An Arrangement of Love (27 page)

“What are you cooking?” I whined.

“It’s a surprise.” He paused from chopping, opened up a bottle of wine near him, poured two glasses, and handed me one.

“You only do surprises on special days. What’s up?”

“You looked pretty sad when I walked in.” He turned my way. “I figured I would soothe your soul with food.”

I ignored the comment. “Well then, if I guess what you’re making will you tell me if I’m right?”

He sipped some of his wine and nodded.

Reddish meat sat in a Ziploc bag inside a bowl. It had to be pork. Gabe took extra-special care handling chicken and pork in order to not spread bacteria. If it was steak, he would have left it out in the open on a plate. Tomatoes, garlic, onions, and peppers piled together in a bowl.
Maybe it’s some sort of stew or sauce.
The peppers were green and around four inches long.
A spicy sauce, since he’s using poblanos.
He edged to the right a little as if he was concealing something. I went to his area and nudged him to the side. A stack of chocolate lay on a plate. A bowl of brown sugar stood behind it.

“Mole!” I shrieked.

Although Gabe had been trained for years in classic French cuisine, he had a fascination with Mexican food. He’d dreamed of opening a high-end Mexican restaurant one day and always talked about how he would elevate the style of cooking until people preferred Mexican meals over French. I’d laughed, until he cooked me a mole dish. The savory sauce slid across my tongue and caressed me with the slightest hint of chocolate. I fell in love instantly.

“You’re right.”

I reached for some of the chocolate behind him. He blocked my hand. “Jasmine, what’s going on with you and this Mr. Stone?”

I recoiled. “Nothing. Why would you ask?”

“You and I have been friends for a long time, so you lying to me is pretty impossible. Plus, I watched you both in Lan last week. The guy was seriously into you.” He placed his glass of wine down, took mine too, and set it on the counter. “And what’s up with you living here?”

I opened my mouth and then closed it.

“And what about those two other women in the hallway? They’re just as beautiful as you. That can’t be a coincidence.”

I released an exasperated breath. “I’m embarrassed to talk about this with you.”

“Don’t be.” He held his hand up in front of him. “You know I won’t judge you.”

“I may test that loyalty tonight.” I chuckled, but his face remained serious.

“I cook, you talk, and by the time we’re done let’s hope you’re in a better mood.”

“You promise you won’t tell anyone?” I twisted my ring on my finger.

“I would never tell anybody.”

And so for the next hour, I confessed everything to Gabe—the arrangement, my fears, what I’d witnessed already, and how it hurt me.

“So what do you think?” I asked as I leaned back on the counter behind me.

“Wow. This is a hard one.” He held a spoon full of sauce, blew on it, and then positioned it an inch in front of my lips. “Try it and let me know what you think.”

I sampled some. The delicious sauce awakened my taste buds. I gave Gabe a thumbs up.

“Well, you have two options,” he said. “One, you can end it now before you get hurt anymore. Two, you stay in this situation, but do things that won’t harm you.”

I wrinkled my forehead. “Like what?”

“Stay at your place. It sounds like you aren’t comfortable in this mansion, so why even force yourself to be here?” He dropped the spoon I’d used in the sink. “And if you can date other people, then do that. It would probably keep your mind off what he’s doing.”

“Maybe.” I shrugged.

“You should really think about dating other men.” He placed the lid on the pot and faced me, holding a tiny bowl of melted chocolate. “You could start with me.”

“Excuse me?”

He came close to me until only the bowl was between us. “I’ve been taking it slow with you because I thought that’s what you liked, but damn girl, it’s been close to five years and this guy swoops in and grabs you within days.”

I dipped my finger into the chocolate and tasted it. “I don’t know, Gabe. I’ve thought about you and I getting together, but could never really see it working out.”

“Why not?” His eyes followed my chocolate dipped finger as I sucked on it. “Aren’t you attracted to me?”

Was I? Whenever I thought about Gabe coming to visit me I got really excited, but I never knew if that was due to him making great food or if it was having a gorgeous man in my kitchen.

He was definitely handsome. Vivian had coined him the Sexy Cook. And all the food magazines raved about his looks as well as his cooking.

“I think I’m attracted to you.” I offered him a weak smile.

He sighed. “I’ll take whatever I can get at this point.”

