by L. Nicole
I was running late for work, so I don’t have makeup on, I wearing faded jeans and my Bob Segar t-shirt. My hair is pulled to the top of my head in a ponytail that falls to my mid back. I probably need to get my hair cut. It’s long and straight, but I like having my hair long, so I haven’t cut it in over a year. Right now, I’m feeling pretty dowdy next to Gabe.
Which is annoying.
It’s good he sees me like this, maybe it will make him leave me alone.
“You just getting off work?” he asks.
I let out an audible sigh, because somehow I got a feeling I’m in deep trouble.
“Yeah.”
“Let me help carry the flowers for you,” he says, reaching to take them out of my hand.
“I can manage,” I mumble, but I hand them over.
“Maybe, but I wouldn’t want you running into any other men you can’t see. Then, I would have more competition.”
“Do you ever give it a rest?” I ask, shaking my head.
“Not when something or someone is important,” he replies, and somehow even holding a ridiculously huge vase of daffodils, he appears completely serious.
“Nice try, Romeo, but you don’t know me. There’s no way you can tell if I’m important or not.” I brush aside his attempt of flattering me and make my way to my Jeep.
“Nice ride,” Gabe says, as I open the passenger side of my Jeep Wrangler.
I smile, thankful my back is to him. I may not believe him when he talks about me, but I do when it comes to my vehicle. I love my Jeep. It’s a sweet candy-red metallic. I keep it shined, even the black fender guards and mirrors. I don’t go off-roading, but if I wanted to, I could with ease. I just love the way it looks. I also love that I can take the top off and cruise. I don’t splurge much, but I did here, and I’ve never regretted it.
“Thanks,” I tell him, turning around. I was going to take the flowers from him and put them in the passenger seat, but Gabe goes ahead and does that, not giving me a chance. I press against the door and wait until he finishes. Then, he turns around to face me.
I wasn’t prepared. Although, to be fair, I’m not sure a girl can be prepared for Gabe. He steps into me, which should be impossible since we’re so close. He towers over me, and that makes me feel small and vulnerable. It’s not a feeling I’ve enjoyed in the past, but it feels different with Gabe.
“Go out to dinner with me, Riley.”
“Do you know the meaning of the words, give up, Gabe?”
“Not when it comes to you.”
“You don’t know me,” I remind him again.
“I want to.”
“I’m not that girl, Gabe,” I warn him, my resistance beginning to wane.
“What kind of girl would that be, Riley?”
“I don’t do hookups—”
“I’m not looking for an easy hookup, Riley. I might have done that in my twenties, but that’s not who I am now.”
“How old are you?” I ask, when that wasn’t what I was going to ask at all.
“Thirty-three. Is that too old for you, sweetheart?”
“Thirty-three isn’t old,” I respond.
Like a dummy.
“How old are you?” he murmurs, reaching his finger out to pull a strand of my hair away from my face and tucking it behind my ear. I should jerk away and demand he stop touching me. Instead, I am looking into his dark eyes and unable to look away from their intensity. They’re so beautiful. They’re so freaking deep and chocolatey that it sucks.
Because I love them.
“Twenty-three.”
“Ten years. That’s way too old for you, Riley.”
He’s staring at me, as if searching for an answer to an unspoken question, and I’m not sure he’s finding the right answer. I’m not even sure what the answer is…or what I want it to be.
I shake my head. I need to pull out of the haze that I seem to have lost myself in.
“Yeah, you’re practically ancient,” I joke. I turn to walk away so I can get to the driver’s side and leave. Being this close to Gabe is dangerous. My plans are foiled however, when he reaches out and captures my wrist.
“Have dinner with me,” he asks again. Although, I don’t think he’s really asking.
“I’m tired. It’s been a long day at work. I don’t really think I’m up to people,” I tell him. Honestly, I’m trying to get out of having dinner with him, but I’m also telling the truth. Being around others is the last thing I want tonight. “I have plans to go home, order a pizza, and watch trash tv until I conk out.”
“Well, I’m not much on trash tv, but I can order a mean pizza.”
I laugh, despite knowing I’m stepping into a trap.
“Is there an art to ordering pizza, Gabe?”
“Oh yeah, it’s all in how you press the numbers on the phone.”
I roll my eyes.
“That was so corny,” I mumble.
“Have pizza with me. I promise you will have a good evening.”
“Gabe—”
“Riley, I don’t usually beg for a woman’s attention, but I feel like I’m begging here, and I don’t even give a damn.”
“The question is why are you?”
“Because I’m that interested in you.”
“I’m nothing special.”
“That’s where you’re wrong. Have dinner with me, sweetheart. What do you have to lose?”
“You’re not going to give up, are you?”
“Not on your life.”
“If I have dinner with you and I’m still not interested in seeing you again, will the flowers stop?”
“You don’t like the flowers?”
“Will they stop?”
“If we have dinner and there’s no chemistry between us, sure,” he qualifies.
“If we have dinner and I tell you there’s nothing between us, that’s it. You leave me alone.”
He purses his lips. I think my response irritates him, but he doesn’t let it show, instead he smiles. “What time should I swing by with the pizza?”
