“Willow—” Carson coughed and I quickly handed him his water bottle. After taking a few sips, he continued, “Fuck, I hate this cough. Willow explained this earlier. You and Trent now think that the people who ran us off the road have a different vendetta against Alex.”
Gabe’s eyes cut to mine. “Until today, that was my theory. Now, I think whoever ran the two of you off the road was after you, Carson. I think Willow was the bystander. It makes no sense for them to hurt her if the suspects are after her money. If she dies, it all goes to different charities.”
Gabe’s words took root. Someone was after Carson. Why? I wasn’t responsible for all this. But Alex still remained a piece of the puzzle. The same thought flitted through Carson’s mind as his eyes widened. Unfortunately, it made sense.
With the grimace on his face, Carson said, “I’m so sorry, Willow. You know I would never put you or anyone in harm’s way.”
I stood and gave him a hug. “This is not your fault. Just like Alex wasn’t mine. We will survive this. I don’t blame you.”
The nurse opened the door. “Visiting hours are coming to an end, Mr. Whitmore. The doctor has cleared Francesca and your mother to stay the night.”
“Thanks, Nancy. Give us ten more minutes if that’s okay.”
The elderly woman gave us a sweet little nod. “That works. I’ll be back with your meds.”
The door closed and Carson looked to me. “What time will you be by tomorrow?”
Tomorrow. Oh, I had the teaching job that I hadn’t filled Carson in on. “Um… after twelve.” I was shit at misleading. I might as well as thrown up a huge neon sign that said I was doing something Carson wouldn’t approve of.
“Willow, what are you doing?”
Straightening my spine, I gave a sweet little smile as I tried to play it off. “I’m teaching an art class at Apple Blossom.”
His eyes shot straight to Gabe. “Why the fuck would you let her do that?
Carson knew Alex had taken my money to pay for his child’s school with small automatic withdrawals sent to Apple Blossom. Alex Junior, who had autism, thrived at the school for special needs. After finding out the child was going to lose his place in school, I asked Trent to figure out a way for me pay the tuition through back channels as an anonymous contributor. There was no way I was going to punish a child for the sins of his father when I had the income to pay it.
I started to explain, but Gabe answered first, looking a little pissed at Carson’s underlying meaning. “Listen, you and I still need to have a one-on-one talk about my choices and how they affected Willow. You’re like a brother to her. I expect it. But, don’t insinuate I am putting her in danger. Every action, and I mean every fucking action, is to keep her and my babies as safe as I possibly can. We believe Alex is still alive and Jack De Luca may have a vendetta. Or they may be working together. Now, we have another psychotic asshole who’s trying to poison Francesca who could have gotten to Willow as well. I thoroughly reviewed this option before I gave it to her. This woman is my life—don’t ever question that, especially in front of her, until we’ve had our chance to talk.”
There was steel surrounding every word Gabe uttered. The two looked at each other while the tension mounted to an almost intolerable level. I was about to say something when Carson relented.
“You’re right. It’s been a hell of a day.” His shoulders relaxed and he slumped back in the bed exhausted.
Gabe raised his hand. “I get it. Just as long as we’re clear.”
Carson looked to me. “Call me as soon as you leave tomorrow. I want to know you’re safe.”
“I will. Promise. I’ll send Francesca in. Get some sleep.”
Later at the hotel, I tossed and turned, trying to find a position to sleep in an uncomfortable bed. Nothing worked. I blew out a breath of air when I flipped onto my back. My eyes darted to the door. Gabe was in the living room. I was tired, exhausted actually. Even though I knew I was safe, I felt violated at the hotel. I had come so close to taking a bite of the poisoned food.
Flopping again, I swore there were lumps in the mattress. Maybe a glass of milk would help.
I walked into the main room and tiptoed around the corner. A faint glow from the under-cabinet lights spilled into the living room. As I rounded the table, I almost ran into Gabe who was sitting there.
“Oh gosh. I thought you were asleep on the couch.”