I gathered a little bit of chocolate sauce on my index finger.

“Can I take you out on a date?” he asked. “No pressure or strings attached. If there’s no sparks between us then we’re back to foodie partners-in-crime.”

That doesn’t sound too bad. What do I have to lose?

“Deal.” I licked my finger. The warm chocolate slid onto my tongue with ease. “This is so good. Did you put something extra into this chocolate?”

“I used Venezuelan cocoa to make it. It’s supposed to be the best cocoa in the world.”

“So it’s expensive?”

“Yep. I put most of my paycheck in it, to get it for you tonight.” He moved in closer to me, and this time I concentrated on seeing him as more than a friend. I drank in his soft chocolate skin, his full lips, the sweet aroma of brown sugar on his fingers, and the chiseled definition of his shoulders under his thin shirt. He didn’t have Chase’s muscular build, but Gabe still had a nice body, one that any woman would love to caress.

“Thank you. I’m flattered you went through the trouble just to make this for me. Have you tasted it yet?” I grinned.

“Only a little bit.” He licked his lips. “The first time I saw you, I thought you were the most beautiful girl in South End.”

“No you didn’t.” I blushed.

“You asked me what I was eating. I couldn’t even speak. I just handed you my oatmeal cookie like an idiot.” Moving in closer, he put his hands on each side of the counter behind me. The space heated up around me.

“That oatmeal cookie the first thing I ever ate that you’d made.”

He laughed. “I never told you the truth?”

“What?”

“My NaNa had really baked those cookies, but you came back the next day for more so I begged her to help me learn how to make them.” His thighs rubbed against mine. If I wasn’t holding the bowl of chocolate between us, his whole body would have been on mine. “Nevertheless, you’re the reason I enjoy cooking. My love for you and food have been the only constants in my life. The second batch of cookies were my first time being in the kitchen.”

I parted my lips, but couldn’t think of anything to say.

“So promise me that you’ll actually give me a chance. I’m not smooth or rich like your Mr. Stone, but I’ll cook your panties off if you let me.”

I chuckled, thinking of how Chase had proclaimed Gabe was doing just that.

“You think I’m funny?” He licked those lips again, and I stirred.
Maybe there is something between us.

“Okay. I’ll give you a chance.” I dipped my finger into the bowl, gathered chocolate, and lifted my finger to his lips. Warm chocolate dripped from my finger into the bowl. Gabe’s eyes remained on me as he leaned in and sucked on my finger. The wet suctioning of his mouth and his intense gaze on me made me squeeze my thighs together to calm down.

The kitchen door slammed open. Chase stormed through.
What the fuck?
I hurried and put the bowl on the counter. Chase charged for Gabe. I got between them. Gabe moved me out of the way with his arm. I stumbled into the sink. The edge hit my side. Pain bit at my hip. Chase swung. Gabe ducked and slammed into Chase’s center like he used to tackle quarterbacks when we were in high school.

“No!” I screamed.

Both guys crashed into the swinging kitchen door and dropped to the floor. Gabe grunted as Chase punched him in the chin. I heard a crack. They tumbled in the hallway and rolled out into the living room, knocking over a shelf as they fought. My candles fell and smashed into the ground. Glass burst. Scented wax broke into pieces all over the carpet.

“Troy!”
Where the hell is Troy?
“Chase! Gabe! Stop!”

“Let us in!” Dawn knocked on my door.

The security bar was still on it, which meant Chase had used his secret route through my closet. I ran to the door and unlocked it. The women rushed in, along with my bodyguards and theirs. It was a madhouse. It took at least six guards to break Chase and Gabe up. Plus, Dawn and Wendy kept getting in the way, but somehow the guards completely separated the men.

“Oh my god, Chase.” Lucy gasped next to me.

A knot the size of a softball swelled on Chase’s forehead. Blood dripped out of his nose while Gabe looked three times worse. Clearly, Chase had fighting skills since he boxed almost every morning, but Gabe had definitely held his own. Any guy growing up in South End was well versed in hand-to-hand combat, because a boy who loved cooking and wearing an apron in the hood was labeled gay and picked on more than most. Gabe had fought and won so much that eventually he’d earned many gangsters’ respect.

