Return of the Bad Girl Page 14

  “Yeah?” Mike said from the bottom, holding his hand out for Caroline. When she slipped hers into his, Gabe almost growled.

  “Treat her with respect,” he said.

  “Of course, I—”

  “If you don’t, I’ll chain you to the back of my bike and drag you behind me until your own mother wouldn’t recognize you.”

  Mike’s jaw dropped, and Caroline scowled. “I have a father,” she said. “I don’t need you—”

  “Have a good time, princess,” he said, cutting off her rant.

  She flipped him the bird behind Mike’s back before they walked out of sight, and he chuckled until he realized he was hanging out at home on a Saturday night. Alone. There was no way he could sit around the apartment all night, waiting for Caroline to come home.

  After his shower, he’d hang up the painting and head out somewhere. Maybe he’d check out Twin Falls nightlife. But as he stepped back inside, he heard a distinct scratching noise coming from Caroline’s room. Inside, he found the little gray tabby, Googlie, hanging over the side of his box. Caroline had named him Googlie for his big, googly eyes, and Gabe had to admit that the name fit.

  “What are you doing, buddy?”

  The kitten meowed in response, and Gabe padded over to pick up the fluff ball. Peeking over the edge of the box, he saw that Possum, the little cream-colored kitten, was looking up at him, as if gauging the distance needed to jump.

  “I guess your mom doesn’t know what she’s talking about, huh?” Scooping up the second kitten, he held them both against his chest, their little purrs vibrating his hands. Stroking their fur with his thumbs, he carried them into the bathroom with him, let the kittens down on the floor, and turned on the shower.

  Googlie started to meow loudly, and he bent over to pick up the fuzz butt. “Listen, dude, I’m going to let you chill in here with me while I shower, and if you’re cool, I’ll let you watch some Dwayne Johnson with me. Sound good?”

  Gabe felt the kittens purr and shook his head. He’d officially lost his mind if he was talking to a couple of cats.

  “AM I PUTTING you to sleep over there?”

  Caroline jerked as Mike’s words penetrated her wandering thoughts. “I’m so sorry. I think the wine might be getting to me. What were you saying?”

  Mike chuckled. “It’s all right. I don’t really find motherboards all that interesting anyway.”

  Was that really what he was talking about on a first date? Geez, no wonder you were thinking of something else.

  Or someone, to be exact.

  “So, tell me more about you. You’re the one who has moved around and worked in exciting places. You must have stories,” Mike said.

  Stories? Oh yeah, she had stories, but not the first-date kind. She really didn’t think a guy like Mike wanted to hear about the first year she spent away from home, how she’d ended up stripping at some dive in Nevada just to get her car fixed. Or about the time she’d been arrested for stealing a waitress’s tip off the table because she had spent her last ten dollars on gas.

  “Okay, well, I actually got started working in bars when I was nineteen. I’d been on my own for a little over a year, and I took a job working as a waitress in this little sports bar. The owner, who was a wonderful man, liked my spunk, and by the time I was twenty-one, I was head bartender. I kept advancing until he came to me one day and said, ‘Look, I want to retire, and I think you’ve got a gift for this business. I know you’ve got a little something saved up. Do you want to make a deal?’ ” Caroline took a sip from her wineglass and smiled, “And that’s how I got my first bar.”

  The waitress came over to clear their plates, and Caroline heard the faint sound of “Let’s Hear It for the Boy” coming from her purse. She reached inside to grab it. When she glanced at the screen, it was a text from Val.

  OMG, I have no idea why, but apparently, Dad is investigating Kyle.

  Caroline’s heart started pounding as she remembered Kyle’s grip in her hair. “You fix it . . .”

  “Shit,” she said aloud, immediately covering her mouth when she realized Mike and their waitress had heard her. “I’m sorry.”

  “Is everything okay?” Mike asked as his handsome face knit with concern.

  He really is such a sweet guy. It’s too bad there’s just no spark.

  “Yeah, my sister was just giving me an update on some family drama. No big deal.”

  “Are you sure? If you need me to drop you somewhere . . .”

