Free Dangerous for You by Anna Antonia Page B

the bill on my account?”
    “Sorry, Mama. I love dressing Emma and want to be the only one buying her clothes.”
    “You know, I could always pay the bill too.”
    They both turned to me, identical frowns on their faces to match their identical words. “Absolutely not!”
    “All right then.” My capitulation wasn’t enough and they more than let me know.
    “Emma, I invited you as my guest. You shouldn’t have to incur a cost to go!”
    “Emma, you are my girlfriend. I’d never be able to hold my head up if I couldn’t buy you a dress! Say what you will, but never say that again.”
    I held my hands up in peace. “Okay, okay. I accept as your guest, Marie, and don’t worry about holding your head up, Gabriel.”
    The cats got the cream judging the smugness of their matching smiles.
    “And on that note…” Gabriel leaned down and kissed his mother on the cheek. “I wish we could stay longer, Mama, but you know how it goes.”
    “That I do, Gabriel,” she answered a bit dryly.
    Remembering how Gabriel’s father died of a heart attack barely into his forties, I wondered if the comment was more about her deceased husband’s lengthy work hours than her son’s schedule.
    “I’ll call you later on this afternoon when I get a minute.”
    “All right.” She included me in her smile. “See you on Wednesday, Emma.”
    “Goodbye, Marie.”
    Gabriel neatly plucked the bill and took care of it on our way out—despite his mother’s protests.
    “You both are rather a bit bossy, aren’t you?”
    “Absolute tyrants. And now you have the both of us to contend with. Poor, poor Emma.”
    On the way back to the office, I had the chance to ask in my roundabout way about what he’d already shared about us. I kept my posture relaxed even though I felt tense. I wasn’t sure why I even felt a little anxious but I did.
    “Gabriel?”
    “Yes, my love?”
    “Your mother was very nice.”
    He grinned happily. I’m sure if his gaze wasn’t hidden by his sleek sunglasses, I’d fall into its brilliantly blue depths and never find myself again. “She’s a very nice lady.”
    “Yes, she is. Why was she so nice to me?”
    Gabriel glanced at me, frown tugging at his lips. “Why wouldn’t she be nice to you?”
    “Because she doesn’t know me.”
    “Oh, baby. To know you is to love you.” Gabriel lifted my hand to his lips and gave it a quick kiss. “My mother knows what you mean to me. That’s why she likes you.”
    I bit my lip. “So I mean a lot to you.”
    “As if you didn’t know!”
    “Well, I suspected but I wasn’t quite sure…”
    “Emma Adams, I should pull over right now and take you across my lap for saying such a thing!”
    “You wouldn’t.” Was that coy and seductive voice mine? My body ratcheted up in an odd mixture of anxiety and anticipation.
    Gabriel didn’t spare me a glance. He simply pulled over to the side of the busy road and put the car in park. Gabriel then turned to me, posture careful and precise. “You were saying?”
    I laughed, notes high and tinged with excitement. “Gabriel.”
    “Emma.”
    “We’re in broad daylight.”
    “Yes.”
    “There are tons of people passing by us on the sidewalk.”
    “Correct.”
    “Not to mention all the cars.”
    “Correct again. You are my most clever girl.”
    My heartbeat quickened. His stillness aroused me because I didn’t know exactly what he would do next. And I knew Gabriel was capable of anything—including pulling me over his lap.
    I had to admit I’d be disappointed if he didn’t.
    “Oh, Emma. You don’t know how to hide your thoughts very well anymore. I’ll consider this your just desserts, baby.”
    I opened my mouth and then promptly closed it when he turned over the engine and smoothly re-entered traffic.
    I can’t believe he just did that!
    “You’re a tease, did you know that?”
    “Am I?” Gabriel purred. “Sounds to me someone’s upset because she didn’t get her bottom warmed up. Does that sound