Anxious to get out of the room, she stuffed her belongings inside her pillowcase and made her way down to the laundry room to get a laundry basket. She would use it to carry the puppies. Placing the flashlight on top of the dryer, she lined the basket with a blanket and several of the blue pads that helped absorb any accidents the puppies might have while being transported. Poor little things wouldn’t understand what was happening to them.
She checked the time on her phone and had five more minutes until Gabe came for her. The house was already cold, the dying fire the only source of heat. If Gabe hadn’t offered for her to come to his house, she probably would’ve lowered her pride and begged him to shelter her and the dogs for the night.
“Anastasia, don’t get too excited about seeing Rascal again, but we’re all having a sleepover so we don’t freeze.” The advice to not get too excited was more for her. She couldn’t fall for Gabe’s charms only to have him shut her out before he let her in.
The first puppy she picked up was Tank. He protested at being removed from his mother’s milk source and whined and squirmed in her hands. “It’s okay, big guy. This is only temporary.” She placed him in the basket, and he immediately began to roam around while sniffing the blue pads.
She continued with the process and heard a knock on the door as she placed the last puppy into the basket. Grabbing the flashlight, she rushed to the door.
“Sorry the door was locked,” she said when she opened it. Gabe couldn’t possibly of heard her apology over the sound of the raging weather. He stepped inside, and she shoved the door closed. It took a little effort due to the resistance from the hurricane like winds.
“The house isn’t going to blow away, is it?” she asked Gabe, shining the flashlight in his direction.
His face was covered with a ski mask, but she saw the corners of his eyes crinkle. “No.” He pulled the mask down from his mouth, revealing his smile. “But losing a few shingles is highly probable.”
“Does the wind blow like this often here?”
“Maybe once or twice a year.”
Anastasia barked once, and Piper shifted the flashlight to illuminate the new mother circling the clothes-basket. “I guess we should get going,” Piper said, looking back at Gabe.
“Yeah, my kids are a little nervous with all the wind.”
“I’m sorry you had to leave them. I could’ve driven over myself.”
There was enough light from her flashlight to see his forehead crease. “I wanted to come and get you.”
A shiver ran down her back at the intense look in his eyes, and she knew he had more to say. “Thank you.”
Her dog barked twice as if to tell Piper to snap out of it and help get her babies to safety. “It’s okay, girl,” Piper said. “I’m coming.” She quickly put on her heavy-duty coat, wishing she had the matching overalls to go with it.
Gabe walked beside her. and she liked having him here with her. Life didn’t seem nearly as scary with a friend like him. Okay, so maybe this particular friend was tall and handsome and had a killer smile. And he always smelled so good.
“If you can take this stuff I can get the puppies.” Piper handed him her pillow and a garbage bag full of supplies for the dogs, including an oversized doggy bed she hoped the puppies wouldn’t be able to escape from. “Let me just cover the basket with a towel.”
“That’s a really great way to transport them. I was thinking we’d have to do it one at a time.”
The house shuddered from a gust of wind as Piper picked up the basket. “Thank you again for coming to get me. This weather is crazy.”
“Crazy weather or not, the kids and I wanted you to come over. Our evening wasn’t the same without you.”
She wanted to ask him if Shane was okay. When he’d said he hated her, it had stung, but she completely understood how he felt. She’d hated her stepmother and was pretty ticked off with her dad for getting remarried. But she loved Maggie and was grateful her father had married such a wonderful woman. Piper never called her mom, even though Maggie had asked her to multiple times. Maybe the next time she talked to her, she would allow herself to do it.
“I missed you all too.” Her voice shook from a surge of emotion just as powerful as the storm outside. Despite her best efforts not to, she was falling in love with Gabe Wesson.
Another bark from Anastasia snapped her out of her musings, and the puppies all whined in unison.
“Let me go first to load this stuff. Then I’ll come back for you so I can close the door.”
“Sounds good.”