  “No, I’m good. She’ll fill me in later.”

  But Caroline’s fingers itched to call or at least text Val to find out what she knew. She didn’t know whether to be relieved or terrified that her father was looking into Kyle’s past. Kyle could still retaliate. Things could go bad fast.

  When Mike paid the check and offered to take her home so she could call her sister, she felt a little guilty that she was more excited than disappointed. But as nice as he was, his touch just didn’t heat her up like Gabe’s did.

  Yes, she’d been avoiding Gabe for a week, trying to puzzle through the roller coaster of emotions she was riding. On one hand, she knew what Gabe had told her, that he was no good and she couldn’t count on him. Yet when she’d needed him, he’d been there.

  But every time you start to feel like there’s something more to him, he shuts down.

  Besides, she didn’t want to add serious complications to their living arrangement. God forbid they hook up and things turn awkward as shit.

  Why does it always have to be sex with you anyway? Why can’t you just enjoy the fact that you don’t want to bash his face in every five seconds?

  Which was true. Even his little stint into obnoxiousness this evening made her laugh more than want to kick him in his jewels. It was nice to finally not walk on eggshells around him, and he’d even taken care of the kittens a few times. All in all, the roommate thing wasn’t turning out as horrendous as she’d thought.

  Well, except the dishes thing . . . and a few times, she’d found some of his dirty clothes suspiciously mixed in with hers. She’d taken the clothes and left them outside his door. Taped to his door, she’d left a note that read, NOT YOUR MAID OR YOUR MOTHER. DO YOUR OWN LAUNDRY.

  Of course, the next day he’d retaliated with his own note on the bathroom mirror. HEY CHEWBACCA, HOW ABOUT CLEANING THE DRAIN EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE? YOU’RE SHEDDING LIKE A SAINT BERNARD.

  A week ago, she probably would have gotten mad, but since the night of Kyle’s attack, something had shifted between them. He was so moody, but when she’d needed him, he’d been there, and she couldn’t ignore the little voice that kept whispering in her head, Maybe he’s different.

  Mike pulled over and parked in front of her building, and she realized she hadn’t said a word to him the whole drive back. She’d been too busy thinking about Gabe.

  “Thank you for tonight. It was lovely,” she said once he’d come around and opened her door.

  “You’re welcome,” he said. “I’ll walk you to your door.”

  She wasn’t going to say no, and when they reached the top of the stairs, he leaned over and gave her a chaste kiss on the cheek.

  “Good night, Caroline.”

  “Night,” she said, and as he climbed back down the stairs, she realized that he hadn’t offered to call her or to try again another time.

  Maybe he sensed your lack of interest? Or maybe he realized he was actually not that into you.

  Unlocking the apartment door, she decided she was relieved. At least she wouldn’t have to let him down easy now. She stepped inside and closed the door, clicking the lock into place. As she tiptoed behind the couch, she noticed Gabe stretched out, asleep, while The Scorpion King played low on the TV. In the dim light, she could see Googlie and Possum’s fuzzy bodies curled into Gabe’s neck.

  If she was one of those girls who melted and sighed at adorable sights, she’d be goo.

  His face seemed darker, cast in the shadows and light from the TV, and more inno
cent in sleep. Well, except for the piercing and black ink on the side of his neck, but still, he was gorgeous to look at.

  Leaning over the couch, she touched his chest softly. “Gabe.”

  He startled awake, making her jump, he moved so fast. The kittens didn’t seem too bothered by it, but Gabe’s dark eyes were wide as he looked around the room before finally focusing on her.

  “Damn it; you scared me.”

  “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I tried to be gentle, but I was afraid if I left you there, you’d end up with a kink in your neck.”

  Gabe nodded before stretching his arms behind his head. “Appreciate it.”

  Caroline’s gaze hooked on those sinewy muscles coiling under his darkened skin, and suddenly she wanted to get away from him as fast as she could. “Okay, well, I’ll take the kittens for now, and you can go to sleep or finish your movie.”

  “I’ll probably just turn in,” he said, handing the protesting kittens off to her as he stood up. “So, Mike didn’t want to come in for another drink?”