“I was reviewing the files. Couldn’t sleep.” The bags under his eyes showed his lack of sleep. He closed the folder.
Inching closer, I suddenly felt shy. “What were you looking at?”
“Latest intel on Jack De Luca. There’s nothing new.”
Part of me was glad there wasn’t anything else to contemplate for the day. I was on processing overload and scared.
“Come here, sweetheart.”
Quickly I tucked myself into Gabe’s lap.
“Having trouble sleeping?”
“Yes, I was going to get some milk, hoping it would help. I didn’t want to wake you.”
Gabe rubbed my back, which already had me relaxing. “Willow?”
“Hmmm…”
“Is there anything I can do?”
I looked up with tired eyes. “Will you sleep with me?”
Gabe stood, cradling me against his chest. “I’d love to. Let me grab my book and I’ll read to you while you fall asleep.”
“Mmm…”
The vibrations from his chuckle moved through me. Taking me with him, Gabe flipped the lights off and I cuddled closer to him, feeling the drowsiness fall over me like a blanket.
The bed dipped and I found my pillow, sleep already encroaching. Clothes rustled and the heat of his body brought me close.
“Best fucking feeling in the world is having you in my arms.”
Sleep had already won as I mumbled something incoherent.
I reached over and turned off the alarm. It was warm. Too warm. Gabe’s arms slipped around me and held me tighter. Gabe. Momentarily I froze, wondering what happened. Then, I remembered going to the kitchen to get some milk and asking him to sleep with me.
He brought me to bed and held me all night long. For the first time since the accident, I slept well.
“Morning, sweetheart.” The deep rumble of his scratchy voice exuded sex.
Four more days. Only four more days.
For now, I relished being in his arms. “Morning.” I wrapped my arms tighter around him. “I don’t want to get up.”
“Me, either. I want to keep you in my arms and never let go.”
“Then don’t.”
Gabe lifted me up a little to where I was able to look into the depths of his green eyes. “We’re in this for the long haul.”
Through it all, Gabe soothed my underlying fears. “I want to go away somewhere and pretend none of this is going on.”
“Soon, I’ll take you somewhere.”
The reminder alarm went off, breaking the magical spell we had woven to escape reality. “I better get up if we’re going to leave on time.”
In the next second, I found myself on my back. A squeal of delight left me as I clasped onto his biceps. “I think you forgot something, Willow.”
I wiggled a little and felt his hardened length against my abdomen.
A deep guttural groan left his lips. “Behave. Only four more days.”
I gave him a little pout and he nipped my lips. The warmth from his touch sent tingles through me. I needed more.
“Gabe…” I sighed his name before his mouth fully covered mine. Instinctively, I wrapped my legs around his hips to bring him closer.
The strong strokes of his tongue commanded mine, and his hand moved across my oversensitive breasts. And then he was gone. My eyes opened. Gabe was breathing hard while he knelt between my legs and tried to regain control. The molten fire that burned within told me he was as much a slave to our love as I was.
When we touched it was as if we became one, needing to join our bodies. “I t
hink you should go take a shower, Willow.”
All I wanted was Gabe. I blinked a few times to break the spell.
With ease, he unhooked my legs and scooted off the bed. “It is taking everything I have not to strip you bare and sink inside you.”
“I want that, too.”
Gabe’s wrapped his fingers around my ankles and gentle pulled me to the edge of the bed, causing my nightgown to ride up my thighs and expose my panties.
“You are so fucking beautiful. I’m going to go get ready before I lose the last of my self-restraint.” His deep gravelly voice was strained.
Without another word, he left the room and I felt the throb of my clit begging to be touched. I flexed my fingers to keep from touching myself. I blew out a frustrated breath. Now, I understood why someone would take a cold shower.
With one last look in the mirror, I made sure I looked presentable. The fog from my earlier desire was only now dissipating after a frigid shower.
My lavender gray eyes were wide and alert as I thought about what was ahead. In less than an hour, I would be teaching art at Apple Blossom. And inevitably, I would come face-to-face with Alex’s child.