by LuAnn McLane
“I’m listed in the phone book.”
“But the flowers came to the restaurant,” Reese commented, but then shook his head. There really was no rhyme or reason for his father’s actions, and Reese thought that sending the flowers was pretty damned cruel. But after what he did, Reese supposed he was capable of doing anything. Reese refused to feel any emotion other than anger. He’d given up hope a long-ass time ago.
“Listen, honey, I’m fine. Really. I think I’ll take a long bath and try to get a good night’s rest. You need to take what little is left of the evening and spend it with Gabby. You don’t get to see her nearly enough. She was just so sweet to me today.”
“Are you absolutely sure you’re okay?”
“There are worse things than getting flowers,” she tried to joke. “Seriously, a hot bubble bath is calling my name.”
“All right, but call me if you need anything even if it’s just to talk. Promise?”
“I promise. You are a good son, Reese.” She kissed him on the cheek. “Now go!” She shooed him with her fingertips.
Reese shoved his hands in his pockets, deep in thought, as he walked back to Gabby’s. He tried to tamp his anger down, but really, what kind of game was his father playing? Tomorrow he was going to talk to Uncle Tony about it and see if he wanted to help him track him down. He wasn’t about to witness his mother being jacked around. It was high time that they did something, and the flowers were the last damned straw.
As Reese approached Gabby’s door he felt a nervous flutter hit him in the gut. After what just happened, how would she react? Gabby’s own mother had been on the receiving end of a man leaving. Would this spook Gabby? Remind her of the pain her mother had gone through as well?
Reese inhaled a deep breath, paused, and then knocked. He was in the middle of rehearsing a little speech about how he wasn’t like those asshats when the door swung open. Just when his brain started to register how cute she looked in pink cotton shorts and a white tank, Gabby launched herself into his arms. Surprised, Reese laughed and when he lifted her up he shook his head. “What’s this all about?”
“I thought you liked it when I threw myself at you. You gave me an open invitation to do so, remember?”
“I don’t like it, Gabby, I love it and the invitation is always open, day or night, rain or shine,” Reese assured her before capturing her mouth in a much needed long, hot kiss. He knew part of this was to give him comfort, make him forget, and be his soft place to land. It occurred to him that this was what people who loved each other did. . . . Why, no, how could he ever leave something as wonderful as this?
“Make love to me,” she whispered in his ear.
“Gladly.” Reese carried her back to her bedroom. Two fat vanilla-scented candles flickered on her nightstand, making shadows dance on the wall. Soft music played from her laptop, and the bed was turned down. Reese gave her a soft smile.
She caught her bottom lip between her teeth. “I was hoping . . .” Her shy admission was the sexiest thing ever. The fact that she was thinking about him, wanting him, filled Reese with confidence. Gabby was opening up to him, letting down her guard, and hopefully falling as much in love with him as he was with her. The last time they made love had been wild . . . intense, but the music, the candles set the mood for slow and easy. That was fine with him. He wanted to touch, to taste every inch of her and savor every minute in her arms.
Reese made quick work of shedding his shirt and jeans, needing to feel his body sliding against hers. She watched him and he loved the admiration in her eyes. “I could never get tired of looking at you,” she said. When he sat down on the bed she surprised him by straddling him, taking control. “Or touching you,” she added, and then started running her hands over his shoulders before exploring his chest. “I know you’ve been on your feet all day. Would you like me to give you a massage?”
“I would like that a lot,” he said with a low chuckle.
“Just promise you won’t fall asleep on me.”
“There’s not even a remote chance of that.”
“Just wanted to make that clear,” she said with a slow smile filled with promise. She swung her leg over and knelt on the bed. “Now lie facedown for me and I’ll get started.”
This sexy side of Gabby mixed with her sweet demeanor blew Reese away. And the anticipation of having her hands kneading his muscles had Reese groaning before Gabby even touched him.
