My gaze bounced from Eli’s to Gabe’s. When I cocked my brows at him, he nodded. “Sure. That sounds great.”
Nodding, Eli said, “You guys just text me when you have a free moment.”
“I’d love to come too,” Abby piped up. I hadn’t realized she had joined us. “I’m sure Jake would love to meet you.”
“I’d love to meet him. I’ve loved Runaway Train for years,” I replied.
While Abby beamed at my response, Eli cocked his head at me. “What about Jacob’s Ladder?”
When I winced, both Abby and Eli laughed. Gabe saved me by saying, “Rae doesn’t do country.”
“Well, I didn’t do country before I met Gabe,” I added. I smiled at Abby and Eli. “After today, I’m a huge fan, and that has nothing to do with Gabe and everything to do with how beautiful the music is.”
“Okay, I guess you’re forgiven,” Abby said.
Eli held up a hand. “Hold on—I would argue that since Gabe’s the one writing the music, it’s still all about him.”
With a shake of my head, I replied, “It would only be his words on paper without you two. You guys came together to make music today, and it was amazing.”
Eli’s eyes bulged as he turned to Gabe. “Dude, she gets it.”
Gabe grinned. “I know.”
“What exactly is it that I get?” I asked.
“The process of making music.”
I laughed before protesting, “But I don’t play an instrument or sing.”
“It doesn’t matter. You either get it or you don’t, and you totally do.”
“Then I’m glad I do.”
“So am I,” Gabe replied.
Turning to his sister, Eli said, “Since Gabe and Rae have plans, why don’t you let your big brother buy you lunch?”
“Actually, I was planning on using my child-free time to get a facial and a massage.”
Eli bobbed his head in agreement. “I’m totally down for that—if we can grab a bite first.”
I smiled at the two of them. “It sounds like you guys have an amazing day planned. I can’t even remember the last time I had a facial or a massage.”
Abby’s eyes widened. “Oh my gosh, you should totally come with us. I mean, no offense to Eli, but it would be much more fun having a girls day.”
“Thanks a lot,” Eli muttered.
At the same time, Gabe stepped forward. “She can’t go, Abby. She already has plans with me.”
Something about his caveman attitude caused me to giggle, and then I knew I had to have some fun with him.
Moving away from Gabe, I linked my arm through Abby’s. “Come on, Gabe. Would you really begrudge me a massage and a facial? I mean, don’t I deserve a break?”
Gabe appeared so crestfallen that I struggled to hold back a laugh. Abby immediately picked up on what I was doing and held the hand linked through her arm so I was even closer to her.
“Rae’s right, Gabe. From what you’ve told me of her running her own business and being a single mom, she deserves a little pampering, doesn’t she? Forget just a massage—I think she should spend the whole day at the spa.”
Gabe’s expression was priceless, his gaze bouncing between me and Abby like he didn’t know what to say or do. It was then that I lost it, and a very unladylike snort escaped my lips before I burst out laughing. My reaction caused Abby to lose it as well. Before I could say anything, Gabe untangled my hand from Abby’s and practically dragged me away from her. I quickly waved over my shoulder to Abby and Eli, who were both laughing at their brother’s antics. “Next time, Rae. I’ll take you next time,” Abby called.
“You. Are. In. So. Much. Trouble,” Gabe growled. Naturally, it only made me laugh more.
When I could finally get words out, I said, “I’m sure you’ll enjoy doling out the punishment, Mr. Renard.”
That comment earned me a stinging smack on the ass, which had the opposite effect than Gabe had intended. It totally turned me on, and when Gabe looked at me, he saw exactly that. The smile on his face was not only a little victorious, it was also very sexy.
Jerking his chin at the door, Gabe said, “You know, they really liked you.”
“Wait, how do you know? You guys didn’t even get a chance to talk alone.”
“I didn’t have to talk to them about it. I could just tell.”
A warm, fuzzy feeling filled me at his remark. “That makes my day. Even though I didn’t get to spend much time with them, I really liked them, too. Abby just has this aura of sweetness about her, and Eli is amazing.”
