His Mafia Queen

Anything He Wants

GABRIEL

I'm standing at the outdoor bar near the pool, mixing myself a gin and tonic when I hear the familiar sound of Andre's insistent footsteps against the stone terrace floor.

"Sir, I have Ms. Murphy here."

I turn to thank Andre, and my gaze lands on the person beside him. It's difficult to hide my grin, and I don't even try.

"Riley. Good evening." She's changed out of that yellow dress and into one of my sister's silk outfits. It's a black tank top that hugs the curves of her chest, and a pair of flowy black silk pants. She's no longer wearing sandals, but instead, is barefoot. Her blonde hair is swept up, giving me a view of her graceful neck—one I'd like to kiss slowly, and for a long time. A few strands fall around her face, framing its beauty. I was curious to see her without makeup, and now I know she's as gorgeous without it, as she is with.

She tilts her head to Andre. "Thank you for escorting me here."

Andre murmurs a polite thank you, then looks to me. "Will that be all this evening? Or will you need my assistance?"

"No, I'll be fine alone this evening. Well, alone with Riley. Thank you, Andre."

He walks off. Riley stands hesitantly on the terrace, her fingers gripping the back of a white outdoor sofa.

"What would you like to drink? I'm making cocktails. We've got gin, vodka, tequila, anything you want." I raise an eyebrow while gesturing to the bar.

She licks her lips. "What are you having?"

"I'm having a gin and tonic. It's a warm enough night for one, don't you think?"

Her fingers flutter over her throat. "I don't know about that. I've never had one."

"Well, let me be your first."

The tops of her cheeks turn rosy. Aww, what a precious, innocent thing, blushing at such an innuendo. This is going to be so fun. "Please. Sit down. Make yourself comfortable."

I gesture to the sofa she's standing behind, and she nods quickly as if she's flustered. But she does what I suggest, perching on the edge of the cushion and looking toward the pool and beyond that, the bay. The fading sunlight casts a glow on her skin, and I stare at her for a beat, mesmerized. Her hair is like a wave of molten gold, lit from within. There's something about Riley that goes beyond beauty. I wonder if I'll discover it. I turn back to the bar and busy myself with the drinks while explaining what I'm doing.

"First you need to use the right gin. I'm a fan of this one. You also need the right tonic. The right ratio of gin to tonic is one to three. Then I use lots of ice"—I use my grandfather's cocktail tongs to fill the glasses—"and garnish with something interesting. Occasionally, I use rosemary, but tonight I think mint will do."

I put a straw in hers, then carry the glasses over to the sofa and hand one to her, sinking next to her. She blinks. "That was quite a tutorial."

"I was a bartender in college. You can make the next round." I wink at her as I clink my glass to hers. "Cheers."

She sips from the straw, her naturally pink lips pouting and plumping in the most erotic way. I can smell the salt in the air, the cool night breeze, the lime in my drink. My senses are heightened in the most erotic way, and it's all because of Riley. Part of me wants to abandon my fact-finding mission and follow my dick. Why does the most alluring woman I've met in ages have to be the one who possibly holds the information I need?

"How are your accommodations? I see you found something to change into."

"The room is beautiful, as is the view. And yes, your sister's clothing is lovely." She takes a little sip of her drink and swallows hard.