He laughed softly. “Just starting? That’s not good enough, baby.” Gripping my hips, he brushed his lips across the sensitive crease high on my thigh. I sighed raggedly and moaned his name. “We’re getting a little better, aren’t we?”
Incapable of speech, I nodded only to jerk when he nipped me in punishment. I briefly thought of reminding him we were in my space, but I couldn’t even begin to care enough when he did it again. “Emma…”
“We’re getting better!”
Gabriel kissed the tender spots as reward. “Good girl.”
I melted. I’d never tire of hearing I was Gabriel Gordon’s good girl. Gold star to the end, I craved his approval and would now do just about anything to get it.
“I know my good girl needs what I promised her.”
Just like that, Gabriel licked and sucked every inch of me. Lost in a rising tide of sensation, I fisted the comforter. I couldn’t seem to control my body’s movements as I writhed beneath him, each glide of his tongue making me more crazed.
Soon I felt his fingers slide between my thighs. I instantly spread my legs, mutely inviting him to touch me further. Two of Gabriel’s fingers slid home true. We both moaned at the sensation.
“Emma? Did you do as I asked?”
A wanton flush crept over me. I resisted the urge to let my hand travel down between my thighs as well. “Yes, Gabriel.”
“And what happened? Did you come?”
My eyes fluttered shut. I remembered the tide that wrapped me tight as I lied nak*d in Gabriel’s bed, fingers working with delicate frenzy as I imagined him watching me.
“No, I didn’t.”
“Not even once?”
I shook my head and whispered, “No.”
“Why?”
“Because you told me not to.”
He let out a deep, throaty chuckle. “And you always do everything you’re told to do?”
“Not always.”
Gabriel leaned forward and whispered in my ear. “Now I don’t believe that one bit. You’re such a good girl, Emma. Never able to let down or disappoint those that you love. Isn’t that right?”
I flushed with heat. “You’re wrong. I disappoint people I love all the time.” I turned on my side and reached out for him. Running the backs of my fingers along his jaw, I looked into his exquisite eyes and said, “I’m sorry for always running away from you, Gabriel. I was so scared for so long, but I’m not anymore.”
Gabriel’s smile melted me. It was the sun come to life, completely dissolving all my suffering, all my mistakes. I didn’t want to ever spend one more day, one more second, running away from how I felt about him.
“I love you, Gabriel. I love you more than you can ever know.”
He held my gaze while tears filled his. Unashamed. Beautiful.
“You make me so happy, Emma.”
Seeing the tears rolling down his face, I hugged him to me and swore my undying love. “I’ll never leave you again, Gabriel.”
“Promise?”
“Promise.” This time it was me kissing away his tears, holding him and stroking his hair while he rested his head on my breast. To think I walked away from Gabriel once before, to know I was heading towards doing it again because I couldn’t handle my own feelings when it came to him filled me with emptiness.
Gabriel kissed the space over my heart. His warm lips branded me as his. He then looked up at me and said, “Emma, I want to be inside of you.”
My heart flipped. “I want that too.”
No other words were needed as I helped him strip off his clothes and he took the rest of mine off as well. Our bodies fit perfectly, limbs sliding across one another with the familiarity of decades-old lovers. We kissed ravenously, nails scoring marks over scalp and shoulder. His teeth sank sweetly into my neck. I sobbed his name, breathlessly encouraging him to do it again.
My bedside drawer soon opened. I helped sheathe him, hand barely closing around his delicious girth before I laid back and invited Gabriel inside. With a slow steady slide, he filled me to full. I could barely remember my name but I never forgot to cry out his.
We made love thoroughly, completely. It was beautiful, sensual, and all the more moving because I truly felt connected to Gabriel in a way I’d never consciously allowed myself to become.
I can see forever with you. I know I’ll love you until my last day.
He pulled my leg up over his shoulder, exposing me to him completely. Gabriel’s fingers found my center and stroked it gently. I wasn’t going to last long at all. Breathless, I arched up and sobbed into his mouth.
“I want to come, Gabriel. Please, please let me come.”
His fingers weaved through my hair. He tugged sharp. Heat flared deep within my belly. I purred, finding the pain only enhanced my pleasure, and snapped my h*ps upwards when Gabriel did it again. His full lips curved. “Come, baby. Come for me…you’ve more than earned it.”
So I did. I clung to him as he drove deeper and harder into me. I dissolved, awash in ecstasy. Gabriel’s hands slid down and closed over my hips. He sighed his love for me with each thrust. We couldn’t stop kissing, sighing vulgar phrases as easily as we sighed “I love you.”
My legs closed high up on his back. I couldn’t get enough of Gabriel. Nothing that felt this good could ever be wrong. Lost in emotion, we became feral lovers—biting, licking, and tasting each other with abandon.
Without shame.
