April's Promise (Forever Love Series) (5 page)

He
wanted satisfaction.  He wanted completion.  He wanted release.

Trembling
began deep within April like a ripple of excitement so powerful it didn't know
where to vibrate first.  The touch of Gabe's lips on hers started a chain
reaction of sensation that joyously danced through her, teaching her, thrilling
her, arousing her.  He was giving her the gift of a desire so strong that she
forgot about time and place and secrets.  Her world was filled with Gabe and
the pleasure he could give her...the pleasure he wanted from her.

But as
Gabe's kiss led her deeper into passion, as his tongue swept her mouth with hungry
demand and his hands caressed her with the intent to explore more, she knew she
had to stop him.  She knew she had to stop herself.  Because she wasn't being
true to him.  Honesty was everything between a man and a woman.  They didn't
have that.  She couldn't give him honesty without destroying his life.

Unlocking
her hands from behind his neck, she dropped them to his shoulders and pushed
away.

He
looked stunned, and she suddenly wondered if he
knew
who he was
kissing or if he'd returned to a place where he'd been with Vanessa.  "I'm
not Vanessa, Gabe."

His
green eyes pierced her.  "You don't think I know that?"

"Do
you?  Or are you just missing her and a wife's touch?"

"So
you think I kissed you because you're convenient?"

"Am
I?"

He
stared at her, then raked his hand through his hair.  "Maybe you are. 
Maybe I slipped back in time and forgot you have a career to return to.  Or
maybe I just wanted to prepare you for what Nicholas might dish out."

"I'm
not that inexperienced!" she flared, suddenly angry at him, herself and,
most of all, Vanessa.  Knowing she didn't want Gabe questioning her about her
love life because she'd have to admit he was the only man she'd ever kissed,
she said again, "I've got to get a shower," and turned away from his
searching regard.

But he
clasped her arm once more.  "Be careful, April."

His
fingers scorched her, and she wasn't sure if he meant for her to be careful
around Nicholas...or around
him
.

Pulling
away, she climbed the stairs and felt Gabe's gaze on her back.  She wanted to
cry.  She was torn between falling in love with Gabe all over again, or hurting
him and Stephie...maybe irreparably.

She had
to find the courage to make the choice.

****

Chapter
Three

The
overcast sky and sweeping gray clouds didn't dim Stephie's mood as she sat in
her car seat in the back of Gabe's SUV, chattering to the puppet April had
given her.

Glancing
over her shoulder at her niece, April smiled.  The three-year-old was a bundle
of sunshine even on a cloud-filled day as they drove back to Cedar Corners from
returning April's rental car in Richmond.  The half-hour drive seemed much
longer because of the silence between her and Gabe.  They'd exchanged polite
surface conversation throughout the morning.

Gabe
cast a quick look at April.  "Would you like to stop downtown at the craft
fair and get some lunch?  The rain's not supposed to start until early
evening."

"Sounds
good to me.  One year they had a petting zoo.  Stephie would like that."

"Almost
as much as the cotton candy.  We'll have to make sure she doesn't see that
until after we get her something more wholesome to eat."

"Like
hot dogs or pizza?" April teased.

Gabe
smiled.  "Don't forget the hamburgers, candy apples and chicken corn
soup."

"Not
to mention apple fritters."

They
both laughed this time, and the sound of it seemed to relieve some of the
tension.  But only some of it.  Last night's kiss still hung between them, its
effects lingering even under their laughter.  April wondered if it had shaken
Gabe as much as it had shaken her.

As Gabe
drove into the downtown area of Cedar Corners, men women and children were
strolling along the streets to and from their cars.  A red hybrid pulled out of
its parking place along the side street, and Gabe took the spot.  After he
unlatched Stephie from her car seat, he locked the SUV, and they each took one
of Stephie's hands.  She bounded along between them, hopping up and down, the
hood of her red windbreaker flopping along behind her.  As the cloudy day
breeze picked up, April was glad she'd worn her jacket.  Gabe had opted for a
forest green cable-knit sweater instead of a jacket and looked as rugged and
handsome as always.

