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“Hey,” he said, seemingly unable to focus on anything but Savannah.
I walked over to pour a cup of coffee and tried not to laugh as Gabe negotiated with the baby.
“Come on, little girl,” he pleaded. “You’ve only got a few more mouthful to go. And it’s so good.” I pretended not to watch as Gabe slurped the spoon. “See? Yummy!”
Savannah giggled. I turned just in time to see Gabe bring a heaping spoonful of puree towards her, only to have Savannah laugh and smack it away, sending it splattering all over him.
“Seriously?” he asked the baby. “You’re really going to act like that?”
She seemed to enjoy his displeasure and giggled harder, until his frown cracked and he joined in.
“Welcome to my world,” I laughed with them. “Doesn’t look like I need to ask how it’s going. I’m pretty sure there’s more food stuck to the two of you than in her stomach.”
Gabe gave me a look, banana puree crusted on his face, and Savannah burbled happily. “You’re not helping.”
“I wasn’t trying to.” I smirked, enjoying my smart-assery a moment—plus the fact that it was someone besides me getting pummeled in the face with banana mush—before I took pity on him and walked over to help.
“Here, let me help” I grabbed some baby wipes from the container at the center of the table and cleaned off Savannah while Gabe wiped down his face.
“I’ll get her changed and set up in her playpen if you clean up in here.”
“Deal,” he said, looking down at his ruined t-shirt.
Once Savannah was happily playing with her Sophie toy I headed back to the kitchen and stopped in my tracks when I saw Gabe standing at the sink rinsing dishes. I just wanted to admire the view for a second, becausehowhad I missed that ass?
The muscles of his strong back rippled beneath his white T-shirt, reminding me of how those same muscles had felt beneath my hands the day before when we’d kissed—and whoops. No. Nope. Not going there. Because wanting him that way was far too slippery a slope, and if I started thinking about that, then I’d start wondering what he looked like with the T-shirt off altogether, and that would lead to what he’d look like completely naked, and…
My gaze trailed up his body, taking in every detail like I needed to memorize him. My breath came a little quicker and I felt myself getting hot and bothered, filled with visions of what I could do to him. What Iwantedto do to him. I was so caught up in my head that I didn’t expect him to turn around and meet my gaze but that’s exactly what he did.
I jumped and coughed, trying to play off the fact that he’d caught me fantasizing about him. Between my awkwardness and red hot face it felt like he knew exactly what had just been going through my head.
Gabe looked away quickly. Yup, he knew, and that made it awkward, because now we both had to pretend like it didn’t happen. That the kiss was a mistake.
Part of me knew it was for the best. We had no business getting involved like that. He’d be leaving as soon as this whole mess with Savannah was taken care of, and I had my hands full with the bar to run and now a baby to raise, so forgetting about it was the best thing for all of us.
So why did I feel so disappointed when he stormed off, like something precious and rare between us had been lost?
Worse, why did it scare me right down to my soul?
* * *
Shit.
I tossed the washcloth I’d been using into the sink, then walked into the living room. Retreat wasn’t my usual MO, but sometimes you had to get away from a situation in order to figure out the best way forward. And frankly, I couldn’t think straight with Charlotte so close, looking at me like she wanted to gobble me up whole one second, her expression turning petrified the next.
It was confusing as hell, and I didn’t like it one bit.
Until I’d returned to Harpers Ferry, my life had been neat and orderly, following a predictable course that I was comfortable with. Now, though, that had all been shot to shit. I scrubbed a hand over my face, wrinkling my nose at the lingering smell of bananas on my skin, far more aware of the weight of Charlotte’s stare still tingling on the back of my neck than I should have been. I didn’t want to think about that kiss.
It had already taken up way more of my time and my brain than it should. I’d tossed and turned most of the night thinking about it, imagining what would’ve happened if we hadn’t stopped when we did, if I’d carried her to her bedroom, stripped her bare, then made love to every delectable inch of her…
Fuck.
Truth was, that kiss had been good. Better than good. Great.
Amazing.
But that didn’t make it right. I should’ve known better. Should’ve kept my lips to myself and not complicated things between us any more than they already were. Didn’t matter that kissed me back like she was desperate for it too. Or that she felt like she belonged in my arms. None of that would help us at all.
