Page 47 of Every Broken Piece

Chapter forty-five

Gabe

T he minute we land my phone starts pinging. Mainly with reports from my team that I requested for the Montrose meeting. Jack has left a list of at least six things I need to do before tomorrow. Jacob emailed to inform me that Montrose has checked into his hotel.

I’m back in Denver and I’ve hit the ground running, yet I can’t stop thinking about Tess kissing me.

It was adorably clumsy, yet it set my blood on fire.

The fact that she kissed me is a huge step in bringing down those walls of hers and I feel like I’m ten feet tall striding down the tarmac toward the waiting car.

I open the car door for her only to realize that she’s still standing at the bottom of the steps to the plane, staring in wonder at Pikes Peak. Damn it. I’m back home two minutes and I’m already consumed with work, forgetting that I practically dragged her here.

I start to make my way back to her, then pause, taking a moment to enjoy the bright oranges and yellows of the sun sparking off her dark hair, the mountains that I’ve taken for granted for years, rising up in front of her.

Her head is tilted up as she takes it all in and I think of her t-shirts and all the places she’s never been but wants to go and I give her this moment to savor her first look at the Rocky Mountains while I vow to both of us that I will make her t-shirt bucket list a reality.

“That’s Pikes Peak,” I say when she turns her head to me, her eyes so bright with joy she makes my knees weak.

“I’ve heard of Pikes Peak.”

“It’s the highest summit of the Front Range of the Rockies. I’ll take you there someday.”

She turns in a circle, staring at the snow topped mountains then the swiftly moving clouds. It’s brisk, but not freezing, however she’s only wearing a thin hoodie and while I’d stand here all day with her, I’m not about to let her get sick.

“We should go,” I say. “Before you catch a cold.”

“You can’t catch a cold from being cold.” But she starts walking to the car while I smile like a fool at her comeback. That right there is the Tess I started falling for, the Tess of our late-night texting sessions. I love this small glimpse of the woman she could become if we vanquish her fears.

During the ride to my apartment building Tess cranes her neck one way then the other to follow the craggy mountain ridges, her smile so large and bright I feel it shining in my soul.

I’m worried because I know what’s awaiting us at home.

My time alone with Tess is now down to minutes and I have this irrational urge to drag her back to the plane and fly her to a place where no one can find us, preferably with sand and water and a little bungalow that’s ours alone.

But Montrose awaits and so do Jack and Pax.

We take the elevator to the very top of the building where Pax and I live.

With hands shaking far more than I’d like, I press my palm to the sensor and open the door, stepping back so she can enter first. Instead, she shuffles backward, as if feeding off my hesitation.

With a hand to the gentle swell of her hip I guide her through the door and shut it.

I kick Pax’s shoes to the side with a spurt of frustration that he can’t even put his shoes away knowing I’m bringing Tess home.

“About time you got here.” Jack rounds the corner from the kitchen and strides toward us, smiling like the idiot he is.

Tess shrinks back, bumping into me as Jack keeps coming toward her, his arms open as he swoops her into a bone crushing hug that squeezes the breath out of her. I can literally hear her heavy exhale.

“Jack, you ass, be careful. She’s hurt.” I pry them apart and his grin falls.

“Damn, Tess, I’m sorry. I forgot. I’m just so happy to finally meet you in person that I got carried away.”

I roll my eyes. “Tess, this is my stupid brother, Jack. Jack, Tess.”

Jack’s grin is back. “We already met. Remember that one time you refused to video chat with her, so I took your place? Remember that Gabe?”

It’s good to see that annoying Jack is here. “I remember.”

“Tess and I got to know each other really well during that chat. Didn’t we, Tess?” He winks at her, and she blinks up at him with wide, confused eyes.

He’s baiting me, and it’s working. I want to punch him but I’m pretty sure punching my brother within the first two minutes of Tess being in my home would kill any progress I made with her.

I guide her down the short hall that leads to the heart of my home.

I look at the apartment through her eyes.

It isn’t what people would expect a bachelor billionaire to live in.

The living, kitchen, and dining area are two stories, but the overstuffed couch is well lived in, the area rugs showing signs of wear.

Pax’s coat is tossed over my recliner, his bulging laundry bag sitting at the foot of the stairs.

Family pictures line the mantlepiece. It’s lived in and it’s comfortable and that’s what I love about it.

At my urging Tess reluctantly moves forward.

