by Vivian Arend
“We’re not done this conversation,” he warned.
“We were talking?”
“With our bodies. Yeah, a loud conversation. Nearly shouting.”
Allison nodded. “I think we should…finish the discussion later. Sometime. If you’d like.”
His cock, which had begun to relax, kicked back up a notch. “Maybe later tonight?”
That tongue of hers slipped out again, just briefly, and he bit back a moan of frustration.
He kissed her. Briefly. Intensely. Then let her go and they both found their feet. Gabe had to adjust his cock, attempting to do it discreetly, but when he glanced at her, Allison was grinning and trying not to show it.
The crazy mixed-up sexual tension between them was somehow cathartic. All his frustrations with Ben, and the impossible task before him, had morphed into the single thought of taking Allison into his bed. Focusing on finding out what made her squirm even more than sucking on that sweet spot on her neck.
She scooped up the blanket and shook it out, waiting for him to join her.
Wasn’t much that he could think of to say. Thank you? That was stupid—and yet it was somehow right as well.
She’d saved his sanity, if only for a moment. He’d take sexual frustration any day for that.
Chapter Twelve
“I need those three boxes as well, please, Gabe.”
Allison stopped in her unpacking of one of the earlier totes he’d brought to watch the organized chaos taking place before her. Like some miniature commander in chief, her mother was having a great time ordering Gabe around. He’d carried everything she’d asked for from under the storage section of the garage. Then he’d been sent to the shed for all the boxes marked Christmas Ornaments. Now he was climbing up and down a ladder to pull out a stash that had been hidden in the attic space.
“Mom, what on earth was Dad doing putting stuff up there?”
Maisey lifted her shoulders briefly, one hand fluttering up to brush back the hair that had fallen across her forehead. “He loved to save junk. A bit of a packrat, you know. I’ve been slowly cleaning through things, but since you two volunteered, I thought this was a good time to do another chunk of the work. No sense in having this stuff all over the place taking up room if no one is going to use it.”
Allison focused on the box before her a little more firmly. She didn’t want to think about how her mom was probably doing this so that once she was gone, they wouldn’t have to.
Gabe placed another box on the stack against the wall before coming around the table to where she stood. He leaned into her, wrapping his arms tight for a moment and hugging her. His lips skimmed her ear. “You okay?”
She shivered involuntarily even as she nodded.
The goose bumps that rose on her arms—how could she be getting turned on at the same time she was worried sick over her mom?
“You two—” Maisey turned from the kitchen sink with an empty garbage bag in her hand and a smile on her face. “I swear. It’s good to see you so much in love.”
Allison wasn’t sure if she was red or not, but Gabe let her go after a kiss on the cheek. The deception was working better than ever, although now there was the added distraction of wondering exactly what kind of discussion they were going to have once they left her mom’s house that night.
Sex could confuse things. Could mess things up, and yet she didn’t want to deny either of them what they both seemed to want.
Her mom pulled out a chair and sat, her face gone white, pinched with pain.
“Mom?”
Allison was around the table and at her mom’s side as fast as possible.
Maisey waved a hand. “It’s nothing. Indigestion. Those leftovers from the restaurant were too spicy for me.”
Allison turned to grab a glass of water only to discover Gabe standing right there, holding one out. His expression showed his concern, but there was no trace of it in his voice as he spoke.
“You sit and relax. If you’d like, I’ll go take care of those trees you asked me about, and Allison can help you sort here at the table.” He leaned in and gestured toward the pile Allison had been working on. “You keep an eye on her. I think I saw her sneaking some papers out of that one. If she’s hiding old love letters or something, I need you to catch her for me.”
Allison’s mom sipped the water, lightness around her eyes that hadn’t been there a moment before. She put the glass down and patted Gabe’s hand lightly. “You go on. I’ll watch her for you.”
“Mom!”
Gabe squeezed Allison around the waist as he headed to his task, and a wave of something far more than gratitude swept over her.
He knew when she needed a touch. Not just the physical touch, but the emotional. How many nights had he sat and listened to her talk about the restaurant? Let her go on about the things that were happening, the changes she’d seen in her mom.
So damn patient.
“Now that’s what I like to see.” Maisey tugged on her sleeve and dragged Allison’s attention to the fact she’d been staring after Gabe’s back as he walked out the door.
She twisted to look at her mother. “What do you like to see?”
“You. In love.”
Allison got herself busy digging into the nearest box and lifting things onto the table. The flutter inside pointed out maybe being in love and being very much in lust looked somewhat similar. She wasn’t going to let the bad moment pass, either. “What did you eat that’s upset you so much?”
Maisey took the pile of paper from the table in front of them and started flipping through them. She returned a few to the pile on the left, dropping the rest into the garbage can at her side. “Just a rich sauce. I’m feeling better already.”
The house fell silent for a moment, only the soft noises of her mom going through the old receipts and bills. The gentle ticking of the ancient family cuckoo clock in the living room—a sound that had been a part of all her growing-up years.
For a second she imaged it as a stopwatch, an eerie hourglass ticking down the moments of her mother’s life.
