Chapter Fourteen
The snow continued to fall. Gabby had never seen anything like it. A part of her wanted to go out and play in the icy wonderland. Another part wanted to stay inside, snug and safe, and just enjoy the pristine, otherworldly beauty. Jonah had promised that once the heavy snow ended, she could go out, build snowmen, have snowball fights, and play to her heart’s content. She opted for staying inside and waiting. She was learning that Jonah Slater was a man of his word. He could be trusted.
The oddity of trusting anyone, especially a man, was both scary and liberating. For so long, she had lived in an isolated world of distrust and skepticism. What she had seen and experienced had molded her into a person she didn’t particularly like. She didn’t want to be distrustful and suspicious. She wanted to be free of all those doubts. She would soon start a new life—she wanted a new attitude, too.
The cautious, inhibited Gabby told her to be careful. Reminded her of all the betrayals of the past. Getting her hopes up only to have them destroyed had happened too many times to have high expectations. She told herself to set her sights on what was achievable and acceptable. Anything higher was just going to disappoint. That included Jonah Slater.
But her heart, which, much to her dismay, seemed to be calling the shots lately, told her to stop with the caution and distrust. There were men worthy of her trust. Honorable men with courage and integrity. Just because they weren’t in her own family didn’t mean they didn’t exist. Her heart told her that Jonah was one of those men.
Hard to believe she had known him for only twelve days. Even as taciturn as he was, he’d shared things with her she suspected he hadn’t told anyone else. Horrible things that had happened in prison. The absolute emptiness he’d experienced each morning that he woke was something she could definitely identify with. Lack of hope was soul destroying.
She ached for him when he described how he had learned of his fiancée’s disappearance, the helplessness he’d felt. In turn, she had shared with him her own hurts and fears. The heartache of losing her friend and mentor, Raiza. The ache of loneliness had been almost unbearable.
Still, there were things she hadn’t told him. Some of the more painful experiences were just too hard to verbalize. She would tell him someday, she knew. Perhaps talking about them would help her heal. So yes, she would tell him. Just not yet.
“What would you say to a snowball fight?”
Turning away from the window she’d been gazing out of, she practically shouted, “Really? Seriously? We can go out?”
“Forecast says blue skies and sun. No more snow, at least for the foreseeable future. Temps are in the thirties, so you’ll need to bundle up.”
With her mind on the new adventure ahead, all caution scattered like ashes in the wind. She had never played in the snow, never once had a snowball fight. This was one of the items on her list.
“I’ll be back in a flash.”
“No hurry. I don’t think the snow will melt anytime soon.”
The instant she disappeared from the room, any amusement vanished with it. Jonah swore softly. He had to get out of here, away from her, as soon as possible. After twelve days of doing nothing but talking with her, learning about her, he had a boatload of information and knew one immutable fact—he was more attracted to her than he’d been to any woman, ever. That knowledge, more than anything, made him want to howl with fury. Teri’s killer was still out there breathing. Instead of finding him and meting out justice, Jonah was isolated with a beautiful temptress whom he couldn’t stop thinking about.
He was not only attracted to her, he was starting to like her. She was different from any woman he’d ever met. Her interests were eclectic, her enthusiasm for the ordinary was contagious. How long had it been since he’d sat down, read and enjoyed an entire book? Since he had shown her the library, he had rediscovered the simple pleasure of getting lost in a good book.
Very few things interested him anymore whereas Gabby was interested in everything. Each day was a new adventure for her, something exciting to be enjoyed and shared. What he looked at as mundane and boring, she viewed as delightful and different.
In the last few years, Jonah’s view of the world had taken a sour turn. He knew this. Even without his family telling him, he recognized the signs. But Gabby, with her amazing attitude, was making him see things with a different perspective. Her sheer joy of living made him realize how empty his life had become.
Despite his need to get away from her, he was actually glad he’d been given the opportunity to help her. People like Gabby were a rarity, and she deserved to have a chance at happiness. And if he ever got the chance to meet Luis Mendoza, he’d make sure the bastard paid for what he’d put his granddaughter through.
“I’m ready.”
She wore gloves, boots, and a thick coat with a hood that obscured all but her bright smile. Anyone else would have looked ridiculous. Gabby, with her contagious excitement, was the exception.
The next few hours belonged to Gabby, and he wanted her to have the perfect day. Determined that her first experience of playing in the snow would be one she’d remember forever, Jonah put his dark thoughts aside. There would be plenty of time for those later.
The beauty stole her breath. Everywhere the eye could see was a brilliant, blinding white. The only color was the darkness of the giant trees, and many of them were almost bowed over, laden with inches of snow. A winter wonderland lay before her, and she was right in its midst.
Jonah had apparently done some major shoveling before he’d offered her the chance to go outside. The sidewalk was clear and had been salted. He’d even cleared a path around the grounds so they could walk some distance without getting bogged down.
“Wow, now I know where you go when you disappear for hours.”
Wearing a dark blue coat and gloves, Jonah wasn’t nearly as bundled up as she was, and oh heavens, he was attractive. Those mesmerizing eyes that seemed to pierce through to her soul were gleaming with a light she hadn’t seen in them before. He actually looked as though he was enjoying himself. There was darkness in Jonah, but for today at least, he seemed to have put his worries aside.