I feel like I’m pushing her. “Jack can be a bit much,” I lean down to speak quietly into her ear, to remind her that I’m here and to give her the opportunity to lean on me.

I’m slightly alarmed at how stiff she is.

“I’ll tell him to dial it back. Or you can tell him to knock it off. ”

She focuses on the wall of windows that lead to a balcony overlooking the city and the mountains beyond.

I start rambling because I’m nervous, which is an odd sensation because I’m rarely nervous.

It’s just that I want Tess to feel at home.

“The main level is the kitchen and living room. My office is over there, to the right of the kitchen. There’s a gym through that door under the stairs. Upstairs are the bedrooms.”

Tess stops at the edge of the breakfast bar her gaze traveling up to the ceiling, snagging on the ostentatious chandelier that I’ve always hated but never found time to replace, then to the couch, the fireplace, her eyes flicking over the family pictures, and finally landing back on the wall of windows and the mountains beyond.

Her shoulders roll inward. The longer she looks, the more her silence stretches.

Jack shoots me a frown, his brows creased in worry.

Feet pound down the open staircase and Pax hops over the last three steps landing about three inches from Tess. She jerks back and raises her arm to shield her face.

My heart fucking drops. What the hell?

“Pax,” I bark, causing Tess to flinch and take a step away from me. “Be careful.”

“Sorry.” But he’s staring at Tess like he’s never seen a woman before. It’s not like he didn’t know she was coming. I gave him plenty of warning and the opportunity to tell me he wasn’t comfortable with me bringing her home. Now he’s staring at her like he’s not sure what to do.

I reach for Tess’s hand and curl my fingers through hers. Her hand is limp. That’s not like her. We hold each other’s hand when the other reaches. I feel like I’ve just taken two very large steps back, losing all the ground I gained, and I’m confused as to why.

“This is Pax,” I say to her. “Pax, this is Tess.”

“It’s nice to meet you,” he says, more subdued than Jack was when I introduced them and now I’m worried I’ve upset my son. I’ve never brought a woman home for dinner, let alone to live with us. And while Pax doesn’t live here all the time, this is still his home.

Did I fuck this up? My relationship with Tess and my relationship with Pax?

“I ordered dinner in,” Jack says, cutting through the thick tension. He turns his smile to Tess, a softer, more subdued smile than before. “I didn’t know what you’d like so I ordered a bit of everything. I’m sure my brother forgot to feed you on the plane.”

“I, um.” She slides her hand from mine to tuck her hair behind one ear. I want to grab her hand back but am afraid to make the wrong move in what I’m feeling is a precarious situation. “I slept most of the flight,” she says.

“So, you must be hungry.” Jack claps his hands then rubs them together. “Come on in and let’s eat. Pax you get the plates.”

Pax jerks out of whatever trance he’s in and moves to the kitchen to start pulling plates out of the cupboard.

“I can help,” Tess says, her voice just barely above a whisper.

“Nope.” Jack smiles at her again. “You’re the guest so we serve you.”

She shakes her head vehemently. I don’t miss the slight wince of pain from the motion. “I don’t want to be a burden.”

Shit. I hate that she thinks she’s imposing when I basically forced her here. “You’re not a burden, Spitfire. You’re my guest.”

She dips her head away from me and my heart cracks right down the middle. Why won’t she look at me?

“Take a seat.” Jack motions to the glass topped dining room table we hardly ever use. Mostly we sit in the living room and watch TV while we eat, but tonight we’ll be civilized.

Dinner is torturous. Tess eats with her eyes trained on her plate, only speaking when someone directly asks her a question. Mainly it’s Jack doing the talking. Pax watches her intently as he scarfs down two plates of General Tso’s chicken.

With my heart in my throat, I can barely speak.

I feel like I’ve made a huge mistake bringing her here.

Not because I don’t want her in my home, but because it’s very clear she doesn’t want to be in my home.

I desperately want to get her alone and ask her what’s wrong, but Jack and I have to prep for this meeting tomorrow which means I’ll have to leave her soon and I’m terrified she’ll be gone when I’m finished.

When it’s clear that Pax has eaten enough and Jack’s inane chattering has faded, Tess stands and begins gathering dishes, using her injured wrist to prop the dirty dishes on.

I take the plates from her. “You don’t need to clean up. Pax can do that.”

Her eyes dart to Pax, then away. “I want to carry my own weight while I’m here.”

I hand the plates off to Pax who takes them to the sink. “Tess, look at me.”