Imaginary Lines (New York Leopards 3)

But we had no time to exchange any other words, because his dad hollered for Abe to come help with the turkey, and as soon as I’d worked my way past a few relatives who wanted to say hello and managed to wash my hands, Sharon caught my arm. “Go get the veggie platter from the fridge?”

“On it.” I slipped away, through the kitchen and down the door into the garage, where dark and coolness dominated. Bikes and skis lined the walls, and I skated by one of the cars until I reached the two extra fridges in the back. Light radiated as I opened one, and slowly tugged the veggie platter from its place on top of several pies. Balancing it on one hand, I gave the door a nudge closed.

“So.”

I jumped slightly as the door closed to reveal Abe. The extinguished fridge bulb meant the only illumination came from the windows at the top of the garage door, which let in a pale, dispersed sunlight. “Oh, hi.”

An uneasy air had settled on him. “You sounded funny earlier. What’s wrong?”

How odd, that I used to think only I could decipher facial nuances in an instant. I held the veggie plate in front of me like a shield and strove to answer in a balanced tone. “I went down to the track today. For the Turkey race.”

He waited.

I fixated on the drifting clouds seen through the small windows. “I saw Gabi and Cindy.”

“The three musketeers reunited.” He sounded warily amused. “And I take it they had opinions about us.”

“It’s like you’re a psychic.”

“It’s like I’ve known you guys for ten years.”

I sighed and moved the plate of veggies up and down between our chests. “They just don’t really get this.”

He mimicked the gesture, and his voice dropped an octave. “‘This’?”

I shrugged and nodded. “And they wanted to warn me.”

His voice tensed slightly. “And what did you have to be warned about?”

“I don’t know. You know. They’re afraid I’ll get my heart broken.”

He stepped closer to me. “They think I’m going to break your heart?”

“Well, it’s unlikely I’ll drop it on the ground by accident.”

“Goddammit.” He came down and plucked the tray from my hands and deposited it on top of his dad’s car before I could blink. Sometimes I forgot how dexterous he was, off the field as well as on. “And what about me?”

I blinked at him. “Excuse me?”

“You think you’re the only one that would get your heart broken?” His hand slid around the back of my neck. “So I have the power to break your heart. Good. Because you could smash mine to smithereens if you wanted to.”

Something soft and happy unfolded in my chest even as my lips parted slightly in surprise. “Abraham...”

He pressed me against the car and kissed me.

My body responded faster than my brain, and I melted into him. “I’m not going to break your heart,” I whispered. “I promise.”

“Good. Because I don’t think I could survive it.” His hands glided under around my waist and dipped inside my jeans. His fingers were nimble and strong and they worked their magic, and his lips teased and tormented the hollow of my neck. I groaned and my head fell backward as all my strength pooled out of my bones and converted to hot desire pumping through my veins.

My head hit something.

After a dazed second, I realized the veggie tray was sliding off the car. “Oh!”

Abe lunged and caught it before it careened down the windshield. I started giggling—and the door into the garage swung open.

I froze as my pulse went wild.

Sharon stood in the doorway, peering at us in the dim lighting. “Did you find the veggies?”