Page 81 of Kiss and Make Love

The whole situation with Gabe might be confusing and agitating, but Matt was okay. Awake. Doing well. They’d be there to see him soon.

A hand landed on her shoulder, and she turned around to see Gabe—no, wait—not Gabe. She pulled away and used a hand to shield the sun from her eyes, getting a better look at the imposing figure standing in front of her.

“Hey, baby, no need to be like that,” the man said, eyes leering at her from beneath his baseball cap. “You look like you’re needin’ some help.”

“I’m fine, thank you,” she said in a curt tone, wanting to stop whatever this was before it got started.

“You sure? You seemed distressed a moment ago. Pretty little thing like you, wandering around the turn-out all alone. Now that ain’t right.”

His meaty paw stretched out to stroke her arm. Once again, she pulled away from his touch. “I said I’m fine. My car is right over there. I’m leaving now.” She hardened her gaze and tried to start toward the car, but the man blocked her path.

His grin seemed anything but friendly. “You havin’ car troubles? Is that why you pulled over? I’d be happy to help. I’m sure we can think of a way you can thank me after…”

June shuddered at the insinuation as he crept closer. Alarm bells rang full-blast in her head. She needed to get back to the carright now, but he didn’t seem keen on letting her go. There was no way past him. He was over six feet tall and must’ve been 300 pounds, easy. She was no match for someone with his massive bulk.

A car door slammed behind her, and she prayed it was Gabe and not some random passerby who had just pulled over. Knowing Gabe, the work call had all of his attention. The man’s greasy face turned from her to look over her shoulder.

“I got this all handled. This sweet little thing just needs some help with her car,” he called to the person approaching behind June. He took her roughly by the arm and began leading her away. She resisted, digging her heels into the ground and twisting out of his grip.

Everything happened so fast. A startling crack pierced the air, followed by the thud of a body hitting pavement. Gabe was standing over the stranger’s body, his left boot pressing down on the man’s chest. “Thissweet little thingis mine.” His voice dropped to a dangerously low pitch. “Get the fuck out of here.”

Gabe wrapped his arm around her shoulders and ushered her back to the car. He asked her something, but her ears rang with adrenaline. Gabe just punched a man. Right in the face. He just punched that giant sleazeball to protect her. The word he spit in the man’s face played on repeat in her mind.

Mine.

Mine.

Mine.

“June?” He spun her to face him once they reached the car. “June, are you okay? Did he hurt you?” His hands trailed down her arm where the man grabbed her, inspecting her skin as if there might still be a trace of him there.

“No, I’m fine. It’s fine,” she reassured him, shaking her head to emphasize her point. “Thank you for saving me.”

Gabe’s concern-filled eyes bored into her, a stark contrast from the distant, frosty blue eyes that met her gaze in her apartment doorway only a couple days earlier.

He pulled her close and held her against his chest. Considering they’d ended things between them only an hour ago, she was a bit stiff and awkward. But after a moment, she gave in, embracing him back. His presence was calming, and she sensed he needed the embrace as much as she did.

June’s eyes shot open, and she pulled back. “Your call! The meeting. Was it finished?”

Gabe gave a strained chuckle. “No, it wasn’t, but some things are more important than work. Well, one thing is more important than work. One person.”

Her breath caught in her throat. The statement hung in the air between them. “What happened to losing sight of everything you want?”

Pulling her into his chest once more, his lips pressed against the top of her head. He rested there, breathing her in. A beat passed, followed by a deep sigh escaping from his chest.

“You’re what I want, June. You. I don’t want to live for my job anymore. For money and promotions. I still love my job, but I need to significantly reduce my workload. These past two days have opened my eyes to how I was already feeling deep down. I can’t maintain this level of devotion to the company. I don’t want to. They wouldn’t even give me time off to go see Matt. And being with you for even this short period has been the happiest I’ve been in years. I don’t want it to slip away.”

As much as she wanted to believe what he was saying and as happy as those words made her, June had her reservations. “You’ve been set in your ways for a long time. I don’t know how this time with me changes any of that. How can you be so sure?”

She looked at him once again, his arms still holding her close. The heat radiating off her body had nothing to do with the sun streaming down on her back. He made her toes curl and heart beat faster. No denying that.

“Because I’ve been wanting to get to know you for so long—you have no idea. I’ve always had a thing for you. You’re crazy hot, but you’re Matt’s little sister, and that means you’re off limits. Well,wereoff limits.”

She must’ve blacked out for a moment because there was no way in hell Gabriel Jackson just told her he’d had athingfor her. “You…you have? Wait—off limits? Who said I was off limits to you?”

He sucked in a breath between clenched teeth, and it all made sense.

“Matt told you not to mess around with me, didn’t he?” she huffed.

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