Free Blind Date With the Billionaire by Cordelia Baxter Page B

figure. The hem of her dress reached just above her knees showing off her shapely calves, which she paired with black high heels. She kept her dark brown shoulder length hair down in soft waves , but pinned the front strands back away from her face. Looking in the mirror, she let out a shaky breath. Well, I hope he likes what he sees, she said to herself.
    Monica walked into the dimly lit restaurant a bundle of nerves. She clutched the red rose in her hand as her eyes searched the bar of the restaurant, looking for Gabe. The only person she saw was a tall man standing with his back turned tow ard her. He had broad shoulders and a powerful, muscular build which his black suit jacket did little to hide. Immediately dismissing him as a possibility, her eyes scanned the bar again. She didn't see anyone holding a red rose, and immediately began to panic. What if he's stood me up ? she thought. Oh God this is so embarrassing.
    Just as she was about to turn around and flee, the man at the bar turned around. He was the handsomest man she'd ever seen. He was tall, about 6 feet 3 and had dark wavy hair with a streak of grey at the front. As she noted earlier, he had a muscular build, with broad shoulders and a trim narrow waist. In his hands he held a single red rose. Monica had to catch her breath as she stood and stared at him. She couldn't believe that he was Gabe.
    He hadn't noticed her yet as his eyes searched the crowd. Monica was afraid of seeing that look in his eyes that she had seen so many times before. She was tempted to make a run for it when he finally caught sight of her. Monica sucked in a breath and braced herself for what she knew would happen.
    Far from the disappointment she expected, he actually looked happy to see her. H e let out a wide grin that crinkled his eyes and quickly walked towards her.
    "Monica," he breathed once he reached her. "You look absolutely stunning."
    Monica blushed under his praise.
    "Thank you Gabe," she replied, "You look very handsome yourself."
    "Don't sound so surprised," he joked. "Were you expecting a troll?"
    "Well, you did warn me," she laughed.
    "You got me there , " he said as he grabbed her hand and led her into the restaurant. They were seated at a private table by the large glass windows. The restaurant was on the penthouse level and overlooked the whole city. Monica looked out in awe as she saw the view.
    "This is amazing," she said, still gazing out the windows.
    "I'm glad you like it," G a be replied.
    The waiter appeared then and took their drink orders. Gabe ordered a bottle fancy F rench wine that Monica had never heard of. She felt out of her depth and a little flustered.
    "Do you come here a lot?" she asked once the waiter had left.
    "Not often, and not lately," he replied. "I used to come here with my ex-wife."
    "Oh."
    "I'm sorry," Gabe said, "It's terribly rude to bring her up, isn't it? Especially when I'm on a date with a beautiful woman."
    "You don't have to say that," Monica replied shyly. "I don't mind really. Besides, I'd like to know more about you. I mean, I feel like I know you, but when I think back to our conversations, you never really said much about yourself."
    "Well what would you like to know? I'm an open book," he replied.
    "Really? I can ask you anything I want, and you'd answer it?" she asked.
    "Anything you want," he said with a smile.
    "Hmm, I better think hard about this," she replied, starting to relax. Talking to Gabe in person was just like online. She grew comfortable in his presence --or as comfortable as she could be. She s till couldn’t believe this devastatingly handsome man was her date--the guy she'd been chatting with the past two weeks. The same guy who joked about accidently setting his kitchen on fire when he tried to make pasta.
    "You've been thinking a long time. I'm beginning to get nervous," he joked, breaking into her thoughts.
    " You don't have to be scared of me. I won't bite," she laughed.
    Gabe smiled at her and licked his