Gabe opened the front door, and Piper was hit with a burst of wind and snow. He pulled the door closed behind him, and she waited with Anastasia for him to come back. A moment later he was back for her.
“Anastasia, come,” Piper commanded as she stepped out into a blizzard of freezing white mayhem. Holding firmly on to the leash attached to her dog’s collar, she hunched over the basket and made her way towards Gabe’s truck.
Gabe rushed past her and opened up the rear passenger door. Piper placed the basket on the seat and then gave the command for Anastasia to get into the truck. She climbed in behind her dog and was astounded by the warmth and quiet of the truck after Gabe closed the door. She watched him round the front of the truck and finally climb in behind the wheel.
“You doing okay?” he asked, looking over his shoulder.
“Yes, thanks to you.” The truck actually shook from another microburst. “Seriously, I don’t know how to thank you for rescuing us.”
With his ski mask once again covering the lower part of his face, she noticed the skin crinkle around his eyes. “I can think of a few things.”
She wanted to ask him just exactly what he had in mind, but he turned around and put the truck in gear. Her imagination was running wild with different ways she could thank him, ranging from making him a home cooked meal to kissing him in front of the fireplace. Since she’d already cooked him a meal, she was leaning more toward the kissing.
The roads were covered with heavy drifts. Piper’s car might have four-wheel drive, but she doubted the lower profile vehicle would’ve made it through this. Gabe’s truck didn’t have a problem with the drifts, and she was relieved when he pulled into his spacious three-car garage. “Hang tight and I’ll get the door,” he said before exiting the truck.
She tracked him as he came around to her door. Never had a man looked so sexy in winter wear. Yes, giving him a kiss or maybe two or three kisses seemed like the perfect way to thank him for coming to her rescue.
He opened the door, and she climbed out, bringing the basket with her. “Take the dogs inside, and I’ll bring the rest of your stuff,” he said from beside her.
“Okay.” She avoided looking into his blue eyes for fear he’d read her thoughts.
“Miss Piper!” Lindsey cried out when Piper stepped into the warm house. “You get to have a sleepover with us.”
“I do.” She pulled back the towel covering the basket. “And so do the puppies.”
“Oh, can I hold one?” Lindsey asked, peering inside the basket. “They’re so cute.”
“They’re still very young, and we need to get them settled with their mama.” The child’s enthusiasm dimmed. “But you and Shane can help me transport them.” She included the little boy since he stood behind his sister with a look of insecurity on his face.
“Shane, can you please take the leash off of Anastasia for me?”
His smile brightened the well-lit room. “Yeah, I can do that.”
“Thank you.” She winked at Lindsey. “I’ll follow you to the family room.”
Lindsey led her to a spot next to the couch that usually was cluttered with her dolls and horse paraphernalia. “Daddy said Anastasia and the puppies could sleep by you.”
“Thank you, sweetie.” Piper set the basket on the floor. Anastasia bumped against her as she looked in to the basket as if making sure all five of her babies were there.
“Do you think Rascal w
ants to meet his kids?” Lindsey asked, putting an arm around Piper’s leg.
As fond as she was growing of the dog, Piper was grateful Gabe had crated him for now. “I think he’d like that, but we need to get Anastasia and the puppies settled before we introduce him to the puppies.”
Gabe came in the room with her things and set them on top of the coffee table. “Everyone okay?” he asked as he pulled the ski mask and hat from his head. His hair stuck out in all directions, and Piper’s fingers itched to help smooth it back down.
“Yes.” She moved to the coffee table and opened the bag. “Shane, can you please set up Anastasia’s bed next to the basket?”
“Yeah.” He held out his hands to accept the large doggie bed.
“Thank you.” She turned toward Lindsey. “And could you please line the bed with this?” She handed her an oversized blue pad. “The plastic side goes on the bottom.”
While the kids completed their assignments, she and Gabe took off their coats. “I’ll hang it up for you,” he said, reaching for the coat.
