Burning with Desire

by Patricia W. Fischer

  Keely had sustained a head injury last week and he’d been one of the guys who’d gotten her to the hospital in one piece.

  She gave him a stiff smile as her hands protectively rested across her belly. After the amount of food she’d taken in today, Keely should be more than stuffed.

  It’s like she’s eating for two. Uh-oh.

  Lucy sat up straight as though she were about to say something as Kyle talked to them.

  A fierceness boiled in Gabriella’s gut at how the women looked at him, but her rational brain calmed her angst.

  Remember, he hadn’t dated anyone else in town before you came along. Cheating isn’t in his nature.

  Without warning, Deputy Logan popped his head in the door. A look of relief on his face when he saw Kyle.

  They needed him for a search and rescue up on the mountain and he had only a few minutes to make it to the helipad at the hospital.

  Watching Kyle’s face light up when Logan gave him a quick rundown, Gabriella smiled. He obviously loved doing his job. Helping people. Making this a better world.

  If that alone isn’t sexy, I don’t know what is.

  With a quick wave, Kyle headed out, but promised to be at Grey’s that afternoon.

  Such is the life of the girlfriend of an adrenaline junkie.

  With hardly anyone there, Lucy’s voice carried easily. When she asked Keely if Kyle reminded her of anyone, her friend shook her head.

  For the next several minutes Gabriella, Casey, and Annie cleaned up and restocked the restaurant as they got it ready for lunch.

  Merlin quickly set up the kitchen, trading out breakfast foods for the midday and early dinner crowds.

  Keely and Lucy went on their way as the first new customers wandered in.

  The next couple of hours went by in a blur.

  They sold out of the first batch of Spicy Brownies by eleven thirty just as the next batch came out of the oven.

  By the time Gabriella had a chance to look at the clock again, it was two thirty. She sat in her office, entered the day’s sales into the spreadsheet, and checked inventory before Flo arrived at four.

  Quickly, Gabriella went home, cleaned up, and picked up Trinity before heading to Grey’s.

  “Mom, can I just go do my homework at the diner instead of going to Grey’s?” Trinity asked.

  Out of the corner of her eye, Gabriella noticed Tia and Frederick walking up the sidewalk along with another boy.

  “Got a study date?”

  Twirling her hair between her long fingers, Trinity nodded. “Yes, we have a big project due in science and—”

  Waving her off, Gabriella laughed, “Go. Be smart. Be amazing.”

  “Thanks, Mom.” The teen took off and met her friends in front of the diner. They all smiled and talked for a moment before the newcomer opened the door for all of them to go inside.

  Hope wrapped around Gabriella’s heart just as a very long limo cruised by and turned right at Court Street.

  “Pretentious. Probably going to the Graff.” The steady beat of music spilled out into the street as soon as she opened the door to Grey’s. Within seconds of her walking in, she locked eyes with Kyle. He wasted no time greeting her with a quick kiss.

  “Wow, this is quite a turnout.” Gabriella pointed. A country band played as people moved about the room. Balloons were tied on the backs of chairs and wait staff moved about, trying to keep up with drink orders.

  Large prints of the chosen pictures for the calendar were on display on the far wall. She stopped in front of Kyle’s and marveled at the chiseled features of his body.

  “Michelangelo couldn’t have done a better job if he’d sculpted you out of marble,” she mumbled.

  His hand rested on the small of her back then slid down and cupped her butt. “Flatterer. You just want to get lucky, again.”

  “You know I do.”

  ER doctor Gavin Clark joined them as he slapped Kyle on the back. “You should hear about what this guy did today.”

  Gabriella interlaced her fingers with Kyle’s. “What did he do?”

  “Went out and helped bring in a girl who’d been living up on the mountain for a good two months.”

  She felt her eyebrows lift to her hairline. “You did? She okay?”

  “She’s fine. Smart kid.” Kyle pulled out his phone and scowled. His thumb sailed across the screen and he tucked it back into his pocket. “Gavin got her stabilized when we got her to the hospital.”

