Chapter Thirteen
H ildegard’s wet nose on her face woke her up early the next morning.
She lay on her side with Gabriel behind her, his arm wrapped around her waist. His warm body, big and hard, surrounded her, creating a cocoon she never wanted to leave. But even as she lay there, her mind started to spin with questions. Would he wake up embarrassed or regretful? Did she feel either of those things?
Everything was so natural last night, but his moods could change. No one knew that better than her. He’d been lighter, more at ease since telling her about Ricky, but what were they doing? Should they talk about it?
Hilde needed to be let out, and it was probably best not to be around when he woke up. She’d give him some time to collect himself, and then she wouldn’t have to see his first unfiltered reaction. He made a sleepy noise of dissent as she carefully rolled away, his arm tightening in resistance before releasing her. Shivering, she ran to her room and pulled on clothes in the near dark. It was maybe seven o’clock, barely light, and the blizzard still hadn’t let up.
Stepping outside, the force of the wind took her breath away. But as she stepped off the stairs into the pristine snow, a fierce exhilaration grabbed hold of her, and she laughed out loud.
There was no way Hilde could go to the bathroom in the snow that had accumulated in the last day, so together they made their way to the back of the house, leaping and jumping together. The space beneath the deck offered a reprieve, and Hilde squatted there with a look of embarrassed relief.
The generator sat under the deck in the farthest corner from the house, the gas can right beside it. By its silence, she deduced it had run out of fuel. She stood staring at it for a long minute, wondering if she should try to fill it or leave it to Gabriel. But she was right here, and without it, the refrigerator wouldn’t run. No, it was stupid to wait for him. That was something the old Lucy would have done. She turned the generator switch to the off position, and after a little nervous examination, removed the gas cap and poured the fuel in. When she turned it on, it hummed back to life.
Pleased with herself, she headed over to Gabriel’s cabin and did the same for the smaller generator there.
It was starting to grow lighter, and she could make out downed branches, some of them as big as small trees themselves, strewn around the edges of the clearing. There would be plenty for Gabriel to do when the storm stopped. He’d probably love it.
She went inside as quietly as possible, shaking out her clothing and stepping gingerly around the wet spots in the mudroom. But Gabriel was already up and feeding logs into the fire. He was dressed in his track pants and a hooded sweatshirt, his hair mussed. She steeled herself for a hasty apology and a quick exit, but he only looked at her with sleepy eyes and a lazy grin.
“Morning,” she said, too shy to approach him.
Coming to her, he cupped her cheek and planted a firm kiss on her mouth. “How is it out there?”
It took her brain a second to catch up. “Cold, windy, snowy. Kind of awesome.”
“I’ll take care of the generator. I’m guessing it’s already stopped running.”
“I did that. And yours, too.”
“You did?”
“I was right there, and you left the gas can and everything. It was no big deal.”
“I...that’s great.” He followed her into the kitchen, looking slightly lost. “Sorry I didn’t get up sooner.”
“It’s my fault for wearing you out.”
He smiled. “I guess it is.”
She couldn’t resist kissing him again. She meant it to be quick, but his hands came up and gripped her hips, and it turned into something long and lazy, promising more.
She had to hold on to him when they finally drew apart, and she was gratified to see he looked as dazed as she felt. “I’d better make some coffee.”
“Are you hungry?” he asked. “I could make us breakfast with Len’s fancy waffle maker.”
“That sounds amazing.”
Now she was the one recalculating. He was acting so natural, like what they’d done was not in the least a cause for concern.
Maybe there was no need for discussion. They could see where things went. She was here for at least two more months, possibly longer if she needed it. If this was real, they could talk about what came next. If it wasn’t...well, she’d be gone and starting over somewhere else, anyway. No harm, no foul.
She used the French press to make coffee while Gabriel pulled things out of the fridge and cabinets. He plugged the waffle maker into the one working outlet, and before long he was pouring batter into the heated griddle, his face a study in concentration.
She set plates and utensils, butter and syrup on the table.
He slid a waffle onto a plate. “Dig in.”
“I’ll wait for you,” she said, watching him pour the batter once more. She could stare at him for hours, drinking in the graceful way he moved, the expressions that came and went.
When his waffle was ready, they moved to the table. He observed as she spread butter on and poured a generous amount of maple syrup.
“Aren’t you going to eat?” she asked.
“I like looking at you.”
“I can’t eat if you’re not eating.”
He laughed and took a bite.
“This is incredible,” she said. “Thank you.” She dragged a bite of waffle through melted butter and syrup. “Looking the way you do, and cooking, you must have had women falling at your feet.”
