Gaby had nothing to say to all that. "You didn't believe me."
"Actually, that's not it." He put the car in gear and pulled away. "I was just frustrated. You know, for a change, I wanted to see you have as much intensity directed at me as you always have focused on pursuing some evil incarnate."
Rage simmered. "You were .. .jealous?"
"A real kicker, huh?"
"That's pathetic!"
He worked his jaw. "Tell me about it."
Damn it. Gaby twisted to stare out the window. Scenery passed in a blur. Her thoughts cramped. Her heart ached. "I'm sorry."
"I have no idea if you mean that or not."
How could he know when she jumped around so much? Reaching for his thigh, Gaby said, "Luther? I am sorry. But I can't help who I am."
"Sure you can." His hand covered hers, keeping it on his thigh, flattening her palm there. "Let me in, Gaby. That'd be a start."
No, it'd be an end. To him.
She couldn't tell him so. She'd hurt him enough already. Once she settled things here, when the evil was destroyed, she'd slip out in the quiet of the night.
That'd be best for everyone.
Gaby pulled her hand away. "Do you want me to open this gift or not?"
"Yeah, go ahead."
She pulled the bag open and peeked inside—and saw a small rectangular machine with wires coming out of it. "It plays music, right?"
"Yeah. It's a digital audio player."
She lifted it out. "I've seen people walking around with these plugged into their ears."
"I took a chance," Luther said, "and saved a bunch of songs into the memory for you. I hope you like them."
Speechless, Gaby just looked at it. Then, unable to help herself, she fiddled around with it until she got it on and could listen. Rambunctious beats vibrated through the machine with incredible power. "Wow."
"You like?"
She found a natural rhythm and bobbed her head to the music. "Yeah, I do."
He smiled. "There's another gift in there too."
"More?"
"Go on. Let me know what you think."
Unnerved by his generosity, Gaby again rummaged in the bag, digging below the pretty tissue paper. Her hand found a box and she lifted it out.
"Don't get pissed," Luther said. "Let me explain first, okay?"
Hearing that got her irritated right off. "What did you do?"
"Nothing. And it's not symbolic. Just… something that I thought would look right on you."
Oh God. He hadn't. He couldn't have. Gaby opened the box and found that, in fact, he had.
"A necklace?"
"A choker. The black leather is very you," Luther teased.
Her brows pinched down. "There's a silver cross."
"Not to ward off evil, I swear. Just because it's pretty." He reached over and trailed a finger down her cheek. "It reminds me of you."
Gaby went speechless.
"The leather choker is edgy and sexy. But the cross is so small and delicate—and regardless of your feelings on the matter, it represents good."
Gaby could only stare at him. "And somehow that matches your image of me?"
"Yeah." He kept glancing between her and the road. "Do you like it?"
Actually… "It is pretty, I guess. But not too pretty."
"It was made by a local craftsman to my specification. So there isn't another one like it anywhere."
Great. That'd mean if she wore it, it'd be as identifying as a scar or noticeable tattoo.
And maybe that had been Luther's purpose all along.
But for right now, Gaby wanted to pretend otherwise, she wanted to believe that he'd given her both gifts because somewhere in the depth of his soul, he actually liked and understood her. "Thank you."
"Will you wear it?"
Shrugging, Gaby wrapped the leather around her throat and connected the link in back. She tucked her hair behind her ears and turned to face Luther. "Well? What do you think?"
His gaze caressed her. "I think it looks even sexier on you than I imagined."
"Yeah, well I think you must've been too long without or something, because you've got sex on the brain big-time."
"Me? I'm not the one who was ogling a hooker giving a blowjob in a parked car."
Gaby went rigid—until she realized Luther was teasing. Then she relaxed again. "It was educational."
"But also revolting?"
"Pretty much." She idly ran her fingers along the music player dials. "It wasn't at all as nice as when you'd described it."
"Right." Luther cleared his throat. "Time to change the subject again."
"Or you'll get hard?"
"Exactly." Luther pulled up to the curb and put the car in park. He took a few seconds to compose himself, then turned off the engine and pulled out the keys. "We're here."
Gaby looked out the window. They were in front of the theater.
Granted, it was a cheapie, run-down theater—which suited her, but still…
"They only play old movies, and this is one I really like."
"The Big Easy," Gaby read on the lighted display. "Never heard of it."
"Cop show. Well, about dirty cops. But Ellen Barkin is a favorite of mine. She's super-sexy in this role."
Gaby scowled over that disclosure. "I've never been to the theater."
Glancing her way, Luther opened his seat belt. "I figured if you hadn't watched much TV, you probably hadn't taken in movies either. This place is low key and relaxed, but they have fresh popcorn and a variety of candy and colas, so I thought we'd start with it. If you like the experience, we can try stadium seating at a nicer place with a first-run movie next time."
Next time.
Luther made an awful lot of assumptions. But then, she'd admitted so much to him, how could he not?
"This place is fine." Or at least, better than the alternative he'd just described. She wasn't the type of woman who fit into "nicer" places.
Gaby started to open her door, but Luther got there before she could.
Though she didn't need it, he helped her out and took the music player from her. "You clip it onto your jeans like this."
Heat and age had curled the denim waistband so that it rolled out away from her skin. Going under her shirt, Luther slipped his fingers inside the waistband to attach the player. His skin was warm, his touch firm, and suddenly Gaby realized he was looking at her.
She didn't meet his gaze, but chose instead to watch his fingers. He drew his hands up, opening his palms against the bare flesh of her waist. His big thumbs nearly met over her navel.
"You are so slender."
"You mean skinny," she said, noting the thickness of his wrists, the sprinkling of hair on his arms.
"Mort said you haven't eaten."
"Mort needs to mind his own damn business."
Her surliness must have broken the mood for him. He shook his head and said, "Come on." Luther pulled one hand a way, but left the other there in a casual embrace against her bare skin as he led her into the theater. "They serve burgers, too. We'll both get one."
To Gaby's surprise, her stomach growled, making Luther chuckle. "I guess I'm hungry after all."
"That's what I thought."
They went straight to the concession stand. Above the scent of popping corn, it smelled of grease and salt and onions. Gaby's mouth watered. She was suddenly so hungry, she didn't even argue when Luther paid for their bounty by himself.
Laden with burgers, fries, drinks, popcorn, and candy, they made their way to their seats. Only two other couples were inside, and the lights were already low, the previews already playing.