“And Curves?” This was the part that still floored her. “Why did you decide to start bartending?”
“Because in a completely crazy and totally inexplicable way, I find it easier to handle not drinking alcohol if I’m around it all the time.”
She cocked her head. “Say what?”
“I know, right?” That teasing, sexy grin was back on his face now and she relaxed a bit, feeling like she knew Aidan again. “It’s a kind of… exposure therapy, I guess.”
Gabi was puzzled. “What’s that?”
“It’s typically used to treat fears and phobias, actually. The whole idea is that if someone is around the thing that they fear the most in a safe and controlled setting, then they’ll gradually be able to change their reaction to the thing.”
“That makes sense.”
“Yeah, and it’s amazingly effective too. It totally breaks the person’s automatic response to whatever it is – spiders or heights or things like needles – and they learn new ways to react. They actually plan their reactions to whatever it is and that way, they gain some measure of control over the situation. The fear or phobia never fully goes away, you understand, but the person’s reaction to it is healthy and positive.”
“And this is how you handle being around alcohol now?”
“I think so. By choosing to be around booze all the time, I feel like I’m in control of it – it’s not in control of me. I control the relationship and the dynamic, I control the contact. I make the decision to be around it, it doesn’t seek me out or ambush me. It’s all about having the power on my side for once.”
“I – I see.”
“Do you?”
“Yeah. I really do.”
He felt a wave of relief crash over him. “I’m so glad.”
“Does anybody else know?” she said. “Anyone at work?”
“King knows, but that’s it.”
“God. That man knows everything, huh?”
“Oh, yeah.” Aidan laughed. “He’s the ultimate Secret Keeper, let me tell you.”
Gabi paused, wondering if she should ask the next question. “And do you ever feel – feel tempted to drink?”
“Honestly? No, almost never. I’ve been sober for over six years now and it’s a habit, it’s a whole lifestyle. I run every day, no matter what, and the exercise clears my head. I box at a local gym and that helps me blow off steam. I stay healthy physically and that keeps my head on straight.” He smiled at her. “And now that you’re with me, I feel even stronger and steadier than I did yesterday. And yesterday I felt pretty damn strong and steady.”
“You really feel that way about me?” she stuttered. “Right from the beginning?”
“Uh-huh, but this ain’t really the beginning of us, is it baby? I’ve finally told you things that have been on my mind for a long, long time now. Having you in my home, having you in my bed… I feel like something that’s been undone and open for a long time just got tied up and closed. Like – like things are the way they’re meant to be at last, like this is the life I’ve wanted for so long. The last piece has just clicked in to place… you’re here now and I’m keeping you here.”
“I feel the same way,” she whispered. “About all of it.”
“You do?”
“Yes.”
They stared at each other now, the tension between them building. Gabi thought about the things he’d done to her in the shower, on the bathroom sofa, and she blushed. He saw the color rise on that golden skin and his cock hardened.
“Eat up, honey.” His voice was molten, dark. “In five minutes, I’m taking you to bed and I’m making love to you until you collapse.”
She gasped as the area between her legs moistened and throbbed.
He smiled. “You like the idea of that?”
“Yes,” she said again.
“Me too.” He gestured at her half-full plate. “Eat, then we go to the bedroom for dessert and you should know, baby, I’m gonna have at least two helpings.”
**
Two hours later, Gabi was stretched out next to Aidan, her long, lean curves pressed up on his hard planes. His muscular arms were around her and she couldn’t remember anyone’s arms ever feeling so damn good.
He ran his rough fingers up and down her spine, caressing that amazingly sexy lower back that he’d finally worshipped with his lips. “You OK?”
She tipped her head back to gaze up at him. “Oh, yeah.”
He kissed her nose. “How’s your neck? Your throat?”
“Sore,” she admitted reluctantly. “That guy really grabbed me.”
“I know.” His eyes flashed fire. “But we’ll get things under control. We’ll make sure you and Maria are safe.”
Gabi was quiet. She knew that King and Jax had decided to approach Trigger the day after next and she was nervous and worried for them. Yeah, she knew that the guys could handle themselves but still – if anything happened to them, it’d be her fault. She’d never forgive herself if Jax or King got hurt cleaning up her damn mess.
“Gabriela?”
She started a bit. “Yes?”
“What’s going on in your head?”
“I’m worried about King and Jax going to that clubhouse. What if it’s a trap or something?”
“Yeah, I know you’re worried. But this is what King does best, you understand? The man is able to navigate these kinds of situations and walk out in one piece and with some kind of deal. He’s damn good at it.”
“I know.” She moved around a bit so she could see his face. “But it doesn’t mean I like it.”
“Me neither. The Fallen Angels are brutal, stupid assholes and I hate that you were ever anywhere near them, baby. I don’t even want you on their radar.”
She shuddered and he held her closer, trying to offer her some comfort. He decided to change the subject slightly.
“Gabriela?”
“Hmmm?”
“Can I ask you something about Maria?”
“Yeah, sure.”
“I was wondering – how come she has the same last name that you do?”
