Blackstone Ranger Charmer - Alicia Montgomery Page 0,63
wanna be there and see Roger’s stupid fucking face when she walks into that door. See ya guys later.”
“What is he talking about?” Temperance asked as she watched Anders dash out of the cafe.
Gabriel sighed. “I’ll tell you later. For now …” He grabbed the tray from her and placed it on the table, then took her hand and planted her on his lap. “I missed you,” he said, nuzzling at her neck.
She sighed. “There are people here. They’re staring at us.”
“So?” He kissed her square on the mouth. “Let them stare.”
“Gabriel …” she warned, but kissed him back, then scrambled off his lap. He scooted over so she could sit next to him. “So, it’s done?” she said. “No more shifts?”
“Yeah,” he said. “I told Damon I’d be happy to help if they’re shorthanded, but he says he’ll manage. Said he’s thinking of hiring help from the outside since the new batch of trainees aren’t done yet.”
“Are you sure this is what you want?” she asked in a quiet voice. “I’d hate to think you quit because of me.”
“Oh, baby.” He took her hand and brushed his lips against her knuckles. “I told you, I wasn’t cut out for that job anyway.” In truth, he’d been thinking about leaving as soon as Damon started to settle with Anna Victoria. He had originally joined to support his friend, but now he was doing fine on his own with the help of his mate.
“What are you going to do now?” she asked. “Are you going to work for your sisters?”
The truth was, he didn’t need to work at all, but he wasn’t the type to lay about and do nothing. “Actually, I wanted to talk to you about that.” From across the room, he caught Rosie’s eye. The fox shifter smiled at him and gave him a nod. “I’ve been talking to Rosie, actually.”
“You have?”
“Yeah. See, she’s been thinking of taking it easy. Stepping back a bit.”
“Huh. She did mention that she needed a vacation.”
“Yeah, so …” He took a deep breath. “I offered to buy her out.”
“What?” she asked incredulously. “You’re going to buy Rosie’s?”
He nodded. “Yeah. She’s been wanting to retire for a while now, but she didn’t want to just hand over the business to anyone,” he said. “She wants someone she can trust, who’ll take care of this place and love it as much as she does, but also bring new life into it. Baby, she wants you.”
“I …” Her breath caught in her throat as her head swung around to meet Rosie’s gaze. The older woman looked at them warmly, affection evident in her eyes. “I don’t know …”
“It’s not gonna happen right now, maybe not soon,” he said. “But, how about it? We can be partners.”
“Partners?”
He nodded. “You and me. What do you say?”
She looked deep in thought for a moment, then said, “Of course, I mean, yes. Thank you.” She reached out to wrap her arms around him, embracing him tightly.
“Thank God,” he said. “That means I don’t have to go back to the rangers and pretend I’m not dying inside when I see toads and frogs.” He gave an exaggerated shiver.
She chuckled. “You know I’ll protect you from those evil slimy adorable monsters,” she said. “It’s my job as your mate, you know?”
Warmth filled him he looked at her beautiful face, feeling the bond between them that had been growing stronger each day. He pushed a lock of hair that had fallen into her eyes, his fingertips brushing the marred skin of her cheek. She didn’t blink, flinch, or even turn away. In fact, in the last few months, the scars didn’t seem to bother her as much. Today, she wasn’t even self-conscious about going out into the dining room full of people wearing a shirt that left her arms bare and her hair tied back into a ponytail away from her pretty face.
He licked off a spot of flour from her nose. “You know, I’m really glad you, J.D., and Anna Victoria have become good friends,” he began. The two other women had fully embraced his mate, and they hung out and went shopping all the time. “I still haven’t thanked them for whatever it is they’re doing to make you feel more comfortable about yourself.”
Her head cocked to the side. “Anna Victoria and J.D.? Oh, Gabriel.” She reached up and cupped the side of his face. “It wasn’t that,” she said. “I mean, yeah, I do feel comfortable around them, and they’ve been great friends. But the reason I’ve been feeling less self-conscious is …” She took a deep breath. “It’s you, Gabriel. When I look at your face, into your eyes, I see the way you see me. Like there’s nothing wrong with me.”
“There’s not,” he said flatly. “It’s the way I’ve always seen you.”
Her eyes misted. “I know,” she said, her voice choking. “Now I know.”
The bond hummed between them again, and he couldn’t help himself as he reached for her and pressed his mouth to hers. Later tonight, when they were alone in bed after they made love, he would tell her, too. Tell her that when he looked into her eyes, he saw the love reflected there that made him feel like he was more than just a shallow charmer, a rich pretty boy that was suitable only for one purpose. In her eyes, he was a man worthy of her love. He would ask her, too, to be his forever, not just in the eyes of their kind, but in the eyes of everyone so there would be no doubt in anyone’s mind they belonged together. I’m going to marry you so hard, Temperance Pettigrew, just you wait and see. But for now …
“I’m starving,” he said, pulling away. “Let’s eat.”
Dear Reader,
Thank you so much for reading Temperance and Gabriel’s journey.
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Alicia
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