“You’re a risk-taker, Abby,” he said. “You both are. Talk to him. Take the risk. Tell him what you think.”
Abby wiped away another unwanted tear. “I’ll give it some thought.” It was the best she could do.
Edge downed his soda and set the glass back on the table. Abby walked him to the door.
Edge glanced around. “Your place looks as dismal as Gage’s. With any luck, my hard-headed brother will figure things out before it’s too late.”
For hours after Edge left, Abby mulled over his words. Edge was right about one thing. She was a risk-taker, and so was Gage. It was one more thing they had in common.
By six o’clock, she had made a decision. Abby went in and showered, brushed out her hair, put on a pretty yellow dress and a pair of open-toed high heels. Khaki cargo pants and a T-shirt might have made her point better, but she was only willing to go so far.
Either Gage loved her enough to take a chance on them, or he didn’t.
It was the end of May, and the temperature had reached the seventies. The sky was sunny, with just a few fluffy clouds. Abby drove her little Fiat over to Gage’s apartment and pulled into a space near the rear alley entrance.
She almost turned around when it occurred to her he might not be alone. She thought of Gage’s women friends and his sexual virility. How long would he go without a woman? Unease slid through her. She’d look like a fool if he was with another woman.
Maybe he isn’t Even home, she told herself, the notion giving her a moment’s relief. She pushed the buzzer and waited.
“Who is it?” Gage snapped. Definitely not in a good mood.
“It’s Abby. I was hoping I could talk to you for a minute. That is . . . if . . . if you aren’t busy.” Oh, God, did she sound pathetic? That wasnotpart of her plan.
Gage hit the release, and the door unlocked. Abby walked into the leafy treed entry and climbed the iron stairs. Gage pulled open the door before she reached it.
For a second, he didn’t move. His beautiful blue eyes slid over her from top to bottom. She recognized the heat before he quickly shuttered his expression.
“Can I come in?” she asked.
“Sure. Sorry. Come on in.” He stepped back out of the way, and she walked past him into the living room. Through the doorway, she could see into the kitchen, which looked as bad as Edge had said.
And Gage . . . He was wearing a rumpled gray T-shirt that stretched over his powerful chest. A pair of faded jeans hugged his muscled thighs. He hadn’t shaved in days, which only made him look sexier.
“I wasn’t sure you’d be home,” she said.I wasn’t sure you’d be alone, she meant.
“Thanks to you and King, I can afford to take a little time off. You want something to drink? A soda or a glass of wine?”
“I’m not staying. I just . . . I had something I wanted to say, and I was hoping you’d give it some thought.”
“I think I’ll have that drink,” he drawled.
She would rather have just said her piece and left. But she followed him over to the built-in bar. At least the living room still looked neat and clean.
Gage poured himself a scotch. Abby sat down on the sofa, and Gage carried his drink over and sat down in the chair across from her. The distance between them seemed to stretch even farther than that. She wished she hadn’t come.
“Your brother stopped by to see me.” Not what she’d meant to say at all. “He thought I should come over and talk to you.”
“That’s a surprise.” He took a drink of scotch. “Edge usually minds his own business.”
Abby took a deep breath, wishing she had accepted the glass of wine. Wishing she’d already drunk it. “He said . . . he said you loved me and that since I loved you, I should tell you all the reasons we should be together.”
Gage’s lips edged up at the corners, but his eyes looked sad. “You don’t think I know all the reasons we should be together?”
Her pulse quickened. “I don’t know. I didn’t think so, or I wouldn’t be here.”
“To start with, you’re beautiful, but that’s obvious. When I look at you in that dress, it’s all I can do to keep my hands off you. You’re smart, and you’re caring. You’re tough when you need to be, and you never complain.”
She felt the heat creeping into her cheeks. “Well, I did complain a few times, but—”
