Storm Warning (6 page)

“You can’t be serious.” But Gabe knew he was being completely serious.

“She would have slept in there last night except
she was passed out
.” He laughed a little.
“Tory’s the most stubborn, hard-
headed person I have ever met. And God, I love her for it
,
but she needs something.”

A good spanking.
“What do you mean?”

Adam gestured to a bench beside the main doors of the hotel. They watched the other two SUV’s pull in and park down by where they had.

“When Tory was
little
, she was sitting in her backyard
,
watching our father work
in the yard. Her m
other was in the kitchen.” Adam
sighed. “I’m only telling you this so you’ll understand her. Better
not tell her I said anything,” h
e
said
. “Tornado came. Our father
ran off
to get a picture and Tory’s mother was rushing her into the cellar. The twister snatched our father up. Then, her mother ran after him
,
and it took her too. Right in front of Tory.”

“Jesus Christ.” Gabe clo
sed his eyes. What horror for a
child
to have to witness. “Why does she make a living around them then?”

“Now that’s something she’
ll have to tell you. It’s way
too personal for me to explain. Hell, I’m not even sure I understand it myself.
Her parents dying, that’s just fact. Everyone kn
ows it. Everything else
—
well, i
t’s a little harder to swallow.”

Gabe nodded and gave Adam a friendly pat on the back. Then he went in a
nd paid for the hotel rooms, making
sure Tory’s was right next to his.

Chapter Four

Tory
crossed
the parking lot of the El Presidente
,
smiling.
The bank where the team kept their account had just called to confirm a deposit of five thousand dollars. Ruthlessly, she kept Gabe’s involvement out of her mind and mentally ticked off all the things they needed for the season to make their chase easier.

At least they had earned the money by acting as a guide and babysitting service, she mused. The café had sponsored their first year of chasing, but Tory hadn’t felt right about it. She had a change of heart when she realized how much busine
ss had increased at Sam and Lou
’s. Pirates still carried their business cards with them, but Tory would no longer accept their charity.

She was relieved that some of the financial problems were solved. If Gabe stayed the entire season, Tory might even be able to skip out on overtime at the diner during off-season. The thought put an extra wide grin on her face.

Her smile faded when she saw Gabe stroll out of the hotel and
head
straight toward her. She opened th
e truck door and climbed inside. L
eaving the door open, she waited.

“Hey,” h
e greeted and braced
tanned forearms
on the opened door.

“Hello.”

“Wanna go grab some lunch?”

Tory looked forward. No, she would not admit she was starving from skipping breakfast. But she did have to eat, didn’t she?
And this would give her a chance to clear the air—to let him know where they stood.

“Sure.” She grabbed her wallet from the glove compartment, and slid down
onto
the ground.
She tensed when she landed mere inches from Gabe
,
but he made no point in moving.

“That café over there work for you?” He
indicated
a small diner across the
highway
.

“Works fine.”

They didn’
t speak again until the waitress sat them in a corner booth
.

Once the waitress delivered their food and left them in privacy, a comfortable silence
ensued
while they ate their lunch.
A little too comfortable.

She hadn’
t realized how hungry she actually was. She forced herself to pace her bites
,
but none the less finished her plate about the same time
as
Gabe did. The small talk during the meal was pleasant enough
,
but Tory could sense Gabe had an ulterior motive for taking her to lunch.

When Tory finally pushed her plate away, she sat back against the booth and crossed her arms.

“All right, Wills. Spill it.”

Gabe smiled.

He’d noticed her
eyeballing
him throughout the meal. She’d been suspicious of the idle chit chat, but had played along, commenting neutrally on the paintings hanging throughout the diner.
Not only had she surprised him by knowing the artists, but also
some of the
stories and facts behind them.

Now, she sat back with her chin held high and her arms crossed over her chest, her wild tawny hair fall
ing everywhere. And she couldn’t
have been more attractive.

“Spill what?”

“What do you want?” s
he asked and narrowed her chocolate eyes.

“I guess I just wanted to get to know you a little better. I think we did get off on the wrong
foot. And I know you don’t like me
,
but I fail to see what’s not to like. I can be very agreeable.”

“So you say.”

“You hated me before
we even met
. Why?” He could all but see her shutting down. No, she would not tell him. Yet.

“Does it really matter why?” She waited a beat and continued when he merely raised his b
rows at her. “Let’s just say I’
m ver
y dedicated to my work and you have a high potential of being
in my way.”

