Page 13 of Forever Yours

“I’m sorry, what?” he asked, not having heard her question.

“Whoareyou?” she repeated.

Her earnest look, and quiet voice took Gabe by surprise. For all he knew, his life and his secrets had already been divulged to her by Prudence and Annabelle, and probably Greyson. She’d had plenty of time to find out everything about him and he’d only known who she was for a week. He tamped down his rising frustration, remembering his promise to the group, and did the only thing he could think of. He reached out his hand. “I’m Gabriel Atwood. Nice to meet you.”

“Gabriel,” she sighed out his name and his frustration at the situation was having a hard time competing with how delightful his name sounded coming from her delectable mouth.

“And you are?” he prompted, hoping to prolong this time with her.

“Devlin. Devlin Watkins.”

She’d left his hand hovering in midair and just as he thought she was going to withdraw, she reached out and grasped his hand. Her palm was warm and soft and the jolt of electricity he felt at the contact startled him. He had no explanation for what came next. He pulled her into his arms and brought his mouth to her lips. She sank into him, just as she had that night. They felt so right, matched like two pieces of a puzzle.

He walked Devlin back until she was against the roughness of the brick. He braced one of his hands on the wall and moved his other to run through her short hair. He remembered doing the same when she was a blonde, but the softness he felt now begged him to use both hands this time, to let the silken strands slip through his fingers.

She made a sound, low in her throat, and hiked one leg, pulling him closer. He grabbed her by the ass and lifted her, her legs wrapping around him, held up by his body and the brick wall. Breaking the kiss, he ran his mouth down the side of her neck, inhaling the smell of vanilla that radiated off her, and could feel his day-old scruff scraping on her soft skin.

Gabe staggered when Devlin pulled away, dropping her feet to the ground and ducking out of his embrace.

“I can’t.” She turned to the wall, still breathing hard.

Gabe stood for a moment, surprised at both of their actions.

“I’m so sorry, Devlin,” he apologized. “I don’t know what came over me.”

When she didn’t reply, he went to the door, risking one last look at her. Their eyes met until she dropped her gaze and he turned and walked out.

* * * *

Devlin walked down the street later that day, her feet dragging, and a gust of wind kicked up and blew her skirt into a tangle. She was weighed down by the reality of what was happening tonight. She’d felt light as air since deciding she wanted to buy the old art gallery but her excitement for the town council meeting had been dampened by Gabe’s revelation that he, too, wanted to buy the building in between them. She brought her hand to her mouth, a finger tracing ever so lightly where Gabe’s lips had been mere hours before.

After over a year of remembering and wanting—aching—for him she’d not only seen him but had had a hot make-out session that had been moments away from turning into full-on sex if she hadn’t come to her senses.Why did I come to my senses?

Because this was her fresh start. It had become her mantra that needed repeating. She couldn’t let anyone get in the way of her dream, no matter how scorching his kisses were. There could be no more kisses. No more searing gazes. Just…no more.

Her pace slowed as she approached the community center where the township meetings were held. Her hair had become tousled in the wind, so she smoothed it down and ran her hands over her skirt.

“You look good.”

Startled for a second time today, she whirled around, clutching her saddle bag tight to her. Gabe stood behind her, a slight smile on his lips.

“You’ve got a habit of startling me,” Devlin pointed out.

“Sorry, I thought you heard me this time. I said your name.”

“We’re repeating our conversation from this afternoon.” She felt her face heat, thinking about what else they could repeat from that afternoon.

Gabe coughed. “Yes, well…”

They stood there, looking at each other, the wind carrying away the lightness she felt, then stopping as it did when it changed directions, so it seemed like no wind was blowing. The skirt that had been whipping around Devlin’s legs dropped. She felt this shift and squared her shoulders. There would be no pleasant conversation tonight. Her life and her business were on the line, and she was going to fight for them

Gabe seemed to sense the change in her demeanor. He brushed by her, close enough that she could see the stubble on his face, and a wave of lust rolled over her, remembering that stubble scratching her in much more intimate places. She snapped back to attention when she noticed he was still standing at the door. He motioned her forward with a sweep of his hand.

“After you.”

She walked into the community center, shook the snow from her coat, and stamped her feet, the motion more a habit to shake off the cold. Gabe strode past her and sat in the back row.

Devlin went to the front of the room and looked around. The seats were almost full—there were more people than she’d expected. She hadn’t thought that a small place like Amber Falls needed to accomplish that much business at its township meetings, but she sure was wrong. Finalizing the Winter Wonderland schedule, permits for various winter related activities and an open comment session for the townspeople were all on the agenda.