When the emotions became too intense we slowed down. Sprawled across his wide chest, I cupped his cheek and kissed him softly, sweetly. He played with my hair, twirling it around his fingers as I stroked his jaw.
“You’re my heart, baby. Do you know that?”
I pressed my lips against his for a long, lingering kiss. “You’re mine too.”
“How did I get so lucky, Emma?”
“Lucky? It wasn’t luck, Mr. Gordon.”
Gabriel smiled and moved my hair away from my face. “Not luck. Then what was it, Ms. Adams?”
“Destiny. Fate.” I swirled my hips, eliciting a deep groan from my love. “Raw sex appeal.”
He snapped his h*ps up hard. This time I groaned.
“Emma, I like your answers much better than mine. Can I show you how much I like them?”
“Absolutely.”
Gabriel’s fingers dug into my h*ps as we strained against each other once again. He rolled me onto my back, crouching over me as he delicately licked the curve of my br**sts and then my n**ples. The tease was divine. The capture was heavenly.
I clutched Gabriel to me. My hands curled in his golden mane. Passion possessed us. He slid back home and our kisses turned violent. There were no words, only sensation.
When the moment came for Gabriel he clutched me to him. I swallowed his moans and felt like the sun—full of light, fire, and life.
Afterwards, Gabriel got up and went into the bathroom. He came back with a warm washcloth and cleaned me tenderly. I felt perfectly content, safe. I closed my eyes, opening them only when Gabriel slid back into the bed with me.
He hugged me and whispered, “You’re relaxed…not so wound tight.”
I sighed in contentment, perversely amused that both Gabriel and Gretchen had held the same opinion of me. “What can I say? You’re very good for me.”
“Mmm.” Gabriel caressed my shoulder. “There’s more to it. Tell me.”
“There’s not much to tell.”
“But there is something.” He slung his long leg over my mine. “Spill it, Adams.”
I reached down and stroked my hand over his thigh, enjoying the feel of the lean muscles beneath my palm. “You’re quite the bossy one, Gordon.”
“Are you just realizing that now?”
Laughter bubbled out of me. I turned my head and kissed his cheek. “I’ve always known it so I only have myself to blame for falling for your charms.”
“Well, I am quite charming. It’s not your fault, Emma. Truly.”
God, I loved this and him! Playing with Gabriel, being able to relax, to not have to be so serious…it was heaven.
“I went a little insane this past week or so.”
“I hadn’t noticed.”
“Now you’re just being nice.”
Gabriel reached for my chin. Lifting it, he swooped down and took my breath away. His tongue sensuously slid across my lips before thrusting deep inside. I felt possessed, consumed. Adored.
Just when I was ready to pounce on him, Gabriel pulled back with a lupine smirk. “That’s me being nice. Now reward me, Emma, and tell me a story.”
I licked my tender lips, relishing the hint of his taste. I brushed the back of my fingers against his model-perfect cheekbone. “What kind?”
“What happened while I was in Munich? You barely called me, you know.”
“I knew you were busy. Besides, you called me at least ten times a day.”
“Yes, but I had to make sure you were okay.” A frown creased the space between his brows for a scant second. “I really didn’t want to leave you.”
I decided to share what I’d learned with Gretchen. “Where you worried about me going into Sub Drop?”
The frown returned and remained. “What do you know about that? Emma, all kidding aside—what aren’t you telling me? How do you know about Sub Drop?”
“I’ll tell you but first…” I shifted until I could reach him better. “I know you’re scared, Gabriel. I was too. But it’s going to be okay.” Cupping his face, I leaned forward and kissed the space between his brows where the frown was its sharpest. “It’s going to be okay. I promise.”
Gabriel whispered my name. His hand covered one of mine. Searching my gaze, he asked, “What happened to you? You don’t even look the same.”
“I’m free now, Gabriel, because I put away the knives. That simple and that hard. All at once.” I climbed onto his lap, sliding my arms around his neck and resting my head against his chest. “Do you remember how I told you my college roommate is a Domme?”
“Gretchen Smith.”
Although he kept his tone neutral, I could tell Gabriel expected me to at the very least point out how he shouldn’t know that because I hadn’t told him yet.
I was past that now so I simply nodded my head. He was who he was—security detail and all. “Yes, Gretchen. I saw her at lunch last week.”
“And that’s when you learned about Sub Drop?”
“No. That came later.”
“The night I left for Munich?”
“Yes.”
“Emma.” Gabriel waited until I looked up at him. “It was damned near impossible for me to leave because I was afraid you might go through it. Only the fact that thousands of families depended on me resolving Munich made me leave you. My stomach was in knots though.”
“I’m sorry I made you worry.”
Gabriel pecked me. A devilish light brightened his gaze. “You know if you’re really sorry you could become my official muse and then I wouldn’t have to ever leave you.”