by Becky McGraw
When she came back to her senses, Karlie turned in his arms and slid her hands up his chest, then around his neck, before she raised her knee up on his hip and ground against him, almost sending him over the edge. Breathing short and shallow, Gabe pulled back, then changed positions with her and put her hands against the back wall of the shower, then he moved behind her and lifted her hips.
With one powerful thrust, he moved inside of her then stood still holding her hips tightly, as her body tightened against him, and he felt her intense heat surrounding him, then he said in a strangled voice, "My god, sugar...you're so wet...feel so good." It was the most incredible feeling he'd ever felt in his life.
Karlie pushed her hands against the back wall and moved her hips against him, and Gabe lost all control. Loosening his hold on her hips a little, he started a frantic rhythm with her that ratcheted up the roaring of his impending release with each stroke.
Karlie wailed his name and he moved one hand to her center and massaged her, then shortened his stroke to take her over the edge. When he felt the tremors in her body and her inner muscles spasm against him, Gabe made two full strokes then he went sailing over the cliff to join her in a release that had his head buzzing, and his knees trembling.
Gabe turned her around to face him and Karlie closed her eyes and leaned against the shower wall while he soaped her up, then he turned her around and washed her hair, and rinsed it. After quickly cleaning up himself, Gabe shut off the spray, then got out and grabbed a towel from the cabinet, and wrapped it around her when she stepped out. He pulled out one for himself and dried off then wrapped it around his hips, stopping momentarily to look down at himself stunned.
No wonder it had felt so different, so wonderful...he hadn't even thought about a condom. Surely, he couldn't be that lucky two times in a row, he thought, then groaned and hastily wrapped the towel around himself, as anger at his thoughtlessness surged up inside of him. For someone who claimed not to want to get married, he sure wasn't doing anything to prevent the necessity of it.
Karlie turned sleepy eyes on him and slurred, "What's wrong, Gabe?"
"I fucked up again, honey...we didn't use a condom."
"So, what," she said then walked past him, then through the living room with him on her trail.
"What do you mean, so what?!?" Gabe said loudly in a high-pitched voice.
She shrugged then headed down the hall saying over her shoulder, "If it happens, it happens..."
Gabe got a bad feeling in his stomach, and followed her into the bedroom, where she dropped the towel and threw back the covers then slid underneath and closed her eyes. "Karlie why did you tell the hospital people you were my fiancé?
"I don't know, Gabe...I'm too tired to talk right now," she said then snuggled into the pillow.
Tired is something Gabe had been a few minutes ago, exhausted to the bone, but now suspicion and horror had him awake and pacing beside the bed, as he wondered if marriage was what Karlie was trying to accomplish here. He'd told her they'd get married if she got pregnant, once before. It was a knee-jerk reaction to the possibility of her accidentally being pregnant, because the condom broke. Her intentionally getting pregnant to trap him was another story.
Gabe knew one thing for certain, Karlie hadn't mentioned a condom in there, either. Most women who didn't want to get pregnant would think of that right away, if they weren't on the pill. Not her, she'd just tied him in knots then welcomed him into her body bareback, without a thought. Then said 'so what', when he mentioned it...the only explantion he could think of was that she wanted to get prenant, so he'd marry her.
Well, Gabe was not ready to get married, and she could put that right out of her head...he might never be ready, and she needed to know that. They'd never talked about it...other than him asking her to move in with him, which was a far cry from being married. It was time for that talk, to be blunt with her.
"Karlie--sit up and talk to me. I need to tell you something," Gabe said firmly, but she didn't sit up, instead, he saw her body relax, then heard her soft snores.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Gabe couldn't sleep, and he didn't want to lay in the bed with Karlie, because he knew he'd want to touch her, and that wasn't happening, until they came to an understanding. So, he worked off excess energy by unloading the groceries and putting them away, then watching some stupid program on late night TV. That finally made him a little sleepy, so he stretched out as much as he could on the small sofa, shoving a hard throw pillow under his head.
When that got uncomfortable, Gabe tried laying on his side to see if curling his legs up would be better. That position only made him feel like one of those gag-gift snakes shoved in a can, that would pop out if someone opened the lid, so he put one leg off the sofa and bent the other at the knee and finally drifted off into a fitful sleep.
A little while later, he thought he woke up, but everything looked like he was seeing it through a haze, so he wasn't sure. Unless the cabin was on fire, he was still asleep, but what he saw wasn't the cottage. He was at the Double B, and had just taken Sabrina's hand in his to walk her down the white runner to meet Cole by the gazebo, where they'd gotten married. He looked at Cole while they walked for a bit, then glanced back at his sister, and was shocked because her hair was a fiery red now, not brunette, but he couldn't see her face clearly under the veil she wore.
They walked on and he looked at the faces of the people in the rows as they passed and saw they weren't smiling, they were shaking their heads. When they finally reached the end of the runner, he looked back up and instead of Cole, Wade Roberts was standing there waiting for them.
