It wasn't until they were seated at their table that either of them spoke.
"Look, I—"
"I wanted to tell you—"
They spoke the words at the same time. They dissolved into laughter, the tension finally breaking.
"Ladies first," Gabriel said.
"I wanted to tell you that I'm really glad you're going to be there next Saturday night. I honestly can't imagine going by myself. So, thank you," she finished, and took a sip of one of the margaritas they'd ordered when they’d sat down.
"You're welcome. I wanted to say that I'm sorry for being an ass." He didn't elaborate on when exactly he'd been an ass. He figured she could apply that apology to any of the times she deemed appropriate.
One side of her mouth tilted up in a smile, her full bottom lip slightly moist as if she'd just licked it. He jerked his gaze away from her mouth before he scooped her up and took her back to her place to kiss her senseless.
The waitress came by, and they ordered the three feet of tacos, served on a board with three each of their specialty tacos: beef, fish, mushrooms, and pork. The food was amazing, each bite exploding with flavor. The conversation was easy, and Gabriel settled back into the rhythm they used to have.
After dinner, they walked down to the statue of a giant "awakening" and coming out of the sand. Children climbed on his hand, foot, and knee while running around the park. Couples sat on the edge of the beach, on the rock ledge looking out into the harbor. The sun was setting, and Gabriel couldn't help but slip his arm around Cate's shoulders. She slipped her shoes off as they trudged through the sand, watching as children raced past them, squealing with delight.
"This place is beautiful. I've only been a couple of times, but never where I could just sit and enjoy the evening. It's usually with a group of girls, and we're hopping from bar to bar, or rushing to get to our next destination."
He was secretly glad that she hadn't been here with any men, or at least never to the point where she could enjoy the evening as she'd indicated.
"I'm glad you like it. Want to ride the sky wheel?" he asked, and then grinned when her face lit up with delight.
"Yes! Please," she said, clapping her hands in front of her. He threw his head back and laughed. It had been a long time since he'd laughed like that. Other than coarse jokes with the guys, he didn't have a lot of laughter in his life. Never had. Except with Cate.
He took her hand in his and pulled her towards the pier. "Come on, niñita."
Chapter 10
The Capital Wheel at the National Harbor had been on Cate's bucket list of things to do in D.C. Gabriel had a tight hold on her hand, and she trailed after him to the pier, excitement bubbling up inside her.
Gabriel nodded towards the outdoor bar at the base of the wheel. "Cuidado, linda. That's where they get you drunk first, before hoisting you up one hundred eighty feet into the air."
A devilish grin broke across his face, and Cate was struck by just how beautiful he was. Those piercing ice-blue eyes, the tousled hair, the scruff on his jaw, the olive skin, and the Spanish endearments he used when he spoke to her were enough to make her want to pledge her undying love. He was an enigma, though. One minute, he was sweet and caring, and the next, he was cold and unfeeling.
She knew he'd had a rough childhood. He had shared some of it with her during that week in Naples. Not all of it, she knew. But enough for her to get a glimpse of the obstacles he'd overcome to become the upstanding man he was now. She had hoped that one day he would share more with her, but that hope had died when he'd refused to return her calls after she'd been yanked from her bed in the middle of the night and sent back to D.C.
Bringing her attention back to the moment, she waited as he paid for the tickets, and then they went to the bar to get drinks. He ordered a double Jameson, and she ordered red wine. Taking their drinks, they went to wait in line. He'd yet to let go of her hand, and she wasn't sure if he was holding it because he wanted to, or if he was trying to make it look good. She knew there was no way for anyone to have followed them here. How would they know where they were going? But she couldn't allow herself to hope that he felt more for her than he did.
When it was their turn to board, they were fortunate enough to have the whole capsule to themselves. They sat facing the National Mall area first, catching glimpses of the Washington Monument, the National Cathedral, and the Masonic Temple. Cate peered out the window, taking in her favorite city in the country.
