Five

Sweet, innocent-looking Chelsea had shocked him, but he was more than ready to hear what she had to say. If she claimed her hacking was for good reason, he believed her. He’d built the foundation of his career on reading people and was pretty confident she wasn’t vindictive. And he wanted to continue spending time with her. She was opening up. Apparently when they weren’t discussing the scandal that had rocked the town, she let her guard slip. He only hoped he could wipe his uncle’s actions out of the picture for good.

“There was a husband and wife who worked for Hunt back when I was a teen.” Chelsea tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear and turned to rest against a tree away from the horses. “He had a gambling problem. She was pregnant with their first child, but tried to stick by him despite his addiction. I know my father offered to pay for help if the guy would just go. But, in the end, life became too much and he left her. She couldn’t make the mortgage payments on her own and lost her house.”

Gabe heard the compassion in Chelsea’s tone. This was a whole new side to her he hadn’t seen and it only made him want to uncover even more. He’d always figured she was giving, caring, selfless. His instincts hadn’t proved him wrong before and they were dead-on now.

“She had her own income, but considering she was pregnant with no home, I couldn’t stand it anymore.” Chelsea’s mouth twisted into a half grin. “I may have hacked into his private account and removed funds. And those funds may have found their way into her account.”

Gabe honestly didn’t know what to say. The woman was constantly a doer. She cared for others and wanted to see everyone around her happy. But he’d never thought once that she’d use her skills for something like this.

“Had you gotten caught—”

Her eyes met his. “At the time, I felt it was worth the risk. Now that I look back, I know it wasn’t right to do that, but I got caught up in the moment and acted with my heart instead of my head.”

She gave a slight shrug before she continued. “I just thought, what was he going to do? Tell the authorities? Most of his money was obtained illegally, because I uncovered that he was betting on cock fighting. He wouldn’t want to open that can of worms and be subjected to proving where his income came from.”

Chelsea’s eyes misted. “All of that happened around the time when we’d just lost Mom. Actually, she ran off, but she may as well be dead because I haven’t seen or heard from her since. I knew what that felt like, what being abandoned does to your soul. I couldn’t stand it, Gabe.”

Why did she have to have such a vulnerable side that made resisting her impossible? He’d promised himself when he’d seen her riding up ahead that he’d keep his hands off, but the sorrow lacing her words only had him closing the gap between them.

“You shouldn’t touch me. I’m emotional already and if you touch me...”

Her words were barely a whisper and he saw tears swimming in her eyes.

“This is just one friend consoling another,” he explained.

Gabe wrapped his arms around her and she instantly returned the gesture. “We’re not friends,” she argued.

Smiling, he rested his chin on top of her head. “Maybe not, but we’re something. I don’t think they’ve created a label for us yet.”

When she continued to just be still and let him hold her, Gabe figured she must be gathering her strength. She just needed a minute and he was all too willing to comfort her. As much as he wanted to get her into his bed, he could be patient. Chelsea would be worth the wait.

Hell, his job was based on patience and taking his time, being methodical. And he knew she was much more important than a job. Damn it. When had he let that happen?

Chelsea eased back and glanced up at him. “I’m not sure I can trust you.”

Gabe smoothed her hair back and framed her face. “You will.”

“Are you always so arrogant?”

Gabe smiled because her tone was light, but her question was genuine. “Confident,” he corrected. “I know I did nothing wrong where you’re concerned and, in time, you’ll realize that, too.”

Her eyes darted to his lips and he knew he’d just knocked another brick off that barrier she kept around herself. She still clung to him and Gabe’s last shred of control snapped.

He eased closer, keeping his eyes on hers as he lowered his head. “You plan on stopping me?” he whispered against her mouth.

“Not yet.”

The second he covered her mouth, she melted against him. There was no other way to describe the way she simply let go and let him take the lead. But he wasn’t naïve. Chelsea held all the power here. As much as he wanted her and was more than ready to seduce her up against this tree, she would ultimately have to give the green light.

Gabe rested one hand on her hip and thrust the other through her hair as he shifted his head and dove back in for more. More was the theme where Chelsea was concerned. He wanted as much as she would give...then he wanted even more.

She arched against him, groaning into his mouth. Gabe trailed his lips across her jaw and down the column of her throat. The neckline of her tank top mocked him, tempted him. So much exposed skin to explore...and still not enough. But he had to tread lightly. Chelsea wasn’t just any woman, and their situation was extremely delicate.

“Gabe, please.”

Easing back slightly, he took in her flushed cheeks and decided he couldn’t leave her hanging. He was a gentleman, after all, and as gently as he needed to treat her, he also planned on giving in to her every desire.

“You don’t have to ask twice.”

Sliding his hand beneath the hem of her tank, Gabe kept his eyes locked on hers. If she showed the slightest bit of hesitation, he’d stop. But the way she bit on her lower lip and kept her eyes shut, he had to believe he was doing everything right.

He flicked the closure on her jeans, pleased when her hips surged forward. Glancing over his shoulder, he made sure no one was taking a late ride. But they were hidden behind the horses and around the side of a large cypress.

Gabe slid his hand inside the waistband of her panties and kicked her feet apart with the toe of his boot. He rested his forearm alongside her head, against the tree, and dipped his fingers into her heat. The moment she cried out, he covered her mouth with his.

Yes. Finally, this. He had wanted to see her come apart, had wanted to experience every bit of it, and now she was seconds away. He didn’t want to just feel it, he wanted to taste it.

Chelsea’s fingertips dug into his shoulders as she jerked her body against his. Then she exploded. There was no other way to describe it. She tore away from the kiss and tipped her head back, her mouth open in a perfect O as she clung to him.

