“Don’t be modest, Emma. You know you’ve ruined me to exist without you.”
Although said lightly, I felt the threat of truth in his words. “Good. You’ve done the same to me.”
Gabriel stepped closer. His hands drifted to my hips. “I’ve got an idea. Why don’t you come with me?”
“I can’t get time off without more notice. Thank you for asking though. Any other way and I’d love to come with you.”
“Well, you know if you left Med-Tech…” My fingertips pressed against his lips. Gabriel nipped them in protest. “Fine, fine. I won’t say it.”
“Thank you.”
“Just know you’re suffering by choice though.”
I shook my head, rolling my eyes upwards. “You’d test a saint, Gabriel.”
“Or a goddess.”
“I’m not a goddess. I’m just me.”
“Yes, but you’re my goddess.” Gabriel leaned down and kissed me. The soft pressure of his mouth against mine melted me in no time at all. My arms linked around his neck, fingers tangling at the hair at his nape. Everything made so much more sense when we were like this. Mouth to mouth. Skin to skin. Too quickly we broke apart, lips hovering less than an inch apart. “Emma?”
“Yes?”
“I know it’s been a hard week for us. There’s been very little fun and it’s not supposed to be that way.”
“You won’t hear me arguing.”
“I didn’t want things to be like this for us. I wanted to court you properly. Everything has moved too quickly, too complicated. I’m sorry for that, Emma.” He nuzzled the tip of my nose with his. “I’ll make it up to you when I get back. Promise.”
“It’s okay, Gabriel. You don’t have to make anything up to me.”
“No, we’re going to have a fun, drama-free day together. We’ll go shopping, have lunch, go to a museum, have dinner, see a show, go out for drinks, and then bed. Where we’ll then fall asleep after an hour or two of vigorous sex.”
“All in one day?”
“Yep. It’ll be loads of fun though, don’t you think?”
I laughed, excited at the idea even if it never happened. “All right. Let’s do that.”
“It’s a date. No backing out.”
“It’s a date.”
He kissed me deeply, before resting his forehead on mine. “I love you, Emma.”
“I love you too.”
“No, I really love you.”
I blinked quickly as tears flooded my eyes again. “Look what you’ve done. You’ve made me cry, you mean, mean man.”
Gabriel wiped my cheek with the pad of his thumb. “I’ll call you every chance I get. Don’t forget about me while I’m gone.”
“How could I forget about you? I’ll be sore for days.”
His gaze darkened. “I’ll kiss your pretty bottom when I get back.”
“Promise?”
“Promise.”
I didn’t want to let him go. Ever. “I better get going.” Opening up the car door, I slid into the driver’s seat. Already I missed the feel of him. Gabriel reached in and kept me from closing the door.
“Listen, Emma, I hate leaving things unfinished the way they are tonight.”
“It’s okay.”
He sighed, beautiful gaze heavy with worry. “Are you going to be fine leaving things unfinished like this?”
“I’ll be fine. Truly.” I smiled widely.
So of course I wasn’t.
“Wait.”
“What is it?”
“Stand up please.”
I did as he asked. Gabriel took my seat and tugged me onto his lap. I didn’t fight him this time. I held him as tightly as he held me.
“Don’t lie to me. I know you’re not fine. I’m not fine either.”
“Gabriel, I’m trying to be brave here.”
“Don’t. I really don’t want to let you go, Emma. Not after this evening. You need me to hold you, to show you how much I love you and how I proud I am of all that you’ve done for me.”
I thought to say “It’s okay, really!” but the words couldn’t pass my lips. Instead I admitted my truth. “I really don’t want to let you go either, Gabriel.”
He sighed. “If I were more ruthless, I’d take you and put you on my jet whether you liked it or not.”
“I don’t know if I’d fight you right now.”
Gabriel dropped his head on my shoulder and groaned. “Don’t tempt me!”
I wondered how liberating it would be to just toss everything aside and go where my heart led me. I could spend a bit of my youth as a pampered mistress, beholden to nothing but my lover and pleasure.
Quit your job and then you can’t buy Mom a house. You’ve worked too hard and you’re so close to making it happen for her. Besides, you worked your whole life to be here. You can’t throw it away.
It was a nice fantasy but impossible to chase. I had too many responsibilities to entertain dropping everything and hopping on a plane with Gabriel.
“I don’t want to push you out the door, but I think you’re approaching your ten minute mark.” My whisper made him groan.
“If you won’t come with me then maybe I should just run away to your apartment. I’ll let you support me in the manner in which you would like me to be accustomed.”
“You’d be bored within a day.”
“You’re probably right.” Gabriel shifted me until I faced him fully. “I want you to spend every night thinking about me.”