Gabriel pushed her hair back from her face. She turned to look at him. He was so close, his eyes focused on her mouth. She knew that if she let him kiss her, she'd never want him to stop. But she was powerless to refuse him. She wanted it just as much as it seemed he did.
He leaned in close, his lips brushing lightly against hers. He tested the waters, placing kisses on the sides of her mouth, nipping at her bottom lip. His tongue traced the seam of her mouth, and she opened to him. He dove into the kiss, licking and sucking on her bottom lip. He explored her mouth, sending tendrils of desire over her entire body.
He pressed closer, angling his head, so he could taste her more thoroughly. She was overwhelmed by the sensations—his mouth, his smell, his taste. She wanted more, frustrated that the armrest was between them. She felt hot all over. Desperate to be closer to him.
His hand slid across her lower back, rubbing circles in a slow caress. He lifted his head, removing his lips from hers and trailing kisses down her neck. When he got to her pulse, beating erratically under his touch, he nipped her there, and then sucked gently, easing away the tiny sting of pain.
His hands trailed up her sides, coming to rest on her ribcage, and their eyes met. She saw the moment he had second thoughts. The desire in his eyes dimmed, and he sat back in his seat.
Cate took a moment to pull herself together. That kiss had been hot. And it hadn't been one-sided. She knew that Gabriel was just as affected as she was. She saw him squirm a little in his seat, and she couldn't help the tiny smirk that crept to her lips. He caught it, and lightly nudged her with his hand.
"You still kiss like your life depends on it, bella," he said. She loved when his Spanish leaked into his dialogue. It usually happened when he was passionate about something or someone. That he still used those words with her made her want to believe that he was still passionate about her. But since he also used those words when he was angry, she wasn't going to hold her breath.
"You still kiss like a hungry man who's finally found food," she retorted.
"Do you kiss other men with that same abandon?" he asked, suddenly in her personal space again. "Or is it just me?"
She wanted to tell him that no one had made her feel the things that he had. Oh, she'd dated some guys in the last five years, but none had lasted more than a few dates. She'd had a few first kisses, and even a few second and third kisses, but none of them had made her feel like her soul had finally found its other half.
"I think it's you that I should be asking that question. From what I've heard, you've had plenty of practice." It stung that he'd been hopping from one bed to another during the five years since they'd been together. She knew he'd had that habit before he’d met her, but she'd hoped that maybe he'd put that behind him. Apparently not.
He leaned in close, his mouth so close that she could feel his breath as he spoke. "I've never kissed anyone like I kiss you."
His look was one of complete confusion, as if he couldn't explain why he still felt this pull towards her. She wished it were gone. It would make her life a whole lot easier, and it would hurt a whole lot less when he left her and broke her heart once again.
* * * *
The tension between Cate and Gabriel followed them back to the car. Gabriel wanted to say something to relieve it. He wanted to rewind and go back to when things were easy between them, but time machines didn't exist yet, so he'd have to find a way to be around her without creating awkward situations.
The kiss had totally thrown him off balance. He'd kiss
ed her telling himself that it would not impact him—that he could be with her physically and keep himself protected. But once his lips had pressed against hers, most of the ice had melted away from his heart. He wanted desperately to trust her, to let her mend the broken places inside of him. But the past wouldn't go away. Her betrayal sat heavily in his belly, like lead.
The quiet in the car wasn't easy this time. Gabriel searched his mind for something to say. After a few minutes, he turned onto the G.W. Parkway. It was late, and there were few cars on the road. He'd almost turned towards the hotel, but he thought that taking Carlotta out for a spin might return their relationship to the effortlessness that had been present at dinner.
Gabriel punched the gas, causing the engine to roar to life. He saw Cate grab for the door handle, and then she turned, her face lighting up with joy. He'd put the top down when they'd left the harbor, and Cate had tied her hair back in a low ponytail. Tendrils blew around her face, and she looked so young and innocent. He liked thinking of her that way a little too much. He pushed the dark thoughts away and decided he'd just enjoy the evening.
