Healing Gabriel (8 page)

“Tony?”  He frowned in his sleep, and the confusion and fear
in his voice sent chills down her spine.  “Watch out Tony!” 

He shuddered and twitched.  “I can’t get out – I can’t –
someone help me!”  He gave a loud cry and his entire body heaved.

“Gabe!”  Her fear for him made her rough as she shook his
shoulder.  “Baby, open your eyes.”

“It hurts!  Oh God, it hurts so much.  Please help me…”  His
voice trailed off into a quiet little moan and she shook him again.

“Wake up Gabe!  Wake up right now!”  Adrenaline was flooding
her body, making her limbs tremble and her heart pound.

Gabe’s eyes popped open and she took his hand in hers.  “Hi
honey.  You’re okay, do you hear me?”

His hand squeezed down on hers so tightly she had to bite
back her cry of pain.  He stared at her wild-eyed, his body shaking and his
skin covered in sweat.  His face was ashen and his mouth was trembling.

“Morgan?”

“Yeah sweetie, it’s Morgan.  You’re okay.”  He continued to
shake and unable to stand it, she lay down beside him and pulled him into her embrace. 
He tucked his face into the curve of her neck and shuddered as she rubbed his
back and whispered soothing words of comfort.

“It was just a bad dream baby, you’re okay, shh.”  She
whispered into his ear.  She stroked the back of his head, threading her
fingers through his thick hair.

After a few moments he raised his head and stared at her. 
“I’m sorry.”  He said hoarsely.

“You have nothing to be sorry about.”  She kissed his
forehead and then his cheeks.  He took a deep shuddering breath and she pressed
her mouth against his.  He stiffened against her and she pressed a series of
light kisses against his mouth.

“You’re okay honey.”  She whispered against his mouth before
kissing him again. 

Gabe took another deep breath.  Her mouth was soft and warm
against his.  He shook off the paralysis that had gripped him and kissed her
back eagerly.  She cupped the back of his neck and kissed him repeatedly.

He moaned.  It felt so good to have her lips pressing
against his.  He twitched at the first feel of her tongue stroking his lips. 
He hesitated and then opened his mouth, a thread of lust running through him
when she immediately slipped her tongue into his mouth.  She ran it over his
teeth before plunging it deep into his mouth.  She rubbed her tongue along his
and pressed her soft body against his.  He could feel her nipples pressing
against his chest, even through her shirt, and he put his hands tentatively
around her waist.

She moaned her encouragement and her tongue curled against
his, urging it into her mouth.  He pushed it into her mouth, tasting her
sweetness as she ran her hands over his chest.

Morgan trembled against him.  She had only wanted to comfort
him, to make him feel better after his nightmare, but what had started off as
comforting had quickly turned into something else.  Her pelvis was throbbing
with need and her nipples were hard and tight.  The soft material of her sleep
shirt was irritating them and she wanted to pull her shirt off and press her
nipples against Gabe’s naked chest.

He was kissing her with a determined sort of awkwardness,
and she wondered about his timidity as he brushed his hands against her ribs
but didn’t move them higher to her aching breasts.  She wanted him – he had to
know that.  He wanted her too; she could feel his erection pushing against her
belly.  She ground her hips against him and he moaned loudly into her mouth.

She gripped his arms firmly and fell on to her back on the
bed, pulling him with her.  He made a low moan of pain and his hand pressed
against his side even as he continued to kiss her eagerly.

She pulled her mouth away and pushed him gently on to his
back.  She quickly checked his incision; it looked okay to her and she pushed
her hair out of her eyes before giving him a horrified look.

“Gabe, I’m really sorry.” 

He tore his gaze from hers and stared at the ceiling,
panting harshly as his hands clenched and unclenched at his sides.

“I’m sorry.”  She repeated herself.  “I shouldn’t have done
that.”

He jerked and winced again.  “It’s fine.”  He turned his
face away from her and reached for the sheets, flinching as he pulled them up
to his neck.  She could see the outline of his erection against the sheet.

“Gabe?  Are you okay?”

He nodded.  “I’m fine.  You should go back to the guest
room.  I’m – I’m really tired and my side is aching.”

She swallowed back the hurt that flooded through her at his
words and slid from the bed.  “Of course.  I – I’m sorry Gabe.”  She nearly ran
from the room.

