by Ally James
The glow from the lamp highlighted every peak and valley of her gorgeous body. And for a moment, all he could do was stare. Mine. “Do you have any idea how beautiful and sexy you are, Angel?” She shook her head shyly, but he could tell that she was pleased. Wanting to keep her off-balance so she wouldn’t have time to overthink, he slid one finger inside her, and she moaned as she tightened around it. He let her adjust to the invasion as, aided by her slick arousal, he glided in and out. He used his thumb to rub her clit, then added another finger. So tight. He lifted her hips and breathed in her heady scent. Heaven. Peaches and cream.
She knew what was coming; he could tell by the tensing of her thighs. He understood this was a very intimate thing for a woman, but if they had any idea how freaking much men loved their taste, they would learn to embrace the power. He lightly circled her sensitive nub, smiling when he heard her ragged groan. He savored her sweet nectar as he dipped his tongue into her before sucking her clit into his mouth. “Oh my God,” she hissed as her body shook. She was so amazingly responsive, which only fueled his own desire. Soon, the combination of his fingers, along with his mouth, had her flying over the edge. He was surprised, and thrilled, to discover that his Angel was a screamer. He fucking loved knowing that she was possibly waking the neighbors. Not to mention the fact that poor Trouble was probably plotting a rescue attempt. “Jesus, Mary, and Joseph,” she choked out. “That was better than the best vibrator I’ve ever owned.”
Whoa. Vibrator? They would definitely revisit that topic at a later date. But right now, he’d rather come inside her than on her leg. And thanks to the naughty image she’d given him, there was little time to waste. So he lowered her and opened the nightstand drawer to find a condom. He removed his own briefs as fast as she’d dropped her pants earlier. Her eyes widened at his size as she returned to her previous place on the bed. He planned to try every single position he could think of with her, but tonight, he wanted to be face-to-face. He moved his body over hers once again, only this time there was nothing between them. He supported his weight on his elbows while he kissed her thoroughly. Then he licked and sucked her tight, rosy nipples until she was shuddering in reaction. He returned to her mouth as he slid his cock up and down her slick entrance before sinking an inch inside. “Angel, you feel so damned good,” he groaned as he trailed kisses down the curve of her neck. Each time he pulled out, he eased back in a bit farther. As much as he longed to bury himself to the hilt, he waited, taking his cues from her.
When she locked her legs around his hips, he knew she was there. He growled, afraid of hurting her, yet so damned hard he was light-headed from it. “Gabe, please!” The raw need in her voice was his undoing. With a muttered oath, he buried himself inside her.
They both froze, equally overcome by the wonder of being joined together. Her eyes were closed, and her face was contorted. “Sara, are you okay?” No matter how painful it was for him, he refused to move until she answered. He ground his teeth together, striving for control. “Sara?” Please.
He jolted when her legs suddenly tightened, sending him impossibly deep. “I’m good, Gabe. I’m—just, it’s the best thing I’ve ever felt, and I want to make sure I remember every moment.”
So perfect. “Baby, this is only the beginning for us,” he assured her. “Now let me love you the way you deserve.” He had just enough restraint to make sure she was with him every step of the way. He plunged into her wet heat again and again, feeling a type of pleasure he had never known before. This woman—the one he had met against all the odds—was his perfect match in every way.
She hit her peak, crying out seconds before he reached his own climax. He managed to toss the condom in a nearby trashcan before he pulled her onto his chest and they lay spent. In her, he’d found not only Nirvana—but home. If he were an overly religious man, he’d even call it heaven. Tomorrow they would face a new set of challenges, as every couple does, but at that moment, there was only the here and now. And oddly enough, he had no desire to look beyond it. She made him want to savor every second, instead of constantly scanning ahead to avert a crisis.