  “Yeah, but you did the heavy lifting. Great job.” He patted Kyle on the back before joining a couple of other first responders across the room.

  Kyle kept looking at his phone and then at the door. His jaw clenched. “Shit.”

  She threaded her arm through his. “Kyle, are you okay?”

  “Fine.” The door opened and he scowled, but after Jonah walked in, Kyle relaxed. “Let’s get out of here. I need to talk to you.”

  Her body hummed. “Talk, huh? Is that what we’re calling it now?”

  The corner of his mouth twitched. “No, Gabby. I really need to talk to you.”

  “Right now? But the party—” He pulled her outside, leaving the loud music and conversations behind.

  “Kyle, are you okay?”

  His forehead furrowed as he looked around. “Anyone at the diner right now?”

  “Not many people. It’s right before the dinner run.”

  Without letting go of her hand, he walked quickly toward her work. “Can we talk in your office?”

  Worry lodged in her chest. “Kyle, what’s going on?”

  “I’ll tell you in a minute. Need to get somewhere he won’t see us.”

  “Who?”

  They entered the diner and made a beeline for her office. As soon as the door closed behind them, she grabbed him by the shoulders. “What is going on?”

  His fists clenched at his sides. “Gabby. There’s something I need to tell you about me.”

  “Okay. What is it?”

  A knock at the door interrupted them. Before she could open it, Trinity poked her head in. “Mom?”

  “Yes, sweetie.”

  “You need to come out here.”

  “Can it wait?”

  Trinity’s eyes darted from her mother to Kyle. “Not really.”

  “Fine.”

  As she followed her daughter out into the main area, Kyle grabbed her arm. “Gabby, before you go out there, I need you to listen to me.”

  “Honey, it’s going to be fine. Let me take care of whatever this is, first. Then you’ll have my full, undivided attention.”

  As she walked through the swinging doors, she noticed everyone in the room looked like they’d been electrocuted. All standing wide-eyed, slack-jawed, and staring at a man in the doorway.

  “Guys, what is going on?” Gabriella felt Kyle’s hand on her shoulder. “T, what did I need to see?”

  “More like who.” She not so subtly pointed.

  A broad-shouldered man in the doorway smirked. His smooth-as-honey voice filled the room. “Kyle, you’re a hard man to find. Glad I caught you before you moved.”

  “Moved? Kyle what is he…talking about?” Standing in the doorway was the last person Gabriella ever thought she’d see in her diner.

  Jason Crowe.

  The man held out his arms and smiled. “Hello, son.”

  Son? Did Jason Crowe just call my boyfriend son?

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  “Did Jason Crowe just call Kyle, son?” Flo leaned over and failed in her attempt to be quiet.

  The scene reminded Gabriella of those screwball comedies of the Golden Age of Hollywood, but when she faced Kyle, the scowl told her everything she needed to know.

  “He’s your father?”

  With his fists at his sides, Kyle moved toward him. “What are you doing, here, Jason?”

  “I thought Patrick was your father.”

  “It’s a complicated story, sweetheart.” Casually removing his sunglasses and tucking them into
the front coat pocket of his perfectly tailored suit, Jason smirked. “Your mother told me you had some photo shoot party for your charity work. I decided to come in. Support the cause.”

  A growl escaped Kyle as he mocked, “Support the cause. You’re full of shit.”

  Flo gasped. “I can’t believe he’d talk to that handsome hunk of man that way.”

  Biting her lip, Gabriella stopped the shocked laughter that threatened to break the palatable tension. Who would have thought Flo had a thing for movie stars?

  With a casual shrug, Jason stood like he had during many red carpet events. “Maybe, but me mentioning it on my social media pages an hour ago has certainly gotten a lot of buzz. I bet you raise enough by Monday to help pay for everything that place needs and more.”

  “I didn’t need your help with this,” Kyle’s snapped. “I didn’t ask for your help.”

  “I know, but PR is PR, son. You should know that by now.” Sauntering forward, Jason Crowe held all the confidence of many of the characters he’d played on-screen. He ran his fingers along one of the tables and cringed when he held his hand up.

