Page 5 of Fearless Encounter

“I admire the skill,” Gabriel said. “And I admit to a weakness for sweet confections, but baking a cake is about the limit of my ability.”

When they moved to the living room, the conversation flowed easily, and Brooke ended up sharing more about her life growing up in the city. They had a lot in common, since Gabriel was also from New Orleans. He talked about his daughters and told a few PI stories. The relaxed mood nearly made Brooke forget about her earlier trauma. To his credit, Gabriel didn’t bring that up.

When the bottle of wine was empty, Gabriel said, “You should probably get some sleep. I’m sure it’s been quite an evening for you.”

Brooke thanked him for the hospitality then went to her suite and shut the door. She flopped on the bed. The events of the day swirled in her head, but she’d had too much wine to sort things out. She thought of calling Lisle, her best friend. Yet she wasn’t ready to tell her about what happened, not until she had a plan. It had been a long day. She pushed aside her worry, determined to face things after a night of sleep.

Thoughts of Gabriel filled her mind. He was definitely dating material, so much better than any guy she’d gone out with since her divorce. But he felt out of reach, even though he had many qualities she wanted in a man.

Dating had been a disaster for Brooke, so she’d sworn off trying to find a suitable man. Turning forty last month hadn’t helped. Dating often meant meeting a guy who she had nothing in common with, or worse—which seemed the more frequent outcome. Lack of confidence prohibited her from believing the truly desirable ones would be attracted to her. Her youth had escaped, replaced by maturity. Brooke made a point to take care of herself. But all the creams and lotions weren’t going to make her young again.

Now Gabriel had reappeared in her life, but Brooke didn’t dare hope that he found her attractive. He was protecting her—just being a nice person. That’s all it was, and she shouldn’t hope for anything more.

Chapter 2

After Brooke went to the suite and closed the door, Gabriel felt restless. He went to his room and changed into gym shorts then went to the garage. There was a fitness center near his office that he used when he needed a full workout. But the garage was large enough to accommodate his stationary bike. He turned on the overhead fan and hopped on to blow off some steam. It didn’t sit well with him that Brooke was in danger. After twenty-five years as a police officer, he wasn’t a stranger to crime—he’d seen too much of it.

He had no doubt that what Brooke had seen was real. Her reaction was enough to confirm that. He knew from investigations that the emotions of those involved often told the story. He’d learned to believe what he observed, and to listen. The issue was to discover what had happened in that alley, and that might not be easy.

Another thing that Gabriel knew for sure was that he would keep Brooke safe. He intended to find out the details of the crime and put the danger to rest. Until he did that, Brooke was his focus. He didn’t take kindly to a woman under threat. His gut wrenched at the thought, and he shifted on the seat, pedaling faster.

Brooke seemed out of her depth. Working in a restaurant, she must meet all types of people. But the earlier encounter had been a shock for her. That was evident by her behavior, her reluctance to talk about the event. He didn’t like seeing her afraid. If Gabriel had been in that alley, he would have gone after the guy. But he hadn’t been there; he’d let Brooke walk to her dinner engagement by herself. There was no doubt in hismind that he should have escorted her, no matter whether she’d thought she needed it or not.

The knot in his stomach tightened. He may not have been there at the time, but he was now. There was no question that he would do all in his power to get Brooke through the situation without harm—which was a very real possibility. Criminals didn’t take lightly to being observed in the committing of a crime. All too often, Gabriel had dealt with that very thing. A witness to a violent act was at risk. It was still a mystery what happened to the woman in the alley, but whatever it was couldn’t be good.

One thing that amazed Gabriel was that Brooke had returned to the scene. She’d cared about the victim enough to face personal danger. Likely, she hadn’t considered the consequences or how she would deal with the attacker. Yet her instinct had been good. Her heart had been in the right place. Still, he wondered if she realized her vulnerability. It was unknown how clearly the criminal saw her face or whether he would bother looking for her.

It hadn’t escaped Gabriel’s notice that Brooke was beautiful. An image of her filled his mind, her long, dark hair, lovely brown eyes, and a body with curves that made him want to hold her close. He enjoyed looking at her a bit too much. He had been aware of her beauty that night he first saw her at Jasper’s. More than beautiful, she’d been friendly in the way she interacted with the teenagers, and she’d taken care to find out his daughter’s favorite kind of cake. She struck him as brave, intelligent, and capable. How he knew all of that in such a short period, he couldn’t say. But he knew people, a skill acquired from a career where much depended on that.

