Chapter 25

Ally

I crossed my legs and scooted back in the chair, putting as much distance as possible between us.

Matthew grinned at me, then glanced around the room in search of Pamela, Kelly’s best barista. We ordered two coffees and a couple of donuts, but that didn’t make this day date any more comfortable. I hated being here and I hated being with him.

“So, how have you been?” Matthew asked, and slithered his hand across the table to brush my arm.

I flinched away from the innocuous touch and shook my head. This was a ‘zero contact’ kind of date. Hell, it probably didn’t count as a real date since he’d extorted it from me.

“My bakery is closed; how do you think I’ve been?” I shot back, then accepted the cup of coffee from Pamela. The donuts looked fantastic, dripping with raspberry jelly and a dieter’s worst nightmare. Good thing I wasn’t on a diet until after the holiday season.

I helped myself to one and placed it on a plate beside my coffee.

“Do you really think you should eat that? I mean, it’s the holidays and everything, but you’ll only end up —”

“Stifle the criticism or I’m leaving,” I snapped. I shoved the donut into my mouth and took a massive bite. Jelly squirted from one end and splattered the plate. “Mmm … delicious. I might have to have two. Or three. Speaking of my case, what’s going on?” I chomped on the donut and tried to be as disgusting as possible. Anything to repulse him as much as he did me.

Matthew’s upper lip curled back over his teeth. “What about it? The case is closed.”

“You did this,” I said, putting the donut back on the jelly smeared plate. My guts were a festival of nausea. I didn’t want to owe Matthew. He’d collect.

He wiggled his head. “Nah, I didn’t. But if you’d promised me more than a measly brunch date, I would’ve done it quicker. There was no evidence of arson.”

“Why wasn’t I notified?” My heart leapt into my throat, pounding a tattoo against my skin. This was the best news I’d had all week. Since Gabe.

“This is hot off the press,” he replied, picking up a donut of his own and biting into it. Jelly splatted down his shirt instead of on his plate. He swore under his breath and snatched a napkin off the table, then swiped at the mess. Nothing short of the dry cleaner could save it and Matthew’s cheap ass hated anything that cost him money.

“Wow,” I murmured, and that was all I could say. This was unbelievable. I could open up again and start making money, paying off loans, following my dreams. Perfect. I swallowed my excitement and focused on Matthew. And getting away from him. I was on a date with a man I never wanted to see again.

I made to push up from the table.

“What are you doing with him?”

Like an apparition appearing in a haunted house, Gabe arrived beside our table. Glaring. He clutched a cup of coffee and glanced back at the counter, where Kelly stood surveying the entire scene. I’d wanted to do this ‘date’ on home turf, in a location where Matthew couldn’t easily grope me.

“She’s on a date, dumbass,” Matthew replied, and dumped the jelly-stained napkins on the table. He sprung from his seat and rose to meet Gabe head on.

They were both well-muscled, attractive — though the fireman was a cut above the rest, by far the sexiest guy in the room, make that the world — and angry. Gabe clenched his fists. Matthew cracked his knuckles.

“Now is not the time for this,” I said, keeping my tone low so that we wouldn’t draw too much attention. Yeah right, two athletic dudes chest-to-chest in the middle of a busy coffee shop at lunch time … that wouldn’t draw any attention at all.

“You stupid fuck. You realize I’ll pulverize you,” Gabe growled, arms tight with strain beneath his long-sleeved cotton shirt.

“Aw, things not going well for you two?” Matthew didn’t look at me, just kept his gaze trained on Gabe, bearing his teeth and widening his eyes. “That’s because you never deserved her. You’re scum.”

“Stop it right now,” I commanded.

Heads turned and a few of the women in the front looked back and nudged each other.

Gabe was the first to shove. He used his chest and bounced Matthew backwards a step. Matthew regained his composure pretty quickly and came right back at him with a chest bump of his own.

This would get out of hand, fast, if I didn’t find a way to stop it. Matthew could go screw himself, but a part of me was terrified of the kind of trouble Gabe could get into for assaulting a police officer. Even one who had it coming.

I grasped Gabe’s arm and tugged. He didn’t move an inch, but his gaze did flicker in my direction. “Come with me, we need to talk,” I said and squeezed gently.

“I’m in the middle of something now.”

“Please, Gabe, we need to talk things through.” I was desperate to get Gabe away from Matthew. To get me away from Matthew.

He stayed where he was for a moment longer.

“That’s right, you get outta here before I kick your man-ho ass,” Matthew grunted, flexing his scrawny biceps.

“Enough, Matthew,” I barked.

Gabe rammed his forehead against the cop’s. “You’re not worth the effort.” Then he forced Matthew back with his head alone. He turned away, slipped his hand through mine, and pulled me toward the door.

I glanced back at Kelly, who gave me a thumbs up. Disaster was averted, but now I had to deal with Gabe and the very thing I’d been trying to avoid. Shit.

He opened the back door to the coffee shop and escorted me out into the cold alley, then turned me around so my back was flush with the rust colored bricks.

“You wanted to talk.” That was his prompt.

I clutched my coat around myself and nodded slowly. “Matthew really isn’t worth it. You have to know that.”

“Oh yeah? Seems like he is, if you’re into him.”

I bristled. “I’m not into him. He coerced another date out of me in order to give me an update on my arson case. If you’d hit him, they’d throw you in jail, Gabe. He’s a cop.” I bit my bottom lip until I tasted blood. He was so gorgeous and right there, within reach. My stomach jolted at the thought of him naked, on top of me, thrusting inside me while I screamed in pleasure. It was like my traitorous body couldn’t stop from reaching for his.

So little time had passed and yet we were so far apart. Oceans apart.

“That coercive mother fucker. Next time I see him, he’s dead. And don’t even think about trying to stop me.” He moved closer, so that he was inches away from my heated flesh.

I swallowed hard and glared up at him. “I really don’t want you to get in trouble since you have a baby on the way. I’m not heartless, Gabe.”

“I don’t know anymore, Allegra. You quit so easily, I don’t know what to believe about you anymore.” Gabe turned away from me and walked towards the sidewalk.

“Where are you going?” I asked, except it came out as a squeak. A plea. I darted forward and grabbed his forearm. “Where are you going?” I repeated.

He looked down at me out of the corner of his eye and shifted his jaw. “Away. Anywhere but here.” He looked pissed, but didn’t have any right to be. I was the one who should be pissed. We weren’t together. We’d never been together. I could go out on a date with Jack the Ripper if that’s what I wanted because I was a grown-ass woman.

Yet I found myself asking, nearly begging, “Just wait, Gabe. Please, just wait.”