Oddly, the first thing that struck him was that he'd never seen her looking more beautiful. The green dress made her skin look like porcelain and brought out the color of her eyes until they glowed like emeralds.
Hard on the heels of that thought was the stunning realization that she was standing. Standing. He sucked in a quick breath, feeling his heart jump in his chest. My God, she was standing! His disbelieving eyes swept over her, trying to absorb the reality of what he was seeing.
She took a step toward him, leaving the support of the small table she'd been holding. It wasn't a long step, and there was a certain stiffness in her movements that told him she didn't quite trust in the miracle.
It wasn't until she'd taken another step that the reality of it hit. He felt joy well up inside him, his chest aching with the force of it.
Charity stopped, uncertain in the face of his silence. Why didn't he say something? Do something?
"You're walking." The words taut, as if they couldn't begin to express what he wanted to say.
"Yes."
"How long?"
"Awhile." She linked her fingers together in front of her. Was he going to be upset that she hadn't told him sooner? "I wanted to surprise you."
"You certainly did that." There was nothing to be read from his tone, and she wondered again if she'd made a big mistake in presenting it to him this way. He moved toward her.
Charity waited. She couldn't have taken another step if her life depended on it. She felt as if she were frozen in place.
Gabe stopped in front of her, but she couldn't seem to lift her eyes from the wedge of skin left bare by his open collar. Was he furious with her? Did he think she'd kept the extent of her progress from him in an effort to keep him feeling guilty? Until this moment, it hadn't even occurred to her that it could look that way.
"Gabe, I-"
"You're walking," he said again, as if confirming it to himself. Something in his tone brought her eyes to his face, and she forgot the tangled apology she'd been going to offer. His eyes blazed with happiness— a green-gold fire that washed over her, driving out any doubts she'd had about his feelings.
He caught her hands in his, holding them out away from her sides as he looked down at her. His blatant pleasure made it impossible to feel self-conscious.
"I can't believe it. You're walking."
His grin was infectious and Charity felt her own mouth curve upward. How could she have thought, even for a moment, that he'd be concerned with anything more than that she was walking again? The one thing she'd never doubted was that Gabe wanted, with all his heart, to see her back on her feet again.
"I'm not running marathons yet."
"It's only a matter of time." He released her hands but only to grasp her by the shoulders. "You're walking."
He couldn't seem to quite grasp the miracle, even with her standing right in front of him.
"What do the doctors say? The therapist?"
"They're delighted with my progress. I'm not quite up to speed yet but everyone insure it's just a matter of time."
"Are you sure it's a matter of time?" he asked, remembering the doubts she'd had about making a recovery.
"Yes." She gave a shaky laugh, "I guess walking at all seems like such a miracle that I've just accepted that I'm going to make it all the way. In a few weeks all this will seem like a dream."
"A dream." He repeated her words, wondering if she planned on him being a part of that half-forgotten dream or a part of her future. But this wasn't the time to worry about that.
"I can't seem to grasp that you're standing here. Standing!" He ran his hands up and down her bare arms as if to reassure himself that she wasn't a figment of his imagination. He grinned down at her. "You look stunning."
"Because I'm standing?" she asked, surprised by the almost flirtatious tone of the question. Diane was the Williams sister who flirted, certainly not quiet Charity. But she didn't feel like quiet Charity tonight.
Gabe's eyes widened slightly, as if he was surprised by the question. Awareness flared to life in his gaze, followed by a warmth that made Charity's skin feel hot.
"The fact that you're standing only enhances your loveliness." There was just enough playfulness in his tone to keep the compliment from sounding exaggerated.
Charity flushed, feeling the warmth spread from her cheeks, down her throat, settling in the pit of her stomach.
"Flattery will get you an extra serving of chocolate mousse pie," she suggested.
"Chocolate mousse pie?" Gabe's eyes flicked over the beautifully arranged table—set for two, he noticed. "Where's Diane?"
"You're never going to believe it, but she and Jay went out to dinner. Together."
"The airhead and the prig?" Gabe's brows rose, expressing his amazement.
"I nearly fell over in a faint. I think they're secretly attracted to each other."
"Like gunpowder and matches," Gabe muttered. To be honest, he didn't really care if Diane and Jay tore each other to pieces. He and Charity were alone, and the walls she'd so carefully erected to keep him at a distance had vanished without a trace. For the moment he couldn't ask for anything more.
"Are you hungry?" Charity's question brought his attention back to her. He wondered if she realized his hands were still on her shoulders. Her skin felt as soft as it looked. Hungry? Yes, but food wasn't the first thing that came to mind.
"Starved," he said with a smile. It took a conscious effort to release her. "Do I have time to change?"
"Yes. I'll set dinner out."
"Do you need help?"
"No, thanks."
"You won't try to lift anything too heavy?" He hesitated, clearly doubtful about the idea of leaving her on her own.
"I cross my heart," she promised solemnly.
"If you need anything, yell."
❧
But Charity didn't need to yell. Diane had prepared everything before she left with Jay—not on a date, she'd said plainly. All Charity had to do was warm the casserole, a delicate mixture of chicken, rice and herbs, and steam the fresh broccoli. Tossed salads and a chocolate mousse pie Diane had brought from an exclusive Beverly Hills bakery completed the menu.