Gabi sighed. “Yeah, that was a surprise for me, too, but as it turns out, her Mom wrote my Dad’s name on her birth certificate. When her Mom just disappeared one day, Maria got put in the system and all they had to go on was that one piece of paper. Since the father’s last name was actually given, that’s what they used.”
“Oh. And your Dad never – never got involved?”
“No.” Gabi’s anger came through in her voice, clear as day. “No, he left Maria’s Mom all alone and he never raised a finger to help his daughter. He never mentioned her to me once, not ever.”
“Do you think your Mom knew?”
Gabi was silent again, tracing her fingers over Aidan’s bare chest.
“Baby?”
When Gabi finally spoke, the words were drawn out from a place of deep fear. “I’ve spent the past year wondering about that, Aidan.”
“And what do you think now?” he asked gently.
“I think that I lost my parents a year ago in a car accident, and then I feel like… like I lost my Dad all over again in a different way when I found out about Maria. He knew about her, he had those documents with all his things, just hidden away. That means that he could have found her if he’d wanted to. Maybe he tried, I don’t know, maybe he even knew exactly where she was the whole time. But what I do know is that my Dad – the Dad that I loved – would never have done any of this to a daughter of his. And since he did, I feel like I never really knew him, you know?”
Aidan nodded. “Yes.”
“How did he look at me for all those years? I mean, how the hell did he stare me in the face knowing that he had another daughter out there? What did he think? Did he wonder if she and I had the same eyes, the same mouth? If she liked the
same things that I did? If we sounded the same?” Gabi shook her head. “I don’t know and I’ll never know.”
“You angry at him?”
“Yes.” Her response was immediate. “I’m fucking furious at him and that’s why I don’t know what to think about my Mom. The Mom that I knew would never have left Maria in foster care if she’d known about her. Never. Mom would have insisted that Dad go and get his other daughter and she’d have raised Maria like her own.”
Gabi stopped to gather her chaotic thoughts, then carried on.
“But the Dad that I knew would never have had an affair, never have abandoned the mother of his child, never have left his daughter alone in the world… and since he did do all of those things, I kind of feel like I can’t trust my judgment about my own parents right now.”
Aidan sighed, stroked her hair. “Yeah.”
“So did my Mom know? I want to think that she didn’t – but I have no clue.” Gabi twisted her fingers together in agitation. “I’m – I’m having hard time with that, actually, and I can’t answer it. Maria asked me, too, and I didn’t know what to say.”
“Is she angry about it all?”
“Surprisingly, no. She was shocked when I called her up out of the blue and explained who I was and she was really hesitant to meet me in person for a long time. It took about six months of phone calls before she finally agreed to meet me.”
“And it went OK?”
“Yeah. Yeah, it did. Like I said, she didn’t seem angry but she was really… wary, I guess. Like she was afraid to believe she actually had any family at all. She seemed to think that we’d meet and I’d leave and never come back again.”
“Well, she’s probably learned that people abandon her – especially family.”
“Yeah, I think that too. She was really defensive, but I don’t mean in an aggressive way. I mean – she was all pulled back and quiet, like she was protecting herself from me. It made me sad, actually, that she was so afraid to let me in. I’m her sister. I’m not going to hurt her.”
“And now? How are things?”
“I guess we’re – friends.”
“And that’s OK?”
“Yeah, for now. I want more, you know, but I think she needs to set the pace of things. She’s the one who was left behind by everyone who was supposed to care about her, and she’s been alone for her whole life. I get the feeling that she considers all the people up at Open Skies her family, to be honest, and she’s happy there. I think that’s her home. Really, I just want her to make a bit of room for me in her life, but I know that’ll take some time.”
“Are you disappointed that she’s decided to stay up at Open Skies?” Aidan asked softly. He’d avoided the subject completely since Maria had called Gabi back right after their second shower together to tell her that she was staying put. Dillon would also be staying, as it turned out, since King and Jax had ordered him to take bodyguard duty. Aidan could only imagine how thrilled Dillon must be about that – the thought of him stuck up in the middle of goddamn nowhere watching Maria’s back was almost comical.
“Ummm… I don’t know. Maybe?” Gabi thought about it. “I guess I’d have liked to live with her for a while, get to know her… but these aren’t the best circumstances, right? Besides, like I said, Open Skies is her home and her family and when you’re scared, the only place you want to be is home.”
Her words tugged at him. “You scared, baby?”
She looked up at him, her dark eyes totally open. “Yes.”
“You feel safe with me?”
“Yes.” She kissed his chest. “You’re my home now, Aidan. Don’t you know that?”
His eyes were as bright as she’d ever seen them. “And you’re mine, Gabriela.”
“I’ve always wondered, why do you do that? Call me by my full name?” She brushed her hair back over her slim shoulders and he ran his fingers over her hard nipples. “Nobody else does.”
Aidan gently rolled her over on to her back and lowered his head to her breasts. “Because it’s a gorgeous name for a gorgeous woman.” He kissed her nipples and she arched up to meet his mouth. “It’s like… music.” His tongue flicked out now. “It’s so feminine and delicate and it suits you perfectly.” He sucked one bud in to his mouth and she gasped. “So I use it.”
