by Taylor Lee
Ana laughed, a rare tinkling sound like Christmas bells in the snow.
Gunnar stepped forward and threw Gabe a mock glare. “That does it, Gabe. On behalf of myself and Eagle, who apparently has swallowed his tongue, I withdraw our implied agreement with your outrageous assertion of a few moments ago.”
Seeing Ana’s questioning frown, Gunnar explained, “Our leader and partner here asserted that you were off limits. Not open to our dishonorable intentions. Sorry old man. That was before either Eagle or I had spent two minutes with this glorious creature. Game on, partner.”
Gabe grinned in return, but his eyes were cold, his grip on Ana’s elbow tightening further. His voice was soft.
“It isn’t a game, Gunnar. And the rules I outlined earlier stand.”
Gunnar threw up his hands and turned to Ana, a look of wonder on his face. “You, my lovely, have done what I never thought possible. You have swept this “unsweepable” man off his feet. A remarkable accomplishment. I congratulate you!”
Before Ana could recover from her shock long enough to respond, a hearty voice called out across the room.
“Gabriel McKenna as I live and breathe! I never thought I’d see Rory McKenna’s boy at a party in northern California. How the hell are you, son?”
Chapter 21
Ana turned at the sound of the greeting, to see a distinguished grey-haired man striding across the room toward them. A wide smile crossed his face as he approached and stuck out his hand to Gabe.
When Gabe let go of her arm, Ana looked up, surprised to see the muscles on his neck tighten and a slight tic twitch beside his eye. While she missed his supporting grip she was most troubled to see the tension in his body.
He gripped the older man’s hand and nodded politely.
“Good evening, Senator Webster.”
Ana was surprised at the lack of warmth in Gabe’s voice but the senator didn’t seem to notice.
The senator continued, gazing at Gabe, his hearty voice touched with amazement. “My God, son, who would have thought I would see you here. I haven’t seen you since you were a boy.”
Gabe agreed coolly. “Yes, sir. It has been a long time.”
The senator continued drawing those around them into the conversation. “For any of you who don’t know him, this is Senator Rory McKenna’s son. Hell, Gabriel, I saw your father ten days ago. If I’d known you were going to be here I would have invited him to join me on my journey out west.”
Ana saw the muscles on Gabe’s neck tighten further; they were hard, corded.
His voice was pleasant, which made his words all the more shocking.
“It’s just as well you didn’t, senator. I haven’t seen or spoken with my father for twelve years.”
An audible gasp from someone in the group next to them seemed to remind the senator that they were being overheard.
Ana was relieved when Senator Webster flushed and lowered his voice.
“My apologies, son. I seem to remember now that you and your father are estranged.”
Gabe’s smile was cool. “Except that ‘estranged’ implies we once were not.”
The senator started. “I… I guess… I meant… now I remember hearing that you and your father had a falling out.”
To Ana’s surprise, Gabe was merciless. His smile could chip ice. “Again, Senator, just so we are clear. A ‘falling out’ implies there was once a ‘falling in’ which was never the case between my father and me.”
Both Eagle and Gunnar had moved next to Gabe when the senator approached. If anything they closed in more. Ana didn’t need to see their faces to sense their concern. She felt the same need to protect Gabe, to grip his arm as he had held hers, but she was afraid he would push her away.
The senator couldn’t hide his embarrassment. But given that he was a politician, Ana decided, he couldn’t leave a potential constituency without smoothing over any rough edges, if only on the surface.
“Well, son, I will tell you this. You don’t look anything like your father. Of course you’re both tall, and before he went to fat, he had your kind of lean strong physique. No, Gabriel, you don’t resemble your father, but you are the spitting image of your mother. I swear to god, you could be her twin. That black hair, those emerald eyes. Your mother was once the toast of Boston society, the most beautiful woman any of us had ever seen. It’s too… too bad—”
Gabe cut him short. “Yes, senator, I’m told my mother was quite beautiful.” He stepped back. “It was nice to see you, sir. I trust your visit to California will be a profitable one. If you’ll excuse me, one of my clients is seeking my attention.” With a polite nod he turned and walked across the room toward Dominic, who was eyeing him with interest.
