Honey Hill—July 4
Lexi leaned against the rail of the patio, looking at the moon and its reflection on the lake. It had been a long shift, and in a way, it was hard to believe it was over. She was tired, but in a good way. The lodge had been really busy, but the crowd had been in a celebratory mood.
It had been one of those rare nights when it was fun to work hard. The guests had been in good moods, the food had been great, and the kitchen had completely killed it. The staff had been working together long enough that they were a well-oiled machine, anticipating each other, supporting each other, getting it done with style. The fireworks over the lake had been the perfect finish.
Would she really leave Honey Hill at the end of the season? Lexi felt like she should, but she had no plan of where to go. She didn’t know what she was looking for, just that she hadn’t found it in Honey Hill. There were so many options but not a one of them filled her heart with the conviction that it was the right choice.
She was waiting for inspiration.
She hoped it turned up soon.
It was quiet at the lodge now, the few guests having retired for the night or gone to the bar for one last drink. The people from Honey Hill who’d come for dinner or the fireworks had gone home, and she should probably do the same.
The problem was that it was her anniversary. The anniversary. It was the one night of the year that she ached over the past. Lexi didn’t really want to be alone.
She didn’t have anyone to be with either.
This was the problem with a big, fat secret.
Standing on the patio with the faint sound of other people behind her was the best compromise she could think of.
She kept thinking about Chynna’s advice to help the magic, and it seemed that whenever she did, that little heart tattoo hummed. She knew she needed to move away from Honey Hill and spread her wings.
Find herself.
She thought of Tristan flying across Chynna’s shop.
She thought of his treasure box filled with shiny trinkets and smiled again. She needed one of those.
Lexi felt Gabe’s presence beside her before she saw him. Her brother’s business partner had an aura of warmth and good humor that she could identify with her eyes closed. That tingle of awareness was familiar, too, since she always had it in his presence.
What a gorgeous man.
But emphatically unavailable, although Lexi didn’t know why.
Was he a monk in disguise?
Was it her?
She couldn’t believe he didn’t want a one-nighter, but she’d made her interest clear and he hadn’t followed up. Maybe she just wasn’t his type.
She wondered who was.
Gabe leaned on the railing beside her and sighed. “Good night?”
Lexi nodded, awareness lighting to a slow burn. Gabe smelled so good. Clean. Masculine. She could have licked him from head to toe, gobbled him up and asked for more. She bit back a smile, pretty certain that her enthusiasm would startle him.
Did he ever take anyone home? If he had, she’d never witnessed it.
“Great,” she said with a quick sidelong smile. “Good crowd.”
“Tips okay?”
“Very generous.” She liked his concern. He was so protective of his employees. It was good to work for Gabe and she knew she’d miss him. She’d worked for a lot of jerks in her time, and there were probably more of them in her future.
For the moment, she’d appreciate Gabe.
And tease him a little. She could do with the sound of his laughter. They’d planned more than one practical joke together and that had been fun.
“The fireworks were great tonight,” she said.
“Beautiful,” he agreed.
“Hard to believe that winter’s coming,” she continued, teasing him like she always did. She knew he hated the cold.
“Not that soon,” he scoffed.
Lexi laughed. “It’s the back end of the season and you know it. Soon, those icy winds will be blowing...”
Gabe shivered elaborately. “Don’t remind me.”
“And there will be snow,” she taunted.
“You shouldn’t use four-letter words like that,” he chided, just the way he always did.
Lexi laughed again and bumped shoulders with him. Instead of Gabe nudging her back, he held his ground and seemed to become taut. “Why do you stay here when you hate winter so much?” she demanded.
“Maybe there are other temptations,” he murmured.
His intimate tone surprised her and she glanced his way, expecting to find him staring across the lake, his features in profile. Instead, Gabe was watching her, his eyes darker than usual. More mysterious. More intent.
Lexi shivered a little, deep down inside. Her mouth went dry. Every once in a while, she caught him looking at her like that, as if she was the focus of the entire universe. Her knees melted and that tingle of desire grew to a roar. She felt in those minutes as if he’d unwittingly left a door open, granting her a peek at his secret heart.
