to go over there and punch him into oblivion. Hurt him for how he hurt my Gabriela with his disgusting words, a shaft of trauma I knew she still carried. And though a physical altercation wouldn’t eradicate the past, it would give me satisfaction to see his nose bloody and broken.

Had we been in a secluded spot, far from the prying eyes of the public, I would have done it. Last week, I meant it when I told her I wanted to teach him a goddamned lesson.

Gabriela snapped her face away from Franco, dismissing him like he was shit at the bottom of her six-inch stilettos. Unworthy of even being seen by her. Insignificant like a dust mote floating in the air.

I was proud of her and showed it by draping my arm around her shoulders and kissing the side of her head. She closed her eyes on an exhale, leaning into me.

“You okay?” I asked.

“Yes. He doesn’t matter and he can’t hurt me anymore. I have you now.”

My chest swelled with pride at her progress. She was healing. “You’ll always have me, Gabby.”

The last week was gruelling in terms of studies and football. But despite the multiple stressors, it had been one of my best ones yet.

Because I finally had Gabriela. She was minein every way that mattered.

Heidi and my mom were stoked that we were dating now. They were eager to meet Gabriela and I promised them I’d arrange a time for us to have lunch or dinner. I just wanted to run the idea by my girlfriend first. Not because I thought she’d be spooked out that we were moving too fast, but as a courtesy.

I was confident in her feelings for me.

I may have fallen for her first, but it was clear she was falling for me too.

“I adore you,” she murmured our three-word confession.

Heart racing, I murmured back, “I adore you too.”

The auction began shortly, yanking our attention to the front stage, where a charismatic woman in a gold dress spoke from the helm of a podium, starting with the usual introductions.