As Long as You Love Me (Previously Kiss and Tell)

Chapter 6 ♔ The Deal

"Okay first of all," I cut in with a roll of my eyes. "I'm not easy. Second he came up with this exact strategy because of the universally known fact that I hate his guts. Third, it all seems to be because he wants to ruin his brother's wedding, and who am I to care about those motives?"

She leaned forward as though we were talking about a secret conspiracy. Even went as far as as curling her finger at me. I leaned forward with some reluctance and she said, "Yeah, but what if he wants to ruin the wedding by causing a scandal with you or something?"

It took me a few seconds to work out a scenario where this happened but eventually I could picture it in my mind. Me wearing a barely there dress, drunk in the middle of the dance floor, making out with Gabe as if no one were watching. That would be a way to piss his mom off for sure and Maya had a point. He was used to girls going to crazy extents just for a date with him. I'd once seen two girls coming to blows at a party for a dance. And wouldn't he enjoy putting me in a position where he could humiliate me like that?

Maya had a point. I couldn't allow that to happen.

I lifted a palm up. "I'll just have to draft an agreement with him about do's and don'ts. And might as well add in there the reassurance that he'll remove himself from the running for the full time position."

"Not quite the conclusion I wanted you to reach," my friend said with a cringe.

After finishing up my cereal bowl quickly and putting it in the sink, I grabbed my backpack and the secondhand jacket I'd wear at work over my creamy blouse from Target, where there was air conditioner. Before leaving I told her, "An immigrant's gotta do what an immigrant's gotta do, me entiendes?"

She sighed. "I just wish it were another way."

I shrugged. "I'll take the one way life gives me."

As I drove to the office, the words rang in my head. Everything at work would continue as usual, except that now I wasn't completely at Jeff's or Gabe's mercy. I had a card up my sleeve. So what if my competitor gave it to me? It wasn't my fault that he valued this job opportunity so little. It wasn't a crime to solidify my position for it.

But as soon as I saw Gabe in the office I pulled him aside. I was in the copy room, photocopying my documents so I could extend my OPT visa when Gabe walked by with a cup of coffee. I latched onto his sleeve and dragged him into the room with me. The nook didn't have a door, so it wasn't like someone could come in and think we got caught doing something not appropriate for work. It was also less suspicious than walking into a meeting room with Gabe by ourselves.

"Buenos días," he said as he maneuvered the near overflowing mug away from his crisp white shirt. With the tight fit over his muscles, any spill was bound to burn his skin. "What do I owe this pleasant surprise to?"

I jammed my finger into the copy button to make the final print of my transcripts and turned to give him my full attention. "We need to talk about last night."

His eyes danced like I'd said something naughty. Which in a way I had, if we were to go by the impression of any possible passersby. I stuck my head out and saw no one up or down the hall.

"Wipe that annoying grin off your face." I pointed at his face. "You and I need to draw the rules of engagement."

My teeth grounded as he took his sweet ass time, blowing steam off his coffee. The smell made my stomach rumble and I debated wether to snatch the mug from his hands. But I didn't really want Campus Babe saliva anywhere near me. Who knew which places his mouth had been on or under, gross. I lifted my eyes to his and the amusement there had turned into something worse. Like mocking.