Nanny

by Christina Skye

  Summer headed out of the department store lot into a solid curtain of white flakes. She was still a little shaky and some of the blur in her windshield was from tears, but in spite of that she felt surprisingly good. She had seen Gabe and survived. He was just as rugged and handsome as she remembered, with the same dark intensity that made women turn their heads and stare in avid appreciation.

  But Summer hadn’t caved. She’d kicked him out of her life, which was just where he belonged.

  Feeling calmer, she peered through the snow and flipped on the radio. Dear God, no more advertisements for Viagra or used truck parts, she prayed.

  A hand touched her shoulder. Gasping, she almost shot through the roof. Her hand was on her service revolver when she saw Gabe leaning over from the backseat of the big SUV.

  “Get out,” she snapped.

  His hand curved, cupping her cheek. “I was a fool, Summer.”

  “Damned straight you were. Are,” she added fiercely.

  “Let me make it up to you.”

  “Not interested, Navy. And how did you get into my car?” she demanded.

  Gabe waved a key. “Izzy has connections you wouldn’t believe.”

  Summer spotted an abandoned gas station down the road and pulled beneath the overhang. “If you’re not out of here in two minutes, I’m calling the local FBI field office.”

  As she clutched the wheel, she saw her arm, pale in the moonlight cast off the snow. The scars were small now, barely visible, but to Summer they were just as glaring as ever.

  You didn’t see yourself the way the world saw you. The truth in your head was always different from the truth everyone else saw.

  Only with Gabe had she managed to forget her scars and bad memories. But she wasn’t going to risk being stupid and naïve like that again.

  Teeth caught her ear gently. Callused fingers eased down, opening her coat and tracing the collar of her blouse. “How about I explain? Then we can have that amazing sex you wanted. Hell, with this storm moving in, you can punish me for hours.”

  “Dream on, Morgan.” But his fingers were doing something unforgettable, and her body was remembering Mexico, coming alive in hot, reckless ways. She moved out of reach. “For the record, I’d rather cough up fur balls.”

  “No, you wouldn’t.”

  On the radio, a man’s voice droned on, announcing plays from a baseball game recorded earlier on the East Coast. “Line drive to center field.”

  Gabe’s tongue brushed her ear. “I love you,” he muttered. “I was afraid to tell you that when I had no future, Summer. The woman in my apartment in San Diego was a friend helping me with my rehab. Call me stupid or call me a coward, but the surgery on my knee took weeks, and it might have failed. Hell, it still might. You need to know that up front.”

  Something softened in Summer’s heart. “You’ll pull through.”

  “Will I? Look at me, Summer. I’ve been rough with you, partly because I lost someone I loved once and I was afraid to go through it again. If I left you first, the problem would never arise. I regret how that hurt you, and I hope you’ll give me another chance. Even if I am a big, stupid, overbearing—”

  Summer turned around. “I never said you were stupid,” she said shakily as Gabe’s arms wrapped around her. “All the rest will depend on you.” Her lips curved. “On how amazing the sex is.”

  Gabe studied her with a look of sheer, focused wickedness. “Snow’s getting pretty bad. I think we’d better stay here for a bit.” He was already tugging at her coat and freeing her blouse.

  Summer took a shaky breath and reached for the wheel—then yelped when she felt her blouse go flying. His fingers freed one breast and teased her already aroused nipple to a tight, hard point. “Stop that.”

  Laughing softly, Gabe kissed his way along her jaw and bit gently on her lower lip. “Afraid I can’t. You’re just too damned—juicy.” He leaned closer, and his hand slid to her waist and below, cupping her through too many layers of cloth. “God, you feel good. This is definitely going to take all night.”

  Snow dusted the windshield as her bra fell and she attacked his sweater, desperate to feel the heat of his skin. “Incredible sex, remember? Nothing less counts.” She refused to think about tomorrow. Tonight she was going to trust her heart and believe it hadn’t steered her wrong.