~~~
For the next hour, Ana found herself in the center of one tedious conversation after another. It seemed as though every unctuous eligible man in California had trekked out to her father’s villa to impose himself on Ana. She dreaded what would happen when the dancing began. Because her father had explained to both Kai and Ana the purpose of the evening, Ana understood why Gabe, Eagle and Gunnar had left her after the altercation with Senator Webster. She watched each of them insinuate themselves easily into various groups of men or engage in a serious conversation with one of the influential guests. Her father refused to list the possible suspects. On some level she was glad. Knowing their names would make it all too real.
Hearing a peal of laughter, she was startled to see Gabe and Gunnar chatting pleasantly with the Hamilton twins. Acknowledged as the most beautiful eligible young women in the county, Ana had to agree their fire-red curls and pale ivory skin were attractive. That there were two of them compounded the issue, made them that much more remarkable. They were both taller than Ana and very slender. Out of the corner of her eye she watched them flit and flutter around the two gorgeous men. She wanted to ignore them as if it didn’t matter, as if it meant nothing to her. But she was shocked when Sarah sidled closer to Gabe and flicked something off his lapel. Her stomach clenched when the brazen hussy tugged on his arm and pulled him closer to her. Leaning up against him she whispered in his ear. When he smiled down at her and said something that made Sarah blush and lower her eyelids flirtatiously, Ana’s stomach dropped. As though an icy hand gripped her chest and slowly squeezed the air out of her lungs, she struggled to breathe. Fighting a wave of dizziness, she looked longingly at the stairway to her chambers… but it was too far away and she needed air — now. She wove her way across the room heading to the balcony. She yanked the door open then closed it behind her, fighting to breathe.
After several long minutes leaning with her back against the door, she was calm enough to make her way across the balcony. As she had the first night she met Gabe, she clung to the railing, staring unseeing at the garden below. Her mind was a snake pit of images. She remembered when the three handsome men appeared at the entrance. Every woman in the room no matter their age or marital status had turned to watch them come in. Ana reminded herself of the cruel reality she had almost forgotten in the excitement of seeing Gabe again.
Gabe, along with his striking partners, was the essence of the Ace Angel. Angel’s Avengers. They were gloriously handsome, powerful men who went from town to town, leaving a trail of women in their wake. Women like the Hamilton twins who would twitter and blush and ultimately confess to their eager friends all the details of their amazing escapade. The kind of details that Ana was sure that Molly was recounting for the kitchen maids about her romp in the barn.
Sobs clogged her throat remembering the twinge of excitement she felt when Gabe stood beside her griping her arm possessively. When Gunnar teased him about being swept off his feet by Ana. Ana sniffed at the memory, thinking how miraculously he had recovered. All it took was an hour and two tall red-haired beauties. Her determination to put him out of her mind, to push him away forever, rebounded. She chided herself for her foolishness. She had spent the last three days convincing herself that when this was over, the ni
ghtmare finished, she would forget him, go on with her life. Congratulating herself that she had resisted one of the great womanizers of all time, the infamous Ace Angel.
Startled, she heard the door open and heard footsteps coming toward her. For a brief moment she shook with excitement, then anger overcame her. How dare he? Had he seen her leave? What had he done? Taken a short break from the gorgeous Sarah Hamilton, told her he needed a little air so that he could slip outside to torment the foolish girl he called the Princess? In that instant her fury raged. She whirled on him prepared to strike him if he came within ten feet of her.
Her outrage evaporated in a swamp of disappointment when she saw Peter Harcourt standing in the doorway. He was holding two glasses of champagne in his hands, with a Cheshire cat smile. Wide, toothy and unappealing. Seeing him, she felt a little like Alice — as though she were tumbling down a long dark tunnel where nothing made sense and everything was upside down.
