“What have I done?” She lifted a trembling hand to her forehead.
Gabriel frowned darkly and released her. “You disappoint me, Julianne. I’m not one to kiss and tell. I’m going to protect you, I promise.” He picked up her knapsack and put it over his shoulder, grabbing his briefcase in one hand and wrapping his other arm around her waist, drawing her to him. “Come with me.”
“Paul is waiting.”
“Fuck Paul.”
Julia’s eyelids fluttered.
“You’re nothing more than a pet to him.”
“I’m not a pet—I’m his friend. He’s my only friend in Toronto.”
“I’d like to be your friend,” Gabriel said, gazing down at her. “And I’m going to keep my little friend very close to make sure she doesn’t run away again.”
“This is—complicated. And dangerous.” Julia willed herself to forget the feeling of his lips on hers and to focus on their insurmountable problems. But it was impossible, especially since the memory of the sounds he made while kissing her still echoed in her ears.
Groan.
“You didn’t seem to think that it was complicated and dangerous when you pranced around my apartment in my underwear. You didn’t think it was complicated when you left a breakfast tray in my refrigerator with something that could only be described as a love letter. Why is everything more complicated now that I’ve kissed you?”
“Because we’ve been—outed.”
Gabriel’s expression hardened. “No, we haven’t. Apart from the e-mail, the only public evidence is an argument, which is open to interpretation. The burden of proof is on our antagonists. We’ll deny everything.”
“Is that what you want to do?”
“What’s our alternative? Besides, at the time of the seminar there was no relationship.”
He bent over to pick up a key ring from the floor. “Are these yours?”
She held out her hand. “Yes.”
“P as in Princeton? Or P as in Paul?” Gabriel mocked, as he dangled the keys in front of her.
Julia grabbed the keys out of his hand with a grimace and shoved them into the knapsack he was holding.
He smiled at her reaction. “Wait here while I check to see if Paul has his gun out, waiting to shoot the wolf to save the duck.”
He quickly peered into the empty hallway. “Hurry up. We’ll take the stairs.” He pulled Julia swiftly through the door and locked it behind them.
“Are you okay to walk? We can take the short cut through Victoria College and walk up Charles Street. Or I could call a cab,” he whispered, as he opened the door to the stairwell for her.
“Where are you taking me?”
“Home.”
She relaxed minutely.
“Home…with me,” he clarified, bringing his face closer to hers.
“I thought I pushed all of your buttons.”
Gabriel pulled his face back and straightened up to his full height.
“You do. All of them. But it’s six o’clock, and you’re fainting from hunger. There’s no way in hell I’m taking you somewhere public after what happened. And I can’t cook you a proper dinner at your place.”
“But you’re still angry. I can see it in your eyes.”
“I’m sure you’re angry with me too. But hopefully, we’ll get over it. Right now, every time I look at you all I can think about is kissing you.” Gabriel released her and began to lead her down the stairs.
“Paul could take me home.”
“I told you—fuck Paul. You’re my Beatrice. You belong with me.”
“Gabriel, I’m not anyone’s Beatrice. The delusions have to stop.”
He placed a hand on her arm to stop her. “Neither of us has a monopoly on delusions. Our only hope is to take time to discover who we really are and decide if that’s a reality we both can live with.
“I’ve had enough vexation with you to last a lifetime, and I’m putting an end to it tonight. We’re going to sit down and have the conversation I wanted to have with you ten days ago. I’m not letting you out of my sight until that’s happened. End of discussion.”
With one look at the resolve on his face, Julia realized there was no point in arguing. As he led her through a side door and behind the building, she pulled out her cell phone and guiltily sent Paul a text. She told him she was okay, that she was too embarrassed to talk about it, and was already on her way home.
Paul had been hovering by the elevators, staying out of sight as he waited for Julia to come out. He’d walked by The Professor’s door once or twice but hadn’t heard anything. He didn’t want to antagonize Emerson by waiting outside his door.
As soon as he received her text, he immediately ran back to the office. He knocked on Emerson’s door, but no one answered. Paul ran to the stairwell and flew down the stairs hoping that he could catch her.
***
Gabriel followed Julia into his apartment. “Did you eat lunch?”
“I don’t remember.”
“Julianne! What about breakfast?”
“I had coffee…”