My Gift To You

by Tracie Delaney

  At one minute before eight, a knock sounded on the door. Christ, he was punctual. She opened it to find Gabe leaning against the doorjamb, looking one hundred percent like the successful man he was. He was dressed head to toe in designer gear. A thin black sweater made his shoulders look even broader, and blue jeans clung to his hips and thighs before flaring out below the knee into a standard boot cut.

  A warm smile played across his lips. “Have I passed?” he asked, gesturing at himself.

  “You’ll do.” A warm flush spread over Livvy’s cheeks at how he’d caught her checking him out—and not for the first time. “Am I dressed okay?” She indicated her woolen pants and short-sleeved T-shirt.

  His eyes slid over her. “Oh yeah.”

  She hid another blush by bending over to pull on her sneakers. Fortunately, when she straightened, her skin felt less hot. Gabe was grinning as he held the door open. She grabbed her jacket and purse and shot through it as fast as she could.

  As they walked towards the elevator, Gabe coiled his arm around her waist. Livvy twitched, but all Gabe did was pull her closer, and after a couple of seconds, she relaxed.

  “So where are we going, anyway?” Livvy asked as Gabe opened the car door for her.

  He tapped the side of his nose with his finger. “It’s a surprise.”

  She grinned. “I like surprises.”

  As Gabe pulled into traffic, Livvy rested her head against the back of the seat and closed her eyes. A song by Snow Patrol—one of her favorite bands—came on the radio.

  “Can I turn it up?” she asked, already reaching for the volume.

  Gabe nodded. “Go for it.”

  Livvy cranked the sound up high. The car gently rocked her as she turned her face towards the sun, relishing the warmth as it shone through the windows.

  About forty minutes later, Gabe turned off the main highway. “Almost there,” he said as he glanced sideways, his eyes sparkling with excitement.

  Livvy fed off his enthusiasm but couldn’t help the bite of nervous tension clawing at her insides. What if she didn’t like what he’d planned? Would she tell him or just go along with it?

  The concrete road eventually turned into a dirt track, which they traveled along for a minute or so before Gabe pulled into a gravel parking lot. Small aircraft were dotted around, and as Livvy peered through a metal gate to her right, she spotted a runway.

  She turned to Gabe and frowned. “Are we flying somewhere?”

  “Yes and no.” He climbed out of the car.

  Livvy unclipped her seat belt and got out too.

  Gabe met her gaze over the roof of the car, his expression unreadable. “We’re going skydiving.”

  Livvy’s heart began thudding in her chest, and she couldn’t stop her mouth from gaping. This had to be a joke—a very bad joke. Her stomach cramped with nerves, and she blinked rapidly while Gabe stood there, watching her growing panic with a mixture of uncertainty and determination.

  “I-I,” she stammered, unable to get the bloody words out. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When she finally found her voice, she didn’t hold back. “Are you insane? There’s no way I’m going to voluntarily jump out of a perfectly functioning aircraft.”

  “It’s safe.”

  “I don’t care. Jesus!” She dragged her hands through her hair, tugging when she reached a knot. She brushed the torn hair to the ground. “What happened to a normal day out like bowling or the cinema or shopping, for goodness’ sake?”

  Gabe analyzed her, his keen gaze reading her panicked expression. “I won’t let anything happen to you. I’m fully trained, and you’re going to be absolutely fine.” He chuckled. “It’ll definitely bring some color to your cheeks.”

  Livvy planted her hands on her hips. “So would makeup,” she said, drawing another laugh from him. “Look, how can I put this in one-syllable words so you understand? I. Am. Not. Doing. This.”

  Gabe strolled to her side of the car. He placed his hands around the top of her arms, his grip firm and mildly comforting. “I’ll take you through the process from start to finish. It will be an amazing experience, one you will never forget, I promise you. Let’s go inside, and after we’ve been through everything, if you really don’t want to do it, then we will walk away.”

  Although she was terrified, his rationality was her undoing. Her knees trembled as adrenaline coursed through her body, but as she looked into his eyes, she couldn’t help but notice the raw desire for her to do this with him.

  “If I’m unhappy with anything, it’s not happening.”