But Peter looked as he always did. The perfect modest gentleman. He was tall but not too tall; thin, nice looking in a patrician way. His face was pale, a little too long. His nose and chin were too sharp to be called handsome. He was plain, but not ugly. Only his clothes and the ostentatious jewelry he wore spoke to his wealth, and the power it implied. Why she thought about what it would be like to live the rest of her life with him, or a man like him, she didn’t know. But the thought was so overwhelming, so distasteful, she feared she might scream or cry — or perhaps both.
Peter looked startled, as though Ana had said something. But she was sure she hadn’t. Oh God, had she said what she was thinking out loud? Once again, she was reminded of her aunt’s remonstrations, that proper young ladies do not show their true feelings. Pressing her lips together, she vowed that she would shutter her emotions, make her face and voice a blank canvas. That lasted all of thirty seconds until he spoke in that unctuous patronizing way of his that grated on her, made her want to misbehave like the spoiled child he seemed to think she was.
“My, Ana, you look as though you don’t appreciate the fact that I sought you out, brought you champagne. Were you hiding, like a child? Hoping that someone would follow you out here? Or did you just want attention?”
Ana reared up, preparing to smack the smugness off his face, when a quiet voice spoke from the shadows.
“She is waiting for me.”
Ana gasped, staring at the dark corner. A match flared, lighting his sun-bronzed skin, his chiseled jaw, and those gleaming emerald eyes. He squinted as he cupped the match and lit the cigarette, sucking in a deep drag. He shook the match extinguishing the light and blew a cloud of smoke up in the air as he advanced on her.
He didn’t take his eyes off her as he walked toward her. She grabbed tiny sips of air and leaned back against the railing, clutching it, willing herself not to faint. He huffed out a puff of air and a soft smile tugged at this lips. Ana had the distinct feeling that if she died at this moment there would be no need to visit heaven because she had already seen an angel.
Peter’s condescending voice broke the spell.
“You can’t be serious, McKenna. Surely you do not believe that Ana would permit herself to be alone, out here in the dark with the likes of you?”
Gabe grinned, remembering Clem’s similar assertion. Turning to the man who was holding two glasses of champagne that looked as though they’d lost their sparkle, Gabe was amused. Taking a long drag off his cigarette, he blew the smoke in Peter’s face. Hampered by the useless glasses he held, Peter could only jump back coughing as the smoke filled the space between them.
When the smoke cleared and Peter’s trembling fury was apparent, Gabe stepped up next to Ana and gripped her elbow as he had in the ballroom. Without taking his gaze off Peter, he asked in a laconic tone, “Why don’t you ask her, Peter. Ask her who she was waiting for.”
Peter’s pale face flushed an angry dark red. He glared at Ana. She stared back at him her anger at both men flooding her. Gabe’s firm grip gave her courage. She would deal with Gabe, but first she had to get rid of Peter.
Her voice was surprisingly strong, given the turmoil roiling her gut.
“Go Peter, please go.” At his shocked expression, she added, “Yes, I was waiting for him.”
Peter’s expression changed. It went from fury to a cold, calculating anger that frightened her. She shivered and moved closer to Gabe.
Peter held her gaze… then smashed the worthless glasses against the stone floor, shattering them in hundreds of pieces. When he spoke his voice was different, no longer the pompous fop. Rather, it was hard, icy.
“You’ll be sorry for this, Ana. For the rest of your life.” Including Gabe in his threat, he added, “You both will be.”
He turned and strode to the door. As Peter opened the door to leave, Gabe’s quiet voice stopped him. “If you ever threaten her again, Harcourt, or come within five feet of her or this ranch, I will kill you.”
Peter shook. The tremors shaking his body were visible across the dark expanse. Even from the distance, Ana could see that it was fury, however, not fear that drove him. Relief flooded her when he strode through the doorway, slamming the door behind him.
Chapter 22
Ana collapsed against Gabe, shrouding herself in his strength, his warmth. For a long moment she gave in to her need to hold him, be held by him. His voice crooning in her ear comforted her, eased the tremors that were shaking her. Little by little she regained her composure. Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to forget the fury raging in Peter’s eyes and remember her own.
