Chapter Eight
On Sunday morning, Lianna stood on Tim and Diane’s front porch. Fresh-baked banana bread in hand, she decided now was as good of time as any to apologize for the confrontation last weekend. She had been delaying, but this morning she put on her big girl pants and refused to be intimidated.
Shifting the still warm bread, she knocked. Lianna was in a particularly good mood. Lately she was willing it, forcing herself to be happy despite a growing number of reasons not to be, but not today. Last night had been a blast, allowing her to temporarily forget her troubles.
When no one answered, Lianna knocked again. She smiled, willing her nerves away. Nerves and the guilt over the sense of completion that overtook her last night. When Gabe and Jacob were with her little family everything seemed to fit.
But she didn’t have time to think about that now, so she shoved it all back and tucked it firmly behind her breastbone. She’d save it for an anxiety attack later. Deciding that her neighbors must be out, she bent to leave the bread when the door opened. Diane stood there, eyes wide, looking startled by Lianna’s presence.
“Lianna, what are you doing here?” the woman asked breathlessly.
“Hey, Diane, I’m sorry to startle you.”
The neighbor was a small mousy woman, so slight, a strong gust of wind might blow her away. Fairy-like, dainty features comprised a pale face, framed with hair so blonde it appeared white. She wore a sky-blue blouse with khaki pants that did nothing to add color to her bland complexion. Diane was neither attractive nor unattractive, just very meek looking. While innocent in appearance, nothing about her screamed friendly to Lianna.
Diane’s voice squeaked. “I was just on my way out. Can I help you with something?”
Lianna gathered her thoughts and prayed her smile wouldn’t fail her now.
“Last weekend my friend gave Tim a hard time. It was a misunderstanding. I wanted to apologize. Is he here?”
Diane looked confused. Maybe Tim hadn’t mentioned Gabe’s brutish behavior.
“He isn’t. He went into the interior earlier this week to fish with his brother.”
“That sounds nice. Well, here.” Lianna extended the plate holding the banana bread.
Diana brought her arms into her chest as if the plague were being held out before her.
“It’s banana bread,” Lianna quickly supplied. “The kids helped make it, hopefully you enjoy it.”
Diane’s demeanor softened with the mention of the kids.
“How are the children?” she asked as she reached out to accept the olive branch.
“They’re doing well. Now that they are both in school hopefully it’s a lot quieter during the day for you.”
Diana worked in customer service for a telecom company from home. Based on the slamming windows in the summer, she preferred the school year better.
“Oh, Anna’s in school already?”
“Annie, yes, she’s in preschool, four days a week. It’s at Harris’s school so it makes things easy.” Lianna smiled.
“All that free time must be nice.”
If Diane wasn’t smiling so innocently, Lianna would have thought her comment was a jab. They both stood awkwardly, Lianna not knowing where to take their forced conversation from here. Her skin itched with her eagerness to end this chat.
“Well, anyway,” Lianna cut the silence at the same time Diane said, “She’s such a sweet girl.”
“Oh, thank you, she is. Anyway, I won’t keep you, just wanted Tim to know how much I, we, appreciate him. Please tell him sorry for the confusion.”
Diane nodded, “Be careful. You know, with Justine missing, we all need to be extra careful.”
Lianna sighed. “I know, I heard they found her watch down by the ocean.”
“Oh, I hadn’t heard that. Sad, that doesn’t bode well for her. Any who, enjoy your morning.” Diane turned on her heels and disappeared into the house without another word.
Lianna retreated towards her home, glad she had dodged a bullet with Tim being out of town. She hummed to herself as she walked. Even that strange bird wouldn’t ruin her good mood.
****
The bowling ball that had lodged in Gabe’s throat plummeted down to his stomach. He watched as Lianna walked down Tim’s steps with a big smile plastered on her face. The kids were currently together at a birthday party, so she was home alone. He had been keen to get over here as soon as possible to support Lianna while she filed the police report. The vanilla latte in the cup holder was evidence of the one stop he allowed himself to make her smile. Seems she didn’t need his help with that after all.
Did you think that she was sitting at home pining for you?
That is exactly what he thought, or at least hoped, even though he wasn’t supposed to. After yesterday, he had been so confident that she reciprocated some of his feelings. Now it appeared that she was not being honest about her relationship with the creep next door. It explained why the neighbor’s eyes were so possessive when Gabe confronted him, why Lianna was so apologetic.
The big SUV wheels screeched as he turned into her driveway. Lianna arrived back at her house as he was slowing to a stop. She didn’t even bother to look surprised to see him, instead she waved then opened her massive front door, leaving it ajar for him.
“I’m on to your game,” he said to no one.
Gabe threw his car into “park” with a jerk. He opened and slammed the door with all the gusto of a teenager who had just been grounded on a Friday night. Stomping towards her house, he was surprised the overhanging tree branches didn’t ignite from the sparks shooting from his ears.
Giving the front door a shove, it opened fully and there she was. Lianna was waiting for him with a smile, leaning against the entryway table looking as cool as a cucumber. Without a backwards glance, he nudged the door shut behind him with his foot.
