by Cindy Kirk
“I took Finley to the church. They’re having a lock-in.” The word still felt odd on his tongue.
She laughed. “You sound as if you don’t quite know what that is.”
He hadn’t realized just how blue her eyes were until that moment. A deep vivid blue with little gold specks. The sunlight played on her hair making them look like strands of gold.
“You’re right. I’d never heard of such a thing.” Gabe frowned, still not sold on the idea. “But I called the youth leader and then spoke with Nick. I hope I made the right decision letting her attend.”
Raising Finley to adulthood was a responsibility Gabe took seriously. It wasn’t easy being the sole decision maker. At least in two-parent households you had another adult to steer you back in the right direction if you were becoming too lenient or too strict.
“Our church had lock-ins at least once a year when I was growing up.” Michelle’s eyes took on a faraway look. From the way her lips curved upward, he could tell the memories she was recalling were pleasant ones. “Most youth leaders use the time to teach the kids how to find practical ways to apply their faith. And it’s done in a fun, relaxed atmosphere.”
Deepening her faith while being part of a group of like-minded teens was exactly what Gabe wanted for Finley. “Thank you.”
A startled look crossed her face. “For what?”
“You’ve made me feel better about my decision to let her go.”
The knowledge that she’d helped Gabe in his parenting duties sent warmth rushing through Michelle.
This was the kind of dialogue she’d envisioned when she married Ed. While she hadn’t expected to jump into the mother role with both feet, she had hoped to ease some of Ed’s burden by offering another perspective.
It wasn’t until after they were married that she realized he didn’t want her input. In fact, shortly after the wedding, he’d reassured his daughters that nothing would change in terms of parenting. He would continue to make all decisions. If they had any questions about what they could or couldn’t do, they would come to him.
Looking back, she conceded he was probably trying to minimize the impact to the girls of having a stepmother. Yet, his directive had negatively impacted her relationship with Chrissy and Ann. Because their father hadn’t valued her input, they didn’t either.
“I meant that as a compliment.” Gabe touched her arm and she could see her silence had worried him.
Michelle smiled and changed the subject. “Isn’t it a glorious day?”
“Great day for a hike and a shootout.”
Michelle cocked her head.
“The shootout in Town Square.” Gabe bent down to pet Sasha, who sat at Michelle’s side, tail thumping, patiently waiting for him to notice her. “I realize it’s a tourist kind of thing, but it’d be fun to see. Because the show isn’t until six, I thought I’d do some hiking this afternoon. But I have to admit neither is much fun alone.”
“Is that a backhanded invitation?” The second the words left her mouth, Michelle wished she could pull them back. If he wanted to invite her, he’d have asked her to go with him.
“And I thought I was being subtle,” Gabe said with a teasing smile. “What do you say? Hiking. Shootout. Dinner?”
Not a good idea, the tiny voice of reason in her head whispered.
But with the sun shining brightly and the whole day stretched before her, what he suggested sounded infinitely more appealing than spending the day at home...alone.
“Sounds good. But first I have an errand to run,” she said. “I have to stop by and check on the cabin. You can come with me if you like.”
“You own a cabin?”
Michelle heard the surprise in his voice. And no wonder. The price of real estate in Jackson Hole had soared in recent years. She’d have to be very wealthy to afford both a condo and a cabin.
On the way to the base of Snow King Mountain, Michelle explained the situation. The cabin they would be visiting was on a long-term lease to a physician recruitment company. The recruiter who’d brought Michelle to Jackson Hole had given her a key and told her to use it whenever she wanted. All she asked was that Michelle check on it once a month to make sure it was being properly maintained.
Michelle smiled as Gabe pulled the truck to a stop in front of number 10. She loved not only the cabin but also the idyllic setting. Wildflowers edged the walk leading to the log-style structure. Two wooden rocking chairs strategically positioned on the porch afforded a great view of the mountains.
Every couple of weeks she came here to cast off the worries and cares of the outside world and simply relax. It was here that she could truly be herself.
“This is nice,” Gabe said before she’d even unlocked the door.
“Just wait.” Even though the cabin wasn’t hers, Michelle couldn’t keep the pride from her voice.
Once inside, Gabe stared in awe at the massive stone fireplace and the antler chandelier hanging over the mission-style table. A low whistle slipped past his lips.
The place was not only beautiful but also immaculate. Michelle couldn’t see even a trace of dust on the granite countertops or the hardwood floors. And the floor-to-ceiling windows in the back of the cabin sparkled.
“There are two bedrooms and the sofa is a sleeper,” she explained, doing a quick inspection of the smaller one containing two nicely made twin beds before moving on to the master.
This room with its lace curtains hanging at the windows and its own bath was clearly the larger of the two. Michelle strolled to the double bed with the antique white cotton duvet, and ran her hand along the iron frame.
Gabe’s eyes never left her hand. “It’s so quiet in here.”
Michelle nodded, inhaling the soothing scent of lavender from the potpourri on the nightstand. The blinds were open just enough to let bits of golden sunshine bathe the room in natural light. Any remaining tension slid from her shoulders. “Almost like another world.”
“But is the bed comfortable?”
