Run to You (9 page)

Gabby watched from the ground as Ethan harnessed himself to the zip-line, but her mind was still on the enormous pool he'd just showed her. More specifically, she was fantasizing about Ethan shirtless and in swim trunks diving into that pool. Or Ethan stepping out of the pool. Soaking wet.

Her belly quivered.

“Sure you don't want to join me?” he asked from his perch high above her head.

“Positive.”

“All right then. Let me know if you change your mind.” He leaped off the platform, and Gabby's heart lurched into her throat. He bobbed on the line and began to zip to the other end, swaying from side to side as he went.

It looked crazy and terrifying and a little bit amazing.

He whooped as he whizzed by overhead. She smiled, walking after him. She still had no desire to defy gravity, but she could definitely understand why he loved it so much. And she thought a lot of other people would love it, too. This place should be really successful if they could just get the Town Council on board.

By the time he'd unharnessed himself and climbed down the ladder from the second platform, she had almost reached him.

“Feel like taking a hike?” he asked.

She nodded. “I'd love to.”

“Great, because I'd really like to show you the rest of the property. 'Course, it'd be a lot quicker if we were up there.” He looked up at the zip-line platform above them.

“Never gonna happen.”

“I warned you,” he said as he started walking beside her. “I'm going to keep asking.”

“Won't change my answer.” Didn't piss her off either. Ethan wasn't pushy or judgmental, just persistent and passionate about his new business. And she respected that.

She enjoyed spending time with him. A lot. And pretending to date him didn't suck either. He pushed her outside her comfort zone in subtle—and not so subtle—ways, but it felt good to get out and have fun again.

She liked his friends and his grandma. And dammit, she
really
liked Ethan.

“Want to see the rock face where Ryan's going to take climbers?” he asked.

“Sure. You going to demonstrate that for me, too?”

He grinned. “Always happy to oblige.”

They walked together through the trees along a path just barely worn into the ground, probably by Ethan himself. It was hot out today, but beneath the canopy of leaves, a cool breeze stirred, bringing with it the scent of pine and damp earth. “This must be a dream come true for you, owning this place,” she said.

The gleam in his eyes said it all. “I'm a lucky SOB, that's for sure.”

“I don't think luck had anything to do with it.”

He turned to look at her with questioning eyes.

“You created this for yourself, and I'm guessing you worked pretty hard for it.”

He shrugged. “Gram insisted I invest most of the money I got from endorsements after the Olympics, so I have her to thank for this really.”

Hmm. Cocky, confident Ethan Hunter didn't know how to take a compliment. Not when it pertained to his self-worth. “Did you always dream about competing in the Olympics?”

He shook his head. “Gram signed me up for a whole bunch of sports after she adopted me, trying to keep me out of trouble. Turned out I was really good at swimming. At first, I was just doing it for her, but once I started competing, I was in it to win.”

“You must have spent a lot of time training,” she said.

“Hours a day in the pool and working out. I still can't go a day without swimming. It's in my blood.” An intense look came onto his face when he spoke of his training.

She couldn't even imagine the kind of discipline involved in preparing for the Olympics. “Did you train here in Haven?”

“Gram found me a trainer in Boone, about a half hour from here. She drove me out there every morning before the sun came up so I could practice before school.”

“Wow.”

“She really turned my life around,” he said, his voice gone husky. “I was headed for nothing but trouble before she adopted me.”

“She's a special lady,” Gabby agreed. Not just anyone would do what Dixie had, not only adopting her grandson but taking on the huge responsibility of helping him train for the Olympics as well. “Why'd you quit competing after Beijing?”

He shrugged. “I wanted to come home with a gold medal around my neck, and I did. Then it was time to try something else.”

“It's pretty cool, you being a gold medalist.” She elbowed him playfully. “I remember watching you on TV that summer.”

“Yeah?”

She nodded. “I didn't place you until your grandmother told me, but I definitely remember you. You were hot.”

He scowled. “Were?”

She rolled her eyes. “You know you still are. Cut it out.”

“I don't know. You not wanting to kiss me has hurt my ego a little.” He winked.

“It's not that I don't
want
to.” She looked into his eyes, and suddenly she couldn't get enough air into her lungs. His blue eyes had heated, his playful demeanor edged with lust.

For her.

And then with another easy smile, he took her hand in his, leading her up an incline between two large rocks. “I get it, sweetheart. I really do.”

And that was the thing. Even out here in the middle of the woods, with no one around for miles and knowing that Ethan wanted nothing more than to get in her pants, she felt totally safe. He would never pressure her to do something she wasn't comfortable with. And even though she wanted him just as badly as he wanted her—maybe more, since he'd probably had great sex a lot more recently than she had—she knew this was better than actually dating him.

