Walk On By (Passing Through Series Book 3)

by Sarah Hegger

  “Yeah.” With all that had been going on in Twin Elks, he hadn’t really thought about it, other than when caught in expressing-anal-glands hell. “I’m still thinking.”

  “That’s fine, fine.” Steve’s chuckle sounded forced. “Take the time you need. You know we think the world of you down here.”

  Strange that, because when things had gone tits up with him and Belinda, Steve hadn’t hesitated to make his displeasure felt in a thousand different ways. It was the first time Gabe had seen his leaving in that light. “Right,” he said. “And I loved my work there.”

  “Too right.” Steve paused. “Listen, Gabe mate, I wanted to say that I don’t hold any grudges for what happened between you and my daughter. Really, none of my business and I wanted you to know that. If you did decide to come back to us, we’d bury the hatchet on that and forget about it.”

  “Good to know.” And part of him did feel like that, but this new awareness of perhaps Steve hadn’t behaved as he should have wouldn’t shut up. Sure Belinda was his daughter, but Gabe had only met her after he’d started working with Steve.

  Belinda had joined the project later, and even then, Gabe had done his best to keep their relationship away from the project.

  Steve and Belinda had blurred those lines.

  “In fairness, Steve,” he said. “I am thinking about it, and I know you know about the offer from South Africa. I’m not being a dick about it, but I also have stuff here I need to deal with. It’s a long time since I’ve been home.”

  “I get that, Gabe, but I also wanted to remind you that you had a good life here. A life that suited you.”

  “Thanks, Steve.” For making this harder than it already was. “I’ll call you as soon as I’ve made a decision.”

  Damn. Steve had gotten him all stirred up again. His life in Australia had suited someone like him, with his love for the outdoors and being active. Maybe he should ask Ben if he could join him on his morning runs.

  His lack of physical activity was also getting on his nerves.

  Their mutual love of hiking, diving, bike riding, skiing—you name it—had drawn him and Belinda together. Come to think of it, they hadn’t spent many evenings sitting and chatting. They’d always been too busy climbing some mountain or exploring some reef.

  Australians were relaxed and easy. They worked to live, and they lived to the fullest in their incredible climate. He missed that and he missed those times there. Perhaps it was more his lifestyle he missed than the job?

  Now that was a thought he didn’t want to spend too much time dwelling on.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Gabe’s feet pounded the asphalt in a steady rhythm that took possession of his brain. Last night’s call with Steve had kept at him through the night and into today. Finally, he’d driven himself out of the house for a run after dinner. Running at the higher altitude in Twin Elks created a harsh burn of his breath in his throat and made it difficult to match his breathing with his pace.

  Ice rode the air with the sharp scent of ozone and it wouldn’t be long before they had snow. Twin Elks under a blanket of snow was a magical memory from his childhood. Ma had never been able to get them back in the house after that first decent snow dump. He and his brothers had built snow forts and had snowball fights that lasted until Ma lost patience and yelled. And even Rafe had kept his head down when Ma lost her cool.

  Of course, Mark had to be a pain in the ass and make them all play pond hockey with him. Being that Mark now started regularly for the pros, that had always ended in either him or Luke wanting to pound the hell out of Mark in a mixture of bruised ego and annoyance at their younger brother’s cockiness.

  Ben had never gotten pissed. The sneaky bastard had always taken his time and picked his moment to get even. Gabe hadn’t seen much of his brothers over the past few years, but they had always been close. Well, as close as five boys all with a competitive streak and bullheaded tendency could get. Ma said they got that from Dad.

  This from the woman who regularly got her way. He had missed Ma and hadn’t realized how much until this visit. There was something comforting about when people knew you well enough you didn’t have to start every story with a long explanation.

  He took a left into Main Street. Most of the stores were closed for the night. No grilles or alarm systems, because this was Twin Elks. There was a light on in the old bakery. Last he had heard, the bakery had been shut. Looks like someone else had bought the store and was busy fixing it up. It didn’t look like a new bakery though.

