Best Man Under the Mistletoe

She turned to face him and raised her brows as if waiting for him to answer, but he’d missed the actual question.

“I take it the fleet arrived at Hope Springs.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Your wedding gift was incredible. A fleet of expensive vans and trucks. I was buying them the china set they registered for and you go and spend...well, more than the cost of the entire wedding, reception, and honeymoon combined.”

Clearly he was on shaky ground here, so he dropped his arms to his sides and crossed to her. “I can’t tell if you’re angry or shocked. Regardless, I wanted to help Brandee with the camp. It seemed like the logical thing to do.”

“Logical.” She lifted her head to hold his gaze and those green eyes definitely pinned him in place. “You’re not a logical man. You’re reckless, unpredictable, maddening, but never logical.”

“Well, darlin’, I think you just gave me a compliment.”

Chelsea rolled her eyes and threw her hands out as she turned to head toward the wall of windows. Gabe remained where he was, waiting on her to say something.

“Only you would find those words to be flattering.” With her back still to him, she tucked her hair behind her ears and blew out a sigh. “I want to hate you. I want to keep not trusting you, but then you go and do this. It’s so unselfish and giving and...damn it.”

One step after another, Gabe closed the distance between them and came to stand directly behind her. As the sun started to set and the evening grew dim, their reflections were easy to make out in the window. He saw the uncertainty on her face, the passion in her eyes. She had come to his door for one reason and one reason only.

“You’re frustrated,” he murmured against her ear, still holding on to his amazing restraint by not touching her. “Tell me the real reason you’re here. It’s not to pat me on the back for giving the best wedding gift.”

“Part of it is.” She met his gaze in their reflection. “I was standing there watching as one truck after another pulled onto the ranch. And I realized, maybe you’re not a jerk.”

Gabe smiled and smoothed her hair away from her neck. “What else did you realize?”

She trembled beneath his lips and he gave up all restraint. Trailing his fingertips up her arms and back down, he took a half step to bring his chest against her back.

“That I want you. I want this.”

Finally.

“I’m done fighting,” she went on as he continued gliding his fingers over her silky skin. “I never take what I want.”

“And you want me.”

“Yes,” she whispered.

He hadn’t asked, but hearing her repeat her affirmation had arousal consuming him. He’d put her at the helm and she was going after what she wanted. Him.

“If I’d known it was going to get you to my door, I would’ve bought the fleet a month ago,” he joked, figuring she needed the tense moment to ease her nerves.

She smiled, which was exactly his intent. Her body relaxed against his and he reached around, flattening one palm against her stomach. His fingers splayed across the fabric of her tank top, pulling her back against him. Chelsea continued to watch in the window.

Gabe curled his pinky finger beneath the hem of her tank and slid it just inside the waistband of her jeans. Her swift intake of breath had him nipping at her ear. He wanted her

as off balance as possible, because he’d been that way for weeks now. He wanted her so achy and needy that she begged him, that she came apart in his arms and cried out his name.

Gabe began to pull her shirt up over her head but Chelsea gasped and attempted to cover herself.

“The windows—”

“Are mirrored on the other side,” he stated. “Nobody can see you and I want you right here, right now.”

“But—”

“You came to me,” he reminded her, turning her so she could face him. “We’re playing by my rules now.”

Chelsea relaxed a little as he finished taking off her shirt and tossed it over his shoulder. Then he crushed his mouth to hers and was instantly rewarded with a groan.

This time, nothing would stop them. They weren’t in public anymore and he was damn well going to take his time. Later. This first round was going to be quick and fierce because he’d waited long enough.