Game of Fear (Montgomery Justice #3)(35)

She nodded and walked over to the makeshift laundry basket Ashley used for storage. Deb’s eyes burned. She touched one of the journals and flipped through it. Not like any other girl, her sister’s books were filled with equations and numbers, not hopes and dreams and boys. God, this couldn’t be all she had left of her sister. The protective wall enclosing her fears broke open wide and her heart shattered.

“How could I have let this happen to Ashley?” Deb tried blinking back the tears in her eyes, but they slid down her cheeks. “I knew something was wrong that night, and I didn’t act on it. I failed her.”

Without hesitation, Gabe strode over to her. “Don’t push me away again, Deb,” he said. “Let me be here for you.” With that he wrapped her trembling body into his. He held her close, stroking her hair.

She shook her head against his shoulder. “This is stupid. I don’t cry. I never cry.”

He didn’t say a word, just quietly held her, sturdy, secure, solid. Finally, Deb couldn’t fight the battle to stay strong any longer. She collapsed against him, needing his comfort, accepting her vulnerability for one of the first times in her life. Somehow, despite all the horrible things happening around her, he made her feel safe.

With her head against his chest, she felt his heartbeat, its steady rhythm so calming to her battered psyche. His protectiveness soothed her spirit, made her feel less alone.

She loved that he towered over her. At five-nine, she’d been as tall as most of her colleagues in her unit, but Gabe was much taller than her. At least six-three.

She sighed, absently running her hand across his strong chest. His breath caught, his arms tensing around her. She stilled, a deep awareness rising within.

Was she wrong to want comfort? To escape, for a moment, from the grief that had been with her constantly since that phone call?

Being vulnerable scared her so. But right now, she needed whatever he could give her.

She needed his kiss and his touch.

She lifted her chin. He stared into her eyes, his own turning dark with passionate recognition. His fingertips drifted over her hair and he wiped away a tear from her cheek, his touch oh so gentle, as if afraid she’d pull away.

She couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe. His gaze held her prisoner. The world around her seemed to blur, as if the moment included only her standing in his arms.

Slowly, tenderly, Gabe lowered his mouth to hers. She closed her eyes. How long had it been since someone had touched her the way Gabe did?

She couldn’t even remember.

Deb had kept herself apart from the men in her company. Fraternization only caused strife. She had to be one of the guys over there.

How long since she’d felt like this?

Or yearned for a sensitive caress, not hard and fast, but slow and . . . heartfelt?

With a sigh, she leaned in closer, her tongue edging out to taste him. A slight tang of coffee and something wonderfully male. A rumble started low in his chest and he deepened the kiss, exploring her mouth.

When he lifted his head, his hooded gaze met hers.

Dazed by the emotions rising within her, she simply stared at him.

“Wow,” she said softly.

“Yeah,” Gabe whispered. “I won’t tell you how many nights I dreamed of what you would taste like. Better than I imagined.”

Heat rose into her face and she bit her lip. She wasn’t anything special. He didn’t know it yet, but she’d made a lot of mistakes. She’d disappointed a lot of people. She hoped Gabe would never know.

She took a step back and cleared her throat. “Um, I’m not sure this was a good idea.”

“Why? It felt like a really great one to me, and you weren’t backing away.” Gabe frowned and stroked her cheek. “It’s not wrong to need someone.”

She leaned into his touch. He made her feel too much—from the inside out. “It could complicate things. I need to stay focused on finding Ashley, no distractions.”

He dragged a fingertip down her arm and the hairs on her skin stood on end. A shudder ran through her—the good kind.

“I know you’re right,” Gabe said, his brown eyes flashing, heated with unfulfilled passion. “This isn’t the best time for either of us.”

Reluctantly, he stepped back. “But I also know this, Deborah Lansing. If it weren’t for your sister’s disappearance and a few compelling commitments on my part, I’d be backing you into your bedroom and we wouldn’t come out for a week.”

She swallowed, wishing life could be so different.

“Can I take a rain check on that week?” she asked.

Gabe gave her a devilish grin and kissed her again. “You got it.”




The tall expanse of the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office building loomed high near the foothills. Gabe hadn’t entered Jeffco during business hours in months. Not since his very public exit because of his injury.

He let his limp grow more pronounced. Deb met his gaze and he recognized the comprehension in her eyes.

“You play the role well,” she whispered. “I assume this is part of your . . . compelling commitment? I’ll go along.”

Damn. She knew exactly what he was doing. Part of him was furious at giving the truth away, the other part was glad. It lightened his heart to have one person besides John Garrison who knew.