When he heard a soft snore, he knew it was the real thing, unlike earlier. He yawned as well, allowing sleep to take him. There would be no need to dream of her tonight, because she was where she belonged at last—in his arms.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Sara cringed as she took a seat at the kitchen table. After making love with Gabe last night, and this morning, she was a bit sore. It had been so long since she’d had sex that it was kind of like being a virgin again. She’d read that women actually paid money to get back to that state, which she thought was insane.
She’d been grateful when Gabe left to help his neighbor, Mr. Jenkins, start his car. It gave her a chance to pop some Advil without him noticing. She could easily picture him bundling her up and taking her to the hospital when he caught her holding her crotch.
What seems to be the problem, Ms. Ryan?
Well, my boyfriend has a huge pecker, and he wrecked my va-jay-jay.
Ah, I see. Happens all the time.
Truthfully, she wouldn’t care if he had broken it. Because the orgasms alone were worth the small discomfort she was feeling. The man was seriously talented between the sheets. He seemed to be more in tune with her body than she was. Last night had been raw and explosive. But when she’d woken this morning to find his cock pushing against her ass while he kissed her neck, she’d been breathless with anticipation. Heck, she hadn’t given a thought to morning breath as he made her come three times before finally joining her. Then they’d taken a shower together, which was a little unsettling for her at first, but with Gabe gently washing every inch of her body, including her hair, she’d quickly lost her inhibitions and simply enjoyed the intimacy between them.
She couldn’t quite believe how much everything had changed in the last few days. He’d gone from being stiffly cordial to sweet and loving. It was as if he’d known she was on the verge of giving up and going home. Chloe had even texted the next day to see when her flight would be arriving. Thank God he came to his senses in the nick of time. Wait—what if he heard our phone conversation? It was an unsettling thought. She didn’t recall exactly what was said, but she had been upset and depressed over their situation.
As she sat there running through it in her head, a part of her wanted to ask him, but then again, why? What did it matter if it had resulted in them being together now in every sense? After all, she certainly hadn’t shared with him what happened at the ball. Eventually she might. But there were a couple of reasons she wanted to keep it to herself. The main one being that he might take it as a sign she couldn’t handle the demands of being a military wife. She knew he worried about that very thing. And second, he’d be pissed, and no doubt he would confront Melanie. And that, she didn’t want. She was still angry and hurt over the entire incident, but she was also less emotional and more objective now. It was unfortunate, but it opened her eyes to a brutal truth. There were mean girls everywhere, and their ugliness was usually fueled by jealousy and bitterness. The other woman was clearly distressed over Gabe breaking things off. She’d undoubtedly planned to win him back when he returned home, but now, with her in the picture, it wasn’t happening.
Sara, better than anyone, knew what it felt like to lose a man like that. She’d been devastated after he cut contact with her. Except that still didn’t excuse the other woman’s behavior. And even though she had always shied away from confrontation, she knew in this instance that if she didn’t stand up for herself, Melanie would continue to escalate her ugliness. The fact that Gabe was off work for a few more weeks made confronting her tricky.
She was still pondering the dilemma when the front door opened and she heard Trouble’s excited bark. He nearly slid sideways on the slick kitchen floor in his haste to reach her. “How’s my favorite guy?” she cooed as she scratched him behind the ears.
“I
never thought I’d envy my dog until I met you.” Sara’s head jerked up to see Gabe leaning against the wall as he smiled ruefully at her.
Holy crap, he’s so sexy. I can’t believe he’s mine. “I love you,” she blurted out. No way, I didn’t just say that. So much for making it a special moment.
She put a hand over her face, inwardly wincing, before glancing at him once again. There was laughter there—but it was the softness in his eyes that had her riveted. He crossed to her, nudging his protesting dog to the side, and sat down. “I don’t know, Angel, I found that to be incredibly special.”
She blinked, wondering how he knew—“Crap, I said all of that out loud, didn’t I?”