  From across the street, the light in Kelly’s place spilled into the night. She was still in there, wiping down counters or something. When he had set out on his run, some part of him must have known what he needed and carried him there.

  He crossed the street and tapped on the glass.

  With a start, Kelly looked up. Her irritated frown smoothed into a big grin that warmed his chest. Some lucky man would be getting that smile every time he came home to her. Gabe couldn’t rid himself of the idea that Vince shouldn’t be that guy. Vince was nice and all but letting Kelly go was a bonehead move for anyone.

  Kelly grabbed her keys and unlocked the front door. She leaned her shoulder on the doorjamb and gave him a cocky grin. “We’re closed.”

  “Even for me?” Flirting with her came like breathing.

  Kelly laughed. “Especially for you. What the hell are you doing anyway?”

  “I was out for a run.” He looked down at himself. The outfit was a dead giveaway.

  She rolled her eyes. “Why?”

  “It’s good for me.”

  “At this time of night?”

  “At any time.”

  Snorting, Kelly made way for him to enter. “The only time I run is when something is chasing me.”

  Belinda loved to run. In fact, they had been one of those couples who ran together, worked out at the gym together, as well as all the outdoors stuff they had in common. He had trouble picturing Kelly hiking.

  “You’re just in time.” Kelly put a plate of pastries on the counter. “I was clearing out today’s pastries.”

  “They don’t keep?” The platter looked far more tempting than another five miles and he pulled up a stool.

  Kelly poured them both a glass of milk and sat on the stool next to him. “So what bug is wedged so far up your ass you needed to run it out?”

  She caught him with a mouthful of milk, and he had to swallow hard before it squirted out his nose.

  “Careful there, tiger.” She gave him a helpful pound on the back. “Even you can’t carry off the milk out the nose thing.”

  The sense he was exactly where he needed to be settled around him. “This is good.”

  “Yeah?” Kelly’s blue eyes warmed.

  “Yeah.” Gabe bit into a cherry Danish. “I had a call from Steve Moffat last night after you left.”

  “Isn’t he the guy in Australia? Belinda’s dad?”

  He liked that she remembered stuff. He might have told her, or Ma had, but Kelly had remembered, like he was important to her. “That’s the one. He wanted to assure me that if I came back, he wouldn’t hold a grudge against me for Belinda.”

  “Dufuq?” Kelly looked hostile. “He shouldn’t have held a grudge about that in the first place.”

  Gabe moved on to something with sprinkles. “She’s his only child, and he tends to spoil her. I think I might be the first person to tell her she can’t have what she wants.”

  “I suck at resisting temptation.” Kelly took a pastry off the plate and bit into it. She moaned around a mouthful as she chewed. A small fleck of chocolate teased him from her top lip.

  “Why are you resisting?” Watching her appreciation of food was like his porn.

  Kelly pulled a face. “That pesky five pounds too many that I can’t seem to get rid of.”

  “I li
ke those five pounds.” The chocolate fleck hovered above her plump lips.

  She took another bite. “Enabler!”

  He laughed, because being there made him feel lighter.

  “There’s a reason for sayings like don’t shit where you eat,” Kelly said.

  “I know that.” With the chocolate fleck and all the rest, it came out brusquer than he intended. He softened his tone. “It occurred to me at the time Belinda and I first got together, but things were going well both between us and on the project. I got lulled into this false sense of security that it would always be that way.”

  Kelly still had that chocolate on her lip. “You wouldn’t be the first, and you won’t be the last. Way I see it, you have two tickets out of Twin Elks and that’s a win.”

  “Hmm. But which one should I take?”

  “Only you can answer that.” She took another bite, moaned again, much like she did when he was buried balls deep inside her. She licked away a flake of pastry and missed the chocolate. “My gran always used to say that you could never go back, only forward.”

