Chapter 14
“Do you have your license with you?” Gage asked as he pulled up beside a small brick building with large glass windows on all four sides. As Carly reached for her bag, she wondered why the guard approaching the window would need it when she was his guest.
“Yes, why?” she asked as she pulled her license out of her wallet.
“Because once they have it on file you’ll be able to come and go as you please.” He grinned as he took the slim plastic card from her hand.
As he turned and reached for the button to lower his window Carly’s skin tingled, and her lips tipped up, thrilled at another indication Gage was serious about pursuing a relationship with her. Looking at the heavy metal-slated gate in front of the truck and then over to the smiling, gray-haired man inside the guard station, her worries from the night before of putting Gage and his son in danger eased. Too bad she couldn’t afford to live in a gated community like this one. She’d probably get a lot more sleep if she didn’t have to worry Daniel had found her every time she heard a noise outside the sliding glass doors in her bedroom. Keeping her head turned toward the open window, she listened as Gage greeted the security guard.
“How’s it going?” Gage said, handing her license over. Sneaking a peek around Gage’s broad shoulder, Carly caught a glimpse of the guard’s name tag and smiled as she saw Floyd Allen printed in plain black letters across the front. The kindly older man reminded her of one of the custodians back at her previous school who had always made sure to ask how her day was going.
“Everything’s fine, Mr. Wilson. How about yourself?” Floyd answered as he took Carly’s ID.
“Couldn’t be better. I want you to meet Carly Owens,” Gage said as he leaned back to give the security guard a better view. Carly waved at Floyd as Gage continued, “Hopefully she’ll be over to visit quite often, so I wanted to see if you could put her in the system.”
“No, problem. It’ll just take a minute,” Floyd answered as he turned and placed her license on a scanner.
While they waited, Gage reached over and picked up the hand she had resting on the console between the seats. Tiny sparks shot up her arm as he rubbed his thumb across the back of her hand and said, “You’ll probably need to show your license a few times until the other guards recognize you, but after that, they’ll wave you through.”
Gage let go of her hand to retrieve her license from the guard then drove the truck forward through the open iron gates. Carly leaned back in her seat, her body still humming at his implication of where things between them were headed. She watched out the window, resisting the urge to shake her head at the opulent houses lining the quiet streets next to a small lake in the background. She hadn’t realized such wealth existed in the small city of Oaktown, but she guessed it made sense as they were only a couple of hours away from the Dallas/Fort Worth area. There were probably plenty of high powered executives, politicians, and celebrities who owned houses here, wanting somewhere to go to get away.
“Wow,” Carly whispered under her breath as Gage turned into the driveway of a sprawling two-story, gray and white brick house. She took in the immaculate lawn dotted with a few trees around the perimeter as he pulled around to a garage on one side. While the house she’d shared with her ex-husband had been lavish for the small town they’d lived in, it had been nothing compared to this one.
Turning off the engine and hitting the garage door remote, Gage turned to her. “I know what you’re probably thinking.”
“Oh, you do? And what would that be?” she countered as she looked over at him, her nervousness trying to return at the thought of the wealth and prestige surrounding her in the secluded community.
“That I bought this place to flash around all the money I have,” he muttered.
Her stomach dropped a bit as she realized that exact thought had started to cross her mind, but the look on his face had her regretting it immediately. “I–,” she started, but didn’t get to finish when he interrupted.
“I understand what you’re going through with your ex-husband. A few years ago, I had a stalker who managed to break into my house in Dallas. When I decided to take this job and move back, this was the only house available with the level of security I was comfortable with now that I have Jonathan with me all the time. I would have preferred something a little smaller…,” he trailed off giving a Carly a lopsided grin as he shrugged his shoulders.
“That’s understandable,” Carly answered, realizing she hadn’t thought of how his celebrity must weigh on his mind and the hassles it brought as he tried to raise his son on his own. Reaching over, she wrapped her fingers around his enormous hand the best she could and squeezed. Her heart swelled as she thought about what a good father he was trying to be.
“Actually, I was thinking about what a beautiful place you have and how much work it must be to keep it up,” she fibbed as he pulled to a stop.
Her breath hitched when his blue eyes lit up and he pulled her hand up to place a light kiss on her fingers. She gulped as moisture pooled between her legs. She almost… almost wished Jonathan wasn’t home.