That he wanted her.
Then why didn’t he ever make a move?
The new little heart in her tattoo hummed.
She dropped her gaze to his lips deliberately, and he smiled slowly, as if in invitation.
Maybe she should make the first move.
Maybe his reaction would be different on this night.
She eased closer, so that their arms bumped. It should have been companionable, but it made Lexi sizzle.
She heard Gabe catch his breath and knew she’d made the right choice.
She knew she wouldn’t be able to resist whatever he offered.
Gabe always turned away, hiding his thoughts so well that she often wondered if she’d imagined that hungry expression.
This time, he held her gaze unswervingly.
And that smile. It made her sizzle.
The heat rose between them with dizzying speed.
“I would have expected you to go home alone, like usual,” Lexi said, matching his low murmur.
“I want to talk to you.” His voice was low and silky, making her think of black velvet—or a man’s hand sliding slowly over her flesh.
Gabe’s hand.
“Why me?” Lexi amended that quickly. “Don’t say I’m beautiful.”
“Why not? You are.”
Lexi rolled her eyes.
Gabe leaned closer and dropped his voice even lower. It was a rumble and Lexi felt a resonance within herself in response to his words. “Because you have this passion for life that fascinates me. You throw yourself at everything with such enthusiasm.” He smiled. “You fascinate me. Is that better?”
It was a million times better and Lexi thought he already knew it. There had been half a dozen pretty women who would have been glad to take Gabe home tonight. Lexi had seen several of them flirting with him, hard. But he was standing on the patio alone with her. Listening.
Being chosen by him was sexy.
Really sexy.
She was sure he’d make it worth her while. “You sometimes seem to be watching me. Why is that?”
“Because I am.” Lexi lifted a brow in silent query. Gabe dropped his gaze to his hands. “When a fascinating woman is wrapping me around her finger, I think it’s smart to pay attention.”
Lexi smiled at the improbability of the idea. “Why?”
“Because otherwise she might just disappear.” He met her gaze steadily then, as if expecting her to make a conclusion.
“Did a woman leave you?”
Gabe nodded, his expression wistful. “Not just any woman. A beautiful woman who had stolen my heart.”
Lexi’s chest tightened. This was it, then. Gabe was unavailable because he was in love with someone who didn’t love him in return. He was carrying a torch for someone who didn’t appreciate him. That was some kind of cosmic injustice. She thought his character had the perfect combination of playful and serious. “Where did she go?”
“If I knew that, I wouldn’t say she’d disappeared, would I?”
“Where did you meet her?”
This time, it was Gabe who looked away. “It was a long time ago, Lexi.” He leaned on the railing again, looking more somber.
Lexi was afraid she’d changed the mood too much with her questions, but she still couldn’t stop. “Would you recognize her if you saw her again?”
“Absolutely.”
Lexi studied his profile. It wasn’t hard to believe that Gabe had secrets—he was the least talkative man she’d ever known—but it was amazing that he’d confided anything at all in her. Lexi had worked with him at the lodge for two years and while she liked him, she realized just how little she knew about him.
Lexi knew Gabe had owned restaurants before and that Spencer respected him. When Spencer had the idea for Wolfe Lodge, he’d contacted Gabe, who had moved to Maine to become his new partner, managing everything outside the kitchen. Where had he been before that? What had he done? Lexi had no idea. Of Gabe’s romantic past, she knew nothing—except that he didn’t indulge at the lodge. He took two weeks off every quarter and a month in the winter and left Maine—but she didn’t know where he went and he never told.
Gabe didn’t like winter. He always returned to Honey Hill with a tan. He was a few years older than her, but she didn’t know how many exactly. He was handsome, fit, and drew more than his share of interested gazes from women everywhere. He was thoughtful and considerate, a man who could be relied upon, and one who didn’t pry. He also could be a lot of fun, like when he’d helped her trick her brother into being with Olivia the previous spring.