“Yep.” He grinned before putting a hand on her thigh. “And do you seriously imagine I give a damn when or how you speak the words? Baby, you could have screamed them out in the middle of a wet T-shirt contest, while showcasing your stripper moves, and it would still be the second-best moment of my life.”
Sara put her arms loosely around his broad shoulders, absolutely enchanted by this handsome man. The fact that she wasn’t in the least concerned by his ranking of her declaration was further proof of how much she not only trusted him but understood his humor. What’s the punch line, baby? I know there is one. “Wow, you’re a hard sell.” She faked disinterest, even adding a yawn.
He shrugged, pulling her off the chair and into his lap. He dropped a kiss onto her upturned nose, then her forehead. “It would be rather impossible to have reached this point without first finding each other. Your envelope didn’t contain just a card, Angel, it was also an introduction to the love of my life—and my future.” How? What did I ever do to deserve this—this kind of love from such an amazing man? She wasn’t aware that she was crying until he used his thumbs to wipe the moisture away. “I love you, Sara Ryan.” He moved one of her hands until it was resting over the steady beat of his heart. “There will be times that I’ll say the wrong thing, drive you nuts, and generally be a pain in the ass. I’m stubborn, overly serious, and according to Jason, completely anal.” When her lips twitched, he rolled his eyes. “Yeah, I wish he’d use a different word, even if it is basically true. My point is, on the days you’re ready to throw in the towel, remember this: No one has ever, or will ever, love, appreciate, and cherish you the way that I . . .” His voice trailed off when Trouble wedged his head between them. “Um, the way we do. In case you’ve missed his . . . subtle hints, Trouble and I are very much a package deal.”
Normally she would have fallen back on sarcasm to deal with this emotional moment, but it simply wasn’t there. Her heart was too full to pretend she was anything other than a pile of mush. “I wouldn’t have it any other way, Gabe. I’m so blessed to belong to the Randall boys.” She kissed his lips while patting the dog’s head. “And we all have our difficult days. So when we’re at our worst, we’ll simply love each other through it.”
“I like that, baby.” He smiled down at her. “You’re getting the bad end of this bargain. There are two of us to misbehave. And from what I’ve seen, you mostly live up to your nickname.”
Her humor picked that moment to make a reappearance. She shifted until her lips were at his ear before whispering, “Think PMS, honey.”
“Oh shit, please have mercy.” When she lifted a brow, he added, “Do it for your country. I’m a soldier, you know.”
As they continued to tease each other, she couldn’t help thinking that even without the words of love, this would be one of those moments that she would remember for the rest of her life. But then again—she was finding that most days with this man were too memorable to ever forget.
* * *
• • •
Sara couldn’t believe it when the opportunity to confront not only Melanie but possibly some of her minions as well came about that very night. Gabe was surprised at her enthusiasm when Jason called to invite them to meet some of the soldiers at Maxi’s. She knew Gabe mostly avoided those types of informal events, and he likely wasn’t that keen on this one either. Outside the fact that she hoped Melanie would be there, she also felt it was important that he continue building upon the bond he’d formed with the other soldiers while deployed.
They were both dressed casually in jeans and boots. Instead of trying to hide her body for fear of drawing attention to herself, she had chosen a green sweater that hugged her curves in all the right places. Gabe certainly appreciated it. So much so, in fact, that they were fifteen minutes late arriving at Maxi’s. They hadn’t made love, but her man was well satisfied ahead of dinner. Being secure in Gabe’s feelings for her gave Sara a type of freedom she’d never thought possible. She was surprised to find that she was a far more sexual person than she’d imagined. Of course, when your boyfriend looked like Gabe, dropping to your knees to pleasure him with your mouth wasn’t exactly a hardship. She’d never been so glad that Trouble was already in his kennel. Otherwise, her first attempt would have likely been a disaster, rather than a fervent success.
Gabe took her hand as they walked through the parking lot to the restaurant. “Still got time to back out,” he teased as he helped her over a slick spot on the pavement.