  His confidence reeked more of arrogance than self-assurance.

  Seeing him in person, Gabriella couldn’t be less impressed. Still, Kyle’s father?

  Glancing over his shoulder at her, she watched anger burn in Kyle’s eyes.

  He quickly looked away. “You mean you wanted to get your picture taken for something that made you look human after cheating on your wife.”

  Seeing the two side by side, the resemblance couldn’t be more obvious.

  Same color eyes.

  Same broad-shouldered stature.

  Same chiseled jawline.

  I feel like a moron. Gabriella moved behind the counter.

  Trinity and her friends slowly sat back down at their corner table as Annie, Merlin, and Casey all stood, looking out the kitchen pass-through window. Everyone had bright looks of anticipation on their faces, like they were watching that climactic moment of a movie.

  Maybe I should make popcorn.

  Drumming his fingers on the back of a chair, Jason continued, “I’ve already had three of my entertainment writer friends contact me about it. They want to do a write-up. You know. Hit it like a father and son—”

  “I am not your son!” Kyle screamed. “Patrick was my father. Always has been. Always will be.”

  The charm from Jason’s face wavered. “How many times are we going to have this conversation? Huh? Whether you like it or not, I am your dad.”

  Shaking his head, Kyle said nothing.

  A bit of confidence faded with Kyle’s reaction. “Look. I’m sorry. Patrick was a good man and he deserved to find out sooner than he did, but it is what it is.”

  Kyle remained stoically silent.

  “Aren’t you going to say anything?” Shifting his weight, Jason flashed a movie-star smile. “Kyle. Son.”

  Holding his hands up, Kyle moved away. “You’ve made an appearance. You’ve posted on social media. Again, you’ve screwed up my life. Time for you to go.”

  “It’s been years since I’ve talked to you. What—you don’t have time to sit and talk with your old—”

  “Don’t.”

  He lied to me. The words rolled over and over in her mind like the surf slapping the beach.

  He’s Jason Crowe’s son. He lied.

  Blinking back tears, she reined in her anger. She wouldn’t give Kyle the satisfaction of seeing her meltdown.

  “And who is this?” Jason’s smooth words pulled her out of her pity party.

  He flashed his overly white smile and gave her a wink. “I don’t believe I’ve met you yet.”

  Moving in front of Gabriella, Kyle blocked his father’s view. “Get lost, Jason. She’s not your type.”

  “Oh, and what is my type, son?”

  “Married and desperate.”

  “That’s not fair, Kyle. There’s a lot more to that story than you know.”

  “I doubt it.”

  She peeked around Kyle’s shoulders, the very shoulders she’d clutched as they made love last night. Dammit, even when I’m furious at him, I can’t get my mind out of the gutter.

  As soon as he made eye contact with her, a slow smirk spread across Jason’s over-tanned face. “Well, for her, I could make an exception.”

  “You’re a disgusting human being,” Gabriella snapped.

  “Gabriella! Now that’s no way to treat our guest.” Flo patted the back of her hair and quickly checked her breath.

  Jason’s charms obviously worked on her, but Gabriella had seen plenty of guys like this before. He was no different than Derrick.

  Riley.

  All self-important jerks who think the world owes them for simply existing. “You need to leave.”

  Jason looked like he’d been Tasered. “Did you tell me to leave?”

  Kyle locked his arms across his chest. “She said you’re disgusting, Jason.”

  Lifting a shoulder, Jason strolled forward. “Maybe, but no one’s perfect.”

  Without pause, Gabriella rebutted, “Oh, you’re far from perfect, Mr. Crowe.”

  “Call me Jason.”

  “Okay, I’ll call you Jason,” Flo shot out from behind the counter and escorted him to a table. “What would you like to drink, Jason? We have several specials, Jason.”

  Trinity’s study group began to giggle and Tia started taking pictures with her phone.

  “Good Lord.” Kyle patted Flo on the shoulder. “Flo, he’s not that big of a deal.”

