WG2E All-For-Indies Anthologies: Viva La Valentine Edition (15 page)

She didn’t want to talk about Steve in front
of Gabe for some reason or to admit that she’d used the antidote on
him and left him in a bus stop. Thinking fast, she improvised with,
“the same cherub who shot a girl in Nordstrom. She was fawning over
a complete stranger three times her age. I probably should have
reported it but didn’t, that’s why I stopped myself
mid-sentence.”

She got the sense that Gabe didn’t believe
her and she wondered just how long he’d been hanging around her
apartment and what all he might have seen. She did feel better when
she realized a rogue had likely struck Steve versus one of her
immediate family members.

“Something came up here and I was planning on
returning to Las Vegas anyways,” she told Gabe in an attempt to
explain the half packed suitcases. “Give me a few minutes to pack
my bags and email my resignation to work, and I’ll come with you”
she agreed with a reluctant sigh.

She was surprised when Gabe stepped inside,
followed her down the hall and laid down on her bed like he owned
the place. He crossed his arms behind his head and reclined
comfortably, intent on watching her pack.

“Just make yourself at home,” she muttered
weakly, trying not to notice how at ease he was on her bed or how
his t-shirt stretched taut across his thickly muscled chest. She
caught herself wondering what it would feel like to run her fingers
across his chest, or to climb onto the bed and curl up next to him.
She felt her skin flush under his steady gaze and attempted to
focus on packing.

Dara decided to make small talk in an effort
to distract herself from Gabe’s chest. “So, how did you get stuck
with this assignment?” she asked casually.

“I volunteered,” he replied smoothly.

She couldn’t help but ask why? A
seventeen-hour drive was dull under the best of circumstances.

“Because it meant seeing you,” he responded,
rendering her speechless.

What game was he playing? He certainly
couldn’t be interested in her. It was no secret how little the
Guardians thought of the Cherubs. Changing her mind, she decided to
forgo talking altogether.

In the silence that followed she became
acutely aware that Gabe was simply lying on the bed watching her
intently. His gaze was so intense as it roamed over her body that
she could almost picture him mentally undressing her. She
absentmindedly twisted the black lace bra she’d picked up in her
hands before realizing he was staring at the lacy lingerie. She
felt heat flood her cheeks. She hastily shoved the bra along with
some other final items into her suitcase and hoped she’d forgotten
nothing essential due to her distraction.

She’d always had this electric reaction to
Gabe, an almost instant attraction, which was part of why she’d
avoided him over the years. Guys like him didn’t go for girls like
her, and she’d only end up getting hurt.

When she finished packing, she powered up her
laptop and emailed her letter of resignation. She blamed a family
emergency, which was as close as she could come to the truth. Some
man would probably take her position, she realized with a resigned
sigh. She could also kiss a good reference goodbye, which was
frustrating since she’d been an exemplary employee. She was always
punctual, willing to work overtime, and had excellent results. It
wasn’t fair.

• • •

Gabe couldn’t help but notice the soft sigh
that escaped Dara’s lush lips, and how they formed into an adorable
pout. What he wouldn’t give to feel those lush lips against his,
soft and inviting. “What’s the matter?” he asked, clearing his
mind.

“You wouldn’t understand,” she responded with
a tight smile.

“Try me,” he countered, trying to appear as
non-threatening as possible. He’d learned long ago that
intimidation was not the way to her heart.

“I was just realizing,” she began, “that my
position will probably be taken by a man.” She quickly added, “no
offense.”

“None taken,” he replied trying to hide his
smile and failing miserably. She was so cute when she was
serious.

Seeing his smile, Dara explained, “I could go
into a complete history of the actuarial profession and how it used
to be entirely dominated by men. How even now less than 30% of
actuaries are women and how female actuaries still earn on average
$10,000 less than their male counterparts, but since I can tell I’m
humoring you, how about we just cut the small talk and get
going?”

“What makes you think I’m laughing at you?”
responded Gabe.

“The fact that you’re even now failing to
hide your smile,” she sputtered back.

“Well Miss Know-It-All, if I’m smiling, it’s
because you’re so adorable when you’re worked up,” Gabe
countered.