Gabe peered curiously at me. “You’re not having second thoughts about me after meeting him?”
I rolled my eyes. “Have you lost your mind?”
“It’s an honest question.”
“No, it’s not.” I closed the gap between us to jab my finger in his chest. “There is no way I would ever be more attracted to Eli than I am to you. Sure, he looks just like you and he’s funny, but the most important thing is, he’s not you.”
With a smirk, Gabe countered, “That is not necessarily a good thing.”
“It is to me. There is no else like you for me. I can’t replicate what we have with Eli just because he looks like you, and even if I could, I wouldn’t want to. You are the Renard brother for me. You’re the reason I came to Atlanta. I only want to be with you.”
“If you say so.”
“Oh, I know so.” I slid my arms around his waist. “I like you just the way you are, Gabe.”
This time Gabe gave me a genuine smile. “Thank you.”
If there was one thing I was beginning to see clearly, it was that Ryan had it all wrong. He had been so consumed by his own talent that he’d shut himself off from relationships with other people to chase dreams he’d never obtain. Gabe had immense talent. He had reached for the stars and surpassed his dreams. He was a man who had such a strong love for his family as well as possessing something else I was starting to truly admire: humility.
“You’re welcome. You know what else I like?”
“What?”
“When you told your brother I was special.”
Gabe bent over to kiss my forehead. “I meant it.”
Gazing around the empty recording booth, I said, “Now that you’re finished here, I guess we have the rest of the day to ourselves.”
“Is there somewhere you’d like to go?” When I slowly nodded my head, he asked, “Where?”
“Your apartment.”
A sexy smirk curved Gabe’s lips. “I was hoping you would say that.”
“Is it far from here?”
“Ten minutes across town, depending on traffic. Why?”
“Because I don’t want to wait to be alone with you.”
“Then let’s get the hell out of here.” He took my hand in his before gently tugging me forward, and I fell in step beside him as we made our way down the hallway of the studio.
Stopping in front of one of the dark and empty voiceover booths, Gabe turned to me with a lascivious leer. “We could slip inside and not have to wait.”
I shot him a disgusted look. “You want our first time together to be some sleazy hookup in a voiceover booth?”
“Public sex is hot,” he countered.
“That’s true, but while I might sound like some doe-eyed virgin romanticizing the act, I want our first time to be special. Don’t you?”
“I do, but my dick doesn’t.”
I laughed. “For once, think with the head above your shoulders, not the one below your waist.”
Gabe exhaled a ragged sigh. “Got it.” He then pulled me on down the hallway toward the elevators at a frantic pace.
“Would you slow down?” I called.
“I’m just trying to get you back to my place.”
“Well, I’d like to get there with my arm still in my socket, and at the rate you’re pulling on me, it’s questionable whether it’s going to stay in.”
Gabe laughed. “Okay, okay. I’ll take it easy.”
“Thank you.”
True to his word, Gabe managed a leisurely pace to the car. After he started the car, he even said, “If you’re hungry, we can grab something to eat.”
While my stomach did feel a little empty, I didn’t think my nerves would allow me to eat anything. Normally, I didn’t get too anxious when it came to having sex. Sure, there was a little apprehension the first time with someone, but I’d never quite experienced what I was feeling at the moment. “I’m good.”
“Are you sure?”
“I am.”
Gabe grinned. “I was so hoping you’d say that.”
I laughed. “And I’m so not surprised that you were.”
As we drove across town from the recording studio, Gabe and I rehashed everything that had happened in the studio. After thankfully not getting into much traffic, we also made a quick stop at a sandwich place, despite having said we would skip lunch. Since neither one of us had eaten breakfast, we were starving. After eating outside at one of the umbrella tables, we then made our way back to the car, and it was only a few more minutes before Gabe pulled into a gated high-rise building. He punched in his code on the keypad, drove through the gate, and then pulled into a numbered parking space not too far from the building’s entrance.