The question seemed to come out of left field. Even though she’d spent many days here, because of the need to get back home to Sasha, she couldn’t remember the last time she spent the night. She wished, for not the first time, that the management company allowed pets.
Michelle turned and sat down, being careful not to rumple the bedcover. She flattened her hand against the mattress and felt a slight give. “Feels good to me.”
Gabe crossed the room and surprised her by sitting next to her, the bed dipping slightly with his weight. He bounced slightly up and down. “Feels about right, but it’s hard to tell by just sitting on it.”
The moment her eyes touched his, something inside her seemed to lock into place and she couldn’t look away. Electricity sizzled in the air. Her heart began to pound.
“I suppose we could lie down,” Michelle said in an offhanded tone that gave no indication to the sudden quivering in her throat. “For a second.”
With amber eyes looking darker in the dim light, Gabe paused. For a second she was sure he’d say they were acting crazy. She’d laughingly agree and they’d head out the door for their hike.
“We should take off our shoes,” he said instead.
She gave a jerky nod. As she slipped off hers, he pulled off his boots, then stretched out on the bed, patting the spot next to him. “Check it out.”
Michelle was suddenly reminded of a time in sixth grade when she’d climbed to the third tower at her local swimming pool. When she’d stared at the water so far away, part of her had yearned to run straight back down the ladder to safety. But her more adventurous side had been willing to take a chance on getting hurt for the thrill of free-falling.
Just like then, she couldn’t back out now. Of course, she might be reading way too much into the situation. They were both fully dressed. This would really be no different than lying next to him on the deck of a swimming pool. Except right now they had on more clothes.
Yet when Michelle slowly eased herself down
beside him and he slipped an arm around her shoulders pulling her comfortably close, she realized a bed and the deck of a pool, where you were surrounded by people, were profoundly different.
“I’m sure you already know this, but I’m very attracted to you,” she heard him murmur, his finger tenderly pushing back a lock of hair from her cheek.
Even as Michelle shivered beneath his touch, she found herself holding her breath.
“Moving here was a big step for Finley and me,” he continued in the same sexy masculine rumble. “I want to give my job the attention it deserves and also have the time to give Finley whatever help and support she needs to make this a smooth transition.”
Was this his way of saying he didn’t want a relationship with her? Which was perfect, right? She didn’t want to get involved with him either.
“I’m not looking for a relationship with you, not in the traditional sense,” Michelle murmured, wondering at the disappointment coursing through her. “Though I do have to admit that I find you very, um, sexy.”
He stared at her for a long moment, his eyes boring into hers. “I find you incredibly sexy.”
Danger. Danger. The red flags were not only popping up, but they were also waving wildly. Michelle barely noticed. She was more focused on Gabe, the way his shirt clung to his broad chest and that spicy cologne that made her shiver every time she inhaled.
He leaned toward her and lowered his voice. “Do you miss it?”
“Miss what?”
“Sex.”
It showed how far gone she was that his question seemed perfectly appropriate. If they’d been anywhere but here, she’d probably tell him it was none of his business. But this room was like a different world where outside parameters didn’t apply.
“I do,” Michelle admitted. “But I’m not into one-night stands.”
“This wouldn’t have to be a one-time thing.” Gabe trailed a finger up her arm, his smile slow and lazy. “The way I see it, we could do it as much and as often as it worked out.”
A shiver of desire traveled up her arm, then took a delicious dip down her spine. “Are you propositioning me, Mr. Davis?”
With a not-quite-steady smile, Gabe nodded, his expression sheepish. “I guess I am.”
His husky admission made her blood feel like warm honey sliding through her veins.
“I wouldn’t even know how to start an...an affair.” Because that’s what he was suggesting, right? Heat rose up Michelle’s neck. Could he hear her heart pounding? “For example, would we come up with some ground rules first? Like no whips and chains?”
A startled look crossed his face before he grinned. “Agreed.”
“Do we just take off our clothes and go at it? Or do we—”
“Shh.” His fingers closed over her lips, stopping her nervous babbling. “I’d say we start with a kiss.”
His eyes searched hers and Michelle found herself nodding.
Without saying another word, his lips were on hers, exquisitely gentle and achingly tender. His hand flattened against her lower back, drawing her up against the length of his body. A smoldering spark of need flared through her, a sensation she didn’t bother to fight.
He took it slow, as if they had all the time in the world. As if no one existed but the two of them. As if nothing else mattered. The room took on a golden glow and the invisible web of attraction tightened around them.
Gabe slid his tongue along her lips and when she opened her mouth, he deepened the kiss. He tasted like the most delicious, decadent candy she’d ever eaten. And she wanted more.
As he continued to kiss her, Michelle found herself running her hands under his shirt.
His muscles were strong and well-corded, just as she’d imagined. He smelled of soap and that indefinable male scent that made her body ache. Desire, hot and insistent, and for so long forgotten, surged.
“You know it’s not fair.” He moved his mouth from her lips to the sensitive skin under her jaw.
“What’s not fair?” Her voice was raspy and barely recognizable.
“That you can put your hand inside my shirt but I can’t do the same to you.”