“What’s wrong?” Lianna stood straight, her smile quickly fading.
“Why didn’t you just tell me?” he demanded through clenched teeth.
“Tell you what?”
“About the neighbor?”
“What about her?”
“Him. What about him? I was actually concerned.”
Gabe spent hours in interrogation training and had more practice in making a suspect talk than he cared to admit. But now he was too irate to stop and think. Lianna’s innocent act was fueling his fire and he had no idea where he was going with this line of questioning.
“If he’s so creepy ,” he said the word in a mock female voice, but he was so agitated it just sounded like an odd screech, “why did you look so happy leaving there?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about. Why can I not be happy?” She made a show of throwing her hands up and letting them fall to her side. “I brought him some banana bread to say sorry for your bad attitude last week.” She thrust a finger in his direction.
“I thought I told you not to talk to him,” he retorted with all the authority of a wet blanket.
“First of all, you said not to let him in the house, which I didn’t. Second…” she held up another long finger, “you’re not the boss of me.”
“Oh, that’s mature.”
The irony didn’t escape him that he was standing in a dark hallway arguing with her because his feelings were hurt. It must not have escaped her notice either.
“Mature? You’re standing here yelling at me for bringing his wife bread!”
“What do you mean his wife?” Gabe barked the question but considered for the first time that he may have misjudged the situation.
“Tim wasn’t there.” She gestured in the direction of the neighbors harshly. “So, I left it with Diane, his wife, and said sorry the big brute with me last week was such a jerk!”
Gabe started, then closed his mouth, then started again, but his brain had abandoned him in his time of need.
“Believe it or not, some people don’t relish conflict. They would prefer to get along with, you know, other human beings.” Lianna’s cheeks were rounding the corner quickly from pink to red.
“I just thought… you were smiling and…” He couldn’t get the rest out.
Embarrassment swept in like a tidal wave washing away his anger. She looked at him like he had fifteen heads.
“Why do you care all of a sudden anyway?” None of her anger had subsided. “You were obviously avoiding me before this whole knight in shining armor act. I had to twist your arm to stand in the same room. What did I do to make you despise me in the first place?” She narrowed her eyes, seeming intent on having this out once and for all.
“I don’t despise you, and you know it.” He spoke gently, all the wind having left his sails.
“Of course, you do.” She laughed without a trace of humor. “I wish you would be man enough to admit it.”
The smug way she crossed her arms told Gabe she was baiting him into a fight. But it was too late. All his anger and most of the embarrassment were fleeing, replaced with something entirely different. Something that felt a lot like relief she wasn’t involved with her neighbor.
The urge to kiss her was overwhelming. Gabe’s eyes were pulled down to her chest heaving with frustration. He took a step forward.
“I’m tired of tiptoeing around you, Gabe. One second, you’re avoiding me, the next you’re barking commands and getting mad that I made peace with my neighbors.”
“I’ve never been mad with you.” He shook his head, taking another step closer.
“As a matter of fact,” she continued as if she couldn’t hear him, “I’m not going to keep begging you to like me, to want to spend time with us.”
By the time she had said her piece, he was close enough to reach out and stroke her cheek. The foyer was dim except for the sunlight filtering in from the windows atop the front door. But Gabe could see enough, and he stood there marveling at her.
She was so beautiful, her tan skin flushed from their argument, her chest still rising and falling exaggeratedly with each breath. Thick dark hair was piled on top of her head in some messy knot while loose curls framed her face. The sweatshirt she wore hung slightly off one shoulder. It begged him to bend and kiss the exposed skin there. Standing this close, her vanilla scent filled his nose and had the insides of his mouth watering. He was overcome.
As she glared up at him, her hands placed firmly on her hips, he wondered if she had any idea how perfect a creature she was. The thought had him smiling.
“It’s all a joke to you?”
Before he could react, she turned and stalked to the front door. Yanking it open, she said, “Thanks for stopping by, I truly appreciate your help, but I can handle this on my own now. Bye, Gabe.”
****
Lianna was fuming. Gabe had enraged her. How dare he? But as she stood at the open front door, her anger was quickly retreating. The look he wore on his face had panic setting in. She prayed that he would just leave. He looked so … intense.
Maybe she had pushed him a little too far. Maybe he was just as enraged with her. But as Gabe’s eyes bored into hers, she felt no fear. Succumbing to the weight of his stare, she looked down at her socks. Wimp . Make that a wimp with bad fashion sense, because her white scrunch socks looked ridiculous with her black leggings.
They stood in silence for what seemed like an eternity. Just when she was about to ask him to leave again, Gabe strode to the front door without choking her. Lianna released a giant breath, thankful for tiny miracles. The reprieve was short lived however, as the front door closed, followed by him clearing his throat. Startled, her eyes darted up.
Gabe stood directly in front of her. Steady wisps of breath caressed her face as he stared down. His chest rose and fell so fast, she couldn’t help but imagine what it would feel like to place her hand over his heart and feel its mighty thump. Lianna’s gaze continued up to lips that were slightly parted, then to heavy lidded brown eyes.
“I like you too much,” he whispered the words.
