Chapter Fourteen
Gabe
She makes me forget everything but her. -Gabe
We lay there for a moment until there’s a knock on the door. “Um, Gabe, I think you guys should probably get moving.” Then he says in a lower voice, “Gemma’s dad is here to make sure she’s ready.”
“Fuck,” I say succinctly.
Gemma immediately rolls off the bed and starts dressing. “Shit, shit, shit.”
Apparently, we’ve both been reduced to cursing like sailors because of our mutual panic. I pull on my pants and gather my white dress shirt off the floor. I examine it for a second and note all the wrinkles. This man is definitely going to know I just fucked his daughter.
“I’ll walk out before you,” I say to Gemma. “Just act casual. We could have just been talking.”
Gemma rolls her eyes. “I’m twenty-four-years old, Gabe. I can sleep with anyone I want or as many people as I want.”
I growl. “Don’t make me spank your ass by mentioning other people, Gemma.”
She grins. “I’m kidding, Romeo. Just don’t worry about my dad. He’s harmless.”
She obviously doesn’t realize what a protective father can be like. Come to think of it, I’m not sure I know either. My dad left when I was a baby.
I swallow my nerves and open the door. I find John pacing back and forth again, but this time I don’t think it has anything to do with her stalker.
I clear my throat.
His head snaps around and those blue eyes of his, so like Gemma’s, pin with a frosty glare. He takes one look at my wrinkled attire and lets out a disgusted snort. “You done fooling around with my daughter so you can actually protect her?”
I raise an eyebrow. “What did King tell you?”
“He didn’t have to. I’ve seen the way the two of you look at each other and the prolonged time in the room was another clue.” His cheeks turn red. “King actually tried to talk loud so I didn’t hear, certain, um noises from in there, but he couldn’t mask everything.”
Fuck, now it’s my turn for my cheeks to turn red. “Uh, sorry?” I offer, not sure how to handle this unique situation.
He stalks over to me and grabs my lapel. “Sorry? You’re fucking sorry? You’re supposed to be protecting her, not fucking her!”
“Enough,” a firm feminine voice says from behind me. “Enough Dad. I’m an adult and so is Gabe. This is none of your business.”
His gaze cuts to her. “Gem, he’s our employee. He is the definition of my business.”
She comes to stand beside me. I take her hand in mine and she sends me a surprised look.
“He can still protect me just fine Dad. This won’t affect that.” She sounds so sure of me that I send her a look of awe. She still believes I can do this, that I can make sure she’s safe. And she’s right. I would lay down my life in a heartbeat for her.
I squeeze her hand. “She’s right, John. I will not stop until this guy is caught. And I’ll make sure no one ever hurts her.”
“Can you include yourself in that? Are you so sure you won’t break her heart?” he asks in a harsh voice. “Because she’s been hurt before, and I’m damn tired of that shit. I want my baby girl safe and her heart fully intact.”
I take a deep breath. I look over at her.
“I’m sorry I’m doing this for the first time in front of your father, sweetheart, but I need to say it.
” I take both her hands in mine and look into those wary blue eyes.
“I love you. I mean it when I say I’m sticking.
I’m not going anywhere, not even when this job is over. ”
Her eyes sparkle with tears and I can’t resist stroking a finger down her cheek. “This is supposed to be a good thing, princess.”
She throws her head back. “It is a good thing. It’s a great thing. I love you too, you idiot. Of course, I do.”
I take her in my arms and kiss her hard until I’m almost ready to pick her up and take her back in that bedroom and make love to her all over again. The sound of her father clearing his throat finally breaks us apart.
There’s a small smile on his lips when I look over.
“I’m happy for y’all, but just remember we still have the small problem of a stalker.
Don’t let your guard down.” He blows out a long breath.
“On the other hand,” he glances over at his daughter, “it’s nice as hell to see you happy, baby girl.
And I wish your mom was here to see you find someone you care about so much. ”
She releases me and walks over to her dad. “I wish she was too, Dad. But I’m sure she knows. And I hope she knows how good of a job you’ve done raising me too.”
The older man’s eyes gleam with tears and he looks at Gemma with utter tenderness. “Thank you, Gem.”
There’s a moment of silence between all of us, until finally I clap my hands together.
“Okay, now let’s go catch a stalker.”