“Scott, I asked you to behave yourself.” Richard’s voice was low but reproving.

“Dad, I was only kidding. He takes himself so seriously — somebody needs to loosen him up. And he’s always been a player. So what’s the big deal?”

“It sounds like Gabriel has a girlfriend. Let him be happy.” Aaron’s voice was quiet and surprisingly compassionate.

Richard’s face wore a peculiar expression.

“Look you all, this holiday is hard enough without the passive-aggressive bullshit.” Rachel’s voice was raised over the rest as she stood, hands on hips, scowling at Scott. “Sorry about the language, Dad.”

“Why does everything have to revolve around him? Last time I checked, he was only one out of four.” Scott was no longer joking.

“Because he’s trying! Which is more than I can say about you. Now come over here and drain these goddamned potatoes, so you can start mashing them. Aaron will take the turkey out of the oven, and Julia, would you go and get Gabriel? I’d like him to look through the wine cellar and choose a couple of bottles.”

“I can do that,” Richard protested. “Maybe we should give him a minute.”

“He’s had his minute. As long as Scott agrees to behave.” She glared at him until he nodded. “Besides, Dad, you need to carve the turkey. Julia.”

Rachel angled her head toward the upstairs, and Julia nodded, slipping out of the kitchen. She quickly ascended the staircase and walked down the hall, pausing in front of the half-opened door to Gabriel’s old bedroom.

She knocked softly.

“Come in.” He sounded cross.

Gabriel’s room had not been redecorated since his seventeenth birthday, with the exception of the removal of his old band posters and pictures of scantily clad women. A double bed stood in the center of the room, underneath the large picture window that faced the woods. A large antique armoire stood against one of the walls, and three massive bookshelves and an old stereo covered the opposite wall. Almost all the decor was a masculine shade of dark blue, including the area rug.

Julia watched as Gabriel unpacked his suitcase, methodically placing the folded clothes on top of the bed. When he saw her, he straightened up and smiled.

“Now do you see why I prefer to stay at a hotel?”

“I’m sorry, Gabriel. I should have done something. Said something.”

“You need to do what I normally do — just keep quiet and take it.”

He dropped what he was holding and was at her side in a moment. “It’s a good thing we agreed to keep our relationship secret. Scott doesn’t think very highly of me, and your reputation would be tarnished by association.”

“I don’t mind. Let him tarnish me.”

He smiled and caressed her cheek. “I mind. I mind a great deal.” He cleared his throat. “Tonight, after everyone has gone to bed, I’d like to take you for a walk.”

“I’d love to.”

“At least that will give me something to look forward to.” Gabriel pulled her into a heated embrace. His tongue entered her mouth immediately, his hands resting on her backside, squeezing it without shame.

Julia al owed herself to forget she was in his father’s house for a minute before she struggled to back away. “We — can’t.”

Gabriel had a wild look in his eye. “But I need you.”  He grabbed her and wound his hands in her hair. “I need you, Julianne. Right now.”

Julia’s insides liquefied in reaction to the desperation in his words. He drew his lips down the curve of her neck, nuzzling at the opening of her shirt so that he could nibble her collarbone. He closed his bedroom door with his foot, and quickly unfastened two buttons of her blouse, pushing the fabric aside to expose the perfect skin just above her bra. Squeezing the curves of her backside, he lifted her and pressed her back against the door, pulling her legs flush around his hips. Julia gasped at the closeness, at the direct contact between them.

He floated his lips across her upper chest, pausing to dip the tip of his tongue just under the pale pink lace. Julia threw her head back and groaned as her hands sought his hair, urging him forward. He responded by tracing a long finger around the perimeter of her demi-cup, allowing his hand to gently slip inside, while his other hand held the back of her right thigh.

Her eyes popped open as his warm palm cupped her naked breast, his mouth latched onto the skin at the base of her throat, sucking slightly.

Much as it pained her to do so, she pulled his hand away and shifted so that he was forced to release his hold on her neck.

“Gabriel, I’m sorry. We can’t.” She quickly adjusted her bra. She wriggled slightly, but he did not set her down. Flushing furiously, she avoided the blazing color of his eyes. “I know you’re upset. And I’d like to comfort you, but they’re al waiting downstairs. Rachel wants you to choose the wine for dinner.”

Gabriel gazed at her with new eyes and carefully put her down. She quickly buttoned her blouse and tried to straighten her trousers.

“You think too highly of me.”

Julia ran the pointed toe of her ankle boot along the edge of the area rug. “I very much doubt that.”

“What I just did was not appropriate or nice. I’m sorry.” He traced a finger over the red mark that had bloomed where his mouth had tasted her and pulled her blouse closed, fastening the top button. Now she looked like a Mennonite.

She gazed up into dark, troubled eyes. “Gabriel, you’re stil tired from yesterday, and this is a stressful holiday. I know you didn’t mean anything just now. You feel better when you touch me. And truthful y, so do I.” Now she was looking at the floor again.

