Page 72 of Kiss and Make Love

Was that how people saw him? A work-obsessed hard-ass? Had work consumed his life?

At a loss for what else to say, he pulled back onto the highway, internally scolding himself for crossing an obvious line. June may be comfortable letting her guard down, but he wasn’t used to sharing with anyone. Especially someone he’d kept at arm’s length over the past how many years.

Even if she was one hell of a kisser.

JUNE

She’d opened up to Gabriel on this trip. Twice. In only a handful of hours. He usually kept her at a distance, focusing on his job and his friendship with Matt rather than getting to know her in any proper way. But he’d shown a different side of himself over the course of their road trip. He’d listened to her, empathized with her, and…kissed her.Reallykissed her.

How many times had she imagined that moment? Too many to count, even when she knew it would never happen. Gabriel could never be into her. If nothing had happened in the past five years, why would it now?

But ithappened.

Then, he said nothing about the kiss after it happened, so neither did she. In that moment, it was like there were one million emotions pouring out of him and into her mouth. God, it was one of the most fantastic kisses she’d experienced. Likely the best. But he seemed almost embarrassed afterward. Perhaps if she didn’ttrip all over herself making excuses for everything, things would’ve gone in a different direction.

Who was she? Since when was she so desperate to explain herself and open up? She’d fought tooth and nail for what she had—which wasn't much—and didn’t need to make excuses. Yet, she didn’t want Gabriel to think she was a screw-up. She wanted him tolikeher. She’d always wanted him to like her. To stop seeing her as Matt’s silly younger sister.

Afterthe kiss, they went back to doing their own thing on the road. Gabriel took any necessary work calls—which meant all of them—and she continued reading her book. The only difference was that her mind kept wandering to his lips, and she snuck glances at him every so often, wondering what he was thinking. She was sure she caught him looking at her, too.

The only time they talked was after the nurse called to let them know Matt was out of the operating room. They’d downgraded his condition from serious to fair, but he was heavily sedated. She breathed easier knowing he was no longer in serious condition. The move in a positive direction allowed her internal panic to calm to a dull roar.

Gabriel was acting all distant again, but no way he didn’t sense something in that kiss. The way he grabbed her—pulledat her—had a wealth of feeling behind it. Only, she wasn’t sure what those feelings were.

Annoyance? Attraction?

She sighed and cracked her neck. Gabe’s car might be more luxurious than a bus, but her body ached, and there was a crick in her spine. She stretched her legs as far as they could go and flexed her toes. Putting her book down, she rubbed her calves, then arched her back. That move garnered a long side glance from Gabriel. A flicker of satisfaction danced over her skin. He was more interested in her than he let on. But why did he always put such distance between them? Was her whole situationthatfar beneath him?

“We can stop somewhere soon,” he said, looking over at her obvious discomfort.

“It’s alright. We can push on a bit more if you’re up for it,” she replied. “Or you could let me drive Betty White for a while?”

“Not a chance,” he said, shaking his head.

Fourteen hours on the road and counting. The sun was low on the horizon, and the clock read ten after ten. She wasn’t sure how much further he could go in one day, but he didn’t look too tired. They must be somewhere in Saskatchewan by now.

“Actually, I need a good stretch. I’m gonna stop at the next turnout,” he said.

Gabriel pulled over a few minutes later, and despite saying she’d push on, she couldn’t get out of the car fast enough.Her body was aching, and the weird vibe between the two of them was getting to her. The driver’s door opened and closed behind her. Gabriel needed to move around, too, but she needed a moment to herself.

She walked off into the nearby field, giving her legs some much-needed movement. Nothing but field and sky stretched out before her. They’d left the mountains a long way back. There wasn’t much to look at driving through the prairies. But the sky was bright pinks, searing oranges, and deep blues that spread across the horizon. Nothing before her to obscure the view.

She took a deep breath in, appreciating the way the summer air warmed her lungs. Crickets were chirping off in the field, the shrill sound piercing the last remnants of the day. A car roared by on the highway behind her every now and then. The earthy smell of wheat filled her nose, which stretched around her in golden fields, swaying in the breeze. Her dress fluttered around her thighs. Slow, deep breaths.

Gabriel came to stand beside her, but she kept her eyes closed. A peaceful moment in this mess of a day was sorely needed, and she wanted to hold it as long as possible.

She’d been nothing but open and honest with him. Well, a little irked at him, too, but still. He’d shut down on her after their little make-out session. Thathe started. If he wanted to say something, he could be the one to comeout and say it. She was perfectly content to stand quietly in the fading sunlight.

GABRIEL

God, she looked beautiful standing there. The light touched her porcelain skin and lit her entire face with a golden glow. After years of keeping her on the outskirts of his life for Matt, he’d finally tried to get to know her. She’d let her guard down with him, which must’ve been difficult. Especially since it was becoming painfully obvious thathewas the reason they’d never gotten to know one another. Not only did he promise Matt he’d stay away, he’d also unfairly judged her. Assumed her life was a mess, so she must be a mess because her life was so different from his own. Even so, he couldn’t bring himself to open up to her.

What would be the point of revealing anything? This was a one-time road trip, borne of necessity. Despite occasionally crossing paths, they operated in different worlds. He was a self-made man, wealthy enough for his thirty-two years of life, and focused on his career. She was working two jobs she loathed, struggling to put herself through university in an exorbitantly expensive city.

Still, her vulnerability drew him to her. He used to share and be open.Usedto. Part of him yearned to tell her everything, to have the freedom of being exposed and on display. But part of him needed to protect himself at all costs. He’d been taken for a fool once, and he’d be damned if he let that happen again.

Perhaps he could test the waters with her. Give her a piece of him. He genuinely wanted to get to know his best friend’s not-so-little sister. Maybe it wasn’t too late. It’s not like they were ripping each other’s clothes off. She was off-limits, and everything he’d done so far had been permissible. Well, except for that kiss.

She wasn’t talking to him, though. She didn’t even look at him while he stood beside her as the sun set. It’d been over eight hours since the gas station parking lot, and they’d shared little conversation. He finished some work calls before the hour became too late while she dove straight back into her books.

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