"Explain then," I said.
"What?"
"Why does it taste bad?" I asked, actually wanting to know.
A small smile appeared on his lips again.
"Do you see Dominic around?" he asked.
I looked around before I even thought about it. I already knew he wasn't here, but it was like I was subconsciously searching for him anyway.
"No ..."
"That's why," he said.
"Are you saying my food tastes bad because ... because he isn't feeding it to me?" I asked confused.
He nodded.
"It is enough that he is just here. He doesn't have to feed you, that is just a privilege."
"Privilege?" I asked.
Gabriel nodded.
"To take care of our mate's needs, whatever that need is, is a privilege. There is no doubt," he said.
He spoke of the whole taking care of a mate's need like he had one, but he didn't. Though I could hear the longing in his voice. He really wanted to find her. It made me feel a bit bad for him because it was clear he was trying not to want it so much. The wait was clearly killing him, so he tried to distract himself. Arianna's actions were even worse now, as I thought about yesterday. She had insinuated he would never find his mate. How cruel. Gabriel was good. His heart was good. I knew when he found his mate, he would treat her like she was a queen.
"Can't I eat without him anymore then?" I asked.
"You can," he said. "It just won't taste as good."
I dropped the piece of toast and sighed before I pushed the plate away, but Gabriel wasn't having it. He reached out and pushed the plate back to me.
"But you just said-"
"Doesn't mean you get to skip a meal."
"It tastes ... boring! If boring had a taste, this would be it," I told him and pointed at my food.
He just smiled a little.
"His orders."
I sighed and leaned back in my seat.
"And even if he hadn't ordered it, I would make you eat anyway," Gabriel said.
"Why?" I asked.
"Because you, little queeny, are our queen, and family now too," he told me. "I quite like you actually."
"Lucky me ..."
"You should be. No female has conquered my heart yet. Just you," he said and winked.
"One day you might not want to continue to flirt with me. Dominic will kill you," I said and smiled.