Page 10 of The Talk Around Town

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to make problems for you.”

“Okay. This isn’t funny anymore.” The humour left Gabe’s voice and his expression darkened, fine lines bracketing his mouth and eyes. He came around the side of the bar to face her.

Emma looked around, imploring the crowd. They were all eating her gaffe up like it was the funniest thing ever. At least they weren’t all pulling away from him.

How could she be so stupid? How could she make it up to him?

Of all the things to do the very first time she went out in her new town, this would have to be the most unforgivable.

“Come on, Gabe. Just come clean and fess up. You may as well now that she’s gone and done all the hard work for you,” said Mick.

“Darby didn’t say it was a secret. She—”

“Shut the hell up, Mick.” Gabe grabbed her shoulder and made her look at him. He looked angrier by the second. “You’re not listening. What did she say to you?” he ground out.

“I… uh,” Emma stumbled, desperately trying to remember Darby’s words. “She said you weren’t interested in women. I assumed she meant you liked men.”

“You assumed wrong. I’m as straight as they come.” He took her jaw in his hand and tilted his head to stare at her. His thumb rubbed slowly over her bottom lip. She couldn’t seem to move. Didn’t really want to, if she was completely honest with herself. A strange half-smile quirked his mouth. “I can prove it if you like.”

“And how do you propose to do that?” she asked, half laughing.

Cheekiness overcame his face. “I’m sure a kiss will clear things right up. Yes?”

She shrugged. Amusement at the silliness of the situation she’d inadvertently stepped into bubbled up. Why not?

“Whatever floats your boat.”

Gabe chuckled. He lowered his head, giving the audience watching so avidly a show. He wouldn’t go through with it anyway, he was just playing around, so she stood stock-still and waited.

Soft lips touched her own. Emma gasped, surprised he’d actually gone through with it. She touched his chest to push him away now that he’d proved his point, her palms flat against his soft cotton shirt.

Only she couldn’t. The hard-muscled planes of his chest tempted her fingers, making her itch to take her time and explore him. Evenknowing he was calling her out for her mistake, his mouth threatened to destroy her. She couldn’t have stopped if she wanted to.

Gabe touched his tongue to her lips. Fire swamped her, igniting her blood, sending it to boiling point in the space of a heartbeat.

Emma tentatively opened her mouth and abruptly the kiss changed. His lips softened, his mouth became uncertain, though no less demanding, as if questing for an answer. She gave it to him, her body melting into his as he deepened their kiss.

Her hand slid up his chest and into his hair, her fingers curling through it and grabbing hold as he tasted her mouth. Gabe slid his hands down her sides and pressed her close. Shivers engulfed her.

Emma couldn’t think, couldn’t do anything but fight the fire burning her flesh from the inside out.

Wolf whistles erupted around her, suffusing her ears with strident sound. Calls ofGet a room!swept over her, penetrating her brain.

Gabe tore his mouth from hers. A soft sigh of disappointment escaped her lips. She opened her eyes and blinked, trying to regain her bearings. Gabe’s changing expression grounded her immediately.

Oh no. What the hell did I just do?

She didn’t dare look at anyone other than him.

She’d made out with him in public. The whole room was a mass of noise—some encouraging, some suggestive. Gabe looked as shocked as she felt.

Here she was, new in town and trying to make a good impression, and she was kissing a guy she barely knew. In a bar.

She opened her mouth to speak but couldn’t find any words.

Nope. Nothing.

Gabe wrenched his gaze from hers. “Okay, guys,” he said, addressing the men standing around them. “I get the drift. Can the comments.”

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