The Loneliest Stars || EDITING

Chapter 22

"Except tonight's a sure thing." Gabe grinned at her with a suggestive waggle of his eyebrows. Their banter was light, lighter than it had ever been. A comfortable give and take. It made the conversation that they needed to have much harder, he didn't want to lose how easy it was being together.

She laughed, rolling her eyes but he saw the hitch of her breath, when she thought that he wasn't looking. She was so responsive to him. His touches, his words. She accepted everything that he gave, so easily and magnified it.

Parking up outside the restaurant, he helped her exit the cab of his car, using that as an excuse to wrap his arms around her waist and sniff her scent, straight from the source. He kissed her neck and she melted into his arms, her breathy gasps blowing hot air into his ear. Suddenly he was regretting his insistence on going out. They should have stayed at home so he could memorise and codify all her reactions each time he touched her.

"You might have been right," Gabe said, adjusting himself in his new uncomfortable state.

"We've discussed this, I'm always right," she sniffed.

"And humble too." Gabe turned her around in his arms so she was tucked into his side with an arm slung around her shoulder.

The hostess seated them in the Italian restaurant. It was decorated in a Mediterranean theme, with tiles, terracotta walls and plants everywhere. Gabe took in Natalia's pleased survey of the establishment, he had been a little nervous bringing her here, he wasn't even sure she liked Italian food.

"I'm having all the carbs," Natalia announced, perusing the menu. "I love Italian food."

Gabe snickered to himself knowing she was allowing herself free reign with the starch based food due to all the exercise she had been getting, sponsored by him of course. He looked over the menu himself to make a choice on what he wanted to eat.

The waitress arrived before they had a chance to pick their food. She stood close to Gabe and only addressed him with her greeting and introduction to the restaurant, her smile big and flirtatious.

"Are you ready to order?" Gabe asked Natalia. She answered that she had. The waitress's eyes did not budge from his face, even as Natalia spoke.

Once they had both ordered, the waitress left. She had hardly spoken a word to Natalia. Gabe knew that there was an undercurrent of something there. Both he and Natalia could pick up on it, but he didn't have the vocabulary to give it a name but it was very similar to what had gone down with Agnes.

Whilst objectively, Gabe knew that he was an attractive man. He was in good shape, tall and with average features, women always flirted and gravitated towards him. It was something he had gotten used to since puberty. But relentlessly flirting, despite being in the company of a woman he was clearly involved with and ignoring her was something new that he hadn't experienced before.

"I...owe you an apology."

Natalia paused taking a sip from her drink, she folded her hands on her lap and leaned back to listen.

Gabe fidgeted in his seat, knowing all her attention was on him and the words he was going to say. He wanted to make them pretty and meaningful, but he was also not used to apologising and in particular, baring his soul like this. His palms were actually sweaty.

"I should have recognised what was happening with Agnes and put a stop to it. I know we've never discussed what we are...." He sighed, that was also another conversation waiting to happen.

"I'm a lot of things, Nat, but a cheat isn't one of them. I'm sorry and I'll make sure it never happens again."

She looked pensive for a couple of moments. "Okay. Apology accepted."