Cate's arms shot up in the air, and she let out a loud, "Woooo!" He grinned, pushing the gas pedal down just a little further. He checked his mirrors to make sure no cops were in the area, and that's when he saw it. The black sedan that was keeping pace behind them.
Gabriel was going fast enough that any car nearby should be far behind him. The fact that this one was not, concerned him. He approached a car coming up in front of him, and he changed lanes to go around it. The car behind him changed lanes as well.
He changed lanes again and watched as the car followed. Ok, that could be explained by the fact that the car was simply going around the slower-moving vehicle. His expression must have given him away because he saw Cate turning to look behind them.
"What's going on?" she yelled over the sound of the wind rushing around them.
"I'm not sure. Hang on, though. I'm going to see if I can lose them."
Gabriel punched the gas, tipping the speedometer up to 115 mph. The black sedan was still coming up fast behind them. When he hit 125 mph, and the car was still keeping pace, he knew they had a problem. If it had been an unmarked police car, he'd already have been pulled over.
A sign on the side of the parkway told him that an exit was coming up. "Hold on!" he yelled at Cate, and then he took the exit at the very last minute. His tires squealed, the back end fishtailing as he tried to slow down. He saw the black sedan try to make the turn, but it was going too fast and careened off the road and into the bushes alongside it.
Gabriel didn't wait for them to recover. He punched the gas, taking a hard right and heading back towards the city. He took a circuitous route towards the hotel he'd chosen for that night.
"Who was that?" Cate asked, once Gabriel had started to relax, seeing that he'd lost them.
"I was about to ask you the same question."
"I have no idea! Why would someone be following us?" She was wringing her hands in her lap, the anxiety clearly etched in her features.
"Christy?" he asked. But he didn't think that that was who it was. It was the only person he knew that might have a reason to follow them, but something didn't fit.
"I guess it has to be. Who else could be following us? Do you have enemies that might want to harm you?" she asked, her eyes wide with adrenaline and maybe a little fear.
"I do. But I can't imagine that they'd follow me. They're more likely to jump out of a dark alley and try to stab me to death than follow me in a car." She cringed. "Sorry. Whoever was in that car wanted us to know they were following us. That doesn't match up with any of my enemies."
He briefly thought about the rumors of the hit that had been put out on the Castle team members by Bruno Lopez. Again, though, it didn't fit. Bruno's men would be more discreet. They wouldn't want him to know that they had him in their sights.
He whipped into the driveway for the boutique hotel in Dupont Circle, coming to a screeching stop and jumping out of the car as quickly as he could. The valet opened Cate's door as Gabriel walked around.
"Hurry and park it, please. I don't want it sitting out here." He pushed a hundred dollar bill into the young man's hand, and his eyes went wide. "Now," Gabriel said firmly.
"Yes, sir," the kid said, and slid into the driver's seat. His face shone with excitement. He probably got a lot of Mercedes Benzes, BMWs, and Lexuses, but Gabriel doubted he had ever had the opportunity to drive a beast of a car like Carlotta.
Gabriel tapped the back of the trunk twice and then ushered Cate inside. He stopped by the front desk to pick up his key. They took the elevator to the top floor, needing the key in order to get to that level. It was an extra measure of security that Gabriel hadn't known he would need tonight, but he was glad he'd thought ahead and reserved the penthouse suite.
When he opened the doors to the suite, Cate gasped. Her eyes lit up, and a huge smile broke out across her face. She squealed and ran inside, running straight to the glass balcony offering panoramic views of the city. He followed her, noticing that they could see Georgetown University and the National Cathedral.
