Page 64 of Sanctuary

“Traveling expands your vocabulary too,” Lori said and wiggled her eyebrows. “You have a year in England to thank for that particular word. But back to your earlier question; it would be great if you could take the Oakley tonight and fix it as soon as possible. Fran was supposed to be driving to Louisville on Friday to pick up Camden Market, the racehorse I told you about.”

“The condition for their support to restore the Brewster?”

Lori nodded. “It’s really no imposition. We’ve just rehomed Cannonball, and we had a free stall. Ellery is looking forward to treating her too.” She nudged Gabe’s shoulder. “Maybe she can be the horse you learn to ride.”

“I thought you said it had some sort of leg injury. I doubt putting one-hundred-and-sixty pounds of me on her back would help that. And learning on a race horse doesn’t sound optimal.”

Lori glanced at her briefly as if she might say something, but then she pressed her lips together and looked at her plate.

“It’s mostly muscle,” Gabe said, in case Lori had been surprised by her weight, which, unlike too many women, she was proud of.

This time, Lori’s gaze lingered on her arms. “It looks like it’s all muscle.”

Gabe grinned. “Nice of you to notice, friend.”

“I’m healing from heartbreak; I’m not blind.”

Gabe didn’t even try to maintain eye contact; that kind of behavior would likely lead to a misplaced kiss. She tore off a chunk of bread, dipped it in the meat sauce that had gathered on her plate, and occupied her mouth with chewing instead. She vaguely wished she’d taken the seat opposite Lori to put some much-needed distance between them. This close…this close, it would be too easy to slip and do something she’d regret—something she was damned sure they’d both enjoy—but definitely something they’d both regret too.

Several moments of blissful silence followed, and Gabe took the time to savor the delicious food.

“I’m glad you mentioned Rosie earlier,” Lori said. “Has Shay said anything about her?”

Gabe put down her fork and shifted on her seat slightly to face Lori. “Has Rosie said something about Shay?”

Lori prodded Gabe’s forearm with her fork. “I asked first. You can’t answer a question with another question.”

“You saw the sparks too then?” Gabe finished the last of her beer and poured a glass of water from the jug on the table.

“I think the NASA space station would’ve seen those sparks if they’d been looking.”

Gabe laughed and nodded. “Shay is Rosie’s type?”

“Oh God, yes,” Lori said.

“And yours too?” Gabe didn’t hold back her surprise at Lori’s enthusiastic response.

“Oh God, no.” She frowned then widened her eyes. “I didn’t mean that to be as offensive as it sounded. She is stunning, but she’s not for me, no.”

“I wasn’t offended,” Gabe said. Relieved, yes. Offended, no. “Although you’re very much her type, as is Rosie.”

Lori blushed again. “Did she say that?”

“Why wouldn’t she? You’re a beautiful woman.”

Lori seemed to shrink back into her chair a little. “That’s something I haven’t heard for a long time.”

“Not even when you were married?”

She shook her head and slipped back under that cloak of sadness again, making Gabe wish she hadn’t asked.

“I’m not sure the lawyer ever thought I was beautiful. Exotic and well-traveled, someone to parade in front of her friends and make her seem more sophisticated, perhaps. But no, after the first few months, the compliments were as dry as our sex life—sorry, you probably didn’t want that level of detail.”

Gabe placed her hand over Lori’s. “Then she was a moron. Someone as beautiful as you are, inside and out, shouldn’t settle for anything less than total adoration.”

And there it was… That moment where the line between friends and lovers was illuminated, flashing bulbs neon-bright and unmissable. Lori’s lips were so close. Gabe could wrap her hand around the back of her neck and softly pull her in, press them together, meld their intentions into hot, sensual action. Lori’s breasts rose and fell with her deep, long breaths, inviting Gabe to touch them, to discover exactly how Lori wanted to be held and explored and discovered. And God, if Gabe didn’t long to blast through their ban on anything beyond friendship, then she longed for nothing at all.

Gabe wet her lips and stared at Lori’s, just a breath away from finding out how she tasted.

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