“I will.”
“Emma, I expect you to do something for me while I’m gone.”
“Yes?”
“I want you to sleep in my apartment. I want to know that even if I’m not here, you’re sleeping in my bed.”
Excitement tingled. “Okay. I’ll do that.”
“I want you to feel free to watch all your non-chick flick, incredibly violent movies too.”
Smiling, I assured him I’d do just that.
“I have something else, Emma.”
“What is it?”
“You’re not allowed to come. At all.”
My smile disappeared and lust flooded my system. Stomach tightening and heartbeat speeding up, I promised breathlessly, “I won’t.”
“Good.” He bared his teeth in a wolfish grin. “I want you to touch yourself in the morning, as soon as you get home from work, and before bed.”
The interior of my car magnified his command. “But I thought you said you didn’t want me to come.”
“I don’t. But I do want you to touch this hot little p**sy here,” he pressed on my mound with the heel of his palm, “and think of me while you do. Only stop right before you come. Only a second before. Understand?”
Struck near-speechless, I nodded my head. “Yes, I do.”
“Good girl. And baby? I’ll know if you come.” Gabriel carefully sank his teeth into the fleshy part of my bottom lip. The sharp sting heightened my awareness of him.
Hunger blazed to life. My n**ples tightened and heat pooled between my thighs. I shifted in his lap, feeling a dull ache in my backside. The opposing sensations mixed beautifully, sending another bolt of lust throughout my body. I settled my hands on his broad shoulders and opened my mouth in mute plea.
Please. Please. Please.
Gabriel inhaled sharply, staring at my lips as if he wanted to devour them whole. His tongue laved the sensitive spot where he bit me. My core ached with each slow pass. Whispering his name, I sought to deepen the contact, to take his delightful tongue into my mouth and kiss him until forever.
“I love you.”
“I love you too.” Gabriel abruptly stood up, neatly placing me back into the driver’s seat. Dazed, I watched while Gabriel fastened my seatbelt before patting my leg. “Drive safely, my dearest love. Call me when you get home.”
I felt drugged, hazy and unable to think clearly. “You did that on purpose.”
His lips curled upwards. “I’m a glutton for punishment.”
“I can feel that.” My saucy remark concerning my sore ass caused him to smile briefly.
“Not yours, Emma. Mine.” Gabriel closed the door, waiting for me to drive away. I started the car, going through the motions of checking mirrors and all the other things I did out of habit. Inside, my heart hammered. I didn’t want to leave. I didn’t want Gabriel to go to Munich without me. I didn’t want to be left behind.
He lifted his hand in a wave which I returned. His solemn regard inspired mine to go the opposite. Pulling up beside him, I rolled down the window. “I love you, Gabriel.”
“I love you too, Emma.” He leaned in and brushed his lips over mine in a sweet kiss of farewell. “I’ll see you in two days. I’ll call you whenever I can before then. If anything happens, if you need me for anything, if you’re feeling sad, lonely, whatever—call me. I don’t care what time it is or what it’s about. Call. Me. Understand, Emma?”
“I do. Bye.” My smile remained wide and soft until I couldn’t see Gabriel in my rearview mirror.
Tears spilled, tumbling down my cheeks and sliding over my picture grin. My hand fumbled for my cell. I found the number with a few quick swipes.
Please pick up. Please.
“Hello?”
“Gretchen…” My voice choked on a broken sob.
“Lovely, what’s happened?”
“I f**ked up. Big time.”
Silence and then “Come over.”
TEN
“There’s my girl!” Gabriel swept me off my feet, swinging me around and peppering my face with sweet kisses. “I missed you like crazy. Did you know that?”
So happy I could melt, I laughed and batted back with “You couldn’t have missed me as much as I missed you.”
“Impossible and I’m willing to prove it.”
“Really? And how will you do that?”
“Easy. I said so.” He carried me into my apartment and kicked the door closed. Gabriel strode past the living room and went straight into my bedroom.
“And that’s all it takes?”
“That’s all.” He tossed me onto the bed. “How much did you miss me?”
“More than the world.”
My body tingled with anticipation. I ran my gaze over his dark suit, loving how the crisp white shirt brought out the burnished gold in his hair while the silver tie brought out the pewter flecks in his gorgeous eyes. Gabriel made formal work wear look sinfully delicious.
“Did you just get off the plane, Gabriel?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“And you came straight here? I’m so lucky.”
“Luck has nothing to do with it, my girl. Wait right here.” Gabriel’s playful grin promised good things if I obeyed.
Scooting back until I leaned against the headboard, I watched as he walked into my closet. Normally I would’ve asked, “What are you doing in there, Gabriel?” Instead, I felt relaxed. Patient even.