Page 2 of Gabriel's Angel

“The best I can do is take you with me.” There wasn’t an ounce of graciousness in his tone. She hadn’t expected any. If he was angry and impatient about nearly being plowed into, and inconvenienced on top of it, he was entitled.

“I’m sorry.”

He moved his shoulders, aware that he’d been rude. “The turnoff for my cabin’s at the top of the hill. You’ll have to leave your car and ride in the Jeep.”

“I’d appreciate it.” With the engine off and the window open, the cold was beginning to seep through her clothes. “I’m sorry for the imposition, Mr.—?”

“Bradley. Gabe Bradley.”

“I’m Laura.” She slipped out of the safety harness that had undoubtedly saved her from injury. “I have a suitcase in the trunk, if you wouldn’t mind giving me a hand with it.”

Gabe took the keys and stomped back toward the trunk, thinking that if he’d only left an hour earlier that afternoon he’d be home—alone—at this moment.

The case wasn’t large, and it was far from new. The lady with only one name traveled light, he thought. He muttered to himself as he hefted it out of the trunk. There was no use being angry with her, or being snotty. If she hadn’t managed to skid quite so well, if she hadn’t avoided him, they might have been needing a doctor now instead of a cup of coffee and dry feet.

Deciding to be more civil, Gabe turned to tell her to go across to the Jeep. She was standing, watching him, with the snow falling on her uncovered hair. That was when he saw she was not only beautiful, she was very, very pregnant.

“Oh, God” was all he could manage.

“I’m really sorry to be so much trouble,” Laura began. “And I want to thank you in advance for the lift. If I could call from your cabin and find a tow truck, maybe we could clear this whole thing up quickly.”

He hadn’t heard a word she’d said. Not one. All he could do was stare at the ripe slope beneath her dark coat. “Are you sure you’re all right? You didn’t tell me you were— Are you going to need a doctor?”

“I’m fine.” This time she smiled, fully. The cold had brought the color back into her face. “Really. The baby wasn’t hurt. He’s annoyed a bit, I’d say from the way he’s kicking me, but we hardly felt the impact. We didn’t ram the guardrail, we sort of slid into it.”

“You might have...” What? he wondered. “Jarred something.”

“I’m fine,” she said again. “I was strapped in, and the snow, though it started it all, cushioned the hit.” Noting that he still seemed unconvinced, she tossed back her snow-covered hair. Her fingers, though they were tucked into subtle, silk-lined leather, were going numb. “I promise, I’m not going to give birth in the middle of the road—unless you plan on standing here for a few more weeks.”

She was all right... he hoped. And the way she was smiling at him made him feel like an idiot. Deciding to take her word for it, he offered her a hand. “Let me help you.”

The words, such simple words, went straight to her heart. She could have counted on her hands the number of times she had heard them.

He didn’t know how to deal with pregnant women. Were they fragile? It had always seemed to him that the opposite must be true, given what they had to go through, but now, faced with one, he was afraid she’d shatter at a touch.

Mindful of the slippery road, Laura took a firm grip on his arm as they started across. “It’s beautiful here,” she said when they reached the Jeep. “But I have to admit, I’m going to appreciate the snow more from inside.” She glanced at the high step below the door of the Jeep. “I think you’re going to have to give me a bit of a boost. I’m not as agile as I used to be.”

Gabe stowed her case, wondering exactly where to grab her. Mumbling, he put a hand under her elbow and another on her hip. Laura slid into the seat with less fuss than he’d expected.

“Thanks.”

He grunted a response as he slammed the door. He skirted the hood, then took his place behind the wheel. It took a little maneuvering, but with a minimum of effort they inched back onto the road.

The dependable Jeep started up the hill. Laura uncurled her hands as they moved along at a steady pace. They’d finally stopped shaking. “I wasn’t sure anyone lived along here. If I’d known, I’d have begged a roof long before this. I wasn’t expecting a snowstorm in April.”

“We get them later than this.” He said nothing for a moment. He respected other people’s privacy as zealously as his own. But these were unusual circumstances. “You’re traveling alone?”

“Yes.”

“Isn’t that a little risky in your condition?”

“I’d planned on being in Denver in a couple of days.” She laid a hand lightly on her belly. “I’m not due for six weeks.” Laura took a deep breath. It was a risk to trust him, but she really had no other option. “Do you live alone, Mr. Bradley?”

“Yes.”

She shifted her gaze just enough to study him as he turned down a narrow, snow-covered lane. At least she assumed a lane was buried somewhere under all the white. There was something tough and hard about his face. Not rugged, she thought. It was too lean and fine-boned for that. It was coldly sculpted, as she imagined a mythic warrior chief’s might be.

But she remembered the stunned male helplessness in his eyes when he’d seen she was pregnant. She believed she’d be safe with him. She had to believe that.

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