What kind of woman would throw him away?
One who was too dumb to appreciate him. Lexi would appreciate him tonight.
She put her hand on his arm, but he didn’t move away. Encouraged, she slid her fingertips across his skin, stroking him from elbow to fingertip, then retracing her course.
“What are you doing?” he whispered, his voice strained in a delicious way. It was potent to know that she had an effect on him.
That he was interested in her.
She eased closer again, ensuring that her breast pressed against his upper arm. His gaze brightened, proof that he’d noticed. “Trying to tempt you.”
“Should I tell you how well it’s working?”
“Is it?”
“Oh yes.” The last word came out in a low hiss, filled with a longing that fed Lexi’s confidence.
“You’ve never said anything, never offered an invitation.”
He smiled then, looking wicked and more disreputable than she knew he was. “I was waiting.”
“For what?”
“For you to decide.” The weight of his hand closed over hers and he gave her fingers a quick squeeze. “I know you like to be the one who chooses, Lexi.” His voice was low, more like a purr, and Lexi loved the sound of it.
“Is that right?” Lexi murmured, intending to provoke him a bit. She slid her fingertips up his arm, across his shoulder and let them flutter up his throat. His eyes gleamed and he didn’t move. She’d always noted how trim he was, but didn’t know when he worked out. He was so controlled, never raising his voice no matter what went wrong in the lodge, always organized, always fair. He might have been her polar opposite, given how impulsive she was. He could have been a calm ocean, smooth as far as the horizon, reliable and consistent.
But tonight, he seemed more like a volcano, one just about ready to explode and send a stream of fire into the sky. Lexi traced a line over the cleft of his chin and felt the heat emanate from him. He watched her unblinkingly, and she ran her fingertips slowly across his lips.
Oh, she wanted him.
“What else do you think you know about me?” she whispered, watching him close his eyes as she just barely touched her lips to his. She felt him swallow, heard him inhale sharply.
“That you’re vital.” He sounded strained and she liked that. “Opinionated. Loyal. Funny.”
She kissed him again, letting her lips linger against his.
“Sexy,” he whispered and she smiled, liking her sense that there could be more fireworks soon.
She’d like to see Gabe impassioned.
He clenched his fist for a moment and she moved a little bit closer. There was no one else near them and their backs were turned toward the restaurant.
No one could see.
She touched the tip of her tongue to the corner of his mouth, inhaling deeply of his scent. “I thought maybe you didn’t like women,” she murmured.
Gabe inhaled sharply then made a sound that could have been a laugh. “I’m as heterosexual as they come,” he growled.
“But you never take anyone home,” she said, straightening so that she could touch her lips to his temple.
“Are you trying to change that?”
“What if I was?”
“Then I shouldn’t let you succeed,” he murmured, his gaze meeting hers. There was a new heat simmering in his eyes, one that stole Lexi’s breath away, but he took a step back all the same. “I think it’s a bad idea to mix business and pleasure.”
“What if I told you I was going to leave the lodge?”
His attention sharpened and he drew back slightly. “Why? Where are you going?”
She noticed his concern and sensed that it was fueled by more than curiosity. “I don’t know. That’s why I haven’t given notice yet, but I think I’ll go after Labor Day weekend.”
“At the end of the season,” Gabe said, then nodded once.
“Don’t worry. I won’t leave you and the lodge in the lurch.”
“That’s not what I was thinking.” He lifted his hand to her cheek and she touched her lips to his palm, then moved even closer.
“I want to be where you are tonight,” she said. “And I want us both to be naked.”
A smile lifted the corner of Gabe’s mouth but she felt the heat of his interest. “And what would we do then?”
Lexi smiled. “You really are going to make me spell it out, aren’t you?”
“I like how you know what you want, and I like watching you get it. Indulge me.”
“No,” Lexi whispered. “You indulge me, Gabe Sinclair. Tonight.” She spared a glance at the lodge, but the restaurant was dark and empty. Even Spencer must have gone for the night. She framed Gabe’s face in his hands, watching his eyes glitter, then kissed him. He made a growl of need, one that thrilled her to her toes.
