How ironic the Brit thought he was a natural in front of her camera.
If she only knew how many times I’ve had to pose and pretend to be someone else.
Drying his face again, he rested his elbows on his knees and stared mindlessly out the window.
But it was for a good cause, right? For Harry.
His heart sat heavy when he remembered the first guy who welcomed him to the fire department last summer. Harry Monroe acted as tour guide for the first month, introducing Kyle to everyone in town, showing him the best fishing spots, the best trails to hike, the perfect places to sit in the quiet.
After being raised in the wealth and opulence of high society and its backstabbing ways, Kyle loved the calmness of this place and the special memories it held.
Years ago, Patrick, Kyle’s father, and he had spent their last father-son ski vacation in Marietta before his dad got sick.
On the table next to him, sat a picture of that very trip. He grabbed the frame and smiled at the memories of that day.
Even coming back here twenty years later, Kyle loved the fact the town hadn’t changed much. And he appreciated the people more. The long-time residents were solid, salt of the Earth folks who told it like they saw it, but were always there to lend a hand, even if they didn’t always agree with you.
Like Harry.
It didn’t seem fair. Even after serving in the Navy and treating his share of battlefield wounded, Kyle had yet to understand how so many lives never played out. Why certain people lived and others died. Especially when some of those men as good as Harry didn’t get their happily ever after.
Kyle would never forget the last conversation he had with his friend, right before Harry told him he was stopping to help a couple on the side of the road.
And just like that. He was gone.
Sweat ran down Kyle’s face as his pulse returned to normal before remembering the chaos his bio dad had caused once again.
Glancing up at the Navy corpsman shadow box, his diploma from UCLA, his certification of completion from the Marietta Fire Department, his national firefighter certification, he shook his head. Out of all the things he’d accomplished in his life, it angered him beyond reason that as far as pop culture was concerned, he would never be more than a Hollywood scandal.
No matter what I do, I’m always gonna be his kid. Her kid.
Despite his anger, he gently placed the picture back on the table. “Miss you, Dad.”
He rubbed his temples and tried to shake off his annoyance before noticing the photo tucked in the edge of frame of his fire department certification.
Harry smiled back at him.
He’d be mad at me feeling sorry for myself.
Glancing at his father’s face again, Kyle smirked. “So would you.”
For the next several minutes, Kyle simply watched the sunrise. Listened to the wind as it beat the bare branches of the two oak trees in his yard. Small remaining bits of snow on the windowpane flew off and danced with the gusts.
Exhaustion crept in and he considered returning to bed, but knew he had to stay up to give the key to the new neighbor moving in next door.
I hope whoever that is will keep to themselves.
The rich smell of Colombia’s best drifted across the house like a siren, beckoning him into the kitchen.
Come on. Get up. Get moving.
The instructions sounded a lot like Harry.
Kyle smirked and headed downstairs and toward the back of the house.
He weaved around the boxes of clothes he’d gotten his sister, Meredith, to collect at her gallery. They were ready to anonymously donate to the child and teen center in Harry’s name.
Since no one ever came over, Kyle kept the boxes in his living room.
A thick Burberry red sweater fell on the floor as he brushed by. As he picked it up, he cringed at the labels. Kate Spade. Dolce and Gabbana. Ralph Lauren. Prada.
Dammit, Meredith. Couldn’t you have gotten donations from normal people? Walking in with three boxes of designer clothes would certainly raise a few eyebrows in town. Especially since Kyle had said little about his family and had never mentioned his famous parents.
As far as anyone here was concerned, he was a retired Navy corpsman, now paramedic and firefighter, who visited the area years before and decided to come back and stay.
No one knew any better. No one other than Harry.
Gently he folded the sweater and placed it on top of the pile.
As the coffee brewed at the same time it always did, he picked up the scandal magazine that had caused him so much distress. On the cover stood movie star and his bio dad, Jason Crowe, in a too-small Speedo kissing his latest co-star. The woman, probably a good twenty-five years his junior, wore something that covered her about as well as strings of dental floss.
