But of course I can count on Monica. In less than a second, she lifts her butt and pulls the shirt off herself.
My brain is reduced to two words, and two words only.
Holy crap.
Nineteen
Monica
“Lean back.” Gabe’s voice is rough and slightly shaky as he takes me in with dark, greedy eyes.
His hands are on me the same second I feel the cool air on my exposed skin. The hair on my arms rises, anticipation making me feel on edge.
Every kind of first with a new partner is always equally nerve-wracking and exciting because you never know what exactly you’ll get, both emotionally and physically. What if it’s not what you expected?
So many variables that can make or break this situation.
Things with Gabe are even trickier since he’s my friend, and not just any friend either. I’ve gotten used to having him in my life, liking it, needing it even.
My mind races in circles while my heart speeds up. All I want to do is get lost in him, forget everything around us and disappear into a separate universe with this man for a little while. Somewhere where it’s just the two of us, and all the worries and doubts disappear, leaving us with nothing but this raw need, this pull to be with the other, no matter the consequences.
“Your skin is so soft.” His tanned hands run over my pale skin, the contrast of it somehow heightening the sensual tension between us.
His fingers take their time, touching every piece of naked skin there is, starting at my shoulders, then down my collarbone, chest, and stomach. My skin is hypersensitive to the feel of him. After a slow descent, he brushes the edge of my sweatpants but doesn’t move beyond it.
There hasn’t been any real intimate contact of any kind yet, but my heart is ready to jump out of my chest, pounding wildly as those big hands make their way back up my stomach. They stop at my waist for a moment, circling it, squeezing it.
My breathing quickens when Gabe brushes his fingertips across my pink bralette. Goose bumps break out across my body and I’m ready to jump out of my skin, having a hard time not to squirm under his touch.
Then he cups my breasts, his large palms swallowing up my smaller boobs, and the distinction of it is oddly sexy to me.
I’ve always enjoyed my rather small chest, especially in my profession. There’s nothing worse than big boobs flying around your head when you’re dancing. Or trying to, at least. I’ve heard from other dancers before what a pain it is to try and contain them. Quite literally, sometimes.
Gabe doesn’t seem to mind my chest size either as he leans down to take one of my hardened nipples into his mouth through the thin cotton material. Painfully slow. Deliciously painful.
“Again. Do it again.” The sensation of his warm mouth on me, even separated by a layer of clothing, is exquisite and I can’t get enough of it.
I dig my hands into his hair, pulling his head closer to me as if I’m afraid he might never touch me again otherwise, unashamed in my approach.
A tiny moan escapes my lips as he gives my other breast the same attention, sucking, nibbling, and planting kisses just above the edge of my bralette.
Throwing my arms back on the cool wood, I feel relieved the desk is huge and practically empty besides the laptop and a notebook—both of which are now pushed over to the far side.
My legs tighten around his middle, and thankfully, he gets the hint. A minute later, I’m pressed into the desk by his hard body. The pressure feels unbelievable, and I’m close to rubbing myself all over him, not caring about my dignity for even a second.
There’s no denying I’m acting like a cat in heat, the need for this man deeply pooling in my belly. “Please stop teasing me, Gabe. I can’t take it any longer.”
I feel his grin against my neck before he chuckles, probably pretty happy with himself. “Always so impatient.”
Pulling back a little, he draws a lazy finger down my breasts and abs, just to stop at my waistband again—after playing with my belly button piercing. He leans back down to capture my mouth in a hot, hungry kiss, his wet lips gliding over mine like it’s their favorite place to be.
Seems I’m not the only impatient one here.
I’m barely done with that thought when his hand finally slips past the waistband. Not even a second later, he stills, his eyes wide as they stare down at me. “Naughty little thing, you.”
My mouth lifts at the corners as I shrug my shoulders. “I’m not the biggest fan of underwear.”
His eyes stay fixated on mine as his fingers continue their descent until they find my more-than-ready center. “Good to know.”
A loud groan escapes both of us when his fingers enter me slowly, teasing, testing, getting to know this new playground very thoroughly, every last corner of it.
Playtime has never felt this good.
“Just like that.” My head falls back on its own volition as he finds the perfect rhythm, making the slight buzz in my body grow louder and louder with each passing second.
When he starts latching on to my neck and working his way up to my lips, I'm done for, the tension in my body ready to split me apart. His fingers are so skilled, rubbing me in the right place, while his other hand has gone back to one of my breasts, squeezing it harder than before, then giving my nipples some more attention as well. The sensations are intense, hitting me from all corners, but I’ll be the last person to complain because it feels so good.
My orgasm hits me a moment later, and I’m ready to sign off my future firstborn, so I can do this all over again—like, yesterday, if possible.
Gabe has a lopsided smile on his face as he looks down at me. “This was already so much better than I thought it would be.” His fingers are still in the same spot, slowly winding me down from the enormous explosion I just experienced. When I get too sensitive and squirm, he retrieves his hand.
“I thought you were magnificent when you dance. But seeing you like this, coming apart from my touch, it was beyond that. Almost otherworldly.”