Confused, but knowing he had to do it, Gabe put her hand into Wade's reluctantly, then Wade lifted her veil, and Gabe's legs buckled when he saw it was Karlie smiling up at Wade. His heart felt like it was trying to claw its way out of his chest and a roar started at his toes and worked its way up his chest then out of his mouth.
Karlie was woken up from a dead sleep by a guttural wail that sounded like an injured animal. She sat straight up, her heart pounding in her chest. Grabbing the edge of the covers she threw them back, then yanked off a sheet and wrapped it around her, before running down the hall into the living room. She heard moaning and thrashing, then ran over to the sofa ready to find Gabe engaged in a fight to the death with someone. He was fighting alright, but not a live person, he was fighting his demons again. His face was pale and his skin beaded with sweat, his fist beating the sofa beside him.
"No--you can't have her!" he yelled to the monsters behind his eyelids, then said in a low guttural moan, "Please don't leave me...."
With tears in her eyes, Karlie went around the sofa and knelt beside him, slapping his cheeks lightly. "Wake up, Gabe...it's a dream, baby," she repeated over and over until he opened disoriented blue eyes and looked at her. Fear and horror filled him eyes when he evidently recognized her.
Gabe sat up and pushed her away, then ran a hand through his hair. "I've got to get out of here," he told her then stood up and walked toward the kitchen. "I'll be back later," he told her then grabbed three or four beers from the refrigerator and put them in a bag. Without another glance in her direction, Gabe headed out the door to the deck. She ran to the slider and watched him stumble down the steps of the deck, then down to the dock.
Karlie was afraid he'd take that boat out there and drink those beers then fall out and drown. Not caring she was only dressed in a sheet, she ran across the deck, then down the stairs, and caught his arm, "Gabe talk to me," she begged him.
He shook off her arm then turned around to face her, his eyes were glazed and his face was a mask of misery and anger, when he hissed, "You want me to talk to you, Karlie?"
She nodded then swallowed down the wail that wanted to escape. "Tell me what's wrong, Gabe...I want to help you," she said in a watery voice.
"I don't give a fuck if you're pregnant, I'm not marrying you...I'm never getting married. So your little plan isn't going to work," he y
elled and it echoed over the lake and in her ears. Karlie didn't respond, because she was so stunned, she had no idea what the hell he was talking about, and was trying to dig around in the sludge filling her brain to figure it out.
Gabe didn't wait for a response, his lips twisted then he said, "Last night you never mentioned a condom, Karlie, and it was as much your responsibility as mine...and holding out on moving in with me...all that was your attempt to get me to put a ring on your finger, right?"
Her jaw flapped, but she couldn't force words past the rage that clogged her throat, so Gabe pushed right on, hissing "I had a lot of time to think about it last night, and I see what you're up to now...the gig's up, sugar."
Karlie felt a scream building inside her chest and stepped closer to him. Putting a finger into his chest, she poked him and he took a step back. She moved forward so her face was close to his, and narrowed her eyes as she grated, "You don't know Jack, asshole. I wouldn't marry you if you were the last man on the face of the Earth," she told him and then poked him again, so he stepped back once more, then she spat "And as far as me being responsible? I got on the pill after you, Mr. Responsibility, used a dry-rotted condom."
If Karlie wasn't so pissed off at the arrogant asshole, she would have laughed at his shocked, pale face, instead she poked him yet again, and he stepped back, so he was almost where she wanted him. She dropped the sheet from her body and kicked it aside, so she was standing there in the rising sunlight, buck naked and madder than a wet hen.
She raised her shoulders and told him, "Take a good look, you sonofabitch...because this is the last time, you're gonna see the sun come up on this," she told him then pushed her hands hard against his chest and he flew backwards off the end of the dock, his arms flailing, before he hit the cold water.
When he came back up sputtering and wiping water from his face, she screamed, "I hope that cooled you off, you arrogant bastard. Go find yourself another fuck buddy, because this one is done," then spun on her heel and sashayed her ass back up the dock, and up the steps to the deck.
Karlie went straight to the bedroom, and yanked some clothes out of her suitcase and threw them on, then she packed up the rest of her stuff, and walked into the living room to grab her keys and cell phone from of the coffee table, where she'd seen them earlier. Without a backward glance, she walked out of the front door and straight to her car. She opened the door and stuffed the suitcase into the passenger seat, then got behind the wheel and cranked up Freddie, revving the engine a few times, because the growl he made her feel better.
The front door of the cottage flew back on its hinges and Gabe ran out on the porch, but she didn't wait to see what he had to say, she threw Freddie in reverse and gunned him backing all the way down the drive, with Gabe running after her. When she hit the street, she stuck her finger out the window and gave him a Texas howdy, then threw the car in drive and peeled out. She glanced in the rearview and saw him standing at the end of the drive with his hands on his hips. He'd need his hands on another part of his anatomy soon, because Karlie was well and truly done with that dumbass.
She got to the Double B in record time, and parked Freddie in the yard, then grabbed her bag and went into the house. Cassie was in the kitchen at the table with Luke and they both looked up at her curiously when she stomped in there. Sarge was by Luke's feet and ran over to jump up on her leg.
