Chapter 25

SARAH

She blew out a sigh of relief when Cleve smoothed the tablecloth over the last table, the cheerful mint green setting off the ivory wall color and the amber of the wood floors of the new bakery that would be opening next month. Sarah had been careful about the sturdiness of the chairs and tables, a small request from Seth for her to consider his bulk. And then her thoughts turned to the large man who had held her so tenderly in his arms.

It had been two days since the night at the lake when she and Gabe had crossed over the line of friendship and moved into something that had been so beautiful, Sarah still felt the warmth of his skin against hers, the hardness of his shoulders, the bunching of the muscles in his back and buttocks under her fingers as he pleasured her deeply. She could still feel him filling her, stretching her, and making her feel so well-loved. She bit back the moan threatening to escape at the memory of his mouth on her breast, so teasing, so hot, so—

Sarah gasped at the hands on her hips. She hadn’t even realized that she had closed her eyes until they popped open at the feel of warm lips placing a kiss on the nape of her neck. The smell of Gabe’s spicy cologne enfolded her, making Sarah breathe in deeply. He pulled her back against his wide chest, his hands sliding to her stomach, his left settling just under her swelling breast while the other hovered just under her belly button. His lips nibbled along the line of her shoulder before gliding back to her neck to the curve of her jaw. She gasped again as he nipped her earlobe, a shiver racing down her spine.

Sarah turned her face to him, and he caught her lips in a kiss that had her burning up from her soul, the heat spreading to the tips of her fingers and toes, searing her to him. She laughed, inadvertently breaking the sweetness of his kiss when he held her tighter to his body when she tried to turn in his arms, his desire hard and hot against her back. She reached up and ran her hand into his unruly black hair, pulling his mouth back down to hers and pushing her tongue between the seam of his lips.

With a soft groan, he allowed her to turn around, and pulled her flush against him, taking control of the kiss. Her hands slid down his shoulders and it was only then that she realized he was wearing his black Kevlar over the long-sleeved black T-shirt with the reflective ~Sheriff’s Deputy~ written down the sleeves.

Breaking the kiss, she frowned up at him. “You’re on duty? What are you doing here?”

The smile he gave her was so slow, so sexy that Sarah felt a pull deep inside her, his blue eyes so electric they sent sparks of awareness through her. “I’m actually on my break. And I missed you, Rah.”

The simple admission had Sarah melting against him like chocolate syrup over a hot caramel pudding. She reached up and placed a soft kiss on his freshly shaven cheek. “I didn’t have a chance to miss you yet.”

“Ahh!” he groaned, falling back against the counter with a hand to his heart. “You broke me!”

“Since when?” she asked with a laugh. He reached for her hand and Sarah allowed him to pull her to him, his eyes so playful, stark against the black of his uniform. “I’ve been busy with the bakery’s opening, preparing the menu, waiting for the delivery of the espresso machine, and deciding on the quantities that we’re going to make. I’ve still got stock that needs to be delivered—”

“Rah…”

“Yes?”

“Breathe…” He smiled, but the sight of it made breathing impossible. He cupped her jaw and stroked a thumb across her bottom lip, and she gasped at the contact, her lungs sucking in the air she so desperately needed. “Everything will work out just fine. You can do this.”

Gabe’s quiet confidence filled her with a peace that she hadn’t felt in a very long time. And strangely, she believed him more than she would have believed her twin if Seth had said the same thing. “Thank you, Gabriel.”

“Does that get me a free treat?” he asked while waggling his eyebrows and making her laugh.

“Oi! How come I’m the only one slogging away in the…kitch…en…” Cleve’s voice trailed off when he saw Gabe and turned to look at Sara with his eyebrows raised. “I’ll just keep slogging then…”

“Cleve!” Sarah called with a small moan, though she couldn’t contain the smile. “Come meet Gabriel.” She looked up at Gabe. “This is the man of my dreams, simply because no one can make a better chocolate-coffee brownie with almond sauce than him.”

“Ouch.” Gabe winced. “Twice in one day, Sarah Marshall.”

“I’ll happily patch up the wounds her thoughtless words have left,” Cleve said with a saucy smile.

Gabe smiled back as he shook his head slowly. “I’d rather let ~her~ make it up to me, but I’m not against one of those brownies, even if it is to soften her heart.”

Cleve clutched his hands to his chest, his eyes fluttering at Sarah. “A man after my own heart, Sarah! I’ll give you a run for your money.”

“I know you love all your fingers intact,” Sarah warned, and Cleve laughed, hugging her.

“Dear love, the man only has eyes for you.”

Gabe watched their interaction with a soft smile, before frowning down at the soft static of his radio. “Rah, I have to go. See you tonight?”

The uncertainty in his eyes as he asked the question had Sarah gravitating to him, and she put a hand on his chest. “Yes.”

He smiled, the relief evident on his face when he leaned down and kissed her cheek. She didn’t need to ask him where. There was only one spot where they both felt free enough to speak about their thoughts and feelings. Where they both shed the burden of their pasts and met each other without the emotional walls they hid behind.

***

Sarah and Cleve stared at the mess of the large plate-glass window lying in large, jagged shards across the main floor of the bakery, splinters scattered across the mint green tablecloths like tiny diamonds. They cracked under Cleve’s feet as he walked toward the gaping hole left by the window’s absence, his face reflecting the shock that Sarah felt as she stared at the hole in the wall, the leftover pieces of glass sticking out of the frame like sharp teeth.

They had been working in the kitchen, creating dozens of tiny marzipan creatures, flowers, and clothing accessories to fill their inventory for the opening when they heard the loud crash. They had dropped everything and raced to the dining area, coming to an abrupt halt as they stared at the disaster.

“What the hell?!” Cleve gasped.

“Don’t touch anything, Cleve,” Sarah said softly as she reached for her phone, dialing the police department.

“There’s a brick.” He pointed, and Sarah nodded.

“Leave it,” she repeated before turning her attention to the dispatcher on the line. The ten-minute wait for a patrol car to arrive was the longest Sarah had waited, as she leaned against the counter, her thumb between her teeth as she gnawed at her nail. Two policemen looked at the broken window from the sidewalk, and Sarah focused on them to stop herself from becoming panicked.

“Sarah!”

She looked up as Seth jogged up to her, his brows drawn in a tight line as he took her in a hug. “What happened? Are you okay?”

She looked up at her brother, holding onto him tightly, absorbing his solid strength. “We’re fine. We were in the kitchen when it happened.”

He blew out a hard sigh as he cupped her jaw and studied her face, then lifted her arms to check for injuries and to see for himself that she was okay. And then she looked around Seth’s broad shoulders at the other familiar voice.

“What the fuck?” Gabe was crouched at the spot where the brick had landed, a wrinkled sheet of paper in his hand. Everyone turned to look at him.

“Wait,” Sarah gasped, holding out her hand to the two men in black. “What are you two doing here?”

Seth raised his brows at Gabe who shook his head, then nodded at his friend. “I don’t know about you, but I heard the call over the radio.”

“Same.” Seth walked over to Gabe and nodded at the paper in his hand. “What do you have there, Jiminy?”

Gabe glanced at Sarah before handing the note over. Sarah rushed to Seth’s side, and he tried to close the page, but she had already seen the crudely written words.

~You will always be mine, slut. You’ve just signed his death warrant.~