Blackstone Ranger Charmer - Alicia Montgomery Page 0,15
rushed into the kitchen. “Rosie, where’s—you’re here.” His entire body froze, like someone had pressed pause on a movie.
She had never quite seen Gabriel like this before. He laughed, teased, and smiled, but the Gabriel in front of her now was like a completely different person. His entire body was tense, like a tightly coiled spring waiting to be released. Golden brows were drawn forward, and his eyes blazed like hot blue fire as they fixed on her. Slowly, he stalked toward her, and she couldn’t help but feel like a gazelle trapped by a predator.
“Where were you?” His voice was tight, and his hands were balled at his sides.
“Here,” she said matter-of-factly. “At my job. Where I am every morning.”
“I came by your place, and you didn’t come out at three thirty. So, I broke into your house—”
“You broke into my house?” she asked incredulously, anger making her step forward boldly.
“What was I supposed to do? You were gone!”
“But you didn’t have to break into my trailer,” she shot back. “Why the hell would you do that?”
“I was scared that maybe you hurt yourself,” he said. “Then I realize your car wasn’t in the driveway, and I thought maybe you didn’t come home and that maybe you’d gotten into an accident or worse. Drove all the way to Blackstone Hospital to see if they had anyone of your description, and when the ER nurse said no, I went to the police headquarters—”
“What the hell?” Was he serious? “You thought something happened to me because I left my house an hour early to go to work?”
He let out a frustrated growl that made her shiver. “You could have been lying in a ditch. Or kidnapped or—” Cornering her, he hunched his shoulders forward. “Why the hell would you do that? Can’t you see I only want to protect you and keep you safe?”
“Safe from what?” Gabriel had run around town looking for her? This was crazy. “The only thing I need protecting from is crazy stalkers like you. Were you dropped on your head as a child or something?”
“I swear, woman, you’re going to put me in an early grave.”
“Why do you care anyway? Why can’t you just leave me be!”
“Leave you be?” He raised his arms in frustration. “How can I do that when you’re my m—”
“Gabriel Russel,” came Rosie’s stern voice from behind. The admonishing tone was enough for him to snap his mouth shut. She strode over to them, hands on her hips. “Out.”
Gabriel’s gaze flicked briefly at Temperance. “Rosie, I’m sorry for bursting in. Please, don’t kick me out—”
She held a hand up and pointed to the door. “Wait for me out there.”
Temperance would have been amused at how the tiny woman ordered him around despite towering over her by nearly a foot, but she was too confused. And maybe a little bit excited at the thought that Gabriel was worried for her.
Wait, what?
“Rose—”
“Wait. Out. There,” Rosie ordered as she hooked her arm through his and dragged him to the door. Pushing him out, she slammed the door. “You okay?” she asked Temperance.
“I’m s-sorry, Rosie,” she stuttered. “I don’t know why he did that. Or why he’s doing … this.” With a defeated sigh, she plonked down onto the nearest chair. “Is he playing a joke on me?”
“A joke?” Rosie chuckled and then shook her head. “Oh, sweetie. I realize now Gabriel has been going about this all wrong, but you really can’t see it, can’t you?”
“Can’t see what?”
“To put it mildly, that boy is interested in you.”
If it were possible, her jaw would have literally dropped to the floor. “In me?”
“Yes, you.”
“B-but why?”
An auburn brow rose high. “And why not?”
“You’re kidding, right?” Using her left hand, she gestured to her face and arm. “Because of this. Why would someone like him be interested in someone like me?” Saying it out loud made a knife-like pain stab into her chest, but maybe this was something she needed to hear.
“Oh. Sweetie.” Rosie clucked her tongue. “Do you think Gabriel is that shallow?” She opened her mouth to say yes, but shut it when Rosie raised a hand. “You don’t know him, Temperance.”
“But I have eyes, and I can see.” Her gaze dropped to her shoes. “Him and me? Can you imagine it?”
“Why, yes. I can.”
She snapped her head up, and when she locked gazes with Rosie, she could see what she was totally serious. “That’s nice of you to say, but he’s him and I’m … me.”
“You