Read Online Off The Clock: First Responders, Book 1 by Donna Alward - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Donna Alward
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and fed and bathed. Another time, maybe.”
Gabe got out of the car and shut the door, leaning on the open window with his elbows. “I’ll hold you to that,” he said softly. “Let me make you dinner. This weekend.”
Nerves bubbled through Carly. This wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment thing. It felt like setting up a date. “This weekend?” she parroted.
“I’m off on Saturday night. I’ll make pasta. Give you the grand tour.” He smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners in a way she couldn’t resist.
“I’d like that, Gabe.”
His smile widened. “Great. Come by around seven.”
He walked up the driveway to his house and Carly took a moment to admire the view of Gabe in faded jeans. Lord help her. Maybe they were establishing a friendship, but the warmth of his eyes when he issued the invitation made it feel distinctly like a date. What would she wear? Could she even fit into her favorite jeans again? What if something happened? There were parts of her that were still obviously not back to pre-pregnancy state…
He turned and waved and she put the car in reverse. Now she was getting ahead of herself. Nothing would happen. Just because she couldn’t stop thinking about him didn’t mean they were on the edge of a torrid affair. It took two the last time she remembered. It had been a while but not that long ago.
She shook her head as she headed home. It was time she took her head out of the clouds and kept herself firmly rooted in reality. Because if she wasn’t careful, Gabe Brenner would be capable of breaking her heart, and she wasn’t sure it could take another disappointment.
Chapter Six
At five minutes to seven, Carly drove into Gabe’s yard. The days were long now, but the sunlight seemed to take on a mellow quality as shadows slowly lengthened. Gabe came out on the verandah and Carly pressed a hand to her stomach at the sight of him there. This was definitely feeling like a date—even if she had brought Nathan along. Something about Gabe made her insides curl deliciously.
He met her as she opened her car door. She stepped out as he held it open and smiled. “Right on time,” he said, and something electric shimmered between them. Carly couldn’t tell if it was real or if it was simply a product of her own active imagination.
“I’m a teacher. Big on punctuality.” She grinned up at him, determined to keep things easy. If he knew the direction of her thoughts it would only be awkward.
“Good, because I’m hungry,” he replied. “You get Nathan and I’ll bring the diaper bag.”
Carly had to fight against the sensation of how utterly right it all seemed…her baby in her arms and Gabe ahead of her, the blue-and-white-striped diaper bag over his shoulder. He opened the front door and she stepped inside.
Gabe’s house was cozy and inviting and rich with the scent of tomato and spices. Carly pushed off her shoes at the door and followed him in her stocking feet, her movements noiseless on the tile.
The foyer was painted a warm terra cotta, the rich color highlighting beige ceramic tile. The hue was repeated in the rooms flanking the hall, except the flooring was oak hardwood polished to a sheen. One room held a desk, computer and a reading chair, while the other remained vacant. Carly thought it could be a gorgeous dining room if it had any furniture. “I’m building a buffet and hutch for this room,” Gabe said, stepping inside. “Work on it has slowed down a bit since spring arrived. I find myself in the yard more often than not.”
She pictured him working with his hands, sanding down furniture, smelling like sawdust and wood stain. The mental image made her mouth go dry and she turned away from the empty dining room. But the damage was done. She was seeing possibilities—and not only in the furniture department. “And this is the kitchen and family room.”
She forced herself to continue the tour, walking along behind him. The kitchen had the same tile as the
Gabe got out of the car and shut the door, leaning on the open window with his elbows. “I’ll hold you to that,” he said softly. “Let me make you dinner. This weekend.”
Nerves bubbled through Carly. This wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment thing. It felt like setting up a date. “This weekend?” she parroted.
“I’m off on Saturday night. I’ll make pasta. Give you the grand tour.” He smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners in a way she couldn’t resist.
“I’d like that, Gabe.”
His smile widened. “Great. Come by around seven.”
He walked up the driveway to his house and Carly took a moment to admire the view of Gabe in faded jeans. Lord help her. Maybe they were establishing a friendship, but the warmth of his eyes when he issued the invitation made it feel distinctly like a date. What would she wear? Could she even fit into her favorite jeans again? What if something happened? There were parts of her that were still obviously not back to pre-pregnancy state…
He turned and waved and she put the car in reverse. Now she was getting ahead of herself. Nothing would happen. Just because she couldn’t stop thinking about him didn’t mean they were on the edge of a torrid affair. It took two the last time she remembered. It had been a while but not that long ago.
She shook her head as she headed home. It was time she took her head out of the clouds and kept herself firmly rooted in reality. Because if she wasn’t careful, Gabe Brenner would be capable of breaking her heart, and she wasn’t sure it could take another disappointment.
Chapter Six
At five minutes to seven, Carly drove into Gabe’s yard. The days were long now, but the sunlight seemed to take on a mellow quality as shadows slowly lengthened. Gabe came out on the verandah and Carly pressed a hand to her stomach at the sight of him there. This was definitely feeling like a date—even if she had brought Nathan along. Something about Gabe made her insides curl deliciously.
He met her as she opened her car door. She stepped out as he held it open and smiled. “Right on time,” he said, and something electric shimmered between them. Carly couldn’t tell if it was real or if it was simply a product of her own active imagination.
“I’m a teacher. Big on punctuality.” She grinned up at him, determined to keep things easy. If he knew the direction of her thoughts it would only be awkward.
“Good, because I’m hungry,” he replied. “You get Nathan and I’ll bring the diaper bag.”
Carly had to fight against the sensation of how utterly right it all seemed…her baby in her arms and Gabe ahead of her, the blue-and-white-striped diaper bag over his shoulder. He opened the front door and she stepped inside.
Gabe’s house was cozy and inviting and rich with the scent of tomato and spices. Carly pushed off her shoes at the door and followed him in her stocking feet, her movements noiseless on the tile.
The foyer was painted a warm terra cotta, the rich color highlighting beige ceramic tile. The hue was repeated in the rooms flanking the hall, except the flooring was oak hardwood polished to a sheen. One room held a desk, computer and a reading chair, while the other remained vacant. Carly thought it could be a gorgeous dining room if it had any furniture. “I’m building a buffet and hutch for this room,” Gabe said, stepping inside. “Work on it has slowed down a bit since spring arrived. I find myself in the yard more often than not.”
She pictured him working with his hands, sanding down furniture, smelling like sawdust and wood stain. The mental image made her mouth go dry and she turned away from the empty dining room. But the damage was done. She was seeing possibilities—and not only in the furniture department. “And this is the kitchen and family room.”
She forced herself to continue the tour, walking along behind him. The kitchen had the same tile as the
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