Chapter Sixteen

Gabe stood by the edge of the hot springs and held Serena close. A tremor ran through him. God, how he wanted her. Needed her. And he could tell by the softening of her body, the way she turned up to him like a sunflower, that she wanted him too. Desire pulsed inside of him, pushing him to lower his mouth to hers and brand her with his taste.

“Serena.” His hands tightened on her arms, and he swallowed hard. “I said I wasn’t bringing you here for sex. But you’ll have to help me, if that’s really what you want.”

Her hands gripped his biceps. “Gabe, I—”

He pulled back from the edge and looked deeper into her eyes. Yes, he saw his need reflected there, but he also saw the same damn hesitation that had made her push him away every time he got close. He forced himself to let her go and back away.

He knelt down and rummaged in the bag for a plastic glass. Their fingers brushed as he handed her the glass, and he spilled a little wine on the grass from another tremor of need.

“Sorry.”

“No, I’m sorry.” She lowered herself to the other side of the blanket and took the glass, staring into it like it held all the answers. “I don’t mean to be such a tease. I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”

“Nothing’s wrong with you.” He let his gaze roam her from her shiny hair to the tips of her toes in scuffed, dirty sneakers and all the curves in between. “Not one damn thing.”

A hot blush turned her cheeks rosy, and she hid behind her wine glass, taking a sip of the deep-red alcohol.

He got busy taking packages out of the basket. “I don’t know what the hell is in here. I had Daisy pack it for me today. She’s one of our counter girls who comes in to help, but I didn’t have time to see what she packed.”

“You don’t cook in the restaurant?”

“I used to. But then Dad died and someone had to take over the business side of things.” He caught himself from saying Sam was no good at that part. He didn’t want to bring his twin anywhere near the party. Tonight, it was just Serena and himself and no one for miles to get in between them. “Anyway,”—he opened up a sandwich and peeked inside—“I think this one’s our chicken salad. If you like cranberries and walnuts, it’s very good.” He peered at another one. “This one looks like prosciutto, mozzarella, tomato, and basil. And if you don’t like either of those, I think there’s another one in the basket.”

“No, they both look fabulous. What if we split them, so I can try both?”

They settled onto the blanket, and he poured himself a glass of wine. She talked about work, and he talked about his day on his enforcer shift with Rico. And by the end of the meal as the sun began to set over the ridge, things between them were relaxed and comfortable.

“It’s getting late.” Serena looked at the hot springs. “I suppose we should head back. It’s too bad. From what you said I doubt I’ll be getting up here anytime soon. The schedule is bound to be full until the end of the summer.”

“I don’t see any reason why we can’t take a quick dip. Come on.” And before she could protest he had his clothes off and was heading into the water.

 

Serena’s mouth dropped open as she watched a nude Gabe walk to the edge of the hot springs pool. He was gorgeous, the sculpted muscles on his back leading down to a tight ass. She was used to seeing shifters naked and knew they always had fabulous bodies from their wolf metabolism, but something about seeing Gabe stripped down and walking so confidently across the grass had her insides humming.

“Coming?” he called out to her as he stepped into the water and sank down to his waist. “It’s great. Just the right temperature.” He waved at her. “Come on.”

Still, she hesitated. Nudity wasn’t the issue. She’d grown up pack with wolves shifting in and out her entire life, but now that she saw him naked again, it brought back memories of the meadow and her need for him the moment she’d seen him. And she’d sworn she wouldn’t go there again.

“At least dip your toe in. I swear I’ll stay on the opposite side of the pool.” He gave a lazy wink. “If you want me to.”

She didn’t want him that far away. At dinner last night, and tonight, he’d made her feel special. She’d vented her issues with Nancy and he’d just nodded and listened. Damn her previous decision. It was based on what she should do, not what she wanted to do, and what was this huge change she’d made in her life by moving out to Colorado anyway, if not to take a few risks just because she wanted to? It had been risky to move out here. Risky to take a chance on Sam. Risky to move away from her family and all her support system. So why not?

“You know what, Wulfric? I’m in.” She stripped out of her clothes and carried her wine over to the water.

The daylight was nearly gone, and while the sun was still streaming over the ridge, the rocks and pool were deep in shadow. “That water’s a little dark.”

“I forgot you can’t see as well as I can. Hang on.” He got out, his skin slick with drops of water, went back to their picnic and came back with a small battery-powered lantern. “When you want more light, we’ll just turn this on. Okay?”

“Okay.” She was face to face with his dripping body, the last of the dying sun turning the drops of water caught in his chest hair to gold. She licked her suddenly dry lips.

His eyes heated.

Suddenly she felt powerful. He’d given her the control. She could do what she wanted. She could simply step into the water and let the heat and the wine take away all her horrible day, all her doubts about whether or not she’d made the right move, take away all her sadness over missing her family and pack.

Or, she could walk away. Get dressed and ask him to take her home.

Or, she could do what she’d been thinking of ever since Friday. She could lose herself in Gabe’s body and find out if he, and not Sam, was what she’d really come searching halfway across the country for.