Still Mr. And Mrs. (11 page)

Evelyn leaned closer. “She turned you down, didn’t she?”

Gabe shoved his coffee aside. “You know, Evelyn, one of these days I’m going to disown you.”

Evelyn laughed. “Disown me? Hah, you’ve got that one turned around. I should disown you for being the stubborn jackass you are.”

“You don’t know when to quit, do you?”

“Oh, my dear boy. I can read you so clearly. You’re stuck and don’t know what to do. That beautiful granddaughter-in-law of mine has finally gotten the best of you, and you can’t handle it.”

She waved Hines to her side. “I’d like a mimosa.” She challenged Gabe with her steely glare.

“Evelyn,” Gabe warned.

“And don’t lecture me about drinking this early in the day,” she told him. “I think a celebration is in order and a mimosa sounds good.”

Before Gabe could utter a smart retort, Rebecca walked into the garden room.

“Morning, everyone.” Her voice was velvet-edged and husky.

Her body gently brushed against his shoulder
as she passed him, leaving behind a light scent of jasmine and freshly washed hair.

His gaze traveled up her tanned legs and the soft lavender bicycle pants she was wearing.

She poured herself a cup of coffee and stirred in a little cream.

He watched her every movement, her every breath as the memories of what it was like to be loved by her drifted through his mind.

His head pounded harder. Good Lord, he didn’t need this.

Actually the truth was, he didn’t want to get hurt. The fear that Reb would leave him again ate at his insides. He couldn’t make her happy and though he wished it was just a sex thing between them, he knew in his heart it was much, much more.

He didn’t want to think about it or the fact that more heartache was sure to follow if he didn’t set the record straight.

Rebecca smiled as she sat next to him, giving him a better chance to watch her.

She appeared calm, rested and even a little bit cool. Perhaps a little too cool. Which wasn’t what he was expecting.

“Sleep okay?” she asked. She took a leisurely sip from her mug.

She had her hair pulled up in a loose ponytail, a few unbound tendrils falling down the back of her neck.

His gaze wandered up her neck, to her ear, to her face and lips.

“Fine. How about you?” he asked, feeling his control slip a notch.

He waited for any sort of reaction on her part. A smile, a touch of her hand on his.

Anything.

She sat as still as a doll, staring contentedly into her mug of coffee.

The muscles in his forearm hardened beneath the sleeves of his royal-blue polo shirt. He wanted to touch the tender spot under her ear with his tongue and assail her with his kisses.

“I don’t remember falling asleep.” She leaned back in her chair as though she didn’t want to sit so close to him.

“As a matter of fact, after the party, I don’t remember a thing.”

“It was a lovely party, wasn’t it, Rebecca dear?” Evelyn asked.

“Oh, yes,” Rebecca agreed.

Gabe could only stare at the two of them as they began discussing the evening before, completely ignoring him.

Reb’s voice was calm, her gaze steady. She was acting as though the intimacy they’d shared the night before never had happened.

He should be happy that she was behaving this way. It sure would make walking away a lot easier. It was exactly what he had wanted. No ties, no commitments, no strings.

But for some strange reason he felt angry.

The night before had changed everything, had made him realize his true feelings for her.

When Evelyn finally left the garden room to make arrangements for breakfast, Gabe grabbed Rebecca’s wrist.

“Just what the hell do you think you’re doing?” he asked as calmly as he could.

She eased away from his grip and scooted back a bit, the amusement dying from her green eyes. “I’m trying to enjoy a cup of coffee.”

He braced both of his hands on either side of her chair and pulled her over to him.

“You know what I’m talking about.” He forced his hands to relax, and fought the urge to haul her onto his lap and smother her with deep, hard kisses.

She leaned close to him, her body not quite touching his. Her breath fanned his ear, sending
hot desire straight through him. “I don’t have a clue as to what you’re talking about.”

He hesitated, measuring her for a moment. “What happened between last night and this morning?”

“We had a nice time. That’s all.”

“Is that it?” He studied her face, searching for some sign of the emotion she’d shown the night before.

“Gabe, what do you want me to say?”

“I think last night was a mistake,” he blurted.

“I’m sorry you feel that way.” Her interest shifted from him to the coffee mug in front of her.

He swore under his breath. Everything was going wrong. Why couldn’t he express his feelings?

“Reb, what if you’re pregnant?”

She rested her hand on his arm. He loved the soft feel of her skin against his. It was difficult not to get distracted by just having her near him.

“I told you that you didn’t have to get involved.”

“But I am.”

“You don’t need to be.”

Gabe went still. “You think I could walk away
if you’re pregnant?” He felt as though his heart would stop beating any second.

“Yes, I do.” Her voice was cool, but Gabe could see the doubt in her eyes. “We had an agreement. If I am pregnant, I’ll deal with it on my own.”

Gabe’s stomach pitched. He was so confused, he couldn’t even think straight.

“It’s okay,” she whispered. “Things will work out, I’m sure.” She brushed her lips across his in a bittersweet kiss meant for lost lovers.

Before Gabe realized what he was doing, he pulled her off her chair and onto his lap.

She let out a gasp of surprise.

He wrapped her legs around his waist, and tried, though unsuccessfully, to ignore the heavy arousal between his legs as she settled on top of him.

He’d spent most of the last evening convincing himself he didn’t still care for her, to no avail. Now he was convinced more than ever that he
was
in love with her and that scared him out of his mind.

He shoved his hands into her hair, molding his palms to her head. He pulled her closer to him until his mouth seared over hers in a hot, burning kiss—a kiss both punishing and angry.
But he didn’t know if he was more angry with himself for letting his emotions get out of control or with Reb for making him feel in the first place. He ran his mouth up the side of her face to her ear, kissing wildly.

