Reunion by Sharon Sala Read Free Book Online

tell Matty there would be another guest for lunch.
     
    Mike Travers drove carefully, letting the traffic flow around him without taking part in the race, while his passenger sat quietly beside him. Several times during the past few minutes he’d sensed her scrutiny, but until she asked, he didn’t feel the need to volunteer anything.
    Laura felt comfortable with Mike Travers. His demeanor was nonthreatening, his belief in her abilities comforting. And while she was curious about the man who would be her host for the next few days, she resisted questioning the good doctor about him, preferring to draw her own conclusions from their first meeting instead.
    Travers shifted his wire-rims to a more comfortable position on his nose and then signaled for a right turn.
    “Almost there.”
    Laura smiled.
    “I hope you’re not still nervous about staying in Gabriel’s home?” he asked.
    She shook her head. “No. Besides, if it doesn’t work out, there’s always a hotel.”
    Mike shook his head. “That won’t be necessary, I assure you.”
    “We’ll see,” Laura said. “Just don’t worry about it, because I’m not, okay?”
    “Okay,” Mike agreed, then he began to slow down.
    Moments later he turned off the highway and shortly drove between a pair of iron gates that were standing ajar.
    “We’re here.”
    The height and mass of the gates surprised Laura. There was less iron in the gates at Buckingham Palace. Her eyebrows arched. “Here” was quite a place.
    “It’s beautiful.”
    Her gaze raked the perfectly manicured lawns before moving to view the careful elegance of the home. But when she saw the man standing on the veranda, her attention narrowed.
    He’s very tall. The thought was random and, by itself, of no consequence. But as Laura got out of the car, she became aware of another facet of the man. His dress was casual—gray chinos, a white knit shirt and black loafers—but there was a carelessness about the way he stood that told her he didn’t give a damn about what she might think of his appearance. She sighed. His sanity might be in question, but his defenses were in perfect working order. She extended her hand as Travers began to introduce her. To her surprise, Gabriel Connor reciprocated without hesitation.
    When their palms connected, his fingers curled around her hand in a firm but gentle grip. Laura stifled a gasp. She could hear Travers talking, introducing her to the man he called Gabriel, but her head felt light. When the man said her name, it wrapped around her like a whisper in the night. It was all she could do not to faint.
     
    His mouth raked across her face, centering on her lips as his hands fisted in her hair. They clung to each other in desperation as their sweat-slick bodies moved in unison—him to her—her to him.
    Someone groaned. Was it the man? Was it the woman? The rhythm of their madness was increasing with every thrust of his body as he drove himself deeper inside her. She felt him—knew him in every biblical sense of the word—from the sweat on his brow to the contortion of his features as sexual ecstasy came upon him.
    She saw his face…it was Gabriel. He called her name over and over as he spilled himself into her.
    Laura. He called her Laura.
     
    The world came back into focus just as Gabriel dropped her hand. Laura staggered as the connection was broken. Mike grabbed her elbow, suddenly concerned.
    “Miss Dane! Are you all right?”
    “Please, it’s Laura, remember?” She took a deep breath, trying to put away the truth of what she’d just seen. Somewhere in the not-so-distant future, she and this stranger would be lovers. She didn’t know whether to turn tail and run, or accept the inevitable. “And yes, I’m fine. Just a little road weary, I suppose.”
    Gabriel made no comment other than to lead the way into his home.
    She wasn’t what he’d expected.
    He hadn’t been prepared for blue jeans and sneakers, and in any other situation, the T-shirt he