by Lori Foster
Her lips tightened, giving her a wounded look. Gabe cursed. He’d wanted to reassure her, not make light of their mutual attraction. “I didn’t mean…”
“Why?” She turned to face him. “Why is it so important to you to toy with me?”
“I’m not toying with you, damn it.”
She obviously didn’t believe him. “Do you enjoy seeing me flustered, embarrassed? Do you enjoy knowing this is all very strange to me?”
A direct attack. He hadn’t been expecting it, no more than he’d anticipated her vehemence. He watched her, but she once again avoided his gaze. After some thought, Gabe said honestly, “I like you. And it’s for certain I like kissing you.” She made an exasperated sound, but he continued. “You’re different from the women I know around here.”
“You mean I’m odd?”
He laughed at the suspicious accusation in her tone and look. “No, that’s not what I mean. I’ve known most of the women in these parts for all of my life. They’re entirely comfortable with me and with their own sexuality.”
She slanted him a look. “I’m odd.”
“No, you are not!” He tucked a long tendril of hair behind her ear, still smiling. “You’re a…contradiction. Sweet and sassy—”
“What a sexist remark!”
“—and pushy but shy. You intrigue me. I guess it’s tit for tat. Just as you seem to want to know what makes me tick, I want to know what makes you tick. It’s as simple as that.”
“It doesn’t feel simple.”
“That’s because you’re evidently not used to men paying you attention.” She didn’t answer his charge, and he frowned. Catching her chin and bringing her face around to his, he asked the question uppermost in his mind. “Why is that, Lizzy?”
She shook her head, her lips scrunched together.
“I figure you must be…what? Twenty-two?”
She looked at the sky. “Almost twenty-three.”
“Yet you had no idea how to kiss. What girl gets through high school these days, much less college, without doing some necking?”
She glared at him and growled, “Redheaded, freckled, gangly girls who are shy and bookish, apparently.”
Gabe took a telling perusal of her body. “Sweetheart, you’re not gangly. Far from it.”
She stared at him hard for at least three heartbeats, then asked with endearing caution, “Really?”
Tenderness swelled over him, taking him by surprise. “Didn’t your mother ever tell you that you’d filled out real nice?”
She clasped her hands in her lap and shook her head. “My mother died when I was twelve.”
Gabe scooted closer to her and put his arm around her sun warmed shoulders. He didn’t question his need to hold her, to touch her. “Friends? Sisters?”
Shaking her head, she explained, “I’m an only child. And I didn’t really have that many friends in school.” As if admitting a grave sin, she added, “I was always very backward until recently.”
Gabe squeezed her gently. “You’re hardly a robust conqueror now.”
“I know. It’s not easy for me to do all these interviews, but they’re important, so I do them.” Her expression turned mocking. “Most of them have been fairly quick and simple.”
“Then it’s a good thing you ran into me, huh? Because lady, if anyone ever needed shaking up a little, it’s you.”
“I need to complete my thesis.”
“You have the rest of summer break, right?”
She nodded warily, obviously uncertain of his intent.
“So why don’t we indulge each other? I’ll answer any questions you have, and in return, you’ll let me convince you how adorable you are in that bathing suit.”
Her chin tucked in close to her chest. “Convince me…how?”
“By what we’ve already been doing. I won’t ever push you further than you want to go, you have my word on that. But I can promise there’ll be more kissing.” His hand cradled her head. “You won’t mind that so much, will you, Lizzy?”
She didn’t reply to that, and she didn’t look convinced. In a slightly choked voice that gave away her tension, she said, “I need you to be more specific than that.”
Gabe chewed it over, trying to think of how to couch his terms so she would be reassured. “Okay, how’s this. I’ll answer a question and you’ll cut loose a little, my choice of how. And before you start arguing, first I want you to go to a drive-in with me. You ever been to the drive-in?”
“With my father when I was young. I didn’t even know they still had them.”
