The Daddy Box Set

Chapter Seven

James

I strode into Blackmore’s, one of Miami’s best new restaurants, wearing my favorite suit and a shit-eating grin. The owner was a friend of a teammate, and she didn’t hide the fact that she was a fan.

“It’s such an honor to host you, Mr. Skye. Please, follow Monty to your private dining room.” I had requested a table with privacy when I’d made the reservation for Ryder and I so that we wouldn’t be mobbed by fans all night long. I hadn’t thought that “a table with a modicum of privacy” would have turned into a private dining room.

Hells yeah. Guess who’s arrived? I silently cheered.

I settled at the table in the private dining room. It was decorated like an intimate library, which I thought Gabrielle might appreciate.

Because you know her so well. I shut up the snide voice in my head good and tight. I actually looked forward to this dinner. From what little I did know about her, she seemed like fun. She was sassy. I liked that.

Richard would not be happy if he ever found out. Especially since he’d specifically warned me to stay away from her. I almost felt bad about it. He’d been really good to me.

Fuck it.

Gabrielle was hot. Like, come in your pants hot. Not that it had ever happened to me, but she was the kind of hot that made you realize that the struggle was real. It wasn’t like I was asking her to marry me behind his back. I was just buying her some food. Besides, he’d always liked me.

“May I bring you anything, Mr. Skye?” a bright-eyed waitress asked. She was obviously a fan but had the good sense to keep it to herself.

“I’m okay for now. My dinner companion should be arriving—”

Gabrielle pushed through the door as if the mention of her had summoned her. She looked fucking beautiful. She’d changed since I’d seen her last, and while I’d thought she’d been sexy in her casual clothes, she was downright devastating dressed up.

Her hair was twisted into an elegant bun at the side of her head, and her delectable body was wrapped in a cocktail dress that matched the color of her navy eyes almost exactly.

My cock twitched in appreciation.

“You eat in private rooms?” She barely managed to veil her condescension.

“No, but the teammate who canceled knows the owner. She thought that he might enjoy it.”

“Okay.” She smiled. It was an easy grin that brightened her eyes in a way that I hadn’t seen in anyone for the longest time. “So, what’s good here? I’m starving.”

Wait, she was actually going to eat in front of me?

Most of my dates ordered food only to take one or two bites and push their food around the plates. Gabrielle, on the other hand, studied the menu like she was so hungry that she actually considered eating it and not only the food it advertised. It fascinated me.

“Are you ready to order?” A server appeared at the table, tapping some sort of electronic pad.

“I am,” Gabrielle confirmed. “How about you?”

I cleared my throat. “Sure, what are you having?”

“The fileto al tegamino for me, please.” She smiled as she handed the menu to the waiter.

She had ordered my favorite dish. I tried not to look incredulous as I repeated her order. “Steak medium rare for me.”

“Of course, Mr. Skye.” She gave a slight bow and left us alone.

The sudden silence in the room was deafening.

Gabrielle studied me with a hint of curiosity in her eyes. Then she smirked. “Not creative enough to come up with your own order?”

She was teasing me. It took me a second to recognize it. It had been years since a girl just had innocent banter with me.

Women always wanted something from me, mostly ‘balls deep Skye.’ Gabrielle didn’t even seem to be thinking about it. “I’m plenty creative,” I said. “It just so happens that I love that steak, and they don’t have it at a lot of places.”