Karlie leaned down and scratched him, then said, "If Gabe Kelley calls here, comes by here, or asks about me, tell him to get lost...I'm none of his business anymore. I'm going get changed, then I'm going to work. I'll be either in the barn or the arena, if you need me."
Luke and Cassie looked at each other, then buried their noses in the cereal bowls in front of them. Karlie went upstairs and put her stuff away, then dressed in jeans, her spare boots and a sleeveless western shirt. She pulled her hair into a ponytail, then plopped a straw hat on her head, then headed downstairs.
Seeing the phone in the alcove, she stopped and called Cole to tell him if the Texas Rangers needed a statement from her, they could find her at the Double B...he asked her why she wasn't at the lake house and she told him to butt out, and that she and Gabe were done. She also told him he might want to go pick up his deputy, because he didn't have a ride.
When she hung up, the phone rang again, and she picked it up. When she heard Gabe's voice asking for her, she hung up in his face, then went outside and straight to the barn. Wade was there with Titan in the cross-ties grooming him. When he saw her walk in, he looked up with a smile, and she forced herself to smile back. "Hey, how's our beautiful boy today?" she asked then walked up and scratched Titan on the nose, then he nuzzled her hand, then licked it.
Wade stood up and threw the brush in the grooming kit, then pulled a hoof pick out of his back pocket. "Thought you were going to be gone this week?" he asked her with a raised brow, then added, "Man your face looks bad, sugar...your ex do that?"
With a fake laugh, she winked at him and said, "Yeah, he thought he'd add a little color to my cheeks, mainly blue and green."
Wade didn't laugh, he put the pick back in his pocket then walked over and pulled her against his chest. "I'm sorry, honey...that bastard needs his ass whipped."
Her arms went around his waist and she absorbed the comfort he was trying to offer, then she didn't know why, but the dam suddenly burst and she was crying like a lawn sprinkler against the front of his shirt. His body stiffened like he didn't know what to do with a bawling woman, but he didn't let her go, he just rocked her against his chest and whispered comforting things in her hair.
Finally, when she was able to pull herself together, she pulled back a little and looked up at him then said, "Thanks, I'm sorry I got you all wet...so damned much has happened lately, I guess I just finally couldn't hold it in anymore."
He put his hand on the side of her face and said sincerely, "Anytime you need a shoulder, sugar, I'm here."
A roar sounded behind them, and Karlie tried to turn around to see what was going on, but she was knocked to the side, then looked down to see Gabe on top of Wade about to put his fist in his face. Karlie roared herself and dove at Gabe knocking him off of Wade, then she landed on top of him.
Wade scrambled to his feet and stood over them, and helped Karlie to her feet. "What the fuck, Kelley!"
"You keep your fucking hands off of her, Wade!" Gabe said in a loud tortured voice that rang off the rafters of the barn, then stood up and took a step toward Wade again.
Karlie stepped between them and put her finger in Gabe's chest, then grated, "We're done, Gabe Kelley, I told you that. It's none of your business who has their fucking hands on me anymore...it sure as hell won't be yours. Now, get the hell out of here and leave me alone."
She saw Gabe swallow hard and his eyes filled with emotion, then he nodded and walked out of the barn. She glanced out the door and saw Cole's SUV parked at the house. Hopefully, they wouldn't be hanging around long. She didn't want to see him again...ever again.
"Let me get my saddle, you want to ride out with me? I'll ride one of the mares, and you can ride Titan?" Karlie asked then looked back at Wade who was standing there with sympathy in his eyes. God, that's all she needed, Wade Roberts pitying her, she thought, then told him, "Get that look off your face, I'm okay...he's an asshole."
"Yes ma'am," Wade said then gave her a wide grin and tipped his black hat, "Get your tack and let's hit the trail, darlin'."
Exercising all the horses, took a lot less time than usual, with Wade helping her. She knew he wasn't going to be able to do that every day, but today she counted it as a blessing, as she did his company. They'd talked while they rode, and after they finished riding, they worked together to get the horses rotated and fed, then they cleaned the stalls and put down fresh bedding.
"Thanks for your help today," she told him with a smile when they were putting up their tack in the tack room.
"It was fun...glad to help. You sure helped me the other night when all those cattle g
ot loose, just returning the favor," he told her in his deep rich voice.
"Let me know if you ever need help with the cattle, I'd be glad to help you again," she said then grinned, and told him, "Wouldn't want my roping skills to get rusty."
"Even rusty, yours would be better than mine," he hooted, then offered, "But I sure as hell could help you break the new colts when they're born."
"That would be great, Wade...thanks," she said then wondered why she'd ever thought this guy was an asshole...he was a good guy. "Hey, you want to go get something to eat in town, then go dance a little at the bar? Have a few beers?"
"People are gonna think I did that to your face...you have a t-shirt that says 'My ex did it?' I don't want to get my ass kicked," he told her with a laugh.