On his father’s left hand, was his most recent wedding ring that still had the shine from his wedding day not two months ago.
Kyle grit his teeth so hard it hurt.
Jason Crowe has cheated on every other wife and girlfriend he’s had. I don’t know why anyone thinks this is news.
Disgusted, Kyle tossed the magazine on top of the ripped-up manila envelope it came in. A large stack of documents fluttered as the magazine produced a small gust of air upon landing. Since yesterday, he’d chosen to ignore what had arrived in that envelope, but today he’d have to address it. His mother’s deadline had arrived.
That frustrated him just as much as Jason’s blatant infidelities.
Filling up his oversized US Navy mug with his favorite drink, he breathed in the goodness, hoping the caffeine would put him in a better mood.
He needed to get out of this funk. He needed a good breakfast at the Main Street Diner, a good book, and…
“Are those legs?”
A long pair of legs wiggled frantically and disappeared into the house next door.
Damn kids.
Without bothering to grab a jacket, Kyle scooped up the house keys left by next door’s owner and took off.
After running up the front steps, he unlocked the door and raced into pitch darkness and a bitter cold.
Cheap asses. Keep it freezing to save money.
His heart beat hard in his ears, making it difficult to listen for footsteps.
Nothing.
Walking as quietly as the hardwood floors would allow, Kyle finally noticed one room with a light coming out from underneath the door.
Without thought, he grabbed the doorknob, yanked the door open, and came face to face with the intruder…as she used the bathroom.
Chapter Three
A man suddenly appeared in the doorway.
“Are you kidding me?” Gabriella screamed and held her sweater up to her shoulders, completely covering herself.
“What are you doing in here?”
“I’m testing the pipes for basilisks before I rent it,” she snapped incredulously. “What do you think I’m doing?”
As if it finally registered where she was sitting, his eyebrows hit his hairline. A nervous laugh escaped him as he looked everywhere but at her. “Holy shit. Sorry. So sorry.”
“Now get out! Get out! I’ll talk to you in a minute!”
He held his hands up in surrender and backed out, closing the door with his foot.
Once the stranger left and her heart rate returned to normal, Gabriella tried to laugh at the ridiculousness of it all. Only tears of exhaustion fell.
How did I get all the way here without a hitch and then this happens? Being caught on the toilet?
If the drive back to Texas hadn’t been almost twenty-four straight hours, if she’d slept for more than six hours in the past two days, and if she wouldn’t have to hear her mother say “I told you so” for the rest of her life, Gabriella would have seriously considered getting in the car and heading home.
She shook off her embarrassment.
It’s a minor setback. Woman up!
After she cleaned up, Gabriella took a few
deep breaths, held her shoulders back, and walked into the frigid wall of air. “Virgen Santa!”
A choked laugh from the stranger as he held his hand in front of his face. “You okay?”
His deep voice tickled her ears and unexpectedly set her wonderfully off center as she sat in one of the kitchen chairs. “Good grief. It’s like Antarctica.”
“It’ll get warm in a minute.” His deep blue military sweatshirt perfectly outlined his broad shoulders.
“Why do they keep it so cold in here? Were you wearing that a minute ago?”
“Probably to save on heating bills. Not many people renting this time of year.” He extended his hand. “I’m Kyle. Cavasos. I live next door.”
It suddenly occurred to her that this guy looked like a pin-up model. Her embarrassment waned as a hot flash rolled over her and settled south of her belly button.
Hell-o, neighbor. She responded in kind, trying not to giggle like some fangirl. “Marcos. Gabriella. Marcos.”
“Then that would make you double O what?”
He knows movies, then. “Twenty-nine. My age. Nope, I’m not an MI6 agent.”
