“Wait for me to start eating before you do.”
Shrugging, Gabe swallowed the bite before responding. “Old habit.”
“It seems you have a lot of those.”
“Only when it comes to you.” His words caused her eyes to widen slightly. Clearing his throat, he offered her a low, “Sorry.”
“Don’t be.” Her expression turned wistful. “You always were good at sweet talking me.”
“It’s not sweet talking if it’s the truth.”
Shit.Feeling like he’d lost control of the words coming out of his damn mouth, Gabe was about to apologize again, but then he noticed the way her blue eyes had darkened.
It was the same look she used to give him just before they’d make love. His rising cock became uncomfortable behind his zipper, but he didn’t dare adjust himself.
She was probably dealing with the after-effects of a major adrenaline overload, and after everything that had happened, the last thing she needed to deal with was his overeager dick.
“So what now?” Ellena took a sip of her water and swallowed. “I know we’re flying to Dallas in a few hours, but what will happen once we get there?”
“I’ll take you someplace secured.”
“Secured.” She glanced down at her drink. “Like a safe house?”
“Exactly like a safe house.” Using the white cloth napkin, Gabe wiped his mouth and rested his elbows on the table. “Like I said before, Elle, this is just temporary. Once we figure out who keeps coming after you and why, my team and I will put an end to the whole fucking thing.”
Abandoning her uneaten food, she stood and went to the room’s floor-to-ceiling windows. Hugging herself, she stared down at the city below.
“You, uh…you should probably stay away from the windows,” he told her quietly. “Just in case.”
Despite his suggestion, Ellena remained in place for another minute before facing him again. She took a few slow steps in his direction, an emotion he couldn’t quite place crossing over her beautiful face.
“I’m glad you’re here.”
Her whispered words surprised the hell out of him.
“So am I, sweetheart.” He got up and walked toward her.
Gabe’s eyes landed on the yellowing bruise and healing cut on her forehead. His gut churned when they fell to the spot where that fucking bullet damn near killed her.
I failed her. Again.
“Stop.”
His gaze rose back up to hers. “Stop what?”
“Blaming yourself for what happened.”
He swallowed, the fists hanging at his sides tightening. “Not possible, sweetheart.”
It’s all he’d been doing since she’d been hit.
“You had no way of knowing, Gabe.”
“I should have.” Rolling his lips inward, he barely kept from howling at the fear still pumping through his veins. “I should’ve been paying attention instead of…”
“Flirting with me?”
She smirked as he scowled.
