Gabe leaned against the side of the car and folded his arms across his chest, clearly giving up.
She smiled at him, and surprisingly, he smiled back. Her heart jumped with new hope. “You’re no fun, you know,” she teased. “You could have at least given a bit of a fight.”
She brushed aside her ponytail and reached inside the bag, pulling out a long, emerald-green satin robe. “Oooh!”
Suddenly she found herself blinking back tears. She looked up at him and saw the warmth in his eyes.
“Oh, Gabe. This is so beautiful. How did you ever … it’s beautiful.”
He pressed a hand to his forehead as though he was suddenly embarrassed by the whole thing. “It’s nothing. I’m just trying to keep some sense of decorum to this whole thing, that’s all.”
“And it’s not made out of flannel or even terry cloth.” She rubbed the smooth fabric against her cheek, circling closer to him. “Thank you. It was sweet of you.”
“You’re welcome. Just wear it, okay?” He closed the trunk and car door.
She held the robe in front of her. “It matches the color of my eyes. Did you notice that when you bought it?”
He quickly shook his head. “No, I didn’t notice.”
She wanted to call him the liar that he was, but she couldn’t. It’d only embarrass him all the more.
She draped the robe over her shoulders and skated closer until they were barely a breath apart.
He pointed to the skates. “Where’d you get the skates?”
“I brought them with me.”
“You brought rollerblades but no swimsuit.”
She shrugged and skated past him. “I guess I wasn’t thinking clearly.”
He frowned. “Or maybe you were,” he muttered. “Now, will you take those things off? The board and our guests are due to arrive soon. It’d be nice if you weren’t wearing a cape like Superman and skating around on rollerblades.”
“Superman’s cape is red.”
He laughed as she rounded the car to his left and slipped her arms around his waist. Then one skate slipped out from underneath her, and she started to lose her balance. She held on tighter, grabbing as much of Gabe as she could.
In one quick motion they were propelled across the driveway toward the lawn.
Rebecca let out a scream of delight.
Gabe’s hands grasped the bare skin at her waist as she fell with a thud on the cool green grass. She rolled onto him as he lay in a dazed confusion on his back.
“Wow, that was something, wasn’t it?” she asked breathlessly.
“You okay?”
“I’m okay. How about you?”
He nodded.
She was trapped by his dark gaze, but couldn’t deny the hard, steady thud of her heart. Her breasts were crushed against his chest, and she wanted him to touch her. She’d been alone too long, and she saw in his eyes that he had too.
The urge to kiss him, to brush her lips across the smoothness of his mouth called to her. The smell of him, the feel of his hard, muscled body against hers filled her senses. She felt the automatic response that was triggered just by being so close to him.
And she was acutely aware that he felt the same way toward her.
His restless hands slid down her bare back, over the stretchy sports bra to her waist. His gaze held hers, and for once she didn’t know what to do, what to say.
In an instant she found herself pinned on the grass, Gabe over her and the green robe covering them like a soft canopy.
“Reb,” he said softly.
The sweet sound of her name on his lips sent shivers up her arms. “Yes?”
He studied her for what seemed like a long time.
“Reb … Reb,” he whispered again.
Then his lips softly touched hers, teasing at first as though he were tasting her for the first time. His kiss was slow, seductive. She felt the silken thrust of his tongue sweep against her lips and teeth as her mouth parted to meet him in a sensual promise of love.
She wrapped her arms around his neck, feeling the silky protection of the satin robe covering them. She felt and sensed everything that was him. His hard chest, his long, muscled legs entangled with hers, and his strong arms holding her tight.
His lips pressed harder against hers, as a rush of pure dizziness suddenly came over her.
His mouth possessed hers, devouring, tasting and sucking the sensitive inside before he stroked his tongue against hers in a primitive, sensuous way.
The approaching sound of tires coming up the drive stopped anything else he would have dared to try.
A car door slammed. Then another.
“Oh my God,” Rebecca whispered.
