Steal My Heart (20 page)

The deep cleft in his chin was directly in her line of sight, and she squelched the urge to trace her finger over it. She didn’t wish to wake him as it wasn’t often she had the opportunity to openly study him. He was usually up way before her. A dark shadow of whiskers covered his square chin, and she shivered as she recalled its prickly feel against her skin. Last night had been amazing. She hadn’t gotten much sleep. Gabe had made love to her with an uncompromising passion and utilized his extensive sensual arsenal to heighten her pleasure.

He seemed to enjoy textures and tastes and stimulating every one of the senses. They both had confessed things that made her blush deeply, but sent erotic lust twisting a powerful arousal through her. She was astonished by his oral and tactile talents. He pushed her over the edge again and again until she feared she’d become addicted to the incredible pleasure. He felt amazing inside her and seemed to find secret areas of pleasure. She wondered if it was the enticing shape of his manhood that provoked such a fervent response from her body. He definitely liked it dirty, and she shamefully admitted that it tantalized her too. But then at other times he’d been so gentle and sweet that she’d wanted to weep and hover in the solace of his arms forever.

Just when she thought she could relinquish no more, he’d demanded and coaxed the potential of her will and body, spiraling her to new heights of ecstasy. Her sex still throbbed with memories of him inside her, and the sometimes raw and untamed way he’d taken her.

Oh God…
His mouth and fingers had been everywhere! Maggie chewed her lip thoughtfully.

They probably now shared the same indigenous flora. Staphlococcus epidermis and Corynebacteria were thankfully harmless and found mostly on the skin and in the mouth. She struggled to remember which bacteria was prevalent in other places. Shaking her head, she gave it a mental slap.
Who would be thinking of such a thing? Maybe I am crazy!
She’d probably confirmed that fact for him last night when she’d quizzed him in redundant detail about his sexual health. She smiled, remembering the exam he seemed to thoroughly enjoy.

She tucked her hair behind her ear, her gaze trailing up his strong straight nose and across the angular cut of his cheeks. She’d never had a man be so into her sexually or one so eager to give her pleasure. Nor had she ever been with anyone who could ignite her passion so easily. She’d never thought of herself as particularly sexy or sensual, but with Gabe she felt like a siren. Marc had always made her feel unworthy of him. He’d sometimes reject her advances and inanely blame his disinterest on some fault of hers. His constant comments about her weight had slowly chipped away at her self-esteem and her sensuality.

Unfortunately it had taken that cheating episode for her to realize what an ignoble bastard he was. That had been two years ago. Since their breakup, she’d had no desire to date, to put herself out there as fodder for ridicule, or to be held up to some man’s measuring stick of beauty. She’d been content with
it.
Until now.
Until Gabe.
He came with his own
it
. And it put
it
to shame. No doubt about it! Maggie’s cheeks bubbled as she tried to hold in the giggles from her silliness.

Her gaze glided up his face, and she gasped as she met his bold stare. His eyes were the color of dark chocolate, and they caused every organ in her body to crave sweet, silky, decadent things. A slow heat burned her face and shyly she averted her gaze.
 
 

“Morning, beautiful. What’s going through that head of yours?”

Oh God…“
This is late for you, isn’t it?” She smiled and quickly detoured the subject, her gaze studying the cleft in his chin. Now she acquiesced to the insistent finger and trailed the folded skin.

He caught the palm of her hand and pulled it to his mouth for a kiss. “I needed the rest.”

She heard the teasing in his voice, but blushed at some of the images from last night that popped into her head. She’d been a complete wanton! She ignored him and asked, “Have you always been an early riser?”

He shifted and let his fingers drum lightly over her back.

“Ever since SEAL training. I had to be up at five am every day. Sometimes earlier.”

“That must have been arduous—being a SEAL.”

He paused. His sleepy voice sobered. “Yes, it was.”

She looked into his eyes. “Why’d you join?”

There was a prolonged silence. His gaze rolled towards the ceiling, fixing on something she knew wasn’t there. “I had a lot of rage and pain. I needed to join. It was good for me.”

Maggie twisted her lip. Everything about him seemed a mystery. She desperately wanted to know what had incited such deep emotions, but didn’t want to push him. It was a miracle that he was relating anything at all.

“I’ve heard that training is brutal.”

“Yeah. That’s when I met Harry. He and I were young, ready to take on the world. We thought we could do anything.”