The pain inside grew too large to contain, and she carefully came to her mother’s side. Knelt by her chair and wrapped her arms around Maisey and held on tight.
Her mom stiffened slightly, then sighed and returned the embrace. “You’re a little old for crawling into my lap now, aren’t you?”
Allison didn’t speak. Couldn’t speak. Her throat had closed up at the realization these moments were fading. At some point she’d reach out to hug her mother and the woman would be gone forever.
“I love you, Mom.” Cracking, barely understandable.
“Oh, sweetie.” Maisey sniffed and squeezed even harder. “You going to be okay?”
“No.” Allison pulled back so she could look at her mom directly in the eye. “Mom, I know.”
“Know what?”
Allison gestured, even though her flailing probably made no sense. Nothing more than a whirl of her hands, but holding back the motion was impossible. “About you. About what’s wrong.”
Maisey’s face tightened, her lips pressed together. She blinked hard and then nodded once. A sharp, sudden jerk. “I wondered if you did.”
Allison held her peace about how she’d found out. If her mom asked, she’d consider telling, but who spilt the beans was less important than everything else right now. “I’m here for you, okay?”
Maisey stared out the window. “I didn’t want you to have to worry. Do Paul and Elle know as well?”
“Not yet, but you should tell them—”
“No,” Maisey blurted out. “Allison, no. And promise me you won’t tell them either. After everything that happened last time with your father, I don’t want to see them hurting because of me.”
“There’s nothing you can do?”
Maisey shook her head. “Nothing. It’s cancer, sweetie. Pancreatic. And taking experimental drugs in the hopes of prolonging my life just to make it to Christmas? I can’t—” Her v
oice broke, and she sucked back a gasp. “I can’t watch you all go through that again. It’s better if it’s quick.”
Listening to her mom list all the reasons Allison had thought of was confirmation, but it also gave her the chance to add her plea. “We’re not children anymore, Mom. Telling them is the right thing to do. Give them time to say goodbye.”
Maisey’s lips pressed together tight as she avoided Alison’s gaze.
Stubborn as always. Allison readied herself to argue some more. Maisey broke down crying, and suddenly she was neck deep in tears and having to be strong for her mom. It took a while before the torrent passed, both of them using the box of Kleenex at an alarming rate.
Maisey finally nodded. “I’ll think about it. Don’t say anything yet, will you?”
Allison hesitated before giving in. “But don’t wait too long. I’ll help you. We’ll all want to be here for you.”
Maisey clutched her hands. “In a way, I’m glad you know. And I’m ever so glad you have Gabe right now.”
And with that one comment, any chance she had of confessing that she and Gabe weren’t really a couple slipped away. It was terrible, and it was probably wrong, but Allison felt the same way. “Do you want anything? Can I get you anything?”
Maisey shook her head.
They both sat back, the clicking clock in the background now just the familiar noise that had been part of life forever. Maisey played with the papers a little, then straightened. “Well, enough moping. I want to get this cleaned up so we can enjoy some supper and then maybe we can just talk for a bit. If you don’t mind staying and visiting for a while?”
Allison squeezed her mom quickly, not trusting herself to give a full-out hug without breaking into tears. The she returned to the other side of the table and continued her part of the job.
“You want me to…” No better way than to just say it straight, now that the truth was out. “You want me to divvy up pictures between us kids? Or do you have things around the house you want given to friends? We don’t need to talk about it now, but you should think about it.”
Her mom nodded. “I will. Not that I really care who gets the hurricane lanterns, but I sure don’t want you kids throwing out something that’s actually valuable.”
“Oh, Mom.”
“Well, you remember Paul was snitching coins from your father’s coin collection to buy candy at the corner store.”
Allison groaned on her brother’s behalf. “He was ten years old. One mistake and you’re never going to let him forget it.”
Maisey moved the box in front of her to the side and started on the next one. “It was rather memorable because he was using real silver dollars. If Mrs. Fortney hadn’t told me, he would have gone through the entire set.”
They continued their task. Allison let her mom ramble about all kinds of things and words poured out—every topic under the sun. She listened and soaked it in. At the same time, a part of her wondered where Gabe was. When he’d get back, and how he would react to discovering Mom’s secret was out.
Would he stick with the plan or try to convince her the deception could be finished?
Worry prodded her uncomfortably.
She should have saved her concern. He pulled open the back door, the screen sticking slightly, and before anything could be said, Maisey was up and across the room, squeezing Gabe in a huge bear hug. Considering how frail she had become, the contrast in size between the huge cowboy and her mom was extreme.
Gabe hesitated for a second before bringing his hands around to pat Maisey’s back. His gaze snapped to Allison’s, questions in his eyes.
“I’m so glad you’re in my Allison’s life,” Maisey said. “It makes it easier knowing she’s not alone, and that she’s got a good man around to care for her when I’m gone.”
A flash of panic crossed Gabe’s face, then resignation. Allison’s heart tightened. Was he regretting this more now? The tumble outside earlier, and the lying in the first place?
