“Best kiss ever,” she said breathlessly.
He chuckled and pulled back enough to peer into her upturned face. “Oh yeah?”
“Definitely.”
He’d never been complimented on his kissing skills before, although he’d done plenty of kissing before he got married. He had to admit it was good for his male ego, which had taken a huge hit when his wife cheated on him.
“Just so I don’t get a big head about my kissing ability, have you had a lot of kisses to compare it with?” The thought of her kissing anyone else made him crazy inside, but they knew so little about each other’s past. And he wanted to know everything about her.
Her lips twitched at the corners. “Gabe, I’m twenty-nine so, yes, I’ve had my fair share of kisses to compare it with.”
“You’re that old?”
“Hey,” she said, dropping her arms from his neck and lightly smacking him on the chest.
“I didn’t mean it that way… I was seriously just hoping you were at least twenty-four. More than a ten-year age difference would make me feel like a creep.”
“You’re thirty-four then?” she asked, her eyes going soft again.
“Am I too old for you?” he asked, his newfound confidence cracking a little.
“Hmm.” She placed her palms on his chest. “I don’t know. Maybe you should kiss me again to help me decide.”
“I think I can do that.” He cupped her face with his hands and brushed his mouth against hers, intent on improving his kissing status. But all thoughts fled the moment their lips met. He reveled in the closeness as he tunneled his fingers through her soft hair, feeling like his fractured soul had finally found its mate. Still, it wasn’t enough. Craving more, he tilted her head back and kissed her thoroughly and deeply.
Piper made a small noise of satisfaction, igniting a swirl of desire that had Gabe’s control on the verge of disintegrating. They needed to do something else… like maybe take a walk outside.
It was Rascal’s barking that penetrated the intoxicating fog in Gabe’s brain and helped him to end the kiss.
“I need to let him out,” he murmured against the corner of her mouth.
“Okay.”
He didn’t move an inch. She didn’t either.
“I might have to go out with him.”
“But it’s windy and cold,” she said, tipping her face up to look at him.
“Exactly.”
Laughing, she stepped away. “Go get Rascal, and I’ll check on the puppies.”
The barking continued, and Gabe forced himself to let go of Piper. He turned and hurried to the mudroom where he kept Rascal’s crate. The dog shook the metal pen as he waited for Gabe’s fingers to unlatch the door. When it sprang open, Rascal dashed out and nudged the mudroom door open. Gabe waited for the crash of something or the chaotic barking from Anastasia protecting her babies from the rambunctious dog.
He was completely shocked when he came out to see Rascal sitting calmly next to the bed, staring at the puppies. Did he know they were his?
“He got away from me,” Gabe said when Piper looked at him. “Glad he didn’t cause any problems.”
“It was the strangest thing I’ve ever seen.” She glanced back at the dogs and then met Gabe’s eyes again. “He came crashing out of the room and skidded across the floor. Just as I was about to intervene, he stopped, sniffed the puppies and then sat back on his haunches and stared at them like he was going to keep watch over them.”
“I didn’t know it was possible for him to sit so still,” Gabe said, stepping close enough to Piper that their arms touched. He loved it when she slipped her hand in his and leaned her head against his shoulder.
As they stood there observing the little dog family, Gabe knew he was in love with Piper. It didn’t make sense, and he knew others would be skeptical if he were to admit his feelings. Shoot, he’d been a skeptic himself when a few of his friends had fallen in love so quickly, but now he understood.
His phone dinged in his pocket. He withdrew it and glanced at the partial message on the screen. “This is from Sheriff Carter,” Gabe said, releasing Piper’s hand so he could swipe his finger across the screen to read the full message.
She leaned in closer, and he held up the phone so they could both read the message.
Gabe, wind knocked down a power line about half mile north of you. The road is closed due to the downed power lines crossing the intersection. Crews are working to get things fixed but the wind is making it difficult. The power outage has only affected your area and I need to make sure everyone has another source of heat because the temps are going to drop below freezing. I’ve contacted all of the neighbors except for the young lady housesitting for Mrs. Williams. Any chance you can update me on her status?
“I think I can do that,” Gabe said wryly.
He typed a quick reply, thanking the sheriff for the update and to also let him know he and Piper were fine for the night. Then he sent a message to his secretary and law partner to notify them the road was closed due to a downed power line and he wouldn’t be into work until the power company had it fixed. Since the kids would be staying home from school, Gabe also sent off a text to Doreen to tell her he probably wouldn’t need her tomorrow.
Rascal had finished his moment of silence and started barking to be let out. “Be right back.” Gabe said, slipping his phone into his pocket.
“Okay.” She picked up the small overnight bag she’d packed. “I’m going to step into the bathroom to brush my teeth.”
“There’s toothpaste in the drawer if you forgot to bring some.” Gabe led Rascal to the back door. “Hurry up, boy,” he said, letting the dog out.
Although it seemed like the wind had eased up slightly, the temperature had obviously dropped a few degrees. He quickly closed the door to allow Rascal to take care of business.
