Page 15 of Gentleman Wanted
Chapter Seven
Gemma
“I’ve had a nice time.” Awkwardly I shifted my weight from one foot to another. I’d had a nice time, I wasn’t lying there, but that was the problem. It hadjustbeen nice. There was no chemistry, no sparks of attraction.
Which made standing in front of my closed door, waiting for him to try and kiss me goodnight, even worse. I knew he was going to try. I just didn’t know whether I was going to let him.
“Me as well.” He took a step forward, invading my space, so his bulk pressed me back against the door. “I’d like to see you again.” His lips lowered.
I had maybe a split second to decide what to do when the door I was pressed against opened. I fell backwards with a screech, my arms flailing. But I didn’t fall down. Instead, strong arms caught me, and a familiar warming smell filled my nostrils.
Gent was here.
I wasn’t sure why he was, but he was.
“Time to wrap it up, kids.” Easily he lifted me back to my feet, but he didn’t let go of me. Instead, he stepped against my back. So close I could feel his breath against my cheek.
“Gent?” I squeaked. “What are you doing here? Where’s Cali?” Ducking my head down, I hid the rapidly spreading blush that was spreading up from my neck.
“I’m watching Bobby. You do remember him, don’t you? He’s your son?”
My eyes blazed. “Fuck you, Gent.”
How dare he bring up my son like he had any right to have a say in my life.
Pulling myself from his hands, I stepped forward. Reaching up, I pressed my lips to my date’s mouth. Not because I wanted to but because I knew it would infuriate Gent. And I wasn’t disappointed.
He made a strangled sound in the back of his throat.
“I’ll call you, ok.” Finally, I pulled away slightly. But I didn’t look behind me. Gent had no right to be mad with me. We weren’t together. We had never been together.
“Thank you for the new tattoo. I love it.” I smiled up at my date.
“I’ll happily tattoo you again. There won’t even be a charge.”
Masculine laughter filled the small hallway, but it died quickly as Gent’s hand closed around my wrist. His face was twisted with rage.
“She won’t be calling, and she sure as hell won’t be having any more ink from you either.”
The door slammed behind us as he dragged me backwards.
“What the fuck do you think you are playing at Gent?” Seething, I strained my neck to glare up at him. “You had no right.”
“Shut up, Gem.” His arms came to trap me against the door, caging me inside. “Just shut up and let me think for a second.”
I bristled. What right did he have to talk to me like that? Like I was one of his many conquests. “I don’t know who the hell you think you are….”
Gent’s eyes rolled. “Are you ever not talking, I mean ….” He froze. His warm eyes fixed on mine. And I knew what he was going to do. Just like I knew what my date had been going to do, out there in the hallway. “Fuck this.”
His mouth came down hard, his lips almost bruising on mine as his tongue probed at the line of my lips. Demanding entrance.
It was an angry kiss like he was punishing me for something. Punishing me for having a life. For daring to go on a coffee date with another man.
“Stop it.” I tore my face away, my hands beating at his chest. Not that it made any difference to him. He stayed right where he was. His chest melded to mine. “Gent, what’s got into you?”
This wasn’t the man I knew. The one who had held my hand throughout my labour, who had rocked my son to sleep when I was so exhausted I was crying more than Bobby. This Gent was rough, almost scary.
“I’m kissing you. What?” He looked offended. “You’re ok kissing strangers, but you draw the line at me?” There was real anger in his voice. It made it deeper. More rugged.
