When I wake up, the sunlight is streaming through my windows, and Gabriel is gone.
Chapter Twelve
I sit up and stretch, basking like a sated cat in the sunlight pouring across my bed. I’m warm and perfectly comfortable. Except for the fact that Gabriel isn’t here. But that’s no surprise. He told me he couldn’t stay.
There’s shit you don’t know about me.
That may be true, but I’m not going to worry about it right now. I’ve put that away because it doesn’t matter today. Gabriel is gone and last night was amazing.
I stretch and throw the covers back, picking up Gabe’s pillow and holding it to my nose. It smells like man, musky and outdoorsy. Like him. I inhale it, then toss it back in place.
As I move, I realize that I’m a little sore down there. But that’s not a surprise. I haven’t had sex in quite a while—and last night was… er… vigorous. My cheeks flush as I remember Gabriel bending me onto the table outside. I’d better remember to wipe that thing down before I use it next.
I pad into the bathroom and brush my teeth as I wait for the shower to heat up. Staring at the water, I can’t help but remember Gabriel bending me over in the shower as well. I blush harder.
Pretty soon I won’t be able to go anywhere in my house without blushing. If I’m lucky. I have to smile at that, picturing Gabe and me christening every room in the house. It’s an interesting thought and as I daydream about it, I dance around my bathroom singing “I Love Rock and Roll” at the top of my lungs.
I can’t help it. I feel so happy today that dancing like a lunatic seems to be the logical thing to do, sore crotch or not. I feel lighter and happier than I’ve felt in a long time.
He did that.
Just as I’m spinning around by the shower door, I catch a glimpse of someone big and dark in the bathroom doorway. A shadow.
I startle, then freeze as I realize who the shadow belongs to.
Gabe leans casually against the doorjamb, his eyes glinting with amusement.
“Good morning,” he says glibly. “I see someone’s in a good mood.”
He’s here.
My heart practically sings, but just as quickly almost dies from embarrassment when I realize that he just witnessed my personal little karaoke/dance party.
My face explodes into a thousand shades of red and I turn so I can spit my toothpaste into the sink.
“What are you doing here?” I stammer. “I thought you weren’t staying.”
He grins again. “I wasn’t going to. Did you know you’re cute when you dance in the bathroom in your underwear? You can’t hold a tune, though.”
I shake my head and grin back. I might as well laugh at myself, right?
“Don’t worry. I won’t quit my day job, I’m just in a good mood.”
Gabe stares at me wryly. “Well, you might not be in a good mood for long,” he tells me. “The road’s flooded. That’s why I’m still here. We can’t get out.”
I stare at him blankly. “What? You’ve gotta be kidding. The last time that road flooded was years ago.”
Gabe shrugs. “I don’t know about that, but it’s flooded today. It’s been raining for two weeks straight. It’s not that big of a shock. But it boils down to the fact that we’re not going anywhere.”
We’re stuck here. Gabe and me.
Together.
As I think of the possibilities, I grin broadly.
“There are worse things,” I announce, thinking about my daydream of christening every room. I smile impishly at him. “I can think of some things to do.”
Gabe rolls his eyes. “Judging from that grin, I’m afraid to ask.”
I’m about to respond when a distracting thought suddenly occurs to me that makes me panic.
“Mila. I’ve got to call and see how she’s doing. I won’t be able to get to the hospital.”
I rush to my cell phone and drop onto my bed as I call the hospital, my foot bouncing nervously as I wait.
I had put her out of my mind last night when Gabe and I were… together. I had been so focused on my own pain, my own fear, that I lost myself in him.
How could I have done that? What kind of person am I?
After I’m transferred to Mila’s room, Pax answers the phone on the second ring.
“How’s Mila?” I ask by way of greeting.
“Good morning to you too,” Pax replies. “She’s fine. Calm down, Maddy. I can tell by your voice that you’re freaking out. Mila slept through the night, they gave her fluids and they’re releasing her today. She’s going straight home to bed. And if you see her up at any point, you have my permission to beat her.”
“I don’t need your permission,” I grumble. “I knew her first. But I don’t know if you’ll be able to get home. My road is flooded. I don’t know about yours. I can’t even get out.”
“Ours is fine,” Pax answers. “But I’m sorry that you’re stuck. Don’t sit there and stew about it. There’s nothing you can do about it anyway.”
“I’ll try not to,” I promise, as I eye Gabe. He stands in front of me, his muscled torso at eye level. To be honest, it’s hard to think about anything but his exquisite body for the time being. It’s a little distracting. “Is Mila awake?”
“Yeah, but the nurse is giving her a sponge bath. I’ll have her call you when we get home.”
We hang up and I turn to Gabe. “I’ve just got to make a couple more calls and then we can figure out what we’re going to do. I wonder how long the road will be closed?”
Gabe shrugs. “It’s hard to say. Do you have anything to eat?”
“That makes sense. How did you know that?” I ask curiously as I follow him, dropping the sandbag into place on the ground, starting a line. He shakes his head.
“I know stuff,” he answers wryly, as he lines his bags up with mine. “I’m smart like that.”
I don’t comment on that. Instead I wonder about what kinds of things he must’ve done when he was a Ranger as we head back into the basement for more bags.
We end up making more trips than I can count. With each trip the stairs seem a little steeper and the yard seems just a little farther from the house.
By the time we carry the last bags out and stack them around the perimeter, the wall of bags is four feet high. The water has crept forward by another two feet, and my arms and legs are shaking like leaves.