It wasn't exactly Wolfgang Puck, but it was tasty and simple enough that it didn't tax either her strength or her concentration.
Gabe certainly had no complaints. He'd changed into a pair of tailored black trousers that molded his muscular thighs in a positively sinful fashion and a loose dark gold shirt that made his eyes more gold than green.
He looked devastatingly attractive, and Charity found it hard to concentrate on her meal with him sitting across the small table from her. Though Gabe made a show of eating, she had the feeling that he wasn't tasting the food any more than she was.
Now that the miracle of her being able to walk had sunk in, Gabe was beginning to wonder what this was going to mean. Certainly there was no reason for her to continue to live in his house. No reason aside from the fact that he was crazy in love with her.
Would she have gone to all this trouble if she didn't feel something for him? The dress, the dinner, making sure they were alone for the first time in ages—it was all setting the stage. But for what?
Was she going to tell him she loved him? Or was she going to tell him thanks for the place to stay and so long?
Just because she moved out, it didn't mean that he was losing her forever, he reminded himself. Unless she told him never to darken her door again, there was no reason he couldn't see her. They could go out, date, spend time together in a more normal fashion. Heaven knew, there hadn't been anything particularly normal about their relationship up until now.
❧
After the meal Gabe poured coffee while she carried the dessert plates out to the living room. He followed her, surprised when she bypassed the table in favor of the thickly upholstered sofa. He set the cups on the coffee table before sinking down beside her.
"You know, I always wondered what this sofa felt like," she c
ommented as she handed him his plate. "It looked so decadent."
"Does it live up to your expectations?" he asked, trying to read her mood. Why did he get the feeling she had more than the sofa on her mind?
"Yes." Charity took a bite of pie, wondering if when she'd regained the use of her legs, she'd lost a portion of her mind.
She'd had the evening all mapped out. There was nothing unpremeditated about it. So far everything had gone according to plan. Gabe had been thrilled to see her walking. They'd shared a lovely meal. The conversation had flowed comfortably between them, even though half the time she'd had a hard time remembering what they were talking about.
Now all that was left was the final stage of the plan. The problem was she'd never in her life tried to se-
duce a man, and she wasn't at all sure how to go about it. Even worse, she was beginning to have doubts about the advisability of doing it at all.
Just how did one go about making it clear that one was shamelessly eager to share a man's bed?
"The pie was marvelous," Gabe said; setting his empty plate on the coffee table. Charity stared down at her own plate, wondering when she'd finished her slice of pie.
"Yes, it was good." She set her plate down and drew in a slow breath. She was behaving like an idiot. This was the nineties. There was nothing wrong with a woman expressing her attraction to a man.
"You look like you're on your way to take a particularly nasty midterm," Gabe said.
She flushed, her confidence in her seduction skills sinking to a new low. "I was just thinking that I didn't want any coffee after all," she offered weakly. "Too much caffeine."
"Tired?" Gabe asked. He reached out one arm and pulled her close. Charity went willingly, laying her head on his shoulder. It felt wonderful to be held close to him.
"Not really," she murmured, resting her hand on his chest. No, tired wasn't what she felt at all. She toyed with the buttons on his shirt. Gabe stiffened as she slid the first button through the buttonhole. Keeping her cheek pressed to his shoulder, she slipped
a second one loose. But his hand closed over hers when she reached for the third button.
"You could get in trouble that way," he said softly. But there was a huskiness in his voice that told her he meant just the sort of trouble she rather hoped to get into.
"I could?" She slid the button open. Her fingers rested on bare skin now. She could feel his heart beating strong and steady. A little too fast maybe?
"Charity?" Gabe's finger cupped her chin, tilting her face up until he could see her eyes.
Her color was high but she met his gaze steadily, and he felt his pulse accelerate in a way that had nothing to do with the caffeine in the two swallows of coffee he'd had.
Only a blind man could miss the invitation in her eyes. And even a blind man could read the way her fingers moved restlessly against his chest. He wanted nothing more than to accept that invitation.
How many nights had he lain awake, thinking about her being just across the hall, wondering what it would feel like to have her in his bed, her hair spread across his pillow like honey-colored silk.
But he wanted more than just a night with her. He wanted a lifetime. Seduction had been the furthest thing from his mind tonight. Okay, maybe not the furthest but it certainly hadn't been part of his plans.
On the other hand, her mouth looked incredibly soft. It couldn't hurt to kiss her. Just once, he promised himself.
Her lips parted under his, and Gabe forgot all about limiting himself to one kiss. It wasn't possible to kiss her just once. Not when her mouth felt made just for him. Not when her body was so soft and yielding in his arms.
Their tongues touched and withdrew, only to touch again. It was a delicate duel where the object wasn't to win or lose, only to give and receive pleasure.
Hardly conscious Of his actions, Gabe shifted her to lie across his lap. She tilted her head back to grant his mouth better access to the length of her neck. He tasted the pulse that beat at the base of her throat. He kissed his way across her shoulder, dragging aside the narrow strap that supported her bodice as he went. It dropped over her arm, leaving her shoulder bare.