He gave a surprised laugh. “I don’t know about falling at my feet, but it didn’t hurt. Angie appreciated it. She could barely boil pasta.”
“You were living with her?”
He nodded. “We were planning to get married, but after Ricky, things fell apart.”
She hadn’t expected that, but she kept her voice neutral. “What do you mean?”
He paused. “Are you sure you want to hear this?”
“Only if you want to tell me.”
He scrubbed at his beard. “I was a mess after Ricky died. Angie was used to me taking care of things—taking care of her—and I couldn’t anymore. She tried to stick it out, but I wasn’t easy to live with, and it wasn’t what she signed up for.” He let out a long breath. “It was a relief when she left.”
“It sounds like maybe you dodged a bullet.”
His gaze, sharp and surprised, met hers. “What do you mean?”
She hadn’t meant to sound so judgmental, but she understood Angie more than she wanted to.
“It’s great that you liked taking care of her, but when you needed someone to lean on, she couldn’t do it. That’s not someone you want to marry.”
“I never thought about it that way. I only know I let her down.”
“You’d know better than I would. But you have to be able to count on the person you marry to be there for you in hard times. Especially then.”
He frowned down into his coffee, his strong throat working as he swallowed.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “I shouldn’t have said anything.”
“No, I’m glad you did.”
They ate without talking for several minutes. Gabriel smiled at her, but it was obvious he was thinking about something, and she didn’t want to intrude on it.
She grabbed her phone and checked the weather. “It’s supposed to start clearing up tonight,” she said, hiding her disappointment.
She wasn’t ready for all this to be over. What if this magic ended with the storm?
“Should I come over tonight and make you dinner?” he asked.
She grabbed hold of his hand and squeezed. “You should definitely come over. The dinner part is up to you.”
“It won’t be anything fancy, since I can only work with what I’ve got in the cabin, but I’ll figure something out.”
“You can use whatever I have here,” she said, standing up. “Do you want to shower before you go?” she asked, remembering that his cabin wouldn’t have hot water.
“That’s probably a good idea.”
That seemed to remind him why he needed a shower, and the look he gave her nearly curled her toes. She was almost sure he was thinking about inviting her in with him.
But that was so intimate, something true lovers did.
“You go ahead, I’ll clean up,” she said, standing and grabbing the plates.
A few minutes later she heard the shower turn on and went still, once again imagining the water sluicing over him, pooling in the defined hollows of his muscles. Only now she knew the heat and texture of his skin.
She only had to get through the rest of the day, and then she’d learn him all over again.
Fifteen minutes later, he came out fully dressed, his damp hair curling against his forehead.
“Did you have enough hot water?” she asked.
“Plenty. Enough for a longer one if you want to join me next time.”
Giving in to the urge, she wrapped her arms around his waist. He was big and hard and warm, and she could have stood like that for days. “Yes, please.”
Later that morning, she dutifully sat down at her laptop, but for the first time possibly ever, her own life was more interesting than what she was writing. Gabriel was as sexy and fierce as she remembered, but warmer and more affectionate, funnier than she’d expected.
Thinking about last night left her languid and slow, like a cat in the sun. She could have sat and stared out the window all day. She managed to keep to her schedule only by reminding herself of her inescapable deadline.
When she took Hilde out later in the afternoon, the snow was lighter and the wind had stopped. Snow rose higher than her head in some places, and Hilde’s valiant attempts to bound her way through it ended with them back under the deck.
Lucy refueled the generator while she was at it, then headed back inside.
“What do you say we make some fudge?” she said, grabbing the ingredients from the cabinets and fridge. “It’s the least we can do when he’s making dinner, right? Also, it’ll keep me from going crazy with nerves and lust.”
Would it be impolite to jump him the second he walked in? Was it presumptuous even to assume they would have sex tonight? Surely not, when he’d suggested they would shower together.
Yes, she definitely needed to keep busy, and making fudge entailed paying close attention to the temperature. She was putting the fudge in the fridge to cool when Hilde went to the door and began emitting sharp yips of joy.
“Come on in!” Lucy called.
Gabriel entered carrying his duffel bag and a shopping bag. He set both down to give Hilde pets. “It smells amazing in here.”
“I made chocolate fudge.”
The look on his face as he came toward her sent a rush of heat through her veins.
“I seem to be living the dream,” he murmured, his hands running up her arms. “I definitely don’t deserve this.”
“Well, I do,” she said, rising up on her toes and kissing him.
He gave a low groan, and then she was on the counter, Gabriel between her legs.
“I’ve been thinking about you all day,” he said, his mouth claiming hers.
