I’ll Be There (14 page)

He took a minute and just stared in wonder at her. Was it really this easy? Was it really just a matter of sharing his fears and she was going to be there with him no matter what? He thought about it and then shook his head. Either way, she was staying and he was thrilled.

“I say, what's playing?”

* * *

Gabriella drove back to Zach's late the following morning and felt a sense of anticipation she'd never felt before. The sudden turn in their relationship should have felt weird, but it didn't. If anything, it seemed to make everything fall into place. She was happy. She was content.

She was hopeful.

Zach had kissed her breathless when she'd left the night before, and there was a small part of her that wanted him to ask her to stay. It was too soon, she knew it was too soon, but she couldn't help but feel a little disappointed when she drove home. Soon, she told herself. When Zach was feeling more like his old self, maybe they'd transition into a more physical relationship, but for now she would need to be patient and supportive and be there for him however he needed.

Even though she still had the key to his house, she knocked. Then she felt guilty because it meant he had to struggle with his crutches to answer the door. Fishing through her purse, she had her fingers on the key when Zach suddenly appeared.

“Hey,” he said, a little breathless.

“Hey, yourself.” Gabriella held up the key with a lopsided grin. “I wasn't sure if I should use it or not.”

Zach took a step back and motioned for her to come in. “Always use it. I gave it back to you because you're always welcome here.”

“You weren't saying that a few days ago,” she muttered and was surprised when Zach's arm quickly banded around her waist and he pulled her in close.

“I thought we were moving forward.” His eyes scanned her face, his expression serious. “I know I can't erase all the things I said, but I also don't want to keep rehashing them.”

“You're right,” Gabriella conceded. “I shouldn't have brought it up. I'm sorry.”

Now it was Zach's turn to grin. His head bent toward hers. “You're forgiven.” And then his lips touched hers, tentative at first, and then with more urgency. He sighed with pleasure when Gabriella instantly responded to him.

She couldn't help herself—he was quickly becoming addictive. The man certainly knew how to kiss and if she wasn't careful, they wouldn't be leaving the house any time soon. Her tongue gently traced Zach's lips, and Gabriella couldn't help but smile when she heard him growl. She felt empowered—and turned on—but quickly did her best to take it down a notch and put a little space between them.

“I bought tickets to the one o'clock movie. We need to get going if we're going to stop for lunch and get to the theater in time. It's about forty-five minutes away.”

“Seriously? You can think of a movie right now?” he asked breathlessly, his forehead resting against hers.

Gabriella sighed and leaned in closer to him. “Crazy, right? I guess I'm just good at multitasking,” she said teasingly and giggled when he groaned. “Come on,” she finally said and forced herself to move away again. “This is a big day and I'd think you'd be excited to get out of the house for something other than a doctor's appointment.”

“I am,” he said, but Gabriella knew he wasn't.

“Did you tell anyone what we were doing today?”

He shook his head. “I wanted to wait and see how it went. I don't want to jinx it.”

She could understand that but wished he was a bit more enthusiastic.

Unable to help herself, she busied herself around the living room, straightening stacks of papers, fluffing pillows, and putting dirty glasses in the dishwasher while Zach was getting ready to go.

“You're not on the clock, Gabs,” Zach said as he took a look around the room and slid a jacket on. “I don't expect you to clean up the place every time you're here.”

“Sorry,” she said as she walked back into the room. “It's just habit, I guess. I'll stop.”

There was an awkward silence as they made their way out of the house and out to Gabriella's car. She drove a fairly sensible sedan, but Zach was so big that she suddenly worried about his comfort.

“Um…Zach?”

“Yeah?”

“Would it be better if we took your car? I mean, it's bigger…more leg room and whatnot. If you're okay with me driving it…?”

“Thank God,” he said with a chuckle. “I didn't want you to think I was ungrateful but as soon as we stepped out here and I got a good look at your car, I began to second-guess this whole plan.” They both seemed to relax as they shared a laugh. “The keys are back in the house. If you don't mind running back in to get them, I'll wait here.”