Lianna searched his hooded eyes for the truth.
“What?” she hissed, grateful to form words at all under the scrutiny of his stare.
“You said I didn’t like being with you, but I do. Too much.”
Lianna’s insides stirred. Withering under the severe eye contact, she instead focused on the collar of his t-shirt. A big hand entered her peripheral vision, coming up to cup her jaw. Gently, he nudged her face upwards. His eyes locked on her lips, and she swallowed.
Gabe slowly ducked down and ever so slightly brushed his lips across hers. Shivers raced through her as his hand slid up to the side of her face. He kissed her again before pulling back and nudging her nose with his. It was such a simple gesture, but it made her knees buckle.
Gabe searched her eyes, presumably finding permission in them as he resumed with his tender kisses. Feathering each one so delicately, all she could manage was to stand there like a deer in headlights. Eyes wide open, mouth parted but seemingly paralyzed. Lianna didn’t understand why he was kissing her, but more than that, she didn’t want him to stop.
The thought of ending this little preview of heaven kicked her into action, as she tentatively kissed back. Instead of stopping, he moved his other hand up so that he was cradling her cheeks in both hands now. Gabe angled her face, his kisses becoming firmer. The scruff of his beard rasped the sensitive skin around her mouth.
Lianna’s hands acted on their own accord, sliding up his chest to revel at the firm muscles beneath. A rumble came from the back of his throat, and he took a step towards her. They were already standing toe-to-toe, so the movement sandwiched her against the front door.
The length of Gabe’s body pressed against her entire front, providing satisfying warmth. Lianna’s hands left his chest, gliding up and around his neck. The incredible feel of all that muscle and heat had her up on tiptoes searching for more. She got what she was looking for when Gabe’s tongue stroked hers. It searched her mouth, finding hers eager to participate. Groaning again, he pushed her against the door with more force.
Lianna had seen passionate kisses in movies and read about them in novels, but never experienced something so all-consuming before. The kiss was an exercise in zero to sixty, one-minute tenderness, the next desperation. Where he was gentle before, he was hungry and greedy now.
Lianna’s fingers wound into his thick dark hair, as his hands traveled down to her waist. She was finally getting what she had wanted for so long, but it wasn’t enough. She yearned for more of him.
Clearly sensing her need, Gabe encouraged their bodies even closer. A strong hand traveled up her shirt onto the small of her back, anchoring her in place. She rubbed shamelessly against him, sighing at the contact.
With one hand still on the small of her back, Gabe’s other hand traveled down to grab her behind. He kneaded it possessively as he eagerly rocked himself into her. She felt her own tension building until it was almost painful. To say she was lost in him was the understatement of the century.
Unknowing if they kissed for thirty seconds or thirty minutes, a high-pitched ringing began to intrude on her fantasy. As the shrill sound continued, the lusty fog dissipated. Her fingers released his hair, sliding down his chest, this time stopping to push against him. She gained enough clarity to realize the sound was coming from his phone.
Pulling her mouth away with considerable effort, she gasped his name. It came out breathier than she intended and sounded much more like an invitation than a warning. He must have thought the same, as he turned his attention to her neck. The feel of his hot open-mouthed kisses sent Lianna right back to fantasy land.
Gabe reached into his pocket and silenced the phone, while his firm lips lit her sensitive skin on fire. His beard was deliciously rough, scraping across her exposed shoulder. Lianna relaxed the hands pressing against his chest, realizing she had no interest in stopping where this was headed. Then the ringing started again.
“Stop.”
Her voice sounded incredibly unconvincing to her own ears, so she tried again.
“Gabe, stop!”
She added another push to his chest for effect. Looking disoriented, he released her. She instantly regretted it, feeling off balance and exposed.
Gabe stood there, chest puffing, eyes so hooded they were almost closed. He looked wild, primal even. She considered tackling him onto the entry rug. Instead, she shook her head, and looked in the direction of the sound.
The shrilling phone finally brought some cognition to his eyes. He reached into his pocket and withdrew the little cock blocker. When he looked at the display his expression changed, his eyes opening in alert, his back stiffening. He silenced the call once again, but this time kept the phone in his grip.
Lianna folded her arms around herself and stepped to the side when he reached for her.
“Lianna.”
“You should go.”
Sanity had returned, illuminating the fact that she had so passionately given herself over to a man she had accused of loathing her just seconds before. Confusion and embarrassment took hold. The way she flung herself at him must have appeared so desperate.
“Come here…”
“Just please go,” she cut him off tersely.
Jerking his chin at her tone, he rubbed his lower jaw as if she physically struck him. Gabe considered his options.
“Okay, if that’s what you want?”
She gave a curt nod.
“Will you call in the police report when I leave?”
She had forgotten all about it. “Yes, I’ll do it now.”
“And you’ll forward me the case number when you get it?”
“Sure.”
Seemingly appeased with her answer, Gabe retreated towards the door. Stopping with a hand placed on the knob, he looked over his shoulder at her.
“We are going to talk about this,” he eyed her determinedly, “but it’s up to you if we finish it.” Then Gabe opened the door, and this time he was gone.