Gabe stared at the ceiling.  What had just happened had been
the most incredible moment of his life, right up until she had pulled away from
him.  He had seen the look on her face when she realized what she was doing,
and the dim light had done nothing to hide the horrified look on her face. 
She’d had a moment of insanity and she had pushed him away when she realized
what she was doing.  His gut clenched in misery.  It was stupid to think that
Morgan could ever be attracted to him.  He was a monster.

Morgan sighed and leaned against Daisy’s solid warmth.  She could
feel tears wanting to leak down her face and she held them back grimly.  Today
had been terrible.  She had thought that she would explain to Gabe that she had
stopped last night because she had hurt him.  She had been so eager to ease her
own need for him that she hadn’t even thought about the fact that he had just
had surgery.  And it wasn’t just that.  He’d had a terrible nightmare and she
had basically attacked him.

She straightened and started to brush Daisy again.  Gabe had
refused to speak to her about it, and there was a coldness to him that she had
not seen since the first few days she had known him.  She had torn down his
walls with patience and friendship and in one stupid night, she had hurt him so
badly that he had built them back up even stronger and higher than when she had
first met him.

She thought he had wanted her.  His kisses had been
tentative and there had been a weird awkwardness about them, but his cock had
been hard and heavy against her.  During the long sleepless night, she had
decided that he had been a bit awkward because his side hurt.  But then there
had been his coldness to her all day and she had come to a different
conclusion. 

He had been confused and disoriented from his nightmare.  He
had been looking for a comforting touch and she had provided one until, that
was, she had started mauling him like some horny teenage girl.  He had
responded the way he did because she had left him no choice.

She sighed and left Daisy’s stall, latching it firmly before
heading out of the barn.  She would talk to Gabe and make him listen to her
when she apologized again for last night.  He couldn’t avoid her forever.  He
still needed her help.

She frowned.  There was a car in the driveway that she
didn’t recognize.  Feeling weirdly uneasy, she hurried to the house and let
herself in the back door.  There was a scent in the air, a cloyingly sweet smell
of lavender, and she followed it to the living room.

“Gabe?  Are you – “

She stopped in the doorway.  Gabe was sitting on the couch
wearing track pants and a long-sleeved shirt and Sally was sitting next to him,
her hand resting on his leg.

“Oh hi Morgan!”  Sally smiled at her.

“Um, hi Sally.  What uh, what are you doing here?”

“I heard about Gabe’s surgery and I thought I should come by
and check on him.  I know that Lacey is out of town and I was worried about our
little Gabriel.”

“That’s nice of you.”  Morgan said stiffly.  “But I’ve been
helping Gabe out and – “

“Oh, I know!  Gabe told me how you’ve been taking care of
him and all of the animals.  I’m so impressed.  I wouldn’t have a clue how to
herd sheep.”  She smiled at Gabe and squeezed his leg.  “Maybe when you’re
feeling better you could teach me?”

“Uh – sure, I guess.”  Gabe’s face was bright red and he
gave Sally a thin smile.

Sally shifted and the smell of her perfume wafted to Morgan
once more.  She was painfully aware of her own smell.  She had been cleaning
out the stall, and she knew she smelled like a combination of Daisy and manure. 

“Did you know you have dirt on your face Morgan?”  Sally
asked politely.

Morgan flushed.  “Yeah, I was cleaning out Daisy’s stall.”

“How nice.”  Sally smiled again at her.  “Anyway, I was
thinking that I would help you and Gabe out.  I’m sure you’re very busy and – “

“I’m not.”  Morgan said shortly.  “I’m on summer holidays.”

“Oh, of course.  I meant that you were probably busy with
all the chores around the farm and helping Gabe around the house.  I came by to
offer my babysitting services in the evening.”

“Babysitting services?”  Morgan raised one eyebrow at her.

Sally laughed, a tinkling little girl laugh that set
Morgan’s teeth on edge.  “You know what I mean.”

Morgan glanced at Gabe.  He was staring at the floor, his
face red and sweaty, and he looked so miserable and uncomfortable that she felt
a grudging sympathy for him.

“I’ve just told Gabe that I’m more than happy to stop by
every evening and cook him dinner and keep him company.  Help him bathe, do his
laundry, or whatever he needs to help him get back on his feet.”