  Gabe pulled her down onto the seat beside him, his eyes very dark. “I’ll do my damnedest, honey.” He frowned. “It’s been a while, though, and my knee—”

  “Forget your knee, Navy. Tonight you won’t even know it exists.” Summer felt her heart in the words, knew her vulnerability.

  The radio droned on as Gabe pulled off his shirt. His eyes savored every inch of her body.

  “That’s a solid hit. Line drive to center field,” a male voice shouted.

  Summer gasped as Gabe stripped off his pants and buried himself inside her, hot and huge and hers. Reckless or not, she never wanted to go back to the 24/7 workaholic she’d been before Gabe. Their hands joined, their fingers locked. Summer realized she was different, and that the change had started the moment she’d seen his naked body in her shower. Someday she’d tell him what a great body it was, too.

  “Another slam to center field,” the disembodied voice announced on the radio.

  Summer watched Gabe while pleasure took her up, fast and hard.

  “And the crowd goes wild,” she whispered.

  She wore a dazed smile and not a hint of anything else. Her body still tingled from the hot pull of his mouth.

  As her pleasant exhaustion began to lift, Summer realized she was going to have beard burn in all sorts of interesting places in the morning.

  She trusted him. She trusted herself now and how he made her feel. The combination was heady.

  She felt his strong body turn beside her as he slipped one arm beneath her head. Given that they were wedged into the backseat of a Jeep Grand Cherokee, the fit was tight.

  “You still alive?” she whispered.

  Gabe stirred. “Possibly.” He propped his head on his hand. “Of course, the night’s not over yet.” He traced the pinkish mark on her upper breast. “Did I do this?”

  Summer nodded smugly. “You need a razor.”

  “Sorry.”

  “Apologize and I’ll have to shoot you, Navy.”

  Gabe’s lips curved. “Don’t suppose that I did that anywhere . . . else.”

  Outside the highway was white with newly fallen snow, but inside the car, they were warm and snug, body to body. Summer stretched slowly. “A skilled operative like you could probably find out.”

  “Is that a challenge?”

  “You bet.”

  “I always like a good mission plan.” Gabe shoved away scattered clothing, Summer’s cherished rose, and the blanket he had brought with him all the way from California as part of his careful plan. “One on your hip. It looks uncomfortable.” He whisked it lightly with his tongue. “One on your elbow. Another one on this pink and very beautiful nipple.” This area received his particular scrutiny, followed by the loving rasp of his tongue.

  The car was warm, the motor idling. Outside the windows, snow continued to veil the night. A red motel sign blazed across a white-swept field, less than a mile away, but neither had been able to wait. Summer still couldn’t believe she was having wild, reckless sex in the backseat of a rental car with her clothes in a crazy tangle around her.

  Life was good, she thought weakly. When Gabe turned his attention to her other breast, life became even better. “Arkh.”

  “I beg your pardon.”

  “It’s code. It means that you were—amazing.”

  Gabe drew her closer, running one hand gently along her cheek. “Good.”

  “Was it—what I mean is, were you disappointed?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “You know. With me. With us.” Summer cleared her throat, frowning at the roof of the car. “As a good . . . well, whatever you men call it.”

  Gabe
’s eyes narrowed. “A good lay?”

  “Or whatever.”

  “Mulcahey, I could barely move when you finished with me. And when you straddled me and took me in your hand . . . Disappointed? Hell, I almost had a coronary.”

  Summer flushed. “That’s not an answer.”

  “You want to know how it felt?” Gabe nudged her up onto his chest, so that their legs intertwined and Summer was seated firmly on his thighs. “Let me think.”

  “Amazed?” Summer murmured.

  He moved slightly, and their bodies slid into an intimate fit. “Engorged. Amazed, too.”

  “This is important, Gabe.” She stared at him gravely. “I mean, we both know I’m not exactly Dream Date material. I’d probably be the first to get voted out of the tribe—”

  He cut her off with a curse, holding her perfectly still. “You keep me up at night. You make me smile when it’s the last thing I want to do. You are the bravest woman I’ve ever met, especially if you’re willing to take a chance on a hard case like me.”