A sudden remorse filled her at the reminder of his friend’s death. She held him close.

“How old were you when you joined?”

“Twenty-three. I quit Har—school to join.”

“Was your family upset?”

“I guess.” He shrugged his wide shoulders. “My brother was home. He took care of things.”

Maggie’s head popped up in surprise. “You have a brother?”

“A twin.”

Oh God. Two of them? Did God make an extra batch of good-looks and hard-body that day?

“Are you two close?”

“I’m not close to anyone, Maggie.”

She allowed his words to sink in while she surfed a foaming wave of sadness. Was he incapable of getting close to anyone?
His words didn’t surprise her, but the feelings they evoked did.

“Why’d you leave the SEALs?”

He sighed heavily, his fingers now gently massaging the back of her neck. “I’d had enough. I’d learned to channel my rage, but I couldn’t get used to some of the senselessness. We had to rescue an American diplomat who’d been taken hostage in Afghanistan. He was kept captive by a family. A mom, dad, three children. They all had guns, and knew well how to use them. We rescued the diplomat. My team lost a man. The family all lost their lives. It made no sense to me. Those kids should’ve been out playing stick ball, not shooting weapons. I fought with my commander. Left.”

Her arms flexed tighter around him. She couldn’t imagine the atrocities he must have seen. It was obvious how much he respected and valued life.

“Where’d you grow up, Maggie?” His question surprised her.

She laid her cheek against his chest, now toying with the edges of the dressing on his shoulder wound. “Brooklyn.”

“Brooklyn?” His deep chuckle was music against her ear, and caused her to look up. “That explains a lot.”

“What?” she said, indignant, but smiling.

“You’re tough and indomitable.”

“Tough?” Her lips twisted wryly. “I’ve cried more in the last week than I have in the last two years.”

His gaze softened, his irises a burnt umber. “I’m sorry. I know this has been an ordeal. I have to claim responsibility for it.”

It hasn’t all been bad
, she wanted to say, but instead she said, “True.” She nodded thoughtfully. “But I blame Cane Howard more than anyone else. I believe you would have left my apartment after you retrieved the drive.”

He frowned. “Don’t be so quick to absolve me, Maggie. Cane and I may be a lot more alike than you think.”

She swung her head back and forth, disavowing his claim. “I don’t believe that, Gabe.” She expelled a weighty sigh, anxious about the answer to her next question. “What do we do now?”

She felt his muscles tense beneath her, firm like chiseled marble. He cupped her chin and locked their gazes. The edge of his lips pulled slightly.

“I guess we’re a ‘we’ now, hmm...?”

His words sent warmth sluicing down her back and stark fear scooting around in her heart. “I guess so.”

“…until this is over.”

Fool! What had you expected him to say? Until death do us part?

She nodded.

He frowned, releasing her chin. “I’ve been thinking about it. But it’s complicated.”

“What’s so complicated about it? We give the research back to Dr. Rollins.” She couldn’t help the urgent pitch in her voice.

“Cane Howard is tenacious. He will do everything to ensure that doesn’t happen. Last I heard, the Rollinses weren’t even in the country.”

“There’s got to be a way to find them.”

He sighed and rolled them over, positioning himself on top of her.

“Let me figure it out. I have a few ideas. For now though, we have to leave this motel.”

“Are we not safe here?”

His brows pulled together. “I won’t feel safe until Cane is no longer a threat. It’s just not prudent to stay in one place for too long.”

She nodded understanding. “Where are we going?”

“I don’t trust any of my safe-houses. Harry knew of them all. We’re going to a place my dad used to take my family when I was a kid. It’s in the woods farther north.”

She nodded again, considering the emotion that thickened his voice. She watched his Adam’s apple bob as he swallowed it away. Clearing his throat, he brushed her hair back and settled between her legs. She winced as her sore thighs parted.

“Are you tender?”

She nodded, realizing that desire was weaving through the delicious ache in her groin. “I need a shower.”

He shot her a lop-sided grin that provoked an arrhythmia, and his sinfully long lashes fanned over his dark eyes.
He was such a hottie!

“It’s almost nine. You’re usually up to your third shower by now.”

She smacked his shoulder playfully. She could feel his residual all over her body. “Thanks to you I’m in dire need of one.”

“Yes, you are, you dirty girl.” His voice was a mocking sing-song.

