Author: Bella Andre

Megan was heartbroken for Sophie for having fallen into what seemed to be unrequited love with a man who might not deserve it.

But even as she pushed the slice of cake a little closer to Sophie, and the two of them fed their careening emotional states with chocolate and carbs, she couldn’t help but think about Gabe.

And the fact that he definitely was worth it.

* * *

Summer was bouncing on the playground as she waited for Megan to come pick her up from school.

“Glad to be back at school, huh?” she said as she ruffled the top of her daughter’s blond hair.

“Guess where we went today for a field trip?”

Megan tried to remember what it had said on the permission slip she’d filled out a few months ago. But before she had a chance to guess, Summer opened her backpack and pulled out a plastic firefighter’s hat.

“Oh,” Megan said, her mouth suddenly dry. “Wow, how exciting.”

“Gabe was there and he was so awesome showing us everything. We got to slide down the pole from the top bunks and hang out in the ambulance and sit in the seats at the back of the truck.”

During the short walk back to their apartment, Summer regaled Megan with firehouse stories. And as she started slicing cheese and apples for their afternoon snack, she couldn’t stop thinking about one word.

Fate.

She’d never been a big believer in things like that, had always believed that solid decisions and hard work were what paid off. And they had.

But, really, it was getting to the point where it felt like the universe was screaming at her to pay attention!

“And, Mommy, he asked if you like roller coasters as much as I do.”

Megan surfaced from her strange thoughts as she realized what Summer had just said. “And what did you tell him?”

“I said of course you do. That you aren’t afraid of anything.”

Megan put down the paring knife and went to put her arms around her daughter. “Thank you, honey.”

As Summer hugged her back, so hard that her little arms shook with the force of it, she lifted her green eyes and said, “What for?”

“Just for being you.”

And for believing in me when I sometimes forget to believe in myself.

A few minutes later, while Summer was eating her snack and coloring at the kitchen table, Megan picked up the wireless phone and walked into her bedroom, closing the door.

She forced herself not to hang up when voice mail kicked in. “Hi Gabe. It’s Megan. I know you’re still at the station working, but when you’re back home and rested, I’d—”

She had to stop, had to take a breath, had to remember Summer saying, You aren’t afraid of anything.

“I’d love to see you again. Maybe we could meet for lunch sometime during the week?” She added, “Sometime soon, I hope,” before hanging up.

Chapter Twenty-four

The next day, Gabe knocked on Megan’s door. He’d been on a medical call when she’d left her message. As soon as he got back to the station and made it through his paperwork, he’d quickly started planning a surprise for her. One he hoped she’d love.

He’d missed her like crazy these past few days, had wanted to call her a hundred times. But he knew he couldn’t push her, couldn’t risk having her run, possibly for good this time. As he waited for her to contact him, he kept reminding himself that she hadn’t said goodbye.

Instead, she’d told him she’d had fun...and she’d kissed him on the cheek.

Still, it had been a seriously sweet moment of relief when he’d heard her voice on his phone. But when she opened the door, gorgeous as always in a pair of jeans and a sweater, what he felt went so far past relief, past lust, into uncharted territory, that he finally knew for sure.

He was in love with her.

Overwhelmed by the depth of emotions he felt for this beautiful woman standing in front of him, he probably would have just stood and stared at her for hours were it not for Megan reaching for his shirt, taking a handful of the material in her fist as she pulled him toward her.

He finally reacted, dragging her body against his just as she made a play for his mouth. They kissed as though it had been three years since they’d last seen each other rather than three days, clothes flying off all around them just as they had up on his roof.

Sex had never been this desperate a need before, had never been as vital as breathing, as necessary as food and water. But it wasn’t just the quest for an orgasm that drove them stumbling over to her couch, that had him ripping off her bra, yanking her panties down her legs, and dropping to his knees between her thighs.

It wasn’t just that he wanted to give Megan pleasure, that he wanted to hear those sexy little gasps and moans as he licked through her already wet folds and slid two fingers inside her clenching heat.

It was more than the contact high he got from her shuddering climax as he circled her clit with his tongue, then sucked it in between his lips and took her over the edge.

Even that moment when he reared up over her, a condom already on, gripped her hips hard to pull her even closer, and drove into her, wasn’t what his need was all about.

No, it went deeper than just the physical pleasure of being with the woman he loved.

Because, for the first time in his life, as Megan’s head fell back against the couch, as her back arched and she wrapped her legs tightly around him, covering his hands with her own right before they both came apart in each other’s arms, Gabe knew what it must have been like to be Adam.

To need to claim Eve as his.

* * *

Gabe looked with pleasure at Megan sitting beside him in his truck. He wanted her again even though barely fifteen minutes had passed since they’d made love. It had been tempting to take her to bed and stay there all afternoon, but he knew she’d love his surprise. And he hoped there’d be many more days—and nights—of lovemaking in their future.