“Oh, I’d better take these clothes off so I don’t get oil on them,” she warned, and he heard the soft whoosh when her clothes hit the floor. Knowing she was naked and not being able to see her was killing him. But when he started to turn over, she put a restraining hand on his back. “Oh no, you don’t. Just use your imagination.”
“But the real thing is so much better,” Reese protested.
Gabby answered with a low chuckle, and when her hands started massaging his calves, he forgot everything else but her hands on his body. Her fingers were surprising strong and in no time Reese became putty in her hands. He moaned when she dripped warm oil onto his thighs and went to work.
“Too hard?” she asked.
“Yes, I am,” he said with a laugh.
“I mean my hands. . . .”
“No . . . ah . . . that feels amazing. If you ever decide to stop selling flowers, you could make a fortune doing this,” Reese said, but the sudden thought of Gabby’s hands on someone else didn’t sit well. “Forget I said that,” he mumbled, and she laughed. Her hands worked magic. “Seriously, where did you learn how to do this?”
“I thought about medical massage for a little while before going forward with my degree in horticulture.”
“Mmmm . . .” was all he could muster when her hands moved up to his back. He felt the mattress shift and realized that she was straddling his thighs. The image had him moaning for another reason. God . . . this was so relaxing and such a super turn-on at the same time that his brain didn’t know how to react. The flickering candles, the soft music, the scent of vanilla, and the feeling of Gabby massaging warm oil into his skin was putting him on sensory overload.
It was quite simply . . . awesome.
Her hands massaged deeply into his muscles and pretty soon every last shred of tension left his body. He felt his eyelids grow heavy, but when Gabby leaned forward to work his shoulders he felt her breasts graze his back and he suddenly became wide-awake. She moved upward and straddled his hips . . . and if he rolled over . . .
“Dear God,” he groaned.
“Feel good?” she asked next to his ear.
“Nothing has ever felt this good,” he answered in a weak tone that had her chuckling. “No . . . seriously. This is the best thing, ever. Well . . . second best.”
“Glad to hear it.” She chuckled again and then slid her body against his, kissing his neck. And that was Reese’s undoing. He had to see her.
He had to make love to her.
“Baby, I have to turn over. Do you need to put something on the bed to soak up the oil?”
“I have a towel,” she said, and as soon as he heard her put it on the bed, he rolled over. And damn, she took his breath away.
The candles flickered, making the sheen of oil on her skin take on a golden glow. And her half-lidded eyes told Reese that she wanted him as much as he wanted her. It wasn’t just her physical beauty but her kindness, her sweetness. In that moment Reese knew he would do anything to make her happy . . . anything to protect her, keep her safe. He was completely and totally in love with Gabby Goodwin.
Reese wanted to tell her so badly, but he held back, wanting the bond between them to strengthen and for her to trust him without hesitation. He needed to prove he wasn’t like either of their fathers. It wasn’t fair, but he knew he had to take away any of her doubts. He would never leave her, but he didn’t want to tell her. Reese wanted Gabby to know it, to feel it.
But what he could do was love her with his body, show her without words how much she meant to him. Scooting up to a half-sitting position against the pillows, Reese pulled her in for a kiss. She grabbed his shoulders and kissed him back, leaning into him, moving against his body, driving him wild. He didn’t know it was possible to be this aroused. “Ride me, Gabby,” he said in her ear. Cupping her sweet ass, he guided her upward and she sank down onto his almost painfully hard cock.
With a little cry she came up to her knees and with his hands spanning her waist he guided her while she gripped his shoulders and rode his upward thrusts. Her nipples grazed his chest, slick and oiled. He wanted to hold back and wait for her, but he simply couldn’t and, grabbing her waist, he trust upward deeply and felt a powerful rush of pleasure explode.
Dimly, he heard her breath hitch followed by a throaty cry, and her sweet heat clamped around him, wringing every last ounce of pleasure from his body. While he was still buried deep inside her, he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her over and over as his heart pounded in his chest.
He loved her and right now that was all he could think about and all that mattered.