“Again, that’s very kind of you, but we’ve been managing
just fine.”  Morgan could feel her patience wearing thin.

Sally gave her a brittle smile. “Why don’t we let Gabe
decide if he’d like my help or not? He is a grown man after all.”

Morgan flushed again.  “Of course.”

Sally rubbed the top of Gabe’s leg.  “Gabe, sweetie, do you
want me to pop by in the evenings to help you out?”

Gabe cleared his throat.  “Sure.  I appreciate you offering
to help out.  That’s real um, neighbourly of you.”  He glanced up in time to
see a look of shock and hurt flash across Morgan’s face.

Sally clapped her hands together.  “Great!  You stay right
here and I’ll get started on dinner.  I make a mean chicken casserole.”  She
stood and smiled at Morgan.  “Will you be joining us for dinner Morgan?”

“No.”  Morgan said quietly.

“Well, you have a good evening then.”

“You too.”  She left the living room without looking at
Gabe.

* * *

Gabe sighed miserably as he stared at the lasagna on his
plate.  Beside him, Sally chattered on, telling him about her day as she sipped
at her glass of wine and ate tiny nibbles of lasagna.

It had been the longest three days of his life.  He had
accepted Sally’s offer for help and regretted it immediately.  He had been
desperate to think of a way to keep Morgan away from him, and accepting Sally’s
help had seemed like the thing to do. 

Not that it hadn’t worked to keep Morgan away.  It
had
worked – too well.  Morgan stopped in briefly each morning and again at lunch to
check on him and that was it.  She stood in the hallway, avoiding his gaze and
keeping her slender arms wrapped around herself.  Every evening at six, Sally
showed up and spent the evening with him.  He had grown tired of her after the
first night.  She talked non-stop, and it was filled with nothing but gossip
about people he barely knew and cared even less about.

She had a nervous type of energy about her that made
him
nervous and more than once he had caught her staring at his face, a look of
pity in her eyes.  It irritated him; especially after weeks of Morgan’s calm
presence and her genuine ability to not even notice his scars.

He knew Morgan was taking excellent care of the animals.  He
had watched from the window as she brought the sheep and Daisy out each morning
and herded them back in every night.  She had caught on amazingly quick to the
rhythm of Vincent and Delilah’s herding, and the three of them were a very
efficient team.

He missed her.  He missed her laugh and the way she gently
teased him.  He missed her soft touches and the way her eyes danced in the
light. 

“Gabe?  Hello, Gabe?”

He looked up from his untouched plate of food.  “Sorry, what
was that?”

“I asked if you’re sure you don’t want me to spend the
night.  You know I really don’t mind.”  Sally smiled at him, her eyes
skittering away from the left side of his face.  He turned to face her fully,
taking an odd perverse pleasure in the way she smiled nervously when presented
with the blasted skin of his left side.

“I’m sure.”  He said firmly.  “In fact, I think I’m doing
much better and I probably don’t need – “

“You can’t push yourself Gabe.”  Sally interrupted him. 
“You think you’re doing better but it hasn’t even been a week.  Trust me; you
still need someone looking after you.”  She pushed Vincent away from her pants
with a look of distaste on her face.  Gabe whistled softly and the dog joined
Delilah who was lying at his feet.

She stood up and began to clear the dishes from the table. 
“You hardly ate any of your supper.”  She scolded him.  “You’re going to wither
away Gabriel Dern.”

He didn’t reply and she squeezed his shoulder, pretending
not to notice when he pulled away.  “I’ll do up the dishes and then we’ll watch
some TV.”

* * *

“Thanks again Sally.  Have a good night.”  Gabe stood on the
back porch and stared across the yard.  He knew Morgan was on the porch of the
carriage house; he could see the glowing ember of her cigarette.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to stay Gabe.  I really
don’t mind.”  Sally pouted.

“I’m sure.”  He said firmly.  He glanced at the carriage
house again, wondering if she could hear them talking.  He watched the small
light flicker in the darkness and felt a surge of guilt.  She was smoking
because of him.

He realized with sudden horror that Sally was standing right
next to him, too close to him, and he wrenched away from her when she slid her
arms around his waist. He hissed a little at the pain that went through his
side.  It was the first time it had hurt today, and it reminded him of the
first two days at home when it had just been him and Morgan in the house.  Her
soft touch had soothed him in a way that Sally’s never would.

