And when he met her gaze, it was obvious in her eyes and her expression she felt the same.

She shifted beneath him, and the subtle change in position made him catch his breath. He began to move, sliding out, then in again. She synchronized her rhythm to his, as if they’d never been apart, as if they’d made love just yesterday.

The old bed creaked beneath them and Gabrielle laughed. “I hope nobody’s going to complain to Mrs. Rhodes. She’ll never look at me the same way again.” Amusement bubbled in her voice and she grinned.

He propped himself up with his hands and placed a long, lingering kiss on her lips. One she answered by locking her arms around his neck and kissing him back. Once again, their bodies began to move in unison. He didn’t remember starting up again, but everything with Gabrielle came instinctually.

Without warning, she raised her legs, locking them tight around his back. She held him captive with her body, and there wasn’t another place he’d rather be. He rocked his hips from side to side, thrusting as best he could, seeking the friction their united bodies created.

He succeeded. Waves of desire built higher with each plunge he took deeper and deeper inside her. Her breath was warm and hot in his ear, becoming rougher with every thrust. Just when he thought she was about to come, he deliberately slowed his pace.

It nearly killed him, but he took his time, wanting to see her clearly. He knew it was selfish, but he wanted to mark every moment in time a she plunged in, then out again. He needed her to feel every hard inch of him branding her, inside and out.

He pulled out of her until only the tip of him touched her moist opening. Reaching down, he circled her breast with his palm, cupping and molding her in his hand. Her hips jerked beneath him, her small feminine mound thrust upward, wet, wanting.

“God, Derek!” She reached for him but he remained out of reach.

Instead he leaned down and pulled one hard, distended nipple into his mouth. He suckled on the engorged tip, teasing with his teeth, laving with his tongue. Back and forth until her hips shook in a frenzied rhythm.

A frantic plea.

His groin throbbed desperately and he knew he’d reached his limit.

“Dammit, Derek, now!” Apparently so had she, as the words exploded from deep inside her.

She grabbed on to his shoulders and dug her long nails into his skin, and with her heels, she pushed his body back toward hers.

He didn’t need any more coaxing. He plunged into her so fast his world spun. He didn’t remember anything after that except the heat suctioning all around him and Gabrielle’s screams of pleasure. Release didn’t hit him slowly but slammed into him with the force of a Mack truck.

At that moment, everything around him suddenly cleared. He inhaled her warm, sweet scent. His face was close to hers and her soft hair brushed against his cheek. He was inside her. She surrounded him. And the explosion that followed rocked his world.

Although he was filling her body, she did the same for his heart, completing him as no woman ever had.

DEREK DOZED BESIDE Gabrielle. She knew she’d have to wake him soon so he could go home before Holly realized he’d slept out, but she wanted a few selfish minutes first. She let her gaze travel over him. Asleep, he was so much more vulnerable than awake and definitely less guarded. Not that he’d been remotely guarded when they made love, she thought, a smile curving her lips as she remembered.

Their connection had been even stronger than when they were younger and she’d dare him to challenge her on that. When she and Derek joined together, it was a connecting of hearts. She knew it just as she knew now she had something to fight for.

No, she thought, correcting herself. She had everything to fight for. Still, she had an uphill battle ahead.

Wanting a little more quiet time before he had to go, she snuggled in to him. He reached out and pulled her close, spooning his body around hers. She shut her eyes and savored his heated warmth until, little by little, her body relaxed and her mind wandered.

GABRIELLE AWOKE WITH a start. Sunlight flooded the room through the window curtains she’d forgotten to draw shut last night. She glanced at her alarm clock and realized it was 9:00 a.m.

Wow, she must have really been exhausted to sleep so late. Then again, Derek had definitely worn her out, she thought wryly. She quickly glanced at the other side of the bed, hoping he hadn’t slept through the night along with her. With relief, she realized he was gone, which hopefully meant he’d gotten home before Holly missed him. She placed her hand on the space beside her. The sheets were cold. He must have left not long after she’d fallen asleep last night.

She wasn’t worried that he’d left her bed with regrets. She knew it was Holly that had drawn him away. She trusted Derek enough to know that if anything had changed between them, he’d tell her face-to-face.