19
I Think I Love You
GABBY WOKE UP IN STAGES. FIRST, A SMALL MOVEMENT, A soft sigh, but she kept her eyes shut, not wanting to begin her day just yet. Well, at least not get out of bed. Lying with her cheek against Reese’s biceps, her arm looped over his chest and her leg resting over his thigh, just felt too warm and wonderful to even consider getting up.
“Are you awake?” Reese’s voice sounded deliciously sleep-laden and oh so sexy.
“How did you know?” Her reply sounded equally lazy.
“Your breathing changed.”
“So you’ve been awake for a while?” She started tracing random patterns on his chest with her fingertip. The sheet was tangled somewhere around his hips, leaving lots of skin to explore.
“Yeah, but I didn’t want to move and wake you. It’s so cute when you snore.”
Gabby snatched her hand away and came up on her elbow. “I do not snore!”
“How would you know? You’re sleeping.”
“I . . . I just know!” she exclaimed, but then nibbled on the corner of her bottom lip. “Do I?”
Reese chuckled. “No, babe, you don’t snore. But I’d still love you if you did,” he added lightly, but Gabby’s heart did a little tap dance in her chest.
Was he still joking around or did he just profess his . . . love? Should she ignore it? Ask if he meant it?
Tell him she loved him too?
She did. Love him. Gabby knew it with all of her heart. But the words stuck on her tongue. It was as if telling him that she loved him gave him the powers of the universe . . . well, of her universe. Gabby had seen her mother love freely, with her whole being, and had also seen it tossed back in her face as if she meant nothing.
“I’m sorry.”
Gabby looked down at him, not realizing she’d been staring across the room. She tilted her head at him. “What for?”
“I didn’t mean to say . . . that.”
“You didn’t mean it?”
Reese came up on his elbow to face her. “Oh no, I meant it, Gabby. I’ve been lying here wondering since the sun came up if I should tell you. Last night I wanted to say it but held back.”
“Reese—”
He silenced her with a fingertip to her lips. “Gabby, I’ve loved you for a long time. First, with the innocence of a little kid. And then with the fierceness of a teenager.”
“But . . . but you always had a different girl on your arm,” she protested against his finger. “I didn’t see you much.”
“You avoided me. But I always thought about you. I tried to keep an eye on you.”
“You did?”
“Yeah, all I ever wanted was you.” He closed his eyes and sighed. “I’m not a little boy or a mad-at-the-world teenager. I’m a grown man and my feelings for you are real.” He opened his eyes and looked at her. “But I wanted to wait to tell you how I feel. I wanted to gain your trust and show you I’m not that messed-up kid any longer. I also wanted to wait until the restaurant was on firm ground.” He swallowed and then shook his head. “But seeing my mother wait . . . and wait? Wasting her time?”
“But that’s way different.”
“Yes and no. Confronting your feelings, letting the past go. All ways to heal. Uncle Tony is going through some of the same kind of heartache. We’ve all been through a lot of stuff, but we all deserve to be happy. And I’m happiest when I’m with you. It’s pretty simple. I love you.”
“I wasn’t expecting—”
He cupped her chin. “I know. Gabby, the fact that I love you slipped out, but you know what? I’m glad that it did. Waiting is only wasting time, and while I sit back and wait someone else might swoop in.”
Gabby knew he was talking about Drew, who used any excuse to stop by Flower Power. While she was flattered by the attention, Drew didn’t make her heart skip a beat when he walked into the room. Only Reese did that. She wished she had the courage to open up and tell him.
“So in other words, I’m asking for us to be exclusive. I know this sounds kinda like we’re in the eighth grade, but there’s no other way to put it. I want you to be my girlfriend.”
Gabby blinked at him, but when she opened her mouth he shook his head.
“Hey, I don’t expect you to say that you love me. That’s something that should come freely and not feel forced. But I want you to be my girl. We haven’t really addressed that. And it’s not because we slept together. I don’t want you to feel as if you have to agree because of that . . . and damn, I can’t seem to shut the hell up!” His chuckle sounded nervous and he shook his head. “Am I complicating things? Pushing? This is exactly what I didn’t want to do.”
