Something about Gabriel nagged at her heart. Not a good nag, but a sense of dread. Whenever she looked at the man, she sensed a slow-growing cancerous rot. An aura of negativity surrounded the man and she wasn’t the least bit interested in finding out why.
Nessa drew a deep breath. Her face ached from the polite smile stretched across it. Nessa answered with a sharp jerk of her head. “Sure. I think I know the way to the MacKays’ from the pub. I can take the shortcut and drop you off.” Nessa knew her answer border-lined sheer rudeness but she didn’t care. She shot Gabriel a challenging glare and hoped he’d change his mind.
His eyes narrowed as he cocked his head to one side. Gabriel held out his hand and he bowed his head. “That’ll be grand. I appreciate the lift. Here, let me carry your bag.”
Nessa hitched her bag closer to her body. She wasn’t about to hand over her precious laptop resting snugly in its bag. How stupid did he think she was? With that anger flashing in his eyes, the jerk would probably smash it to the ground. She sidled away from him and headed toward the door, tossing a smile back at him over her shoulder. “That’s okay. I’ve got it covered.”
Making her way out the door, she tucked her chin to hide the mischievous grin she couldn’t quite resist. She hadn’t missed the ripple of Gabriel’s jaw when he’d clenched his teeth at her refusal.
The rising wind tugged at her hair as she stepped out into the street. With a glance to the sky, Nessa sniffed the strong breeze. The scent of rain rode upon the air. That was another thing about Gabriel. Whenever he was around, the weather always took a turn for the worse.
The storm clouds gathered, banking and roiling like a cook pot set to a boil. Nessa pulled her jacket tighter about her chest. The day plunged into an uneasy darkness. The clouds erased the sun from the sky.
Nessa didn’t wait for Gabriel to open her door and laughed out loud at the look of irritation on his face. “Get in!” she shouted over the rumbling thunder. “We don’t have time for chivalry. It’s getting ready to open up and pour.”
Gabriel scowled and stomped around to the other side of the car. He slid into the seat and slammed the door shut with a muttered curse. Crossing his arms over his chest, he stared out the windshield with a face as dark as the thunderous sky.
Just as Nessa slid the keys into the ignition, he covered her hand with his. He squeezed her fingers and held her hand captive as he forced her to turn and look into his eyes. “Why are ye no’ interested in seeing me again, Nessa? Have the MacKays filled your head with lies?”
“First of all”—Nessa lowered her voice and turned to Gabriel with deadly intent— “you’re hurting my hand. Now I suggest you let me go or I promise, you will regret it.”
A look of surprise flitted across his face. Gabriel released her fingers. His hands curled into shaking fists as he pulled them away. “I’m sorry, Nessa. I didna mean to hurt ye. I just thought there was a spark between us worth pursuing. I don’t understand what went wrong.”
Nessa clenched the steering wheel. She swallowed hard against the bile rising in the back of her throat. They hadn’t known each other long enough for him to act this way. All of her alarm bells blared at top volume. Gabriel just wasn’t right. She’d better be careful. She had to get him back to the pub and out of her life, the sooner the better.
“I’m sorry, Gabriel. You’re a great guy. But I’m afraid my work has picked up so much right now that I just don’t have enough time to give you the attention you deserve.” Nessa forced the most helpless female look she could muster on her face. She blinked at him in feigned wide-eyed innocence.
It was as if she had pushed a button. Gabriel relaxed. His easy smile replaced his scowl. “I thought perhaps I’d done something wrong. I would never do anything to offend ye.”
Nessa exhaled and reached to start the car, relieved when he didn’t attempt to stop her again. He’d taken the bait, now to get him home and out of her life. As she steered out of the parking lot, she turned on her windshield wipers. The skies had opened the floodgates.
She raised her voice to be heard over the rain as it pounded against the windshield. “You’ve been nothing but kind. That’s why I think it’s best if I’m honest with you now. I’ve been trying to get into this research project for years. It’s my first priority right now.”
The lights of the pub flickered in the distance. Only a little farther and she’d have it made. She just needed to keep playing to his inflated male ego and then she’d have him out the door before he knew what had happened.
Gabriel reached over and stroked her cheek, his voice dropping to a coaxing purr. “’Tis a very lonely life ye have chosen for yourself, Nessa Buchanan. I know I could make ye happy.”
Nessa tried not to gag. Her skin crawled beneath his touch. As she pulled into the lot in front of the pub, she forced herself not to jerk away from his hand. The longer she was around him, the more nauseous she became. Something malicious brewed just below the surface of this man’s shell. If she believed in demons, she’d think he was possessed.
Nessa smiled into his eyes and feigned a nod of agreement. “I’m used to making sacrifices for my work. I’m sure someday I’ll look back on this with regret. You’re a good man, Gabriel Burns, and I wish you all the best.”
Gabriel slid his hand to the back of her neck and pulled her into his arms. He bent her head back, covered her mouth with his, and ravaged her with his tongue.
Nessa held her breath to keep from retching. One thought ran through her mind: He’s going to get out of this car and then I’ll be done with him forever. Gabriel slid from her mouth and grazed at her ear, his voice husky with desire. “We could have one night, Nessa Buchanan. It might help ye change your mind.”
No way in hell. She gasped a different reply out loud. “I wish I could, but it’s really the wrong time of the month…if you know what I mean.”
With a disappointed sigh, Gabriel smiled as he opened the door. “Once again I am bested by the phases of the moon and their pull upon a woman’s fate.”
Nessa gave a weak wave goodbye and stifled a shudder as she watched him slide out of the car. Thank goodness, he was one of those men who wouldn’t go near a woman if he thought it was her time of the month. “Good-bye, Gabriel. Take care of yourself.”
Gabriel bent to look back inside the car and blew her an airy kiss. “Goodbye, sweet Nessa. I guess we’ll never know what we could have been.” He closed the door and trotted through the rain to the pub, his stiff knee miraculously healed.
Nessa shuddered, wiped her mouth on her sleeve, and hurried to click the locks on the doors before she pulled the car out on the road. “Yuck!” she sputtered and spit into the air, the taste of him turning her stomach. “What a jerk! Thank goodness I didn’t fall into that trap.” As soon as she’d said the words aloud, the flickering image of a young woman appeared in the passenger seat of the car.
“Ye just don’t realize how right ye are, lass. His punishment will be great for his crimes against women. The goddess is no’ pleased with that scoundrel at all.” Patting her reddish blonde curls behind her ears, the young girl turned and smiled into Nessa’s shocked face. “Ye said ye wished I’d come and give ye a visit and guide ye upon your way.”
“Aveline?” Nessa jerked the steering wheel to keep the car from landing in the ditch. She headed for a graveled parking area farther down the road so she could stop the car.
