Free Sold on You by Sophia Knightly Page B

covered her mouth and said, "Oops, I forgot you didn't make it in time to administer the anesthesia for her."
    "Is Christy your patient, too?" Abuelita Coqui asked Nicole.
    "Yes," Nicole replied, her eyes blue icicles as she glared at Gabriela.
    "I'm ready for dessert," Marcos said, rising from the table abruptly. "Gabriela, please help me."
    When his grandmother started to get up from the table, Marcos said firmly, "No, Abuelita, stay there. Gabriela will serve it,"
    "Yes, sir, " Abuelita replied, saluting his authoritative tone.
    Gabriela gave Marcos a questioning look. "You've barely touched your meal. I thought you said you were famished."
    He threw his napkin on the table. "I've had enough. Follow me into the kitchen," he said curtly.
    Gabriela gulped at his quiet command and the meaningful look that accompanied it. "Very well." She reluctantly got up and followed him.
    Once they were in the kitchen, Marcos slid the pocket door shut and turned to face her with a stern expression.
    "What?" she asked lamely.
    "Stop it," he said with a rough, low growl.
    "Stop what?" she asked, feigning innocence.
    "It's not Nicole's fault that I forgot to cancel our date."
    "So? It's not my fault either." Gabriela shrugged to hide the mounting outrage she felt. So Marcos had conveniently planned on dumping her right after the brunch to take up where he'd left off with Nicole. Gabriela was suddenly glad that Abuelita Coqui had seen fit to remain a few more days, just to thwart the Latin lover's plans. "I'm only trying to keep up my end of the deal, Doc. You're paying me for this charade, remember?"
    "Shh, keep your voice down," he hissed, glancing toward the door.
    She raised her eyebrows in challenge. "Nicole is very condescending," she said, narrowly avoiding calling her a bitch. "I don't care for her."
    "And I don't care what you think of Nicole," he said brusquely.
    How rude! she thought, simmering.
    "I don't appreciate you trying to make this evening a disaster."
    Gabriela had been enjoying the agitated look on his taut face but decided that she'd better sound contrite when she saw the muscle ticking in his granite jaw. She needn't forget he was paying her charity quite handsomely for her company. "I guess that sounded a bit childish. We're all adults here."
    "Precisely. Now behave like one," he bit out. "Abuelita Coqui is no fool. I wouldn't be surprised if she has already noticed that something's amiss."
    "I thought I was helping by flirting with you in front of her," she countered.
    Marcos skewered her penetrating eyes. "If that's what you were doing, then why did you play footsies with me under the table where Abuelita couldn't see?"
    She grinned flippantly. "Just earning my wages. I've worked hard tonight. The least you could do is appreciate my effort."
    His jaw tightened further and a vein appeared at his temple. "Everyone's waiting for dessert," he muttered.
    "Okay, let's go." She grabbed the cake and a serving spatula.
    Marcos put a finger under her chin and lifted her face to meet his warning gaze. "You're not off the hook. We'll talk about this later." He slid open the pocket door and followed her.
    "Anything you say, Doc," Gabriela chirped. So the sly doctor didn't like it when she turned the tables on him. He'd been flirting outrageously with her in front of his grandmother, even daring to pat her butt. Yet the moment his precious Nicole had arrived, he'd stiffened and turned into a stuffed shirt.
    Gabriela stifled the temptation to chortle with sweet revenge.
    When they entered the room and were seated, Nicole rose and placed her purse on her shoulder. "I really must be leaving now," she said.
    "Aw, but you haven't tasted Abuelita Coqui's dessert," Gabriela said, pretending to be disappointed.
    "It's brazo de reina, my specialty." Abuelita Coqui beamed. "It's the Latin version of a jelly roll cake, but with dulce de leche instead of the jelly. I always—"
    "Sounds nice, but I'm watching my weight," Nicole interrupted,