by Joan Davis
“Honor . . .” Gabriel started hoarsely.
Ignoring him, Honor attempted to fix her hair as she greeted Joe Braden and describe the problem with the truck. He was soon lining his rig up with Honor’s truck and hooking up the cables in order to secure it for a tow. “You need a ride home?” Joe asked. He was eyeing Gabriel as he sat in his truck, having moved it so Joe could get into position.
Taking a deep and relieved breath, Honor accepted. “That would be great, Joe. My house is actually located right on the way to your shop. I’d appreciate it,” Honor said, and without looking in Gabriel’s direction, she picked up her small backpack that she had removed from her truck and quickly climbed up into Joe’s wrecker. She knew Joe was assuming he would be doing the repairs. She didn’t correct him. A repair bill was a small price to pay for a safe getaway.
As the wrecker pulled out and started to turn into traffic, Honor glanced into the passenger side rear-view mirror. She saw Gabriel still sitting idle in his truck. Honor closed her eyes and slowly let out a trembling breath.
Gabriel was feeling slightly crazed. All he wanted to do was force Joe’s damn tow truck off the road, jerk Honor into his truck, take her someplace and possess her until she thought of no one but him. He was scaring the hell out of himself. For the past six months Gabriel had tried unsuccessfully to stay away from Honor. His reaction to her was so intense; he knew he had to get it under control before he did something foolish, but he couldn’t handle it anymore. Today his resistance had finally broke and he took what he wanted.
Gabriel had always suppressed this side of his nature with women. He learned early on that for most women, his true nature was too strong and overwhelming to deal with. He usually just had casual affairs and let them drift away as easily as they had drifted to him.
Honor was a different story. From the minute she entered Maybell’s Diner that day, Gabriel had been on the hunt for her. He had warned Conner off immediately and had silently made it clear to everyone that she was his. Nothing was said, but all the men that worked with Honor knew intuitively that she was off-limits when they saw how Gabriel watched her.
Despite that, Gabriel had stayed away. He had his niece, Lela, to think of, and she needed most of his attention. After losing both her mother and father by the time she was five and nearly losing him, Lela needed stability and constant attention to feel safe again. Gabriel’s near obsession with Honor was a distraction he couldn’t afford.
Even knowing that fact didn’t stop Gabriel from wanting to be with Honor, and he knew she was fighting her attraction to him as well. Honor never let him see her response to him, but he felt it like a physical caress. Every time they crossed paths it was electric. The tension would rise to an unbearable level. Gabriel also saw the effect this had on those around them. Feet would start to shuffle until one by one people would make excuses to move away, feeling somehow like they were intruding on something private. Honor would withdraw at times and avoid being near him. Other times she would draw near as if she were unable to stop herself. It was a dangerous dance in which they had been engaging, but today the dance had moved to a whole new level.
Lela was out of town with her grandparents for the weekend. Gabriel had purposely smashed all the barriers today with Honor and staked his claim. It wasn’t over.
*****
Honor stood under the pounding hot water of her shower. As soon as Joe had dropped her off with a promise to call her tomorrow about the truck, Honor had run inside her home, stripped down, and jumped in the shower. Bracing her arms against the tiled wall, Honor squeezed her eyes shut and tried to block out the vision of what just happened with Gabriel. It was no use.
Groaning, Honor rested her forehead against the cool tile. She knew it had been coming. She had felt it. Whenever Gabriel was near her, Honor wanted his touch. She wanted him to grab her and take her. She was waking up in the middle of the night panting and aching from erotic dreams of Gabriel taking possession of her willing body. Honor was both frightened and intrigued by her feelings for him. This was new to her. She had never felt anything this intense in her life. What the hell is happening to me? I can’t do this. I don’t know this man. How can I know if I can trust his motives? What if this is all wrong? What if this is a mistake? Honor kept questioning herself. Trust was such a big stumbling block for her. After what happened to her as a child, trusting someone with her emotions and body was nearly impossible.
“It doesn’t matter, I want him,” Honor whispered and let out a gasp of hysterical laughter. Fighting her inner needs and running from him was just prolonging the outcome. Regardless of why this intense need existed between her and Gabriel, the fact was that there was no going back after today.
Taking a shaky breath, Honor turned off the shower and grabbed a towel to dry her hair and body. Slipping into a warm terrycloth robe, Honor made her way into her bedroom and continued out until she reached the kitchen. She fixed a light meal of soup and salad. After eating and straightening the kitchen, Honor pulled out her guitar and sat on the living room couch and played a tune that always soothed her, but after only a few minutes she knew it wasn’t going to work. Putting the guitar aside she grabbed the remote and was just about to turn on the TV when she heard a knock at the front door.
She knew it was Gabriel. Do I answer it? Do I ignore it? Honor asked herself in a panic before shaking her head and throwing fate at the wind. She opened the door. A violent shiver raced up Honor’s spine as she looked into the raw need of Gabriel’s fiery green gaze.
“Let me in, Honor,” Gabriel demanded softly.
Honor shook her head no, but heat was spreading like wild fire and all Honor wanted to do was launch herself into his arms. What am I waiting for; he’s mine for the taking isn’t he? But what if he’s not, what if you’re wrong? Breathing hard, Honor shook her head no, but even as she did, she was reaching out to slide her hands up his chest.
It was enough for Gabriel. He grabbed the collar of Honor’s bath robe and jerked her forward until his mouth slanted over hers. Everything went up in flames and consumed them both.
Keeping his lips sealed over Honor’s, he swept her up in his arms as if she weighed nothing and headed for the master bedroom. Kicking the door open, Gabriel walked across the darkened room and tossed Honor onto the bed and started pulling his clothes off.
