Gabriel's Inferno (Gabriel's Inferno #1)(116)

The card had the initials G. O. E.  embossed on the top and was handwritten: Dear Julianne,

Thank you for sharing yourself with me Friday night.

You have the heart of a lion.

I would dearly like to tame you, slowly, but without the tears or the good-bye.

Yours,

Gabriel

P.S. I have a new, private e-mail account at your disposal: [email protected]

Julia opened the box and was immediately captivated by a beautiful fragrance. Inside, she was stunned to find a large glass bowl filled with water.

Suspended on the surface of the water were seven gardenias. She carefully removed the bowl from its packaging and placed it on her card table, inhaling deeply as the perfume began to permeate the room.

She re-read Gabriel’s note and eagerly opened her laptop so that she could send him a quick e-mail from her Gmail account: Dear Gabriel,

Thank you for the gardenias; they’re lovely.

Thank you for your card.

Thank you for listening.

Looking forward to seeing you soon,

Julia

XO

On Wednesday afternoon, Julia met Paul by the mailboxes before Professor Emerson’s seminar. They exchanged pleasantries and chatted briefly before they were somewhat rudely interrupted by Julia’s cell phone. The call was (miraculously) from Dante Alighieri, so of course, she answered it.

“I have to take this,” she murmured to Paul apologetically before she walked into the hall.

“Hello?”

“Julianne.”

She smiled widely at the sound of his voice. “Hello.”

“Will you join me for dinner?”

She looked around quickly to ensure that she was alone. “Um, what did you have in mind?”

“Dinner at my place. I haven’t seen you since Saturday. I’m beginning to think you only want e-mail correspondence now that you have my new address.” Gabriel chuckled.

Julia breathed deeply, glad that he wasn’t irritated with her. “I’ve been getting ready for my next meeting with Katherine. You’ve been working on your lecture, so…”

“I need to see you.”

“I want to see you too. But we’ll see each other in a few minutes.”

“I need to speak to you about that. We’re going to have to pretend as if nothing happened in my last seminar. I’ll probably ignore you, just for effect. I wanted to tell you in advance so that I wouldn’t upset you.” He paused for a moment. “Of course, all I want to do is touch you, but we need to keep up appearances.”

“I understand.”

“Julianne…” he began, dropping his voice, “I don’t like this any more than you do. But I would like to have you join me for dinner tonight, so I can make it up to you. After, we can spend a quiet evening by the fire enjoying one another’s company. Before bed.”

Julia’s cheeks immediately flamed with color. “I’d like to, but I was planning on working all evening. I haven’t finished the revisions Katherine asked for, and I meet with her tomorrow afternoon. She’s very demanding.”

He began muttering under his breath.

“I’m sorry, Gabriel, but I want to make her happy.”

“What about making me happy?”

“I…” Julia was at a loss for words.

He fumed slightly. “Will you promise to see me Friday night, instead?”

“After your lecture?”

“I’ll be going to dinner. I’d like you to meet me at my place after that.”

“Won’t that be too late?”

“Not for what I have in mind. You promised, you know.”

Julia smiled at the thought of the new, mature sleepover she had only recently discovered.

“So will I see you Friday night?” He dropped his voice to a seductive whisper.

“Yes. I’ll have to come up with an excuse to give Paul. We’re going to the lecture together.”

Silence rippled on the other end of the telephone line.

“Hello?” Julia moved to a different location in the hallway, hoping her movement would improve her reception. “Are you still there?”

“I’m here.” Gabriel’s tone was suddenly glacial.

Scheisse,  she thought.

He was silent for another moment before he resumed speaking. “Did we or did we not have an arrangement that excluded sharing?”

Double Scheisse.

“Um, of course.”

“I’ve kept up my end of that arrangement.”

“Gabriel, please — ”

He cut her off. “Tell me that I misunderstood what you just told me.”

“We’re friends. He asked me to go with him to your lecture. I didn’t think it was wrong.”

“Do you want me seeing other women as friends? Going to public events with them?”

“No,” she whispered.

“Then extend me the same courtesy.”

“Please don’t be cross with me.”

Her request was met with silence.

“He’s the only friend I have. Being a grad student in a strange city is very…lonely.”

“I thought I was your friend.”

“Of course you are. But I need someone to talk to about school and things.”