“Seven?”
“Seven it is.”
“Okay,” I respond, thinking I’m going to end up regretting this.
“Okay. I’ll see you this evening, Riley.”
“Aren’t you going to ask what I like on pizza?”
“You look like a pepperoni, sausage and onion kind of girl.”
“No onions. I don’t eat onions on a date.”
“A date? I like that. But why don’t you eat onions on a date, Riley?”
My face colors when I realize what I’ve just said. I wasn’t thinking, it was an automatic response.
“Never mind, I’m perfectly okay with onions and add mushrooms on that,” I mumble, finally walking away when he lets go of my wrist. I resist the urge to rub my heated skin where he touched me. I don’t want him to see me doing that. At the same time, I can’t deny that I instantly miss his touch.
“Done. And Riley?”
“Yeah?” I ask, turning to look at him over my shoulder.
“Sweetheart, if you want me to kiss you, I can promise you I won’t give a damn how many onions you’ve eaten.”
“Keep using those lines and I’m canceling the date.”
“That’s not a line, Riley. That’s a promise,” he replies backing away, staring at me. I just watch him, until he eventually turns around and walks away.
I shouldn’t have agreed.
I really shouldn’t have…
5
Riley
I stare at the full-length mirror and frown. It’s been almost two years since I’ve been out on a date. I’ve got my hair pulled up in a messy bun, although I think I made it look pretty. I’m wearing jeans and a pink sweater. I don’t look bad and I don’t look like it took me forever to get ready either. Although it has.
I wanted to look like I didn’t go to a lot of effort. Then, I worried that was the wrong impression. I exhale an irritated breath.
“I suck at this crap,” I mutter, finally
deciding that this is me, and it doesn’t matter if Gabe likes it or not. I’m about to undo my hair and at least fix it so that it looks like I tried—just a little—when the doorbell rings.
My gaze moves to the clock on the wall and I sigh.
Too late.
With one last look, I walk through the house, wondering if it’s weird that I’m barefoot. I mean, I don’t wear shoes in the house. Are you supposed to on a date? Can this even be considered a date? What if the fact that I didn’t dress up or have my hair professionally done upsets him?
I open the door to find him standing there. He’s changed clothes and obviously is fresh from the shower because the ends of his hair are damp. He’s wearing black jeans and a green t-shirt that is worn, but it stretches across his muscular frame like a second skin.
Damn, he looks good.
“Hey, sweetheart,” he says, and his endearment makes me feel funny. I swallow, my hand going to my stomach, as if to calm the butterflies.
“I’m not wearing shoes…”
I watch as his dark eyes dilate. Then, his lips twitch and spread into a smile. Slowly, his gaze moves over me and carefully drops down to my feet. I flex my toes in reaction while he brings his gaze back to my face.
“I like the pink nail polish.”
“Uh…”
“And the daisy toe ring. I fucked up didn’t I?” he asks.
“You forgot the mushrooms on the pizza?” I ask, confused.
“Daisies. That’s the one flower I didn’t send you.”
Shit. He’s good.
“They’re my favorites,” I murmur. “But, I like all flowers.”
“I won’t forget again.”
“After tonight, it won’t matter. You said you would stop the flowers,” I remind him.
“I believe I only agreed to that if there was no chemistry between us.”
“No, you said that, and I changed the rules,” I grumble.
“I didn’t agree to your change,” he says with a shrug. “Are you going to let me and the pizza in, Riley?”
“Gabe—”
“It’s just pizza. I promise I’m safe.”
He’s got a look on his face that tells me I might have given too much away, and I’m not sure how that makes me feel. I get the feeling that Gabe Lawson sees more than most people—maybe more than anyone I’ve ever met.
I stand back and open the door wider. I’m rewarded with his smile. I curse under my breath.
I can’t shake the feeling that I’m making a mistake…
6
Gabe
“I’m not sure how I feel about this,” I mumble, not bothering to hide my grin.
“What do you mean?” Riley asks, looking over at me warily.
“You said you were planning on watching trash tv tonight,” I laugh.
“Yeah? So?”
“Sweetheart, Bruce Willis is not trash television.”
“You obviously never watched Moonlighting.”
I scrunch up my brow as I look at her. “What’s that?”
“A television series. It’s where he got his start.”
“Still no idea, but we’re not watching that. We’re watching his movie with Samuel Jackson. That’s not trash.”
“It’s not?”
“Heck no. It’s more like a cinematic classic.”
I watch as her face changes to reflect surprise, and then she starts laughing. She’s got a beautiful laugh. Heck, I haven’t found one bad thing about her tonight, and I’ve been looking. I’m like a drowning man here and I’m looking for any excuse not to completely fall for this girl, and I’m finding nothing. I knew from the moment I first saw her waving at Justin that I was in trouble. Now, I’m even more convinced.
“A cinematic classic?” she laughs.
“Definitely. It’s right up there with Snakes on a Plane.”
“So, what you’re saying is that you’re a Samuel Jackson fan.”
“Isn’t everyone?” I ask her, enjoying the smile that’s playing on her lips.
“I wouldn’t know,” she finally whispers, studying my face.