What in the hell had happened?
He’d gone out to do some simple yard work, and the kitchen looked like there’d been a bomb dropped. Not just the paper and clutter scattered all over the table and floor, but the tear streaks still visible on both women’s faces.
Something had gone down, only he wasn’t one hundred percent sure what.
He moved cautiously, patting Maisey’s back gently. “You bet I’ll take care of Allison.”
Across the room, Allison nodded. “I told her I know. We’ve had a good cry, and we’re going to move forward now,” she shared.
Okay, that was what he needed to know. He acknowledged Allison and gave an extra moment of squeeze to Maisey before breaking her hold and leading her back to the chair she’d claimed earlier.
“I’m glad it’s not a secret anymore. So now I can tell you to make sure you call us anytime you need anything, understand? Night or day, we can come. Do you have my cell phone number?”
Maisey touched his arm gently. “You are a darling. And yes, Allison gave it to me, but I’ll be fine.”
The conversation continued as they cleaned up and worked together to bring out dinner. Spent the meal and the hours afterward talking about old memories. Gabe watched the two women as they moved easily around each other, their love and caring so clear.
For a moment he was jealous.
That someone was so willing to turn their life upside down for another. To sacrifice and suffer to try to ease the pain for another—it wasn’t that he’d never witnessed that in his life. His ma lived it daily. But the burden of it seemed less for Allison and her mom. As if they’d found a way to share the pain and hold it together. And that together the burden was lighter.
A part inside him hated Ben just a little bit more.
He and Allison were headed home before he realized they were returning to a whole different situation. Not the fact that Maisey’s secret was partway out, but the earlier tangle in the field.
It was a knot of dilemma.
Allison shifted position at his side. Rested her head on his shoulder. She slipped her hand under his arm and held on tight. “Thank you.”
Wasn’t what he expected. “For what?”
“For not spilling the beans. For sticking to our commitment. Not that I didn’t think you weren’t going to, but it’s a huge thing you’re doing, and I don’t want you to think I’m unappreciative.”
“You’re welcome.” He slowed to take the back route toward the cabin. The twisting road would take a little longer. Maybe by the time they got home he’d have figured out what to do.
Allison squeezed his arm again. “You were wonderful with my mom.”
“She’s a great lady. I’m sorry she’s going through this. Sorry you are as well.”
They fell silent, and Gabe tried to concentrate on the future. On which projects he had to get rolling immediately to meet the challenge his father had set.
All he could think about was the sensation of Allison’s fingers on his arm, and the heat of her body next to his.
“Oh look—” Allison pointed to the side. In the middle of the field three deer were feeding. One lifted its head as they approached, wary and alert. When they slowed but drove past, the animals didn’t move from where they were enjoying their dusk dinner of new summer’s grass.
Suddenly all three heads shot up, and tails flashed white as they took off into the trees, spooked by something,
A brilliant burst of light rose over the treetops, the shimmering circle of fireworks displayed in the darkening sky.
“I’d forgotten about the fireworks tonight,” Allison said.
Totally slipped his mind as well, with all the rest of the chaos. “You want to go back to town to watch?”
“No.” But she leaned forward like a kid, checking the heavens for more.
“Come on, I’ll take you to another spot.” He eased the truck off the road and up the narrow lane to the private access. The rise of the land was enough they wouldn’t see the lights
of town, but the higher bursts should still be visible.
Chapter Thirteen
He pulled over and parked, adjusting the wheel to give himself more room. When he opened the window, the loud snap of another cracker sounded—loud enough for them to hear even at this distance.
The air was warm and he leaned back, trying to relax.
Allison loosened off her seat belt so she could perch on the edge of the seat. A few more single bursts rose before the actual fireworks display took off. He found himself observing carefully, more to see her reaction than to watch the fireworks. She was pensive at first. It took a while for her to relax, to start to smile at the colour changes. The first time she gasped at a more brilliant explosion, it twisted something inside him.
She’d had to deal with a horrible situation this evening, and he was glad she could put aside her sadness for a moment.
He was a bastard that her childlike responses of delight also made him react in a totally adult way.
The noises she made went straight from his ears to his cock. It wasn’t as if she was watching a light show, she was in the middle of the best damn orgasm of her life and the happy sounds made him twitch with need.
Lights were still going off when she turned toward him, her face finally relaxed and at peace. She stared at him, and the longer she looked, the more her expression changed.
“Gabe?”
Low. Sultry. Sex-laden and hot. Of course, maybe that was his imagination, but damn if he didn’t hope she was thinking even a fraction of what he was.
She climbed up on the seat next to him, her boots abandoned on the floorboards. She pressed her hand to his chest, eyes locked on his.
Under her fingers, his heart was pounding.
“You said we’d…talk…later,” she reminded him.
“It’s been a long day.”
Fuck.
That wasn’t what he wanted to say. What he wanted was to order her to strip naked and crawl on top of him. Once he’d managed to do the naked thing as well, of course. Then he’d find other things to do, including tasting every inch of her skin and fucking her until she saw more fireworks.
