by North,Leslie
She heard something that sounded almost like bitterness in his voice. “What about you?” she whispered. “How did you like those camping trips?”
Gabe looked down at her thoughtfully. “Life with Stephen was something of a competition. If he wanted to go hunting, so did I. But the truth was that I really liked the camping trips. Duncan could only do so much business over the phone before he would lose cell service. It wasn’t as though the campgrounds had wifi back then. Most of the time, it was just us. It was nice to have that kind of attention from him. Stephen wouldn’t be with his friends, so he hung out and joked with us. They were always protective over Nathan, so they’d listen to him spout random facts about nature. It was nice. It was quiet. I guess it brought a sense of peace to me.”
“It probably doesn’t seem nearly as peaceful now,” she said as she finished off the granola bar. “Come on. We probably don’t have much more than an hour of sunlight left. Let’s see if we can’t find some place to hunker down for the night.”
Gabe got up and stretched before reaching down to help her to her feet. “I know it seems helpless, but we’re together. It could be worse.”
“Things must be bad if you’re giving me a hopeful speech,” she said with a tight smile.
He reached over and put his arm around her waist. She had a feeling he thought of it as a brotherly move, but she couldn’t help but shiver with desire. Every time he touched her, she lost all ability to think straight. “You try to pretend that everything is fine, but I know you worry. You have the most genuine smile I have ever seen, and when you fake it, it’s hopelessly obvious. Don’t worry, Daisy. I’m going to find a way to make everything okay.”
Just as she was about to melt against him, he removed his arm and started walking again. With a sigh, she started to trail behind him. She knew that his ribs had to hurt, but he seemed to push right through it. And if he could do it, then so could she. Ignoring the pain in her feet and her legs, she quickened her pace to keep up with him. Controlled breathing and positive thinking, she reminded herself. Gabe’s family had money and power on their side. Even if she and Gabe didn’t find the city, someone would find them.
And hopefully that someone wouldn’t be a jealous and enraged Jordan.
“Now that you’re all back in the same city, how are you guys?” she asked. Part of her wanted to pass the time, and part of her wondered how close Nathan and Gabe were these days.
“It was touch and go in the beginning. Even though I’d worked with my father for a while, we weren’t close. I asked Stephen and Nathan to come back when Duncan threatened to sell off parts of the company, and in the midst of all the drama, we found out just how sick Duncan was. He wanted to blame all his actions on the company and tear it apart, but really, the company was the only bond we had left. Duncan and Stephen are now on good terms. It’s almost strange to say that. We’re all busy. Stephen has a son and his own company, so he’s gone quite a bit, and of course, he’s recently married Angie. Nathan is busy with the architecture and design department, and I focus mostly on real estate, but as Senior VP, I have to keep an eye on everything.”
“Were you and Nathan close growing up?”
He gave her a strange look. “Nathan, huh,” he said softly. “I can’t say that Nathan is the archetype for the younger child, but most of that is because of Duncan. He didn’t get nearly as much attention as he should have, and Stephen was always trying to be like Duncan. It sort of fell to me to be a role model. Nathan actually caught me smoking one day after school. I saw that look in his eyes. He thought I was so cool. And I knew right then and there that I had to be careful. Nathan looked up to me, and I had so little control over my actions. Unless I wanted Nathan to grow up to be like me, I had to stow the rebel streak. I guess I have him to thank for straightening out my life.”
“I’m sure you were a good brother,” she said softly. She had a feeling that Gabe excelled at everything he did.
Without warning, the skies opened up and there was a loud crack of thunder. As the rain fell down on them in sheets, Daisy shrieked.
Gabe grabbed her hand, and they started running. “Where are we going?” she yelled, but it was hard to make herself heard over the pounding rain. Within seconds, she was soaked. As Gabe pulled her along, she looked around desperately for a place where they could take shelter. The sun was barely peeking over the horizon, and under the trees, the light was almost gone.