She twisted free and stepped back angling away from the railing to give herself space, to prevent Gabe from trapping her. Glaring up at him, she asked, “Why are you here?”
A smile quirked his lips. “That’s becoming a little repetitive, Ana. I thought we resolved that issue, the last time we were out on this balcony.”
Ana shuddered at the memory.
She tossed her head and lifted her chin. “No, Gabe, we did not. If anything, the question is more pertinent that it was before.”
When he just smiled and reached up and chucked her under her chin, she jerked away.
“Are you sure you have enough time for this, Gabe? I don’t want to take you away from Sarah Hamilton. Although from the look of your partners, they will keep the twins occupied until you return to finish the job. Or are you here to fulfill some pre-established quota for the night among the three of you? “
Even before the words spewed out of her mouth she knew she sounded petty, childish, like she was jealous. Her face burned and she forced herself to squeeze back the angry tears that threatened to betray her.
Gabe reached over and stroked her cheek. “Ah, Princess, you need to go back to where we left off? Angry, hurt?”
She stammered, “I… I… wasn’t hurt. I wasn’t! But, yes, I was angry and I still am.” Attempting to salvage her pride, furious that she had betrayed her jealousy, letting him know how much he had hurt her, she pushed him farther away and moved toward the door.
His voice stopped her.
“Ana, please come here.”
She hesitated, then squared her shoulders, grasping for resolve.
“Ana, here, baby, right here.”
She turned to face him trying to resist his magnetic pull. He reached out and gently pulled her toward him. When she was next to him, he tossed his cigarette to the ground.
His voice was soft, husky. “You asked why I am here. I will tell you. I’ve waited as long as I can, Ana.” He reached out and ran his finger around her lips. At her start, he rubbed against the moist surface of her inner lips, then pinched the corner of her mouth. When she gasped, her eyes widening, he grinned and said. “Yeah, Princess, I’m done waiting for this, for you. To do this to you”.
“What… what are you going to do?” Her voice was shaky, he saw the fear and the anticipation in her eyes. He breathed in her fragrance. It flooded him, charging every nerve ending in his body with an overwhelming desire. His
only concern was that he would take her, plunge into her before he kissed her. And he knew he might die if he didn’t kiss her soon.
“First, I’m going to kiss you.”
She pulled back and shook her head. “I don’t want you… I… I don’t know how, Gabe.”
She felt her face heat. She jerked away, horrified that she had blurted out the embarrassing truth. Oh God, she was such an idiot. A vision of Sarah Hamilton leaning against him, lifting her face up to his, shook her and she stumbled back.
Gabe’s grip hardened. “Stop, Ana. Stop doing that, thinking about anything but this.”
He ran his finger over her mouth again, but this time he immediately probed inside. He folded her bottom lip between his finger and his thumb and stroked the tender moist flesh. She was shocked at the sensations that swamped her core at this simple act. She thought she might collapse when he held his finger against her lips and said in a husky rumble. “Suck on it, Ana. Suck on my finger. Take it deep in your mouth and taste my skin.”
When she tasted the salt of his skin, the rich earthiness of his cigarette, the sulfuric tang of his match, she looked at him and whimpered. His lips were so close, so full and inviting. The need to taste him, touch him everywhere, overcame her. She couldn’t suppress the moan that escaped her lips.
His smile was soft but his voice was rough, urgent. “Oh yeah, Princess, me too. I want to kiss you, Ana.”
He ran his moist finger, the one she’d sucked on, around her lips. He bent down and touched her lips gently with his. Ana didn’t know what to expect. She’d never been kissed. A kiss on her cheek from her father, a bear hug from Kai. But this? This huge man with the powerful muscles was touching his lips to hers lightly, tenderly? He nipped at them, catching tiny slivers of her lips between his teeth as though he wanted to sample them centimeter by centimeter. Then he slid the tip of his tongue inside her mouth the way he had done with his finger. But this was more erotic, more compelling. He twisted his tongue around her lower lip and sucked on it.
