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GABRIELLE WAS DECIDING what she wanted to do tonight when the doorbell rang. Wondering who it was, she looked through the peephole and her heart swelled when she saw him, “This is a nice surprise. I figured you were busy at work.”
Holding up the grocery bags, “I thought I would show off my cooking skills for you. I hope you don’t mind.”
Gabrielle smiled up at him, “I was just trying to decide what to do for supper. I would love for you to show me how well you can cook.”
“Unless, of course, you would rather go out?”
“To tell you the truth, I have had enough of the public today. I would much rather open a bottle of wine and watch you cook. I would like to freshen up, though.”
Gabrielle reached up and kissed him quickly on the lips before dashing to her room to freshen up. As she entered her room, she told him, “Make yourself at home. I won’t be long.”
He walked around the small house, trying to get a better feel for her. He couldn’t seem to get his mind off her. Instead of hunting tonight, he felt the overwhelming need to be with her.
As he set up in the kitchen, he heard Gabrielle exit her bedroom. She took his breath away standing there in the doorway, “You look stunning.”
Gabrielle blushed at the compliment. She pulled up a stool at the bar and asked, “Can I help you with something?”
He shook his head, “I have everything under control.”
“This is heaven for me. I have never had a man offer to cook a meal for me before. You are spoiling me way too much.”
As he cooked supper, she opened a bottle of Pinot Noir wine. “I wanted to enjoy your company as much as possible tonight. This allows me to spend all of my time with you.”
She asked, “So Chef, what is on the menu tonight?”
“I thought we would splurge this evening. You will have to sit back and watch.”
He took out the stock pot and placed lobsters in it. “Okay, now you are spoiling me.” She told him, “I have never had lobster before.”
Giving her a wicked smile, “You are in for a treat then. I managed to get some of the seafood boil Beazell’s On The Bayou uses.” Using his fingers, he blew a kiss, “This will be the best lobster you will ever have.”
“How did you get some of their seasoning?”
Covering the pot, he took out the steaks to begin preparing them, “Let’s just say, I have my sources.”
She peeked into the cake box, “Oh my goodness, you do know someone there. I will definitely have to work this supper off. I love their doberge cakes. Which filling did you get?”
“Why raspberry, of course?”
She leaned back in her chair and let out a soft moan. “You can come over and cook for me any time you want, but please, you don’t have to always feed me like this.”
Walking over, he gave her a quick kiss on her lips, tasting the wine, “I am so glad that we finally met. I have been waiting my whole life for you.”
“I am so glad you introduced yourself.”
As he seared the filet mignon wrapped in bacon, he asked, “How do you like yours done?”
“Medium rare, please.”
“Oh, you are indeed a woman after my heart.” Maybe, just maybe, she was his soul mate.
The last thing to prepare was the haricot vert. For those, he blanched them until they were perfectly done and served a simple lemon butter drizzled on top. As she filled their wine glasses once more, he prepared two plates for them. He made sure everything was expertly arranged on the plate. “You do pay special attention to detail don’t you?”
He replied, “I just want to make sure that everything is perfect for you.”
He was pleased that the steak came out super tender and melt in your mouth. “This is better than any restaurant I have been too. Thank you so much for the special treat.” Next she tried the lobster, drenching it in the drawn butter. “Now I wish I had tried lobster years ago. This is delicious.”
The evening went by quicker than he wanted. “I don’t know if I can wait until the weekend to see you again. What if I came by on Wednesday? Would you be available for supper?”
“Sure. Why don’t I fix something for us to eat this time though?”
He picked up her hand and tenderly kissed it, “You don’t have to do that. I can take you out to eat.”
“Nonsense, it’s really no problem. Don’t worry, I won’t give you food poisoning or anything, I promise.”
At the front door, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her harder than the previous times, “Until Wednesday night then.”
“I’ll be counting the minutes.”
“I’m not sure what time I will be over here, but it will likely be sometime after seven o’clock.”
Gabrielle informed him, “I will be here. I get off work at five o’clock.”
He kissed her one more time before he left. She watched as he pulled away and wished it was already Wednesday.
He had been tempted to see how much further he could get with Gabrielle, but something inside of him kept him from taking the next step in their relationship. She was the first woman he’d desired. He didn’t want to scare her off. He had never been with a woman before. Everything must be perfect. Was she a virgin as well?