She tugged the emerald satin from their faces, and stared up at the board members as they lined the driveway like soldiers.
And they didn’t look happy.
Not one bit.
FOUR
Gabe didn’t know which mistake was worse. Letting the board catch him acting like a complete idiot lying in the grass with Reb, or kissing Reb in the first place.
He struggled to get up but couldn’t.
The robe was tangled between his legs and feet. The very same robe that he’d bought to keep Reb out of trouble, he realized, only made more trouble for himself.
He knew the board loved Reb and her fun-loving nature. Hadn’t they hinted at that many times before? But he may have pressed his luck too far this time.
“I see you two still like to play,” Marian Dorset said, her tense voice hinting her disapproval.
“Ah, Ms. Dorset.” Gabe glanced up at the President of Dorset Pharmaceutical Company.
The woman stood nearly six feet tall, and her austere features were made even sharper by her hair, which was pulled back into a tight French roll.
Gabe rolled Rebecca off of his stomach. She landed on the grass with a bounce and stretched her legs out in front of her, crossing one rollerblade over the other as she glanced up at the crowd who had gathered around them.
Gabe stood and muttered an apology, then cleared his throat. “Rebecca, you remember the board members of The Toy Factory.”
His gaze held Rebecca’s as he reintroduced the five members in one big breath.
She smiled at them and gave a little wave of her hand.
Marian Dorset turned to Gabe. “Gabriel, you’ve met Mr. Jonathan Fox, President of Chapman and Fox.”
Jonathan, a tall, elegant-looking man, nodded to Gabe.
“And his assistant, Mr. Oliver Bromley,” Marian finished, as the younger, more stout man also nodded to Gabe in greeting.
Jonathan walked to the edge of the lawn, a big grin creasing his face. He clasped both hands together in front of him, and bowed slightly at Rebecca. “A pleasure to see you again, Mrs. Stewart,” he said, in a thick British accent.
Rebecca stood and stepped off the lawn to face Jonathan. With her blades on she met the President of Chapman and Fox eye to eye. She returned Jonathan’s smile and held out her hand. “The pleasure is mine, Jonathan.”
“Rollerblading looks rather fun,” he said.
“The best,” Rebecca agreed. “Would you like to try? We could go tomorrow morning before it gets too hot. We could get you a set of skates.”
Gabe went to her side. “I’m sure Jonathan doesn’t really want to go rollerblading.”
“He hasn’t said one way or the other.” She turned to Jonathan. “Would you?”
“Maybe. Maybe,” Jonathan said.
“Well,” Marian Dorset exclaimed, her lack of patience plain to hear. “Let’s go inside, shall we. It’s getting quite hot out here.”
With a twist of her hand, she gestured toward the house. “Jonathan, Oliver. Please, this way.”
Jonathan turned to Rebecca and shook her hand. “My pleasure, Mrs. Stewart.”
“Please call me Rebecca.”
He smiled. “Very well, Rebecca.”
A moment later the five board members and the executives from Chapman and Fox wal
ked into the cool confines of the mansion.
A second of uncomfortable silence passed.
“Well, that went over pretty well.” Rebecca brushed a few blades of grass from his shirt. “What do you think?”
“I’m not sure.” He knew his voice showed the strain he was feeling.
Her hand lingered for a second, igniting a wild flame straight through his polo shirt. Ignoring the prickling of his skin and the crazy beat of his heart, he grabbed her hand, pushing it reluctantly away, reminding himself that he couldn’t be distracted by her. Nor could he be allowed to be swept up by her charms. He had to prove to himself that he was immune to her. They had made a bargain.
Plain and simple.
But that didn’t mean they would fall in love again.
“It’s always the job, isn’t it, Gabe?”
Stunned that she could see through him he asked, “What do you mean?”
“You’re always so intense. You should lighten up a little.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“That’s too bad. For both of us.” There was a melancholy shimmer in her eyes. “I hope you figure it out soon,” she said. “Because until you do, I doubt you’ll ever be truly happy.”
