All Your Fates (Currently editing/updating)

Chapter 10: Seems Like Old Times

I set my purse on the floor, and when I looked back at Gabriel, he was smiling at me. I smiled back demurely and, out of nowhere, he quickly kissed me full on the lips. Not in a ravishing attack or lecherous sort of way. But longer than a quick peck. It was a kiss of familiarity. Like a husband greeting his wife or old lovers being reunited after some time. It was pleasant, but uninvited, and I needed to set the ground rules and show exactly who was in charge here.

"Wow, you go right for the kill," I remarked, and pushed him gently back into his side of the seat. "Most men would have asked if I had a boyfriend or was married first. Or at least permission first."

"I'm sorry, I couldn't help myself. It's been such awhile. Would you prefer me to ask if you have a boyfriend first?" Gabriel patronized with a knowing smile. It's been awhile? Gawd, I hope he's not referring to sex. Nothing extinguishes an amorous night faster than a man just coming out of a dry spell.

I quickly reviewed the facts:  1) He was famous. 2) He was good looking. 3) He was sexy as hell. 4) He was a man of means. There was simply no way women weren't throwing themselves at his feet, and unless he was under a celibate vow for some....no, he's an atheist. That much I knew.

"I'm unattached," I replied, and for some reason my mind briefly flashed to the hipster from yesterday (almost a lifetime ago) and I felt conflicted. What the hell was that about? I wondered before shaking him from my mind. But then I decided to reinforce the rules and chastise him, "Still, my single status shouldn't encourage you to take liberties."

"Good. You didn't strike me the type who would let any man tie her down," Gabriel replied

"Oh, I wouldn't go as far to say that. I have been known to get tied down on occasion," I said with a wicked smile.

"Literally and figuratively, I presume," Gabriel quipped.

I answered by crossing my legs slowly while Gabriel held my steady, seductive gaze. He slid closer, put one arm around my shoulders and then started tracing his finger along my collarbone. I shivered at his touch. "Emma, why must we always play these games," Gabriel whispered, his breath hot against my neck.

"Who's always playing these games?" I asked while sinking against him, electric currents stirring under my skin wherever his fingers traveled. I couldn't understand why I was letting him be so handsy; it was as if I was under a spell.

"Why, you and I of course," Gabriel answered.

"And when are we supposed to have played these games," I asked, thinking it was such a strange thing for him to say seeing as we had only met. I hope he didn't end up turning to be crazy...or worse.

"All the time," Gabriel replied. I could feel his soft chuckles against my skin.

"Why do you always play these games with me, then, if they are so tiresome?" I stared back at him with a challenging gaze, and began to feel quite like Little Red Riding Hood interrogating the Wolf right before he ate her up.

Gabriel stared at me with his brooding blue eyes. "Because you are so much fun to play with, Emma. The best playmate I've had in years and years. I mean that truly," and he said it with such intense fondness that I began to doubt my very existence. Perhaps this was all a dream. Or perhaps I was an amnesiac victim in the movies and with one bonk on the head, suddenly I would recall everything regarding a former life I knew nothing of. I half expected for Gabriel to claim I was his long lost wife.

I reached down and pinched myself. "Ow," I cried, and Gabriel smiled warmly.

"You do that every single time."

I was about to ask him, "Do what?" when the taxi stopped and Gabriel announced, "Ah, we're here."

"Where's here," I asked, as he held out his hand to me while I alighted from the cab.

"Why, this is our place, Emma, don't you recognize it?" Gabriel said, arching one eyebrow at me.

I looked around for a restaurant on the block but didn't see one, and then I realized he meant the hot dog stand right in front of us. I shot him a bewildered stare, and he only laughed knowingly and then drew me into the crook of his arm.

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A/N 

Wow guys...over 10,000 reads so far! That's cray-cray. And my life has been cray-cray too! In the last two weeks I've been in LA and Vancouver and still no sight of home until this coming Tuesday. But hopefully when I get back we can start releasing some of that special extra content for yous! Thanks for all the support. Big hugs from us around the world! <3

Also what do you think of Hugo's sketches for Gabriel at the start of the chapter? I kinda always saw a bit of Viggo Mortensen in Gabriel, myself.

Be sure to support this amazing artist by checking out his etsy site, where he sells illustrations and stickers and other fun stuff: https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/hugoisaghost

~C

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All Your Fates © 2012 Carrie Cutforth, Jim Martin and Tom Liljeholm. All Rights Reserved.