Dangerous Grounds Read online

  He nodded. “Understandable.”

  She looked away and said in a quiet voice, “But I didn’t like seeing you getting pawed by some other woman, either.”

  He stayed silent for a moment. His hand covered hers and she jumped, startled at the contact. Her gaze crept over to look at him.

  He watched her with a gentle expression. “Did it kill you to admit that?”

  “Just about,” she whispered. But it was also a relief to have admitted it. It was so tiring trying to pretend he didn’t affect her, that she didn’t mind if he flirted with other women.

  Her shoulders crumpled and she shook her head. “I’m sorry, Gabe. I’m behaving like a spoiled kid.”

  His hand squeezed hers. “Well, I’m sorry I hurt you. And I want you to know I’m not interested in Christy in the slightest.”

  Madison glanced down at their hands, relief flooding through her. “Really? Not even a little? It would be understandable if you were. I mean, she’s pretty and sweet. She even speaks Spanish.”

  “Quit trying to sell me on her attributes or I’m going to think you’re her pimp, Maddie,” he teased. “I’m not going to deny that she’s pretty. But there’s just one woman on my mind right now.”

  “Angelina Jolie?” She grinned, mostly because her stomach turned all fluttery and warm.

  “Well, you are both brunettes.” They stopped at a traffic light and he leaned over to brush his lips over hers. “But I think you’re still in the lead.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  Madison opened her mouth under his, reveling in the invasion of his tongue. The sound of a horn had them pulling apart with reluctance.

  Gabe hit the gas and sped through the light just as the skies opened up in a torrent of rain. By the time they reached the ferry, the wind had started and it grew obvious they were in for a storm.

  “It’s amazing how fast the weather changed,” Gabe said once they were parked on the lower level of the ferry. “Do you want to go upstairs?”

  She nodded. “I’ve been in the car for too long. I wouldn’t mind getting some air.”

  They left the car and went upstairs, wandering around the passenger deck before deciding to brave going outside.

  Madison winced as the cold rain slapped against her cheeks, but the refreshing air made it worth it.

  “You can go inside if you want,” she yelled above the wind. “I don’t mind staying out here by myself.”

  “I promised I’d protect you,” he called back with a grin and drew her body against him. “Just because it happens to be from the weather makes no difference.”

  She snuggled into him, feeling safe and warm with her back pressed against his solid chest. He wrapped the edges of his trench coat around them. It didn’t completely encompass her, but it protected her from the brunt of the storm.

  They stayed outside the entire ride, with the rain and wind pounding at their faces and a warm heat radiating between their bodies.

  When they went back to the car, Madison missed the loss of warmth from Gabe’s body, even with the heater on full blast. But the eventual combination of a warm car and the rain outside lulled her into a light sleep.

  Gabe glanced over at Madison’s sleeping form and a surge of tenderness swelled through him, followed by a growing possessiveness.

  He turned his focus back to the road. Tomorrow they should talk. It was time. Despite neither of them having wanted things to get complicated, somewhere along the line they had.

  Gabe squinted at the dark road ahead of him. Since it was late and the road was deserted, he flipped on his high-beams. A few seconds later a deer, not even a hundred feet ahead of him, was illuminated in his lights.

  He hit the brakes and waited for the deer to move off the road. Madison stirred, but didn’t open her eyes.

  “Are we there already?” she mumbled.

  “Not yet. You can go back to sleep.”

  “’kay.”

  A few minutes later she started snoring again as he maneuvered down the wet road.

  By the time he pulled up in front of the cabin, the wind had reached its highest peak of the night so far.

  Gabe climbed out and ran around to Madison’s door, pulling it open and helping her out as she struggled to wake up.

  The trees bent in the wind and the blowing rain hit almost painfully against their skin as they ran inside.

  Gabe shut the door behind her and turned to hit the light switch. Nothing happened.

  “Did we lose power?” she asked, still groggy.