  “In a second,” she said softly.

  He traced her breasts with one finger, smiling when she shivered, her nipples going taut. “I forgot to mention that you’re so damned responsive you take my breath away.”

  “Only with you,” Summer whispered, shocked that he could make her feel this way again so soon.

  “Glad to hear it. At least I won’t have to kill anybody.” His voice filled with something low and primitive.

  His hand slipped between their bodies, exploring her slowly. “You’re wet, honey.”

  Summer felt a delicious stab of heat as his fingers moved deeper. “Hard not to be, with you wedged naked against me and gorgeous muscles everywhere I look.” She wiggled against his chest.

  “That old man in Mexico was right,” Gabe said huskily. “You are definitely juicy.”

  “You think?” Summer licked her dry lips, remembering how he’d felt inside her, slow and relentless, so hard she’d screamed when he’d driven her up to a mind-shredding climax. “Why does this keep getting better and better?”

  “You mean this part?” He pushed slowly inside her until her muscles tensed, clutching around him. “Or this part?” As he spoke, he moved again, seating himself higher.

  Summer panted, unable to answer, her nails digging into his back. The car windows were completely fogged up, and some part of Gabe’s mind found that amusing. Another part couldn’t have cared if everyone in Wyoming was camped outside to watch.

  He was beyond caring.

  He shifted, holding her motionless above him while snow drifted cool and silent against the fogged windows. His eyes were dark, holding unspoken promises. “This is once in a lifetime, honey. It’s never been this way for me,” he said savagely. “There have been a lot of others, Summer. After Rosalita, I wasn’t going to take a chance on caring too much. But then there was you, and God help me, I can’t stop thinking of you or wanting you like this.”

  He rose without warning, driving deep. He felt her stiffen, watched her lovely eyes darken with surprise, then blur as she shot to a panting climax that left her nails raking his back. As she gripped him, it was all Gabe could do to keep from throwing himself over that jagged edge along with her, but the sight of her pleasure was too damned erotic to miss.

  He held back, opening his senses to the amazing experience of her body riding him while he hoarded the memory of her hoarse, throaty cries. If she wanted reckless, she could have it—morning, noon, and night. If she wanted long, slow cherishing, she’d have that, too. And if any of her fellow agents tried to harass her, he’d see that they turned up with a few broken bones. They’d already received indirect warnings to that effect, delivered through her SAC, who sounded like a stand-up guy. Better still, Summer had been officially cleared of any involvement in her partner’s death.

  Of course, Summer had no idea that Gabe had made a call to Tate, who had handled the matter discreetly. If she found out, she would probably murder them both.

  Gabe dragged in a breath when he felt her body shift, her hands moving down to cup the most sensitive part of him, taking him between her fingers. Slowly she explored him, testing the smooth curves, lifting gently.

  “Damn, honey, if you do any more of that—”

  She did, rising slowly.

  Sliding down onto his rock-hard erection.

  Gabe sucked in a breath as his control shredded to confetti. She took him with hungry urgency, drawing him deep, her hands an exquisite torment.

  To hell with waiting.

  Gabe growled her name and poured himself inside her.

  Someone moved.

  Gabe smiled up into the darkness. “If a fire starts inside the car anytime soon, don’t bother to wake me.”

  A slow, sated laugh was Summer’s only reply.

  “Come to think of it, I just saw sparks. They were right above your . . .” He showed her where with skillful fingers.

  Summer shivered. “Static electricity, Morgan.”

  “Oh.” He traced her hip slowly. “Is that what they call it?”

  She gave another husky laugh.

  “I’ve got one thing to ask.”

  “Sorry. Too tired.” Her hand moved down his thigh. “All your fault.”

  Gabe didn’t hide a possessive smile. “Just one, I promise.”

  “You can try.” Summer moved her thigh sleepily across his leg. “I may not remember anything beyond the last twenty minutes, I warn you.”

  “Tell me something you’ve never told anyone else. Something that only I will know.”

