The Only One He Wants

But in case I am not here, don’t let anyone in. Tell them to wait outside. Is it understood?”

They all nodded. Michael did too.

“Okay, then. You’re all dismissed and can return to your work,” he said and smiled.

At last, he was left alone. He headed, finally, to his room to take a long hot shower and then park his body on the bed. And as he arrived on the first floor, an image of a full figure with chocolate skin and compelling eyes blinked before his eyes.

***

Gabrielle Bassett put her feet up on the coffee table and pressed the red button on the remote control. She browsed through the channels, getting glimpses of quiz shows, TV series, sports highlights and news coverages. She was interested in none of that. At last, she settled on a romantic comedy on one of her favorite movie channels.

What at first looked like a rom-com, turned into a seriously intense thriller. All of the actors in the leading roles were famous. She couldn’t exactly recall their names, but she knew that she had seen them all before. The main character was played by a gorgeous man with blond hair and blue eyes. And Gabrielle could definitely understand why the leading actress fell in love with him.

Anyway, the villain—a mafia gangster—was holding a gun to her head. He was going to shoot any second now.

The doorbell rang.

Gabrielle jumped from her sofa, startled. “What the hell!” she said out loud and then remembered that she had ordered a pizza for dinner.

She was quick on her feet, hurrying to grab her wallet. “Coming,” she shouted.

At first, she couldn’t find it. Who knew which purse she had put it in last? A minute or so later she was running toward the door with her wallet in hand. She opened the door to find a tall, young man dressed in a red uniform.

“Your pizza, ma’am. Pepperoni, right?” he said, holding a the cardboard box in his hands. The aroma made her mouth water. She was going to eat the whole thing including the box, she was that hungry.

“Yeah,” she replied and unzipped the wallet and paid him. “Thanks,” she said and closed the door. She set it on the table and went to the kitchen to grab some utensils and a plate when the bell rang again.

“Seriously? I paid you enough. You want a better tip?” she whispered to herself and opened the door again.

It was the delivery guy again. “Sorry, ma’am… But you dropped this. In fact, it came out of your wallet when you were handing me the cash,” he said. He offered her a small card.

“Oh,” she muttered. “Thank you very much.” And she closed the door again, this time looking at the thing in her hands and not at the door.

There was a blue logo consisting of the letters M and G.

Michael Good. The handsome guy who had fixed her car for free. The handsome guy who had been so, so, so kind to her.

The handsome guy who had asked her out on a dinner and she turned down.

What was this now? A sign from God?

Several days had passed since that event had taken place. Was it days? Or weeks? She couldn’t exactly remember. That had been a very bad, emotional day. And today she felt much, much better. She was a whole new Gabrielle Bassett as a matter of fact.

So she decided to call him. Why not? The man had been so generous, so she might as well treat him to dinner to thank him for everything. It wasn’t like she was going on a date. Oh, no. That wouldn’t happen in a thousand years. She was too old for that stuff.

Grabbing the cell from her side table, she dialed the number on the card. She realized that the name ‘Michael Good’ was written in fancy, shining letters that immediately caught the eye of the one holding the card.

One ring.

Two.

Three.

He wasn’t going to pick up. Not a chance. Theoretically yes, but in real life—nah. He was a freaking businessman. He probably met a hundred people a day. And the odds were lower than zero that he was going to remember her. Gabrielle Bassett. A woman he’d encountered on the road one black, starless night. Michael Good was too high-profile for women like her. Or at least that was what Gabrielle was thinking while she heard that ringing.

“Hello,” a manly voice said from the other side.

Gabrielle found her lips unmoving, as if glued together with those super glues that they advertised on TV. “Michael Good?” she brought herself to say.

“Yes. Who am I speaking with?” His voice was so melodic and pleasing to her ears. It was like hearing her favorite singer singing her favorite song of all time.

Her stomach was clenched and that strange wave of heat washed over her body again. “Gabrielle Bassett. You probably don’t remember me, but—”

“Gabrielle. Of course I remember you. How can you say that? Gabrielle with the car I bumped into?” He spoke and she thought that she heard a change in his tone. It became a bit warmer and shakier to her, or maybe she was just imagining it.

“The very one, Michael. How are you? Everything good?” she asked.

“Spectacular, now that you called. And I’m not saying that just to flatter you. It’s the truth. I’ve been waiting for your call. How are you?”

She found herself without words. Her mind wasn’t conjuring up any. She coughed to give herself some time and then replied, “Great… I just called, um, to thank you again for everything. And, err, to accept your dinner proposal. I would like to thank you in person.”

She sensed him smile although she couldn’t see him. Her mind quickly brought up a picture of him smiling and it was enough for her heart to flutter. She smiled as well.

“Marvelous,” he replied immediately after she finished. “Eight o’clock. The new restaurant on Fifth Avenue. Works for you?”

“Yeah. Totally. Definitely,” she said.