He waited with Gabrielle until the police let her back into her room. In the meantime, Mrs. Rhodes had returned from her grocery shopping. The older woman was overcome by the news, so the police took her inside and they called her sister to come help her.
Now Derek sat on the bed while Gabrielle began packing up her things.
It shouldn’t feel final, but it did.
He shouldn’t be upset. But he was.
Neither one of them mentioned the words on the bathroom mirror or the mess she had to clean as she sorted through the clothes and papers that had been tossed around the room.
“I don’t have all that much to pack. I’ve been living out of a suitcase since I got here.”
He’d already taken all of her toiletries out of the bathroom and placed them on the edge of the bed so she wouldn’t have to go in there and see the bold words again.
She paused at the foot of the mattress and sealed each bottle in its own bag before placing everything in the female version of a dop kit and laying it on top of all her clothes.
She zipped the suitcase closed. “That’s it.” She turned back toward him.
“Let me help you to your car.”
To his surprise, she let him lift the suitcase off the chair and haul it out to the street. He wedged it into the back of the trunk and slammed the door closed.
“Thank you.” She treated him to one of her sweet smiles.
“I didn’t think you’d let me help.” She’d always prided herself on her ability to do things on her own.
“Do you want the truth?”
“Of course.”
“After last night, I’m a little sore in body parts I didn’t know I had.” She curled her hands around his shirt and pulled him closer. “Since you caused it, I figured it’s only fair that I let you do the heavy lifting for me today,” she said playfully.
Leaning forward, she planted a kiss on his lips.
He cupped his hands around her face and reciprocated, his tongue slipping easily inside her willing mouth. His heart kicked hard inside his chest and he tilted her head to the side, delving deeper into her sweetness.
She broke the kiss first. “I think you’re going to miss me,” she said, sounding extremely pleased.
She should be, Derek thought. Because he wasn’t just going to miss her, he was going to worry every second she wasn’t in sight. Which meant he’d be thinking about her.
Day.
And night.
DEREK ARRIVED BACK HOME in no mood for an inquisition, but resigned to answer Holly’s questions, anyway.
Sure enough, she greeted him as soon as he stepped in the front door. “How is Gabrielle?” his daughter asked. “Wh
at happened at her place? Did someone really break in? Did they take anything? Is she hurt?”
He slung an arm over his daughter’s shoulders and steered her toward the kitchen. “Gabrielle is fine. Someone ransacked her room, but the police don’t think they took anything of value. Does that cover all of your questions?” he asked, unable to contain a grin.
“Just the first few. Where is she? Is she scared to stay alone? I can’t imagine being by myself after something like that happened to me.”
He lowered himself into one of the kitchen chairs. “Gabrielle went back to Boston,” he told her.
“What? Why?”
“Because it’s safer there for her. Besides, that’s where her home is.” He glanced at Holly. “Would you mind getting me a Diet Coke?”