  Flashing Flo a red-carpet smile, Jason held his hand out to her. “Jason Crowe.”

  “I know.” She giggled like a schoolgirl being asked to the prom.

  If the situation weren’t so ridiculous, Gabriella might find some humor in it, but the only thing she could focus on was Kyle’s deception.

  Like father. Like son.

  “Gabby doesn’t like you,” Kyle growled.

  “But everybody likes me.”

  Gabriella scoffed, “No one likes a man who blatantly cheats on his family and brags about it.”

  That stopped Jason in his tracks. “No one talks to me like that. No one.”

  “If you’re going to be in my diner, get used to it.”

  “I see.”

  A shiver went up her spine at how eerily similar father and son sounded when they said those two words. How else were they alike?

  He took a step forward, but out of the corner of her eye, she watched Kyle lean toward Jason.

  That stopped the movie star in his tracks. For a moment, no one moved, but when he clasped his hands in front of him, he gave Flo a smile. “So, Flo, what’s good here?”

  Before Flo could rattle off the specials, Kyle grabbed his father by the arm and dragged him out of the diner. “Nope, you need to go.”

  As the door closed, a giggle caught Gabriella’s attention.

  Flo looked like a schoolgirl. “Oh my. He’s even better-looking in person.”

  “I guess. I can’t get past the fact he keeps cheating on his family.” Or the fact he’s Kyle’s father.

  “I didn’t say I wanted to date the man, Gabriella. He’s a scoundrel for certain, but nothin’ says I can’t look at the merchandise.”

  Despite her general confusion and frustration, Gabriella couldn’t help but laugh at Flo’s honesty.

  Glancing out the window, she watched Kyle and Jason argue on the sidewalk. Her heart sunk at her lover’s deception.

  He didn’t trust me enough to tell me who he was. What else hasn’t he told me?

  She dried her face with the back of her hand and turned away from the window.

  “I’ll be in the office.” She’d barely shut the door before tears fell so fast, she couldn’t see.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  “Get the hell out of here. Out of my life.” Kyle screamed loud enough for people across the street to look in the direction of the commotion.

  “You need to calm down.”
>
  “I’ve got a chance to have a good life and I don’t need you showing up or Mom giving me some guilt trip to take over any of her properties.”

  “A life? Here? With that girl in there?”

  “She’s one of the best people I know. Dammit, why are you such a snob?” Running his fingers through his hair, Kyle had to silently tell himself not to rip it all out. “At least I know she won’t dump me as soon as she sees you, so put your dick away.”

  “What is that supposed to mean?” Jason locked his arms over his chest as a thin line of perspiration beaded on his upper lip.

  “You know damned well what it means.”

  “You think I stole your girlfriends?”

  “No, you didn’t have to steal anything. If you walked into a room, they were more than willing to stray your way.” The many hits Kyle’s pride took every time a woman he liked turned her focus to his famous father weighed on his heart.

  “If it makes you feel any better, I didn’t screw any of them.”

  Jason’s words hit him harder than seeing the man here in the first place.

  “What do you mean you never slept with—”

  “What? You think I’d sink so low as to fuck my son’s girlfriends?” Glaring at Kyle, Jason pointed his finger at him. “As soon as I’d see those sluts jump off you and head to me, I’d show them the door. Every time. No one does that to my son.”

  Confusion rolled around with everything he thought he knew about his…Jason.

  Shaking his head, Jason smirked. “I know you don’t think much of me and that’s fine. I didn’t think much of my father either.”

  “You are not my father.”

  Frustration replaced amusement. “Like it or not, I am, but Patrick was your dad.”

  “Until he found out he wasn’t.” That had never been anything he planned to admit to anyone.

  “What are you talking about? Patrick was a good man.”

  “He was and he was a wounded one. Things were never the same after…after…the cancer.”

  The self-assurance of the movie star faded as the concern of a father replaced it. “Your mother never said anything. Was he abusive?”

  “No, he wasn’t cruel. Just disappointed. In me.”

  “I see.”