  “Looks like it.” He nodded. “I’ve got a flashlight in my car—I’ll be right back.”

  Madison watched as he disappeared out into the storm, and she glanced into the dark house. She shivered again, but not only because of the cold. Being alone in a cabin without power was kind of creepy. Hell, she’d seen enough horror movies to be scared. She relaxed when he returned a moment later with a flashlight that was three times as big as any she’d ever used.

  “That must take a lot of batteries,” she said as he flicked it on and shut the front door behind him.

  “I rarely use it, so it’s all right.” He took her hand and led her through the dark room.

  Good thing he led, because she couldn’t see much. “Should we just call it a night and go to bed?”

  “I have a better idea,” he suggested. “I was thinking we could pull the blankets off the bed and sleep in the living room. I’ll get a fire going in the fireplace.”

  Warmth flooded through her at his suggestion. How absolutely romantic. “You’re right, that is a better idea.”

  “I thought you’d like it. Sit down for a moment and I’ll grab the blankets.”

  Madison reached down, feeling the couch and sinking onto it. He left her alone again, but she didn’t mind as much because she’d already started to visualize the heat of their upcoming fire.

  When he returned, he handed her the comforter, a furry blanket, and two pillows.

  “All right, I’ll leave you these to make our bed on the floor and I’ll go get some wood from the shed.”

  He handed her the flashlight, but she shook her head.

  “You’re going to need it more than I am, Gabe. It’s pitch black out there.”

  “It’s pitch black in here,” he pointed out. “And I’ve been here many times, so I know where I’m going. And there’s still a little bit of moonlight.”

  “All right,” she agreed and took the flashlight from him. “Be careful and hurry back.”

  “Of course.” He lowered his head to drop a quick kiss on her mouth. “It’s freezing out there.”

  Once he’d disappeared, Madison pushed aside the coffee table and spread the comforter on the floor. That would have to do for cushioning them. Then she grabbed their pillows and set them down, and afterwards laid the faux fur blanket on top of the comforter.

  There. Between the fire and their body heat, that ought to keep them warm.

  Gabe reappeared with a stack of logs balanced in his arms and kindling clutched in his fist. Madison rushed forward to help him, relieving him of a couple of logs.

  “Thanks.” He set the rest down next to the fireplace. “Now all we need is to find some matches.”

  “Hmm.” Madison frowned. “It’s times like this I wish I smoked.”

  Gabe laughed and shook his head. “I think there are some in the kitchen drawer. Here, I’ll take that flashlight back.”

  Realizing she still had to get ready for bed, she padded off through the darkened cabin.

  Lord I’m brave. She felt her way along the wall toward the bathroom. Even though her normal routine for bed took about a half-hour, the fact that she now did it blind made her skip some aspects and pick up the pace. She made her way back to the living room ten minutes later.

  “Ah, too bad, she found her nightgown,” Gabe commented from his seat next to the small, but steadily growing fire.

  “You were hoping I wouldn’t?” Madison grinned and sat next to him on the fur
blanket.

  “Well, I wouldn’t have protested nakedness.” The fire crackled beside them. “And I have to warn you that I have no intention of going in search of my pajamas.”

  “Oh, darn. That means I’ll be sleeping next to a naked man.” She gave a dramatic sigh. “I swear, the sacrifices a girl has to make in a storm.”

  Gabe laughed softly. “You’ve got a better sense of humor than I remember, Maddie. Back when you were a teenager…”

  “Yes?”

  “Well.” He shrugged. “You weren’t as laid back. You always seemed so focused on being popular and were surrounded by a bunch of uptight snobs.”

  A prick of guilt stabbed at her stomach. “Yeah…”

  Gabe winced. “I’m sorry. I probably shouldn’t have said that.”

  “Don’t be sorry. In fact, I agree,” she confessed. “I’ll be the first to admit that I was a spoiled, materialistic snob back in the day. I think what changed me most was living in Italy. Somehow it put into perspective what I really wanted in life. That’s what made me decide to get my MBA when I got back.”