  “But you did.” He couldn’t get his gaze to move away from her mouth. Kelly had a great mouth, almost too full for her face, and it made his imagination head south. “You left Twin Elks and came back again.”

  “I realized what I wanted most.” She shrugged. “Now you have to do the same.”

  He snorted. “Thanks.”

  “Anytime.” She winked at him. That chocolate was superglued to her top lip. “This is where I want to be, but I had to take my own journey to get here.”

  “I’m never going to want to be here.” It hurt too much, too many memories, too much guilt that he didn’t want to think about. He focused on the chocolate instead and the way Kelly could turn anything into a porno. “You have chocolate on your mouth.”

  “Oh.” Her eyes widened. “Where?”

  “Right here.” Gabe gripped both sides of her face and pulled her closer. He sucked her top lip into his mouth. His voice sounded a lot rougher when he broke their lip lock. “Gone now.”

  Kelly’s breathing had grown labored and color flushed across her cheekbones. The look in her eyes gave him a green light he refused to ignore.

  “Gabe.” That was all he allowed her before he sealed his mouth to hers. Damn! This woman. The taste of her shot adrenalin through his bloodstream. His libido remembered her and woke with a bellow. Not since he was fifteen and reading a stolen Playboy from the stash under Ben’s bed had he gotten hard that fast.

  She wrapped her arms around him and opened her mouth to his onslaught. The kiss grew wetter, hungrier, more carnal as Kelly met each thrust of his tongue with hers. Her soft moan into his mouth drove any thought of stopping right out his head.

  He tugged her off her stool and between his spread thighs. Full breasts rubbing against his chest felt fucking fantastic. Her nipples were so sensitive. That night between them she had arched into his mouth as he sucked them, moaned and writhed at the slight scrape of his teeth over them.

  Kelly was a woman with an appetite matching his and a body built for his.

  Gripping her full ass, he pressed his cock against her. That was where he wanted to be, so bad it made him groan.

  Kelly rubbed against him, threatening his control, driving him out of his mind.

  She dragged her mouth away from his. “Gabe.” She panted his name. “We need to stop.”

  “Is that what you want?”

  “No.”

  He took her mouth again. He didn’t want to stop. He wanted to lay her down on the floor and bury his face between her thighs, and then his cock.

  “Stop.” She got her hands between them and pushed at his chest. Even then her gaze lingered on his mouth. “We need to stop.”

  He stroked her round ass, committing the shape of it to memory. “Stopping would be a lot easier if this didn’t feel so good.”

  “I know.” She stepped away from him. “But this is not a good idea.”

  It had been a great idea the other night as they tangled together on his old childhood twin bed. “There are good reasons why this is a bad idea,” he said. “But right now, I’m having a hard time remembering them.”

  “Vince, for one.” She slipped around the counter and put it between them. “And you’re leaving for another.”

  “Those are both excellent reasons.” He took a deep breath to get himself under control. “But I gotta be honest, I still want to say to hell with them.”

  Chapter Twenty

  Vince called on Saturday night and invited her to spend Sunday with him and his children, this time at the park for some outdoor skating.

  Kelly really hoped neutral ground would help, but in case it didn’t, she roped India in. When India tried to object, Kelly ruthlessly overrode her protests and may even have added a little guilt. Desperate times!

  She pulled up to Dot’s house a little after ten. A light flurry of snow danced in the air and promised to get serious later on. Rapping on the door, she let herself into the kitchen.

  Gabe looked up and grinned. “Hey!”

  “What are you doing?” Kelly had to get closer and make sure she was seeing this right. Talk about desperate times. “Is that a jigsaw puzzle?”

  “Maybe.” Gabe averted his gaze.

  “Gabriel Crowe.” She leaned across the table and got almost nose to nose with him. “Are you doing one of Dot’s jigsaw puzzles?”

  “I like puzzles.” His gaze drifted to her mouth and back again. A languorous smile spread his mouth. “But now that you’re here I can think of much better ways to relieve my boredom.”