Gabby put her palm against his cheek. “No. Reese, you have a right to know where you stand. I don’t want to be with anyone but you.” She wanted to tell him that she loved him, but stupid fear held her back from taking that leap.
“I’m sorry that I rambled. I was just thinking of all those things while you slept. You know me, I’m not a talker. This is nuts.”
Gabby smiled. “I think that your rambling was supersweet and absolutely adorable.”
“God . . .” He ran a hand down his face and gave her a lopsided grin but then looked at her with those dark sincere eyes. “But I really am glad that I told you. And no matter whatever happens with us, I want you know that I will always be here for you. All you have to do is call and I’ll be on my way.” He reached up and ran a fingertip down her cheek. “I mean that.”
Gabby swallowed hard. She loved him. She truly did. But when she started to say it, her heart pounded and the words wouldn’t come out. People leave. Die. Loving someone hurts. Her breath caught and she started to look away so he wouldn’t see her desperate fear. But he did.
“Ah, Gabby,” he said, and pulled her into his arms. For a few minutes he simply held her.
It blew Gabby away that this tough-as-nails man could be so gentle, so understanding. “Just give me time.”
“I’m a patient man. I’m not going anywhere.” He kissed the top of her head and gave her a hard squeeze. “I wish we could stay in bed all day, but I have to make some desserts and get the dough rising.”
“I have to get downstairs too.”
“Can I see you tonight?”
Gabby nodded. “Absolutely.”
“I’ll bring lunch over for you and Joy.”
She pushed up and looked at him. “Salads please! I love your pizza, but, well, soon my booty is going to be as big as the side of a barn.”
Reese laughed and then arched an eyebrow. “We’ll just have to find a way to work off some calories.”
Gabby laughed with him, glad that the serious moment had passed. She knew that
it was unfair to keep from him what he deserved to hear. She would tell him. Soon.
“Hey, and if you could get the girls together again and invite my mom out, that would be great. She needs to have some laughs and forget about . . . you know.”
“Joy told me that there’s a pig roast and concert coming up soon at Sully’s. It’s the CD launch party for Jeff Greenfield. Would she like to go?”
“I’m sure she’d love it.”
“But can you spare her on a Saturday night?”
Reese nodded. “We’re fully staffed now, so things are running a lot smoother. We’ve got Ryan making pizza and we’re going to hire a few more employees over the next couple of weeks. Mom will put up a fight, but she needs a Saturday night off.” He wrapped his arms around her. “And that will mean I can sneak away more often too. Especially when Uncle Tony’s ankle is better.” He gave her a light kiss and said, “In fact, I’d like to do something special soon. To celebrate.”
“Celebrate?”
Reese grinned. “To celebrate that you’re officially my girlfriend.”
Gabby leaned in and kissed his chest. “What shall we do?”
“I’ll surprise you,” he promised, and sucked in a breath when she continued to kiss his chest. When she nuzzled his neck he groaned. “You’re making it really hard to leave.”
“Mmmm, just something for you to think about all day long.”
“Oh, don’t worry. I will.”
Gabby watched him put on his clothes, wishing that they could both play hooky and spend a lazy day doing nothing. He looked up and nodded.
“I know. It’s hard to leave you. I want to make you a huge breakfast and then get right back into bed.” He leaned over and gave her a lingering kiss. “But I’ll have to settle for bringing you lunch.”
“Remember, a salad. And no dessert.”
Reese chuckled. “I might have to tempt you with a little something.”
Gabby laughed and then felt a sense of loss when he left. She hugged the pillow that smelled faintly of his aftershave and sighed. “His girlfriend,” she whispered. A warm, giddy sense of happiness washed over her. She hadn’t felt this much joy since before her mother died. For a long time she’d felt guilty when she laughed, but she knew her mother was looking down and smiling. She would want her to find love and live a happy life. When a little stab of fear nudged against her brain, she shoved it away and headed for the shower to get ready for work.