His gaze is so intense, I almost look away, yet I’m unwilling to break this connection between us. Instead, I focus on the part I don’t feel overwhelmed by, trying to keep it light. Pretending this won’t change anything between us.
“So, you were thinking about this, huh? Why don’t you tell me some more about those fantasies you’ve had? I’m more than a little curious now.” I grab his shirt and pull him close to me, wondering why in the world he’s still wearing it anyway.
He chuckles, his eyes shimmering under the low light. “I bet you are. Why don’t we go upstairs? My bedroom is a lot more comfortable than this hard desk.”
“Comfort is the last thing on my mind right now, but sure, let’s do that.”
He shakes his head at me and pulls me up with him. Without letting go of my hand, he leads me out of his office and toward the staircase.
Once we’re in his bedroom, Gabe turns on the light but leaves it dimmed. His massive four-poster bed is positioned opposite the big window front, fighting for attention with the spectacular view I know is waiting out there in the dark.
When he lets go of my hand, I immediately miss the warmth of it. But before I can dwell on that, I’m distracted when he picks up the hem of his shirt to pull it over his head. I’ve seen his chest plenty of times before, but the sight never gets old. He has a glorious body, one he’s worked hard for with strenuous workouts as well as plenty of hikes and other outdoor activities.
He gives me an all-knowing smirk when he sees my face and steps closer to me.
But instead of continuing what we started downstairs, he puts his shirt over my head and pulls on it, letting it pool down my way-smaller body until it ends just above my knees.
My inner sex goddess starts yelling in protest, waving her angry little fists around. This is definitely not how I envisioned this night to end—especially after that mind-blowing orgasm I just had. “Wait. What are you doing?”
“Don’t look at me like that.” G
abe pulls me to him. “Put your arms into the shirt already.” He leans in and nudges my nose with his. I can’t help myself and close my eyes.
The littlest of touches sends my body into overdrive now, and I wonder how I could’ve possibly been this blind and unaffected over the last year.
I want to pout, the disappointment rushing through me like a waterfall, powerful and continuous.
His thumb reaches for my cheek, slowly caressing it. “I just need a few hours of sleep, and then we can continue where we left off. I wasn’t planning on getting this started right now, but there was no way to resist you when you were all kinds of entrancing downstairs.”
How can I possibly resist anything this man says?
Reluctantly, I push my hands through the sleeves and look up at him, realizing I was too far gone in my lust-induced haze to get a really good look at him before.
How could I have missed the bloodshot eyes that are amplified by a big set of dark circles under them?
My hand reaches out to him, touching his warm chest. I’m still not sure where this sudden urge is coming from, probably this insane attraction, but I need to establish this physical connection between us. Soft tingles run through my fingertips despite knowing the night—well, early morning—will end right here.
For now, at least.
His hands grab mine but he doesn’t push them away. Instead, he holds our entwined fingers close over his heart, allowing me to feel its strong rhythm that seems just a tad too fast.
“I’m sorry for being selfish. I should’ve noticed downstairs how exhausted you are.” After pressing my lips to his hands, I pull him over to the big bed.
“Don’t be. It’s not like I did anything I didn’t want to do. I enjoyed what we did very much and can’t wait for more.”
One more exhilarating kiss later, he slaps my butt and pulls back the covers on the bed. “Now hop in, before I fall asleep standing up.”
At that, I have to laugh. “All right, old man. Let’s get some sleep.”
He chuckles once. “I’ll show you, old man...later.”
I love the sudden playfulness and my body does too, buzzing with excitement. But I understand now’s not the time to play. No one said anything about me being fair though, so I bend at the waist to push down my sweatpants, dropping them on the soft carpet before climbing into bed.
Gabe groans when he gets in bed behind me, probably remembering my lack of underwear. He pushes the built-in light switch on the wall right above his nightstand, and we’re swallowed by near darkness. Luckily, I don’t need any light to feel the warmth of his body behind me. When he pulls me back by the waist, snaking an arm around me, I let out a quiet sigh.
“Goodnight, Monica.” His breath fans over my neck and the side of my face, making me fully aware of the intimacy this situation brings with it.
Weirdly enough, I don’t mind it one bit right now. Knowing this is only temporary until I go back to join my dance team helps to compartmentalize things, without putting too much meaning into them.
“Night, Charming.” I try to settle, willing my body to calm down enough so I can get some more sleep too.
It seems like I’ll need some energy for later.
Twenty
Monica
I’m not sure what time it is when I wake up, but the sun shines brightly on my face, making me smile like a lunatic. It’s pure gold for my soul. I stretch like a cat until a chuckle next to me makes me freeze mid-stretch. When I peek over my shoulder, I spot Gabe casually lying on his side next to me, his head propped up on his hand.
His hair is wet and he smells freshly showered. It’s hard to believe he’s already been productive today while I was the one sleeping in after already sleeping most of the night downstairs on the couch. At least, it seems like he’s been up for a while. My body’s thankful though, my muscles extra tired from all the training this week but already feeling slightly rejuvenated.