“I am sorry to bust in on you. Since spring break some of the kids in the area haven’t been acting all that great. Guess they’re getting cabin fever. Thought they were using the house to party.” He ran his fingers through his thick head of honey-colored hair. “The owner said they told you to come get the key from me.”
“They were supposed to leave the keys under the front doormat.” She nonchalantly shrugged in her attempt to remain casual despite the fact part of her brain had turned into a gooey pile of giggles. My gosh, he’s gorgeous.
“They left town yesterday for a family emergency. Told me they emailed you.” The morning light shone through the kitchen window, highlighting the scruff on his chin.
Lawd-y, Montana grows them nice. “I haven’t had the greatest cell service since we left Fort Collins.”
Really, I’ve been avoiding checking my emails.
A loud rumble echoed through the house, making the floor vibrate a few seconds. She jumped to her feet. “What’s that?”
“It’s the heater. I turned it up since the owner had it set on sixty.”
A thick band of snow sat along the backyard windowsill. “This will take some getting used to.”
“What? The house?”
“No, the cold.” Pulling her oversized wisp of a sweater tightly around her, she shivered. “It’s freezing. I mean bone-chilling cold.”
“I can help you with that.”
Reeeeeally? I just bet you can, mister.
He shifted to his left. On the counter sat a large coffee mug with steam rising out of it. “When I grabbed my hoodie I got this for you. I hope you like coffee.”
If he hadn’t just seen her in a most compromising position, she might have kissed him. Still, when she noticed what was on the mug, if he’d proposed, she would have seriously considered it. “Is that a map mug from…from Harry Potter?”
“You know, since you were checking for basilisks and all.” A slight color of crimson washed across his cheeks.
He’s literate. He’s funny. He’s hot. Marietta is awesome.
Maybe the exhaustion had yanked her defenses down.
Maybe Gabriella simply appreciated that someone else in this world had finally taken the time to do something nice for her. Or maybe after having to deal with an adulterous ex-fiancé and a recipe-stealing boss, a nice guy looked…well, nice.
And this guy looked very nice.
Whatever the reason, she couldn’t sway the urge to hug him.
“Thank you.” Before he could hand her the coffee, she wrapped her arms around him and pulled him close. Full on hugged him flush against her.
He smelled like vanilla and coffee. Subtly, she inhaled.
Apparently, it wasn’t subtle enough.
“Just worked out. Haven’t showered yet. Don’t hold it against me.”
“You’re fine.” Mentally, she cringed at his comment, but she wasn’t ashamed enough to move. It was that or she was still really cold and hugging him felt like hugging a warm marshmallow.
A ripped, gorgeous, delicious-looking marshmallow.
His arms circled her as his low chuckle tickled her neck. “Guess you like coffee.”
“You have no idea.” She absentmindedly kissed him on the cheek as she began to pull away. “And you read.”
“Have trouble finding guys who bring you coffee and know how to use a book?” His green eyes sparkled with mischief.
The corner of her mouth curled up at his humor. “You would be surprised how underestimated being literate is in the dating pool. It usually sits on the shallow end.”
“Glad I like deep water.”
“Me too.” Geez, he’s good at nerd banter.
The more she talked to him, the less afraid she became of the unknown.
In fact, the unknown looks pretty damned good right now.
Her eyes betrayed her and focused on his full lips.
I wonder how well the unknown kisses.
The creak of the floors yanked her out of her wonder.
Kyle dropped his arms. “You expecting someone?”
The slow tap-tap-tap of nails on hardwoods approached. “Mi dio. I don’t know where my brain is.”
“Gabby, it’s freezing out there.” With Cookie in her arms, Trinity slunk down the hall before plopping her butt in a chair.
“I’m so sorry.” Gabriella smoothed out her sweater as the realization sunk in of how she’d thrown herself at the first person she met.
Setting a great example there, Gabby. “I needed to get the key and turn the heat on. It was freezing in here.”
“And you are?” Her daughter’s eyes narrowed.
