Page 77 of Kiss and Make Love

“Look at me,” she whispered. “I get it. You need someone to be patient with you. I can do that. If what’s between us is real and not just a fluke, I want to make it work. I don’t want to hurt you like she did.”

He nodded and pulled her back down to his chest. A brush of his lips grazed her forehead.

“Thank you,” he murmured into her hair. “I don’t want to hurt you, either.”

When June woke the next morning, Gabe was gone. The bed was cold, and his presence no longer lingered in the air. The clock on the bedside table read5:43in bright red numbers.

She sat straight up, clutching the sheet to her chest. Sleep cleared from her mind while she took in the room. Their bags sat on the counter against the far wall—both of them—so he must still be here.

For goodness’ sake. It’s not like he was going to abandon her off the highway somewhere in Alberta. Or were they in Saskatchewan now? The driving was a blur at this point. After last night, their location wasn’t the main thing on her mind. Gabe and his magic tongue were. She shivered in delight at the memory. But he’d also been honest and vulnerable, not just skilled at making her come. She leaned her head forward on her knees and let everything sink in.

The door opened and shut with care. Gabe stood there with pastries in one hand and coffee in the other. A sleepy smile spread across her features.

“Morning, sweetheart.” Gabe beamed, setting the breakfast items on the wooden table next to the window. “I thought you’d still be sleeping.”

June shook her head. “I think I woke up shortly after you left. Without you, the bed got cold.” Her cheeks flushed. Why did she say that?

“Does that mean you missed me?” He plastered the smug smirk she knew all too well across his face. Although now, she might label it devilish.

Leaning over her, he forced her to lie back down on the bed. His freshly showered scent drifted through the air. Hands on either side of her head, Gabe’s lips found hers. They moved slowly against each other but quickly became more heated.

“Gabe!” she squealed, pushing him off of her. “I haven’t brushed my teeth or showered yet.”

A deep, throaty laugh poured out of him. Had she ever heard the serious man laugh before now? She liked the sound of it.

“I don’t care about that. You still taste good to me.” He punctuated his words with a wink and climbed off the bed to grab his breakfast. “If you get ready now, we can be back on the road by six-thirty.”

Right. They needed to continue their drive today, and preferably as soon as possible. As much as she would love to spend the day rolling around in bed with Gabe, it was important not to get distracted. She was on this road trip to see her brother, not indulge her newly discovered lust for his best friend.

She took a bite of the croissant Gabe bought for her, said a quick thanks, and made her way to the bathroom to get ready for the long day ahead of them. Twelve morehours to go, give or take. A lot of driving, but it’d be a bit more tolerable today for one tall, dark, and dreamy reason.

GABRIEL

They had unpacked nothing last night after checking into the motel except a new outfit for June, so nothing needed to be packed except toiletries and dirty clothes this morning. While June showered, Gabe loaded the trunk so a quick getaway was easy when she was done.

Fuck. June in the shower. Steam filling the air surrounding her naked body. He could easily slip in with her. Would she mind? He cursed himself for waking up so early. Obviously, he should’ve waited to showerwithher. He leaned his head against the bathroom door and took a moment to compose himself. June didn’t need him to be this aroused at six in the morning.

When she emerged from the washroom not long after, her wet hair was in another long braid trailing down her back. Her face was fresh, and the freckles spattered across her cheeks were visible. God, she took his breath away without even trying. How’d he been around her for so long but never let himself truly see her?

“I should call to check on Matt again.” She picked at her nail beds.

“I already did,” he soothed. “When I ran out to grab breakfast, I called the hospital, too. He slept through the night, and his vital signs are good. He’s still sedated to help with the pain, though.”

The breath left June’s body in one big exhale, and her shoulders dropped with the release. Without hesitation, she wrapped her arms around his waist and tucked her head against his chest. A warmth spread deep inside him—a sensation he hadn’t felt for years. Not since the early days of being with Cassandra. Damn, if June wasn’t melting his icy heart in record time.

“They’re taking care of him, I promise,” he whispered to her. She nodded against him. “Come on, let’s get on the road. The quicker we leave, the quicker we see him.”

She grabbed her toiletry bag, took his hand, and followed him outside. The sun was already over the horizon, and the summer air warmed his skin. June added her duffle bag to the trunk with the rest of their things and grabbed a book out of it. He opened the passenger door and let her get settled.

She yawned. “I feel like I might fall back asleep when we get on the road.”

“I don’t think so. I need someone to keep me awake for the next twelve hours.” He gave her a cheeky wink and pulled out of the parking lot and onto the highway.

Only one more province to cross, and they’d be in Manitoba. Then they’d see Matt and make sure everything was fine.

And tell him you’re fucking his little sister.

Exactly what his best friend wanted to hear first thing when he woke up from a nasty motorcycle accident. Gabe tightened his grip on the steering wheel. How would he even begin to broach that subject?

---