“You’re in for a treat!” And I’m in for a little torture. “We can go over to the next county, to the Dirty Dixie.” He bobbed his eyebrows. “They play fairly raunchy movies—which will probably be another first for you, right?”
Looking dazed, she nodded.
“Perfect. How about this Friday? That’s two days away, plenty of time for you to get used to the idea.” And plenty of time for him to get a better grip on himself.
She hesitated once again and Gabe held his breath. Then she nodded. “All right. Where should I meet you?”
“Ah, no,” he told her gently, knowing she wanted to keep him at a distance and knowing, too, that he wouldn’t allow it. “You’ll give me your address and phone number. I pick up the women I take on dates, Lizzy, I don’t meet them.”
She seemed to consider that, then shrugged in feigned indifference. Taking up her pencil, she jotted her address and phone number. Gabe accepted the scrap of paper, then slipped off the edge of the dock and waded to the boat to put it in his cooler for safekeeping.
Lizzy, watching him in the water, said, “I’m renting the upstairs from this nice single mother. She has two young children and needed the extra money.”
Gabe knew she was prattling out of nervousness. He hated to see an end to the day, but he checked his waterproof watch and saw it was time to go. “We’d better head back. I have some work to do.”
“I thought you didn’t have a job.”
Looking at her from the other side of the boat, he gave her a wide grin. “Angling for another question? All right, I can be generous.” He propped his forearms over the metal gunwale and explained, “I don’t have a regular job, but I have more work than I can handle. I’m sort of a handyman and this time of year everyone needs something built, repaired or revamped. And that’s all I’m telling you, so get that look out of your eyes.”
“Spoilsport.”
Gabe maneuvered the boat close to the dock. “Since I now know you’re afraid of the water—something you should have told me right off—I’ll be gallant and hold the boat steady for you to climb in.”
“You won’t expect me to get in the water again?”
He shook his head at her hopeful expression. “Oh, I imagine we’ll get you used to it little by little. After all, what’s the use of taking a vacation near a lake if you don’t want to get wet? But for today you’ve had enough.”
She couldn’t quite hide her relief. “Thanks.”
Using exaggerated caution, she scooted off the dock and into the boat. Gabe watched the way her long legs bent, how her breasts filled the snug suit, how her bottom settled neatly on the metal seat, heated by the sun.
Damn, he was in deep. And he couldn’t even say why. In the normal course of things, a woman like Ms. Elizabeth Parks shouldn’t have appealed to him at all. She was uptight, pushy, inexperienced…but she was also funny and curious and she had about the sweetest body he’d ever seen.
With a muttered curse against his fickle libido, Gabe hauled himself over the side of the boat, which made her squeal and grab the seat with a death grip. “You can thank me Friday night,” he told her, and wondered if he’d be able to keep his hands off her even then. Two days didn’t seem like near enough time to get himself together.
But it did seem like an eternity when already he wanted her so bad his hands were shaking.
* * *
GABE FELT THE SUN on his shoulders
, smelled the newly mown grass and breathed a deep sigh of contentment. Or at least, he’d be content if he could get a redheaded wonder out of his head. He steered the tractor mower toward the last strip of high grass by rote. He and his brothers had so much property, they only kept up the acres surrounding the house. Beyond that, the land was filled with wild shrubs and colorful flowers and mature trees of every variety. It was gorgeous in the fall, when the leaves changed color, but Gabe liked summer best.
His mother used to accuse him of being part lizard, because the heat seldom bothered him, and he was always drawn to the sunshine.
Life had been different since his two oldest brothers had married. Different in a very nice way. He enjoyed having Honey around. She made the house feel homier in some small indefinable ways, like the smell of her scented candles in the bathroom after she’d been indulging in a long soak, or the way she always hugged him when he left the house, cautioning him to be careful—as if he ran around risking his neck whenever he went out the door.
Gabe grinned. He could still recall how Honey had cried when Morgan had moved to his own house. Never mind that it was just up the hill; she liked having all the brothers as near as possible. It was a huge bonus that Morgan had married her sister, Misty. The two women were very close and managed to get together every day, especially since Misty had given birth to an adorable little girl seven months ago. Amber Marie Hudson was about the most precious thing he’d ever seen. And watching his brother fuss over the baby was an endless source of entertainment.
