The Naughty List Bundle - Kylie Adams [229]
Sawyer lowered himself to the dry grass and picked at a dandelion. He wore jeans and nothing else, and Gabe thought it was a miracle Honey had let him out of her sight. Ever since she’d announced her pregnancy three weeks ago, Sawyer had been like a buck in rutting season. When Honey was within reach, he was reaching for her, and there was a special new glow to their love. Honey wallowed in her husband’s attentions with total abandon. It was amusing—and damn annoying, because while their marriage grew visibly stronger every day, Gabe watched the time slip by, knowing Lizzy would be heading back to school soon. Three and a half weeks had passed, and he was no closer to tying her to him than he had been when he’d met her. Not once had she told him how she felt about him, yet their intimacy had grown until Gabe couldn’t keep her out of his mind. He had one week left. One lousy week.
It put him in a killing mood.
Cursing, he looked at the clouds, then decided he might as well make use of Sawyer’s visit, since it was obvious that’s what Sawyer intended by seeking him out. He looked at his oldest brother and said grimly, “I’m in love.”
Sawyer’s smile was slow and satisfied. “I figured as much. Elizabeth Parks?”
“Yeah.” Gabe rubbed the back of his neck, then sent a disgruntled glance at the half completed dock. “I might as well give up on this today. My head isn’t into it.”
“Morgan’ll understand. He’s not in a big hurry for the dock, and we’ve got plenty of room to keep the boat at the house. Besides, he suffered his own black moods before Misty put him out of his misery.”
“But that’s just it.” Gabe dropped down beside Sawyer and stretched out in the sun. The grass was warm and prickly against his back, and near his right ear, a bee buzzed. “I don’t see an end in sight for my particular brand of misery. Lizzy is going back to school. I’ve only got a few more days with her.”
“Have you told her you love her?”
“Yep. She was flattered.” Gabe made a wry face and laid one forearm over his eyes. “Can you believe that crap?”
A startled silence proved that wasn’t exactly what Sawyer had been expecting to hear. Compared to the way he and Morgan had fought the notion of falling in love, it was no wonder Sawyer was taken off guard.
“You’ve only known her a few weeks, Gabe.”
“I knew I loved her almost from the first.” He lowered his arm to stare at his brother. “It was the damnedest thing, but she introduced herself, then proceeded to crawl right in under my skin. And I like it. It’s making me nuts thinking about her going off to college again, this time with the knowledge that she’s sexy and exciting and that plenty of men will want her. She hadn’t known that before, you know. She thought she was too plain, and it’s for certain she was too quiet, too intense. But now…”
“Now you’ve corrupted her?”
Gabe couldn’t hold back his grin. “Yeah, she’s wonderfully corrupt. It’s one of the things I love most about her.”
Lizzy was the absolute best sex partner he’d ever had. Open, wild, giving and accepting. When she’d said she wanted to experience it all, she hadn’t been kidding. Gabe shivered with the memory, then suffered through Sawyer’s curious attention. No way would he share details with his brother, but then, there was no way Sawyer would expect him to.
And just as special to Gabe were the quiet times when they talked afterward. He’d shared stories about his mother with her, and in turn Lizzy had told him about her childhood before the accident. Their mothers were exact opposites, but both loving, both totally devoted to their children.
She’d cried several times while talking about her mom, but they were bittersweet tears of remembrance, not tears of regret or guilt. Gabe sincerely hoped she’d gotten over her ridiculous notion that she’d somehow held responsibility for her mother’s death. He couldn’t bear to think of her carrying that guilt on her slender shoulders.
“How much longer will she be in school?” Sawyer asked.
“Depends.