“There,” he shouted suddenly. She looked and saw a small clearing. She had no idea why they were running towards it until they got closer and she saw the cabin.
Filled with relief and renewed energy, she began to run faster. Reaching the door first, she pounded on it. Gabe peered through the windows, and he finally reached up and grabbed the window frame. It opened, and he beckoned her.
“That’s breaking and entering,” she shouted and shook her head. Restore Eden was in enough trouble without her illegally entering a cabin.
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” he muttered as he wrapped a hand around her waist. She shrieked as he lifted her and had no choice but to duck in through the window. She slid through and rolled when she hit the ground. Turning, she watched as Gabe hoisted himself up with a grunt of pain and pushed himself through. He slammed the window shut and took a deep breath.
“There’s no one here,” he said softly. “It’s probably a hunting cabin, and from the looks of things, it hasn’t been used all season.”
It was true. Everything was covered in dust. “Look around. See if you can find a phone or some food. I’m going to try and get the fire going.”
Wringing the water from her clothes and hair, Daisy began to explore the place, but it soon became clear that there wasn’t much to explore. The place had a small bathroom, a kitchenette, and one big main room, which held a table and a couple of chairs on one side, and the sofa, and a bed in the corner. While the furniture looked clean, enough dust had settled on the counter tops to indicate that no one had been here in months.
“No phone, but there is some food. Non-perishable canned foods, some soup, some dry cereal, and some chips.” She turned on the faucet and immediately clapped her hands. “And there is running water. Oh my God, maybe the shower works. I am covered in grime.”
The fire roared to life in the grate, and she gave Gabe a big smile. “You have no idea the things I want to do to you for getting that fire going.”
He lifted an eyebrow. “Do tell,” he said in a husky tone. Her breath caught in her throat. She knew he was joking, but she couldn’t help but feel her whole body warm under his gaze. Suddenly, all she could think about was sex.
“For one thing, I’m going to take a shower so I don’t smell like a wet dog anymore,” she joked weakly. His expression didn’t change, and she knew the atmosphere heating up between them had nothing to do with the fire. She tried to tell herself it was the circumstances. There was the hint of danger plus adrenaline and a sexy man at close quarters. Of course, his naked body was on her mind. But that didn’t mean that he was thinking the same thing about her.
Practically fleeing from him, she closed the bathroom door and leaned against it. She needed to adjust to her actual scenario and then maybe her hormones would calm down.
The water that first ran out of the pipes was orangey-red, but after living in several low-cost apartments, she was familiar with the concept of built-up rust. A few minutes later and the water began to run clear. It wasn’t hot water by any means, and there was no soap, but she enjoyed the sensation of clean water running over her.
“Daisy?” Gabe’s voice echoed off the bathroom walls. “I’m going to put your clothes by the fire so they’ll dry quicker. I’ll bring them back when you’re finished.” The door opened, and Daisy immediately covered herself. The shower curtain was clear with a frosted design, and if he looked hard enough, he could probably see her naked body. But he was a gentleman and kept his head turned away.
Her breath quickened, and she ached t
o invite him in the shower with her, but she pushed the desire down. “Thanks,” she called out, keeping her voice light. He gathered her clothes, and she closed her eyes. What the hell was wrong with her? Gabe Maxfield was a billionaire. He was the Senior VP of a company she often thought of as the enemy, and he was her ex-boyfriend’s brother. There were too many red flags, but that didn’t seem to deter her body. The days leading up to this moment had been foreplay, and now that they were alone, she couldn’t deny it any longer.
She wanted Gabe Maxfield.
Jordan’s accusation didn’t seem so empty anymore, and she mentally chastised herself. Even as she lectured herself about the dangers of mixing business with pleasure, her hands began to roam over her body. As they slipped down her breasts and over her abdomen, she couldn’t help but picture Gabe’s hands in their place. Even though he was a deskman, there were still callouses on his palms. Every nerve in her body tingled with the very thought of Gabe touching her naked body with those rough hands.
