a pair of gorgeous, slender lips.
Gabrielle frowned and felt her body temperature shoot up even higher. “I don’t know why you’re here but I want you to leave.”
“I’m not leaving, ” he said firmly.
“Tyson, you can’t just show up here and—”
“I’m not going anywhere, Gabrielle,” he said, interrupting her, “And since you don’t know why I’m here, I’ll tell you. I came here for you. You know why? Because I want you.”
Gabrielle grinded her t eeth. Frowning, she asked, “You want me?”
“Yes. I want you.”
“After you kicked me out of your house, you want me?” She let out a forced chuckle. “Yeah, okay...like I believe that. You can’t kick me out of your house and then claim to want me two months later, Tyson.”
“First off, I didn’t kick you out of my house. I would never do that to you.”
“So I suppose I somehow magically fell out of the sky and right into an apartment that just so happens to have your name on the lease...”
He smirked and that pissed her off. He could tell by her clenched jaw. Tyson had never seen her angry at him before because their relationship was a carefree one – they understood each other and got along like good friends. They never fought about anything. Now, they were at odds.
He watched her pout, b ut found her stubbornness sweet and endearing, staring at her with a yearning blaze of heat in his eyes.
“You’re even beautiful w hen you’re mad at me,” he said, reaching to touch her face, but she quickly moved away from him. “Listen, Bri, I promised Henry that I would cook a meal for the family.”
“Henry? Now you’re on a first-name basis with my Father?”
“Gabrielle—”
“ You need to leave, Tyson.”
“I will,” he said. “I have to run to the market to get a few things, but I’ll be right back.” He walked down the stairs and on his way to his jeep, he turned around and looked at her. “Maybe later, after you’ve calmed down a bit, we can talk rationally like two people who respect each other.”
Gabrielle watched him walk away with that sexy walk she remembered. He was dressed so nicely, in a pair of Seven jeans, a black sweater and a Tom Ford jacket. And why did he smell so delicious? He always smelled fresh, like some magnificent cologne, Old Spice and his own alluring body scent.
He started the engine, backed out into the street and drove away.
Gabrielle broke out of her trance when his jeep was no longer in sight. She walked back into the living room. “Dad, how long has he been here?”
“Um...’bout two hours or so.”
“Two hours? Why’d you even let him in? You don’t know him .”
“I know you told me he helped you, right?”
Crap. I did say that didn’t I. “Well, he did help me, but—”
“And he seems like a standup guy. You know I’m a good judge of character. That’s why I wish I would’ve met Dilvan before you did. I would’ve known right away that he was no good.”
“Dad...”
“I would have...now this Tyson guy, on the other hand, he’s the real deal.”
Gabrielle sighed , feeling lightheaded. “I’m going to go lie down.”
“Okay, sweetheart, b ut Tyson’s cooking something good tonight. He told me that he’s a chef.”
Gabrielle rolled her eyes on the way to her make-shift guest room. “Yeah. He’s a chef,” she said, unenthused.
Once in the room, she closed the door, dropped her purse on the floor and fell on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. This couldn’t be happening. It couldn’t be...
Tyson had never displayed any signs of arrogance before . He wasn’t the type of man to just roll up where he was not wanted and claim a position. That was more along the lines of Dilvan’s behavior. However, as he barged his way back into her life, Tyson was very unapologetic and cocky about it. He wanted her and he would stop at nothing to fulfill that want.
This can’t be happening...
Gabrielle sighed, knowing she couldn’t stop it from happening.