She tossed the robe over her shoulders, Superman style, and skated toward the house. Gabe stood alone in the driveway, feeling like he’d just been run over by a truck.
In the marbled foyer, Rebecca set the emerald robe on the entryway table. She leaned down and took off her rollerblades.
“I say, I’m not too sure I will ever be able to adjust to this heat.”
Rebecca whirled around at the sound of Jonathan’s low-timbered voice. She wiped her dampened palms on the back of her shorts. “It’s only started. Wait a couple of weeks and it’ll blister your, ah …” Rebecca stopped, feeling her cheeks flush.
“This part of the country is quite beautiful,” he said quickly as though he wanted to help her out of her embarrassment.
She brushed back the loose tendrils of hair that were coming free of her ponytail. “Yes, it is.”
“Marriage seems to agree with you.” Jonathan folded his hands together. “I’m glad to see you haven’t changed. You seem as spirited as ever.”
“I guess I am,” she replied. “I come by it honestly.”
“Jonathan, have you seen my grandmother yet?” Gabe interrupted.
Rebecca looked over her shoulder and saw that Gabe stood right behind her. She hadn’t heard him come in.
He was so close, Rebecca could feel the soft fan of his warm breath against her cheek. The large foyer suddenly felt cramped, stifling. Her pulse pounded.
“No, Mr. Stewart, I have not had the pleasure just yet,” Jonathan said. “I understand your grandmother will be down shortly.”
“Let’s go into the living room.” Gabe gestured to the large room in front of them. “And get you something cool to drink. I’m sure you’re thirsty after your drive from the airport.”
Jonathan gave him a slight smile. “Very good.” Jonathan headed toward the living room, leaving Gabe and Rebecca alone for a brief moment.
“He’s a lovely man,” Rebecca said.
“Uh-huh,” Gabe replied a little dryly. “Coming?” he asked, changing the subject.
She made the mistake of looking into his eyes. It was impossible to miss the heat that flamed there. Why was it that Gabe could still make her feel so exposed, as if he knew her every thought.
Feeling as though her knees would buckle at any moment, she managed to pull in a ragged breath. “I suppose now is as good a time as ever to start playing out our charade,” she said, unable to hide her disappointment. “I’ll just run over to the guest house and change.”
“Don’t be long.” He touched her elbow and nudged gently.
She shivered.
“Cold?” he asked as he led her to the door. “Or nervous,” he finished when she didn’t respond.
She slid past him and gave him a grin that she hoped would set him on fire. “Neither.”
“Okay, everyone,” Evelyn said in a loud voice a half hour later. “Gather around the bar, please. I have an announcement I’d like to make.”
“Evelyn, is there something you’d like to tell me first?” Gabe asked in a stern voice. He had the uneasy feeling that he wasn’t going to like whatever she was about to say.
She shooed him off with a wave of her hand, but not before he saw the gleam sparkle in her eyes.
“Something we should discuss in private?” he pressed. “Like in the library?”
“No, no, no. Now stop fussing over me like I don’t have a brain left in my head.”
“I’m beginning to wonder,” he muttered.
“Hush, before you find yourself out of a job.”
Gabe rose from the couch and made his way toward the wet bar to pour himself another glass of iced tea. Maybe this uncomfortable meeting with the board would end soon so he could slip away somewhere private to nurse his pounding headache.
His gaze drifted toward Reb who was sitting between Peter Scharch, one of the more stodgy members of the board, and Jonathan. She looked crisp and cool in a yellow-flowered sundress and sandals. Not to Gabe’s surprise, Jonathan Fox seemed to be glued to Reb’s hip, listening attentively to every word she said.
Gabe dropped a couple more ice cubes into the tall glass. He took in a deep breath.
“Everyone, please.” Evelyn waved her hands toward her guests to join her at the bar. She handed Gabe a bottle of champagne. “Gabriel, darling, open this for me, please.”