  Kelly had to move back before she grabbed his face and kissed him. God, this was getting out of hand. She was on her way to meet the man who should be in her life, and all she could think about was rescuing Gabe from his jigsaw puzzle. With kissing and wherever that led. Lots of both. Her voice came out a little breathy. “Is India ready?”

  “No idea.” By the look on his face, his thoughts echoed hers.

  “Kelly.” India bustled into the kitchen. “I won’t be long. I’m getting Jacob’s things together.

  Kelly got as far away from temptation as she could and tried to act natural. “No worries. Make sure he’s warm enough.”

  “Where are you going?” Gabe looked between them hopefully.

  “Kelly is meeting Vince and his children for skating. Jacob and I are going along to keep her safe.” India’s eyes gleamed with mischief as she left the kitchen.

  Gabe rubbed his nape. “I could also go along. Make sure she’s safe.”

  It really wasn’t a good idea. In fact, it was a horrible idea. “Would you like to come?”

  “I’ll get my coat.”

  Gabe drove them in Dot’s SUV to Winters Park, where an outdoor rink was installed every winter. The powdery dusting of snow had started to cover the grass and benches as they walked over to join Vince and his children.

  “Hey.” Vince looked handsome with his navy beanie as he leaned down and kissed her cheek. “I see you brought company.”

  “Yes.” Kelly had not imagined Vince’s look of relief when he caught sight of her companions. “India and Gabe were hanging around looking pathetic, so I brought them.”

  “I was looking pathetic.” Gabe shook Vince’s hand. “India was looking her normal gorgeous self.”

  India blushed and shook Vince’s hand. “I hope you don’t mind, but Jacob was getting fretful being cooped up in the house.”

  Who knew her sister could be such a great liar?

  “This is my daughter, Hannah.” Vince brought Hannah forward and put his hands on her shoulders. “Hannah, you remember Kelly.”

  “Hi.” Hannah looked like she was having a tooth extracted.

  Vince kept the cheerful tone going. “And this is Gabe, Chief Crowe’s brother, and Kelly’s si
ster, India, with her baby, Jacob.”

  Hannah pinkened for Gabe and nodded at India. “Hi.”

  “Hi.” India smiled. “I love your cap.”

  “Thanks.” Hannah flushed. “My mom brought it for me.”

  “Your mom has great taste.” India held her hand out to Daniel. “Hi, I’m India.”

  They made the introductions again.

  Over the fuss of putting skates on, India managed to befriend both of Vince’s children. She even had Hannah holding Jacob so she could put her own skates on.

  Kelly had no idea how India did it. The warmth extended to India, however, very definitely did not include her.

  “I imagine you’re a good skater.” Kelly was determined to get at least a smile from Hannah. “What with your dancing and all.”

  Hannah looked at her with teenage loathing. “No.”

  “Let’s skate,” Vince yelled and rubbed his hands together.

  “Jacob and I will play over here.” India waved them all on.

  Hannah stepped off the ice. “I’ll stay with you.”

  The struggle played across Daniel’s face.

  “Nobody sits this out.” Vince motioned for India to give him Jacob. “Everybody on the ice.”

  A laughing India joined Vince on the ice. Hannah and Daniel moved to bracket their dad. Hannah even giving Kelly a death glare to make sure she got that it was deliberate.

  Which left Gabe with a pathetically relieved Kelly.

  Gabe grimaced as he helped her on to the ice. “They really do not like you.”

  Vince’s group skated off, with India looking like she belonged to them.

  “Go figure.” Kelly inched along. It had been a while since she had skated, and her balance was iffy. “Not only am I dating their father, their mother hates my guts. So, I’m pretty much o for two.”

  “Are you dating their dad?” Gabe watched Vince and Daniel horsing around on the far side of the pond. Hannah had taken over Jacob, and she and India chatted away. “Things seem a little…slow.”