***
Carly sat mock-irritated at the breakfast bar, restlessly tapping one foot against the lower rung of the comfortable stool while watching Gage and Jonathan in the kitchen. They wouldn’t let her help at all. Gage had finally banished her from the kitchen when she’d tried to insist. Secretly though, she was immensely enjoying the banter of father and son as they worked together getting things ready to take outside to the grill. The love she could see between the two of them gave her a fuzzy feeling inside, and she was glad to see one more thing telling her it was all right to give Gage a chance. Looking around she took in the gleaming gray and black marble countertops and stainless-steel appliances of the kitchen and thought about Rachel. Her friend would be in heaven cooking in the enormous space. She chuckled under her breath as she swept her gaze over the empty breakfast nook to her right and the open family room behind her with its lone leather sectional and an ottoman scattered with various game controllers sitting directly in front of a large built-in entertainment center. What she’d seen so far of the house was beautiful, but it lacked a woman’s touch. Gage and his son were living the bachelor life for sure. She turned back to watch as Gage and Jonathan walked toward her, holding trays loaded with the steaks and vegetable kabobs they’d prepared.
As they rounded the edge of the breakfast bar, Gage grinned. “I’ll give you a tour later, and maybe you can give me some ideas on how to decorate this monstrosity. Come on, let’s go get this food on the grill.”
Carly returned his grin then followed them through the family room to a set of French patio doors leading outside. She briefly glanced over at the comfortable-looking blue and gray cushions on the wicker sofa and matching chair underneath a large outdoor fan on the covered patio, thinking it would be a good place to relax in the shade on a hot summer day. She stepped off the concrete of the patio and followed onto a pebble path winding around a large rectangular swimming pool complete with a rock waterfall and hot tub to the large wood and stone outdoor pergola on the other side. Walking between the two large potted plants at the entrance of the structure, Gage turned around flashing Carly a panty-melting grin. “Just sit your pretty self at the table while we get these on the fire.”
Knowing it was useless to argue, Carly took a seat in one of the black wrought iron chairs scattered around the matching square table. A shiver snaked down her spine as she watched the corded muscles in Gage’s arms flex as he placed the thick steaks and kabobs on the huge grill in the center of the built-in stone cooking area. Wondering what the rest of his hard body looked like underneath the blue and gray shirt and khaki shorts, Carly squeezed her legs together to tamp down the throbbing in her core, very glad Jonathan was here, or she might find herself forgetting the plan of getting to know him better before she did anything stupid.
A little while later, after a delicious meal of steaks cooked to perfection and impeccably seasoned vegetables Gage began to regale her and Jonathan with funny stories from his NFL days. Carly leaned back in her chair and took a sip of the delicious and probably very expensive wine Gage had poured for her and relaxed.
“Thank you. Everything was delicious,” Carly said as she sat her almost empty wine glass on the table after the conversation waned. She tried unsuccessfully to hide the shiver racing up her back as she watched Gage’s throat ripple as he tipped his head back and drained his beer. A small cough broke through her hazy vision, and she hastily drank the last of her wine and turned.
With a sly look on his face, Jonathan chuckled. “Can I be excused? I have some homework I need to finish.”
“Sure, but you’re on clean-up duty tomorrow,” Gage teased, rising to his feet to reach for the empty plates and other dishes scattered on the wrought-iron table.
“No problem, Dad. Nice to see you, Ms. Owens,” Jonathan responded as he winked at Carly then handed his empty plate to Gage.
“You, too. See you at tutoring Monday?” Carly raised one eyebrow at the smirking boy, trying not to giggle.
“Yes, ma’am. See you Monday,” he answered then turned to jogged back inside.
As the patio doors closed, Carly startled at the warm breath in her ear. “I don’t think he really has any homework,” Gage chuckled as he reached around her from behind to pick up her empty wine glass.
Carly stood and leaned over for the empty beer bottle left on the table only to be stopped by a growl.
“What do you think you’re doing,” Gage rumbled, taking the bottle from her hand.
“Oh, please you have to let me help,” she pleaded, ignoring the stern look on his handsome face.
“Well, I guess you can carry these,” he sighed and handed her a ridiculously light tray holding a salt and pepper shaker and a towel. Not wanting to argue, Carly dipped her head, hiding the little grin she couldn’t hold back then followed behind as Gage carried an armful of dishes and other utensils back through the patio doors.
After a quick clean-up and a tour of the living room and its two-story cathedral ceiling, as well as the four bedrooms upstairs, all empty except for Jonathan’s, Carly found herself at the door of the master bedroom.
“And this is my room,” Gage rumbled in her ear as she gazed inside at the huge four poster bed and the lone dresser off to one side of the spacious room. Heat flooded her veins as she imagined herself tangled up with Gage underneath the inviting navy and white patterned comforter.
With a low chuckle, Gage took her hand and led her away from the bedroom and back down the hall to the family room. Reaching the large sectional, Gage pulled her down beside him as he sat. He picked up the remote then leaned over. “All in good time, sweetheart.”
Blushing, Carly leaned into his warm side as he wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close.