Page 33 of Frostbite & Mistletoe
“None of this was your fault,” Kymberlie said, her voice huskier than she intended.“And I don’t think I could ever hate you. You care so much about making my place safe, even if it is, um, inconvenient. And really expensive.”
His eyes darkened, pupils expanding until only a thin ring of golden-green iris remained. His gaze dropped to her mouth, and Kymberlie’s lips parted instinctively. The air between them seemed to thicken, time slowing to a crawl as they leaned toward each other.
Just before their lips met, the front door of the club banged open, bringing with it a gust of cold air and Tyler Swanson’s cheerful voice.
“Sorry I’m late! This beast weighs a ton, but—” Tyler stopped mid-sentence as he took in the scene before him: Kymberlie and Gabriel standing inches apart, both with damp hair and clothes hastily thrown on, twin expressions of frustration on their faces.“Huh. Am I interrupting a date or a safety inspection?”
Kymberlie jerked back from Gabriel. The heat flooding her cheeks had nothing to do with desire now.
“Why can’t it be both?” she retorted, trying to hide how flustered she was.
To her surprise, Gabriel didn’t retreat into cool professionalism. Instead, his face reddened slightly, but he grinned—a real, genuine smile that transformed his serious features.
“I’ve always been good at multi-tasking,” he said, hastily fastening the last few buttons on his shirt.
Tyler laughed and adjusted his grip on the massive stainless-steel hood he was balancing effortlessly on one shoulder. Kymberlie had always known bear shifters were strong, but the sight still impressed her.
“I bet you are,” Tyler said.“You guys want to help me get this monster installed so that Mr. Fire Marshal here can wrap up his inspection?”
Gabriel immediately moved to help, taking one end of the hood while Kymberlie hurried ahead, moving tables and chairs to clear the path to the kitchen. As they maneuvered through the club, she couldn’t help stealing glances at Gabriel.
Once in the kitchen, Tyler directed their movements with the practiced efficiency of someone who’d installed dozens of such hoods.
“This is a top-of-the-line model,” Tyler commented as they secured the last bolt.“Fire suppression system, proper ventilation—you won’t have any more smoke backing up into the dining area.”
“That was a problem,” Kymberlie admitted.“Especially on busy nights when the grill was crowded with steaks and hamburger patties.”
Gabriel nodded, running his hand along the hood’s edge with an appreciative look.“And this hood is properly sized for your cooking equipment, unlike your old one.”
“So what’s next?” she asked, trying not to sound as anxious as she felt.
“We need to test the hood’s fire suppression system,” Gabriel said.“Make sure it activates properly.”
Kymberlie held her breath as the hiss of pressurized lines filled the kitchen, a sharp, metallic sound that made her pulse pound in alarm. Gabriel and Tyler crouched beneath the new stainless-steel hood, their voices steady and professional as they called out readings and made adjustments.
She waited impatiently, hands clenched and fingernails digging into her palms, trying not to breathe too loudly.
This was it. The final test. If the suppression system didn’t work right, there’d be no second chance, no wedding reception, no Christmas miracle to save The Hair of the Dog.
“Ready?” Gabriel asked Tyler after what seemed like a long time of fiddling around with the hood.
Tyler nodded, and Gabriel pulled the red handle mounted by the kitchen door. The system came alive with a sharpsnapand a deep mechanical sigh. Fans cycled, the gas shut off with a cleanclunk, and a light above the hood blinked green.
For a breathless second, nobody moved. Then Tyler grinned and gave her a thumbs-up.
Kymberlie didn’t realize she’d been holding her breath until Gabriel looked up at her, eyes softening.“Pass. Your club is completely up to code now.”
Relief surged through her, bright and dizzying. She let out a half-sob, half-laugh, and threw her arms around Tyler, thanking him incoherently.
“Hey, it’s okay,” he murmured, patting her back.“Family looks out for family, right?”
Then she turned to Gabriel. His arms wrapped around her, strong and sure. For a moment she let herself sink into the solid warmth of his chest as she fought back happy tears.
When she tilted her face up, he was already bending his neck, close enough for their breaths to mingle. Their kiss was fierce and filled with gratitude and the hope she hadn’t dared to allow herself to feel. The world narrowed to the space between them and the urgent caress of his lips against hers.
Then her phone rang.
Chapter Nine