Females flat-out fascinated Gabe, whether they were seven months, twenty-seven or seventy. He didn’t think he’d ever tire of learning more about them.
He was pondering what he might learn from a certain redhead when he saw a car pull into their long drive. Gabe stopped the tractor and watched, a feeling of foreboding creeping up his sweaty back. The car, a small purple Escort, looked suspiciously like the one he’d seen Lizzy park at the docks. He’d noticed because the purple clashed so loudly with her hair.
And sure enough, even from this distance, when she stepped out of the car, there was no mistaking the fiery glint of the sun off her bright head.
Scowling, he put the tractor in gear and headed toward the house. He was aware of a strange pounding in his chest, hoping to intercept her before any of his brothers saw her. Or worse, before Honey or Misty saw her.
But his hopes were vain. Just as he neared the drive the front door opened and there stood Honey, her long blond hair moving gently in the breeze, her killer smile in place.
Oh, hell.
He watched in horror as Lizzy was evidently invited in, as she accepted and as the door closed behind her. The tractor was too damn slow so he stopped it, turned it off and ran the rest of the way.
His chest was heaving and he was dripping sweat by the time he bolted through the front door. No one was in sight. He hurried down the hallway to the family room, finding it empty. He stopped, trying to listen. A feminine laugh caught his attention, and he raced for the kitchen. He had to stop her before she said too much, before she started in with her questions—before anyone found out he’d been kissing her….
He skidded to a halt on the tile floor. The kitchen was crowded, what with Honey and her sister and Amber and Sawyer…Gabe stared at Lizzy, seated at the table with her back to him.
Sawyer was looking her over—not politely, but in minute detail. He leaned over Lizzy with his fingers grazing her cheek, so close to her she could probably feel his breath, for God’s sake.
Gabe’s brows snapped down to match Sawyer’s frown, and he demanded, “What the hell is going on?”
Everyone looked up. Honey was the first to speak, saying, “Gabe. I was just about to come get you.”
Misty shook her head at him in a pitying way, as if he’d gotten himself into trouble somehow, and Amber cooed at the sound of his voice. Gabe ignored them all to stare at his oldest brother.
Of course Lizzy would have to call at lunchtime, he thought darkly, when everyone was bound to be around. Normally Sawyer would have been in his office at the back of the house, treating patients. Luckily, to his mind, Jordan always ate lunch in town. Morgan used to, too, until he married Misty. Now he was likely to show up any minute. Gabe needed to get Lizzy out of the house before she said too much about their association. He could imagine the ribbing he’d take if his brothers knew he was interested in—as in majorly turned on by—a prickly little redheaded witch with freckles!
His face heated at the mere thought.
Then Lizzy turned to look at him, and he knew the heat in his face was nothing compared to hers.
His frown intensified, but for different reasons, as he drifted closer, studying her every feature. “Damn, Lizzy, what happened?”
She was bright pink with sunburn, her nose red, her soft mouth slightly puffy. Without thinking about his rapt audience, he knelt in front of her chair and smoothed a wayward tendril of hair gently behind her ear. God, even the tops of her ears were red!
She licked her lips, looking horribly embarrassed and glancing around at the others. “I’m fine, Gabe,” she murmured, trying to get him to stand up while sneaking glances at his family. “There’s no reason for this fuss.”
He paid no attention at all to her words, too intent on discovering every speck of skin that had been reddened. “I thought you had sunscreen on yesterday.”
“I did,” she assured him, looking more wretchedly miserable by the minute. “I guess it wasn’t strong enough, or maybe it washed off in the water.”
Sawyer made an impatient sound, recalling Gabe to the fact that he was on his knees in front of Lizzy, treating her like the most precious woman in the world. He jerked to his feet, but he still couldn’t take his concerned gaze off her. “Does it hurt?”