“Oh.” She was starting to lose her concentration as he moved to her other breast. “OK.”
He smiled as her skin heated up under his touch. Slowly, deliberately, he started to move down her body, kissing and licking every inch of skin on the way. He reached her thighs and looked up at her.
“Yes?” he said.
“Yes.” She opened her legs, hot and already ready. “God, yes.”
Chapter Eight
The next afternoon, Gabi was watching from the sofa as Aidan finished his coffee. She was pale and biting her full lip and shaking a bit and he hated to see any of it.
He came over to her now. “You’re going to be OK here.”
“I know.” She tried to smile. “I know I’ll be safe with Curtis.”
“Yeah, you will.” He pulled her in to a tight hug. “He won’t let anything happen to you. Not ever.”
She nodded in to his chest and tried to calm down. She knew that Aidan had to go to work and she trusted Curtis without question… but still. Being with Aidan brought her such a sense of peace and calm, it was amazing. The thought that he was actually going to walk out the door and take his golden warmth with him was incomprehensible. She felt like her world was going to go darker and colder just by not being close to him.
There was a knock at the door and she jumped.
“Hey,” Aidan said soothingly. “It’s OK. It’s Curtis. He texted me that he was in the elevator on his way up from the parking garage.”
“God.” She exhaled. “I’m a wreck.”
“Not surprising. But you’re safe.”
“I know,” she said again. “It’ll be fine.”
“Yeah?”
“Yes.”
Aidan squinted through the peephole and sure enough, there was Curtis looking up and down the hallway. He opened the door.
“Come on in, man. How you doing?”
“Good.” Curtis ambled in all deceptively casual, his blue eyes taking in everything in mere seconds. Now that Gabi knew he had a military background, she wondered how the hell she’d ever missed the man’s keen intelligence and observation skills before now. Curtis, Dillon, Alex and Wes all looked like they were ready for anything all the time, and she wondered what kind of training had made them like that.
“Hey, hon.” Curtis’ voice was its usual gravel. “You doing OK?”
“Yeah, not bad.”
“Uh-huh.” His hard gaze blazed down at her. “Your neck?”
“Better.”
“Yeah? You telling me the truth?”
“Yes.”
“OK.” He looked back at Aidan. “Give me the tour of the place? Windows, doors, locks, any panels in the ceiling or between here and the neighbors. You know the drill.”
“I do.”
Gabi blinked and watched as the men promptly reduced Aidan’s home to a floorplan of entrances and exits, of windows and other vulnerable points. Suddenly, she didn’t feel totally safe here, either.
Come on, girl. Any place you go is going to have at least one damn door. Jesus. Get a grip.
Aidan put on his jean jacket, his heart heavy in his chest. He wanted to stay here, but Trey had covered his shift the night before and couldn’t make it tonight and Jax needed a bartender. He had every confidence in Curtis, but still… he wanted to stay. He’d barely let Gabi leave his arms over the past forty-eight hours and they now felt strangely empty without her.
He walked over to her and – totally uncaring that Curtis was right there – he kissed her, hard. She automatically moved in to his
embrace and he held her close to him, so close that he felt her heart beating against his. When he pulled back, he did so with nothing but regret.
“See you later, baby. Get some rest, OK?”
“You’ll be home at about two o’clock?”
“I will.” He kissed her again, lightly. “I’ll try to climb in to bed without waking you up.”
She smiled. “You can wake me up. You can even get creative about it. I don’t mind.”
Curtis cleared his throat. “I’m right here, guys.”
“Yeah, yeah.” Aidan kissed the top of Gabi’s head. “We know you’re right here, man. You’re the size of a goddamn semi.”
Gabi giggled.
Curtis shut the door behind Aidan, locked it, spun around to face her.
“OK, Gabi. Spill.”
“About?” She fluttered her eyelashes at him, all coy and mock-clueless.
He huffed. “What the hell do you think?”
“OK, I will. On one condition.”
“Yeah?”
“You spill about Tessa.”
Curtis’ normally implacable face actually registered shock. “Tessa? What – what about Tessa?”
“What about Aidan?” she chimed.
“Argh. Goddamn, woman.”
“Yep.” She grinned up at him, enjoying seeing this intimidating hulk of a guy actually blush. “Quid pro quo, tough guy.”
“Fine.” He shrugged. “Not that I have anything to tell.”
“Uh-huh. We shall see.” She wandered over to the kitchen. “Coffee?”
“Yeah, please.” He followed her. “I get the feeling this is going to be a very long night.”
**
Aidan was on automatic pilot at the bar. His body may have been at Curves pouring beers and shots of whisky, but his mind was at his place, wondering what Gabriela was doing right then. And God knows, his heart was with her; he was sure it was actually beating in time with hers.
“So… how’s Gabi?”
He jumped a bit, startled out of his thoughts. He turned to see Jax standing there, Mac on one side of him and King on the other. Aidan blinked, wondering just how the hell the three of them had snuck up on him like that.
Killer Curves (Dangerous Curves Book 3) Page 12