Gabe: The Alvarez Security Series by Andrea Michelle, Maryann Jordan, Shannon Brandee Eversoll Read Free Book Online Page B

not move and she saw that Gabe had his hand on it.
    “Jennifer, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for…”
    “No, it’s okay. That shouldn’t have happened. I’m not that…I don’t…this isn’t something that I do. That’s just not me. I’m sorry.” Pulling the door closed she began to start the truck, hearing it sputter. Please start, please start. Oh, thank God, she breathed a sigh of relief as the truck finally turned over and began to run. Pulling away from the alley, she spared a glance in the rear-view mirror seeing the handsome giant standing there, staring back.
    She felt tears stinging the back her eyes, blinking hard to keep them at bay. He’s not for me. He’s so out of my league. Even if my life allowed for the distraction of someone like him. Lifting her fingers to her lips, she could still feel the tingle and taste. God, he can kiss! And as she drove through the night, she realized that if that kiss was all she could ever have with him, he might have ruined her for any other man.
    *
    Gabe sat with Carlos at one of the tables in the kitchen area of the hotel. Expensive brandy sat in glasses between them. So did the silence.
    Finally, Gabe said, “So you gonna tell me anything about her?”
    Carlos stared deeply at the man in front of him, measuring him. “Why are you so interested? A man like you…got fuckin’ movie stars wantin’ your dick.”
    “Not a fan of having my motives questioned, but since you don’t know me well, I’ll give you that,” Gabe growled. He sat in silence for another moment, gathering his thoughts. “What can I say, man? I’m tired of the meaningless non-relationships that I’ve been in for years. Time to settle down. Time to find something real.” He rubbed his large hand over his face before leaning back in his chair and taking another swig of brandy. He looked up into Carlos’ face, making direct eye contact as he admitted, “Don’t know how to explain it. I saw her and felt a goddamn punch to the gut. I went from thinking I’d found a street urchin, to realizing it was a gorgeous woman, to wanting to kiss the hell out of that pixie, to wanting to paddle her ass for being out in the cold, dead of night in alleys.”
    Carlos barked out a laugh, earning a glare from Gabe, which he ignored. “Right there, you just earned my trust,” Carlos said as his laughter stilled. “Any man who feels all that is a good man in my book.” Sighing, the older man said, “Although I can’t give you a lot of info. She’s some kind of charity worker. I just know that she has permission to come get the bread and some of the food items that were not served and would be thrown out. She always drives that god-awful pickup truck and takes whatever she can.”
    Gabe continued to stare, willing the man to give him more.
    Carlos took a swig and smiled. “I remember the first time I saw her here about a year ago. I thought I was going to have to deal with some snooty society bitch and here came this…what’d you call her?” he asked looking up at Gabe. “A pixie? Yeah, that’s just what she looked like. A good-lookin’ woman with a heart of gold. Her old truck’s crapped out on her a couple of times and I sent Big Jim after her to watch over her.”
    Carlos caught Gabe’s incredulous look and chuckled. “He may be scary lookin’, but I trust him to see her home safe.”
    Gabe stood and reached over to shake the older man’s hand. “Thank you, man. I appreciate it.”
    Carlos took his hand and then pushed up from his chair as well. “There’s one thing though that I’ll let you know. I’m pretty sure she lives with a man named Ross. She’s mentioned him liking some of the pastries from here, but she’s got no wedding ring. Now she doesn’t seem like the type who’d be living with some man and then kissin’ you like she was. But, hey – what do I know?”
    At this information, Gabe growled once again. The way she kissed me tells me this Ross either isn’t kissing