Leaning against the wall, Gabe heard Piper humming in the bathroom. He loved having her here and wanted to talk to her about exploring their relationship. The way she’d kissed him back gave him hope that she shared his feelings. He still wasn’t sure how Shane would react if he and Piper started dating, but figured he’d do what he’d been doing for the past two years— take one day at a time.
After letting Rascal back in and securing him back in his crate for the night, Gabe found Piper sitting on the couch looking through a small scrapbook his sister had given him for Christmas. It had been a thoughtful gift and helped him to see that he and his children could be a family— a happy family— even without MaryEllen.
“I hope you don’t mind me looking, but this is so incredible,” Piper said when he sat down next to her. “Did you do this?”
Gabe lifted a skeptical brow. “Do I look like the kind of guy who scrapbooks?”
“I don’t know,” she teased. “I’ve never met a guy that scrapbooks.”
“My point exactly.”
She laughed and snuggled in close to him so they could both view the book. “I love this picture,” she said, pointing out a picture of Gabe and the kids standing in front of Old Faithful in Yellowstone. “I’ve never been there before.”
“We camped there this summer with my sister and her family. Lindsey had never been camping before because MaryEllen, my ex-wife, didn’t like to camp.”
“Did Lindsey like it?” Piper questioned, turning the page. He could tell she was curious about his ex-wife and knew eventually he’d have to tell her why he was no longer married.
“Yeah.” Gabe tapped on a picture of his daughter holding up a fish she’d caught with very little help. “She loved fishing. More so than Shane.”
“I’ve never been fishing before either,” Piper said.
“Then I’ll be sure and take you when the weather changes.”
She stilled and lifted her eyes up to meet his. “When the weather changes, Mrs. Williams will be back home from Florida.”
Although she didn’t say it, Gabe knew what she was thinking. That when Mrs. Williams came home, Piper wou
ld be leaving. But she didn’t have to leave. He didn’t want her to leave.
This was the perfect time for them to discuss the future. Gabe wasn’t about to let it pass. “You know, there are other places you could live here in Snow Valley.”
Chapter 15
Piper looked into Gabe’s blue eyes and tried to determine what he meant with the invitation. Was he asking her to stay or just throwing it out there?
“That’s true.” She fingered the corner of the scrapbook page. “But I don’t know if I could find a teaching job.”
“You’re a teacher?” The fact that he didn’t know that testified to how little they knew of one another.
“Yes. I have a degree in elementary education with a minor in music.”
He smiled. “That makes sense. You’re amazing with my kids and a talented musician.”
“Thank you.” She knew his next question would be about her last job and why she had left. How much did she dare reveal? She dreaded ever telling him about her relationship with Tucker Langston. It was embarrassing how naïve and stupid she’d been to fall for his lies.
Wanting to prolong the discussion a little longer, she pointed to a picture of a pretty blonde woman standing next to Gabe. “Is this your sister?”
“No, that’s my mother,” Gabe said with a laugh. “And she is going to absolutely love you when I tell her you thought she was my sister.”
Piper brought the book up closer. “This is really your mom?” She was astounded how young the woman appeared. “I know this is taboo but how old is she?”
“She turned sixty-one in November.”
“What’s her secret?” Piper asked, looking back up at Gabe. He’d obviously inherited some of his mother’s genes because he looked closer to her age than thirty-four.
“She claims it’s the water from the natural spring on our property.”
“She should bottle it up and sell it with her face on the label. She’d make a fortune.”
A smile creased Gabe’s face. “That’s not a bad idea.”
“So where is your sister?” Piper asked, turning the next page.
Gabe turned another page and pointed to another beautiful blonde who looked very much like their mother. “Sarah is two years older than me.” Then he pointed out her husband and three children. “And this handsome guy is my dad,” he said, turning the page.
Piper brought the book closer to examine the man. He had the same eyes as Gabe, but his dark hair had turned mostly gray. “He is handsome and looks like his son.”
“You think I’m handsome, huh?” Gabe said close to her ear.
His warm breath heated her skin and made her pulse leap. “Very handsome,” she said, turning toward him. They were only a breath apart, and Piper wanted him to kiss her again. She hadn’t been lying when she’d told him that his kiss had been the best one ever. Of course, the second kiss had totally rocked her world. It had scared her a little how much she’d liked it… and how much she hadn’t wanted him to stop.
So maybe it wasn’t a good idea for them to kiss again.
“Do have any other siblings?” she asked, quickly turning away from him to look at the scrapbook.
“Two younger brothers. Twins.” He leaned in close and turned the page again, pointing to two men wearing military BDU’s with lighter hair like their mother. “Elijah is a pilot for the Air Force and stationed in Georgia. Noah is a SEAL based in Virginia.”
“Do they have families?”
Gabe snorted a laugh. “No, they’re both perpetual bachelors. I think that bothers my mom more than their risky occupations.”
She turned the page and realized too late it was the last one. “You have a beautiful family, Gabe.” She closed the book and placed it back on the coffee table.
“Thank you.” He reached out and took her hand. “I can’t wait for them to meet you.”
Her breath lodged in her throat. They hadn’t officially started dating, and yet he was talking about introducing her to his family. Was she ready for this?
“Besides your brothers, do any other members of your family live nearby?”
