Storm Warning (8 page)

“Well,” she continued, “I had enough for this chase and then it was going to be over. I couldn’t carry the team anymore.
Equipment's
getting more expensive, gas prices are ridiculous.” She shrugged. “Bills to pay, debts to clear. It’s really hard.”

“You should have gotten a sponsor instead of using your own money.”

“
There aren’t many businesses that would do that. The café did, only because I’ve worked for them since I was fifteen. I wouldn’t ask them again.”

Gabe’s eyes widened. He couldn’t imagine those dainty arms lifting and carryi
ng heavy
trays over her shoulder—l
et alone
a
fifteen year old Tory doing it. 

“I put a lot into this team.
I accepted it when it was over. Then you came along and everyone was so happy. You’re giving the
m what I never could. Never can,” s
he amended.

“It’s just business, Tory.”

“Oh, I know it is.” She sat down in the chair next to him and without thinking, placed her hand over his arm. “And I’m past my own self pity and I can finally be grateful for what you’re doing. Chasing is my life.”

“But you hate it.”

“What?” She snatched her hand back.

Layers, Gabe thought. Tory had many layers. And he couldn’t be satisfied
with
only what he had seen thus far.
He hadn’t known her long, yet she pulled at him. He was through analyzing his feelings about her. He wanted her, and life was too short not to go after what you wanted—he had right to know.

“Adam told me what happened with your parents.” She started to rise. He could see the fury in her eyes
,
but he was quicker than she
was
. He placed his hands on either side of her and gripped the chair arms.

“He h
ad no business telling you that,” s
he bit out.

“Maybe not. But he did and now I’m curious.”

“Take your curiosity and—”

“Why do you chase if you don’t like to? What do you get out of it?

Her eyes were narrowed into slits. He could feel her vibrating beneath him with her fury. The lips he was so fond of were pinched in a grim line.
Angry at her for shutting him out, h
e took her arms and lifted her out of her chair
,
tearing a small gasp from her. “Why do you do it?
What are you trying to accomplish?”

“Don’t.”

“Don’t what? Don’t ask you personal questions?” He tightened his grip when she began to squirm. “Well, too bad. I’m asking you, Tory. Why?”

“Stop.” She pushed hard ag
ainst him. He was like a stone—h
ard and unmoving. Too many emotions were churning her up, was all
he
could think.
He watched her struggle with herself.
She wanted to tell him
, he knew,
and that brought on
her panic and desperation.

“Stop what, Tory?” h
e asked
,
struggling for calm. His grip loosened but he still held her firm. His thumb made circular motions on her arms. “Stop what?”

Tory brought her gaze to his. She couldn’t understand why he made her feel furious one moment
,
then comforted the next. She didn’t like what she couldn’t understand.

She shook her head at a loss for words. How could she tell him she felt responsible for her
parent’s
death? That by seeing the very thing that killed them every year, she was punishing herself for
not being able to help them
?

It w
as nobody’s business but hers
, after all. She didn’t need anyone to talk to
. She was dealing with it, wasn’
t she?

“Tory.” H
is voice was gruff,
his eyes were dark. Tory met his stormy gaze again and she saw what would happen next. She
watched his dark eyes sharpen
. She felt it when his fingers tensed on her
arms
,
but she could never brace herself for the swell of passion that exploded when his lips touched hers.

There was no gentleness, no tenderness. There was a hungry, demanding kiss that stole her breath and had her aching for things she’d never wanted before. She understood how it was to
desire and nee
d. But this… This wasn’
t as simple as
desire, not as basic as need
. This was vital.

Her hands shook as they came up to rest on his broad shoulders. She had no recollection of when it happened
exactly, but she’
d lost herself in his kiss, gave as much as she could, and matched the passionate caress.

His tongue shot ou
t to seek and find all the dark
corners of her mouth. His hands slid down and grasped her narrow waist. In a quick movement, he lifted her up and in reflex, she wrapped her legs around him.

Fire, was all she could think of. She was burning
up
.

She heard herself moan when he took the kiss even deeper than before. One of his arms were hooked around her waist, his other hand framed the side of her face
, his fingers teasing the sensitive skin on the nape of her neck
. She ran her hands through his
silky
hair.

If this was passion, she could clearly see why people were paid thousands of dollars to write about it.
If this was rage, she wanted to be furious.

She was vaguely aware of his fingers diving in
hair
. Almost brutally, he
yanked her head back and plundered
her throat.

She moaned softly at the pure pleasure of it. Her fingers dug into his shoulders as he continued to caress the side of her neck with hot, open mouthed kisses.

Only when she felt the cold sheets of her bed
against
her back where her shirt had ridden up did she open her eyes. Reality intruded and interrupted. Letting out a stream of curses, she pushed him off of her and rolled out from under him.