Gabe, on the other hand, looks both tired and hyped up. Where the dark circles under his eyes haven’t disappeared, his pupils are almost sparkling. It’s an odd combination. Slightly fascinating too.
“Did you get any sleep at all?”
“A little. I woke up a few hours ago but didn’t want to wake you. I usually get like that when I feel inspired to write, so I got in a few hours behind the computer before I worked out and took a shower.” The smile he gives me is small and almost boyish, like he did something he wasn’t supposed to do.
“Wow. Either you barely slept, or I slept way too much.” I sit up halfway, trying to see a clock somewhere.
“Maybe a little of both. It’s eleven.”
“Eleven.” I repeat the time like it holds some magical answer. “I can’t remember the last time I slept this long.”
“I can’t either, which is why I didn’t want to wake you. I thought you probably needed it after working so hard.”
“Thank you.” My brain starts protesting at the information overflow within the first minute of waking up, yet his thoughtfulness still finds a way to imprint itself in my memory. At least Gabe knows I’m not exactly a morning person.
As if he read my mind, he nods and starts sitting up, causing a sudden burst of disappointment to rush through me at the thought of him leaving.
“I brought you something.” He faces away from me and bends down.
When he turns back around, he’s holding a big tray full of food. “I thought we could eat in bed, if you want. I haven’t done that in forever.” He looks almost giddy.
Who am I to say no to that face? “Sure. What did you bring?”
He puts the tray between us and climbs back into the large bed. “I made us some waffles and eggs, and brought some fresh fruit and orange juice too.”
“Perfect.” I stare at him for a moment while he’s still looking at the tray. Goodness, this man is too sweet for his own good.
Last year’s Monica would have eaten him alive; this year’s Monica had a bad reality check with her recovery and has calmed down. It’s weird to differentiate it like that. Now, I still want him, but appreciation for everything this man has done for me simmers deeply in my bones, holding me hostage. “Thank you.”
He waves me off with one of his hands. “It’s nothing.”
Even though I find Gabe to be this big presence in my life, despite being more on the quiet side, he’s also incredibly humble and embarrasses easily. Since I don’t want to make him uncomfortable right now, I let it go, promising myself to pay him back somehow. His kindness and thoughtfulness deserve to be acknowledged.
He turns on the TV and settles on an episode of Supernatural—Charlie got us hooked on it a few weeks ago, much to her delight—and we eat together in silence.
After a few minutes, I can’t help myself and peek at Gabe, his handsome face familiar yet foreign at the same time. He’s still my friend, the same one who’s been taking such good care of me this last year when I had mostly checked out of life. But now, there’s also something else, a new layer to him I’m sure must be my hormones and the attraction between us.
I thought he was handsome before, but I didn’t realize how gorgeous his smile is, or how much his eyes sparkle when he grins, creating several laugh lines I find incredibly sexy.
A gush of heat floods my body in places that had been abandoned for a long time, ever since before my accident. If I’m honest though, even before then, I didn’t get a lot of action, or rather, satisfactory action. Yes, I did date and hook up with someone from my team—it was more serious and something I will never ever do again—but things didn’t exactly turn out well with him.
Even though I never thought I wanted to settle down, my ex-boyfriend Ivan made me all gooey-eyed and lovey-dovey. He had me wrapped around his finger, and I thought things were going well until...well, until they suddenly weren’t anymore.
He told me I wasn’t meant for a relationship, and after a lot of thinking, I had to admit to myself he was right.
It wasn’t the best t
ime in my life, but I didn’t let anyone see that. I put on my happy, bright face because that’s what everyone always expects from me.
Unfortunately, it was only a few weeks later that the accident happened. I tried so hard to keep up the pretense of the happy, carefree Monica once I got to Brooksville, especially since I never fully admitted to Charlie how much it all broke me. When I wasn’t healing as fast as I’d hoped, I just couldn’t handle it anymore.
A big, fat, depressive hole was waiting right around the corner for me, sucking me in and under, like it’s been waiting for me forever. And somehow, I welcomed the darkness, cherished it even, because it felt so good to finally not pretend anymore.
Until Gabe finally got through to me, lending me a helping hand that, for some weird reason, I didn’t refuse like I had all other attempts before.
Not only has he gotten me back to dancing, but he’s also awoken my inner sensual woman who is now almost desperately looking for a physical connection, craving it beyond measures after all this time.
Now, I can’t help but notice his warm skin brushing along my arm and the little shiver it pulls from my body in response.
When I look down at my plate to try and compose myself, I notice I must have eaten a few bites while I was stuck in my head. But the hunger is suddenly gone, and I’m unable to swallow another bite, my body positively distracted by having Gabe so close.
He must feel the same because he takes my plate without a word, putting it on the tray before setting it all on the nightstand.
When I look at him, his eyes shimmer with heat, causing flames to lick at every corner of my body, dancing in excitement at what’s to come.
Without warning, Gabe grabs my naked ankles and pulls me over to his side of the bed. “Time for dessert.”
The Mitchell Brothers Collection: A Feel-Good Romance Box Set Page 47