“Aw, we’ll have fun, I promise.”
He stopped and kissed her soundly. By the time he pulled back, she was beginning to reconsider. “What a shock,” said a resigned voice behind them. They both swiveled to see Jason a few feet away. She was surprised to see him take a draw off a cigarette before putting it out beneath the bottom of his shoe. “Should have figured if you actually showed up, you’d spend most of the evening sucking face.” He rubbed his hands over his shoulders before adding, “I believe I’d do it in the stockroom, though, since it’s damn well freezing out here.”
Sara giggled as Gabe flipped him off. Then they did the universal bro hug, which was actually rather touching. Gabe might be reserved around the other guys, but there was a relaxed closeness between these two. “She made me come,” he admitted to the other man. “I’d rather be home with my woman and my dog.”
“That’s the saddest thing I’ve ever heard,” Jason mocked jokingly. “Let’s go inside. I’m terrified I won’t die of hypothermia, and I’ll be forced to watch you two braid each other’s hair and talk about your feelings.”
Sara laughed at the absurd notion that a macho guy such as Gabe would ever be anything but ultra-manly. She linked one arm through Gabe’s and the other through Jason’s. “Don’t be sad, cupcake—we’ll find you a woman. I have a cousin who might be perfect for you.”
“She better be homely, or I’m not interested. I’m talking plain times about fifty, Ellie.”
Ellie? “You realize her name is Sara, right?” Gabe asked dryly.
“Um—yeah,” Jason muttered as he reached out to open the door. “She’s one of us now, though, so she gets a nickname.”
Sara was beyond touched at his acceptance. Even though he was matter-of-fact about it, she sensed it was a high honor from him. “So, why Ellie?” she asked curiously. It seemed so random to her.
“Ellie Mae Clampett,” they both said at once. “I’m surprised you didn’t come up with it first, dude,” Jason said. “With that accent, it’s perfect.”
“Hey, what’s wrong with my voice?” she asked in mock anger.
“Absolutely nothing,” Jason assured her. “There isn’t a man alive who doesn’t get weak in the knees over a girl with a twang.”
“I knew we should have stayed home,” Gabe grumbled. “I’d sleep better at night if you’d stop hitting on my girlfriend.”
“Better take her off the market, then,” Jason goaded before turning to greet the rest of their battalion at the back table. “Hey, does everyone remember Major Randall?” It was obviously a shared joke, as they all laughed and called out greetings. Apparently Gabe hadn’t been kidding about not attending these things. Then all eyes were on her as Jason pulled her forward. “And this is the l
ovely Sara, Gabe’s much better half. I’ll go ahead and warn you, they’re big fans of PDA.” Gabe punched him in the shoulder while she simply shrugged and grinned. It’s true, we are.
Most of the tables had been pushed together to accommodate the large group, so it wasn’t until they were seated that she noticed Melanie at the opposite end. When the other woman met her gaze, Sara forced out a friendly smile; after all, she had no clue that Sara had overheard them that night. She could tell by the tightening of Gabe’s jaw that he saw her as well. It wasn’t difficult to understand why Melanie was bitter. If the man with his arm around her chair was Jared, then she’d taken a big step down. No—more like a free fall. He was balding and out of shape, with an obnoxious laugh that grated on Sara’s nerves. Something about her brittle grin told Sara that Melanie was having a tough time in her quest to be an officer’s wife. She couldn’t help pitying her. Is it really worth it?
After dinner, everyone moved over to the pool tables. Sara had never played before, but she loved how Gabe put his arms around her to help line up the shot. When she made it, he hugged her to him, before dropping a kiss onto her forehead. That cologne. Dear God, it’s like sex in a bottle. “Having fun?” he asked as he smiled down at her. Even though he joked around with the other soldiers, he always made a point to keep her near. As if not wanting to be apart, which she kinda loved.
She rubbed his back as she rested her head against him. “Yeah, I am. How about you?”