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CHAPTER 15
Gabi returned to the hotel and almost as soon as she had sat down on her bed, a knock came at the door.
She walked over and found a young hotel staffier stood there with a wrapped package.
"Miss Montez?" he checked and she smiled.
"That's me"
"This is for you. Sign here please" he said and she scribbled her name, frowning at the parcel.
"Thank you" she said as she shut the door and read the label on the present.
'Thank you for not thinking I'm an idiot' it said and she knew it was from Troy and that he'd heard her defend him to her father.
She unwrapped the gift slowly, relishing in her excitement.
She gasped as she pulled out a brand new satchel, similar style to her old one, leather and it had lots buckled pockets but it was bigger and it had embroidery across it, beautiful flowers and then she ran her fingers over her name which was embroidered on the flap.
She might have to avoid him while her father was around, but she was actually looking forward to going to the ice hockey game with him. She would have to drop her spikiness after receiving such a beautiful gift, but she was willing to give their friendship a chance.
She went into shower and change into her sweat pants and vest, zipping on Troy's hoodie to return to him and she went to knock on his door to say thank you, hoping he would be back from filming by now.
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Troy opened the door to find Gabi there wearing his hoodie and those sexy sweats of hers, her hair tumbling softly down her body in messy curls that made him ache to touch them.
"Wow, risking death and a lifetime of hell aren't you?" he quipped.
Gabi tried not to stare. He looked gorgeous stood there with his hair all damp from the shower, wearing soft jeans around his hips and a long sleeve white top that showcased his impressive torso from beneath.
"I just wanted to say thank you for my gift, but if you're busy…" she hedged, meeting his tired blue eyes.
"Nah, I'm good, come on in, Little Miss Montez" he said and he threw his door open; which she slipped through and watched him wander across his room barefoot, not quite sure where to place herself.
"I was just about to order food from room service" he commented, running a hand through his hair as he picked up a menu from the bureau in his room "You want some?" he asked.
Did she really ought to be in Troy's room and sharing dinner with him in this cosy space she wondered?
"Sure, sounds good" she said and he flicked his gaze to her.
"Are you sure now? I don't want to get you in trouble" he smiled.
"I'm sure" she finally sat on his bed and he brought the menu over to her.
"What are you having?" she asked.
"Probably the lasagne" he shrugged.
"Are we still going to the Av's game?" she asked, wondering if they would be eating out tomorrow before making her choice.
Troy hesitated. He wanted to take her out more than anything, but he couldn't do it without the press seeing. And that meant more grief from Gabriel.
"I…uh…I don't know. How do you feel about it?" he asked as he nervously rubbed a hand on the back of his neck.
Gabi felt her stomach drop. He was having second thoughts. Because of her father. That's why he had left her room without saying goodbye and why he was discreetly avoiding her on set.
She couldn't blame him. His life was splashed across the paper every time he stepped outside and she couldn't expect him to take flak from her dad when they weren't even involved.
"I feel like you don't deserve the baggage that follows me everywhere I go and we should break our date" she said, getting up and throwing down the menu as she headed for the door before he could see her cry.
His arms caught her before she could reach the door knob and she collapsed against their pressure against her ribs, knowing he wouldn't let go unless she asked him to.
"Don't go" he begged huskily into her ear and she felt her insides roll with desire.
Gabi let herself sob even though it was not really to do with him or their date and this was a pent-up hurt she'd been carrying since she had that argument with her dad over the paper article.
He held her tight against his chest, wanting to turn her, but afraid if he let go she might make a run for it and he crossed his arms across her body to hold her tighter.
Gabi pushed against his arms and he closed his eyes, letting her go, but she turned and wrapped her own arms around his neck, reaching up to fully encircle them and he lifted her against him, his lips against her hair as he soothed her with whispers and murmurs and his arms ached as they wrapped around her. He wanted to be there every time she cried like this, he wanted to soothe away those tears and absorb her hurt and see that amazing smile of hers that was so rare yet so beautiful.
Gabi clung to Troy and wished she didn't have such a complicated life and that she could have just kept him at arms length where she could snap at him and insult him and anything but have him hold her like this which she found was way too pleasurable. She couldn't allow herself to feel something for him and to become attached to him. If he wasn't such a great guy she could handle his flirting and advances and spur him away. But he kept proving he was a great guy and she couldn't deal with that, it confused the hell out of her.
She calmed down from her hysterical bawling and sniffled against his chest as he let her down so her feet touched the floor and she had to let go of his neck, pushing against his chest gently to release her from his arms.
He watched as she sat on the bed and he sat next to her.