While he spoke, his long fingers lifted and supported her yielding flesh, teasing the tight points of her nipples through the fabric of her shirt.
Her breasts strained against the confining fabric, eager for his touch. “Who, who, says you can’t?”
“You’re beautiful.” He breathed the word as he pushed her shirt up and pressed a warm moist kiss against her bare abdomen. “I want you so much.”
Shock waves of desire coursed through her body. In seconds, his clothes hit the floor along with hers. She didn’t have time to be embarrassed because he continued to kiss her with a slow thoroughness that left her weak, trembling and longing for more.
Then his lips closed over her breast, his tongue circling the tip before he pulled it in his mouth and sucked. His slow sensual ministrations stoked the flames burning inside her.
She rubbed against him and felt his hardness jump against her belly. Michelle gripped his muscular backside, pulling him to her, wanting him inside her.
His mouth moved lower, then lower still, as his fingers played with her breasts.
“Open,” he said in a low husky voice she barely recognized and she let her knees fall apart.
Pushing them even farther apart with his arms, he pressed an open-mouthed intimate kiss between her legs before his fingers slid inside her. First one, then two, the in-and-out motion bringing her near the edge.
“More,” she heard herself say, “I want more.”
He lifted his head and swore under his breath. “I didn’t bring protection.”
“I’m on the Pill.” She cupped his face with her hand and looked him in the eye. “And I’m clean.”
Gabe grinned and gave her a swift kiss. “Looks like there’s nothing stopping us now.”
Other than good sense, and Michelle wasn’t about to go looking for that now.
Just when she thought she couldn’t stand waiting a second longer, he entered her. He paused and their eyes met.
“It’s big,” she said. “I like it.”
He kissed her on the lips. “You say the sweetest things.”
When she laughed, his breath caught and he began to move. In and out, in and out, slow deliberate thrusts that rubbed her in the best way possible. She clung to him, urging him deeper.
She wanted more, wanted this, wanted him. The kisses became more urgent, their rhythm fevered until the pressure surged and she couldn’t hold on any longer. The orgasm hit her with the force of a mighty wave and Michelle cried out as it took her to a place she’d never gone before.
Still Gabe continued to stroke long and slow and deep as if waiting until he was sure he’d wrung out the last bit of pleasure from her, before he shuddered in her embrace and called out her name.
They remained like that for a long while, joined together. Finally Gabe gently pushed her hair off her face. “While we’re here we might as well check out the shower.”
The gleam in his eyes told her he had more in mind than rinsing off. Which was good, because something more was exactly on her mind, too.
Chapter Twelve
“You’re in a good mood today,” Finley told Gabe when she caught him whistling while loading the dishwasher.
Gabe paused, plate in hand. It was almost the same comment that Joel had made at breakfast after church.
“I’m just happy to have you home.” He shot his daughter a wink, then added another pan to the rack.
Once he’d picked Finley up from the lock-in, they’d returned home and he made vegetable macaroni and cheese, one of her favorites. She’d had given him a step-by-step account of everything that had gone on at the lock-in before they’d moved on to discuss a dystopian young adult novel they were both reading.
Even though Gabe normally loved these father-daughter times, he had to admit he was having trouble focusing. His mind kept replaying yesterday’s events
. He couldn’t wait to see Michelle again.
He frowned. Had she mentioned a next time? Surely this hadn’t been a one-time thing?
“Now it’s your turn. Tell me everything you did yesterday,” Finley urged. “I like hearing about your day, too.”
Gabe started to tell her it was nothing that would interest her, but stopped himself just in time. The last thing he wanted to do was shut down these chats with his daughter.
“After I dropped you off, I washed my car, then I ran into Michelle. We went hiking, then we saw Tripp at the shootout and we all went to dinner. I don’t know if I told you but Joel and I are going to be building a stable for Tripp’s father.”
Finley’s eyes lit up. “They have horses?”
Gabe smiled. He knew horses would divert her attention from the fact that he and Michelle had spent the day together. “Lots of them. I mentioned to Tripp that you like to ride and he invited us to come out anytime.”
Finley let out a shriek loud enough to be heard at the end of the block. “When can we go? Do you think it’d be okay if we brought Addie? Maybe this weekend. I could check with Addie and see if she’s ever ridden. But if she hasn’t I don’t think it would be that hard for her to pick up the basics, do you?”
“Addie seems like the type who’d catch on quickly.” Gabe hid his amusement at his daughter’s over-the-top enthusiasm. “I’ll be seeing Tripp again Tuesday night. A bunch of us are going to Wally’s Place after work. I’ll ask him then.”
“Is Michelle going?”
“I’m not sure who will show up.” Gabe kept his tone offhand and added another plate to the dishwasher rack. “Why do you ask?”
“If Michelle isn’t coming right home, she might need someone to walk Sasha that night.”
“You’ve been walking her a lot lately.”
“Yeah, but I don’t mind.” Finley lifted one shoulder in a slight shrug. “Sasha and I are buds. I don’t miss Buttercup quite as much when I’m with her.”
“Once we get more settled and know how busy you’ll be with school and your activities, we should consider getting a dog.”
Finley’s eyes widened. “Are you serious?”