  “Done. Now come,” he said, taking her hand in his.

  Like a prisoner being led to the gallows, Livvy shuffled behind Gabe as he towed her towards a hangar. As they entered, a tall, rather reedy-looking guy greeted them. He thrust his hand out to Gabe, who dropped hers to shake his.

  “Hey, Gabe. Good to see you. It’s been a while.”

  “Hi, Ryan. Yeah, I’ve been overseas. This is Livvy Hayes. We’re gonna do a tandem jump today. It’s her first time,” he added, probably to explain to Ryan why Livvy was standing there with her knees knocking and sweat beading on her top lip.

  “Hi, Livvy.” Ryan gave her a firm handshake. “Nervous?”

  She swiped a finger over her lips. “Incredibly.”

  “You don’t have any reason to be,” Ryan said. “You’ll be jumping with one of the best in the business. Let’s take you through the safety briefing, and then we’ll get you harnessed up.”

  Gabe and Livvy followed Ryan to a table with a mountain of gear piled on top of it, none of which meant anything to her. Ryan chattered away, explaining in minute detail what was going to happen and what her part in it was. Livvy forced herself to concentrate as Gabe examined the equipment. The biggest thing she took from the safety briefing was that she should try not to puke. Yeah, she could have figured that out for herself.

  “Ready?” Gabe asked when Ryan finished the briefing.

  “Nope,” she replied.

  He grinned, picked up a harness, and held it out. “Come on. Step in.”

  It didn’t take long before Gabe and Livvy were in their harnesses. Gabe explained they would be strapped together, and the only thing she had to do was enjoy the view.

  “Time to head over to the plane, Livvy,” Gabe said.

  “Okay.” Her voice was so small that Gabe leaned closer so he could hear her. As he did, she caught a whiff of his cologne. “I like your aftershave,” she blurted, immediately overcome with embarrassment. “God, sorry. That makes me sound like an idiot, but I’m freaking out here. I don’t know what I’m saying.”

  Gabe laughed. “You’re far from an idiot, and the nerves you’re experiencing are normal. Try to relax. You’re safe with me, darlin’.”

  Livvy nodded briefly, too anxious to say anything else. Gabe took her hand and set off towards a small plane. As they got closer, Livvy’s breathing escalated. Her heart began to pound, and she briefly wondered how many beats a minute a twenty-nine-year-old could take before her heart gave out.

  “Am I too young to have a heart attack?” she asked, causing a gruff laugh to come from Gabe.

  “Stand in front of me,” he said.

  Livvy frowned. “Why?”

  “Well, unless you want your first jump to be solo, I need to strap us together.”

  An involuntary shudder coursed through her. This would be the closest she’d been to a man since Mark, and she feared her own reaction. She might be grieving, but she still had a pulse, and Gabe was very attractive. She instinctively knew her body would react and her head would revolt.

  She did as he asked and squeezed her eyes closed. His fingers skimmed over her body as he fed several straps through buckles and tightened them. Warmth spread through her core at his touch, even as a simultaneous slug of guilt made her chest tighten and tears prick her eyes. After the trauma she’d suffered, she had honestly never expected to find herself attracted to another man again, yet she couldn’t lie t
o herself any longer. She was definitely attracted to Gabe Mitchell.

  “Okay?” he murmured, his breath feathering the back of her neck. Livvy broke out in goose bumps as she nodded, not trusting herself to speak.

  Gabe eased her forward. “Let’s go.”

  As they climbed up the metal steps and onto the plane, her limbs began to tremble, and her heart almost punched out of her chest. Even Gabe’s supreme confidence didn’t reassure her that she would be fine.

  The plane engines roared to life, and Gabe shouted something to the pilot, but Livvy paid no attention. She chose instead to concentrate on managing her escalating pulse and on taking deep breaths through her nose.

  The plane launched down the runway, and as it reached optimum take-off speed, the wheels lifted. Livvy’s stomach sank as the ground disappeared beneath her. As the plane ascended, she peered through the tiny window at the patchwork of green fields below them.

  “Great view, huh?” Gabe asked. “It’ll be even better when we jump.”

  Livvy grimaced. “I prefer it from in here.”

