One Touch of Moondust by Sherryl Woods Page A

“Didn’t you?”
    He sighed wearily. “Yes. At least I suspected it.”
    â€œThen why didn’t you correct the mistake then? Why did you let it come to this? Did you enjoy making a fool of me?”
    â€œI’m not the one who did that. You did it all by yourself. You used superficial values to judge me, label me and tuck me away.” He grabbed her arms and held on so tightly that she had to bite back a gasp. She refused toadmit to the pain, which she was certain was no greater than the anguish she saw in his eyes. “I’m a man, Gaby. An individual who has a thousand different facets to his personality, just like you do.” Their gazes clashed, hers repentant, his blazing with anger and frustration.
    â€œDammit,” he swore softly, his hands dropping to his side. He seemed to be biting back something, restraining himself.
    Gabrielle rubbed her arms and waited for the explosion to go on. When it didn’t, she said, “You might as well go on.”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œDon’t stop now. You’re on a roll. Then, again, maybe I should remind you of the niche you’ve put me in and exactly how many times I’ve proven you to be mistaken. Don’t tell me you didn’t expect to have a rich prima donna, a real spoiled brat on your hands. You have a real hang-up when it comes to money. Even I can see that.”
    He sighed. “Okay, you’re not the only villain in this piece. That’s all the more reason we should stay as far away from each other aswe can get. We seem to bring out the worst in each other.”
    Gaby refused to let that lie go unanswered. “Not always.” At his shocked and disbelieving look, she added, “At least not for me.”
    â€œWhat are you saying?”
    â€œAll day today I’ve been remembering the way I felt this morning. You never even touched me and yet I felt as though I were the most desirable woman on the face of the earth. I felt a fire inside that I’d never felt before.”
    â€œThat’s lust, Gaby. We’ve never even tried to deny that we feel that. I ought to know. I came damned close to forcing myself on you in there this morning.”
    She shook her head and smiled. “Don’t even try to turn what nearly happened here today into some sort of ugly scenario with me as the poor victim. I wanted you, just as much as you wanted me.”
    â€œIt’s not enough, Gaby. For this to work, we need mutual respect and we’ve just established that it doesn’t exist. Our bodies may be in perfect harmony,” he said, a bitter note of regret in his voice, “but our heads are in different worlds.”
    Gabrielle wanted to protest, but there was far too much truth in what he said. If they were to find their way to something real and meaningful between them, they would have to start over. The prospect might have seemed insurmountable were it not for one thing.
    â€œWhat about our hearts?” she responded finally, reaching out to touch his chest. He trembled as her fingers lingered over the spot where his heart thundered at a revealing pace. “What about those?”
    Paul’s eyes widened at the softly spoken taunt, but she didn’t wait around for an answer. She picked up her coat and left, not sure where she was going, only certain that she wanted to be far from here when she began to cry.

CHAPTER SEVEN
    P aul stared at the door as it slammed behind Gabrielle, instinctively noting that the frame seemed a little loose on top. He automatically went for his hammer and a handful of nails as he pondered her exit line.
    What the hell was she talking about? Had she been trying to suggest that this thing between them amounted to love? That was crazy. They barely knew each other. In fact, until tonight they’d both apparently been influenced—subconsciously at least—by fairly negativefirst impressions, the kind that did not inspire love or anything