Cate wrapped her arms around her waist and hugged herself tightly. He suddenly wished that it were his arms that enfolded her. She leaned forward against the balcony, and Gabriel took in the view that was Cate in black leather pants. Her legs, looking longer than they were due to the high heels, ended at perfectly shaped hips. Her petite waist was so small that he could almost span the width with his hands. Her long hair was like a veil of chocolate silk barely skimming her backside.
She turned and looked at him, her face falling from sheer bliss to confusion.
"What?" she asked over her shoulder.
Gabriel shoved his hands into his pockets to keep from touching her.
"Nothing. Just watching you."
The confusion on her face deepened, and she turned, crossing her arms over her chest and leaning back against the balcony. He suddenly had all kinds of thoughts about what he'd like to do with her on this balcony, and it took all his willpower to keep his hands to himself.
"I don't understand you, Gabriel," she said, her voice quiet and her gaze dropping to the ground beneath her.
"What do you mean?"
"You just—it's just that—dammit," she said, her exasperation making her nose crinkle in that way he loved so much. "One minute, you're looking at me as if I'm a dessert you can't wait to consume. The next minute, you're looking at me as if you think I'm the devil incarnate."
She pushed away from the balcony and started pacing.
"You kiss me, and then you push me away. I don't know what to make of it. What do you want from me?" she asked.
Gabriel turned, propping his forearms on the balcony and then looking out over the D.C. skyline. "I'm not sure," he said honestly.
There was quiet. Neither of them said a word. Just the sounds of a busy city below.
"When you figure it out," she said with a sigh, "let me know."
Chapter 11
Cate left Gabriel on the balcony and went in search of her room. She found a bedroom—the suite had three of them, with three separate living rooms as well, and one even had a fireplace in it. Too bad she wouldn't have time to enjoy that. The white tufted headboard was a focal point, and the crimson duvet and pillows looked decadent against it.
She found the bathroom and ran the water in the tub, finding bubble bath on the side and adding some to the water. As the tub filled, she went to the wet bar in the main room and found a bottle of fine wine. Pouring herself a generous glass, she went back to the bathroom, kicking off her shoes and slipping out of the tight clothes. She lit a few of the candles perched on the side of the bathtub, then turned off the lights.
Cate sank into the warm bubbles, taking a sip of her wine and letting out a sigh of relief. Her hands were still shaky from the car chase. She'd never been in a situation like that, and she marveled over how skilled Gabriel had been to lose that car the
way he had. She shivered at what might have happened had she been alone tonight.
She wasn't sure what to do about Gabriel. He'd refused to listen to her explanations about what had happened five years ago, and Cate had stopped trying to explain. She wondered if he was too scared to hear it. Maybe he'd regret that he'd pushed her away, and he was unwilling to face the facts.
Or it could be that he had seen the perfect opportunity to get rid of her. Things had progressed fast with them. They'd only known each other just over a week, and, towards the end, they'd been discussing when Gabriel might be getting out of the military and how they could arrange to see each other until then. She'd thought they'd had a future. But she'd been wrong.
Her mind went back to the phone call she'd received in the middle of the night. Who could have called her? Why had they wanted her out of the country? None of it made sense, and she'd yet to figure it out five years later.
Cate sank lower in the water and closed her eyes, letting thoughts of the past float away.
"Cate! Cate!"
Hands gripping her arms startled her awake. She sat upright in the bath and opened her eyes to find Gabriel perched on the side of the tub.
Immediately, she covered her breasts, pulling her knees up to her chest.
"What the hell are you doing in here, Gabriel?"
"I've been calling your name outside that door for five minutes. I got worried that you'd drowned or something."
She noticed his eyes scanning her body, and she pulled her legs up a little more tightly.
"Do you mind?" she asked, and he looked at her with a blank expression on his face.
"What?"
"Do you mind? I'd like to get out now."
"Ok." And yet he didn't budge.
"Gabriel, please leave," she said, far too affected by his presence when she was completely naked to continue beating around the bush.
Castle Investigations Box Set Page 34