His mouth came back to hers, hungry for the taste of her. Charity buried her fingers in his hair, drawing him closer, her hunger as great as his. She murmured her approval as his hand settled on her knee, sliding slowly upward under the soft silk skirt.
She caught her breath as his fingers encountered the lacy edge of her panties. Gabe felt her sudden uncertainty. He drew his head back, his palm flattening against her thigh.
Her eyes were a smoky green, dark with emotion. And desire. It took a considerable effort of will not to put his mouth to hers again and forget about everything but satisfying the hunger that had been gnawing at him for weeks.
But he wanted so much more than that from Charity. He wanted her in his bed but not just for the night. He wanted her to understand that this was more for him than a quick toss in the hay. So much more.
"Charity, I-"
"Shh." She put her fingers over his mouth, locking the words inside him. "No talk. Not tonight."
Gabe hesitated, his eyes searching hers. His instincts told him that tonight was exactly when they needed to talk. But he wasn't immune to the plea in her eyes, the invitation in her soft body.
"Later," he said softly.
"Later," she said, her agreement swallowed in the pressure of his mouth Over hers.
Holding her in his arms, his mouth locked over hers, Gabe stood up from the sofa. Charity linked her hands behind his neck as he carried her into his bedroom. This was what she wanted, what she needed. And if she paid a high price for it tomorrow, it would be worth it.
Gabe set her on her feet beside the bed. His fingers moved over her hair, destroying all Diane's careful work in a matter of seconds. Charity's hair tumbled onto her shoulders in a soft honey-gold cloud. Seeing the look in his eyes, she felt truly beautiful for the first time in her life.
If she'd had any doubts about what she was doing, they were stolen away by the tenderness of Gabe's touch, the soft whisper of his voice. He explored her body with gentle thoroughness, drawing an aching response from her.
And when the time had at last come to accept him into her, Charity could no longer doubt the rightness of her choice, the absolute inevitability of this moment. This was what she'd spent a lifetime waiting for.
❧
This was what he'd waited for all his life. Gabe felt Charity's body adjusting to him, accepting his possession. She held him as if made for only him. If he were to die at this moment, he would feel complete.
But the pleasure only built with each movement, each sigh, until at last they could climb no higher. Gabe felt the delicate contractions that took Charity, and he tumbled after her into the final moment of pleasure.
It was a long time before he gathered the strength to move and then it was only enough to ease his weight from her lax body. Her murmur of protest changed to a sigh of contentment when he slid his arm under her shoulder, pulling her against his side.
She cuddled into him, her body fitting his as if they'd been sleeping together forever. Gabe let himself drift to sleep, feeling a soul-deep contentment.
They still needed to talk, but for the first time he was confident of the outcome.
They were meant to be together. She must surely realize that now.
Chapter 14
When Gabe woke the next morning, his arm swept out immediately, seeking Charity's warmth. But he was alone in the bed, the sheets cold. Frowning, he opened his eyes and glanced at the clock. It was still early, just past six-thirty.
He'd looked forward to waking with Charity in his arms. But he supposed that, after being stuck in a wheelchair all these weeks, it wasn't surprising that she wouldn't be inclined to sleep late. It must still be a novelty to be able to wake up and get out of bed.
Relaxing back into the pillow, he allowed a satisfied smile to curve his mouth. It seemed foolish now to th
ink of how worried he'd been about the future. Obviously Charity saw it as clearly as he did. Oh, the details would still have to be worked out, but the important thing was that she loved him.
His smile faded slightly when he remembered that she'd never said as much. But she didn't have to say the words, not when she'd given so sweetly of herself.
Her love had been in her eyes, in the way she touched him.
She hadn't wanted to talk last night and maybe she'd been right. The closeness they'd shared said more than words could have. Today they'd have the words. He'd tell her that he loved her, that he'd left the force, and he'd ask her how she felt about Wyoming.
They'd talk, say all the things lovers said. And tonight he'd take her out to dinner, some elegant restaurant with a view of the city and outrageous prices.
And then they'd come home and learn all the things there hadn't been time for the night before. His smile took on a sensual edge. On the other hand, why wait until tonight?
Gabe swung his legs off the bed and lifted his robe off the back of a chairs thrusting his arms into the sleeves as he left the bedroom. He noted absently that Charity's clothes were no longer on the floor where he'd dropped them last night. He must have been sleeping like the dead to sleep through her stirring around. But then, last night was the first time he'd felt completely relaxed in a very long time.
But that feeling wasn't destined to last. It took him only a few moments to realize that the house was empty. Tightening the belt on the robe, he slid open the patio doors and walked toward the pool. The morning was already hot, promising another scorching summer day, but Gabe didn't notice the heat.
Charity wasn't in the pool and she wasn't in the house. She didn't have a car, even if she'd been up to driving it, and he doubted she'd reached that point in her recovery yet.
He strode back into the house, sliding the door shut with a snap. He was on his way into the bedroom to get dressed when he saw the note propped up on the table in front of the window. The table where they'd shared a romantic dinner the night before.
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