“
You’re dedicated to
your
career. Good.” He
smiled
and spread his fingers out
. “Then you can surely understand where I’m coming from. I’m a very devoted photographer and this chase is just
as important to my career as
it is to yours.” He held up a hand to shush her when her mouth opened. He had to smile at the way she snapped it shut and glared at him
, but he wasn’
t finished. “It is. And you being the scientist, you should also understand that I am relying on you to help me find the shot I’m looking for. You see, Tory.” He sat back now and casually drummed his fingers on the table in front of him. “We have quite a bit in common, you and
I
.”

“I fail to se
e how that’
s relevant. So we both need this chase for our jobs, that’s obvious. But this is my team
and you just waltz in here with—
” She stopped short and he recognized it again. She was closing up.

“No, please finish. I came here with what? Money?” When he saw her eyes blaze
,
he pushed further. “I came here and saved your team so you can chase tornados for another year or two
without pinching pennies
and you hate me for it. Doesn’t make any sense to me.”

“We don’t need your money.” s
he
lied
between her teeth and rose to leave.

“W
hat do you need, Tory?” h
e asked before she could walk away.

“I need you to leave my team alone. We don’t need your fancy hotel rooms or your stupid
publicity. I sleep fine in my truck and I work all damn year to provide for my team. Pack up your camera, take your money, and get the hell away from us. That’s what I need.” With that, she laid a twenty on the table and walked out.

Gabe scooped up the twenty
,
then paid their bill with his credit card and followed her across the street.
She shot him a fuming glare when he caught up with her clipped strides.

“You let that café sponsor you. What difference d
oes it make that I’m doing it?”

She shook her head and kept walking.

“Come on, Tory. Tell me
what the difference is
.”

She veered off and started for the trucks
,
but Gabe grabbed her arm. She gasped and jerked
,
but he kept his blazing eyes
fixed
on hers.

“Where are you going?”

“To my truck.”

He took out her twenty dollar bill and crammed it in her
jean
pocket. She dropped her mouth open to shout at him, maybe curse him
,
but any words she would have thrown at him were smothered with his mouth.

He hadn’t meant to kiss her. He was simply going to use his unfailing charm and talk her into taking the room key. But something happened
every time
he saw that defiant look in her eyes. Something physical seemed to pull him to her and he was powerless to stop it.

His lips were not gentle, but they weren’t punishing either.
Even through the sense of urgency, he controlled himself.
One of his arms
locked
around
her waist
and pulled her firmly up against him.
His
other ha
nd moved to the back of her neck, touching the tender nerves there
.
She shivered and he felt dark satisfaction.

He deepened the kiss
when
he felt her body relax
in his arms, tasting the sweet corners of
her mouth. He wasn’t thinking. H
e still didn’t know when his brain had registered the kiss. It was an involuntary and shockingly automatic response on his part. He had never been demanding with a woman like he was demanding now.

When his head floated back down to his body, Gabe pulled his mouth back slightly and found himself staring into a pair of heavy lidded, confused brown eyes. She trembled
again,
just like she did in his hotel room that morning.

Wha
t was it about her
that left him aching? Wanting more?
Keeping his arm around her waist
, Gabe dug in his pocket and pulled out a key to the hotel suite that was next to his.

“Your room key,” h
e said
,
inches from her kiss-bruised mouth and placed it in her hand.

“What?” s
he
asked
dazed.
“No.” She pushed herself away from him and took a deep gulp of air
. “I’m staying in the truck.”

“Excuse me?”

“I’m staying in my truck like I always do. I don’t need a room.”

“Don’t be ridiculous.” Because he needed a moment to settle, he stepped back and ran a hand through his disheveled hair.

“I always stay in my truck. I hate hotel rooms.”

“There is no way I’m letting you stay in a truck.” He
reached for her hand
,
but s
he snatch
ed it back instantly.

“I’m staying in my truck.”

“Oh, no you’re not.” H
e made a grab for her.

“Yes I am. Ther
e’s nothing you can do about it
.” She whirled around and started for the truck and yelped again when Gabe plucked her off the ground.

“What the hell are you doi
ng? Put me down this instant!” s
he fumed, kicking and clawing at
whatever she could.

“You said there was
nothing I could do about it,” h
e
explained
calmly. “And you’re wrong.”

“Put me—o
h, oh!”

He threw her over his shoulder and started walking to the hotel. He clamped his arm around the back
of her knees when she
buck
ed
. She squirmed
,
but he carried her—butt in the air—
up a staircase, through a hall, and into
the
elevator.

She balled up her fist and starting pound
ing on his lower back. He didn’
t budge.

“I mean it! Put me down!” She growled
,
low and furious.

The elevator dinged and Gabe strolled out into the hallway. He had her key in his hand ready to unlock her door.
He dipped his head to
Billy
,
who was
sta
nding in his doorway with a dumbfounded look on his face.