Relentless [Now on Radish Fiction}

Chapter 2

All three women stopped to watch Gabriel rise to his feet. His large frame stretched upwards. Powerful. Intimidating. Up close, he was even more good-looking in an undeniably masculine, rugged manner. Next to him, a confused Brooke was about to say something when Gabriel brushed past her as he hurried around his desk toward Bethany.

His deep scowl had given way to a deep dimpled smile as he spread out his long arms to Bethany. "Are you going to come give me a hug?"

"Wh—?" The straw dropped from Christine's open mouth.

Meanwhile, the tall, muscular man swept slender Bethany off her feet and swung her like a rag doll in a tight bear hug. In the years Christine and Brooke had known polished and charismatic Gabriel Blake this was the first time they had ever seen him so unguarded. The adoring way he looked and smiled at the young woman in his arms, made the other two feel like intruders. "God! It's so good to see you!"

"So you two know each other," Christine noted with wry humor. She swallowed back a smile to see Brooke's face red with rage, as she went to stand next to the tall blond woman.

"All her life!" Gabriel announced with another flash of his deep, dimpled smile. Bethany clutched her notebook to her chest like a shield with one hand, cast a shy glance at the other two women. She tried to pull away but he held onto her as he backed away to half sat, half leaned against the edge of his desk. "Bethany's my best friend's little sister. I taught her how to swim."

"I've only drowned twice since," Bethany said with a hint of a smile.

Large, hulking Gabriel scrunched his nose playfully at her. "Well, those long legs are filled with lead."

"Why didn't you tell me you and Gabe are such good friends, Bethany?" Christine asked.

Bethany shifted her weight from one foot to the other. "He gave me this job."

"Of course he did," Brooke muttered through gritted teeth.

Christine gave her a quick nudge and pushed her toward the door. "We'll leave you two to catch up. But come by my desk later, Bethany."

Gabriel hardly noticed the others leaving. He was still looking at Bethany. "Gosh! How long has it been?" he asked once they were alone.

Her face tightened and her eyes dulled a bit. "Not since my mom—"

His smile faded. For a moment neither could find the right words. Time ticked by growing more and more awkward with each passing moment.

He broke the silence first. "I uh — drove by the old house the other day."

"How did it look?" she asked hoarsely.

"The new owners collect garden gnomes. Lots of them!" He dropped his dark head until all that was visible was his brow line under his widow's peak. When he looked up again, he scratched at the dark stubbles on his cheeks and jawline. His movements called her attention to his bloodshot eyes and the lines on his forehead from a sleepless night. And yet his large muscular body seemed to hum with inner energy. Then he noticed the hairs that had fallen over her forehead. "You ‌colored your hair!"

Bethany reached back for her dark brown ponytail and flicked it over one shoulder. "Since I changed my last name, I figured why not make some other changes too? I never felt like a blond. Do you like it?"

He reached for her ponytail and twirled the strands around his long, thick fingers. "You're gorgeous no matter what." It was a statement of fact, not an opinion.

"And you look —" she started to say but then stopped herself. A sound behind her made her dart a quick look over her shoulder toward the doors.

"What were you going to say?" he pressed.