He gave her confidence without stepping on her toes. If they made the relationship real, he'd have more power over her life than she felt comfortable giving anyone right now. Because Brad had been a nice guy, too, at least at first. It was only after things had gotten serious that he'd shown his true colors.

“I'm glad you brought me out here.” She stepped over a tree root, lifting her skirt with her free hand so that she didn't trip.

Ethan squeezed her left hand. “Me, too. The rock face is right up this way.”

They came around a corner and the path opened up to a big rock looming at least thirty feet into the air. There were some creases and cracks in it, but how anyone could scale it with only their bare hands—or why they would want to—was completely beyond her. “You can seriously climb that?”

“I can climb it. Ryan can kick its ass, though.”

“Okay then. Show me.”

With a cocky grin, he reached up and hooked his hand into a crack in the rock. He pulled himself up, his biceps flexing most impressively as he climbed. Holy shit, that was sexy. Soon she was left with nothing but a view of his very fine ass. And by the time he'd reached the top, she was so turned on, she could hardly stand it.

“So?” he called from the top. “You going to join me or what?”

“Not a chance. But I will enjoy watching you climb back down.”

“Gotta give the lady what she wants.” His fine ass reappeared over the edge as he started back down. He took his time on the descent, and if she wasn't mistaken, he might have reached for a few hand and footholds that made him flex his muscles a little more than was strictly necessary.

“You're a show-off,” she said when his feet were back on solid ground.

He was a bit out of breath, his bronzed skin glistening with sweat, trademark smile still in place. “No clue what you're talking about.”

“No? You really needed to reach all the way to that notch?” She gestured above them. “Instead of the one closer to your shoulder that maybe wouldn't have shown off your lovely biceps quite as well?”

He flexed for her. “What, these old things? And for the record, I totally needed the leverage.”

“Mm-hmm.” For some reason, she put her hand on his biceps, and
oh crap
, that was a mistake. His skin was hot beneath her fingers, and his blue eyes blazed into hers.

“Killing me, Gabby,” he murmured. “Killing me.”

His words sent a bolt of red-hot desire right through her, and she must have made a sound because Ethan sucked in a breath, his gaze locked on her lips. His hands settled on her hips, burning into her skin through the thin fabric of her skirt.

Oh my God.
Everything about the moment was intense. His chest heaved for breath, his eyes hooded and still focused on her lips. Desire pooled hot and aching inside her. He wouldn't kiss her, not without her permission.

And shit, she was being a tease. “Sorry,” she mumbled, breaking free and turning away.

“You apologize too damn much.” His voice was low, gruff. “Never be sorry for what you want or where you choose to draw the line.”

“But I'm the one who said no kissing. So I shouldn't have done what I just did.”

He laughed softly behind her. “It's okay, Gabby, really. I'll survive.”

They hiked for a few minutes in silence, but it felt comfortable, not awkward. Ethan was relaxed at her side, again holding her hand as they walked along the trail.

“I'm thinking about that obstacle course,” he said finally. “Like a team-building exercise. Everyone has to get their whole team through the course together. Winning team gets something really kick-ass, like a free lifetime pass to Off-the-Grid.”

“I like it.”

“You're a genius for coming up with the idea.”

She laughed. “I have my moments.”

“You know, smokin' chemistry aside, we make a good team,” he said.

And the funny thing was, it was true.

G
abby stepped inside the deli and looked around for Emma. When she'd called yesterday to invite Gabby to lunch, she'd jumped at the chance. Now that she'd made friends in town, she realized how lonely she'd been these last few months. And she'd liked Emma a lot when they met at book club.

Emma waved from a table near the window, her blond hair again in a ponytail. “Hey!”

“Hi.” Gabby sat across from her and settled her purse onto the empty chair.

Emma ordered a veggie wrap, and Gabby got the Havenly Ham special, remembering the day Dixie had shown up on her doorstep with lunch.

“Have you always lived in Haven?” Gabby asked.

Emma nodded. “I have. I'm thinking about leaving, though.”

“Really? Change of scenery?”

“I don't have any family left here, and, I don't know, I want to try something new.”

“I hear you. That's pretty much why I came here,” Gabby said. “To try something new.”

Emma gave her a conspiratorial smile. “I kind of have a reputation around here.”

“You?” Gabby raised her eyebrows.

“Exactly,” Emma said. “I'm the good girl. I never do anything unexpected or exciting.”

“Well, I'm right there with you. Moving to Haven is the most outrageous thing I've ever done.”

“So we need to mix things up,” Emma said. “I'm thinking either a tattoo or shaving our heads.”