“Come here,” he whispered, reaching to envelope her in a warm embrace. “You’re wrong you know, I did mean it. Of course I feel better when I touch you. But I’m sorry to fly at you like that. I wasn’t thinking…” Gabriel appeared disgusted with himself.

“You didn’t hurt me.”

He smiled into her hair and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “I will endeavor to be worthy of you. If you weren’t here, I’d have left already.”

“No, you wouldn’t have. Richard needs you. And you would never leave him in need.”

A pained look shadowed Gabriel’s features. He kissed her once again, more like a friend than a lover, and turned back to his suitcase.

Julia crept out of his room and down the stairs, wondering what would happen during dinner. She paused on the landing to check her appearance in the mirror, hoping that she didn’t look as if she had just stolen a sensual moment with her professor.

Chapter 25

Rachel planned the seating arrangement. She sat in Grace’s place at the foot of the table, so she could be near the kitchen, while Richard sat at the head. Scott and Aaron sat on one side, Julia and Gabriel sat on the other. Julia could feel his eyes on her, but he made no move to brush up against her under the table, much to her disappointment.

Rachel stared at Julia’s new Mennonite look and glanced over at Gabriel.

He ignored his sister by focusing all of his attention on his linen napkin.

Before they began eating, Richard asked his family to hold hands so that he could say grace. A shock passed from Gabriel’s hand to Julia’s, making her withdraw hastily. Rachel’s eagle eyes saw the retreat, but she said nothing, especially since Julia eventually gave Gabriel her hand.

“Our Father, we thank you for this day and for the many gifts you’ve given us. Thank you for our country, our home, our food. Thank you for my beautiful family and that we can be together, for my lovely wife, the love of my life — ”

Six pairs of eyes opened immediately. Five pairs of eyes swung to the head of the table. One pair of gray eyes immediately closed and his hands covered them.

It had been a mistake. Her description had rolled off his tongue as it normally did during family grace. But the effect was dramatic and immediate. Richard’s shoulders began to shake.

“Oh my God,” mumbled Julia.

Rachel was out of her seat in a flash, wrapping her arms around her father’s shoulders, fighting back her own tears. Aaron quickly finished Richard’s prayer as if nothing had happened, and at the Amen everyone else wiped away a tear or two. They began passing vegetables and turkey and Scott’s mashed potatoes.

Except for Gabriel. He sat stoically, hands clenched into fists at his sides as he watched his adoptive father cry. Underneath the table, Julia reached out a tentative hand to Gabriel’s knee. And when he didn’t flinch, or throw her hand back into her lap, she kept it there. Eventually, he took her hand in his and squeezed it.

Julia felt Gabriel’s body begin to relax before they withdrew their hands. For most of the meal, he brought his left foot to entwine with her right, keeping their continued connection secret.

While the family enjoyed a store bought pumpkin pie, Richard told Julia he was moving to Philadelphia in January in order to start a new job as a researcher in the Neurosciences Center at Temple University Hospital.

“You sold the house?”

Richard’s eyes went to Gabriel and returned to Julia. “Yes. I bought a condo near Rachel and Aaron. I’ll be able to focus on my research in Philadelphia, and I won’t have to teach anymore. I’m not ready to retire yet, but I’d like to do something different.”

Julia felt sad that the house was going to be sold, but she said only complimentary things about his plans. This must be why Gabriel wants to visit the orchard tonight.

“So, Gabriel, why don’t you tell everyone about your upcoming trip to Italy?” Richard smiled in his adopted son’s direction.

Several things happened all at once. Rachel and Aaron glanced at Julia.

Julia continued eating her pumpkin pie as if nothing had happened, trying valiantly not to appear wooden. And Gabriel sought her hand under the table while he clenched his teeth. Julia could almost hear his jaw snap shut.

“You’re going to Italy? Man, I wish I had a cushy trust fund that would let me do that. I would love to go to Italy.” Scott winked at Julia.

Richard gazed at Gabriel politely but expectantly. Julia saw a flicker of anger pass over Gabriel’s features before it disappeared.

“I’ve been invited to give a lecture at the Uffizi Gallery in Florence,”

he announced stiffly.

“When will you go?” asked Rachel.

“The beginning of December.”

“How long will you be gone?” asked Aaron.

“A week or two, possibly more. My hosts have several events planned, and I had hoped to do some research for my book while I’m there. But that depends.”

Gabriel squeezed Julia’s hand under the table, but her hand had gone limp. She remained focused on her pie and chewed thoughtfully. No one noticed that her eyes had become watery. She didn’t dare look in Gabriel’s direction.

After dinner, the kitchen was crowded as everyone helped clean and put things away. Gabriel tried to speak to Julia alone, but they were constantly interrupted. Finally, he gave up and accompanied Richard out to the back porch while the rest of the family piled onto the couches in the living room to listen to very bad eighties music.