She glimpsed the fire in his eyes as he moved. He eased her in front of himself, trapping her between his hips and the railing. One arm stole around her waist and his other hand cupped her nape. His thighs pressed against hers and he drew her tightly against his chest, letting her feel her effect upon him. He studied her, as if to verify that she really did want this, then slowly lowered his head to hers.
“You’re killing me,” she whispered, wishing he’d hurry.
“Everything’s better when you wait for it,” he replied and kissed her roughly. She tasted his hunger and instinctively responded, kissing him open-mouthed, almost devouring him, feeling his arms tighten around her.
Then he stepped back, moving so abruptly that Lexi was dizzy.
“Not here,” he muttered.
“I thought you liked the slow build,” she teased and his eyes flashed. Lexi held her breath, hoping, then Gabe bent captured her lips with his own again. He slanted his mouth over hers, claiming her with a kiss, demanding all she had to give. She tasted the fire of that volcano and the passion within him. Lexi only wanted more. She was on her toes, her hands locked in the thick waves of his hair, her back arched, returning his kiss with enthusiasm. She was hot and wet, starving for all he had to give. She’d awakened the dragon and she didn’t care.
Let the fire consume them both before the dawn.
Gabe swore and pulled away, his eyes glittering as he ran a hand down her back. “You’re sure?” he whispered.
“Positive,” she said, liking that he gave her the choice.
“My place,” he said with a possessiveness that sent a thrill through Lexi.
“I’ll meet you there,” she replied, knowing that she had to have her own transportation to feel safe. She always did. She kissed him to silence, not wanting to hear his protest if he had one, but he only made a growl of impatience.
“Don’t get lost,” he murmured with heat, then turned back toward the lodge.
Lexi smiled as they hurried through the quiet building, Gabe holding tightly to her hand. It thrilled her to see his reaction so clearly, to think that she could push him over the edge. He released her hand before they reached the lobby and she knew he didn’t want any staff to see that they were together. She couldn’t have cared less but respected his caution. There was just one sleepy kid on the front desk, so busy texting that he barely noticed them pass. Gabe said goodnight and the kid glanced up in surprise.
Then they were outside, hurrying toward their respective cars. Lexi had the old Subaru station wagon from the house and Gabe had his black pick-up. “I’ll follow you,” he said, his tone allowing no negotiation and Lexi nodded agreement.
She drove quickly to his cabin, unable to wait.
This was going to be epic.
Maybe Gabe would provide the inspiration she’d been waiting for.
He couldn’t resist her.
Gabe had known he should step away from Lexi’s invitation. He’d known he shouldn’t be tempted. He’d stuck to his principles for two years, getting to know her better, glad of the friendship that had evolved between them but still yearning for more—and knowing he shouldn’t.
He had no right to take more.
He had no right to want it.
But when she kissed him, when her gaze softened in desire, when she deliberately tried to tempt him with her kisses, resistance was futile. When she demanded his response with her kiss, he didn’t have a chance.
It was Lexi, after all.
He’d figure out how to handle this at the lodge later.
He’d figure out how to handle the complications later.
For now, he just needed Lexi wrapped around him.
To Gabe’s relief, Lexi was already on the porch of his cabin when he parked his truck beside her wagon. “Hurry up!” she said, laughing as she swatted in the air. “The mosquitoes are terrible!”
He grinned at her and strode to the porch, catching her close for another of those potent kisses. He backed her into the door, loving that she met him touch for touch. There were no half-measures with Lexi, nothing tentative about their embrace. It was all raw hot need, a forest fire that he suspected wouldn’t be easily extinguished. Her touch sent heat through his veins and dissolved his concerns, eliminating anything before the need of the moment.
But then, it had been like that before. So easy, so intuitive.
So perfect.
Nothing else had ever come close.
He’d been afraid that he’d imagined it, or romanticized it, or made the memory into more than the reality had been. But two kisses from Lexi and Gabe feared he’d sold his memory short.