Gabby took in her new friend's totally deadpan expression, then threw her head back and laughed. “I'll come with you for moral support.”

Emma groaned. “God, you're as boring as I am. But seriously, the University of Georgia has an amazing landscape architecture program, and I've always wanted to apply for it.”

“Really?”

Emma nodded. “I work at a landscape design company here in Haven—Artful Blooms—but I've always wanted to become a certified landscape architect. Someday I'd love to own my own business. Then I could do really amazing things. I could help design city parks and preserve the natural beauty around us.”

Gabby sat back, taken with the sudden blaze of passion in Emma's eyes. “I think that sounds like a much better idea than shaving your head.”

“I guess I'd better get started on my application then.” Emma raised her Diet Coke. “To new beginnings.”

“New beginnings.” Gabby clinked her glass against Emma's with a smile. She liked Emma a lot—even with her good girl image still firmly intact. Gabby knew exactly where Emma was coming from. She'd always done what was expected of her, too, right up until she'd left Brad. Then, instead of happily moving on, she'd moved in with her parents, enduring their daily commentary on her life decisions until she'd decided to leave it all behind and come here to Haven.

They'd always thought she could do better than Brad. They wanted her to date someone more like the men in her family, with a well-paying office job and plenty of upward mobility. A carpenter hadn't fit that mold. And so when she'd come crawling home, there'd been a hearty “we told you so.”

She hadn't even told them the whole truth. In fact, she'd never told anyone what happened during that last argument, when Brad had gotten so angry he'd slapped her, knocking her to the floor. Talk about a wake-up call. She'd packed her bags that night.

Gabby drove home from the deli and retreated to her office to finish her workday. Once all her code had checked out, she took Lance for a long walk in the woods behind her house. He was really starting to come out of his shell these days. Today, he trotted at her side as they walked along the path.

“You like it here, right, Lance?”

He looked up at her, panting happily.

“Yeah, I like it, too. We're going back to Charlotte at the end of the summer, but I think you'll like that, too. You're small enough to share an apartment with me. And we'll still take lots of walks together.”

When they got home, she sat in front of her computer, researching obstacle course races for Off-the-Grid's grand opening. The guys were going before the Town Council on Friday, and she wanted to help them get their zoning request approved, if there was anything she could do to tip the scales in their favor.

A knock at the door interrupted her thoughts.

She walked to it, fighting a smile at the thought of Ethan on the other side. What romantic thing would he do for her today? And why was she so giddy over the idea of seeing him again when they weren't even dating for real?

She pulled the door open without even bothering to check the peephole, then gasped at the man standing on the other side. “Brad.”

“Hey, babe,” he said. As if nothing had happened. As if they hadn't been broken up for almost a year.

As if he hadn't knocked her to the floor on that last night.

“What are you doing here?” She folded her arms over her chest. She wasn't afraid, not exactly. They'd lived together for over a year after all. But the more distance she got from their relationship, the more she realized how controlling he'd been. How unhappy she'd been.

“Well, I was driving by and saw your car so I took a chance this was your place.”

Stalker much? “I meant, why are you in Haven?”

“I heard you were spending the summer here so I came looking for you, but when I got here, no one knew who you were. Couldn't believe it when you walked in the front door at Off-the-Grid last week. I miss you, Gab. If you give me another chance, I'll show you how great things could be for us.” He gave her his best puppy-dog eyes, turning on the charm.

“Never going to happen.” She'd never been more sure of anything in her life.

“You don't belong way out here in the sticks. Come home with me.”

What had she ever seen in Brad? She stared at him now, with his sandy brown hair and dark eyes she'd once found so attractive. Not anymore. Everything from his neatly pressed pants to the dimple on his chin annoyed her now. “Actually, I'm glad you stopped by,” she said.

His lips curved in victory. “I knew you'd come around.” He stepped forward, inviting himself inside.

She blocked the doorway. “I'm glad you stopped by because now I can tell you in person that there is absolutely no chance of us ever getting back together. I want you to leave Haven, Brad. Please go home.”

“Not without you.”

She let out a frustrated sigh. “You don't want me. You've already put your moves on Tabitha and who knows how many other girls since I left you. You just don't like the idea that I'm happy with someone else.”

“I only asked her out to make you jealous.”

She shook her head. “I'm not jealous. I've moved on.”

His gaze hardened. Gone was the slightly whiny man who'd been pissing her off ever since he stepped onto her front porch. In his place was the angry man who'd once made her cower in fear. And dammit, her stomach plunged straight to her toes.

“That idiot isn't good enough for you, Gabby.”

“Ethan is twice the man you could ever be,” she whispered, but her gaze had dropped to his boots.