“Keeps me busy.”
“You’re probably bored here.”
An almost infinitesimal smile twitched at his mouth. “You’re the least-boring person I know.”
“Wow, a compliment from Jonah Slater?”
“Don’t let it go to your head.”
She wouldn’t, but she would hold it close to her heart.
They reached the end of the short trail and stopped. Gabby whirled slowly. The cold, crisp air almost burned her lungs but also made her feel gloriously alive. Distant mountains surrounded them, their peaks seeming to reach past heaven. Their sheer beauty and magnificence left her breathless.
“I’ve never seen anything more breathtakingly stunning.”
“You’ve been to some of the most beautiful places in the world.”
“Not really. I’ve been to countries that had some of the most beautiful places in the world. I rarely got to visit them. If my grandfather didn’t think they would benefit him in some way, I didn’t go.”
“I noticed you go to a lot of museums and art shows.”
“Yes. Those are the things that interest him. And even though the locations are chosen for me, I know I’m lucky to have the opportunity to see them. I’ve seen some of the most priceless and beautiful art in the world.”
“But nothing like this?”
“No,” she agreed. “Nothing like this.”
“You have seen snow before. Right?”
“Of course. I just never have had the chance to play in it.”
A hawk squealed overhead, and she lifted her eyes to watch it glide. She was so enthralled at the sight, she didn’t notice that Jonah had left her side until something hard and cold hit her in the back.
At first, she was startled, and then when she realized what had hit her, she stooped and created her own snowball. Carefully packing it into a perfectly round weapon, she stood and was immediately bombarded. Snowball after snowball came at her like missiles.
Dodging and weaving, she could barely escape them, much less throw her own. “Hey!” she protested. “Not fair.”
His grin unrepentant, he hurled another one. “All’s fair in love and snowball fights.”
Recognizing that she’d soon be buried if she didn’t get into the spirit of things, Gabby grabbed another handful of snow. In between recovering from the ones she couldn’t evade, she created her own arsenal.
“Are you just going to stockpile yours?”
He barely got the words out before she began her assault. Flinging the balls of snow like a major leaguer, she pummeled her opponent.
A deep roar of laughter erupted from Jonah, and instead of continuing to throw snowballs, he concentrated on avoiding her attack.
“You’ve been holding out on me,” he yelled between dodges. “You’re a pro.”
She stopped to give him her best proud grin. “I hit what I aim for.”
Deliriously happy, she picked up the last snowball. Determined to make it count, she targeted his chest. It landed with a hard splat and exploded outward.
Apparently caught off guard by the force of her throw, Jonah lost his footing and fell backward, landing with a resounding thud on the packed snow.
“Jonah? Are you okay?”
When he didn’t move or make a sound, Gabby’s heart went into her throat. Running forward, she cursed her precision. Raiza had taught her to hit what she aimed for, but the lesson had been for guns and knives, not snowballs. Had she hurt him?
She skidded to a stop beside him and went to her knees. His eyes were closed, and he looked almost peaceful. How on earth had she knocked him out?
Leaning forward, she cupped her hands over his face and tapped lightly. “Jonah? Are you okay?”
Quick as a flash, he grabbed her forearms and twisted her around until she was lying flat on her back. Looking up at his grinning, arrogant face, she burst into uncontrollable giggles.
“What’s so funny?”
“My snowball must have been awfully powerful to bring down something so big.”
“You do pack a wallop, especially for an inexperienced snowball thrower.”
She gave him a cheeky grin. “I never said I hadn’t thrown other things before. I’ve just never thrown a snowball.”
“Then let me tell you, you could be a champion thrower of snowballs.”
“Thank you, Jonah.”
“For what?”
“For this. I have so many wishes and dreams, and you just made one come true.”
The smile dropped from his face, and his gaze focused on her mouth. Suddenly nervous, Gabby licked her lips.
Jonah leaned closer, his breath warming her cold cheeks. “You’re an amazing person, Gabriella Mendoza.”
“Jonah?” she whispered.
“Yes?”
“Kiss me.”
It was a plea, a command, a hope and a dream. And with a groan that sounded both tortured and angry, Jonah complied. His mouth touched hers gently, and then when she opened her lips, he took hers boldly, expertly. His tongue swept deep into her mouth, tangling and dueling with her own.
Gabby grabbed his shoulders and held on tight, reveling in his taste and the extraordinary experience of being in this man’s arms. Never had anything felt so right…so perfect.
The kiss ended much too soon. He raised his head, and she saw the regret immediately. It was in his eyes, in the grim set to his mouth. He shot to his feet and held out his hand, his expression once more cool and impersonal.
Gabby refused to feel the same. It didn’t matter that he wished he hadn’t kissed her. It had been a perfect ending to a perfect moment in time. She’d had much too few of them to have an ounce of regret.
“Thank you for a wonderful day, Jonah.”
He gave a curt nod, acknowledging her gratitude.
They trudged back to the house in silence, Jonah with his regret and Gabby with her delight in the experience. No one could take her happiness away, not even the man who so obviously wished he was anywhere but here.