Things That Go Hump In The Night by Lily Marie, Terra Wolf, Artemis Wolffe, Mercy May, Amanda Jones, Bliss Devlin, Steffanie Holmes, Christy Rivers, Lily Thorn, Lucy Auburn Page B
Authors: Lily Marie, Terra Wolf, Artemis Wolffe, Mercy May, Amanda Jones, Bliss Devlin, Steffanie Holmes, Christy Rivers, Lily Thorn, Lucy Auburn
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beta-test version of the security suite software was released two weeks late. Michael was furious, because we had customers waiting for the product. So that was the end of Team Archangel as far as hockey went..."
In return, Nicole told stories from some of her previous contracts.
Gabriel laughed when she described Scott, the newly graduated QA tester at her previous job, who had been saving money to buy a house with his fiancée. One day, Scott had decided that city rents were a waste of his money, since he was spending most of his time at work, anyway. So he had moved into his office, keeping an air mattress under his desk and showering in the office gym.
"The way he explained it, our office had an espresso machine, a microwave, and a fridge," Nicole said with a wry smile. "All the comforts of a bachelor pad, plus janitorial services. We even had a dry cleaner who picked up your clothes and returned them to the office."
"Now why didn't I think of that, before shelling out for a downtown loft?" asked Gabriel. "I could have used the money to buy a nicer car."
"The Tesla is a really nice car!" protested Nicole. "Way nicer than mine, anyway."
Gabriel made a dismissive gesture. "That's my 'take the clients out to lunch' car. It's roomy and comfortable, and it says that I'm successful but still hungry for new business," he said. "It's not my fun car."
Nicole cocked her head. "And what's your fun car?"
"I'll show you after dinner," he purred. "And if you're really good, I'll even take you for a spin."
"My mama told me never to get into a car with a stranger," she teased.
"We're still strangers after twelve courses? How can that be?" protested Gabriel, capturing her hand and squeezing lightly. "And we haven't even had dessert yet," he added suggestively.
His skin still felt cool against hers despite the wine. She turned her hand palm-up, and squeezed back. "Let's see if we can't bond over something sweet."
"I know I already have," he said, huskily, and she laughed, sure that he was teasing her despite his hot eyes.
"Nicole," Gabriel said, his voice still husky. "I—" He was interrupted by a sharp tap on the sliding door.
An instant later, it opened to reveal a smiling, middle-aged Asian man who was carrying a polished wooden box. He was dressed in chef's whites and smelled of fish and spices and miso, overlaid with the sharp scent of fresh herbs and lemon.
"Gabriel," said the man, putting the box down on the table so that he could shake Gabriel's hand. "How wonderful to see you here! And Ami tells me you brought a friend?"
"Alex, this is Nicole," said Gabriel with a smile. "Nicole, this is Alex Sato, the artist behind tonight's meal."
"Dinner was amazing," she said sincerely, taking the work-roughened hand that Alex offered her. "It's the best food I've ever had, and everything looked so beautiful, I almost hated to destroy it by eating it."
Alex beamed. "I'm so glad you enjoyed it! Gabriel must bring you here again in the spring, when I do a seasonal kaiseki -style menu using only local ingredients."
He turned to Gabriel. "Tell your brother Michael that he should bring his fiancée here. Sherrie is dying to meet her. Sherrie," he explained to Nicole, "is my wife and our pastry chef. She made these—"
He gestured at the box on the table, and Nicole saw that the bottom was covered in polished agate pebbles. Nestled in the pebbles were two small brown spheres dusted in cocoa powder. "Chestnut truffles. Please enjoy!"
He waved genially and left.
Gabriel looked at the sliding door with a bemused expression. "Michael just got engaged three days ago. He's still in Bora-Bora. How the heck did Sherrie hear about it? I'm not sure my parents even know yet."
The truffle was buttery and nutty, with just a subtle hint of chocolate. It melted away on Nicole's tongue with teasing richness.
Sasha returned with a pair of tiny Meyer lemon tartlets, each topped with a miniature dollop of lavender-infused whipped cream.
The
In return, Nicole told stories from some of her previous contracts.
Gabriel laughed when she described Scott, the newly graduated QA tester at her previous job, who had been saving money to buy a house with his fiancée. One day, Scott had decided that city rents were a waste of his money, since he was spending most of his time at work, anyway. So he had moved into his office, keeping an air mattress under his desk and showering in the office gym.
"The way he explained it, our office had an espresso machine, a microwave, and a fridge," Nicole said with a wry smile. "All the comforts of a bachelor pad, plus janitorial services. We even had a dry cleaner who picked up your clothes and returned them to the office."
"Now why didn't I think of that, before shelling out for a downtown loft?" asked Gabriel. "I could have used the money to buy a nicer car."
"The Tesla is a really nice car!" protested Nicole. "Way nicer than mine, anyway."
Gabriel made a dismissive gesture. "That's my 'take the clients out to lunch' car. It's roomy and comfortable, and it says that I'm successful but still hungry for new business," he said. "It's not my fun car."
Nicole cocked her head. "And what's your fun car?"
"I'll show you after dinner," he purred. "And if you're really good, I'll even take you for a spin."
"My mama told me never to get into a car with a stranger," she teased.
"We're still strangers after twelve courses? How can that be?" protested Gabriel, capturing her hand and squeezing lightly. "And we haven't even had dessert yet," he added suggestively.
His skin still felt cool against hers despite the wine. She turned her hand palm-up, and squeezed back. "Let's see if we can't bond over something sweet."
"I know I already have," he said, huskily, and she laughed, sure that he was teasing her despite his hot eyes.
"Nicole," Gabriel said, his voice still husky. "I—" He was interrupted by a sharp tap on the sliding door.
An instant later, it opened to reveal a smiling, middle-aged Asian man who was carrying a polished wooden box. He was dressed in chef's whites and smelled of fish and spices and miso, overlaid with the sharp scent of fresh herbs and lemon.
"Gabriel," said the man, putting the box down on the table so that he could shake Gabriel's hand. "How wonderful to see you here! And Ami tells me you brought a friend?"
"Alex, this is Nicole," said Gabriel with a smile. "Nicole, this is Alex Sato, the artist behind tonight's meal."
"Dinner was amazing," she said sincerely, taking the work-roughened hand that Alex offered her. "It's the best food I've ever had, and everything looked so beautiful, I almost hated to destroy it by eating it."
Alex beamed. "I'm so glad you enjoyed it! Gabriel must bring you here again in the spring, when I do a seasonal kaiseki -style menu using only local ingredients."
He turned to Gabriel. "Tell your brother Michael that he should bring his fiancée here. Sherrie is dying to meet her. Sherrie," he explained to Nicole, "is my wife and our pastry chef. She made these—"
He gestured at the box on the table, and Nicole saw that the bottom was covered in polished agate pebbles. Nestled in the pebbles were two small brown spheres dusted in cocoa powder. "Chestnut truffles. Please enjoy!"
He waved genially and left.
Gabriel looked at the sliding door with a bemused expression. "Michael just got engaged three days ago. He's still in Bora-Bora. How the heck did Sherrie hear about it? I'm not sure my parents even know yet."
The truffle was buttery and nutty, with just a subtle hint of chocolate. It melted away on Nicole's tongue with teasing richness.
Sasha returned with a pair of tiny Meyer lemon tartlets, each topped with a miniature dollop of lavender-infused whipped cream.
The
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