Chase raised his head and targeted Gabe with his eyes. “Get. Out. Now. I see you near Jasmine again and I’ll ruin your fucking life.”

I couldn’t believe this was happening. “No. You won’t.” I scowled at him. “He’s my friend. You don’t even think about threatening him.”

Apparently my opinion didn’t hold a candle to Chase’s demands because the guards guided Gabe out of Apartment four.

“I’m so sorry.” I ran to Gabe, who had his hands held behind his back.

He shook his head and tried to get out of the guards’ hold. “No. Don’t worry about it.”

“Be careful with him!” I yelled at the guards. “He can walk by himself.”

They released him, but got in his way when he tried to re-enter my apartment. Gabe cursed under his breath and wiped some of the blood off his face. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll call you tonight.”

I bobbed my head up and down. He seemed like he was embarrassed as he hurried down the stairs. I marched back into my apartment pissed.

How dare Chase hit my friend! Who the hell did he think he was? He was just on a date with Wendy!

“Get out! All of you get out now!” I yelled.

“We need to talk,” Dawn said. “This is exactly why I didn’t want you dating—”

“Dawn, I am so warning you. If you don’t get out of my apartment you’ll be as bloody as Chase. I swear to god!” I headed her way.

She stepped back. “Fine, but we’ll discuss this tomorrow.”

It was in that moment when Troy stumbled out of my guest room buttoning his jeans. I frowned at him. “You might as well go back to what you were doing.”

“What?” He held his hands up and paused when he glanced at Chase’s bloody face, as well as the guards and women in my apartment. “What the fuck happened?”

Dawn led Wendy and a gaping Lucy out of my apartment. The guards left with them. Chase remained. He tore open his buttoned shirt. Buttons flew everywhere and fell on my carpet. He balled up the shirt and began wiping his face.

“Troy, I need to talk to Chase. Can you give me some time?” I asked.

“Yell for me if you need me,” he said.

Chase glared at me and leaned on the edge of my couch.

“I will.”

Chapter 29

“
You have some
nerve hitting Gabe,” I screamed.

Chase wiped the blood off his face with his shirt. A few rips showed in his suit pants. He stretched his face and cracked his neck. “Your finger was in his mouth.”

“I’m dating him now.” I placed my hands on my hips. “So get used to it.”

“Get used to it?” He slung his bloody shirt on my couch and stalked toward me with the fluid movements of a predator. A wild expression set on his face. I had to force myself to not run away screaming. In fact, if Troy hadn’t been in the other room I probably would have raced away. Chase paused an inch in front of me. “Get used to it? You sure about that?”

“Yes.” I stared at his huge bare chest instead of his eyes and formed my hands into tight little fists. “We had an agreement. I date who I want and if you don’t like it, then I walk away.”

“I’m sorry, but walking away from me is no longer an option!” he yelled.

I backed up into the wall. Movement came from the guest room. Then the door clicked. I figured Vivian was forcing Troy to stay in the room and not run out and attack Chase. If she was, then I was glad. I doubted Chase would get my brother out of jail if Troy beat him to a pulp.

“Can I confess something to you?” He tilted his head to the side. Anger glazed his eyes.

“Go ahead.” I swallowed.

“When I first saw you I thought you were from a high society family, and later I discovered you came from poverty.” He rubbed his face. “I was sad for you, but excited that I could be the man to spoil and provide you with things you’d never dreamed of.”

“Where are you going with this?” I didn’t want him straying away from the real problem--him assaulting my friend for absolutely no reason.

“
I
was supposed to give you firsts.
I
was supposed to change your idea about love and relationships.” He touched his chest. “But from the very first moment in Pyramid you changed the damn game.” He closed the distance between us. “You had me groveling. Then every day since you’ve been opening my mind to new experiences and feelings. You’ve been fun and exciting to be around.”

“What does this have to do with you hitting Gabe?”

“Everything,” he snarled.

“Then get to it.” I was getting frustrated and didn’t care if he knew it.

“Dawn, Wendy, and even Lucy at times have come to me crying and distraught about our situation. I’d do my best to console them and say they would get used to it, but I never truly understood how they felt.” His breath brushed against my forehead right before he kissed it. Energy pulsed where his lips touched my skin. I edged to the side. He moved with me.