  “Some men are gentleman,” she said, cuddling the fuzzy bodies against her.

  Gabe stared at her hard, and when he spoke, his dark, husky words shot pure desire though her body.

  “Princess, if I had come to pick you up and seen you in that dress, we wouldn’t even have made it to the restaurant.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  “Has anyone noticed that the upcoming weather calls for two days of severe thunderstorms and right smack in the middle of that, a night of clear skies and a full moon? Crazy weather + a full moon = gossip-palooza. So what will this wild weather bring us this time? Stay tuned.”

  —Miss Know It All

  “HOW THE HELL did Ellie find this out? I thought she was living with you,” Caroline asked Valerie as the two of them sat in her apartment on Sunday morning. Caroline had wanted to get the scoop on their father—and to keep from being alone with Gabe.

  After his parting comment, he had gone into his room, all dramatic and confusing, and it had just pissed her off. Two-plus weeks of living together, and he was still a mystery of freaking epic proportions.

  “She’s trying to find an apartment, maybe a roommate. But she went back to Dad’s house to pack up some of her stuff and heard Dad talking on the phone about dredging up any past criminal behavior that the Jenners might have buried on Kyle. Either way, it looks like Dad may finally be shedding some light on Kyle’s bastardly deeds.”

  And she doesn’t even know about what he did to you.

  “So, will your hot-and-spicy roommate be gracing us with his presence?” Val asked abruptly.

  “What? No, I mean . . . I don’t know,” Caroline said, jarred from her deep thoughts.

  “Well, I doubt he’s at church. He doesn’t seem like the seeking-redemption type.”

  “Honestly, I don’t know what “type he is,” Caroline said grouchily.

  Val’s face lit up. “I’m sensing a tone. What did he do now? Tell me everything.”

  “Nothing, he’s just . . .” How could she explain that, with a single sentence, Gabe could send her into a lust-filled state for which there was only one cure, and she was all too aware that he was just down the hall, able to take care of it?

  “We wouldn’t even have made it to the restaurant.”

  Why did he have to say things like that? For hours afterward, she had tossed and turned, imagining all the things they would have done, ready to scream in frustration. If things had gone better with Mike, Gabe wouldn’t have been able to creep into her mind and make her think all kinds of naughty thoughts.

  No, instead, the seed had been planted and firmly had taken root. Weeks of fantasizing and daydreaming about Gabe’s body, his kiss, and his touch had been tormenting her, and now that she had tasted a sample, well . . .

  Now, Caroline wanted Gabe in a bad, down-and-dirty, not-coming-up-for-air-for-days kinda way.

  “Just what?” Val said. “Come on, stop holding out on me. I know there is something going on with Mr. Tall, Dark, and Pierced. He has this almost dangerous edge about him—”

  “He’s not dangerous, okay?” Caroline hadn’t meant to snap, but she didn’t like her sister describing Gabe that way. He wasn’t dangerous, no matter how many times he’d told her he was bad news.

  Val looked like Caroline had just kicked her dog. “Okay, I was only teasing.”

  “No, I’m sorry. He’s just . . . weird.”

  Val’s lips twitched like she was fighting a smile, and Caroline was happy her sister’s good mood was restored.

  “Weird is not the word I would use to describe him, but to each her own,” Val said.

  It wasn’t Caroline’s first choice either, but she really wasn’t prepared to share her innermost thoughts and feelings on Gabe, especially when she wasn’t even sure what her feelings were, beyond wanting to jump his bones.

  “Where did you get that painting?” Val asked, looking at something over Caroline’s shoulder.

  “What paint—” Caroline paused as she studied the landscape canvas, taking in the beauty of the strokes. The mountains were a steely gray with white caps, sparsely covered by green trees. Clouds almost seemed to float over the light blue sky, and the green valley appeared lush and wild at the base of the mountain.

  Caroline stood up and walked over to the painting. In the corner were the initials HM.

  Who was HM?

  “Well?” Val prodded.

  “It’s not mine,” Caroline said, admiring the close-up details. “It’s Gabe’s.”