The
craft stands and vendors along the street, most of them under canopies, offered
a variety of items, from hand-crocheted doilies to leather goods.  Residents of
Cedar Corners and visitors, could take the food they bought inside the
community center to the long tables to sit and eat it.  Gabe spoke to several
people he knew as they went inside with their food, and April felt the strong
sense of community Cedar Corners had always fostered.  She'd missed it living
in Boston.  The community center was noisy and there wasn't much opportunity
for conversation.  April was just as glad, because every time her eyes met
Gabe's, they both seemed to pause, aware of each other in a way they hadn't
been the past few years.

After
they all finished lunch, Stephie raised her arms to Gabe, and he lifted her and
carried her as they walked along the stands stopping every now and then.

The
petting zoo was set up in the park a block from the town square.  Stephie
giggled as she ran her hand through the wool of a lamb and petted a lop-eared
bunny.  When she stood beside a large sheep dog who was as tall as she was and
whispered something in his ear, Gabe leaned close to April.  "I might have
to think about getting her a dog.  Maybe next summer."

"What
kind?" April asked, curious as to whether Gabe had put much thought into
it.

"I've
heard Labs are good with kids.  But I want Stephie to help take responsibility
for the animal so I have to make sure she's ready."

"Are
you
ready?" April joked.

With a
wry shake of his head, he said, "I'll admit, it probably sounds better in
theory than in practicality.  But she loves animals."

After Stephie
had her fill of petting the animals, Gabe took her hand and led her toward a
circle of canopies situated around the park's gazebo.  At the first stand, Stephie
could see into the glass case where antique jewelry lay inside.  She pressed
her nose up against the glass.  April looked down through the top, and a gold
locket caught her eye.  It was beautiful—round, almost as big as a silver
dollar with delicate etching around the edge.

The
woman at the stand saw April's interest.  Reaching inside the case, she brought
the locket out for April to examine.

April
held it in her palm.  It was heavy.  "It's beautiful," she told the
vendor as she opened it and saw the place for pictures inside.  "How old
is it?"

"1920's,"
the woman answered.

April
handed it back to her.  "It really is beautiful.  But impractical for me." 
She wore business suits most of the time and little if any jewelry.  A lapel
pin now and then.  If she bought the locket, as beautiful as it was, it would
probably lay in her jewelry chest more than she would wear it.  It was meant to
be worn with loved ones' pictures inside.  Maybe someday...

When
she looked over at Gabe, she saw that he was watching her.  She gave a little
shrug and a smile, and they moved on.

"April. 
April Remmington.  Is that you?"

 April
turned in the direction of the woman who was calling her and saw a high school
classmate of hers sitting at a booth selling ceramic items on the other side of
the pathway that wended through the park. 

Seeing
that Stephie had a firm hold on Gabe's hand, April crossed over to Barb Mahoney
and gave her a big smile.  "How are you?  It's been years since I've seen
you."

Barb
nodded vigorously.  "Our last high school reunion.  How have you
been?"

The
breeze suddenly became more vehement and tossed April's hair.  "Busy,"
she answered.

"I
heard about Vanessa and I'm sorry.  One of the kids was sick and I couldn't get
to the viewing or the funeral."

"Thank
you," April said softly.  "It's been a difficult time but we're
managing."

Obviously
not wanting to linger on the subject, Barb said, "I heard you are doing a
lot of traveling."

Gabe
came up beside April with Stephie in his arms, nodded to Barb and picked up a
small ceramic dog that Stephie pointed to.

Answering
Barb's question, April nodded.  "It's part of the job.  At least for this
firm, and I do enjoy it."