“You can't do this.” His voice shook with rage. “After everything I did for you? After all we went through together, you think you can just run off and shack up with some playboy in the mountains?”

“Please leave.” She took a step backward, meaning to slam the door in his face, but he pushed his way forward, looming in the doorway. Had he always been so tall?

Gabby gulped for air, realizing with a sickening feeling that she'd left her cell phone in the office at the back of the house. She gripped the doorknob. If she slammed the door into him, would that get the message through his thick skull or would it just make him angrier?

“I think the lady asked you to leave.”

She heard Ethan's voice from outside, and then Brad was shoved to the side, back onto the front porch, and Ethan stood next to her in the doorway.

Her knees wobbled, but no…dammit, no! This wasn't how it was supposed to go. How did Ethan always show up to fight her fights for her?

“I was just going,” Brad said. “I have some business back in Charlotte, but I'll be back. We'll finish our conversation another time.” He gave Gabby a long look.

“The hell you will,” Ethan said. “Gabby asked you to leave. She doesn't want you to come back.”

Ethan stood with his arm around Gabby's shoulders, watching as Brad stalked off to his pickup truck. She shrugged free and slammed the door behind them.

“What the hell was that?” she demanded, her cheeks flushed.

“Excuse me?” Because from where he was standing, it looked like she was mad…at him, instead of her asshole ex.

“I already told you how I feel about your caveman act,” she said.

“No way in hell am I going to stand by and watch that guy walk all over you. You asked him to leave. I helped him leave.”

Her bottom lip shook. “He wasn't walking all over me.”

“Hey.” He took her hand, drawing her closer. “I was just trying to help.”

“And that's the problem with even pretend boyfriends.” Her voice was soft, her eyes downcast. “I don't want help. I wanted to do that on my own.”

Ah. Now he got it. He'd interrupted before she'd had a chance to send Brad packing on her own terms. “Look, I saw him being an asshole, and I reacted.”

Gabby looked crestfallen. “It's okay. You were just trying to help.”

He pulled her in for a hug. “Next time I'll try to remember that you don't need any.”

She looked up at him. “Really?”

“Really.” The earnestness in her voice struck him somewhere deep in his chest. She really needed to do this on her own.

“Okay.” She backed out of his arms.

“I was on my way home from Off-the-Grid when I saw Brad's truck here. I'd love to hang around, but I assume you need to get back to work?”

She nodded.

He had something else he needed to run past her, too, but now wasn't the time. And he didn't like how quiet and unsettled she still seemed. “Let's get dinner together later.”

She nibbled her lip, hesitation in her eyes.

“Just casual. What about burgers and beers at Rowdy's? Or whatever you're in the mood for.”

“A burger does sound good,” she said.

“Okay. I'll stop by around seven?”

She nodded, then followed him to the door. He was halfway to the Jeep when she said, “Ethan—thanks. For sticking up for me, even if I didn't want you to.”

He smiled. “Any time.”

With a wave, he climbed into his Jeep and drove to Gram's house. He found her on the couch with an ice pack on her forehead, her eyes closed. Cold, hard fear congealed in his gut. “Gram?”

“I'm okay,” she said, waving her hand in his direction.

Not okay.
None of this was okay. He sat beside her and took her hand in his. “Your head?”

“It's just a headache.” She squeezed his fingers.

“What can I do?”

“I've already taken my medicine. Just sit with me. Talk to me.”

Dammit, first Gabby didn't want his help, and now there was nothing he could do for Gram either. He fucking hated feeling helpless. But he sat with Gram, and they talked. For hours. Well, he talked mostly. He rehashed all of his most rebellious moments from his younger years. In fact, he was more honest with her about all the shit he and his buddies had pulled than he ever had been before.

What difference did it make? He was grown now. It was all water under the bridge. And there were so many great memories to share and laugh about before it was too late.

So many.

Finally, her headache eased. He fixed her a grilled cheese sandwich and heated up a can of tomato soup. The simplest foods had always been her favorites. They watched an episode of
Law & Order
together, and then she went to her room to rest her eyes while she listened to an audio book.

Ethan sat on the couch for a long time with his head in his hands.
Hell.
He wasn't ready to lose her. He'd never be ready to lose her.

Life was so fucking unfair sometimes.

A little before seven, he peeked through her open door and found her asleep in her bed, still wearing her headphones. Morbidly, he stood in the doorway long enough to make sure her breathing was steady and even. Finally, assured she was okay—for tonight at least—he closed her door and headed for Gabby's.

He needed to feel something other than sadness tonight, and even if he wasn't allowed to kiss her, Gabby made him feel alive like no one else.