  Gabe laughed, and Livvy realized she was beginning to crave the sound, looking for ways to amuse him so she could hear it again.

  “Trust me. When the parachute deploys and nothing except beauty and silence surround you, I bet you change your mind.”

  “Don’t bank on it,” Livvy muttered as her heart started banging against her rib cage once more.

  Gabe must have sensed her growing unease because he moved his mouth right next to her ear. “It’s okay, Liv. Relax. I promise you on my life nothing is going to happen to you.”

  Her head bobbed in agreement even as her mind screamed, Are you crazy?

  At about three thousand feet, Gabe pointed. “Look. You can see the LA skyline.”

  Livvy glanced out the window, and saw downtown LA in all its glory. The often-present smog didn’t give her a clear view, but she could just about make out the US Bank Tower, the seventy-three-floor skyscraper situated in the heart of the city.

  Too soon, they reached their jumping altitude of ten thousand feet. As the door was opened, wind whistled through the plane. Fuck. This is it. Livvy began to pant. I am so not ready for this. Regardless, it was going to happen. Like being on a rollercoaster that had already left the platform and was climbing to the first drop, the only way she was getting off now was when the ride finished.

  The noise inside the plane was so loud, Gabe had to shout to make himself heard. “Ready?”

  Livvy shook her head. She felt Gabe’s smile against her neck.

  “Too bad. Only one way down.”

  “That’s not true,” she shouted.

  Gabe laughed as he shuffled towards the huge gaping hole in the side of the aircraft, taking Livvy with him. Every fiber of her being was telling her that this was madness. Stupid. Dumb. Fucking crazy. Her blood migrated south, leaving her light-headed. Christ, she was sick with fear. She’d never been so scared in her whole life, not even when she was trapped in the car after…

  Gabe had moved until they were right in the doorway. He was holding on to the sides. “This is it, Livvy,” he hollered.

  Before she could reply, he jumped.

  Chapter Six

  They plummeted towards the earth, freefalling from ten thousand feet after having jumped out of a perfectly functioning aircraft. Buffeted by the wind, Livvy squeezed her eyes shut. They streamed despite being covered by protective glasses. Sound roared in her ears. Gabe was shouting something, but his voice was carried away on the wind. He tapped her on the shoulder, which she remembered meant he was about to deploy the parachute.

  Livvy gripped tightly onto the harness as she was swept upward. In an instant, the wind dropped and their speed slowed. She glanced up to see the bright-red parachute above her that would see them safely to the ground. Exhilaration swept through her, and she began to yell and scream with pure excitement now that she’d survived the terror of freefalling.

  “Oh my God,” she cried out. “This is awesome!”

  “Look around you, Livvy,” Gabe said in her ear. “Take in the view.”

  The silence and peace as they floated towards the ground made her eyes water for a different reason. This time, she was overcome with emotion. Gabe had been right. The jump out of the plane was a leap into the unknown but also a decision to choose life. She was finally coming to the realization that Mark wouldn’t want her to mourn forever. He would want her to live, to be happy and fulfilled… and to find someone else.

  Before she was ready for the experience to be over, the ground rushed towards them, and she pulled her legs up as Ryan had instructed her to during the safety briefing. Gabe expertly brought ss to his sides, which slowed them even more. And then… touchdown. They hit the soft grass of the landing site, and a rush of emotion so strong sped through Livvy that she had no words to describe it. Gabe unhooked them, and as soon as she was free, she couldn’t hold back.

  She dragged off the safety helmet and pitched it to one side. “Oh my God! Oh my God! That was amazing. The adrenaline rush was unbelievable. When can we do it again?”

  Gabe started laughing as he unfastened his helmet. “Whenever you want to.” He playfully nudged her shoulder. “I knew you’d love it. You were scared shitless, and yet with no hesitation, you jumped. And look at you. Your eyes are sparkling. Your skin is glowing. You look alive, Livvy.”

  The incredible buzz racing through her body and the sincerity with which he spoke to her were her undoing. She threw her arms around him and hugged him close. For a moment, he froze, then his arms came around her waist.