“Is that all you want?” he asked. “Just my child?”

“Gabe, ah, I—”

“What do you want?” he demanded again.

She let her head tilt back, and he bent his head to kiss the hollow of her throat where her pulse was beating wildly.

“Answer me.” His rough voice betrayed his impatience and annoyance. He gazed at her, waiting for her reply.

She moaned softly and started to pull away. Her eyes were glazed, and her lips were pink and moist. She took a slow, deep breath.

He brushed back the loose curls that had fallen out of her ponytail. The smooth skin along her neck was red from his kisses.

For a second he was convinced she still wanted him as much as he wanted her. He thought he could see it in her eyes, in the way she responded to him.

Then she slowly eased off his lap and returned to her own chair.

He suddenly felt cold and alone.

“I’ve come to the conclusion that you’ve been right all along.”

“About what?” he asked, feeling his emotions strain to their limits.

“We’re not right for each other. We don’t love each other.”

Her words stung.

“And so, I don’t want anything more from you,” she said, “except for you to fulfill your promise to help me set up my day care center. I have my license already and with Jonathan’s donation I’m sure I’ll be able to pull it off.”

She didn’t mention the other part of their bargain, and he didn’t know what to say.

“I’ll keep my word about the business.” He swallowed. “You don’t have to worry about that.”

She gave him a weak smile just as Evelyn walked back into the room.

“Good. Then, there’s nothing left to discuss,” Rebecca said. “Let’s have breakfast.”

It had been a couple of days since he and Rebecca had their rather tense encounter in the garden room when she’d told him the biggest lie of her life.

In his heart he knew she loved him, almost as much as he loved her. He could tell by looking into her eyes.

And with each passing day it was getting more difficult to concentrate on the business at hand—if the mounting paperwork on his desk was any indication—and he hadn’t heard a word Jonathan had said to him all morning.

“I think that takes care of all the details to date.” Jonathan gathered up the papers in front of him.

“What? Oh, yes, Jonathan,” Gabe said, feeling
as though he’d just had a bucket of cold water thrown in his face. “I’ll have our proposal ready by the end of the day so you can look over the final offer.”

Jonathan chuckled as he watched him. “Do you still feel that thrill of closing a deal?”

“Ah, what, Jonathan?”

Jonathan leaned back into the leather chair as though measuring his words. “You know, I see you making the same mistakes I’ve made.”

“Excuse me?”

“When I was younger,” Jonathan said, “my mind was always on business. Nothing else. Almost ruined my marriage and my family.

“I’d oversee this or restructure that,” Jonathan continued, his voice taking on a softer tone than Gabe had ever heard him use. “I always had my fingers in the day-to-day running of the business, whether it was going to battle over some managerial decision or the fun parts that came with owning my own company. I was always at my best during a crisis. It always gave me a real thrill, a high. Do you understand what I mean?”

Gabe nodded. The truth was the thrill was gone. And had been long before the negotiations had started on this merger. The only difference was now he had finally admitted it to himself.

Jonathan put his papers in his briefcase and walked to the library door. “This merger is important. I don’t want you to think otherwise. But I do hope you can recognize when the excitement isn’t there anymore and that you do something about it before it’s too late.”

Gabe looked up at the older man at that moment, realizing the truth in his words.

And he knew why the thrill of high stakes and balancing a multimillion-dollar corporation had died for him.

Reb.

Plain and simple. She’d captured his heart and soul.

“I hope you’re right, Jonathan.” Gabe silently thanked the older man for some good fatherly advice.

“I suppose I’ll see you later this evening for our last formal dinner together with the board members. Oliver and I will be leaving for London first thing tomorrow.”

Gabe walked to the door and shook Jonathan’s hand. “Whatever the outcome on this merger, I want you to know, Jonathan, it’s been a pleasure.”

“Thank you.” Jonathan gave Gabe a smile before leaving.

Rebecca walked down the hallway from Evelyn’s bedroom suite with an armful of clothing and a notebook in her free hand. She didn’t see Gabe until she ran smack into his chest.

“This is a pleasant surprise.”

She felt herself blush. It was silly, of course, that he could still get to her. That just being near him made her skin tingle and her heart do flip-flops.

She stared at him. “If you’re looking for Evelyn, she just left for her hair appointment.”

“I’m not.”

“I had to remind her about her appointment for the third time.” Rebecca tried to calm her erratic pulse. “I’m sure she’ll be late.”

Gabe rubbed his knuckles across her cheek, sending a wave of heat to soar through her. “You’re always thinking of others, aren’t you, Reb?”

She shrugged, looking at the beige carpet. “I don’t think about it. It just comes naturally.”

“Naturally sweet, you mean.”

She glanced at him, knowing she couldn’t have loved him more.

“You’ve been avoiding me,” he said.

“I suppose I have. I’ve had a lot to do helping Evelyn get ready for the dinner party tonight and all.” She indicated the armful of clothing she held. “I promised Evelyn I’d iron her dress.”

“I remember how you used to do those same things for me. I never told you how much I appreciated it, did I? I suppose it’s too late now.”

“It’s never too late to tell someone how you feel, Gabe. Maybe if you had, things would have been different between us. I don’t know.”

She shrugged, trying to throw off the bittersweet feelings he was evoking in her.

“I’m leaving tomorrow,” she said, finally.

He tipped her chin up with a lift of his finger. “I know.”

It was just as well, she concluded. The sooner she returned to her normal routine, the easier it would be to get a sense of order in her life.

She waited for what seemed like an eternity, but he didn’t say anything else. She didn’t know what she expected him to say.

Maybe that he wanted her to stay?

Maybe that he loved her?