Kyle extended his hand. “Kyle Cavasos. I live next door.”
Hesitantly, Trinity responded in kind. “What are you doing here, then?”
Oh geez. How do I explain this? “Kyle, he—”
“Had the key.” He shrugged. “The people who own this place had to leave town yesterday. I came over when I saw your mom drive up to give her the key and help her figure out how to work the heat.”
Heat indeed. The new neighbor might be covered up by a bulky hoodie, but sneaking a peek at his long, muscular legs, Gabby might have to fan herself at the other muscles she could only imagine.
When she glanced up, his eyes locked with hers.
The corner of his full lips curled slightly, making this a total panty-melting moment.
Does Montana have some secret air pheromones that blow off the mountain in springtime? “Um, yes, he brought the key over and here we all are.”
“Don’t forget Belle.” Trinity pointed.
Kyle’s eyebrow cocked. “Belle?”
Belle sleepily walked in behind, her nails hitting the floor in a slow, steady beat. The old Lab circled Trinity’s chair and flopped down next to one of the floor vents. The warm airstream immediately blew up some of her loose fur and catapulted the dark strands across the linoleum.
Kyle tilted his head toward the front of the house. “Anyone else I should expect?”
“You’re asking if I’m married? Nope, this is all of us.” Gabriella realized she’d been twisting a lock of hair between her fingers. Good grief. Quit acting like you’re sixteen.
“Looks like a full house.” He gave her a lopsided smirk.
Tucking her hands in her jeans pockets, she agreed, “Better full than empty, right?”
Some of the playfulness faded in his eyes. “Right.”
What’s that about? “Kyle, this is my daughter—”
“Adopted god-daughter.” The girl rolled her eyes while she continued to scratch the cat’s neck. “My mom’s gone.”
Gabriella reined in her frustration at her daughter’s rebuttal.
Ever since they’d visited Trinity’s aunt a few days ago, for the first time ever, the teen had refused to call Gabriella mom.
Push through, Ga
bby. Push through. “This is Trinity. And Belle and Cookie.”
Kyle gave them each a nod. “Nice to meet you all.”
He stepped forward and reached out to pat Cookie on the back, but Trinity pulled Cookie close to her body. “She doesn’t like strangers. She can’t hear so she doesn’t trust too many people.”
Picking up the mug, Gabriella agreed, “That is true. Cookie’s not much for strangers. She’s an albino, born deaf.”
“Ah, that explains the blue eyes and white fur.” He backed away, his hands up in surrender. “Fair enough. I’ll let Cookie alone.”
A look of Are you kidding me? He’s beautiful! flashed across the feline’s face. She pushed herself away from Trinity, sauntered across the floor, and rubbed her whiskers against Kyle’s bare shin.
“Is she about to use me as a scratching post?” He nervously chuckled but remained still.
“I don’t think so.” A look of confusion set on Trinity’s face. “That’s totally weird by the way.”
Cookie meowed, stood up on her hind legs, and extended her front paws like a child who wished to be picked up.
Kyle scooped the cat up in his arms. Within seconds, she snuggled in and purred loudly. A few strands of her white hair stuck to his sweatshirt.
“You’re the cat whisperer.” Trinity’s eyes went wide with surprise.
No kidding. Gabriella had to blink twice to make sure she saw all this correctly. Up until this moment, Cookie liked all of two people in this world and they stood in this room.
“To the cat whisperer.” Gabriella toasted him before taking a healthy swig of the best coffee she’d drunk in the past two days.
Trinity motioned for Gabriella to give her the mug. “You know you’re gonna have to marry this guy, right?”
Heat shot up Gabriella’s nose. Frantically, she grabbed her sweater, holding it against her face. As soon as she caught her breath, she sputtered, “T!”
Her daughter gave her a sly smirk while relieving Gabriella of the cup. “Just sayin’. She never liked Peter the Cheater.”
Burning with Desire Page 2
