Page 75 of Filthy Little Lies

“You need to eat something.” He lifts a plate overloaded with cocktail shrimp, stuffed mushrooms, and a few other things I don’t recognize. “Mrs. Neville said you haven’t eaten all day.”

I run a hand over my grumbling stomach. The dress Cassie talked me into buying is beautiful. A sleek black dress with a deep neckline in both the front and back. It hugs my curves exactly where it should, but it shows every little imperfection. One teaspoon of too much salt and I might pop a seam.

“Do you think there will ever come a day when you don’t have your staff spying on me and reporting back to you?” I slide a piece of shrimp from the plate.

His eyes wander to my mouth as I bite the shrimp from the tail.

“Or when you don’t turn everything I do into some sexual fantasy in your head?” I drop the shrimp tail onto the plate he’s still thrusting at me.

“My staff doesn’t report back to me about you. I’m positive you do things I should know about when I’m not around, but they seem to like you more than they fear me these days.”

He picks up another shrimp and brings it to my lips, holding onto the tail as I take a bite.

“As for the other thing, if that ever happens, have Roman take me out back and shoot me.” He drops the shrimp tail back on the plate. “Eat something else. Something with actual fat.”

Feeling eyes on us, I glance over as a gorgeous blonde in a sapphire cocktail dress and a dark-haired man in a tailored suit strolls over, both smiling at Gabriel like old friends.

“Did you just call this beautiful woman fat?” she asks, her tone teasingly scandalized.

“Gabriel is a lot of things, but blind is not one of them,” her companion chuckles.

Gabriel straightens as he turns to our new arrivals. Gone is the playfulness from a moment ago, and the stiff-spined businessman has taken over.

I’ve seen him dominate a room, but this is different. With his men, it’s an easy authority. Here he wears a mask. His back is ramrod straight, and the muscles in his neck are tight. It’s like he’s trying to fit himself into a costume that doesn’t fit quite right.

“I wasn’t sure we’d see you tonight. I’m glad you came out.” The man shakes Gabriel’s hand, then turns toward me. “And I didn’t think I’d ever see the day you brought such a lovely woman with you.”

Gabriel places a protective hand on my back, gently easing me further into his side as he makes introductions.

A city alderman, Robert Ackerson and his wife, Julia.

“It is so nice to meet you,” Julia squeezes my hand tightly with a bright smile. “Gabriel never brings anyone to these things. He’s usually all business then hightails it out before he can have any fun.”

“Didn’t he tell you?” I deadpan. “Gabriel is allergic to fun. He breaks out in this hideous rash all over his neck the second he starts laughing.”

Julia bursts into a laugh, grabbing hold of her husband’s arm as he joins in with a chuckle. When I check Gabriel’s expression from my sideview, the corner of his mouth has kicked up.

“Oh, she’s fun.” Julia points a freshly manicured finger at Gabriel. “Have you been seeing each other long?”

I freeze. It’s on the tip of my tongue to explain we aren’t together in that way, but Gabriel cuts in first.

“It feels like forever.” He glides his hand down my back, just past the line of appropriate placement and pats my ass. A warning or a promise, I’m not sure, but I decide to play it safe and let him continue.

“Well, maybe it could be,” Julia says with a playful wink while glancing down at my left hand.

I’m about to shut down that line of thought, but Robert beats me to it.

“I’m sorry to do it, but I have to pull you away if you’ll let me. Just a quick word. We don’t need to bore the ladies with business.”

“Of course.” Gabriel leans down and presses a kiss to my ear. “Behave,” he warns with another pat to my ass.

There is no way someone hasn’t seen him. I grit my teeth, promising myself if I don’t burst into flames right here in the middle of the city’s elite, I will find a way to punish him.

Maybe I should use his belt to tie him to the bed and drag him just to the point of orgasm only to deny him. Over and over again, until I’m tired of watching him squirm.

A new heat builds in my body. Great, now I’m being just as perverse as him. It’s official, he has completely ruined me.

As soon as Gabriel is no longer at my side, Julie takes his place.