  “Italy did all that? Sounds like an impressive place.”

  “The people were amazing, too. Have you ever been to Europe?”

  He shook his head, staring at the fire.

  “We should go.”

  He looked back at her and lifted an eyebrow. “We should go to Europe? Together?”

  “I don’t know,” she replied after a moment. “I was just throwing it out there. I guess I meant you should go. You don’t have to go with me, necessarily. I just think you would enjoy it very much.”

  Gabe scooted closer to her on the blanket, watching the way the fire highlighted the conflicting emotions on her face.

  “If you go back, would you go alone?”

  “I assume so.”

  “Aren’t there any friends you’d take?”

  “I don’t have many close friends,” she admitted, casting him a sideways glance. “Like I said, I’ve changed since high school and haven’t seen any of those girls in years. And I was so focused in college that I didn’t have much time for a social life. The friends I did make are still in Oregon. We call occasionally and email, but you know how it goes.”

  He kept staring at her with a pensive expression. “I don’t have the kind of friendship with them that you have with my brother.”

  “Most people don’t have the kind of friendship that I have with your brother,” he acknowledged. “He’s like blood.”

  “Okay, I know you mean that in a good way.” She grimaced. “But seeing as we’re sleeping together, it makes me really not want to think of you in a brotherly fashion.”

  “Don’t worry, there’s no danger of that.” His lips curved into a half-smile as he touched a strand of her hair. “I stopped thinking of you as a little sister the night of Eric’s welcome home party.”

  “You did?” She sighed and closed her hand around his fingers. “I couldn’t tell. You were so hard to read that night. I thought I was losing my touch.”

  “It took all my will not to bend you over the balcony.” He kissed the side of her neck. “And take you right then and there.”

  “Wow.” Madison giggled, heat coursing through her body. “There’s a visual. Maybe we should try that the next time you come to dinner at my parents.”

  “Maybe not.” His smile slipped slightly. “I don’t think your father would be too happy to know we’re sleeping together.”

  Madison gave a frustrated sigh. “Gabe, you’re sleeping with me, not my entire family.”

  He nodded, but didn’t look convinced.

  “Has Eric ever said anything to you about keeping away from me?”

  “No, Eric’s never said a word.” He cleared his throat. “But your father has.”

  Madison frowned and sat up straighter on the blanket. “When? When did he say something? What did he say?”

  Gabe shrugged. “He just didn’t want you to get hurt again. Told me to be very careful when I was watching over you.”

  “Was this at dinner last week?”

  He nodded.

  “Why would he do that?” she asked, shaking her head. “It just doesn’t seem like something he’d do. I don’t think he was trying to warn you off, necessarily.”

  “He was worried about your breakup with Bradley,” Gabe pointed out. “He thinks you’re in a world of hurt.”

  “Bradley?” Madison snorted. “We’d been on the verge of breaking up since I moved back from Oregon. Even when we lived together, our relationship was dysfunctional.”

  “You lived together?” Gabe frowned, looking disturbed by the news.

  “Yeah,” she nudged him in the side and smiled. “Are you jealous?”

  He paused. “Yeah, a little.”

  Her eyes widened, pleasure curling in her belly. “Well, then, I guess we’ve both had our dose of jealousy for the night.”

  He didn’t reply. What was he thinking about? Had she said the wrong thing?

  “How’s this rebound thing working out for you, Maddie?”

  Rebound? Was she still considering this a rebound relationship? Was he? She looked closely at his face, now really curious as to what he was thinking.

  “I think it’s going great,” she answered carefully. Lord, what should she say? What did he want her to say? “I’m definitely not regretting getting involved with you.”

  He grunted in response. “So, you think you’ll be wrapping up the buffer stage soon?”

  “Buffer stage?” Her eyebrows crinkled together. “What are you talking about?”

