Gabe didn’t want to wake Lauren. She had been asleep for the last two hours of the drive. She had shifted from leaning against the cold window to leaning against him, her hand on his thigh, so close that he was semi-erect the entire drive through the valley and then climbing the next range. Nothing like sweet torture.
He smiled down at the sight of her thick lashes curved on her angular cheekbones, her soft lips open, her face relaxed, her knees tucked under her skirt. A warm feeling of protectiveness and tenderness spread through his chest. He didn’t want to wake her, knowing that she’d soon have to deal with Tiffany.
Tiffany. Gabe swallowed all the swears in his vocabulary. He was working on cleaning up his act before seeing his family. His parents didn’t approve of strong language. After spending ten years in the military, his vocabulary tended to make his churchgoing mother’s hair stand straight up.
And how could his years in Delta, the elite spec forces unit, not prepare him to tackle one disastrous wedding? For a man trained in orchestrating people, he behaved like an amateur with Lauren. He spilled his guts about sabotaging the wedding to her half sister. And, unfazed, she took it all in stride, offering to help.
He tracked the entire labyrinth of their talk and how, like a dumbass, he’d manipulated Lauren, a woman who sparked a hunger in him that he didn’t know existed, to invite another man as her date to the wedding.
And not just a physical hunger, which was there in spades. What man in his right mind wouldn’t lust after a woman like Lauren? She sparked other needs. He hadn’t spoken to a woman so honestly in years. Lauren, with her direct stare and her openness, instilled trust which, for a suspicious son of a bitch who searched the corners of the world for bad guys, was saying a hell of a lot.
His respect for her grew exponentially during the car ride. Hardened criminals folded under his interrogation, but she didn’t back down, even when he pressured her. She demonstrated her integrity by her outrage in misunderstanding that he’d wanted her to manipulate her date. She lived by her principles. He wasn’t sure how it happened in her messed-up family. Her willingness to be a sister to Tiffany should qualify her for a medal of honor, or at least a Purple Heart.
She stirred before snuggling to his chest as if in search of heat. He wrapped one arm around her shoulders, pressing her closer.
She was exhausted from all the wedding prep and worrying about facing her family. He read all the signs: the little furrow between her brows whenever she mentioned Tiffany or her father; her desperation to get the dress to Tiffany; her admission that she agreed to designing the dress in an attempt to be supportive of Tiffany’s wedding.
And instead of being a true gentleman and offering to be a buffer with her family, he tried to get her to help ruin her half sister’s wedding … unlike “sensitive” Roger, who’d offered to come and be a support.
He couldn’t totally fault himself. Lauren was an empathetic listener, and she understood Tiffany, the real Tiffany, the one his family didn’t know. He didn’t want to bash Tiffany since the chances were high that she’d be part of the family. Talking to Lauren gave him an outlet for all his pent-up frustrations over the terrible match. And Lauren agreed to have Roger as her date.
What a twisted mess. He could hope that Roger wouldn’t agree to attend. But he wasn’t a blind man. Roger would definitely come to spend time with Lauren. What man wouldn’t? He had the chance but blew it.
Now she had sensitive Roger to turn to. No one ever accused Gabe of being sensitive. If she understood what his job was, she wouldn’t have gotten into his car. Was she attracted to a man like Roger?
Hell, the man wore matching clothes and smelled like a perfume counter. But Lauren was a fashion designer, and she wore matching clothes and smelled like… He took another whiff of her sensual scent that promised long nights and tangled sheets. He was so in trouble.
High Mountain Lodge loomed ahead. He regretted the end of their time together. He doubted he’d have any time alone with Lauren for the rest of the weekend, especially now that she’d have a date.
A wooden sign was posted before the circular drive. “Welcome to Mistletoe Lodge.” The sign reminded him again why he didn’t want Gavin to marry Tiffany. He pulled the car under the covered port. At least Lauren wouldn’t have to walk through the snow in her high heels.
“Lauren, time to wake up.” He squeezed her shoulder. “Lauren, we’re at the lodge.”
Her eyes shot open, staring as she searched his face, just inches from hers.
He brushed away the soft wisps of hair that fell across her forehead. “We’ve arrived.”
Having her this close, her breast crushed against him, the scent of her wafting over them, sent the blood rushing through him. It would be so easy to lean down and kiss her awake, like a Sleeping Beauty.
Her eyes widened, and she licked her lower lip, pushing him to follow the same path for a taste. Her hand squeezed his thigh, driving the need higher, the tension intensifying between them.
She stiffened, dropped her hand. and scooted to the center of her seat.
“How embarrassing.”
“Don’t be embarrassed. I don’t mind being used as a pillow.”
Not meeting his gaze, she twisted her hair into a knot at the back of her head. “Did I drool on your shoulder?”
He was mesmerized by the gesture of fixing her hair. The simple feminine movement felt sensual and intimate. If redoing her hair was such a turn-on, he must be spending way too much time with men. “My shirt will dry.”
She smiled as she dug into her purse and applied lipstick. “I’m sorry for using you. But I usually can’t sleep in cars or planes…”
“You can use me anytime. And I enjoyed the mauling part.” He grinned, waiting for her reaction.
Color dotted her high cheekbones.
“You’re having way too much fun at my expense, aren’t you?”
“Yes, ma’am, I am.” And he decided impulsively to ask her not to invite Roger. He’d figure out a way to get to Gavin.
As he reached to touch her, to savor the private moment, the door swung open. Gavin leaned in and offered his hand. “Lauren, thank God you’re here. Tiffany has been so worried about your safety.”
Lauren swung her legs out the door but twisted back to roll her eyes at Gabe. Right, if you believed Rudolph was real. They both knew she wanted her hands on the dress.
Gabe’s mood soured with the demonstration that Gavin really was a goner, believing Tiffany cared about Lauren’s safety. No words of warning from Gabe would bring Gavin back.
Gabe jumped out of the car and opened the rear door to lift the dress that was spread across the luggage. He handed the dress to Lauren, knowing she had to make the grand gesture of presenting the dress to Tiffany.
“If you and Gavin don’t mind bringing the other bags, that would be great.” A little notch of worry stood out above her eyebrows.
She hurried to the front door with chin lifted and spine ramrod straight.
His brother came around the car and punched Gabe in the arm.
“Man, it’s great to see you. Tiffany has been beside herself worrying that you had to drive.”
Glad to see his brother, Gabe pulled him into a one-arm man hug. “Just glad that I could deliver Lauren and the dress all in one piece.”
Lauren, with her hand on the door to the lodge, turned and gave him the sweetest smile. “Gabe would never let you down, Gavin. You can trust him.”
Hearing her supportive words, a warmth spread through his chest. And yeah, the highly trained operator might have to derail his mission of interfering with his brother’s wedding. Gabe didn’t want Roger to attend. He wanted Lauren for himself.