She was instantly drowning in him. She spread her thighs wider and pulled him closer. Her mouth demanded more.
He kissed her neck, nipped at her earlobe.
“I could eat you right up in one bite,” he growled, lifting her top over her head.
He was already hard, and she rubbed against him like an animal. She couldn’t think of a single reason not to let him take her right there.
He ground against her until her head was thrown back, her neck bared for him.
“Need to take these off you,” he said, his fingers working on the snap of her jeans.
“Yes, yes. Get them off.”
She lifted herself enough for him to drag her pants and underwear over her ass and down her legs. She kicked them off, and then his big hands were smoothing their way back up her legs, setting fire to every inch of skin he touched.
His thumbs brushed against her mound as he moved closer. “My God, you’re gorgeous.”
Her hands shook as they worked his button and zipper, and then she was stroking him even as her legs wrapped around his hips. He pulled her until she was on the very edge of the counter, braced a hand on her back, and entered her in one slow thrust.
She lost her mind then. He was inside her, all around her, all she could see or breathe.
And still, it wasn’t enough.
He kissed her as she moaned and cried out, rolling his hips in a rhythm that had her digging her nails into his shoulders.
“Please, Gabriel,” she begged, out of her mind. She wanted it to go on forever, and she couldn’t bear any more pleasure.
He drove into her hard as his mouth closed over a puckered nipple, and she broke apart on a scream moments before he shuddered over her.
He stared down at her as he stroked a hand from her neck to her belly and down one leg. “You make me crazy,” he said, breathing hard. “Next time, I’ll at least get you horizontal.”
“And I’m going to get you naked.”
His smile was wicked. “Deal.”
Carefully, he pulled out and set her on her feet. He righted himself, then picked up her discarded clothes. “As much as I like you naked, you probably want to get dressed.”
“For now,” she said, smiling as she pulled the top over her head. “I hope you meant what you said this morning about dinner, because I’m famished.”
“You doubt me?”
She shrugged and stepped into her underwear and pants. “Just checking.”
“I had frozen vegetables and ground turkey, and I saw you had potatoes, so I figured I’d make a version of shepherd’s pie,” he said, grabbing the shopping bag and setting it on the counter. “I can’t bake it, since the oven isn’t working, but I figure I can pile the mashed potatoes on and call it good.”
“That sounds perfect. What can I do?”
“You can sit at the table and talk to me.”
So she did, after cleaning the counter where she’d been ravished. And while she would never turn down the chance to see him naked, watching Gabriel cook was mesmerizing in its own way. And it was all for her.
After dinner, they ate her cookies and played Scrabble, which was curiously romantic by candlelight, and though she considered herself something of a wordsmith, they were pretty evenly matched.
She heaved a sigh of relief as she totaled up the score. “I win,” she said, sitting back in the chair.
Gabriel smiled, his eyes crinkling in amusement. “I didn’t realize how competitive you are. I’ve never seen that look in your eyes before.”
“I don’t like to lose at things I should win.” She swiped the tiles off the board. “Should we play again?”
“You bet.”
She won the second game by an even bigger margin. He didn’t seem to care.
The storm was over by morning. Lucy stood at the kitchen window and stared at the six-foot drifts glistening beneath the cloudless sky. Her car lay under so much snow, only the antenna was visible.
Gabriel handed her a cup of coffee and stood next to her. “It’s going to take a while to clean this up.”
“It’ll be nice to get out of the house again, anyway.”
He frowned at her. “You don’t need to go out there. I’ll take care of it. Len’s got a snowblower and a plow I can attach to my truck.”
“You can’t use both of them at the same time, so why not teach me how to use the snowblower?”
“You’re sure?”
“I need to do something. I’ve been stuck inside too long.”
“It hasn’t been that bad, has it?” he asked, one eyebrow raised.
She laughed and bumped her hip into him. “No. I’ve been rather pleasantly occupied."
A little while later, bundled up in her silk underwear, wool socks, and outer layers, she followed Gabriel out to the shed for a snowblower lesson. It was harder than it looked, but also kind of fun. Even better, she liked knowing she was making a contribution. She especially enjoyed the symbolism of clearing a path between their cabins.
With the two of them working, it only took a few hours to clean the necessary areas. They spent a little more time picking up the worst of the fallen branches before heading back to her cabin for leftover shepherd’s pie and some fudge. Afterwards, they lay down together on the pallet she’d left on the floor by the fire.
“I don’t think I ever want to go back to my bed,” she said. “This is perfect.”
He rolled to his side and pulled her tight against his body. “It really is.”