  Desire swarmed outward from her core as his firm body pressed against hers. God, she’d missed this—the warmth and solidity of being in a man’s arms. She nuzzled into his neck and let out a sigh of contentment.

  Then she almost drowned in a swathe of guilt that weighed her down so heavily, she buckled beneath the pressure. She tore out of his arms. Her legs shook, and she bent over, bracing her hands on her knees.

  “Livvy?” Gabe’s concerned voice reached her. “What’s wrong?”

  She straightened. “I shouldn’t have done that.” The wind had tugged some of her hair free of the hair tie, and she pushed it away from her face.

  Gabe sucked in a shuddering breath before gently tilting her chin upward. Under the intense gaze of his vibrant green eyes, Livvy squirmed. She tried to drop her chin, but he wouldn’t allow it. No, she’d started this, and Gabe wasn’t going to let her hide.

  “I’m sorry,” she said. When he remained silent, Livvy decided to pick imaginary fluff from her skydiving suit.

  “What happened to you?” he asked softly.

  Livvy paused for a moment. The thought of offloading was extremely tempting, but then she shook her head and kept her gaze averted. “Thank you for making me do it. You were right. It was wonderful, but I’d like to go home now, please.”

  Gabe reached for her hand. When he folded her small one inside his much bigger one, she didn’t pull away. She should have, but something about the gentleness with which he held her hand made tears rush to her eyes. She was so lonely, stuck in No Man’s Land, wanting to move forward yet allowing the past to hold her back.

  “Come on,” Gabe said. “Let’s get changed, and then I’ll take you home.”

  As they reached the hangar, Ryan came out to meet them, wearing a beaming smile. “Wow! You landed like a pro. How was it?”

  “It was great.” Livvy tried for a smile, but she figured it had fallen short when a frown drifted across Ryan’s face. He looked over at Gabe, who gave the smallest shake of his head.

  “Okay, well.” Ryan shifted from foot to foot. “I hope we’ll see you again.”

  “Maybe,” Livvy said.

  “Do you want to stay for a drink?” Ryan asked Gabe.

  Gabe shook his head. “We’re going to get changed, and then we have to go.”

  “Another time, then?”

  Gabe gave a curt nod as Livvy trudged towards
the changing area. Her clothes were hanging where she’d left them, but after she struggled out of the dive suit, her energy waned and she sank onto the wooden bench.

  She was so confused, so tired, and so fed up with living this life. But every time she thought about moving on, an invisible force hauled her back. She closed her eyes and allowed her head to rest against the wall. “Mark, help me,” she whispered. “Please don’t hate me. I’ll never forget you or Daniel, but I’m so lonely. I deserve to be happy, don’t I?”

  Although only silence greeted her, she knew the answer. Whether she would act on it was another matter entirely.

  Livvy quickly dressed and stepped outside to find Gabe waiting by the door to the hangar. He waved her over and held out his hand, which she didn’t hesitate to take. Her acquiescence brought a small curve to his lips.

  “Buckle up,” he said as she climbed into the car.

  Gabe reversed the car out of its parking space and set off up the dirt track. They fell into silence, and the rocking of the car sent Livvy into a doze. As the car drew to a halt, she pushed herself upright and rubbed her eyes. She looked out of the window to find Gabe had parked outside her apartment building.

  “Why am I so exhausted? It’s not even midday.”

  “It’s the adrenaline. Come on. I’ll walk you up, get you something to drink, and then let you rest.”

  She leaned on Gabe as the ancient elevator stuttered on its way up to the thirteenth floor. He settled her on the sofa and brought her a glass of chilled water. She drank until it was all gone even though her eyes drooped towards the end.

  Gabe pulled a blanket off the back of the couch and covered her with it. “I’ll let you get some sleep.”

  “Don’t go,” she blurted as an overwhelming urge for company hit her out of nowhere.

  Gabe shook his head. “You need rest. Your first skydive is a very emotional, exhausting experience, and you’ll need a few hours to recover. I’ll call you later.”

  He started to leave, but Livvy clutched his forearm. “No, please. Stay with me. I don’t want to be by myself.” Christ, who was she turning into? She craved the feelings this man was stirring in her, yet she feared them at the same time. The push and pull was exhausting.