"Anytime, dear. You ever find yourself in need of a gown—a real gown"—she paused and looked at Cate, wistfulness shining behind her knowing eyes—"you just come see ole Maggie, and I'll take care of you."
Not able to help herself, Cate reached down and gave Maggie a quick hug. It was rare that someone was smaller than Cate's just-slightly-over-five-foot stature, but Maggie probably topped the chart at below five feet, making Cate feel tall.
Maggie patted her arm and then made a shooing motion with her hands. "Best get on out of here before you make this old woman cry." Cate smiled and made her way towards the front door with its jingling bell.
As she turned towards her car, parked just up the road in a parking garage, Cate took notice of a black sedan idling across the street. Two men in suits sat in the front seats, their eyes trained on Cate. She was suddenly grateful for the screens that Maggie had, giving privacy to customers trying on the racy gowns. With the car’s position, the men had a direct line of sight into the shop.
Cate picked up the pace, practically jogging to her car. She was sick and tired of being followed, of knowing that Andrew Haney knew her every move.
Sliding into her front seat, Cate locked her doors and breathed heavily as she tried to calm her racing heart. Before she could stop herself, she took out her phone and dialed his number.
"What's wrong?" Gabriel said, answering on the first ring.
"Nothing. I just needed—I mean, I just wanted to say…" She blew out a breath. "I needed to hear someone tell me that this is almost over, and everything is going to be ok."
Gabriel sighed audibly into the phone.
"You almost gave me a heart attack when I saw your number come up on the screen. So, you're ok?"
"Besides being followed by creeps in dark suits and trying on gowns made specifically for sex parties? Yeah, I'm peachy."
Gabriel's husky laugh made her smile.
"This thing is almost over. It's going to be ok," Gabriel said, repeating the words that she needed to hear.
Cate didn't reply for a few seconds, reveling in the sound of his voice. He made her feel safe, and these days, safety was hard to come by.
"Cate?" he asked.
"I’m here." She took a deep breath and decided to ask the question that was burning in her mind.
"When will I see you again?" She cringed, waiting for his response.
"I'll be at your place tonight."
"No. When will I see you? Not just know that you've been there, but actually, physically see you?"
Gabriel was quiet for a moment. She assumed he was contemplating her question. When too much time had gone by, she blew out the breath she'd been holding and decided to move things along. She refused to beg him.
"Goodbye, Gabriel." There was a long pause, and Cate thought that maybe he'd already hung up.
"Bye, Cate," he finally said, and Cate punched the off button, lightly hitting the headrest repeatedly with the back of her head.
When would she learn? No matter how hard she tried to keep her heart safely tucked away behind the enormous wall she'd erected around it, Gabriel seemed to slip in undetected, breaking down her defenses.
It would hurt when he left her again. And she didn’t have any doubt that he would leave her again.
Chapter 17
On Thursday, after running meaningless errands and trying to keep herself busy, Cate made a decision. She would not allow Gabriel to avoid her any longer.
She stopped by the grocery store, watching behind her as the black sedan pulled into a parking spot a few spaces over from her own. Cate browsed the aisles, looking for the ingredients to the pasta dish she was going to make that night for dinner.
Since Gabriel left before she was up every morning, and got home late in the evenings after she was in bed, she left food for him on the counter each night before retiring up to her room. In the morning, the food would be gone, the dishes washed and put away. It was the only proof that Gabriel had been there.
Tonight, though, would be different. Tonight, she would force him to talk to her—be with her. If he was going to leave, she wasn't going to make it easy for him.
As she pulled into the parking space in front of her townhome, she pulled out the necessary items for spaghetti carbonara. It was her favorite dish, the creamy egg and cheese sauce blending with the salty, smoked taste of the pancetta. Cate boiled the noodles and sautéed the pancetta but wouldn't put the sauce together until later. She hated dry carbonara.
Once the preparation was done, she went upstairs to take a shower and put on something more comfortable, and, quite frankly, a little sexier. She chose a slinky, jersey knit romper that only buttoned up to just below her breasts. The neckline was wide and open, falling off one of her shoulders and revealing a tantalizing amount of cleavage. The deep gray-blue color complemented her dark hair.
She wiped off her makeup, going for a more natural look. She added a little cream blush and a shade of nude lip gloss to her lips. Mussing her hair a little bit, she grinned at herself.
The overall effect was decidedly sexy without being too obvious. She didn't have on a teddy or sheer lingerie, but the amount of skin showing was clearly meant to entice.
Her phone rang, and, for a moment, Cate's stomach turned a somersault as she briefly considered that it might be Gabriel calling to tell her good night. No such luck.
Unknown Caller.
With shaking hands, Cate answered the phone.
"Hello?"
"Cate. I hope you are ready for tomorrow."
"Of course I am," she replied, hoping that her voice relayed a confidence and bravado that she wasn't feeling at the moment.
It must not have worked, as Andrew Haney began to laugh.
"Ah, Cate, you are such a tease." She wanted to vomit at the innuendo in his voice. Teasing him was not on her to-do list in any way, shape, or form.
