Gabe (Men of Clifton Montana Book 2) by Susan Fisher-Davis Read Free Book Online

eyes.
    “Gabe…I…”
She stopped when he placed a finger over her lips and shook his head. He
started to say something but stopped, and stepped away instead. She didn’t
understand why until Olivia entered the room. Gabe had heard her and Emma had n’t. She was glad he had. Her cheeks were already on fire.
If Olivia had caught them, she’d never live it down.
    Olivia
stood there looking at them with a cookie in her hand. She tilted her head and
looked as if she were trying not to laugh. She raised a bl ack eyebrow at Gabe being on the wrong side of the desk and
Emma leaning against the wall. Gabe cleared his throat. “I’ll talk to you
later, Emma. Bye Liv.” He muttered something under his breath as he went out
the door. Once he was gone, Emma let out a lo ng
breath and sat down.
    Olivia
continued to stare at her. “Is everything okay, Emma?”
    Emma
nodded. “I…uh…have to start dinner.” As she left the foyer, she heard Olivia
say, “Interesting.”

 
    * * * *

 
    A day
had passed since Gabe’s strange visit behind the fro nt
desk. Emma stood in the kitchen whisking up chocolate batter for a little
girl’s birthday cake and lost in thought, trying not to think about Gabe when
someone tapped her on the shoulder. She screamed and dropped the metal bowl.
When the bowl hit the fl oor, the batter shot into the
air and splattered all over her. It covered her hair and the front of her
apron. She glanced around to see Becca with her hand over her mouth
trying not to laugh, but it bubbled out anyway. Emma looked down at herself,
and the n at Becca . Tears were filling Becca’s eyes from pent up laughter. Emma
grinned. She scooped chocolate off her apron and threw it at her friend,
hitting her in the face. Becca gasped making Emma laugh.
    Olivia
came running into the kitchen, Emma presumed be cause
she’d heard her scream. She skidded to a halt when she saw Emma and Becca with batter all over them. She
started laughing, but gasped when Emma smeared chocolate on her face. She
glared at both women. Then the battle began. They were scooping the bat ter from the floor, the bowl, or each other, and smearing
it all over the other. The batter on the floor made it impossible to keep their
footing. They slipped, fell, and rolled around trying to get the better of each
other. Screams and laughter echoed thr ough the
kitchen. None of them noticed Jake, Gabe, and Wyatt standing in the doorway
watching them. When they heard Jake speak, in unison they stopped to look
toward the doorway. “This is better than Jell-O wrestling,” Jake exclaimed with
a happy smile.
    The
women looked at each other and burst out laughing. Jake helped Becca up. She stuck a finger in his
mouth. “You know I love chocolate, Red, especially if you’re covered in it.” He
sucked the chocolate from her finger. “Come on, let’s get you home, and c leaned up.” Together they disappeared out the back door.
    Emma
felt Gabe’s eyes on her. She gazed up at him. “Do you need help cleaning up,
Emma?” He grinned at her. Shaking her head, she understood his insinuation. She
didn’t need his help but every time s he tried to
stand, she’d slide around the floor, making Olivia laugh harder.
    Emma
finally got herself up with a loud huff. “I’m taking a shower,” she told them.
When Gabe started to speak, she narrowed her eyes at him. “Alone.” Gabe
chuckled. Before Emma s tarted for her apartment, she
watched as Olivia flirted with Wyatt.
    “Help me
up, Cowboy?” Olivia raised her hand. Wyatt pulled her up then stepped back from
her. She grinned at him. “Want to lick the chocolate off me?” Although, he
didn’t move, Emma notice d the distance he put between
them.
    “I don’t
like chocolate,” he said before walking out the back door. After one last
glance at Emma, Gabe followed him.
    Emma
didn’t know what to say when Olivia looked at her then back toward the door.
Her heart was breaki ng for her friend. She put her
arm around