“Get a grip,” she hissed. At any other time, the small hunting cabin might be romantic, but she wasn’t looking for romance. It was simply shelter from a storm and a lunatic. She needed to remember that.
Feeling a little better, she shut off the water and stepped out. A towel hung from the bar on the wall, and after inspecting it carefully, Daisy was relieved to find it clean. Wrapping it around herself, she stepped carefully out of the bathroom and towards the fire.
Gabe was in the kitchen with his back turned. “I’m heating up some soup,” he said, and when he turned his head, his eyes immediately darkened. “Did you call for your clothes? I didn’t hear you.”
Her mouth dried, and she immediately turned and stared into the fire. “I wasn’t in the shower long,” she mumbled, “I didn’t think they’d be dried in time.” She reached down to touch the clothes. They were still soaking wet.
“Christ,” he muttered. “I’m sorry. Of course, they’re still not dry. Daisy, you don’t have to feel threatened in here with me. You’re safe. I promise.”
She turned her head and stared at him. “I don’t think I am.”
Turning off the stove, he stirred the pot a few more times. “Soup’s ready,” he said in a tight voice. She was hungry, but it wasn’t for soup.
“You’re very popular and admired in this city. The paparazzi follow you around, and every gossip magazine is dying to know which woman will be on your arm next. You’re kind of a playboy. There are no paparazzi out here.” The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them, and she hurried to cover her tracks. “It must be peaceful.”
He turned from the stove and took a few steps towards her. Part of her wanted to back up, but she was already against the wall. There was no place to go, and in any case, the other part of her didn’t want to run. The other part of her knew exactly what was going to happen next and welcomed it.
“Nothing about being with you is peaceful,” he whispered as he closed the gap. Standing only inches from her, he pressed his hands against the brick on either side of her, but he didn’t touch her. “You’ve turned my carefully controlled life completely upside down. I have been threatened, beaten, and kidnapped because of you.”
“I know.” She cast her eyes down. “I’m sorry.”
“The worst part is that I know I should stay away from you.” He leaned down so that his lips were only a breath apart from hers. “You are so much trouble, Daisy Levine, but I want you more than I’ve ever wanted anyone in my entire life.”
She opened her mouth to tell him every single reason why this was a bad idea, but the only thought that stayed in her head was that he wanted her. He swooped in and covered her mouth with his, and all logic fled. Wrapping her arms around him, she pulled him closer for a dizzying and spine-tingling kiss. For several minutes, he stole the breath from her lungs, and when he finally pulled back, there was a dark intensity in his eyes that scared her.
“Daisy, if you don’t want this, you need to tell me right now,” he said hoarsely.
“I can’t,” she whispered. “I can’t tell you a lie.” Closing her eyes, she waited. It wasn’t long before she felt a finger trace from her collarbone down to the edge of the towel. He could simply jerk it away, and she’d be naked and open to him, but he took his time.
The desire was so thick around them that she couldn’t even move her arms to hurry things along. His thumb tickled lightly along her lips, and she opened her mouth and suckled on it. He drew in a quick breath and let out a low moan. Opening her eyes, she watched him. She needed to see if she was affecting him as much as he affected her.
Opening her towel, he lowered his eyes to watch as he exposed her skin inch by inch. The cloth moved slowly over the rise of her breasts and down the slope of her abdomen. It shimmied gently down her hips before it finally fell to the floor. Naked in front of him, her heart pounded against her chest. She had no doubt that the women he normally spent his nights with were perfection. Money fixed flaws, but she was all-natural. No nips or tucks or lifts. She was simply Daisy.
“God, you’re beautiful,” he moaned
Letting out a relieved chuckle, she reached for him. As she slipped the buttons of his shirt out of their holes, he touched her. Fingers trailed down her spine and over her ass. They roamed back up her sides and teased around her nipples. If she weren’t so intent on getting him as naked as she was, she’d be crying out for more. She wanted him to lick and pinch her nipples. She wanted him to slip his fingers inside her.
