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Chapter 1
BREE
I’m traveling home for the holidays and being squished between a man who doesn’t smell too good and an adolescent boy, who can’t seem to stop grinning at me, certainly isn’t my idea of fun. I’ve been on the go since 4am, when I left for the airport for my flight home. My Dad had wanted to meet me when I landed, but I really didn’t want him making the journey. It would have been a six hour round trip for him.
The bus is now fifteen minutes out and the butterflies in my stomach have started. It’s been two years since I’ve been home. Two very long years spent trying to get Gabe out of my head and heart, but I have a really bad feeling he’s there to stay.
I’d gone home then for the holidays and stepped right off the bus in town to be greeted by Gabe, all six foot six inches of him, to be hit with a surge of lust and love so strong it frightened the life out of me. It stopped me dead in my tracks, because Gabe to all intents and purposes is my brother.
He was three when my parents, Martha and David, had taken him in to live with us, his parents having been killed in a car crash. So although we’re not related, we’d grown up in the same house as brother and sister.
I’d always been aware of him, but until two years ago had never lusted after him, and now I’m stuck on this godforsaken bus going home again to the guy I’ve fallen in love with, who I can never be with.
The bus is finally pulling into the stop in town. Struggling through the throng of people blocking my way to the exit, I finally descend taking some deep breaths of fresh country air, “Mmm, home.” Even better is seeing the town that I haven’t realized I’d missed until now.
Looking around the small town, which is always wonderfully lit at Christmas, I see that this year is no exception. The general store is covered in colored lights with a Santa and his reindeer lit up on the roof. Jacy’s Pharmacy has small Christmas trees along the front of the roof with holly shaped lights in the windows and the trees around the town square are decorated with gold lights.
“Are you going to stand around all night sis?” My brother asks making me jump. I turn and see him walking towards me with a big grin on his face.
With a screech, I run slipping and sliding on the snow and ice straight into his arms for a really big hug. “You look good sis.”
“You got one of them for me?” My heart flips. Gabe.
Trying to act normal, and not let him see how much I’ve missed him, I turn and smile up at him as I approach. I can hear Travis in the background saying something about getting my bags.
Reaching Gabe he opens his arms, never taking his eyes from me, as I walk into them. I wrap my arms tight around his waist, inside his open coat, burying my face against his chest just breathing him in. He seems to be holding me just as tight, as though he never wants to let me go. “I’ve missed you Gabe.” God he feels so good and smells of the cologne he favors. Every time he touches me I get tingles that run all the way through me ending between my legs.
“I’ve missed you too Bree.” Leaning down he kisses me on the head and smoothes his hand down my back making me shiver.
He starts to pull away; I reluctantly let go of him and stand back. Looking up into his face, I briefly see the look of longing, for me, before he turns back to the truck.
Clearing his throat, “You better get in the truck before you freeze to death.” He reaches out and opens the door for me, taking my elbow to make sure I don’t slip on the ice.
I’m sitting in the warm cab as I watch Gabe climb into the passenger seat to wait for Travis, who’s on his way over with my one bag of luggage.
Pulling out of town with Travis driving, I find my eyes keep moving to Gabe, who keeps catching me staring at him in the mirror. He seems to be doing some looking of his own.
He still looks as handsome as always and staying away hasn’t helped with my feelings for him one bit. I’m still in love with him; I guess I always will be. Why can’t he just be a friend of Travis instead of my brother? My parents have never adopted him, they told him that his parents had loved him and they wanted to honor their memory by letting him keep the name they’d given him. If he wanted them to, all he had to do was say the word, but he never had.
As Travis pulls the truck to the front of the house my parents are waiting by the door; no sign of my sister Beth though. She’s probably around somewhere with Simon, the boyfriend of the month or so Travis told me on the phone when I rang the other day.
I climb out of the truck and feel close to tears. I’m an idiot for staying away so long. They’re my family and no matter how I feel about Gabe and how much it hurts to be close to him and not be with him, I can’t stay away again. I run to the porch trying not to break my neck throwing myself into my parent’s arms.
With tears in my eyes, “Mom, I’ve missed you and Dad so much.”
“Then you shouldn’t stay away so long honey. Now come inside and warm up.”
“Okay Mom. When’s supper? Do I have time to stretch out for a few minutes? I’m exhausted.”
“It’s in about an hour honey, okay?”
Coming to stand beside me, Gabe has my bag in his hand, “I’ll take your bag upstairs.”
“Thanks Gabe.” I say as I follow him upstairs to my room.
Walking into the room that has been mine since I was a small child feels odd with Gabe standing inside, looking out of the window. “It’s started snowing again.”
I walk over to join him, “I love the snow.” Standing so close to him feels real good. All I want right now is for him to turn and take me into his arms. Not going to happen.
“I remember…. I better go
.” Moving away from the window, he walks to the door and turns back to find me looking at him and for a split second, he looks at me with the same longing I feel for him.
Chapter 2