Dara was speechless. Was Gabe actually
flirting with her? After a few awkward moments, she shoved a
suitcase at him before ordering, “let’s hit the road.” Dara assumed
Gabe had a car waiting. Given her fear of flying, Dara refused to
travel by air unless absolutely necessary and Cupid would have
communicated this. Fortunately, Las Vegas it was a long but not
unreasonable drive from Portland. Gabe was pleased with her
reaction when she saw his car. “You think this piece of junk will
get us to Las Vegas?” she uttered in disbelief, looking at the beat
up 1970’s Plymouth parked by the curb. “I can’t believe I’m saying
this, but it might be safer to fly.”

“It’s a classic,” he countered. He’d selected
it as part of his plan, and enjoyed her expression when he had to
kick the trunk to make it open, revealing a musty shag carpeted
hole.

To her credit, she kept silent when she
discovered her door was missing its outside handle and could only
be opened from within. Unfortunately, she kept silent after that as
well. The first few hours of the trip she pretended to sleep and
Gabe enjoyed watching her face. She was concentrating so hard on
pretending to be asleep that her forehead kept creasing and her
breathing was loud and rhythmic.

When she finally gave up and opened her eyes,
he gave her the good news. “The recent snow storm has closed all
mountain passes in Northern California. We’ll have to travel down
I5 to Bakersfield before heading west.”

“But that will add hours to our trip,” Dara
lamented.

“More time for you to practice pretending to
sleep,” Gabe teased in response and his suspicions were confirmed
by the color flooding her cheeks.

Hearing her stomach rumble, he pulled off the
interstate at the next stop for breakfast. He came out of McDonalds
loaded up with breakfast sandwiches, cinnamon melts and coffee only
to find her checking the road reports on her laptop.

“Didn’t trust me?” he asked raising an
eyebrow.

Looking as guilty as a kid caught with her
hand in the cookie jar, she stammered, “I was just checking for any
change. Maybe you saw and old report”

She really didn’t trust him, Gabe mused,
which was a bit insulting since he’d never done anything to her to
cause the lack of trust or respect. Dara was looking down now,
unable or unwilling to make eye contact with him.

Gabe decided to try a little reverse
psychology. “You cherubs are all the same. No trust or respect for
those of us that preserve law and order. For you, it’s all about
breaking the rules and causing mischief. “

Dara’s eyes flashed lightening. “I happen to
admire law and order, thank you very much!”

“But you don’t admire me,” Gabe stated point
blank, “and all I do is preserve and enforce the law and order you
claim you admire.”

“It’s different,” Dara quickly replied.

“How so?” Gabe countered.

“Let’s see,” Dara began, holding up the
fingers and thumb of her right hand before bending down a finger
with each point made. “First, you unfairly target Cherubs. Second,
you enjoy excessive violence. Third, you meddle in Cherub business.
And fourth, you think you’re Cupid’s gift to women!”

With some surprise, Gabe realized the only
finger remaining upright was in the middle of her hand, innocently
flipping him the bird. Dara definitely had a feisty side, which he
hoped to explore further, however much her accusations bothered
him.

• • •

“You don’t even know me Dara,” he stated
flatly before heading back to the driver side and slamming his
door.

Dara suddenly became very interested in her
Egg Mcmuffin. Gabe had to smother a grin, however, when he realized
he could use her sympathy to his advantage.

He put on his best wounded face, and after a
few minutes he could feel her resolve faltering. He knew she was
too kind to stay hostile for long.

“I’m sorry,” she spoke quietly, placing a
hand on his shoulder. “It was unfair to judge you. Let’s start
over. How about you tell me something I don’t know about you?” she
asked, a sweet smile playing across her lips. “Surprise me.”

Seizing the opportunity, he decided to share
something private that might change her perception of him. He spoke
honestly about his father who had been jailed for tampering with
evidence when he was fourteen and how he’d picked up the slack to
care for his mother and five younger siblings. They were almost all
grown up now and all following the family path to become Guardians,
even his younger sister.

“Tell me something else,” Dara requested with
genuine curiosity.