“No.” She tried a weak smile, then flinched. “Truly. I’m fine.”
Sawyer rudely pushed Gabe aside. “I’m going to give you some topical ointment for the sting. In the meantime, stay out of the sun—” and here he glared at Gabe “—and wear very loose clothes. It doesn’t look like you’ll blister, but I’d say you’re going to be plenty uncomfortable for the next few days.”
Honey stepped up with some folded paper towels soaked in cool tea. “This’ll help. I’m fair-skinned, too, and it’s always worked for me.”
Misty leaned close to watch as Honey patted the towels gently in place on Elizabeth’s bare shoulders. Gabe realized that Lizzy wore a shapeless white cotton dress, so long it hung to her ankles. He looked closely and could see by the soft fullness beneath the bodice that she wasn’t wearing a bra. His heart skipped a beat.
She’d said she never went braless, and her breasts were so firm and round, he believed her. The sunburn must indeed be painful for her to go without one.
To distract himself, he looked around the room and settled on smiling at the baby. At his attention, Amber flailed her pudgy arms from her pumpkin seat on the table, gurgling and blowing spit bubbles. Gabe laughed. “Sorry, kiddo. I’m too sweaty to hold you right now.”
Elizabeth watched as he reached out and tweaked the baby’s toe, and he knew she was planning on putting that into her little notebook, too. He scowled.
Morgan stepped in through the kitchen door and went immediately to Misty, lifting her into a bear hug that led to a lingering, intimate kiss. The way Misty continued to flush at her husband’s touch always tickled Gabe. Morgan had been well and fully tamed.
He turned and hauled Amber out of her chair and against his chest, then nuzzled the baby’s downy black hair. Amber squealed as he settled her in the crook of his arm.
Only then did Morgan notice Elizabeth. One dark brow shot up. “Hello.”
Misty shook the dreamy look off her face and smiled. “Morgan, this is Elizabeth Parks, a friend of Gabe’s.”
Morgan’s enigmatic gaze transferred to Gabe, and Gabe felt his face heat again. “She looks done to a crisp, Gabe. I suppose you weren’t…ah, paying attention to the sun? H
ad your mind on…other things?”
Gabe stiffened and said, “You know I can’t hit you while you’re holding the baby. Care to give her to her mother?”
“Nope.” He kissed the baby’s tiny ear and with a grin turned to Elizabeth. “Nice to meet you, Elizabeth.”
She nodded. “And you, Sheriff.”
“You’re joining us for lunch?”
“Oh. No, please. I just…I’m sorry to impose. Really.” Her attention flicked nervously to Gabe as all his interfering relatives assured her she was no imposition at all. “I just had a few questions, if you have the time.”
Morgan pulled out a chair. “Questions about what?”
Gabe stepped forward before she could answer. “Lizzy, I’d like to talk to you. In private.”
She stalled, staring at him with a guilty expression.
Sawyer nudged him aside. “I’ve only got fifteen minutes left before I have to see a patient. You can wait that long, can’t you, Gabe?”
He wanted to say no, he damn well couldn’t wait, but he knew that would only stir up more speculation. So instead he took the cool towels from Honey and began placing them on Lizzy’s shoulders. A thought struck him, and he looked at her feet, set together primly beneath the long skirt. She wore thick white socks and slip-on shoes.
He gave her an exasperated look. “Your feet are burned, too, I suppose?”
Not since he’d met her had Lizzy been so withdrawn. She kept her wide eyes trained on him and nodded. In a tiny voice, she admitted, “A little.”
Gabe knelt and very carefully pried off her loose loafers, then peeled the socks off her feet. Like a wet hen, Lizzy fussed and complained and tried to shoo him away. He persisted, despite Morgan’s choked laugh and Sawyer’s hovering attention.
Her feet were small and slender. Looking at how red they were, Gabe had the awful urge to kiss them better, and instead looked at her with a warning in his gaze. “You should be at home, naked, instead of running around all over the place, asking your crazy questions.”
