Seducing Serenity

Chapter 11

Serenity

I finished the day in a daze. The situation with Gabriel had me completely turned upside down. Thoughts of him and the way I'd felt in his arms both excited and terrified me. I wanted to run to him and away from him at the same time. Dinner seemed like a bad idea. I seemed to have no ability to resist him, but at the same time, not seeing him until Monday wasn't something I wanted to do, either.

I wanted to talk to Lena, but I was sure she was probably still mad at me. Not that I blamed her. She'd been the only person who'd been a part of my life before and after my parents died. My biological parents had given me up for adoption when I was an infant, and my adoptive parents had died in a car accident when I was fifteen. They'd been wonderful and I considered myself lucky they'd chosen me. After they died, I lived with my adoptive mother's sister and her family until I graduated high school and gone to college. That's where I met Devin.

I'd tried to find my biological parents at one point but had only hit dead ends. It was almost like they hadn't existed. I even tried one of those DNA tests and even then, I got no leads on where my biological family was. I still spoke to my adoptive family now and then, but Devin had done a good job of isolating me from pretty much everyone, except Lena.

I called Lena and apologized for being a bitch and after making me feel guilty for a few minutes, all was forgiven. I didn't even know how to tell her about what'd happened with Gabriel, but I let her know he'd asked me to have dinner with him. She encouraged me to keep an open mind.

"I just feel like something strange is happening between us." I'd started to explain, but my words felt inadequate.

"It's called physical attraction. You don't remember that feeling when you first met Devin?" she asked, choking over his name.

"I've never felt anything like this before." I admitted. "I thought I'd been attracted to Devin, but maybe I'd only mistaken relief at having someone who said they wanted to take care of me for attraction."

"Let a handsome, intelligent, successful, hot, guy take you out for dinner and treat you like you deserve to be treated. If you end up getting breakfast with him in the morning, even better!" she laughed.

"Lena, he's my boss! How awkward would that be?" I argued but couldn't help laughing along with her. She always had a way of getting me out of my head. "I have to stop home and change before dinner. I'll see you then?"

"See you then. I'll talk you out of wearing your grannie panties to dinner." She laughed as she hung up.

I didn't see Gabriel again before I left the office. I couldn't believe how nervous I was. I hadn't even been this nervous about the job interview. Of course, I didn't know then that he'd set all my nerves on fire and turn me into a sex craved mess. All I could think about was the feeling of him pressed against me. How my body seemed to fit perfectly with his, I could feel how much he wanted me and from what I could tell, he was impressive. Of course, I only had Devin to compare to.

As I drove home from the office, I thought of ten different excuses to cancel dinner. I'd made up my mind to do just that by the time I got home. If Lena hadn't caught me at the door, I would've chickened out and canceled. As it was, she did catch me and swooped me up in the excitement of going on a date. I hadn't really ever dated. I didn't count the high school trips to the movies or the local diner dates. Devin and I met in a college class and just kind of started hanging out and never stopped. He'd never been the romantic type.

After finally finding something Lena thought was date-appropriate in my limited wardrobe, she asked what I was doing with my hair. I just pointed at my head and said, "It is what it is."

"Oh no," she replied, shaking her head, "sit!" She sat me in front of my mirror and went to get what she called her toolbox. As a wedding planner, she had to be prepared to handle anything from catering nightmares to dress and hair disasters. She had developed many talents over the years, including hair and makeup. Within minutes she had me looking like a whole new person. I tended to go very understated and simple. Devin had never liked me calling too much attention to myself, and I'd gotten used to plain.

I looked at myself in the mirror when Lena finished, and tears came to my eyes. I actually felt pretty. My dark hair curled perfectly around my face and down to my shoulders. The makeup she'd applied highlighted my eyes. I'd always thought they were boring brown, but she'd managed to make them look almost luminous. Before I could thank her, there was a knock at the door. Lena got a mischievous look in her eyes that I knew all too well meant trouble.

"I'll get it!" she shouted and ran for the door.

"Lena! Don't you dare embarrass me!" I shouted after her, knowing it was too late, and not really minding at all. Anyone who couldn't handle Lena wasn't meant for me. If only I'd known that when I met Devin. I should've kicked him to the curb the first time he tried to interfere in my friendship with Lena. Luckily, she was more stubborn than he was. Not to mention a whole lot smarter. I rolled my eyes, for the millionth time wondering why I wasn't smart enough to see him for who he was. I reminded myself again that I would never let anyone fool me again. I heard laughing coming from the living room and I knew I had to get moving. Who knew which embarrassing story Lena had picked to tell Gabriel?

I took one last look at myself in the mirror. "Bulletproof." I said quietly to my reflection. Then I stood, and headed for the door.