Storm Warning by Kadi Dillon Page A

behind her and immediately began checking the bathroom and closets . She shivered, not having thought someone could still be in the room.
    “It should be obvious. The Vikings .” Tory all but spat the name as she gathered her belongings. Her arm full of clothes, she cursed Charlie Johnson and wished she’d taken a punch herself the other day. She tossed the clothes on the bed before going for another armful .
    “Why?”
    “Probably to pis s me off. They’re good at it.” She bent to retrieve all her data and notes, giving a silent prayer that they hadn’t damaged any of the articles she’d yet to type up . “Want some coffee or something ? I was just coming to take a break. ”
    “No.”
    “Suit yourself. Why don’t you go tell everyone to pack it up? I know we have a few hours yet , but I have to get m y things back in order and we can leave early for— for the next location .”
    “What are you going to do about this?” He gestured vaguely to the room.
    “Ignore it.”
    He cursed and stalked to her. She shot her chin up and matched his glare. So he was mad, she thought, watching his grey eyes go black. Fine, she was livid. His hands shot out and she braced herself for anger. She couldn’t have been more shocked when he curled his fingers around her shoulders and rubbed them.
    “ You okay?” he asked.
    The change from violence to gentleness rocked her system. Because her throat was constricted by an unbelievable pressure, she looked at him and nodded.
    “All right.” He kissed her brow and drew her against him. “I’ll go tell the guys to pack up and we ’ll have dinner tonight before w e head out. Do you want to talk about Oklahoma now or later?”
    He saw everything , she thought, fighting against the tears. “Later.”
    “I’ll be back after we clean up.”
    Alone, Tory walked over to the bed and sank down.
    She knew she was in love with him and she accepted it. But h ow could she have been so stupid? She knew what would happen if she fell for Gabe. Hadn’t she warned herself a dozen times now that he would be leaving —at the latest— in August?
    With a shaky sigh, Tory rose and faced herself in the mirror above the dresser. She took her time to take her hair down while she stared at her reflection. Could Gabe ever fall in love with someone like her? He was so sophisticated and polish ed. He always knew the right thing to say and everyone who knew him loved him. S he wasn’t any of those things.
    She imagined he could have any woman he wanted. He’d been rumored to be with beautiful women. What made him interested in her? She wouldn’t have called herself beautiful.
    She didn’t see her self as ugly. Ordinary, maybe—a verage.
    But Gabe had cal led her beautiful, she recalled . He had such pretty words. What would she do if he told her he loved her ?
    Tory laughed aloud at her own fantasies. A man like Gabe could never love a girl like her. Why would he? He had money, fame, and he could have any of those beauties he’d been pictured with by crook ing his finger.
    What would world famous photographer , Gabe Wills want with orphan and no body Tory Fairchild—waitress a nd storm chaser? On an oath, Tory spun around and finished stuffing papers back in to their files.
    She wouldn’t dwell on Gabe anymore. She would just get through the next eight weeks and enjoy the time she had left with him. When August came around, Gabe would walk away. Her heart would be broken and she w ould deal with that. What choice did she have?
     
    Gabe came back as promised with the rest of the crew in tow. Tory watched them all walking to the hotel from her window and sighed. He looked so right there, she realized, like h e belonged. Would it seem empty when he was gone?
    However things went between them , her feeling s were her responsibility . She wouldn’t burden him with silly declarations of love and need. He had enough to deal with, she thought, aching for him all over again . After having lost both