Perfect Fit - Brenda Jackson [82]
That particular holiday was one the Dunbar family had set aside as an annual family reunion since it was also her grandmother’s birthday. Sage had never missed the event since it had started when she was a child. She had always enjoyed going back to her grandmother’s home in Tuskegee, Alabama. The hardest time for the family had been the year after her grandmother’s death, but everyone decided to continue the tradition, no matter what.
“I really hope you do consider doing that,” he said in a very hopeful tone of voice.
“I will.”
“I’ll let you talk to your mom, and I want you to take care of yourself. And no matter what, always remember that I love you,” he said in a voice that was gruff but gentle as a whisper.
A rising wave of emotions, twenty-six years worth of them, suddenly hit her with a burgeoning force. And then she knew that although what he’d done had hurt her, the man talking to her was her father and she still loved him. “And I love you, too, Dad,” she said softly.
Moments later her mother returned to the phone, and Sage swiftly changed the subject to something else. They talked about Rose’s planned trip to Anchorage and about her parents’ neighbor, Mrs. Paul, who had won an award for community service. Half an hour later, they ended the call.
Standing, Sage walked over to the window and looked out. It would be another pretty day, without snow. She had successfully dealt with her parents regarding Erol; now she knew she had to be prepared to deal with Erol in Dallas. And a part of her was not looking forward to seeing him again.
The next week moved rather swiftly for Sage. She’d had a number of meetings to attend, proposals to send out and phone calls to make. A couple of days she had stayed at the office late, working on her agenda for the next day, grateful that they had gotten a week’s reprieve from snow. But although her days and some of her evenings were busy, she still managed to spend time with Gabe. They went out to dinner twice and had lunch once, and each time they spent together, she found herself liking him more and more. Ever since that incident with Langley Mayhew, word had spread that she and Gabe were seeing each other; not that it bothered her that anyone knew. And Gabe didn’t seem to mind anyone knowing either.
After what had happened between them with rising hormones that weekend at his place, they made an attempt to turn down the heat. Whenever he took her home, he would kiss her hungrily in front of her door, make sure she got inside safely and then leave. But Saturday night things had gotten a little hot when he had played another elevator trick after taking her out. This time when he had stopped the elevator, she had gone into his arms willingly, and by the time he had started it up again, she had been kissed senseless and robbed of her underwear, a wispy scrap of black lace he had put in his back pocket and hadn’t returned to her yet. She was still shaking her head in amazement at exactly how he had done such a thing. And forcing her mind to remember what he’d done, detail by detail, only made her get all hot and bothered again, so she stopped trying.
Yet, they still hadn’t made love. He somehow managed to be the naughtiest of naughty within the limitations she had set and still keep his word. Gabe Blackwell, she’d concluded, had a lot of smooth moves, expert hands and a willing tongue. He definitely liked to kiss, touch and taste. She couldn’t imagine what he would come up with next.
Every night when she got in bed, she tried convincing herself that sexually, the two of them were moving too fast. They needed to slow down, especially when she thought about how slow her relationship with Erol had been