They stumbled over the threshold, still kissing, still entangled in each other. Gabe locked the door behind them and flicked on the lights, watching as Lexi spun out of his embrace and surveyed the cabin. “It could be a hotel,” she said, looking back at him.
“It kind of is.”
“But you’ve been here two years.”
“So?”
She gestured. “It would be impossible to tell. There are no personal touches. Why don’t you just live at the lodge?”
Gabe shrugged. “Sometimes it’s smart to have some distance.”
“Otherwise, you’d work all the time?” she teased, her eyes sparkling.
“I told you about business and pleasure.”
She laughed, her eyes sparkling like sunlight on the ocean. They were a remarkable shade of silvery-blue and mirrored her thoughts and emotions so clearly. He loved that she was with him, that she was in what passed as his home, and that she was so happy.
Gabe hoped that would last, then dismissed his fear of the future to savor the present.
He was entranced by Lexi, by the way she moved, by the way she filled this boring house with vitality. She was never still. She removed the clip holding her ponytail and shook out her hair, then she kicked off her shoes. She was so at ease, even though she’d never been at his place before. She tossed her purse on the couch and gave him a playful glance. “Mind if I have a shower first? It felt like a long shift tonight. I feel grubby.”
Gabe felt his body respond in a predictable way to that. “Want company?”
“What a good idea,” she purred and tugged her blouse over her head. She was wearing a white bra with a bit of lace, and was as sleek as he remembered. She unfastened her jeans and he stared at her, like she was the first woman he’d ever seen.
“You’re watching again,” she accused with a smile.
“I’m appreciating the view,” he replied and removed his own shoes. He strode toward her, shedding clothes as he went, liking how she had a good look. He wanted this to last all night, but he knew he wouldn’t. He scooped her off her feet, smiled when she laughed and kicked her feet, and carried her to the bathroom. She wound her arms around his neck and kissed him, making a low purr of satisfaction.
“I like how you taste,” she whispered when he put her down, her words sending an urgency through him.
There was a big walk-in shower, which would be ideal. Gabe started the water, pausing when Lexi slid her arms around him from behind. She flattened her hands on his stomach and slid them down, slipping her fingers under his briefs. Gabe caught his breath when she closed them around him and caressed. Then he tipped his head back and closed his eyes, gripping the edge of the shower as pleasure surged through him.
“You like this,” she whispered, mischief in her tone.
“Keep it up and this will be very fast.”
“You’re the one keeping it up,” she teased. She pressed a kiss to the back of his shoulder, then eased past him into the shower. She stood under the stream of water while he discarded his briefs. For once, he wasn’t folding everything and putting it away. His place was a mess, filled with scattered clothing, but Gabe didn’t care.
Lexi had come home with him.
He followed her into the shower and closed the door behind them. She turned to smile at him, her hair wet and the water running over her face. Her lashes were spiked and hung with drops of water. She met his gaze then her fingertip fell to the cluster of freckles on his shoulder.
She sobered, looking at them, and trepidation shot through Gabe.
Would she remember?
She’d likened them to a constellation a long time ago, but on this night, her fingertips swept around them and over his shoulder.
He didn’t know whether to be relieved or disappointed.
For the moment, he didn’t care.
When Lexi leaned against him, he felt her taut nipples against his chest and growled with impatience. He caught her up in his arms and would have kissed her again, but Lexi wriggled free of his embrace. She dropped to her knees, her mouth closing around him so that Gabe inhaled sharply at the power of his response. He looked down at her, so beautiful as the water streamed over her back and hips, so perfect and so passionate.
He glanced at her mouth and the sight was too much.
He reached for her, cupping her chin in his hands and backing her into the corner of the wall. “Not right?” she asked.