“No problem.” Gabriella quickly spun around and went back into the house and found the keys on the shelf next to the front door. Locking the house back up, she met Zach over by his SUV. His face was turned up, his eyes closed, and from what she could tell, he was simply enjoying the feel of the sun on his face.

Halting in her steps, she could only smile and stare. Gabriella was certain that being forced to be inside for so many months was just another disappointment for someone as active as Zach. Gabriella made a mental note to find some outdoor activities for them once he was stronger. Nothing dangerous or even remotely tricky—maybe a picnic or a walk in the park—someplace where Zach could simply enjoy the fresh air.

Gabriella closed the gap between them and walked over to the car. “Got them,” she said and jingled the keys in her hands. She'd never driven such a big SUV before, but figured they'd be fine. “Do you need any help?”

Zach shook his head. “This is actually the easy part. Because the car is up a little higher, I can get in much easier than if I had to lower myself into your car.” He grinned at her as they both took their seats. “Sorry.”

“For what?”

“I'm sure you had everything all worked out and I threw a monkey wrench into your plans. I know you don't like that.”

Normally she didn't, but there were extenuating circumstances here. “It's fine. Really. I just hope you realize I'm used to driving something much smaller. This is…um…well, this is a little intimidating.”

“I think you can handle it,” he said with a wink.

Fortunately, they made the drive without any issues, talking the entire time. Gabriella had forgotten how well they used to get along and how they never seemed to run out of things to talk about. From news, to sports, movies, books…there was never a lull in the conversation. She parked the car in front of a small mom-and-pop diner and looked over at Zach.

“I thought someplace remote might make you feel more comfortable. I've eaten here before and the food is really good, but there's never a crowd.”

His smile conveyed his gratitude. They went inside and sat in a corner booth. It took Zach a little longer to get situated, and by the time he was ready to look at a menu, there was a light sheen of sweat on his brow.

“Are you all right?” Gabriella asked quietly.

“I guess I didn't think it would be so much work.”

She looked around. “Maybe we should have sat at a table,” she said nervously.

Zach reached across the table and took one of her hands in his. “Hey, it's all right. How were we going to know unless we tried, right?”

Visibly relaxing, Gabriella smiled at him. “I just don't want you to get discouraged.”

“It's amazing the things we take for granted,” he said, pulling his hand back. “A few months ago, I never would have given sliding in and out of a booth a second thought. But now? Now I have to think about leg room and where to put the crutches and using my upper body more than my lower.” He sighed. “I never thought it would be this hard.”

“It's going to get easier, Zach. You and Alex are going to work together and figure everything out and before you know it, you won't have to be thinking about these things. Everything will be back to normal.”

“I wish I had your optimism,” he said as he opened his menu.

Gabriella took it as her cue to do the same and let the subject drop. Before the waitress could come over, Zach took the menu from her hands.

“Promise me something,” he said, with a smirk and a hint of a challenge.

“What?”

“Please don't get a salad. I know it's your go-to lunch, but just for today, please get something else. A sandwich, a burger, just…not a salad.”

She chuckled. “I had no idea my choice of lunch food caused you such distress.”

“It's not that,” he said and then couldn't help but laugh with her. “I just enjoy sharing a meal with you—a real meal.”

Gabriella sighed dramatically. “Fine. If it's that important to you, then I'll get a BLT. But that means I'm skipping the popcorn at the movie theater.”

“You can't skip the popcorn. It's the best part of going to the movies!”

“Shouldn't the movie be the best part of going to the movies?” she asked, trying to wrap her brain around this ridiculous conversation.

Now it was Zach's turn to sigh dramatically. “Okay, let's just say it's a tie. Movies and popcorn go hand in hand. It's the total experience. You can't have one without the other, in my opinion.”

