Is this destiny?

Over dinner, Gabriel and Becca chatted about Gabriel's expectations for his future apartment and concluded that other than privacy and security Gabriel does not need much. In terms of space, a single bedroom apartment with one room that can be used as an office (or a study) will be sufficient, and anything more than that will be extra. 

Becca discovered one problem with Gabriel's plan…

"Do you know how to cook? Clean? Do laundry?"

Gabriel blinked. "I admit that I'm a hopeless case. Unless tidying up my desk counts as cleaning, I never did any of those three. I can order food or eat out... and hire a cleaning service that does laundry as well."

Becca rolled her eyes. "I thought you want to be independent. I'm not saying that you should not hire people to do chores for you, but part of being independent is to do things on your own."

Gabriel thought that it makes sense. "Will you teach me? We can start with cooking."

Becca imagined Gabriel in her kitchen wearing an apron and holding a spatula. She smiled while avoiding his gaze. "Sure."

Gabriel was excited. "Tell me what ingredients to get, and I will come with groceries to your place tomorrow after work. You will tell me how, and I will make dinner for us."

Becca's eyes widened in surprise. "Tomorrow?"

"Do you have something planned for tomorrow?"

"No."

"Well, you have now."

Becca was in shock. A happy shock. Gabriel will come to her apartment? Oh, gosh! It will be just the two of them! She better tidy up the place! But… did he say that he will make dinner? "Will that be OK?"

He didn't understand her question. "Why not? What can go wrong? You will be there to make sure I don't mess up."

Becca looked at the roasted salmon with cilantro pesto on her plate that came with wild rice and red chile-caesar dressing and a side of steamed asparagus sprinkled with garlic sauce. "You said that you don't know how to cook. We should start with something easy like… frying eggs."

Gabriel shrugged. "Then, we will have fried eggs for dinner tomorrow."

Becca laughed. "Will that be enough for someone like pampered Mr. Long?"

Gabriel clutched his chest dramatically. "Are you making fun of my background and my ignorance? From now on, I can eat only what I can make. You better teach me things quickly. If I starve, it will be your fault."

"Hey, hey… that is too much responsibility for me. I refuse to be blamed if something happens to you."

Gabriel reached over the table and covered Becca's hand with his.

Their eyes locked on each other and Becca was unable to look away while Gabriel spoke: "Becca, you are already responsible for my happiness. Adding my diet to that will be negligible."

Becca swallowed her non-existent saliva. She didn't know how to answer to this, so she just stared at Gabriel while his words echoed in her mind and melted her from the inside. Yup. She was smitten. Completely.

…

Later that evening, in front of Becca's apartment building…

Gabriel opened the door for Becca to come out of the car and extended his hand for her, palm up.

Becca placed her hand into his and stood up.

As soon as she stepped out of the car, he pulled her toward him, and she found herself in his embrace. She didn't mind. Not even a little bit.

Gabriel's hold on Becca was firm and she melted into him, wishing to stay like that forever.

Becca's arms wrapped around Gabriel and she took a deep breath while trying to calm down her thundering heart, but his masculine scent only made it worse.

"Thank you for today…", Gabriel said after some time, without releasing Becca from his hold. "If I was on my own, I would probably get the first apartment."

Becca looked up at him and narrowed her eyes. "Would you get Monique as well?"

Gabriel made a face and Becca regretted her words.

"Sorry... I don't know why I said that. I guess I'm jealous.", Becca muttered while lowering her head.

Gabriel touched Becca's chin, making her look up at him. "Jealous? Of her? Why?"

"She is… curvier…", Becca admitted. She is not really flat, but compared to Monique, Becca is lacking in the chest and hips department. Becca never cared about those things, but now there is a man she wants to impress, and she is scrutinizing herself.

"Yup, she is curvier, just like many others. Yet, you are here with me… In my embrace… About to kiss me…"

Becca's eyes widened at the sight of Gabriel inching toward her and when he was a fraction away, she closed her eyes right in time to feel his lips brushing against hers. The sensation was electric, and her hairs stood on ends.

"I like you, Becca…", Gabriel murmured and then he kissed her again. "Don't be jealous of any woman because, in my eyes, none can compare to you."

Becca felt Gabriel's words splashing against her lips, and she opened her eyes.

Her head was buzzing, and her insides trembled as he hovered above her and she inhaled his breath.

"I like you too…", she whispered and closed the distance between them, kissing him in return, and the world faded.

Gabriel hummed in pleasure when her soft lips moved against his. Becca was soft and sweet, and she clung onto him and it was the best feeling ever.

Gabriel gathered Becca against him, and they kissed under the streetlamp, oblivious to other pedestrians that walked by.

"You should go inside…", Gabriel said when he inched away with difficulty.

If it's up to him, they could kiss the whole night, but he felt that soon it will not be enough, and he didn't want to deepen the kiss. Not yet.

Becca smiled goofily, flying high on the fact that they kissed and happy that Gabriel is holding her tightly because her legs are made of jelly. That was her first kiss! (and second and third...) And it was amazing!

Her lips were throbbing from all the kissing and sucking, and his sweetness was the best thing she ever tasted… and she remembered… "You broke the promise you made to my dad."

Gabriel looked at Becca smugly knowing that she is talking about him not touching her until he is free from Victoria. And what they did definitely goes into the category of touching. "I didn't."

Becca blinked. "What? Does that mean…? Are you…?"

Gabriel hummed in confirmation. "My divorce is final. I am all yours."

"That was fast. I was mentally readying myself that it will take months."

"I had help.", Gabriel said without revealing how many people were involved. People, he calls friends.

Becca inhaled sharply. "Does that mean that we can go on dates and there is no need to hide?"

Gabriel nodded. "Every day, if you want. We can go horseriding on the weekend and no one can say anything about us being together."

Becca looked at Gabriel dreamily. "Now you are all mine…"

"And don't let anyone tell you otherwise…", Gabriel murmured and kissed her again… and again, and again… and Becca wrapped her arms around his neck and they were back to being lost in their own world under the street lamp in front of Becca's apartment building.

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