Megan was pure sensuality from head to toe without doing a darn thing other than breathing.
He was so caught up in her spell that she had reached into her purse for a tip before he could take care of it. The teenager was so busy staring at her, he would have forgotten to take the money if Gabe hadn’t cleared his throat and snapped the kid out of it.
Megan closed the door and carried over the bags of food. “This smells amazing.”
“Poor guy could barely string two words together in front of you.”
She gave him a look like he was crazy. “What are you talking about?”
“You, Megan. And how beautiful you are.”
She looked so stunned that he quickly took the bags from her before they dropped, and put them on the table.
Stunned turned to shy. And disbelieving. “You keep saying that.”
“Because I can’t stop thinking it, every time I look at you. Every time I think about you.”
She stared at him, her eyes searching his. “I’ve never met anyone like you, Gabe.” She dropped her gaze to her hands, before she lifted them again to his face. “I’m glad you were the one who found me and Summer.” She took a deep breath. “And I’m glad she insisted on bringing you muffins.” She bit her lip. “I’m even glad she tricked you into teaching us to snowboard.”
If he went to her now, he knew he wouldn’t just break his promise by kissing her, he’d take her right there, on the rug in the middle of the living room floor.
He pulled out a chair for her at the table. “Come. Eat.”
Because, please God, he was hoping—praying—she’d need her strength later.
Her cell phone rang as she sat down, playing “You Are My Sunshine,” and he moved to his own seat as she pulled it out of her pocket. “Hey honey, how’s Mickey?”
He loved watching the way her whole face lit up as she talked with Summer. His mother had always been there for him and his siblings, and as a kid he’d assumed that was how everyone’s mothers were. As an adult, he realized just how lucky he’d been.
And how lucky Summer was, too.
“Wow, that sounds like some water and fireworks show. I can’t wait to hear more about how they made the water all those colors when you get back home.”
He served them pad thai and cucumber salad as she laughed at whatever Summer was saying. But then, she abruptly stopped laughing.
“What am I doing tonight?” She picked up her glass and took a gulp of her wine. “Just like you, sweetie, watching the fireworks in a little bit.”
Gabe stopped plating their food. He wanted to hear what Megan told her daughter. Would she admit to being with him?
Megan listened carefully to the voice on the other end. “No, honey, not by myself. With a friend.”
Gabe didn’t like the way she wasn’t looking at him and he had to remind himself to have patience. The night was going well, better than he’d hoped. The problem was, where Megan was concerned, he wanted more than he ever had from another woman.
And he wanted it now.
Finally, Megan lifted her eyes to meet his over the plates and containers of food. “I’m going to watch them with Gabe.”
He could hear Summer’s happy squeal over the phone.
“I don’t know if he can come to the phone right—” She stopped partway through her sentence as he held out his hand for her phone. “Actually, here he is.”
He couldn’t decipher Megan’s expression as he said, “Hey, pretty girl. Been on any scary rides today?” He listened, chuckling at her descriptions of the rides. “Your mom hasn’t even been on that one?” He lifted an eyebrow in Megan’s direction. “Wow. You’re some pretty brave stuff, aren’t you? Here’s your mom again.” He was still laughing when he handed the phone back to Megan.
“Yes, we wish you were here.” She turned away slightly, letting her hair fall over her face. “I really miss you, sweetie. I’m so glad you’ve been having fun with Grams and Gramps. Can’t wait to see you tomorrow.” She put her phone on the table, but she didn’t take her hand off it.
He wanted to ask her why she hadn’t wanted to tell Summer they were together. But he already knew the answer to that, didn’t he? And he didn’t want to remind her of those reasons. Plus, he didn’t like how sad she looked after saying goodbye to her daughter.
So he picked up his fork and worked to get her laughing about the time he and Ryan had decided to hide out on Tom Sawyer Island past dark and had almost been locked in for the night.
“You should have seen Ryan,” he said, “Like a little baby, crying for his mommy.”
She grinned at that. “Somehow he doesn’t quite seem like the crying for his mommy type.”
“Ever seen him get nailed on the pitcher’s mound?” He looked down at his lap to make sure she got his point about where the ball had landed.
“Has that actually happened?”
This time he was the one grinning. “More than once. And while his ex-girlfriends cheered, you’d better believe he was crying.”
Gabe had been attracted to Megan from that first moment she’d walked into his hospital room. But, as much as he was counting down the minutes until he could kiss her without breaking his promise, it felt so good to hear her laugh that he knew, without a doubt, that their connection was so much more than skin deep.
So deep that her laughter didn’t stop at his heart...but landed smack dab in the middle of his soul.