Sally frowned at him.  “I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine.  Goodnight Sally.”  He replied curtly.

“Goodnight.  Listen, I thought I would pop by tomorrow
afternoon.  It’s Sunday and I don’t have to work so I’ll make you lunch and then
we’ll go for a drive.  It would be good for you to get out of the house.”

She ran down the stairs before he could say no and slipped
across the yard and into her car.  He sighed harshly and, after another glance
at the carriage house, returned to his lonely house.

* * *

The next afternoon, Morgan was crossing the yard when Sally
pulled into the driveway.  The smaller woman climbed out of the car.  She
started to speak but Morgan just waved and hurried towards the barn.  She had
no desire to talk to the busty blonde.

She entered the barn, inhaling the sweet smell of hay and
Daisy’s unique smell.  The cow was out in the pasture with the sheep and she
opened the stall.  She would give the stall a good cleaning.  By the time she was
done Gabriel would be gone on his stupid drive with Busty McGee out there.

She sighed angrily and picked up the shovel.  She had
overheard them talking last night and although it made her a horrible person,
she had been happy when she watched Sally going in for the kiss and Gabe
pulling away from her.  It had made her feel slightly better that it wasn’t
just her he didn’t want touching him intimately.

“Hey Morgan.”

She jumped and whirled around.  Gabe was standing in the
empty stall next to Daisy’s.

“What are you doing in here?”  She scowled at him.

“It’s my barn.”

“Yeah.”  She muttered.  She pulled her gloves on and started
to shovel out the stall, dumping the hay and manure into a large garbage can
that she had dragged over.

“Thank you for doing that.  I know it’s not pleasant work.” 
He said quietly.

“I don’t mind it.  Besides, you bought Daisy because I
wanted her.”  She continued to shovel and without looking at him said, “Sally
is here.”

“I know.”  He made no move to leave and she frowned at him
as understanding dawned. 

“You’re hiding from her.”

He blushed and she raised her eyebrows.  “Are you kidding
me?  You’re the one who agreed to have her babysit you each night.”

“Yeah, I know.”  He sighed.  “I don’t want to go for a drive.”

“Then just tell her that.”

“I’ve tried.  She doesn’t really understand the word no.”

She rolled her eyes.  “Maybe it’s because she never shuts
up.  She just doesn’t hear it.”

He grinned and she could feel an answering smile on her
lips.  She tamped it down fiercely.

“She does talk a lot.”  He sighed again. 

Delilah suddenly barked and Gabe’s eyes widened when he
heard Sally’s voice.  “Stop jumping on me you nasty old thing.”

“Here she comes.”  Morgan grinned at him.

He looked around frantically for a hiding spot.  “Don’t tell
her I’m here!  Please!”  He whispered before ducking out of sight in the stall.

The barn door opened and Sally walked in, her nose wrinkling
at the smell.

“Morgan, have you seen Gabe?”

“As a matter of fact, he is currently cowering in the stall
behind me.”  Morgan said cheerfully.

Sally hesitated and then gave her a strained smile.  “You’re
funny Morgan.”

“Thanks.”

“Seriously though – we’re supposed to have lunch and go for
a drive.”

“He must have forgotten.  He went to the auction today.”

“His truck is still in the driveway.”

“His friend Ray picked him up.  They won’t be back until
later tonight.”  Morgan lied breezily.

She threw a shovelful of manure and hay into the garbage
bin.  “Do you want me to give him a message?”

Sally shook her head.  “No, I’ll come by tomorrow night. 
Have a nice day Morgan.”

“You too Sally.”

She waited until she heard the sound of Sally’s car pulling
out of the driveway and then said, “She’s gone Braveheart.  You can come out
now.”

Gabe didn’t reply and she frowned.  “Gabe?”

Her pulse sped up when there was still no response, and she
dropped the shovel and took her gloves off.  She walked to the other stall and
peered in.  Gabe was lying on his back in the stall, his hand pressing against
his side, and she crouched beside him.

“Gabe?  Are you okay?”  She placed her hand on his forehead,
searching for the return of a fever that would indicate infection.

“Gabe?” She whispered.

His eyes popped open and he grinned at her.  “Boo.”

She shrieked with surprise and skittered backwards, falling
hard on her ass and smacking her head on the hard ground of the stall.