Perfect Timing (26 page)

She entered his home after placing a chaste brush of her lips across his cheek. He closed the door behind her. “How was your trip?” he asked, knowing she had been out of town on business for the past week.

“Atlanta was fun as usual,” she replied, tracing a polished fingertip along his earlobe. “I know this visit is rather unexpected, but I hope you're in a position to help me out with something.”

Her voice was low and seductive, and he liked that. “Something like what?” he prompted, although he had a fairly good idea. He watched her eyes grow dark and sensuous which caused a deep stirring in his body.

She leaned forward, and after reaching around him to release the towel covering his body, she moved into a position that placed a silken-clad thigh between his nude legs. It was obvious she felt his erection when her lips tilted into a smile. Her mouth was mere inches from touching his. He let his gaze linger on that mouth, thinking how well practiced it was in pleasing him.

She then grinned wryly. “I need to be screwed senseless tonight, Gabe.”

He couldn't help the smile that tugged at his lips. The one thing he liked most about Debbie was her honesty, her candidness and more importantly, her hearty sexual appetite. He felt a hard throbbing that started low and deep in his groin. “That makes two of us. I need to be screwed senseless tonight myself.”

Her smile widened. “Oh, yeah?”

“Hell, yeah.” He lowered his head and claimed her mouth, nibbling, sucking and tasting, creating the level of intimacy they both needed and wanted. As always, her enthusiasm and hunger thrilled him and took his sexual cravings to a whole new level.

Picking her up into his arms and taking her into his bedroom, he knew that before the night was over, they would get what they both wanted.

 

The sun was setting low in the sky when Gabe and Christopher completed their final inspection of the job site, a small yet upscale shopping mall on the outskirts of Detroit. Everything was on target with plans for the opening by the first of October. After a brief discussion with their building foreman, they removed their hard hats and safety glasses and walked back toward their cars.

“Dinner's at six if you want to drop by,” Christopher invited before opening the door to his vehicle.

Gabe shook his head. Even after a full year, it was hard seeing his best friend as a happily married family man when Christopher had always sworn to never marry. He had been the ultimate bachelor, a ladies' man, and one who strongly believed in sex-only relationships. But Maxi, a woman from Christopher's past, had reentered his life and changed all of that, which proved there were such things as miracles. Hell, Chris had even traded his Mercedes sports car in for…of all things…a minivan.

Gabe silently grinned.
A minivan.
He was ashamed for Christopher since Christopher was too happy with life to be ashamed for himself. “Thanks, Chris, but I need to get prepared for that trip to Anchorage next week. Since the Landmark deal was originally your baby, I have to make sure I'm up on everything about it.”

Christopher nodded. He knew that John Landmark intended for his exclusive ski resort to be the largest in the world, as well as the most renowned. It would be nestled among miles and miles of snow-covered mountain slopes and scenic wood trails; a project that would take a year to complete, maybe longer if the weather wasn't cooperative. Landmark had handpicked a firm in Charlotte to handle the resort's marketing and advertising, and a firm from California to take care of the landscape designs. With an undertaking of this magnitude it was important that all three entities work together if the end result was to be successful. “All right, but if you change your mind, you know you're welcome.”

Back in his car Gabe began his journey home. A part of him was eager to start work on the ski resort. Being awarded the contract had literally opened doors, and business was booming. Recently, he and Christopher had discussed hiring an additional building crew just to handle the new business they were acquiring.

Gabe looked forward to the two weeks he would spend in Anchorage, a city that was vastly different from Detroit. He needed to get away for a while, especially because of his mother's overzealous matchmaking schemes. She had called earlier that day, telling him about another young woman that she wanted him to meet. He had come up with an excuse why he couldn't meet the woman any time soon and had quickly ended the conversation.

His thoughts turned back to Anchorage and all the work he had to pack into the two weeks he would be there, including finding suitable temporary housing for his men. Because of the length of time many of them would be staying there, some had decided to take their families with them, an option he and Christopher had offered them. The last thing the company needed was any member of the work crew getting homesick or pining for companionship. And those who decided to leave their families behind could fly home at least four times, which included the major holidays.

Gabe planned to make time to check out the city while he was there. He'd heard that Anchorage was beautiful and the perfect place to fish, which was something he enjoyed doing. And since he would eventually be spending a lot of his time there, he may as well look for temporary housing for himself as well.

Less than twenty minutes later, Gabe had arrived home. The first thing he did was check his phone messages. He wasn't surprised to find several from his mother, but he
was
surprised to find one from Keri Morton. She had called to thank him for dinner and to let him know that she and her ex-boyfriend had decided to try and work things out for the baby's sake. Gabe shook his head as he made his way to the refrigerator for a beer. After the earful Keri had given him, he truly wished them the best.

She had been a woman on the rebound, and he had to remember that type of woman was nothing but trouble.