Maggie felt her cheeks flame hot at his teasing words. Lurid images populated her brain. Discomfited, she groaned and pushed futilely at his thick shoulders, trying to knock him off her.

He chuckled and rolled over, allowing her escape.

“That’s a compliment, Maggie!” he yelled at her back as she absconded to the bathroom.

CHAPTER SEVEN

Maggie felt the gentle shake of her shoulder and she bleated a grumpy moan. She’d fallen asleep as soon as she’d gotten into the car. The supple leather seat and the smooth rumbling vibrations of the sports car had lulled her into a blissful somnolence. Her lids feathered open and she had the strange sensation of being in a magical fairy tale surrounded by thick woods.

“Wake up. We’re here.”

Her lips shimmied at Gabe’s voice as she tried to hold back her smile.
Guess who was the big bad wolf?

Her eyes met his as he leaned over to make sure she was awake and she gave him a sleepy smile. “My, what big teeth you have,” she drawled.

He waggled his brows playfully and popped open her seatbelt. “Better to eat you with, my dear.”

Her smile widened and she found his playfulness infectious.
Was this the same grizzly man who’d invaded her apartment?
“I’m afraid I don’t have a basket of goodies to offer you.”

“I think you may have other goodies that may interest me.” He grinned. “Now, out of the car before this wolf gets hungry.”

Maggie popped the door open and scooted out just as he growled and dove for her neck. She laughed and did a silly triumphant dance, celebrating her nimble escape, and causing him to smile broadly and shoot her his odd puzzled look. She knew she must look ridiculous. David was so much better at the ‘butter churn’ than she was.

“Don’t forget the wolf gobbles Red in the end.”

Maggie’s jaw dropped in consternation. “No way. Everyone knows that Red and Grandma get away.”

He rounded the car and opened the tiny trunk, unloading his duffle bag along with some other items. Maggie admired the way the black tee hugged his large biceps and embraced his powerful chest like an adoring second skin.

“Not in my version. In my version, the wolf eats Red in the end.”

Gabe still had his head lowered to the trunk, so Maggie couldn’t see his face. She chewed her lip, thinking about what he’d said. Was his wolf a good wolf or a bad wolf? And did he gobble Red in a bad way or
good
way? She turned to face the cabin and the sight steered all thought to a grinding halt.

The majestic sight took her breath away. When Gabe had told her they were going to a place in the woods, she’d thought two-room shack, hopefully with indoor plumbing. She was in no way expecting the massive structure made of timber and natural stone. The enchanting home had buttresses of vertical wood beams that rose all the way to the second floor and followed the same architectural design around the house. The façade was inlaid with beautiful arched colonial windows surrounded by gray and brown French cut stone that blended into the natural environment and gave the abode a rustic tranquility.

Her gaze traveled down a curved stone path to the slate peak of what looked like a caretaker’s smaller cottage. Somewhere in the distance she could hear the rush of water and guessed there was a stream or brook nearby. They had driven into a large circular stone drive which centered a tiered waterfall that was now turned off, and the entire area was surrounded by densely packed mammoth yellow birch trees with an apron of delicate pink cherry blossoms. A slight breeze tickled her skin and the steady glow of afternoon sunlight lit up the lighter blondes of her hair.

Her awed gaze slid to Gabe, who was now holding the bags and waiting for her to proceed him to the goliath mahogany front door inscribed with a giant M.

“This place is magnificent. Are you sure it’s okay for us to be here?”

He met her eyes then looked away. “It’s okay. I know the owners.”

He left her tapping her foot nervously at the front door as he disappeared around the back of the house. Maggie twisted her fingers, anxiety causing her stomach to summersault as the moments slipped by.
What was taking so long? Was he breaking into the house?
She
scanned the front yard and the three car garage. The place looked desolate. She startled, her questions answered when she heard a shuffle and click from inside, followed by Gabe’s tall form drawing the door open. As he gathered up the bags, she stepped into the large circular foyer, her sneakers quiet on the waxed wood floor. She could see that the dark teak wood ran throughout the expansive house. An elegantly carved wooden staircase started in the foyer and twisted upwards towards the double height ceiling to the second floor. She peeked into a massive room off the foyer that had chunky horizontal beams running across the ceiling and a full wall of the same style stone from the outside. The stone was interrupted by an inviting fireplace that she could literally walk into. Earthy tones of brown, cream, taupe and green could be seen on abutting walls throughout the grand house.