  “You told me I’m the buffer between you and your next relationship,” he reminded her. “Do you remember saying that?”

  “Oh.” She glanced down at her hands. “I guess I did say that.”

  “I’m just wondering how long you want to keep this up?”

  Keep this up? “I don’t know. I’m not interested in anyone else right now. I don’t see why we can’t keep what we’ve got going.”

  “Ah, but when you are interested in someone else, then that’s when our buffer relationship ends?”

  Madison gave a short laugh. Was he messing with her head? She sobered when his expression didn’t change. Wow, he was completely serious.

  “Gabe.” She hesitated. “I don’t understand. Aren’t you the guy who doesn’t do relationships?”

  “I thought I was.” He held her gaze. “But I’m not sure of anything anymore. Are you, Maddie?”

  It hit her then. So hard that she couldn’t speak for a moment. She wasn’t sure what she wanted. But she was sure she didn’t want to consider Gabe just a fling anymore.

  “No. I’m not,” she answered in a soft voice. “Maybe we should just see what happens. Not put labels on anything, but just see how it goes.”

  “As long as we take away the rebound status.” Gabe smiled, looking a little more content. “I think it’s a little hard on my ego.”

  Madison laughed and looked straight at him. “Would you answer a question? You can say no. I realize it’s personal.”

  He shrugged. “What do you want to know?”

  “Why you became a cop.” She hurried on when his expression became shuttered. “I know you’ve said you don’t want to talk about it, but I was hoping you might have changed your mind. That maybe you could trust me—”

  “Why?” he interrupted, turning to look in the fire. “Why should you want to know about my past? What difference could it possibly make knowing?”

  “I’m not sure it’ll make any difference,” she admitted, laying a hand on his shoulder. “There’s just so much I still don’t know about you, things that you’ve never told me.”

  His body went rigid, the previous atmosphere of relaxation and flirting gone.

  “Well I’m not sure I’m ready to tell all just to appease your curiosity, Maddie.”

  “It’s not just curiosity,” she replied in exasperation. “Like you just pointed out, things have changed between us. I care
about you. Is that so hard to believe?”

  He didn’t look away from the fire. “You don’t want to care about me. I’m not worth it.”

  “Gabe.” Her heart ached for him. What was hidden behind that wall surrounding his emotions? “Oh, Gabe. Whatever it is, I wish I could take away the pain.”

  He stayed quiet for a long time. “My pain is nothing compared to what happened to my brother.”

  Madison blinked at his words. What brother? With caution, she said, “I didn’t know you had a brother.”

  “I don’t anymore.” Gabe smiled, but it twisted his lips bitterly and lacked warmth. “I killed him.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  He stared at her as if he’d expected her to freak out, maybe shrink back with horror or run from the room terrified. But she didn’t believe it, not for moment.

  “No, you didn’t.” She shook her head. “I know you didn’t. Tell me the whole story.”

  “You want the whole story?” Gabe asked, his expression cold. “I had a brother who was six years older than me. His name was Ricardo; everyone called him Ricky. Ricky was amazing. He graduated high school with a 4.0 average and was given a scholarship to UCLA. He never let circumstances like where we lived or who our parents were get in the way of his dreams. He raised me after Mom and Dad died.”

  Gabe stood, his body rigid as he began to pace in front of the fire.

  “He wanted to take me out of the shit-hole neighborhood we were living in.” He shrugged. “And I didn’t want to go. I didn’t see anything wrong with my life. I was a twelve-year-old wannabe gang-banger.”

  Maddie stayed silent, trying to associate the younger Gabe with the Gabe she knew now. It was impossible and she shook her head.

  “Not a pretty little picture, is it?” Gabe asked, misinterpreting her gesture.

  “No, I—”

  “It gets better,” he went on. “When my brother found out I was going to be initiated into a gang, he left school during a final exam. All to come back to stop me from ruining my life.”