Gabe popped open the bottle and poured small portions into the champagne glasses lined across the oak bar.
“I have a very special announcement to make.” Evelyn handed him a glass and crooked her finger at Reb.
When Reb had joined them, Evelyn handed her a crystal glass.
“What’s the big surprise, Evelyn?” Rebecca asked.
Evelyn gave her a big grin as though to say, just wait.
“First off,” Evelyn began, “I’d like to welcome you all to my home. And I hope your stay will be enjoyable.”
Murmurs of thanks to their gracious hostess floated through the living room.
“I’d also like to congratulate my grandson, Gabriel, and his wife, Rebecca, on their wedding anniversary coming up this week.”
Gabe closed his eyes for a second. He should have known that Evelyn would remember their wedding date. He opened his eyes and found Evelyn staring at him, her glass raised high.
The old matchmaker was at it again.
“Evelyn,” Gabe said in a stern voice.
She quickly hushed him. “Ladies and gentlemen, I’d like to invite all of you to a small party to celebrate the joy and happiness these two young people still have together after two years of marriage.”
A round of applause filled the room along with congratulations.
Evelyn stared at Gabe defiantly. “Gabriel, darling, give your bride a kiss.”
“Cheers,” Jonathan added. “A kiss to celebrate a long-lasting relationship. For Mr. and Mrs. Stewart and our newfound relationship of The Toy Factory and Chapman and Fox.”
As if on cue, Evelyn gently pushed Reb toward Gabe.
Gabe felt Reb’s arm slide into the crook of his arm. He gazed down at her, and the warmth of her arm against his skin brought a strange chill of excitement to him.
Then a chill of fear.
“Cheers,” Reb mimicked Jonathan, then raised her glass to Gabe’s.
Crystal touched crystal.
Gabe didn’t take his eyes off Reb as he swallowed the last of his champagne and set his glass on the bar.
She ran both hands up his bare arms, her deep emerald gaze never leaving his. Her skin was soft and warm. Her scent was sweet and seductive, burning a hot path straight to his heart.
Maybe even his soul.
Soft red curls framed her face, and floated across her tan shoulders. Her lips parted slightly, making his heart lurch sudd
enly inside his chest.
“Reb,” he warned.
A slight smile skirted the corners of her mouth, but she didn’t say a word.
The thrill of temptation and desire that had been surging through him since she’d arrived the night before escalated. Those feelings had nearly exploded when they’d kissed on the lawn.
There wasn’t going to be any easy way out now.
Rebecca rested her hands on his chest.
Then he saw the tenderness in her eyes, and his heart melted.
He couldn’t pull away.
She put her arms around his neck and in one move pulled him to her.
His eyes instantly shut.
Then their lips touched like the sweet, soft whisper of rain. Briefly and reluctantly at first.
Oh, Lord, he thought as a painful, emotional sensation swept through him like a raging fire.
Her kiss was surprisingly gentle, and pure, and he felt as though his soul had been marked forever.
Gabe slowly pulled away with only inches separating them.
He heard her catch her breath, and ecstasy spiraled through him as he realized just how much he’d missed her and remembered what it felt like to be loved by her.
A loud clap broke the sudden silence. Then another.
“Congratulations,” Jonathan said.
Gasps of delight erupted from the room.
Gabe was slightly aware that the crowd of people hadn’t disappeared as he would have wished. And equally aware of the lump in his throat.
Reb’s eyes smoldered with the red-hot heat of desire, desire that was for him alone. Her mouth was still damp from his kiss, and he felt his resolve weaken. Gabe knew then just how in over his head he was.
“My goodness, Gabriel dear,” Evelyn said. “Are you all right? Should we call the paramedics?”
Gabe cleared his throat before glancing at his grandmother. “I’m fine.”
He looked at Reb and felt ashamed of himself. He wanted to tell her that nothing had changed, that they were still incompatible.
But after that kiss, he didn’t know anything anymore.
FIVE
Still Mr. And Mrs. Page 4