She could hear nothing but
the
blood rushing through her ears. Everything was throbbing. She touched her swollen lips and stared at Gabe who was sitting on her bed trying to catch his breath.
His broad shoulders shook with
the effort
.

“What the hell?” h
e managed.

“You have to go. That shouldn’t have happened.” She was breathless now
as her lungs struggled to keep up with her racing heart
.

He was up and crossing the room before she could finish her sentence. Abandoning all pride, she retreated three steps before she collided with the wall.

“Gabe, don’t.” She pushed her hand
s
out to stop him.

He stopped a mere inch from her hand
s
. She watched his grey eyes go from dark to ice in an instant. She had never seen a man contain his fury so well. It chilled her to the bone.

“Why?”

“I can’t. I’m not—”
She shook her head, unable to form the words.
She could see the visible effort it took for him to control his fury.

“This,” he hissed in an awful voice
,
“is not over.”

“No,” s
he agreed
cautiously
. “It isn’t. But y
ou need to leave now.” Her voice was surprisingly stronger now and she forced herself to stand up
straight. She met
his gaze.

“You want this as much as I do,” h
e accused
,
shoving his balled
fists
in his pockets.

“You need to go,” s
he repeated and pointed to the door.

“Another time, Tory,” h
e warned silkily. He jerked his body toward the door and stormed out of her room. Only when she heard the door to the room next to her
s
slam
shut did she sink to the
floor.

Chapter Five

Donning a grey sweat suit and a pair of dark sunglasses, Tory made her way to the SUV’s. The sleepless night before did nothing for Tory’s complexion, hence the dark glasses to hide the shadows under her eyes. If anyone noticed, they didn’t comment. Everyone was s
tanding by the trucks waiting—e
veryone except Gabe.

“Morning,
” Billy said to her
as
she approached.

“Good morning.”

“Where’s Gabe?” Adam asked after slamming the back doors shut.

“He isn’t here already?” Tory scanned the parking lot. Why did she all of a sudden feel the slight pang of panic? He may have been angry enough at her to leave, she thought anxiously.

“No, he isn’t in his room either.” Adam shrug
ged
. “I told him nine so he still has about ten minutes.”
He turned
to the rest of the
team
. “You guys head out and we’ll wait for
him
.”

When both of the other trucks left the parking lot Adam waited for the dust to settle
,
then
turned
sharp green eyes on
Tory.

“What happened last night?” h
e asked bluntly.

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“The hell you don’t. How bad did you piss him off?” He pulled out his cell phone and dialed Gabe’s number.

“Why does it always have to be my fault?” She stomped her foot. “Screw you, Adam. I didn’t do anything.”

Adam slapped his phone closed and shoved
it back into his pocket. “A
ll I know is I heard his door slam last night and h
e isn’t here this morning. You’
re the only other nocturnal person I know so I’ll ask you again. What did you say to him?”

“Nothing!” s
he shouted. “I didn’t say anything to him, Adam.” She whirled around at a shadow on the ground and looked up into a pair of stee
l, grey eyes. “There, you see! He’s here now. Can we go?”

Gabe lifted a brow and said nothing.

“You can sit up front with him
,” she clipped.
“
You two are perfect for each other.” Tory climbed in the back seat.

“Bastards,” s
he muttered before slamming her door.

After starting the truck,
Adam turned the radio
on
and pressed the call button.

“On the road yet, Captain?” Billy’s voice boomed over the speakers.

“On our way. And you’re supposed to say ‘over.’ Over.”

“We got an hour
before she gets here. Clouds look
promising. Already a funnel sighting
out of her
before she got here.”
When Adam waited, whistling, Billy shouted, “over!”

“Good. Get started
set
ting
up. Be there in five. Over.”

“
Tory, you there
? Over.”

Adam handed the microphone back to Tory.
“What
, Frankie
?”

“Just thought you’d like to know. Vikings are in and at
our
hotel as of six a.m. this morning. Over.”

She growled.
“
Well, that’s just fucking great
.
Thanks
”

She
handed the microphone back to Adam. Adam let out a
creative round of profanity
before replacing it in the cradle. Tory rested her head on the side window.

“Vikings are our rivals. They, of course, have better equipment, more scientists, more money. So natural
ly we’re always in their shadow,
”
she heard Adam explain
. “They’ll probably be set up a hundred yards from us and still get better readings, better pictures, and better publicity.”

“Vikings and Pirates, eh?
Well, they won
’t get better pictures.”

Tory closed her eyes to bloc
k out the drumming headache.
Charlie
Johnson
was at their
hotel, which
meant Vance very likely would be there, too. He hadn’t taken their break up very well—not that she was worried. She could handle Vance. She could handle anything.

Even when Gabe wan
ted to strangle her, he couldn’
t
ignore the attraction
. The woman did things to him
that
he didn’t care for. She had driven him—more let him drive himself—
to the brink that previous night
,
then turned off in an instant.