"I'm looking forward to our date tomorrow. I'll pick you up at eight sharp." He paused, and Cate figured he was waiting for her response. The strong-willed woman in her wanted to make him wait—wanted to tell him to go to hell.
But she had a story to write and a young girl to find.
"I'll be ready," she responded with as meek a voice as she could muster.
"Yes, see that you are. Until tomorrow," he said, and then the line went dead.
The shaking in her hands hadn't stopped, although now it was fueled by the anger she felt towards Haney's high-handedness. Who did he think he was, speaking to her as if she were a little girl? Or a dog that he could command?
Pacing back and forth, Cate fumed, talking to Legs about all the horrible things she wanted to do to Haney.
"I'd like to cut off his balls and shove them down his throat, you know?" Cate glanced at Legs, who just looked back at her adoringly, sitting back on her hind legs to beg for a treat.
"That would teach him, at least. It would be hard to take advantage of women if he didn't have balls." She took the treats off the table next to the front door and gave one to Legs, who ran off to eat it.
"Well, so much for our conversation."
She blew out a breath and sat heavily on the couch, turning the TV on to make the time go by faster.
At nine o'clock, Cate turned off the lights, lighting only a couple of candles for the table, and then sent off a text to Gabriel.
Heading to bed early tonight. Dinner is on the stove.
His reply was immediate.
Thank you. See you tomorrow morning for the meeting with the team.
Cate fist-pumped the air and lay back on the blue velvet couch. She sat in the dim light, waiting and hoping that Gabriel wouldn't be too long tonight since he thought she'd already gone to bed.
Sure enough, half an hour later, she heard the garage door opening. She dashed to the kitchen and began heating the noodles and adding the sauce.
The basement door opened, and Gabriel walked through it. The shock on his face almost
made her giggle, until the shock
was followed by a hunger she hadn't expected to see.
* * * *
She'd duped him. She'd flat out lied to get him to come home early since he'd been avoiding her all week.
At first, he wanted to be mad, but then again, she looked so delectable. Good enough to eat. Her hair tumbled to her waist and was slightly mussed, as if she'd been to bed and decided to come down and cook dinner instead. The one-piece outfit she was wearing was short and slinky, and it hugged her curves like a racecar hugged the track. Every dip and rise was highlighted. He decided anger could wait.
He stalked towards her, his blood thundering in his veins. Mine. She gulped and looked at him questioningly.
"Gabriel?"
"What are you doing up, Cate?" His voice sounded low and gravelly, like the predator he was.
"I, um—I was tired of you avoiding me." Cate thrust her hip out, and her fist landed on top in her no-nonsense way.
He stopped just in front of her, as she turned away from the stove to face him. His hands slipped to her waist, and he pulled her closer. Her head came to just below his chin, and he dipped his head down to smell her hair. Inhaling, he noted the fragrance of honeysuckles—and something else that was entirely Cate.
There was something so intimate about smelling someone's hair—inhaling that person’s scent and unique fragrance. He breathed her in once more and then kissed the top of her head.
"I'm sorry," he said.
"But why?" She tilted her head back to catch his gaze, trust and confusion warring with each other in her eyes.
Dropping his hands from her waist, he pushed his hands through his hair and took a step back.
"I don't want to hurt you."
"Then don't."
"It's not that simple. You don't really know me. You don't know what I'm capable of."
She stepped towards him, wrapping her arms around his waist and resting her face against his chest. He closed his eyes, the feel of her in his arms a balm to his weary soul.
"I know enough." Her soft words were a caress. The hope he found in them was enough to make him want to throw caution to the wind, and strive every day for the rest of his life to love her the way she deserved to be loved.
Reality came crashing in when his mother's words floated through his mind. No one could love you.
Deciding that changing the subject was his best course of action, Gabriel squeezed her tightly and then released her.
"What did you make tonight?"
Her eyes accused him of being a coward, but he ignored them and turned to sit at the dining room table, the candlelight casting an intimate glow across the room. Cate followed him, setting two bowls of pasta on the table, and sat down across from him.
"Spaghetti carbonara. It's my favorite." Cate wrapped the spaghetti around her fork and took a bite. Gabriel watched in fascination as her lips closed over the fork.
He shivered.
She grinned.
The little minx.
He took a bite of the creamy pasta. The flavors of cheese, bacon, and onions exploded on his tongue. Damn, this woman was a good cook.
"This is amazing," he said, and closed his eyes. Cate giggled, and he gave her his signature wicked grin.
"I'm glad you like it."
"So, what else do you have planned for tonight?" he asked around another mouthful of carbonara.
She raised her eyebrows in question, and he threw his head back with laughter.
"I know you. And I can guarantee that you've got something else up your sleeve."
Cate placed her fork down on the table and crossed her arms.
"Well, since you asked…" She leaned forward, and he caught a glimpse of cleavage when her top dipped low. "I was thinking, maybe rent a movie?"
The thought of cuddling up with her on her big, comfortable couch sounded like heaven to him. And also a lot like hell. He thought about her warm body curled up next to his. He thought about their legs twined together. Those thoughts brought on more carnal thoughts, and he closed his eyes and groaned.