He was absolutely magnificent under his shirt. Licking her lips, she leaned over to graze her teeth gently against his skin. He was warm and taut and salty. Her nerves practically humming with desire, she wrestled with his belt.
Soon he sprang free, and she couldn’t help but wrap her hands around him. He was already hard and ready, and he let out a strangled gasp at her touch. “Babe, I will not last if you keep that up,” Gabe muttered heatedly as he yanked her hands away.
Oh yeah. She affected him.
Desire swirled in her belly as he pulled her from the wall and spread the towel out on the floor. Lowering her gently, he loomed over her and finally bent his head to pull one taut nipple into his mouth. The warmth and silkiness of his tongue had her crying out and tangling her hands in his hair as she urged him on.
“You have no idea how long I’ve dreamed of this,” she gasped. “From the moment I saw you, I wanted to wrap my legs around you.”
He lifted one of her legs and pushed his length along her slit. “That sounds like a fucking excellent idea,” he moaned. As he rubbed along her sensitive clit, she cried out in pleasure.
“Don’t stop,” she gasped. “Don’t you dare fucking stop.”
Reaching down, he parted her folds and slipped one finger inside her. “So wet,” he said. His tone sounded surprised and she wanted to tell him that every time he looked at her, her body responded, but the words didn’t form. Instead, she lifted her hips to meet the thrust of his fingers, and he slid a second finger inside her.
Her body shuddered against his intruding fingers and she tightened her hold on his arms, digging her fingers into his biceps as she rocked her hips towards him.
She watched, holding her breath, as he positioned himself, moaning as he slowly sank into her. Inching gradually inside her, he stretched and filled her until finally he was buried to the hilt. They both grunted in pleasure, and she finally wrapped her legs around his hips.
“Fuck me, Gabe,” she told him, her voice heavy with need.
Hearing his name made him snap. He captured her lips once more and began to thrust in earnest. Every time he slid over that sweet spot inside her, she thought for sure that she would fall apart. The more he pushed inside her, the tighter wound she felt. The fire crackled, but it did nothing to drown out the sounds of their moans. They were two people finally giving in to something they both knew was wrong.
“So perfect,” he muttered as she bit his shoulder.
Daisy sank her fingers in
to his back and squeezed her eyes shut. God, she was so close. Never before had she flown this high so fast, and she was almost terrified of the fall.
“I’m close. Fuck, I’m close, baby. Come with me. Stay with me,” he gasped.
He reached down and pinched her nipple, and it sent her spiraling over the edge. With a gasp, she tightened her legs around him and listened to him shout her name and thrust one last time deep inside her. Her orgasm shook her to the very core, but he never left her. Even as the last wave of pleasure threatened to drown her, he held her tight.
As her body was slowly, achingly returning to normal, she couldn’t help but wonder how he would feel when reality hit.
17
It wasn’t until the next morning that they reheated the soup. It was thick and bland, but it filled his stomach and gave him some energy. His ribs didn’t hurt nearly as bad, but the pain wasn’t what was on his mind. The tension lay heavily between them. Sometime during the night, he’d woken her and they had moved to the bed. Maybe it was the afterglow of finally being inside her or maybe it was the exhaustion of their escape, but he’d slept peacefully with her in his arms. Normally, he would have cringed at being in a strange bed, but everything seemed right.
With the rising of the sun came the tension. She avoided his eyes as she dressed, and they ate in silence. “We’ll probably find an access road leading from here to the main road,” he said gruffly as he washed the dishes. It only seemed right that they try to leave the cabin in the same shape that they found it.
“Sounds good,” she said in a strained voice.
“Daisy,” he began softly, but she cut him off.
“Let’s not do this. We’re both consenting adults, and we’ve been working together closely of late. It only makes sense that recent events, and being in such close quarters, pushed us over the edge. I don’t think there’s any need for us to make a big deal about it.”
