Page 33 of Visions of You

“You will when your love life involves a good friend of mine.”

I sighed again. “Fair enough.”

Maia’s smile returned. “I’m happy for you, Gabe. April’s great. She’s funny and sweet and upbeat. Actually, she’s the direct opposite of you.”

“Gee, thanks.”

“But be careful, Gabe. She’s had some bad relationships. That’s probably what the vibe you got last night was. When she first got here, she told me she wasn’t going near a man for a long time.”

I raised my brows. “Maybe I changed her mind.”

Maia didn’t smile back. “I mean it, Gabe. I’ve heard you talkabout how you never want to be seriously involved again. Don’t break her heart. She deserves better.”

“I’m not planning to. Maia, we haven’t even been out on a date! She might not even be interested.”

Maia’s grin returned. “After dancingandkissing? With my big brother? Oh, trust me. She’s interested. I’d say you need to ask a girl out on a date.”

After she left, I rubbed my face with both hands, then stared at the empty room. “Why did I think it was a good idea to move back to a place where nothing is private?”

Chapter Fourteen

April

The morning sunthrew my shadow before me as I strolled along the beach. The warm Caribbean Sea washed over my feet, soothing me. I hadn’t been back to the resort beach since the day I’d arrived and stayed in a guest bungalow. After waking, I’d decided to leave my apartment for some ocean therapy. To try to make sense of what had happened.

How had I gone from wanting nothing to do with men to damn near jumping Gabe’s bones last night? What about my sabbatical?

Do I really want a sabbatical?

That was the real question. I wanted Gabe in my bed, and there was no denying it. What I didn’t want was the strife and angst that had accompanied my past relationships.

At least I don’t need to worry about him not returning my interest.

And truth be told, that was a definite salve to my wounded ego. Proof that a gorgeous, successful man could find me attractive. Maybe I wasn’t cursed after all.

I wandered down the shoreline, eventually crossing under thenow-unlit party lights Gabe and I had danced beneath. A cement path continued northward, past the watersports hut with its locked-up kayaks and paddleboards, and I stepped onto it. The path wound around Orchid, Calypso Key’s fine dining restaurant. It was only open for dinner and now sat dark and still. A handful of garden cottages lay to my right, a more affordable option for guests than the oceanfront variety.

Gabe turned me into someone I hardly recognized—bold, confident. I liked that. I liked the mixture of barely restrained passion and protective chivalry he displayed. But I needed to know more about him, especially why he’d spent the night in jail. That was one of the strangest things about this situation. Despite him being potentially dangerous, I felt safe with him.

Or was that just my raging hormones talking?

Eventually, the path petered out near the mangrove wetland area, which was kept untouched and natural. A majestic blue heron flew past, not ten feet in front of me. Two kayaks sat under a makeshift shelter, sleeker and more expensive-looking than the ones guests used. A glance at my watch told me I needed to get something to eat and head to work.

I went back to my apartment for a quick breakfast, then headed to the dive shop. It was already open, which wasn’t surprising, since it was now 7:00 a.m. Someone had made coffee and I filled my travel mug, trading small talk with Miguel. When I turned around to leave, Gabe strode into the room.

My palms became damp at the sight of him, and I gripped my mug tighter.

He gave me a smile and held my eyes as he said, “Morning, guys.”

Miguel returned the greeting, but I couldn’t get any words out. With the boat captain there, we couldn’t say much anyway. I just nodded and stepped forward. As we passed, Gabe’s hand softly brushed mine. Turning my wrist, I pressed my fingers against his wrist, a smile rising on my face.

Wyatt’s and Maia’s voices came from the gear room, so I headedtoward the compressor room next door to load tanks. I pushed a cart inside and had loaded half a dozen tanks when a voice called out behind me.

“Hey.”

I froze at Gabe’s words, then slowly raised myself upright. “Hi.”

He softly shut the door and closed the distance between us. I hadn’t put my hair up yet and he gently slid a lock behind my right ear. “You doing okay?”

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