"It was just a suggestion. You don't have to get all growly on me." Cate picked up her fork and started stabbing her pasta.
Gabriel reached over and placed his hand on top of hers.
"I would love to watch a movie with you."
"Then why did you growl?"
He sighed and shoved his fingers into his hair once again. At this rate, he wasn't going to have any left.
"Cate, I was picturing you and me on that couch. And my mind went to places that had nothing to do with the movie."
"Oh." Cate's cheeks pinked just a bit as she looked down at her plate.
They finished the meal in relative silence. It wasn't an uncomfortable silence. Instead, it was filled with expectation. The air sizzled with electricity, and Gabriel knew that being on his best behavior tonight might take all the willpower he had.
Cate cleared the dishes, while he rinsed them and put them in the dishwasher. Then they moved to the living room, where she settled on the couch. Gabriel decided on the other end and crossed one leg over the other. Cate cleared her throat. His eyes met hers as puzzlement washed over him. She rolled her eyes.
"I'm not watching this movie from opposite sides of the couch."
Sighing, he scooted over and put his arm around her. She laid her head on his chest and settled in. Flipping through the movie choices, she asked him what he thought until they finally settled on one of those paranormal thrillers.
Gabriel loved that her movie choices didn't always include romantic comedies, like some women’s. Sure, it was a stereotype, but one that he had found more true than not. Cate loved a good rom-com as much as the next girl, and had shared which ones were her favorites during that amazing week together. But she also loved adventure movies, action flicks, war films, and scary movies.
She was unexpected. Everything a man could ever want in a partner.
He stilled. A partner? Was that how he saw her? A permanent fixture in his life for—forever?
It was. He could see them having babies together, doing life together, growing old together. And suddenly, he wanted it all. He wanted her and the wedding and the white picket fence, with the two kids, a dog, and an SUV.
You're not worthy of love. You're good for nothing. No one could ever love you.
The old words haunted him. Taunted him. Gabriel knew that if he ever wanted to have a future with Cate, he'd have to put his past to rest.
But not tonight.
Tonight, he would enjoy the amazing woman in his arms.
* * * *
It was hot. Really hot.
Cate wiped the sweat from her brow and tried to pull at the top of her romper, which was sticking to her. She couldn't move her arms. They were plastered to her sides.
A soft snore broke through her confusion, and she remembered where she was. On the couch. With Gabriel.
His arms held her so tightly that she couldn't move. And damn, the man was a furnace.
She struggled to move, but it was no use. He was too big and too asleep.
Lifting her head, she glanced at the clock on the cable box. Six-thirty a.m.
Today was the day that she was going to have to play a part that she knew would change her forever. Her mind flipped through the images she had stumbled upon in her research. She couldn't imagine having to participate. Watching would be hard enough.
It wasn't that Cate was a prude. It was just that she had some old-fashioned ideas about sex. She had been raised to think that sex was special, that it was between two people who were committed and loved each other.
Maybe that was why it was hard for her to understand Gabriel's unrestricted view of sex. She was sure it was partly that, but also the fact that she felt like Gabriel used sex as a defense. If he never let anyone get too close, then he wouldn't have to deal with whatever had happened to him in the past.
As she lay there contemplating Gabriel's past and their uncertain future, about half an hour passed before Gabriel roused, f
inally freeing her.
She looked into his eyes to find them open and watching her.
"Good morning, beautiful," he said.
"Morning. Sleep well?"
"Surprisingly well. Who knew that sleeping with a woman would be so relaxing?"
"I thought you'd slept with a lot of women," Cate said, confused.
"Sex, mi alma. Only sex. I've never slept with any woman. Except…you." He leaned in and pressed a chaste kiss to her forehead before sliding off the couch and walking towards the stairs—and, she assumed, her bathroom.
"You mind if I shower?" he asked, before turning the corner to the stairs.
"Not at all."
"We meet with the team at nine. Does that work for you?"
She nodded. "I don't have to meet with the stylist until after lunch."
His face contorted in confusion. "Stylist?"
"Haney insisted."
"Haney's a prick."
"That, I won't argue with," she said. "I'll make us some breakfast."
* * * *
An hour and a half later, Gabriel was stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic on his way to the other side of the city. He and Cate had agreed to take two cars since she was still being followed, and had taken different routes. Cate was to park in a garage near the CityCenter shopping area, and Gabriel would pick her up at the entrance to one of the shops. Hopefully, the tail would take the bait and wait for her in the parking garage.
Gabriel pulled around front at the appointed time, and Cate slipped into his car, wearing black sunglasses, a cap pulled down low, and a shirt that was a different color than the one she'd worn on her way out to her car that morning.
"I don't think I was followed, but I changed in the bathroom inside just in case." She turned in her seat and grinned, the smile hitting him right in the chest where his heart was.
"Good. Let's go talk to the team."
Gabriel peeled out into traffic, weaving in and out, and trying to keep his mind off the beautiful woman occupying the seat next to him. He was worried about her. Worried about tonight and all that she would be exposed to. It wasn't going to be easy, and he wished with all that was in him that he could keep her from experiencing it at all.
Castle Investigations Box Set Page 40
