him he could not touch her without wanting her.
Michelle would have had to be blind not to notice the change in Gator. She, too, was shaken. How could an innocent handshake have such a powerful effect on her? This had nothing to do with mere friendship, she decided. His hand closing over hers had conveyed much more. She could imagine those leather-roughened hands on her skin. Those hands could yield strength and power or stroke a woman with a touch as light as dandelion fluff. The knowledge only heightened her awareness of him, and she wondered if there was a woman alive who was not susceptible to the very maleness of him.
#
Michelle returned to the shelter with Gator, but before they picked up Reba, she helped administer to several people with minor injuries. Gator watched, mesmerized. He could see the caring on her face and in the tender way he touched people. He could not help but develop a new respect for her.
It was late when Gator drove Michelle and Reba to his place, which turned out to be a blue, forty-foot-long houseboat located in a cove on the bayou. Surprisingly enough, it had sustained very little damage from the storm, except for a shattered window and some water leakage. His power was out, but that was the norm.
Using his flashlight to guide them, Gator helped Reba and Michelle out of the truck and led them onto the deck of the houseboat. He stopped at the door long enough to unlock it, then shined the light in so they could pass through first. “Watch your step,” he cautioned. “Just stay where you are till I find my kerosene lamp.”
As soon as they had light, Reba checked her hound and accepted Gator’s offer to take the dog out. Mister Ed began to squawk at the sight of them, but was quickly calmed by Reba’s voice. She draped a towel over his cage, and he went to sleep.
Michelle found herself standing in a living room of sorts, which was separated from a small kitchen by a counter. The living room furniture consisted of two sofa beds across from which stood a built-in bookcase holding a flat screen and stereo. The bookcase was filled with paperbacks and record albums, but it was too dark to see the titles. She held the lamp up to the entrance of a short hallway and found a small bedroom with an attached bath. Everything was surprisingly neat.
Reba yawned and stretched. “I’m so tired I could drop right here on the floor and it wouldn’t matter.” Michelle nodded, just as Gator came through the door with the dog.
“I found a couple of flashlights behind the seat in my truck,” he said, testing them to make sure they worked. He handed each of them one. “Maybe they’ll keep you from bumping into walls. You two can have the bed, and I’ll take the couch,” Gator said. “But first”—he paused and glanced at Reba, his look amused—“I’d better change the sheets.”
Reba merely chuckled, but Michelle rolled her eyes heavenward. “We’d appreciate it very much,” she said, sarcasm ringing loud in her voice. Heaven only knew what kind of unnatural acts he’d performed on those sheets.
In the end, Michelle helped him change them, all the while refusing to meet his gaze, which she knew was bright with silent laughter. The man was totally without scruples, she decided. She was thankful it was dark and he couldn’t see the bright blush on her cheeks.
“Would you like to wash up?” Gator asked as soon as they’d finished making the bed. “I have several jugs of water in the back of my truck. And I always keep a couple of toothbrushes on hand in case I have company.”
“Yes, I’ll just bet you do,” Michelle replied.
Her words seemed to amuse him even more. “Just let me find you and Reba something to wear, and then I’ll get the water.”
Once Reba had washed up and changed into fresh clothes, Michelle poured water into the bathroom sink and bathed her face and the back of her neck, then washed as best she could. Gator had given them both a toothbrush, and Michelle
Michelle would have had to be blind not to notice the change in Gator. She, too, was shaken. How could an innocent handshake have such a powerful effect on her? This had nothing to do with mere friendship, she decided. His hand closing over hers had conveyed much more. She could imagine those leather-roughened hands on her skin. Those hands could yield strength and power or stroke a woman with a touch as light as dandelion fluff. The knowledge only heightened her awareness of him, and she wondered if there was a woman alive who was not susceptible to the very maleness of him.
#
Michelle returned to the shelter with Gator, but before they picked up Reba, she helped administer to several people with minor injuries. Gator watched, mesmerized. He could see the caring on her face and in the tender way he touched people. He could not help but develop a new respect for her.
It was late when Gator drove Michelle and Reba to his place, which turned out to be a blue, forty-foot-long houseboat located in a cove on the bayou. Surprisingly enough, it had sustained very little damage from the storm, except for a shattered window and some water leakage. His power was out, but that was the norm.
Using his flashlight to guide them, Gator helped Reba and Michelle out of the truck and led them onto the deck of the houseboat. He stopped at the door long enough to unlock it, then shined the light in so they could pass through first. “Watch your step,” he cautioned. “Just stay where you are till I find my kerosene lamp.”
As soon as they had light, Reba checked her hound and accepted Gator’s offer to take the dog out. Mister Ed began to squawk at the sight of them, but was quickly calmed by Reba’s voice. She draped a towel over his cage, and he went to sleep.
Michelle found herself standing in a living room of sorts, which was separated from a small kitchen by a counter. The living room furniture consisted of two sofa beds across from which stood a built-in bookcase holding a flat screen and stereo. The bookcase was filled with paperbacks and record albums, but it was too dark to see the titles. She held the lamp up to the entrance of a short hallway and found a small bedroom with an attached bath. Everything was surprisingly neat.
Reba yawned and stretched. “I’m so tired I could drop right here on the floor and it wouldn’t matter.” Michelle nodded, just as Gator came through the door with the dog.
“I found a couple of flashlights behind the seat in my truck,” he said, testing them to make sure they worked. He handed each of them one. “Maybe they’ll keep you from bumping into walls. You two can have the bed, and I’ll take the couch,” Gator said. “But first”—he paused and glanced at Reba, his look amused—“I’d better change the sheets.”
Reba merely chuckled, but Michelle rolled her eyes heavenward. “We’d appreciate it very much,” she said, sarcasm ringing loud in her voice. Heaven only knew what kind of unnatural acts he’d performed on those sheets.
In the end, Michelle helped him change them, all the while refusing to meet his gaze, which she knew was bright with silent laughter. The man was totally without scruples, she decided. She was thankful it was dark and he couldn’t see the bright blush on her cheeks.
“Would you like to wash up?” Gator asked as soon as they’d finished making the bed. “I have several jugs of water in the back of my truck. And I always keep a couple of toothbrushes on hand in case I have company.”
“Yes, I’ll just bet you do,” Michelle replied.
Her words seemed to amuse him even more. “Just let me find you and Reba something to wear, and then I’ll get the water.”
Once Reba had washed up and changed into fresh clothes, Michelle poured water into the bathroom sink and bathed her face and the back of her neck, then washed as best she could. Gator had given them both a toothbrush, and Michelle
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