She shrugged. “Take your pick. Either I get a BLT or the popcorn. I'm not doing both. I don't think we'll have to worry about whether you can handle this outing if I'm sick from overeating.”

“Seriously? You're going to compare me not being able to walk to you having a snack?”

A light blush crept up her cheeks. “I don't expect you to understand, but…I eat the way I do for a reason. I'm not big on junk food and I enjoy my salads.”

“Fine. But this time, get the BLT and skip the popcorn.” He grinned broadly. “More for me.”

She laughed. “That's fine with me. Have at it.”

* * *

An hour later, it was all Zach could do to keep from laughing out loud. It wasn't that the movie was funny. Far from it. It was a serious action drama. Right now, two people were plunging to their potential demise on the screen, but his focus was on Gabriella. She kept reaching for the popcorn and then pulling her hand back—while thinking Zach wasn't paying attention.

Oh, he was paying attention. How could he not when they were sitting so close together and she smelled like heaven? Her signature scent was clean and floral and it drove him wild. Plus they were shoulder to shoulder and her hand kept creeping closer to him.

Without a word, he took her wayward hand in his and planted it firmly on his thigh and held it there. She shot a quick look at him but Zach pretended to be interested in the whole plunging-to-their-death scene playing out on the screen.

Bad idea.

Not pretending to watch the movie, but putting her hand on him. Now all he could do was imagine what it would feel like on other parts of his body—sans clothes. Dammit. When they'd made these plans yesterday, his biggest fear was being able to walk in and out of the damn movie theater without his leg giving out. Now he had to worry about getting in and out of the movie theater while sporting a major hard-on.

Normally not a bad problem to have but right now it was pretty awkward.

Carefully, he placed the large bucket of popcorn strategically over his lap and prayed Gabriella wasn't going to cave in and have any. If she did, he'd have to distract her. Maybe feed the popcorn to her.

Watch her tongue slowly dart out of those perfectly glossed lips.

He groaned at the image.

“Are you all right?” she whispered in his ear and suddenly Zach didn't care about his legs, the movie, the popcorn, or his own arousal.

Reaching over, he cupped a hand behind her nape and drew her in for a kiss. Gabriella didn't even resist, and that was hotter to Zach than anything else she ever could have done. Her hands reached up and cupped his face as his tongue pressed through the seam of her lips to mate with hers.

At this rate, he might have to dump the popcorn out on the ground and turn the bucket upside down on his lap to hide his growing erection. Zach couldn't remember the last time he had been so overwhelmed, so consumed with need for a woman.

Far. Too. Long.

He couldn't believe he was sitting here making out with Gabriella in a movie theater. He hadn't done anything like this since he was about sixteen and yet…and yet it just seemed to fit for them. Nothing about their relationship was normal. Nothing about it was rational. And if he was honest with himself, he liked that about them. He liked that they were being unconventional. That they were behaving a little like teenagers who were both so into each other they couldn't wait another minute to act on their attraction.

Gabriella purred into his mouth and Zach was lost. If they were anyplace else but here, he'd have her sprawled out beneath him while he touched her from head to toe. It was going to happen.

Soon.

Not here, but soon.

Beside him, Gabriella shifted and he'd swear she was trying to keep herself from crawling into his lap. Something he would definitely be on board with if they were alone, but here and now, it just couldn't be.

Reluctantly, he ended the kiss and pulled back slightly. “You're killing me, Gabs,” he said quietly.

Her eyes were closed, her breathing ragged, her hands still cupped his jaw. “I'd apologize but you're killing me too.” Her eyes slowly opened and scanned his face. “How did this happen? How did we get here?”

The thought of making a joke briefly crossed his mind, but it was quickly forgotten. All he could think of was how thankful he was she'd come over the night before and he'd finally been brave enough to share his feelings with her. Had he known how she was going to respond, he would have acted on those feelings sooner.

Much sooner.