the picture, Isabella looked at her sternly. “We’ll pay four hundred dollars in cash when we pick it up. Do you have a business card?”
Fishing in my pocket, I pulled out a card that was only in slightly better shape than the one I gave Sebastian. Man, I sucked at this whole business owner thing. As I passed it to her, this became the least of my concerns. The first? Isabella was offering far too much. I opened my mouth to protest, but Sebastian stepped in and placed a hand on my lower back. Suddenly, my jaw snapped shut and I was aware of nothing but the warmth of his touch. I couldn’t move, afraid to shatter the moment.
“Don’t fight it. When Isabella sets her mind on something, she tends to get her way.” Sebastian smiled at me, making butterflies in my stomach. “Can I see?” He reached for my phone.
Numbly I nodded and passed it to him. Waiting for his reaction had me trembling slightly.
Sebastian must’ve noticed because he pulled me more tightly against his side. “Are you cold? The door will be fixed soon. I promise.”
Isabella and Gabriel exchanged looks before she spoke to me again. “How long have you known each other?”
“Oh. I guess we first met…last night.” It sounded terrible the way I explained it. For all they knew, I’d been picked up at a bar and spent the night. Maybe they wouldn’t think that. After all, it was late in the afternoon. Who stayed that late after? Once again, my inexperience was showing. I’d never spent the night anywhere.
They beamed at me and I couldn’t tell whether they were happy or laughing at me. “One last piece of advice.” Isabella looked at me seriously. “Never sell yourself short.”
Chapter Five
Sebastian
Marisa fled the gallery before Gabriel and Isabella. The insurance agent left me with a very nice check and her business card. She even left me her cell phone number if I needed anything. I thought that was nice of her. Then I sent Sylvie packing because I couldn’t stand having her hanging around while I spoke to Gabriel and Isabella. At the moment, I couldn’t help but feel Isabella had run Marisa off and I decided to tell her as much the minute we were alone. As upset as I was, I merely blurted out the first thought which came to mind. “Why would you say that, about selling herself short?”
Then she gave me that innocent look of hers, the one Gabriel always falls for. “I’m not sure I know what you mean. I was only trying to encourage her. You saw the pictures. She’s really talented.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “Tell me you didn’t consider showing some of her pieces here?” She challenged.
If Isabella had been a man, I might have been in her face, poking her in the chest. Instead, the best I could do was turn around and kick at a pile of debris before continuing our discussion. “You know your comment had nothing to do with her work and everything to do with me!” I huffed a few times while she tilted her head as if she were assessing me.
“Calm down,” Gabriel urged. “Remember, you’re speaking with my wife.”
“Well, your wife is trying to sabotage me!” I whipped around and started tugging on my lower lip as I considered my next move with Marisa.
“How am I sabotaging you?” Isabella took a step closer to me and laid a hand on my arm, but I shrank from her touch.
“Don’t.” I wiped at the spot where her hand had been.
Out of the corner of my eye, I watched as Gabriel reached out and tugged her back, away from my reach. He saw who I was. He’d seen the beast before. It made me feel better, and worse. I wanted to run upstairs, lock myself in and be alone.
“You like her.” Isabella spoke in a low and soothing voice. “I only started to pick up on that at the end.” She smiled happily. “I’ve never seen you like this before.” Her smile spread impossibly wider and I swear you could almost see the sunshine radiating from her. Still, the only warmth I wanted to bask
Fishing in my pocket, I pulled out a card that was only in slightly better shape than the one I gave Sebastian. Man, I sucked at this whole business owner thing. As I passed it to her, this became the least of my concerns. The first? Isabella was offering far too much. I opened my mouth to protest, but Sebastian stepped in and placed a hand on my lower back. Suddenly, my jaw snapped shut and I was aware of nothing but the warmth of his touch. I couldn’t move, afraid to shatter the moment.
“Don’t fight it. When Isabella sets her mind on something, she tends to get her way.” Sebastian smiled at me, making butterflies in my stomach. “Can I see?” He reached for my phone.
Numbly I nodded and passed it to him. Waiting for his reaction had me trembling slightly.
Sebastian must’ve noticed because he pulled me more tightly against his side. “Are you cold? The door will be fixed soon. I promise.”
Isabella and Gabriel exchanged looks before she spoke to me again. “How long have you known each other?”
“Oh. I guess we first met…last night.” It sounded terrible the way I explained it. For all they knew, I’d been picked up at a bar and spent the night. Maybe they wouldn’t think that. After all, it was late in the afternoon. Who stayed that late after? Once again, my inexperience was showing. I’d never spent the night anywhere.
They beamed at me and I couldn’t tell whether they were happy or laughing at me. “One last piece of advice.” Isabella looked at me seriously. “Never sell yourself short.”
Chapter Five
Sebastian
Marisa fled the gallery before Gabriel and Isabella. The insurance agent left me with a very nice check and her business card. She even left me her cell phone number if I needed anything. I thought that was nice of her. Then I sent Sylvie packing because I couldn’t stand having her hanging around while I spoke to Gabriel and Isabella. At the moment, I couldn’t help but feel Isabella had run Marisa off and I decided to tell her as much the minute we were alone. As upset as I was, I merely blurted out the first thought which came to mind. “Why would you say that, about selling herself short?”
Then she gave me that innocent look of hers, the one Gabriel always falls for. “I’m not sure I know what you mean. I was only trying to encourage her. You saw the pictures. She’s really talented.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “Tell me you didn’t consider showing some of her pieces here?” She challenged.
If Isabella had been a man, I might have been in her face, poking her in the chest. Instead, the best I could do was turn around and kick at a pile of debris before continuing our discussion. “You know your comment had nothing to do with her work and everything to do with me!” I huffed a few times while she tilted her head as if she were assessing me.
“Calm down,” Gabriel urged. “Remember, you’re speaking with my wife.”
“Well, your wife is trying to sabotage me!” I whipped around and started tugging on my lower lip as I considered my next move with Marisa.
“How am I sabotaging you?” Isabella took a step closer to me and laid a hand on my arm, but I shrank from her touch.
“Don’t.” I wiped at the spot where her hand had been.
Out of the corner of my eye, I watched as Gabriel reached out and tugged her back, away from my reach. He saw who I was. He’d seen the beast before. It made me feel better, and worse. I wanted to run upstairs, lock myself in and be alone.
“You like her.” Isabella spoke in a low and soothing voice. “I only started to pick up on that at the end.” She smiled happily. “I’ve never seen you like this before.” Her smile spread impossibly wider and I swear you could almost see the sunshine radiating from her. Still, the only warmth I wanted to bask
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