But she wasn’t going to give him the time or space to panic about what they’d done or the implications. She could work as easily here as she could at her apartment. She was in no rush to get home.

Gabrielle tossed the covers off and headed to shower for the day ahead. Now that she was sure of her own feelings, she planned to include Derek in every area of her life, lavishing him and his daughter with enough affection that he wouldn’t be able to deny they belonged together. And if that wasn’t enough, she’d arm herself with enough curse-rebuttal knowledge to change his mind.

Because she loved him. Before last night, she’d sensed she had never stopped doing so and now she was certain. They had a lot to learn about each other still, but they deserved the opportunity. She was determined to give it to them.

WHEN SHE COULDN’T FIND her car keys again the next morning, Sharon decided to change purses. She was going to move everything she’d put in the small open-topped handbag she’d taken to the Wave into her work tote, giving her more room.

Sitting at her kitchen table, she dumped the contents of the smaller bag onto the table. Yes, she was a pack rat. Even her dress bags were stuffed with unnecessary items she might need and couldn’t leave the house without. Richard, who was much neater, often teased her about the clutter.

Reminded of Richard, the fear and panic she’d been fighting all morning resurfaced. Nobody had contacted her last night, which meant she’d be constantly looking over her shoulder for the big shoe to fall. The photo would eventually surface, although it wasn’t in the local paper, thank God. At least not yet. She’d run to the end of the driveway this morning and scanned the news cover to cover. Not knowing what Tony’s next step would be had her on edge.

“Concentrate on your daily routine,” she instructed herself aloud. The only way she could function was to ignore her churning stomach and focus on the things she needed to do.

She picked up each item, one at a time-her wallet, makeup case, cell phone and keys-and placed them in her work bag. She also went through the receipts and papers that she’d been accumulating. Tissues went into her tote. Receipts, notes and the like she set aside in two piles, trash and to file later.

“What’s this?” She picked up a small envelope she didn’t recognize with her name typed on the front. The flap hadn’t been sealed.

She didn’t have a good feeling about this. With shaking hands, she pulled out a note. “Leave the money in the bathroom hallway, beneath the fake ficus tree outside the ladies’ room. Photos will be returned shortly thereafter.”

Cryptic and to the point. But she hadn’t seen this letter last night and she broke out in a sweat now. He’d expected her to leave the cash and she’d left the bar instead. No money had changed hands and she had no way to contact the person to explain. No way to contact him to explain.

She was in so much trouble.

What if Tony-she still believed it was Tony who was blackmailing her-was furious? What if he thought she was playing with him and he got angry? He could very well expose her instead of contacting her again. Those photographs could show up in the paper any day.

No. She couldn’t let that happen.

Which meant she needed a plan.

As she stuffed the note in her purse with shaking hands, she realized what her next course of action had to be. And a sudden sense of calm overtook her. She was going to take charge of her life again.

First, she needed to talk to Tony, but she couldn’t go in blind. She had to stake him out and see what kind of life he led now. Only then could she consider approaching him.

She pulled out her keys and headed for her car. First stop, Gabrielle’s. Sharon needed to come up with a story to cover her sudden upcoming disappearance so her best friend wouldn’t worry. She couldn’t tell Gabrielle what she had planned. Her friend would definitely try to talk Sharon out of it. And if Gabrielle couldn’t dissuade Sharon, she’d insist on coming along. But this was something Sharon needed to handle herself.

With any luck, she wouldn’t be arrested with her hands around Tony’s neck as she screamed, “Give me my naked photographs, you jerk!”

GABRIELLE GOT A LATER start to the day than planned because Sharon had stopped by to let her know she’d be out of town for a few days. She said she’d received a call late last night from another librarian. The woman had asked Sharon to fill in for her at a regional conference, since she’d come down with some kind of summer virus. Sharon said she’d be gone three or four days tops, but she’d call to check in.

Gabrielle was disappointed. She’d hoped to spend some more time with her friend, but she would have no problem keeping busy. Sharon’s trip would give Gabrielle a chance to interview people in town about the curse.