“I see you’re a VIP even in the parking lot,” I mused.
Gabe laughed. “As much as I pay for that penthouse, I deserve some VIP status.”
I widened my eyes at him. “Penthouse?”
He nodded. “I bought it off the drummer of Runaway Train. After he got married and had a family, he needed more space.”
Sucking in a breath, I asked, “AJ Resendiz?”
“You know AJ?”
“Well, I don’t know him, know him, but I do listen to Runaway Train.”
“Just not my band.”
“You’re country, remember? Not my favorite.”
“Yeah, yeah. I get it. You hate country music and have a lady boner for AJ.”
With a laugh, I replied, “I do not have a lady boner for AJ. Do I find him good-looking? Yes, I do. There’s just something about the whole Latin lover thing.”
“The dude’s married with two daughters.”
I shrugged. “Just because I can’t touch doesn’t mean I can’t look.”
Gabe grunted as he shook his head. “If AJ finds out you think he’s hot, he’ll never let me hear the end of it.”
“Thought,” I corrected.
“Huh?” Gabe questioned.
“I thought he was hot, not think he is hot. I only have eyes for you now.”
“You better.”
I smiled at him. “I promise.”
“Come on. Let’s go.”
After Gabe grabbed my bag out of the back of the car, we headed inside. When we stepped onto the marble-tiled foyer, I couldn’t help craning my neck to take in all the opulence. “Wow. This is…wow,” I murmured. Not my most eloquent moment.
“Does that mean you like it?” Gabe asked with a smile.
“How could I not?”
“Sometimes I think it’s a little over the top. I think I’d like something a lot simpler.” He dug his wallet out of his pocket then pulled out a keycard. “I mean, this whole process is a little excessive.”
“True, but it’s also probably a necessary evil for someone like you. It helps to ensure your security.”
“I seriously doubt there’s anyone out there obsessing over me.”
After he swiped the card, we stepped into the elevator. To make it to the penthouse, he had to insert the keycard into a slot above the buttons. “Oh, I’m sure there’s a horde of women out there obsessing about you, dreaming about the day they can get their hands on you.”
Scratching his chin thoughtfully, Gabe replied, “I do have quite a lot of female admirers.”
I cocked my brows at him. “How about focusing on the one female admirer in front of you?”
Gabe grinned. “It would be my pleasure. In fact, I plan to focus on every aspect of the sexy-as-hell female in front of me.”
“Which aspect do you plan to focus on first?”
After closing me into the corner of the elevator, Gabe loomed over me. His nearness coupled with the lust glittering in his blue eyes made me shudder. “Your lips.”
“Interesting choice. I imagined you starting farther south.”
He slowly shook his head back and forth. “Ah, but any good lover knows you need to capture the north before you divide and conquer the south.”
I laughed. “Is that right, General Renard?”
“Yes, it is.”
The elevator dinged, and the doors opened to reveal Gabe’s penthouse. Neither one of us moved.
Reaching out, I ran my thumb over his bottom lip. “So I should start here”—with my other hand, I reached out to cup his jean-clad cock—“instead of here?”
As I rubbed his growing erection, Gabe threw his head back and groaned. “Screw it. What do I know about military tactics? Just keeping touching my dick.” When I pulled my hand away, he hissed.
“But I want your mouth on mine,” I said quietly.
“And I want your mouth on my cock,” Gabe growled.
Tsking at him, I replied, “Patience.”
“Fuck that!” he exclaimed before pouncing on me. The next thing I knew my feet were flying off the floor as Gabe drew me up into his arms to carry me into the penthouse.
“I’m very capable of walking you know,” I protested.
“It would take too much time,” he replied as he power-walked me through the foyer.
Tilting my head, I gazed up at the glittering chandelier. “That’s so beautiful.”
Gabe’s response to my compliment was to sprint through the living and burst into the bedroom.
“You know, you’re acting like a released convict desperate for sex. Did you even stop to think I might have enjoyed a tour of your place?”