Buttoning
her trench coat against the wind, Barb smiled wistfully.  "I heard you
spent a year in Singapore.  What a wonderful opportunity.  Do you know what I'd
give to travel like that instead of doing dishes and laundry and cleaning up
after three kids?"

April
could see Gabe was listening.  Singapore was a subject they didn't bring up
because it marked the end of the relationship they might have had.

 
"It was a terrific experience," she said honestly.  She felt more
than saw Gabe frown.

"Are
you planning on going anywhere else exotic any time soon?" Barb asked.

Careful
about her answer, April shook her head.  "It's not in my immediate
plans."

"Well,
if I had the chance, I'd take it,"  Barb said.  "You're not married. 
You don't have any kids or anything tying you down.  You should enjoy life as
much as you can before you do."

It was all
in a person's perspective, April supposed.  In high school all Barb had talked
about was getting married and raising a family.  Now looking back, maybe she
wished she had done things differently.  It was ironic that April regretted
leaving.  Her gaze met Gabe's and she could see he was processing what he'd
heard.  He thought she'd left because she was running toward her career.  But she
couldn't tell him yet that she regretted leaving, not until she figured it all
out.  She still wasn't sure exactly what fears had driven her away.

Before
she could even say goodbye to Barb, a fine mist started to fall.

"We'd
better get back to the car," Gabe said, his voice even.

April
didn't know anyone who was as good at hiding what they were feeling as Gabe. 
Would he care if she took a position in London that her boss had mentioned. 
Would he miss her?  He hadn't asked her to stay before and she doubted if he
would now.

As they
hurried to the crossing light at the square, the heavens opened and the mist
became a downpour.  April looked down at Stephie and saw her little face
crinkled up against the rain.   Automatically April unbuttoned her jacket and swung
it off, holding it over her niece.

"April,
you are going to get wet," Gabe started.

"Better
me than her."

Sweeping
Stephie up into his arms, jacket and all, he jogged across the street with
April at his side.  They didn't stop until they reached the SUV.  As quickly as
he could, he unlocked the doors and settled Stephie in the back seat.  April
climbed in the front, dripping wet.

Gabe
was pretty wet himself as he climbed in and looked over at her.

She'd
worn a pale blue oxford blouse with her jeans with the top two buttons of the
button-down collar opened.  Now the cotton clung to her, molding to her arms,
shoulders and breasts.  Shivering, she pushed her wet hair behind her ear.

Gabe
reached into the back seat for her jacket and handed it to her.  "Put this
back on.  Maybe it will keep you from getting chilled until we get home."

The
jacket warmed her a little and as she looked over at him she smiled. 
"What we need are some towels."  Gabe's sweater was soggy, and a
droplet of water from his brown hair rolled down the side of his cheek.  She
longed to reach across and swipe it away...

But in
a quick motion, he started the car and turned on the heater. 
"Unfortunately, I don't keep any in the car.  Let's see if we can beat the
traffic out of here before we get caught in a real traffic jam."

Lots of
fair goers were running to their cars anxious to escape the rain.  Fortunately,
Gabe pulled out and drove down the street before too many cars did the same. 
Soon he was on the outskirts of the downtown area heading toward the
development where he lived.  With the heat blowing from the car's heater, he
glanced over at April, remembering how she'd given his daughter her jacket. 
Sometimes she was so selfless with Stephie.  More so than Vanessa.  Vanessa
would have considered her own comfort first.

Where
had
that
thought come from?  Vanessa had cherished their daughter as
much as he had.  Yet she was so very different from April.  Vanessa wouldn't
have given that locket a second look.  Gabe could tell April had liked the
piece of jewelry.  She certainly had the funds to buy it.  But April always
thought about whether she needed something or not, and apparently she hadn't
needed another piece of jewelry even though the locket had lit up her eyes and
brought a smile to her face.  That's why he'd picked up the vendor's card.  He
needed to show April somehow that he appreciated her help.  That locket might
be exactly the thing he was looking for.