  “Huh, I wonder if he could get me one. It’s gorgeous.”

  Yeah,” Caroline said. Curiouser and curiouser.

  “So, do you want to come over to Justin’s for dinner tonight?”

  “Hmmm.” It was on the tip of Caroline’s tongue to say no thanks, but Val added, “You have hardly been around Justin, and I want you to like him. Come on. Everett is a fantastic cook and—”

  “Who’s Everett?” Caroline walked back over to the couch and sat down, absently wondering whether or not Gabe would tell her who H. M. was if she asked.

  “Justin’s older brother.”

  “Justin’s older brother, me, and you? Are you trying to set me up or something?” Caroline asked, amused.

  Val actually laughed. “You and Everett? God, no. Justin’s dad will be there and Ellie too.”

  Unease settled in the pit of Caroline’s stomach. “Why are you laughing? Is thinking that my practically engaged sister might try to play matchmaker for me really so wild an idea?”

  “No, it’s just . . . Sorry, but . . . Everett is this super-nice guy, but he’s kind of . . . emotionally damaged, and you’re . . .”

  “I’m what?” Caroline asked, glaring at her sister. “I’m not nice?”

  “No, you’re secure in yourself and who you are. You’re strong and you’re successful, and I just think he needs someone a little more . . . nurturing.”

  Caroline had been taking care of kittens for over a week—getting up with them, feeding them, making them poo, for God’s sake—but she wasn’t nurturing?

  “Right,” Caroline said, smoothing her hair out of her eyes as she stood. “I’m an ice queen. I forgot.”

  “Caroline, that’s not what I—”

  “You know, I’ve been back in this town for a little over a month, and I’ve gotten nothing but grief from my father, random freaks, and crazy women. Even the fucking checkout girl at Hall’s Market has been giving me ’tude every time I go in there! The only people who are willing to give me a snowball’s chance, I can count on one hand!”

  “Maybe because they’ve never been screwed by you before,” Val said sharply.

  “You think I screwed you?” Caroline said, incredulous.

  “Yes. I think you fucking bailed because Dad wasn’t going to let you do whatever the fuck you wanted, and you left Ellie and me behind to pick up the damn pieces.”

  Caroline knew Val had been upset with her for leaving Rock Can
yon at first, but she’d never given any indication she’d felt betrayed. But regardless, Val’s assumptions beat at the flames of Caroline’s temper, causing it to flare. “You don’t know anything about what happened back then, so why don’t you shut the fuck up, Valerie?”

  “The only reason I don’t know things is because you don’t talk to me! Since you’ve been back, it’s been all surface stuff and casual conversations. Every time I get too personal, you shut me out.”

  “Or maybe I’m trying to protect you.”

  “I am a grown-ass woman who has managed to survive this long without you shielding me from the bogeyman. Is this about Dad and his shady dealings?”

  Shady dealings? She knew their dad hadn’t always walked the straight and narrow when he wanted something, but . . .

  “What are you talking about?”

  Val seemed surprised that Caroline didn’t know. “Ellie found a file with all of this evidence against Dad that could potentially put him in prison. I used it to . . . well, to get him to leave Justin and his family alone. He was threatening to have their farm taken away, and I used the folder as ‘incentive’ for him to back off.”

  Caroline believed her. It figured that their father wouldn’t stop at intimidation, especially if it came to one of his daughters doing something he didn’t approve of. He’d tried to do the same thing to her when she’d left home, but she’d had nothing left to lose.

  “So where’s the evidence now?” Val asked.

  “Ellie has it.”

  The tense moment wasn’t lost on Caroline. Part of her wanted to drop all the defenses and tell Val the hard stuff, but she was afraid Val would pity her. Or worse, challenge Kyle to a duel. Val was finally settled and happy; she didn’t need to be dragged down by Caroline’s problems. She’d been through enough on her own.

  Wanting to reassure her sister, Caroline reached out to Val and pulled her in for a hug. At first, Val held away stiffly but slowly relaxed in her arms.

  “I know you think I’m shutting you out, and I’m sorry. Just give me time, okay?”