“I’ll give you a tour after we have sex.” After easing me back onto my feet, Gabe grinned down at me. “And as for the convict part, I can promise I’ll last longer than a released convict.”
“I certainly hope so.”
“Trust me, Rae. You never have to doubt my stamina, especially not where you’re concerned.”
“Hmm, I think I’m going to need you to prove that to me before I can believe it.”
“My pleasure.” Once again, Gabe leapt at me like a wolf with its prey. We became a tangle of arms as our tongues battled each other, and there was a frantic desperation in Gabe’s kisses. While wetness pooled in my underwear from the excitement of his need, I didn’t want it to be so fast. I wanted to savor the feel of his hands on me. I wanted a small ember to grow into a crackling flame.
As Gabe’s hands fumbled with the button on my jeans, I tore my lips away from his. “Slow down,” I panted.
He gazed at me, eyes hooded with desire. “But I just want to be inside you. After having my fingers and tongue in you, I’ve been fantasizing for days about what your tight walls will feel like around my dick.”
I shoved Gabe away. “No,” I said firmly.
His hazy eyes stared questioningly at me. “No?”
“Sit.” I then pointed to his bed across from us.
Gabe’s brows shot up at my command. Instead of arguing with me, he obediently began backing away. I followed close behind him, keeping my eyes on his. When the backs of his knees hit the edge of the mattress, he flopped down on the bed.
Jabbing a finger into his bare chest, I said, “Now you listen to me: we’re not going to rush into this like two horny teenagers pawing at each other in the back seat of a car.”
“We’re not?”
“No. We’re going to fuck like adults who know about the merits foreplay and delayed gratification.”
“Can’t we at least have a horny teenager quickie and then move on to fucking like adults?” Gabe suggested.
I shook my head at him. “I’m not one of the groupies you stick your dick in for a qu
ick release. I’m special, remember? I’m your muse, and I demand more.” Holy shit. Had I actually just said that to him? Even though it was exactly what I was feeling, I couldn’t believe I’d had the balls to say it. I sucked in a breath as I waited for Gabe’s reaction.
“You’re right. You don’t just demand more—you deserve more.”
My heartbeat accelerated at his words. “Thank you for acknowledging that.”
Gabe slid his hands around my waist. “You drive a hard bargain, Rae Hart.”
I reached out to cup the bulge in his jeans, causing Gabe to suck in a deep breath. “Mm, yes, very hard.”
“You. Are. Killing. Me,” he bit out.
With a wink, I replied, “Oh, but I’ve only just begun.”
Now that I had Gabe on the bed, I started initiating my slow-down plan. Even though he couldn’t have cared less, I wanted to make our first time memorable. Although it was too soon to be mentioning anything about love, I wanted our first time to be about more than sex. I wanted it to be more like making love.
With my gaze locked on Gabe’s, I brought my hands to my breasts, cupping them over my shirt. When I squeezed them, Gabe sucked in a breath. Turning my fingertips downward, I ran them down over my hardening nipples toward my waist. When my fingers reached the hem of my shirt, I gripped the fabric. Slowly, I inched the shirt up over my abdomen. The closer I got to the underside of my breasts, the farther Gabe leaned over on the mattress toward me.
Taking him by surprise, I did a quick whip of the shirt up over my head then tossed it at him. After it smacked him in the face, it dropped into his lap. He picked it up and brought it to his face. Closing his eyes, he inhaled deeply. “God, you smell good.”
“Thank you.” Now that my shirt was off, I brought my attention to my jeans. After unbuttoning and unzipping them, I turned my back to Gabe. “Hey, what—”
His words cut off when I bent over, sticking my ass in the air. I then worked the material down slowly over my hips to the floor. Glancing over my shoulder, I wiggled my thong-clad ass in Gabe’s face.
I yelped with surprise when he brought his palm down across one of my cheeks, but I also enjoyed the sensation. “Did you like that?” he asked, his voice gravelly with lust.
Jacob’s Ladder: Gabe Page 17