“Too right,” he said firmly and she laughed. He kissed her to silence, claiming her mouth and kissing her deeply. She was on her toes, running her hands over his shoulders, then lifted a leg to his waist. He could smell her arousal then and it nearly destroyed him. He bent over her and captured one nipple with his lips, suckling it gently and teasing it to a peak. Lexi moaned, arching against him, and he eased his hand between her thighs. She was slick and wet, and he caught his own breath as he touched her. He felt her tighten her leg around him and slipped his fingers inside her heat. She moaned sweetly, a sound that might have been the most perfect sound he’d ever heard. Lexi caught his shoulders in her hands, her nails digging into his skin. She swayed a little before him, which meant there was only one right choice.
He bent down and eased her into the corner of the shower, lifting her knees to his shoulders. He cupped her buttocks in his hands, bracing her in position, then closed his mouth over her sweetness so that she gasped in pleasure. She parted her thighs, spreading them wide to give him access, and Gabe was more than glad to accept the feast she offered. He teased her repeatedly, taking her to the cusp of pleasure then retreating, ensuring that her passion rose to a fever pitch. The water was already getting colder and he knew he had to finish what he’d started. She was writhing and whispering his name, her pulse racing when he finally nudged her over the edge. He held her captive to the pleasure he was determined to give, using his lips and teeth and tongue to make her satisfaction complete.
She was panting when he stood up and reached to turn off the water. “Oh no,” she said unevenly, her hand locking around his wrist. “I’m not done with you.”
“Who said we were done?”
“I want you, like this, right now.” The resolve in her low words sent a thrill through Gabe. “Right there on that rug,” she insisted, her eyes shining. “I’m going to ride you hard.”
“Promises, promises,” Gabe murmured.
Lexi pulled him out of the shower, toweled them both down quickly and pushed him to the floor. The rug was really thick and the floor was heated. The air was filled with steam, and Lexi’s skin was flushed.
Gabe inhaled sharply as she touched him, running a fingertip slowly from the root of his cock to the tip. She traced a little circle there and her light touch made him want to writhe in ecstasy. “Down on the floor,” she ordered and Gabe did as he was told.
When he was lying on his back, Lexi closed both hands around him. He was surrounded by her expert caress, by the onslaught of eight wicked fingers and two devious thumbs, and he didn’t want to escape.
Ever.
He arched his back as her mouth replaced her fingers, the warmth and softness making him harder than ever. She eased over him slowly, coaxing him closer to climax, tormenting him exactly the way he’d teased her.
Gabe caught his breath at her sure touch. He reached for her, but she caught his wrists in her hands, holding them by his side as she coaxed his pleasure. He glanced down and saw the back of her neck, the smooth white skin there, her dark wet hair on her shoulder, and clenched his fists.
His gaze dropped to her mouth and he bit back a moan.
He heard himself whisper her name. “Not like this,” he said, not expecting her to agree.
“How then?” She sat back on her heels, her hands still busy.
“I want to be inside you. I want to fill you and feel you wrapped around me.”
Her smile was impish. “I like the sound of that. Do you have condoms?”
Gabe nodded and gestured toward the bedroom. Lexi was there before him. He retrieved a package from the nightstand, then reached for her hand. “On the bed,” he said. “Not the floor again.”
“Traditionalist,” she teased and he laughed. She took the package from his fingers and eased the condom over him, taking some time to caress him as well. Gabe kissed her, pulling her close against his side and tangling his fingers in her hair. He rolled onto the bed, carrying her with him, and stopped on his back.
She straddled him, the softness of her thighs on either side of his hips and Gabe caught his breath in anticipation. She took him inside her in a smooth gesture, one that left him gasping.
Lexi leaned over him, her hair falling onto his chest. The ends were drying already, and made a gentle flick against his skin. She fanned her fingers and ran her hands up his chest to his shoulders, framing his face and bending to kiss him. “Too fast?”
“You just surprised me.”
“I like doing that.” Her eyes sparkled with mischief and Gabe knew he was completely enchanted.
“I like being surprised by you.”
“Sounds just about right then,” she said and moved slowly. “Why like this?”
“Don’t you like it this way?”
“I do, but a lot of men don’t. I’m curious.”
“Because—”
She dropped a fingertip to his mouth and growled a warning. “Don’t say I’m beautiful.”
