Chapter 3 - The Heat of the Oven
By midnight, the black SUV deposited Mara back at her apartment above the bakery. The street was quiet, illuminated by the warm amber glow of streetlamps.
Gabriel walked her to her front door, his broad shoulders blocking the chilly night air.
"You didn't have to say that back there," Mara whispered, wrapping her arms around herself, trying to ignore the intense pull she felt toward him. "About... loving me. That was taking the lie way too far, Gabriel."
Gabriel stepped closer, closing the distance until Mara was gently backed against the wooden doorframe. The scent of his cologne, rich and masculine, enveloped her completely.
"Who said it was entirely a lie?" Gabriel murmured softly.
Mara swallowed hard, her heart pounding against her chest like a trapped bird. "Don't play games with me, Gabriel. I'm not one of your corporate deals or mafia negotiations. I live in the real world."
"So do I," Gabriel said, reaching up with one long, calloused finger to trace the curve of her jaw, his touch feather-light yet scalding hot. "In my world, everyone wants something from me. My name, my money, my protection. You threw fifty pounds of flour at my face because I annoyed you."
"It was one handful," Mara corrected automatically, her voice trembling slightly.
"You look at me and you see me," Gabriel continued, his voice dropping into a dark, velvety whisper. "Not Don Moretti. Just Gabriel."
Mara looked up into his eyes, seeing the raw vulnerability buried deep beneath his icy exterior. She felt her defenses crumbling, piece by piece.
"Gabriel..." she breathed.
Instead of answering, Gabriel bent his head and captured her lips in a deep, slow, possessive kiss.
Mara gasped against his mouth, her hands instinctively rising to grasp the lapels of his suit jacket. He pulled her flush against his body, his large hand cupping the back of her head, deepening the kiss with a fiery passion that swept away every rational thought in her head. Mara yielded, melting into his solid warmth, tasting the dark wine and rich espresso on his lips.
When he finally pulled back, both of them were breathing heavily, their foreheads resting together in the dim moonlight.
"Six weeks, Mara," Gabriel rasped, his eyes burning with dark promise. "Give me six weeks. If you still want to walk away after that... I'll let you go. But until then, you're mine."
Mara leaned back against the door, her lips swollen, her mind spinning out of control. She knew stepping deeper into Gabriel Moretti's world was dangerous—not just because of his family's dark syndicate ties, but because her own heart was dangerously close to falling for the most lethal man in the city.
"Three ovens," Mara whispered weakly, trying to regain her footing. "And the refrigeration unit."
May you like
Gabriel let out a low, dark chuckle that vibrated through her entire chest. "Four ovens, my sweet baker. Goodnight."
As Gabriel turned and walked back to his car, Mara unlocked her door and stepped inside, her hand resting over her racing heart. She was supposed to be a fake girlfriend—but as she touched her tingling lips, she realized there was nothing fake about the fire rising between them.