“What are you thinking?” She continues to study me. “Riley?” I prompt, when she remains silent.
“You’re not what I expected,” she responds so softly that I almost didn’t hear her.
“Since you weren’t giving me the time of day before, I’m hoping that is a good thing.”
“Maybe,” she says. “I’m not sure I trust my instincts around you.”
“Why? What are they telling you right now, Riley?”
“I don’t exactly have good instincts when it comes to men, Gabe.”
Something about her face right now makes my gut clench. I’ve seen a hell of a lot through my career, and Riley is giving off all the vibes of a woman who has had a man in her life that left scars. I don’t know what kind of scars, or the story, but I will eventually. I want to do everything in my power to erase that look on her face.
“Would you believe me if I told you that you can trust your instincts when it comes to me, sweetheart?”
“It doesn’t work that way,” she murmurs, her voice laced with sadness.
“It’s okay, Riley. I’m going to prove it to you,” I promise her. Something flashes in her eyes, and I think it might be fear, but I’ll find a way to banish that emotion for her too.
I knew Riley was going to be trouble, and some things are worth it. Riley definitely is, and maybe I’m fooling myself, but I think she needs me as much as I need her.
At least, that’s what I’m banking on.
7
Riley
“Good morning, beautiful.”
I blink my eyes. I’m so tired and sleep is calling me. I force myself to stay awake, as I clutch the phone to my ear. Gabe’s voice vibrates and I close my eyes, instantly picturing him in my mind.
“Gabe?” I mumble, my voice almost hoarse.
“Did I wake you?”
“Yeah, what time is it?”
“Seven. I thought you would be getting ready for work. I’m sorry, sweetheart.”
“It’s okay. I don’t work today.” I yawn, holding my mouth away from the phone.
“I’ll let you go back to sleep,” Gabe says, and I can hear the remorse in his voice.
“Nah, it’s fine,” I kind of lie, because sleep is good, but once I am awake, I’m just awake. I can tell he feels kind of bad though and I don’t want to tell him that.
“I hate I woke you up,” he mutters. How about I make it up to you?”
“Stop,” I laugh. “There’s no reason for you to feel bad.”
“How about I make it up to you?”
“What do you mean?”
“Have you got any plans for today?”
I frown. This is dangerous. Gabe and I had pizza two days ago. He called me yesterday and then he called me this morning. Is all of this going too fast? Maybe because I’m conditioned to it, but I keep expecting the worst.
“Gabe—”
“Let me take you for a ride, Riley.”
“A ride?”
“On my bike. We’ll ride out and go down to the shore, take in the ocean, have dinner and relax.”
“That sounds nice…” I’m really tempted. I want to say yes, I really do, but I can’t stop the fear bubbling up inside of me that tells me I need to slow this down.
“Come on, Riley. Say, yes. I miss you.”
“You just saw me two days ago,” I remind him, laughing it off, but smiling just the same.
“And yesterday was the longest day of my life.”
“Gabe,” I respond, with a worried sigh.
“I’m not joking. I know you will probably not believe me, but I’m not.”
“What am I going to do with you?”
“Go on a bike ride with me.”
I should say no, I really should.
But I don’t want to.
“When do you want me ready?” I ask instead, knowing I’m making a mistake, but unable to sto
p myself.
Gabe is going to be a major problem…
8
Gabe
“I didn’t notice this the other day,” I murmur to Riley as we’re standing by her front door and she locks up.
I’m getting ready to take her out on my bike and spend the day at the ocean with her. I honestly can’t think of anything better than Riley in a bikini all day—except Riley naked in my bed. Still, instead of hurrying to get her on the back of my bike, I’m staring along the side of her house in shock.
“Notice what?”
“The yard out front looks great, but damn, sweetheart, the side yard and back are a damn jungle.”
“Yeah, I’ll get to it. I had training and then I had to work a lot of hours. I got some guys from work that are going to help me this weekend.”
Fuck no. Possessiveness wells up inside of me. There’s no way in hell anyone will be taking care of her but me. I’m her man and maybe she doesn’t understand that yet, but she will. I don’t care how sudden she thinks it is.
“I’ll handle it.”
“What?”
“I said I’ll handle it,” I repeat.
“And I asked, what are you talking about,” she huffs.
Maybe this is the wrong time to notice she’s sexy as hell when she’s put out with me. It’s definitely not the time to tell her that, or probably even to kiss her. I didn’t kiss her the other night. I didn’t want to rush her and make her push me away. Riley has secrets. I see them sometimes in her eyes and the way she reacts to me. I don’t know what they are just yet, but I know she’s skittish around me when we’re alone—so I held back. The urge to kiss her right now though, is so powerful that it takes everything I have not to act on it. The only thing that stops me is that I’m afraid she won’t spend the day with me if I do.
“I just meant I’ll clean up the yard. I’ve got the equipment, and I have some time off once I get my shift in tomorrow.”
“This is more than a one-person job and besides that, I couldn’t ask you to do that, Gabe.”
“You didn’t ask, I volunteered, and I got some buddies that will help me. It’s fine. What do you say we get on the road?”