Their fingers brushed, sending a jolt of electricity through her body that stole her breath. The deepening color to Gabe’s eyes said he felt it too. “Thanks,” she said, hearing the husky tone of her voice.
A smile tipped his mouth, and he nodded before turning away to hang up the coat. Warmth filled every cell in her body, and she felt her face flush when he glanced over his shoulder to catch her ogling him. She couldn’t help it. He was rocking those coveralls. However, when he started to remove them, she averted her gaze.
“Can we move the puppies now?” Lindsey asked.
Piper knelt down next to the basket. She noticed Shane still hung back. He didn’t appear to be hostile or resentful, so she contributed his reserved behavior to what had happened this afternoon. She wanted to hug him and tell him that she wasn’t angry with him, but wasn’t sure that would go over very well. “Okay, I’ll need both of you to help me,” she said, making eye contact with Shane and smiling at him.
The tension reflected on his face transformed into a wide grin. He eagerly knelt down next to her. “Aren’t they still too little for us to hold?” he asked.
Lindsey’s little hands were already reaching into the basket. Piper gently placed her hand atop the little girl’s. “They are still too little for you all to pick up by yourselves, so I’ll hand them to you.” She picked up the smallest female. “Let me show you how to do it first.”
She gave the order for Anastasia to get into the bed. and the dog immediately obeyed. Then the kids watched her lower the puppy to the bed. Anastasia licked the little dog before raising anxious eyes to Piper. She wanted all of her babies back with her.
Gabe came over and knelt down next to them. He helped Lindsey transfer Tank while Piper placed a puppy in Shane’s arms. “Thank you for letting us come over,” she said to him. “My house was very cold and dark.”
“I’m sorry, Miss Piper,” Shane blurted out. “I didn’t mean what I said.”
Tenderness welled inside her, and she felt her eyes sting with emotion. “It’s okay, Shane. And thank you for apologizing. It takes courage to say you’re sorry.”
The child nodded his head and then carefully transported the puppy to its mother. Piper met Gabe’s eyes, and he mouthed a thank you to her. They worked together, making sure the puppies were all situated before Lindsey declared it was time to watch a movie. The kids had chosen a movie Piper had never seen before about an ambitious bunny from the country who wanted to be a police officer in a big city.
“You can sit by me,” Lindsey said, pulling her by the hand toward the couch.
Gabe and Shane were already seated, taking up one half of the couch. Lindsey climbed onto the sofa, but instead of sitting by her father, she scooted to the side and patted the empty space between her and Gabe. “You can sit right here.”
The wicked grin on Gabe’s face made her wonder if he’d put his daughter up to the seating arrangement. She narrowed her gaze slightly before taking her seat.
He leaned down and whispered, “I had nothing to do with this.” His warm breath tickled her ear and made gooseflesh pebble her skin. “But I’m very happy with the seating arrangement.”
Piper couldn’t speak. Her mouth had gone completely dry. So she nodded her head and eased back against the couch. The movie started, and she did her best to focus on the human-like animal characters. It was hard though because she was acutely aware of Gabe.
Not fifteen minutes into the show, he shifted slightly so his leg pressed against hers. Heat rocketed through her from the contact spot. If it were possible for humans to spontaneously combust, she would have done so by now.
She wasn’t sure how much more time had passed when Gabe casually slid his hand over to take hers, twining their fingers together. His touch melted her, and she gave into the temptation to lean against him. His body tensed for a brief second before she felt him relax.
Chapter 14
Gabe had forgotten how incredible it felt to have a woman sit close to him, especially one that he liked so much. He turned to see if Lindsey was asleep. She’d stopped making comments about twenty minutes ago. His chin grazed the top of Piper’s head, and he got a better whiff of the flowery scent he’d picked up with her sitting so close. Her hair was soft and, not for the first time tonight, he imagined tunneling his fingers through her hair as he kissed her.