“I’m glad you called,” he told her, not pausing before reaching for her hand, and was pleased when she slid her fingers between his.

“I am, too.” She looked out the window. “Although I believe I’m the one who asked you to lunch, and here you are taking me off to some secret place.”

He could tell from the excitement in her voice that she enjoyed being surprised. How, he had to wonder, would she like it if he took control of their lovemaking the next time? If he didn’t tell her what he was going to do her, if he made her guess how he was going to make her come next?

They pulled into a dirt parking lot and he came around to help her out of the truck, his hand around her waist, enjoying the feel of her curves as he stood a little too close and made sure she slid down the length of his body.

Just as he hadn’t stopped himself from holding her hand while they were driving, he didn’t stop himself from kissing her now. Her mouth met his just as hungrily, her arms wrapping around his neck, her hands threading into his hair.

They’d kissed dozens of times before this—at least—but this kiss was different. He’d always known she wanted him, had always felt the strength of her desire for him. But now it was as if a lock had sprung open. Where it had almost been as if she was powerless to resist kissing him, now he got the strangest sense that she was kissing him for no other reason than because she wanted to.

When they finally came apart for air, she was smiling up at him. “I love kissing you, Gabe.”

His mouth was back on hers a second later and they were off onto round two. Only the loud sound of a horn caused them to remember that they were in the middle of a public parking lot near a huge white tent.

“Where are we?” she asked.

He grinned and held her hand tighter. “You’ll know soon.”

A few seconds later, her eyes grew big with pleasure. “I saw an ad for this circus last month, but I thought it was gone already.”

“It’s the last day. I was hoping you’d like my surprise.”

“Are you kidding?” She looked like Summer when she was excited. “I love the circus! Summer actually makes fun of me, says I’m more excited than the little kids are about the acrobats and animal tricks and flying trapeze. When I was little, I used to dream about running away with the circus. I was going to be the girl who amazed everyone by dancing on the elephant’s back.”

He had already bought two VIP tickets and they headed inside to their center ring seats, right in front of the action. He loved this side of Megan, when she forgot to hold herself back from him to protect herself, when she gave him a window into who she really was. Not just the great mother, not just the intelligent CPA...but a woman who thrived on thrills, on adrenaline, on excitement.

Just as much as he did.

When he bought them popcorn and cotton candy and caramel coated peanuts, she said, “If Summer finds out we ate this stuff, she’s going to read me the riot act.”

Gabe grinned. “Isn’t it supposed to be the other way around? Aren’t you supposed to be the one telling her to stay away from junk food?”

“They’re learning about nutrition in second grade. If you’re wondering, this—” She held up a big wad of pink cotton candy. “—is not growing food.”

He laughed. “I loved seeing Summer at the station.” He didn’t want to pressure Megan, knew she still needed time to work things out about them, but she had to know. “I’ve missed her.”

Megan’s eyes softened. “She missed you, too. Actually, Gabe, I’ve been thinking—”

Before she could say anything more, the crowd lights went black and the stage lights went on. He wanted to pull Megan out of the tent to hear what she’d been about to tell him.

What was she thinking?

That she wanted to be together?

Or that she didn’t?

She was immediately caught up in the circus show, but Gabe couldn’t concentrate on anything but her.

* * *

Megan loved every second of the circus show. She could hardly look as nimble acrobats tossed themselves around the ring. She held her breath when the tiger trainer got in the ring with ten deadly animals. She laughed until her stomach hurt at the antics of the clowns.

And still, for all that her senses should have been filled to the brim, she couldn’t forget for one single second the man sitting beside her. No one she’d dated had ever thought to take her to the circus. It was always the same white tablecloths and hushed voices, stilted conversation about work and investment portfolios. She’d never let any of those men get close enough to find out her hopes and dreams, what made her laugh or cry.

But even though she’d repeatedly tried to push Gabe away, even though she’d worked hard to guard her heart from him, he’d figured her out. From the fireworks show way up high on his roof to the innocent, childish fun of the circus, he was filling her soul up, one sweet experience at a time.

Not to mention the wonder of the way he made love to her.

At the end of the show, she jumped to her feet, clapping so hard her palms stung.

“Thank you, Gabe. It was—” She had to search for the right word, finally finding it in Summer’s favorite exclamation. “—awesome! Totally awesome!”

She quickly bought a few little trinkets to give to Summer. When she glanced back at Gabe, he looked pleased with how much she’d enjoyed herself, but strangely worried, too.

“Didn’t you have a good time?”

“I did, although to be honest, just watching you enjoy it made it the best circus I’ve ever been to.”

Megan flushed at the heat in his eyes. It was amazing how being with Gabe made everything around her so much richer, so much brighter. She hadn’t realized all the shades, all the contours she was missing until he had—literally—burst into her life.

She enjoyed holding his hand and snuggling close to him as they walked back to the parking lot. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head and everything felt so right.