  Summer opened one eye slightly and considered. “I have a freckle on my left thigh, just below my . . .” She raised one leg in the dim light. “There.”

  “Nice, but not what I had in mind. Tell me something personal.”

  “Is this some kind of weird test?”

  “Call it a beginning. We’re building things here. New things like trust, understanding. Hell, Summer, I want to do everything right with you.”

  Another arrow slid painlessly into her heart. She couldn’t fight her happiness any longer. Love had crept up on her and she wouldn’t hide from it. “No complaints from this side of the seat.” She took a breath, her body tensing just a little. “Here’s my thing. I don’t know how to dance. Even the thought scares the heck out of me. And to do it in public—” She blew out the breath she’d been holding. “Sheer panic.”

  “But you helped with Sophy.”

  “Kids and their moms. That doesn’t count.”

  Gabe kissed her shoulder. “I think you’d be great.”

  “Never. Don’t even think about it. I mean that.” She pushed up onto one elbow. “Your turn, hard case.”

  Gabe frowned. “I’m not—”

  “Yeah, you are. I’m waiting.”

  “Singing.”

  “You don’t like music?” Her brow rose. “Frank Sinatra? Jon Bon Jovi?”

  “No, me singing. In front of someone else, damn it.”

  Summer traced his mouth. “As I recall, you were singing the first time we met.”

  “That was different. I didn’t know you were there and my leg hurt, so I was trying to distract myself from the pain.”

  “I thought you were just being a jerk.” Summer laughed softly. “For a jerk, you had a world-class butt and abs to die for.”

  “You looked? You made such a big deal about ignor-ing me.”

  She’d looked, all right. No woman alive could have ignored that amazing body. Even Mother Teresa would have stolen a quick peek. “So sue me. What happens now that we know each other’s deep, dark secrets?”

  “Nothing. It’s enough to know, and feel safe that someone else knows. It’s about trusting, not necessarily about doing.”

  Another arrow zinged deep into Summer’s heart.

  “Smart guy.” She slid her leg across Gabe’s body. “If I had any strength left, I might just—”

  Gabe cut her off, frowning as a dark shape moved out of the snow. “
Hell.”

  “What?”

  “We’ve got company.”

  Summer stared over his shoulder. “Just a snowplow. See, he’s turning in the opposite direction. Life has to go on, I suppose.”

  “Not for me,” Gabe muttered. “I may just change my address to the backseat of this car.”

  “Good plan.” She collapsed against him, scattering provoking kisses over his chest until he pulled her down and stilled her with a tongue-to-tongue, openmouthed kiss that started the whole dizzy madness all over again.

  An hour later Gabe could barely move and his knee hurt, but he’d never felt so alive in his life. He owed it all to Summer.

  Not because she didn’t have a clue how graceful, gorgeous, and sensual she was. Not even because of her focus and intensity, which he found more sexually arousing than any low-cut lingerie.

  It was because of the bond that had grown, unshakable between them. Because of their trust. Either way, it added up to a four-letter word he hadn’t had the courage to use for years.

  His parents’ marriage had been rock stable for fifty years, and they’d held hands right up to the day his father had died of a massive heart attack. Gabe had figured they were some kind of freak of nature and had long ago stopped hoping to find the same kind of intensity in a relationship. The women he met usually wanted a few drinks and a night of gritty sex, no strings attached.

  And when they waved good-bye, Gabe had always felt a sense of relief.

  But Summer had stirred a different reaction right from the start. He’d needed to know more about her, wanted to get closer, from the second he’d seen her glaring at him outside the shower.

  She wasn’t bouncy and perky. Her nose was slightly crooked, her shoulders were a little too wide, and she had a mouth that could raise welts. But he found her blindingly irresistible. The sex was incredible, too, but this went way beyond sex. Staring into the darkness, Gabe smiled.

  Her eyes were closed, and her breath skimmed his cheek as she slept, curved against his chest. Even the slightest friction of her thigh against his groin rocketed down to his growing erection.

  It was happening again. She made him feel fifteen again, awash in hormones and sheer lust.