Piper turned her head toward Lindsey, giving Gabe a clear view of his sleeping daughter. Piper let go of Gabe’s hand to pick up the blanket Lindsey had brought from her bedroom and draped it over her. She patted it once before relaxing back against him. Instead of taking her hand again, he slipped his arm behind her and curled it around her shoulder.
Contentment he hadn’t experienced for a long time settled over him. He welcomed the feeling and didn’t try to over analyze where he and Piper would go from here. Shane was all right with things right now, but how would he feel if he were to take notice of the shift in his and Piper’s relationship? Because it had changed and Gabe knew they could never go back to the way things were before. At least he couldn’t do it.
Piper snuggled in closer, her hand sliding across his chest and coming to rest on his side. He fingered the hair spilling over her shoulders and allowed himself to consider the possibility that he was falling in love. As fearful as he was to allow a woman back into his life, he didn’t want to blow an opportunity to find happiness again because of his previous marriage and how it had ended.
Although he’d only known her a short time, he was confidant Piper wasn’t the type of woman to go after another man, especially when that man was married. MaryEllen’s new husband had left behind a wife and a daughter a year younger than Lindsey. Two marriages had been destroyed. Two families severed.
Pushing away the negative thoughts, Gabe enjoyed the moment of closeness. The movie ended with the theme song being sung by a gazelle the filmmakers had actually made attractive.
“That movie was adorable,” Piper whispered as she untangled herself from him. “I could watch it again.”
“So could I,” Gabe said with a wink.
Shane didn’t move when Gabe got up from the couch. He wasn’t sure when he’d fallen asleep, but curled up on the couch he looked like a little boy again. Gabe glanced over to Piper. “I’ll carry him first and then come back for Linds.”
“I can carry her.”
“You sure?”
She brought her arm up and flexed. “I work out… most days.”
He chuckled and turned to lift Shane up. The kid was getting big. He stirred a little but didn’t wake up. Gabe knew from experience that if his children woke up, it would be a while before they fell back asleep.
He could hear Piper coming up the stairs behind him. He liked having her here. He liked having someone else to help him put the kids to bed. The only drawback was after they tucked the kids in bed, she’d be sleeping downstairs instead of sharing a room with him.
Shane turned on
his side, and Gabe covered him up with the quilt. He quietly left the room and walked across the hall in time to see Piper do the same thing with his daughter. Except after pulling the covers up over the little girl, Piper leaned over and pressed a kiss to Lindsey’s head.
As she turned to leave the room, their eyes met and a current of energy flowed between them. Gabe held out his hand, and she slipped her fingers through his. He felt connected to her in an emotional way he hadn’t felt in a long time.
“Will she sleep through the night?” Piper asked when the window shook from a blast of wind.
“They both usually sleep through anything.” He squeezed her fingers. “But they know they can wake me up any time. I’m a pretty light sleeper.”
They descended the last step and walked over by the fireplace. “You’re a really good dad,” Piper said, turning so she faced him.
“I hope so.”
“You are.” She peered into his eyes, her lips bowed into a soft smile.
Gabe didn’t overthink what he did next. He simply put his hands on her hips, lowered his head and kissed her. As if struck by lightning, heat spiraled through him, unleashing a desire he hadn’t expected. His fingers pressed into her lower back, drawing her closer. Her lips were soft and melded perfectly against his as she returned the kiss with a passion that matched his own. Sighing against his mouth, she wound her arms around his neck and slid her fingers through the hair that touched his collar.
It had been so long since he’d last kissed a woman, especially a woman who welcomed his kiss. Powerful emotions engulfed him as he deepened the exchange, but he had enough experience to keep those feelings in check. Gabe had a firm conviction that sex wasn’t something that happened just because you were attracted to someone. It was something to be shared between a man and a woman after they were married.
He kept his hands at her hips, but the need for more hovered at the edge. Knowing what his limit was, Gabe eased back and tucked her head under his chin. His heart thundered inside his chest as he took in a ragged breath. He could feel Piper tremble as she tightened her hold on him.
Destiny Came Knocking: A Snow Valley Romance Page 12