“Yeah, my parents live in Billings and Sarah and her husband just built a new house about a mile down the road from Mom and Dad.” He circled his thumb in the center of her palm. “What about your family?”
“It’s not nearly as big as yours.” A wave of homesickness hit her, making her stomach feel hollow. “My dad and stepmother live in a gated community in Orange County, California. My sister Tomi— she’s actually my half-sister— lives just outside of LA. She’s an actress, or at least trying to be one.”
“I take it your parents divorced?” She nodded her head and met his eyes. “When I was really young. But my mother…” Her voice cracked, and she blinked at the sudden rush of emotion making her eyes water. “She passed away from cancer two years ago.”
“I’m sorry, Piper,” he said softly. “That must be hard.”
“It is.” She gripped his hand. “I really miss her, but I’ve been blessed that my dad married such a wonderful woman. Maggie is the complete opposite of the stereotypical evil stepmother.”
“Did you ever resent her?” Gabe asked, playing with her fingers. “Your stepmother, I mean.”
Even though they hadn’t known each other long, she knew what he was asking and knew he was thinking about his own kids, especially Shane. Piper drew in a shaky breath. “I did resent her. My dad too, but they were patient with me and continued to love me unconditionally. Over time, I let go of the anger.”
“So about what I said earlier.” Gabe licked his lips. “Would you consider finding a job in Snow Valley or in one of the communities nearby?” He searched her eyes. “Because I don’t want you to leave, Piper.”
“What are you saying?” Though she guessed his feelings for her, she had to be certain why he was asking her to stay.
“I’m saying I like you and want to get to know you better… see where this goes.” A small smile flirted at his lips. “I’m no expert, but judging from the way you kissed me back… I think you may like me too?”
She did like him. A lot. More than she’d ever liked a man before. She might even be falling in love with him. It scared her— to be that vulnerable again— but he was nothing like Tucker Langston, and she would be stupid to throw away the chance to have something lasting with Gabe Wesson because of her past mistake.
“Yeah, I guess I do kind of like you.”
“Really?” He leaned in until their mouths were nearly touching. “Just kind of?”
Before she could speak, his lips touched hers, and it was like someone threw gasoline on a fire, igniting a flame inside her that was all consuming. She melted against him, kissing him until her body felt weightless. Piper had been kissed before, but no one had ever made her feel like this.
“Okay,” she said when his lips temporarily left hers to kiss the underside of her jaw. “I really like you.”
He laughed, his warm breath tickling the spot just below her ear. “That’s better.” He pressed his lips there before reclaiming her mouth. A delicious warmth wrapped around her as she returned his kiss until she felt drugged. Through the heady fog that had descended on her, Piper sensed that while Gabe kissed her with more passion than any man had before, he wouldn’t push her for more like Tucker had done every time he’d kissed her.
He proved the kind of man he was when moments later he tore his mouth away. “I have to stop.” He edged back and smiled at her. “While I still can.”
“Good idea.” She placed a palm over her chest as her head cleared. “Maybe we should both go for a walk outside.”
Gabe laughed and reached for her hand. “I’ll be good.” He studied her for a few moments, his eyes growing serious. “Piper, I really meant it when I said I don’t want you to leave.”
“I don’t want to leave, either,” she said, unable to hold back her true feelings.
Smiling, he brought her hand to his mouth and kissed her palm. “After my ma
rriage ended, I told myself to never get into another relationship again, but then you charged over to my house that night to confront me about my wicked dog and everything changed.”
Remembering how angry she’d been, she ducked her head. “I’m so sorry I did that. I could’ve handled things differently.”
He placed a finger under her chin and lifted her face. “I’m not. It’s like destiny came knocking, and I’m glad I answered.”
Gabe gave her a sweet kiss, ending it way too soon. His eyes held her captive as he tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “I do feel like meeting you was by divine intervention so I want to do everything I can to help you find a job close by.”
“That’s really sweet of you, but I’ve already looked for work in Snow Valley, as well as a few of the neighboring communities and, there aren’t any openings listed.”
“Maybe if I knew more about your last job I could be more help in finding you the right connections. What exactly did you do?”
Piper froze, not sure what to tell him. If she told him about getting fired, then she’d have to reveal how stupid she was to have believed Tucker for so long when all the evidence pointed that he was still married. She was so humiliated and felt like their relationship was too new to say anything about it right now.
“Even though I’ve taught fourth and fifth grade before, I was the music director for the last school I worked at.”
“What happened? Did funding for the music program get cut?”
She wished that was the reason why she’d been let go, but the school was privately funded and was known for its art and music programs. “I… there was a misunderstanding that couldn’t be resolved so I left.”
His gaze narrowed slightly. “That doesn’t seem fair.”
“It wasn’t.” She offered him a watery smile. “But if it hadn’t happened, I would’ve never ended up in Snow Valley, Montana.”
“Did you get severance?” Gabe asked, ignoring her attempt to move the conversation in a different direction. “I’m a contract attorney and could look into it for you. I’ll bet I could get you six months’ severance.”
Destiny Came Knocking: A Snow Valley Romance Page 13