Healing Gabe (The Last Hangman MC #3)(33)

“I remember a little someone who ate one of this all by herself and then stole a couple of slices of my pizza and my beers.” He chuckles and I can’t help but smile.

“I’m sorry about what I said this morning.” I bite my lip.

“Don’t be. We were both upset and said things we didn’t mean. I had time to think about what you said and I’d probably feel the same way if I were you.” I look at him, mouth open, a mini pizza halfway to my mouth, stunned that he is basically admitting I was right and he was wrong. “Don’t even dare tease me about it or I swear I’ll tickle the shit out of you.” He glares at me and smirks.

“Duly noted.” I smile softly and take a bite, mumbling under my breath. “Can’t believe you admitted you were wrong.”

“I heard that.” He chuckles and takes a bite from his lasagne.

“Not even sorry.” I grin innocently and dig into the mac and cheese, moaning as I chew. It’s so f*cking good. I could live off of mac and cheese.

“Could you not? Unless you want to be my dessert.” He smirks, the scar in his cheek making a dimple, and waggles his eyebrows.

“Don’t start.” I smirk and flip him off. “It’s so good. Here, try it.” I get a fork full and shove it in his mouth. I grin innocently.

As suspected, he moans as he eats his bite. “Okay, you were right. It’s good.”

“No, it’s not good; it’s f*cking-amazing-and-the-best-mac-and-cheese-I’ve-ever-had good. What is wrong with you?” I look at him troubled and he bursts out laughing.

“I forgot how funny you can be.” He smiles at me fondly. “And you haven’t tried my mac and cheese yet.” He winks.

“Right, because you can cook?” I raise my eyebrow at him and stuff my face with more cheesy goodness.

“I’ve had to raise Nicole and that kid is f*cking picky, I had to learn how to cook what she liked exactly how she liked it. It wasn’t easy and I burned a lot of meals, but in the end she said I was making food as good as our mom.” He smiles sadly. I feel for him. We’ve lost our parents too young. “I’ll have to cook for you some day.” he says with meaning. I look up at him, stunned.

“What?” He looks at me confused.

“Nothing, I just wasn’t expecting that.” I shrug, not sure what to say. The fact that he stills wants to spend time with me after my nervous breakdown this morning and telling him to go f*ck himself, is rendering me speechless.

“I’m full of surprises.” He gives me one of his full on dimple smiles and winks at me.

“That you are.” I smile softly and throw a mini rice ball at him. He catches it in his mouth and smirks. “Nice throw.” he says around a mouthful.

“So, what would you cook for me? What’s your speciality?”

“Anything you want Doll. Let’s see. I make a mean grilled cheese sandwich.” I raise my eyebrow at him. “What?”

“I was expecting something a bit more elaborate.”

“You haven’t tried it yet so shut up.” He chuckles. “I can cook whatever you want. I make a good chicken stew from what Nicole tells me. Whenever she comes back home from college I make her one if I’m home.”

“Alright, I’ll have to wait and see then.” I grin innocently, stealing some of his lasagne.

“Food thief. Remember that day?” He laughs.

“No clue what you’re talking about.” I grin innocently, obviously lying.

“Really? So you don’t remember spending half a day locked in my kitchen while I was trying to reassure Annie that everything would be okay, that no one would hurt us and when we came to get you, all the food was gone?”

“I was hungry!” I exclaim.

“I noticed.” He chuckles. “So you did try my cooking already.” He smiles.

“Yeah, but it wasn’t cooked for me so it doesn’t count.” I shrug smiling, finishing my mac and cheese.

“I love a woman who can eat food, real food and not be ashamed.” He smirks, letting his eyes travel down my body.

“Oi, eyes up here Gabe. And food is too good to f*cking diet, that’s why someone invented gyms. I love food too much. Salads are good from time to time but they aren’t filling.” I smile and pop a mini rice ball in my mouth and chew on it.

“Good to know.” He looks at me, longingly and sighs.

“What’s wrong?” I look at him confused.

“Nothing. It’s just…it’s the first time I’m feeling something since Annie. It’s totally different than what I felt for her. I’ve always had a soft spot for you Viv, ever since we met. I didn’t think you were interested in me and Annie was, so I started to date her, but there was something about you that’s always intrigued me and slowly I fell for you. I should have ended things with Annie, but I couldn’t. I didn’t want to break her heart and I knew that if I did, you wouldn’t want to see me ever again. I made a big f*cking mistake going out with her in the first place and then staying with her, it cost her her life and me, you. I wish I was man enough back then to own up to how I felt and told her the truth. What I meant when I mentioned your eyes this morning, is that whenever I dream or have a nightmare about Annie, it’s her, but with your eyes. I don’t know why, it’s so confusing. What I feel for you is much stronger than anything I’ve ever felt before. It scares me to have these feelings and even more so to express them because I know you don’t feel the same way. I’m scared that if we get too close, someone will try to hurt you and you’ll be ripped away from me, and I can’t handle that. Ever since you came back, I’ve been a f*cking mess. I don’t know how to deal with my feelings. It’s killing me to imagine someone was after you, scaring you all those years and now that you’re back, I’m scared they will go back after you. Things have been f*cked up this past year. But I’m even more scared of not touching you.” He looks up at me and I have no idea what to say, everything he said after telling me that he fell for me years ago has gone over my head.