But Gabe hadn’t been about to say that. “Because I want to see you come,” he said, and it was true. “I want to see you triumphant.”
And he wanted to see the moment that she remembered.
If she remembered.
“Why?”
Lexi was waiting, so he said more. “I’d like to know that I can give you pleasure.”
“Because you would be responsible for my pleasure?” Her raised brow told him what she thought of that.
“Because I’m awed to be with you tonight. I don’t want to miss one thing.”
Lexi smiled then, and leaned over him. Her eyes were bright again and she smiled at him. “Maybe we should have a contest,” she said. “Maybe we should see who can please who first.”
“Who can please who best,” Gabe countered. Lexi laughed at him, their gazes locking as the heat rose between them.
“And not everything is about speed.” She moved slowly then, taking a million years to draw back, then slowly take him inside her again. Their gazes held and Gabe felt his fists clench again.
“This is certainly not about speed.” He admitted, hearing the strain in his own voice.
“I agree,” Lexi whispered.
Gabe put his hand between them, sliding one fingertip over her taut clitoris. She inhaled sharply and flushed, but didn’t draw back. “Being in agreement like this calls for a reward,” he murmured.
Lexi had time to laugh before Gabe moved his fingers against her again and her words became incoherent. He watched her all the while, ensuring each touch was perfectly timed, memorizing every detail, watching for the recognition he craved.
Would it make it easier or harder to tell her the truth if she remembered?
Lexi dozed in Gabe’s bed, liking the smell and the feel of the red flannel shirt she’d borrowed from his closet. She felt satisfied and tired, yet still tingly.
Sex with Gabe had been great.
Even better the second time.
He’d gone to clean up and she could hear the water running. She was content just dozing in his bed.
But she couldn’t stop thinking.
How strange. Gabe had a cluster of freckles on his shoulder that looked a lot like the constellation of Casseopeia. That wasn’t so odd in itself. What was odd was that Lexi remembered another man having a similar arrangement of freckles in the same place. It was hard to believe that two men in the world could have freckles so alike.
Maybe her memory was wrong.
The sight certainly had distracted her, though. She hoped Gabe hadn’t noticed. She’d hate for him to think that she was remembering another guy while they had sex.
“Would you like anything?” he asked, coming out of the bathroom. He was wearing only a smile and Lexi sat up, smiling back at him.
“Surprise me,” she invited and he chuckled.
“Maybe I will.” He grabbed his briefs and jeans, tugged on a blue plaid shirt and left her to wonder what he had in store.
He looked like a man with a plan.
But what could it be? This had been impulsive. He couldn’t have prepared for her to be at his place.
Lexi was usually good at reading people, but Gabe was the exception. He was an enigma to her, unless he chose not to be—and he didn’t do that very often. Maybe that was part of the attraction, that she was always wondering what was in his mind.
She liked Gabe, a lot, but she didn’t want to get into the habit of sport sex with any one person and she suspected that Gabe didn’t either. This night was a one-off, and she told herself to be good with that.
After all, he was in love with someone already.
Who had the mysterious woman been? How had she managed to capture Gabe’s heart so easily?
Was she back in his life?
Lexi was curious despite herself.
When Gabe returned with two champagne flutes and a bottle of vintage champagne, she was mystified. “That good?” she teased and he chuckled.
“You don’t think so?” He sat down beside her, placing the tray on the table, then leaned in for a slow kiss. “Because we could try again.”
It didn’t take long for them to be sprawled on the bed, entangled again, with Gabe’s hand on her breast. He teased the nipple as he kissed her and Lexi luxuriated in his attention.
Then she remembered the other woman and ended their kiss.
“The champagne will get too warm,” she said, keeping her tone light.
Gabe nodded agreement.
“I was thinking the same thing, but you are irresistible.”
“You seem to have done well enough resisting me the last two years.”
“This was the first time you tried to seduce me,” he said, his tone as non-committal as her own. “I didn’t have a chance.” He handed her a glass and their fingers brushed, the warmth of his hand sending a tingle through her.