“I like to write,” Gabe divulged, choosing
something that might convince her he was more than Guardian.
“Mainly poetry,” he continued, “but I’d like to write a story that
would capture the history and tradition of the Guardians. I also
like to read autobiographies” he divulged before falling
silent.

“I had no idea,” Dara replied, rewarding him
with another smile.

Gabe got the feeling she may be actually
starting to like him. Hopefully she’d forgive him for what he was
about to do; otherwise, hate would be too light a word.

Three.

Dara sat in silence pondering what Gabe had
told her. It had taken a lot of honesty and courage to tell her
about his father, as it was not something he could be proud of.
Dara was more than a bit flattered and was shocked to find herself
softening towards the handsome Guardian.

She was so caught up in her thoughts that it
took her a few minutes to realize they’d exited the interstate onto
what appeared to be a rural road rather than a main
thoroughfare.

“Where are we?” Dara inquired curiously.

“North of Sacramento,” he responded. “If you
don’t mind I’d like to pay a visit to an old friend. He’s just a
little ways off the beaten path and it shouldn’t take long.
Besides, it’s a pretty drive.”

Dara was surprised to find the signs of
spring already in the air. It was only the beginning of February,
but they were far enough south that small pink blossoms were
already opening on the trees.

She rolled down the window, pleased the crank
actually worked, and discovered the temperature was pleasant. She
leaned her head back and closed her eyes, letting the breeze play
with her hair.

She didn’t realize she’d dozed off until she
awakened abruptly, just past noon time, to the sound of Gabe’s
cursing and the old Plymouth wheezing like a geriatric dinosaur. It
sputtered to a halt.

“So this is how Plymouths became extinct,”
she mused before asking the real question. “What’s happened?”

Gabe mournfully shook his head. When he
finally responded he began with an apology. “I’m sorry Dara, it
appears we’ve run out of gas.”

Dara was irritated. How could he be so
careless as to turn of the interstate without filling up? He was a
man for Pete’s sake, and these sorts of things didn’t happen to
men. Her irritation turned to fury when she realized that her cell
phone had no service and she couldn’t call roadside assistance.
With a growing sense of dread, she booted up her laptop and was
unable to pick up a wireless signal, confirming they were
completely off the grid.

“Well?” she asked.

“Well what?” he responded.

“Well what the hell do you plan to do about
us being stranded in the boonies,” she yelled back, realizing she
was losing her temper for the second time that day, something very
unlike herself.

“Calm down,” pleaded Gabe in his most
comforting voice. “Elias was expecting us and I’m sure that when we
don’t show up he’ll come looking for us. Until then we’ll pitch
camp.”

Dara hadn’t paid any attention as to what
else was in the trunk and to her surprise, Gabe began to pull out
an assortment of camping supplies.

Despite her anger, she couldn’t help but grin
as what appeared to be REI’s entire inventory emerged from the now
extinct Plymouth. It included an all-season tent, a couple of
sleeping bags, self-inflating air mattresses, a camp stove, fishing
poles and food rations.

She raised an eyebrow in silent query.

“Always be prepared,” Gabe responded. “You
never know what can happen when you’re traveling in winter weather.
You can easily become stranded,” he joked tossing Dara a sleeping
bag.

“It wasn’t the weather that stranded us,” she
pointed out, but Gabe had already headed off to find a campsite and
didn’t respond. Dara jogged after him, concerned about leaving the
car and the road.

“Don’t worry,” Gabe reassured her again.
“Elias will spot our car on the road and we’ve left a clear path
with our footprints.

As if on cue, Gabe stepped into a clearing
next to a small sunlit pond and announced, “this is the spot.”

He began by sweeping a flat area set back
from the pond free of pine needles with a travel broom to create a
tent pad.

She was amazed at the speed with which he
erected the tent and she soon discovered it was small enough that
it would mean close quarters for the two of them. Good Dara prayed
for a quick rescue, but naughty Dara secretly hoped she’d get to
share that tiny tent with Gabe. She was scandalized to realize she
was getting aroused at the thought and heat flooded her cheeks at
the same time it pooled between her thighs.