Chelsea Hunt was letting every single guard down and giving in to her desires, and it was absolutely the most erotic thing he’d ever seen. He wished he could watch her forever, but he quickly pushed the idea aside. Forever wasn’t in his vocabulary.

As she came down and her trembling ceased, Gabe knew for certain that he needed her in his bed. His entire body was wound so damn tight, but he’d have to wait. This was about Chelsea, about her needs and getting her to see that he was serious about this all-consuming need to have her.

But most of all, he wanted her to realize that he wasn’t a liar and had never done anything to hurt her or to tarnish her reputation.

The horses shifted behind him and Gabe started to lean forward to kiss her, but she pushed against his shoulders. Her bold green eyes lifted to his and he instantly saw regret.

They’d made too much progress for her to have those walls come back up. Little by little, he was going to make sure she pushed beyond her fears. Why did she have to start letting her doubts and reality sink back in?

He removed his hand and stepped back, giving her a chance to right her clothes.

“I’m not going to apologize.”

Her hands froze on the snap of her jeans as she glared up at him. “I didn’t ask you to.”

“You’re angry.”

“With myself. Not you.”

Well, that was something. But he didn’t want her in any way angry about this situation.

“Are you upset because you let yourself feel or because you hate me?”

She finished straightening her clothes and shoved her hair behind her ears. That defiant chin lifted an extra notch as she squared her shoulders and focused solely on him.

“I don’t hate you,” she retorted. “I just don’t make a habit of getting involved with people I’m still on the fence about.”

Raking a hand through his hair, he turned away and headed back to his stallion.

“You’re not going to say anything?” she called after him.

Gabe tugged at the reins and freed his horse from the tree before glancing back over his shoulder. “You want to fight? You’ll have to look elsewhere. A beautiful woman just came apart in my arms. I’m not feeling much like arguing. I want to be here for you, Chelsea. Not because my uncle tried to ruin you and so many others, but because I can’t ignore this pull between us or what just happened.”

He mounted the horse and turned him toward the stables, but held tight on the reins to keep him in place. “You riding back with me or alone?”

Still flushed and sexy as hell, Chelsea stared up at him. “Unless there’s wedding business to attend to, we’re better off returning separately.”

He had a feeling she’d say something like that. It was expected, but that didn’t lessen his frustration any.

Gabe rested his elbow on his knee and leaned down. “You can push me away, but that won’t stop what’s happening.”

A rumble of thunder had him glancing toward the sky then back down to her. “Better get back. Storm’s comin’.”

He just hoped like hell they could weather it.

* * *

Chelsea dropped her keys onto the accent table inside her doorway and wiped her damp hair away from her face. The pop-up storm matched her mood—fierce and full of rage.

The lightning flashed, illuminating her open floor plan as she made her way inside. No sense in turning on the lights. They were set on a timer, anyway, and apparently her electricity had gone out because nothing was on in the entire place.

Perfect. Her phone needed to be charged and she’d wanted to take a hot bath and ignore the world...and the throb between her legs. Because as much as she tried to ignore what had just happened, it was impossible. Gabe was impossible. The stupid man was making her feel things, making her body hum and come alive like never before—all while they were still fully dressed. Her body still sizzled from the orgasm against the tree.

Chelsea made her way to her bedroom using what little battery she had left on her phone to light the way.

First, the man had tried to get it on with her in a dressing room and then he’d pleasured her at the damn club. He was slick, seductive and she’d loved every single minute of both experiences.

Well, she’d loved the way he’d physically made her feel, but the mental side...

Why did he have to keep messing with her head?

Everything circled back to Dusty and how he’d been so meticulous in planting evidence to ruin lives and pointing the finger of blame in so many different directions. The scandal had rocked the entire town and Chelsea wasn’t sure she’d ever recover, if she were being honest.

It was humiliating to walk down the street and wonder if passersby had seen the photos of her naked.

Tears filled her eyes once again. She’d shed too many tears caused by a whole gamut of emotions. She’d cried from anger, from frustration, from hurt and resentment...so many things. And she’d had to do it all in private because her very best friend wanted and deserved the wedding of the year and there was no way Chelsea would ruin this monumental moment for her.

Chelsea’s cell vibrated in her hand just as she hit her bedroom. When she glanced at the screen, she saw a text from her brother and a missed call from him earlier. With only an eight percent charge left on her battery, she opted to ignore it all. Not that she wouldn’t have, anyway.

She definitely wasn’t in the mood to talk to Daniel. She loved him and his fiancée, Erin, but right now she just wanted to get into pajamas and lie in bed. With the lightning flashing outside, soaking in her garden tub wasn’t the smartest idea. It wasn’t late, but late enough, and with the electricity gone, she could at least lie down and read on her electronic reader.

But as she sank to the edge of her bed, all she could think of was how amazing Gabe had made her feel. The man was so, so giving. All the focus had been on her and then, when she’d wanted to battle it out because she’d had no clue what to do with all her emotions, he’d walked away. Some might have said that was cowardly, but she saw it as gentlemanly. He hadn’t wanted to make things more difficult than they already were.

Either that, or he’d just wanted to seduce her and that was all.

Unfortunately, she didn’t think that was the case. She truly believed he wanted her. That he wanted to get closer to her, and not just for the sex. Yes, Gabe was often seen as a man of mystery, but she was starting to see him for so much more.

All of those reasons were precisely why she was so angry. She’d been furious with him back at the club. No, she’d been furious with herself. It wasn’t his fault that when he touched her she went off like a rocket. It wasn’t his fault that she’d never had a lover like him before.

Wait. Lover? No. They weren’t going to have sex. They couldn’t have sex. That would go against everything she’d vowed to herself. She wasn’t even fully convinced of his innocence in his uncle’s controversy, which was all the more reason she needed to keep her distance.

But how could she?