Chapter 5

Before he could reply, Jake came wandering back in. “I thought I heard a sweet voice.” He smirked at Gage. “Either that, or boss man was getting in touch with his feminine side.”

Kelsey laughed and released Gage’s hand. “I mention trouble and you walk in.”

Jake came over quickly and pulled Kelsey into an easy hug. When his eyes connected with Gage’s he knew the other man sensed her change being close. Subtly stepping away from her, Jake looked down at Gage’s hand. “Truck try to take a bite?”

Gage studied his eyes for a second more, his pupils were huge, and for the easy-going Jake that was rare. “Just a little bite.” He glanced back to Kelsey. “Did you get your stuff in the house?”

She shrugged, “I’ll bring the rest in later.” Her smile was directed at Jake. “I had to come and see if you guys were staying out of trouble first.”

Jake jammed his hands in his pockets. Gage could see how tense the muscles in his arms and neck were. “Speaking of trouble, I better go make a few calls and see where the hell my parts are before they’re all over my ass when their digger is not finished on time.” He sent her a brief look. “It’s great to have you home, Kels.”

“Did he get bigger or am I getting shorter?” She asked, as she watched Jake walk out.

Gage wanted to growl knowing that she’d even looked at the other man. “He may have filled out a bit more. You were gone quite a while.”

“Yeah.” Tucking her hands into her back pockets, she looked around the shop. “You guys expanded this bay too. Its great things are going so well.”

It took all he had to lean back against the sink and try to look unaffected by her being there. “Are you staying?”

“At the shop?” She gave him an odd look.

Shaking his head, he crossed his arms over his chest. “No, home.” He watched her inhale deeply, trying not to react when it pushed her breasts up under the t-shirt that she more than filled out.

“Yeah, I think I am. I need some time to find a direction.”

“I thought you found it with all those classes you took.” That kept you out of my reach for years.

Moving over to the wall of tools, she walked along, hands still in her back pockets and looked over them slowly. “I thought I had too, but now it just feels…” she shrugged, “lacking.”

Torn between wanting to reach out to her after hearing that desolate tone in her voice and doing a dance on the spot, just knowing she was starting to feel what he’d been going through for seven long years. There would be no waiting this time. Before she knew it, her body was going to make all the decisions for her. Her cat would know what he was to her, even if she tried to flee again. “Maybe you can put some of it to use here. Mom’s behind in the office and Dad is so busy with contracts lately and all the politics that go with it, that he doesn’t have time for the business end much.”

“I’ll see what I can do to help.”

She wandered over to the truck he’d been working on and then turned to look back at him. So many emotions were going through her eyes, he cringed inside. At least he knew why he was a complete mess, she didn’t have a clue.

“Gage?”

The hesitant way she said his name made his heart stutter. Not trusting his voice, he just held her eyes with his, safely keeping the ten feet between them.

“Can I ask you something?” She crossed her arms over her chest in a protective manner and he nodded.

“I know here is where my family is, I get that, always have, but…”

“And Kitty-Kat has finally come home.” Cooper walked into the bay, striding quickly in her direction.

Kelsey smiled wide and rushed in his direction.

Gage stood there fighting every instinct he had when the older man enclosed her in a tight hug.

“Hey, Coop.” She said, genuine emotion in her voice.

The older man leaned back while holding her shoulders and looked her up and down. Gage shouldn’t feel envious for their close relationship. It had been Cooper that had brought her to them after her parents died. He’d left the alliance then too, and made here his home as well as hers. Gage often wondered if Cooper felt responsible for her parents dying, responsible for her.

“You’re home for good, right? It sure as hell has been a dreary place without your sunshine around here.”

She laughed. “I’m home for now, at least. I have no definite plans.”

Cooper’s eyes met Gage’s over her head. It didn’t take a genius to figure out the man was telling him to get it done and keep Kelsey where she belonged. For the most part he’d always gotten along with the man, except when Gage had let her go off to school without telling her the truth. Even thought it hadn’t been up to Gage, he still took the brunt of everyone being pissed about it.

“Are you going to show me around?”

Gage realized she’d still been talking when he got lost in the past. Cooper was nodding, a smile on his old scarred face.

“Absolutely. We have some new toys you’re going to want to check out as well.”

Kelsey paused and looked over at Gage, the hesitant look flashing in her eyes for a split second. “I’ll talk to you later, okay?”

Nodding, he continued to lean where he was. “Sure thing.”

Cooper led her toward the outer door, sending Gage a brief scowl.

Blowing out a breath, Gage turned around and grasped the edge of the sink. Dropping his head down to his chest, he stood there trying to let go of the tension that was riding him hard. Why had he thought it was going to be easier now that she was older? Clearly, he didn’t have a handle on rational thought right now.