Funny how the power of Gabe’s touch wasn’t diminished, even after truly awesome sex. If anything, she just wanted him more than she had before. He met her gaze, smiled just a little, then turned away to get his own glass.
“Such pretty glasses,” Lexi said, holding one up to admire it. “And champagne, too. What are we celebrating?”
“The fourth of July, of course.” He eased back to sit beside her, so they were both leaning back against the headboard. Even though Lexi liked to feel his arm against her own, she wished the angle didn’t make it hard to see his eyes.
“Even though it’s now the fifth.”
“Even though. Cheers.” Gabe touched his glass to hers so that the crystal chimed.
Lexi twisted around to study him, just the way she always did when he was tasting. He gave the wine his complete attention, his eyes narrowed slightly as he studied the way the bubbles were rising. He sniffed the bouquet, then took a tiny sip, then rolled it around his mouth, considering, before he swallowed.
Then he obviously felt the weight of her gaze. “Sorry. It’s an old habit.”
“But a good one. I like how intent you are when you taste wine.” Lexi took a sip of the champagne herself. It was nice and fruity, cool and filled with bubbles. She liked it, although she wasn’t one for all the nuances and subtleties. Good or bad was the range of her possible comments on wine of any kind. “It’s like you’re doing the most important job in the world.”
She realized it was exactly the same way Gabe had made love, as if there was nothing else of any relevance in the world. She felt her skin heat in memory.
Maybe a third time wouldn’t be such a bad idea.
Gabe held up the glass, watching the bubbles rise. “It is, in a way. I want to know what the wine has to offer, because then I know what it can be paired with, and when to recommend it.”
“Matchmaker.”
His smile broadened at that. “Guilty as charged.”
“So, you borrowed this from the cellar at the lodge for a taste test?” she teased. “For product knowledge?”
Gabe shook his head. “No. I only bought the one bottle, for myself.” He slanted a hot glance her way. “I was hoping to share it with you.”
“Really? How long have you had it?”
“A little while. It doesn’t go bad.”
And he was a patient man.
How fascinating that he’d been hoping she’d make a move.
Lexi wondered if she should have done so sooner.
Gabe reached down and ran a fingertip across the tattoo on the side of her foot. It was the line drawing of the pair of elephants, where Chynna had added the red heart. He brushed his fingertip gently over the heart so that Lexi shivered. “Is that new?”
“Why do you ask?”
“It looks a bit puffy.”
She looked. “Just a bit.” It was humming away, and warmed to his touch.
“Does it mean something?”
“Does it have to?” she asked and took a bigger drink of champagne.
“It probably does, but you probably won’t tell me.”
“Does that bother you?”
“We all have our secrets.” He averted his gaze. “Why elephants?”
“They’re cute.” She shrugged, guessing that he knew it wasn’t the whole truth. He didn’t even seem to blink and his finger moved over the tattooed heart again. It seemed to sizzle beneath his touch. Her own heart gave a little jump.
“I thought maybe you wanted to remember something.”
“A trip to the zoo?”
One corner of his mouth lifted in a smile. “Maybe. Maybe something else. A mentor, maybe. Big brother or sister. A grandmother or favorite auntie. There are two elephants, one bigger than the other.”
Lexi didn’t reply, fearing he was going to solve the riddle and she’d have to lie.
She really didn’t want to talk about the past tonight.
And she didn’t want to lie to Gabe.
Gabe turned and picked up the bottle of champagne, settling back beside her as he eyed the label. “I thought once of getting a tattoo, but chickened out.”
“I can’t believe you’re afraid of anything.”
“Everyone’s afraid of something, Lexi.” He lifted the bottle before she could ask and filled up her glass. “Mine would have been a champagne cork, from a bottle of Veuve Clicquot.”
“Why?”
“Because the first time I ever tasted that champagne was a magical night, the night I spent with the woman I’ll never forget.”
Her again. Lexi felt a little stab of jealousy.
Was she back?
Funny how Lexi both wanted Gabe to be happy and didn’t want to hear the details.