Brooke would be wonderful to be with. She wasn’t dating anyone at present. But unfortunately, Gabriel wasn’t the guy for her. He had personal issues and didn’t plan on establishing a long-term relationship. Loneliness was a condition that he could deal with, and had for quite some time—ever since Margo died. The loss of his wife created a void in his heart that he lived with every day. He had his daughters and his work. And he had good friends. That was enough. It had to be.

Gabriel stopped the bike then grabbed a towel from the shelf to wipe away the sweat. Exercise was an outlet for him, and he’d used it to get through many tough times. After his wife died, he’d worked out for days, weeks in a row, until he was so tired and sore that he could have dropped over. The frustration, the loss, was overwhelming, and he needed an acceptable way to process it. He turned off the light and walked toward the house, forcing unwelcome thoughts from his mind.

He went to the kitchen for a drink of water. Then, as was his nightly routine, he did a last check of the house to make sure it was secured before going to his bedroom. After shedding the gym clothes, he took a shower, letting the hot water pound on his back to relax his tight muscles. There wasn’t much he could do that late at night. He wanted to call Abe, but that would have to wait until morning. Abe Stewart had been a good partner in the PD, and that friendship had endured. He was as loyal as they came, and just as competent. He had a moral code that he stuck to, and not all cops did. He was the one guy that Gabriel trusted, so he maintained the connection. They often teamed up to solve crimes, even after Gabriel had left the force.

Abe was aware of the incident, since Gabriel had texted before leaving the scene. If any news surfaced, the on-duty officers would contact him, and Abe would call—even if it was the middle of the night. That was an agreement they establishedwhile Gabriel was still with NOPD. It was a vital connection, as time was of the essence in dealing with crime. Delay could cost lives, so Abe would send an alert the instant he knew anything. A woman’s life was at stake, something that Gabriel didn’t need to tell him.

Tomorrow he would let his business partner know the situation. Weston Lang, a computer geek in his mid-thirties, was one of the best hackers he’d known and could work angles that Gabriel wouldn’t think of. The guy was also a licensed PI, and Gabriel had set up shop with him to start Guardian Investigation. Together they’d built up a sizable clientele.

Gabriel settled in his bed, intending to sleep well and be ready for whatever the next day brought. But sleep didn’t come quickly. He had a beautiful woman in his house, which was a distraction. Yet he wasn’t about to make a move. The only reason she was there was so he could protect her. That responsibility was one that he took seriously. Once he figured out the identity of the criminal and the location of the woman, he’d feel a lot better.

Once Brooke was safe and the danger had passed, Gabriel would like to get to know her. Since his wife had died, he hadn’t dated. He hadn’t connected with any woman in that way. The pain in his heart and the loneliness had been his life since that awful day. Being a widower was tough, and Brooke was the first woman to arouse his interest. But it probably wasn’t going to happen. It was surprising that he’d even thought of it.

Despite the late hour when Gabriel dozed off, he woke early. He dressed and brewed coffee, then texted Abe, knowing that he would be up. It was against Gabriel’s nature to wait. Abe responded quickly but assured him there was no news. It wasSaturday, so he wasn’t on duty, but had left orders to be notified of any developments.

Leaning against the counter, Gabriel expelled a long breath. It had been less than twelve hours since the suspected abduction, but it seemed longer. And he needed to know more—a woman’s life might depend on it.

Brooke stepped into the kitchen wearing cream-colored pants that fit like they were made for her, and a blue sweater tight enough to stir his desire. He admired her, willing himself not to stare. “Good morning—you’re up early,” he said, as casually as he could manage.

“You should talk. It’s not even light out yet.” Brooke moved closer. “I suppose you’re going to offer me some coffee?”

Gabriel snapped out of his stupor and grabbed a mug from the cupboard. “Do you take cream or sugar?” His words sounded normal, but his emotions were anything but.

“Cream would be good.” Brooke put her hand on the refrigerator handle. “May I?”

“Please, make yourself at home.” Gabriel gathered his wits while she fixed her coffee. “We can sit in the dining room. Once the sun comes up, there’s a nice view of the garden.”

Brooke sipped her coffee. “That tastes good.”