He walked into the hotel bar that evening, feeling a bit distracted. Make it an early evening, lad, he thought. Early flight tomorrow. He ordered a club soda from the bartender, and sat quietly at the bar to drink. Gabriel felt a small hand at his shoulder, and turned. The woman standing there warmly smiled at him, her green eyes shining with interest. She was a beautiful woman, with shoulder length dark blonde hair, tall and elegant. Tonight she was wearing a dark red cocktail dress that showed off her cleavage while retaining her sense of elegance. Her smile brightened.
"Hello, darling," she greeted him.
He couldn't help but smile. "Hello."
"I'll have whatever he's having," she told the bartender. She looked at Gabriel again, and extended her hand in greeting. "Dana Butler," she introduced herself. He shook her hand, catching a hint of her perfume. Very nice.
"Gabriel Miller," he informed her.
"Gabriel Miller. I love it already."
The bartender brought her a club soda. "Nice to meet you, Dana."
"And it's a pleasure to meet you," she said, sitting beside Gabriel.
"Do I know you from somewhere?" he asked, trying to remember.
"I have seen you before. A few weeks ago, you were at the launch party for Vista."
"The one that got called off early thanks to the fire alarm? Yes. You were there too?"
Dana nodded. "Yes, as I said. I'm in the industry, darling. So then what about you?"
"I'm a photographer. My agent dragged me kicking and screaming, so to speak."
"Well, Gabriel, I did notice you," she remarked, setting a hand on his forearm. "You were the center of attention for three women. I felt like being the center of your attention. Not to mention taking you home and having my way with you for the rest of the evening."
He lightly laughed. "Are you this forward with most men?"
"Just the ones I find drop dead gorgeous," Dana replied.
Gabriel looked at her for a long moment. Six months ago he'd have taken her up on her flirtation instantly. He would have already been thinking of what she'd be like in bed, and just what she might look like out of that dress. Now, however, his thoughts were consumed with a woman he had yet to meet. She's not Chloe. "I'm flattered, really..."
"But there's someone else." There was a hint of disappointment in her eyes.
"Yes. There is. And it's a bit complicated," Gabriel softly said.
"Oh, God, you're gay, aren't you?" Now she sounded annoyed.
"No, I'm not," he replied, trying not to smile. "This is a woman."
"Who is she? I'll fight her for you," Dana declared with a smirk.
That was enough to get another laugh out of him. "Oh really?"
"Or if you prefer, I could join the two of you in bed sometime. Really, I'd go for some girl on girl action if it meant getting you in the process." She winked, her eyes amused. "Oh well, Gabriel. Whoever she is, she's a lucky woman." She leaned over, and lightly kissed him on the cheek. "And if it doesn't work out between you two, I'm the fashion editor at Worldwide. You know where to find me." She finished her drink, and stepped up to her feet. "Good night, Gabriel. Pleasant dreams. I know I'll have pleasant dreams wondering what you're like in bed." She winked again, and headed off. He watched her go, smiled to himself, and wished her well, all the while wishing it had been Chloe instead, sharing his company.
"Hello, darling," she greeted him.
He couldn't help but smile. "Hello."
"I'll have whatever he's having," she told the bartender. She looked at Gabriel again, and extended her hand in greeting. "Dana Butler," she introduced herself. He shook her hand, catching a hint of her perfume. Very nice.
"Gabriel Miller," he informed her.
"Gabriel Miller. I love it already."
The bartender brought her a club soda. "Nice to meet you, Dana."
"And it's a pleasure to meet you," she said, sitting beside Gabriel.
"Do I know you from somewhere?" he asked, trying to remember.
"I have seen you before. A few weeks ago, you were at the launch party for Vista."
"The one that got called off early thanks to the fire alarm? Yes. You were there too?"
Dana nodded. "Yes, as I said. I'm in the industry, darling. So then what about you?"
"I'm a photographer. My agent dragged me kicking and screaming, so to speak."
"Well, Gabriel, I did notice you," she remarked, setting a hand on his forearm. "You were the center of attention for three women. I felt like being the center of your attention. Not to mention taking you home and having my way with you for the rest of the evening."
He lightly laughed. "Are you this forward with most men?"
"Just the ones I find drop dead gorgeous," Dana replied.
Gabriel looked at her for a long moment. Six months ago he'd have taken her up on her flirtation instantly. He would have already been thinking of what she'd be like in bed, and just what she might look like out of that dress. Now, however, his thoughts were consumed with a woman he had yet to meet. She's not Chloe. "I'm flattered, really..."
"But there's someone else." There was a hint of disappointment in her eyes.
"Yes. There is. And it's a bit complicated," Gabriel softly said.
"Oh, God, you're gay, aren't you?" Now she sounded annoyed.
"No, I'm not," he replied, trying not to smile. "This is a woman."
"Who is she? I'll fight her for you," Dana declared with a smirk.
That was enough to get another laugh out of him. "Oh really?"
"Or if you prefer, I could join the two of you in bed sometime. Really, I'd go for some girl on girl action if it meant getting you in the process." She winked, her eyes amused. "Oh well, Gabriel. Whoever she is, she's a lucky woman." She leaned over, and lightly kissed him on the cheek. "And if it doesn't work out between you two, I'm the fashion editor at Worldwide. You know where to find me." She finished her drink, and stepped up to her feet. "Good night, Gabriel. Pleasant dreams. I know I'll have pleasant dreams wondering what you're like in bed." She winked again, and headed off. He watched her go, smiled to himself, and wished her well, all the while wishing it had been Chloe instead, sharing his company.
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