"You still want some food?" he asked gently, wanting to put her at ease.
She nodded and picked up the menu from under her, affording him a glimpse of her amazing backside.
"Can I have margherita pizza please?" she asked softly and he ordered the food while she calmed a little next to him.
"I'm guessing that your dad didn't have very many nice things to say about our night out" he ventured, wiping his finger gently across her cheek to remove her tears that clung there and she turned to face him with big brown eyes that rippled his stomach.
"Every time I even think about dating someone, he has to ruin it all. I can't even go out and have fun without it being a big deal."
"It wouldn't have been a big deal if it wasn't in the paper. And if it wasn't with me" he added, a little self-dejectedly.
"Oh don't you dare try and justify him" she accused "It would have been a big deal. He may not have found out as quick, but he would still have jumped to conclusions"
"He's got a point about my reputation" he argued.
"No, he doesn't. He thinks you're a womaniser and that I'm not sensible enough to make my own decisions."
"Do you think I'm a womaniser?" he asked and Gabi felt her heart trip a beat.
"I don't know anymore" she said honestly, looking into his blue eyes and seeing hope. "I guess not" she added and he smiled, flashing his white teeth at her.
"Wow I never thought I'd hear that" he admitted.
A knock sounded at the door and the food was delivered, Gabi tucking into her pizza as she sat cross-legged on his bed and he watched her as he leaned up against the headboard and stretched his legs out in front of him, his toes reaching her knee if he stretched them, which he did, touching her jean-clad leg.
"I don't want to break our date" he said then as he put his finished food plate down on the floor.
"I know, but we have to" she said and smiled sadly.
"You can still watch the Av's play. I got tickets, you can take someone else" he offered.
"It won't be the same" she said and he cocked his head wondering if that was an admission of her having feelings for him "I wouldn't be able to insult them" she added and he chuckled.
"I haven't had any yet tonight, I'm kinda worried" he squinted his eyes at her cutely.
"Well you already know you're ugly" she said and he smiled.
"I get told that every day" he said proudly and she smiled a little as she cast her eyes over his face, appreciating his floppy hair; all shiny and gorgeous, his thick eyebrows that seemed to have a life of their own, his blue eyes which were framed with dark long lashes, his freckled nose and those soft, full lips that just invited hers so strongly that she knew she shouldn't have allowed herself the pleasure of looking.
"And we both know you're a terrible kisser" she added mischievously.
His eyes met hers and showed a very dark look that told her exactly how dangerous her game was.
"I am?" he asked, mock hurt.
Gabi crawled across the bed to kneel next to him and he sat up, eyeing her lips as she stopped just before him.
"It's awful. I'd expect a Hollywood leading man to kiss better" she teased and he liked how her insults had become extremely sexy all of a sudden.
"You're going to show me how to do it, right?" he hoped.
"I don't know, it could take some time" she twisted her pouty lips and he smiled as her gaze dropped and he reached out to frame her face with his cupped hand.
"I have all the time in the world…" he husked and Gabi leaned forward to meet his lips, hardly believing she had instigated this little game and really regretting it as her tummy span excitedly when his lips met hers.
He kissed slowly, like he wanted to taste her and enjoy the feel of their lips meshing, kissing her with such tenderness; very gently licking his tongue out, testing her. Gabi let his tongue dip into her mouth, trying so hard to hold back and enjoy this exquisite tingling that whizzed around her as their lips played gently against each other.
His tongue drove deeper as he gripped the back of her head and he sat up, laying his other hand across her on the bed so that their bodies were touching and she longed to feel those arms around her as she tentatively placed her hands against his neck, running them up through his hair as their kiss deepened but still in that slow, teasing way of his that was causing her to throb with longing.
She pulled away, eyes wide, breathing shallow as she stared at him in shock.
"You're right" he said breathlessly "I am an awful kisser. You definitely need to teach me" and his eyes flicked to hers as his hand brushed her cheek gently.
She had forgotten that this had started as a game. She'd forgotten pretty much everything for those few moments as he had kissed her like that.
She didn't know what to do with herself but she knew she had to move and quickly, before she ended up doing something she really regretted.
She scooted from the bed and he knew straight away she was heading for escape.
"Gabi, wait…" he said as he struggled off the bed, his burgeoning arousal and tight jeans delaying him a little as she made it to the door in lightening speed.
"I…I'm sorry…" was all she could think of as she dashed out of his room and shut the door behind her as he lamely followed on, too late to stop her.
"Fuck!" he muttered as he span in anger, wishing he had seen that coming and been able to stop her.