Gasping and breathing harshly, Honor lay in a wanton sprawl with her slightly damp sable hair spread out around her. She could feel the moisture pooling between her legs as she watched Gabriel strip. Even in the dark Honor saw the ripple of long rip cords of muscle as he jerked off his shirt and toed off his shoes at the same time. Honor watched him reach down and unbutton his jeans. He slowly let them drop to the floor. Swallowing, Honor could only see a dim view of his large rampant cock, but it was enough to make her insides clench tight.
“Take it off,” Gabriel ordered hoarsely.
For some reason Honor couldn’t explain, she shook her head no. She never moved from her position. His dominance was alluring and she couldn’t help testing the boundaries. She stared at Gabriel in the dimness and waited.
Practically growling Gabriel ripped at the robe’s belt until it gave way and spilled open. He then slid an arm under Honor’s back and arched her up until he could tear the robe off of her arms and then threw it across the room. Dropping her back down, Gabriel climbed onto the large bed until his knees were wedged between her sprawled legs. Grabbing her by the hips Gabriel jerked Honor up until she was straddling him and her panting breath washed over his lips. He gritted his teeth as he felt his rigid cock riding along the silkiness of her moist labia.
Honor’s vaginal muscles were contracting almost uncontrollably. She was so close to coming it was almost unbearable. “Oh God . . .,” She gasped into Gabriel’s mouth as his strong hands moved up from her hips until he cupped both her full breasts and ran his thumbs over her nipples.
“Are you protected Honor?” Gabriel demanded and at Honor’s jerky nod he
said, “You’re so close aren’t you? I can feel how wet you are for me. Do you want me inside you, Honor? Do you want me hard and fast? Tell me. Tell me what you want,” Gabriel growled urgently, knowing he wouldn’t last long, but he knew he needed it to be Honor’s choice.
“Yes . . .,” was Honor’s breathless answer to all of it before she wrapped her arms around Gabriel’s neck and closed her mouth over his in a deep passionate kiss.
Gabriel dropped one of his arms and cupped his hand under Honor’s sweet behind and lifted her up as he lined his cock up with her moist folds. He let her drop even as he thrust up deep inside her until he felt his tight balls come up against the soft cheeks of her ass. Groaning with satisfaction, he felt Honor’s tight inner muscles clamp down hard on his shaft and her body shook uncontrollably as she climaxed. He didn’t stop. Needing to possess her fully, Gabriel let Honor’s upper body collapse back on the bed and hooked his arms under her knees and began thrusting in and out of her tight and moistened sheath.
Honor arched her back and screamed as pleasure and pain blended and sent her over the edge. Shudders wracked her body as Gabriel pounded into her over and over again. “Gabriel, please don’t stop, don’t stop,” Honor cried out again and again as the spiral of exquisite pleasure began to tighten again. Nothing had prepared her for the intensity of their joining. It was both overwhelming and addictive. She never wanted it to stop, but it also frightened her a bit, the immense toll it was taking on her senses. Another climax hit her so hard all she could do was scream and thrash as the devastating pleasure pulsated through her body.
Gabriel roared as his climax slammed into him and then smiled with wicked satisfaction as he felt Honor tighten around him as she came again. Gabriel came down to lay over her body and took her mouth in a drugging kiss. Their harsh breathing slowed, and they both fell into an exhausted sleep, their bodies still joined.
It was a pattern that repeated itself time and again throughout the night. They had never left the bed. Over and over they had awoken and came together in heated bliss. Sometimes it was Gabriel who initiated their joining, but other times Honor would entice Gabriel with sinful kisses and sensual caresses until he drove into her again and again, bringing them both to hot, gratifying heights of passion.
*****
Gabriel came awake slowly, knowing at once that Honor was not with him. Lifting his head from the mattress, he looked around the dim bedroom. His clothes where neatly folded and lay in a pile on a big chair in one corner of the room. The comforter covered his body, but the bed pillows still lay scattered on the floor. Peering over his shoulder, Gabriel saw soft light coming from the master bathroom. He threw off the bedding and eased himself out of bed. Once inside the bathroom he squinted against the light and saw a note sitting on top of the old vanity.
Gabriel, Joe drove over. I’m at his shop. It was a simple fix, alternator. Be back in a bit. If you have to leave before then, I will see you later, Honor.
Frowning, Gabriel threw the note down wondering why Honor hadn’t just waited for him to take her to Joe’s shop. Turning, he stepped into the shower and pulled the curtain closed. Adjusting the water temperature, Gabriel looked down as he started to wash himself. He noticed a dried blood stain low on his abdomen. He wondered absently if Honor’s finger nails had scored more than just his back during the night.
As Gabriel stood under the heated water, he smiled with male satisfaction. Until Honor, he had never met a woman who was able to match his carnal appetite. Despite his long night of sexual excess, his body tightened with the memory of watching Honor repeatedly coming apart in his arms.
Finished with his shower, Gabriel stepped out of the tub and dried off with a large towel until just his hair was slightly damp. He walked naked into the bedroom and made his way to the chair where his clothing lay. Buttoning his jeans, Gabriel pulled back the window curtain until sunlight flooded the room. He was reaching down for his shirt when he glanced at the large bed and froze.
As he walked slowly towards the bed, he was still trying to deny what was plainly evident on the bedding and sheets. Honor had been a virgin when he took her last night. Light blood stains were the proof. Gabriel ran his hands over his face roughly before clutching them into his hair for a second. He backed away from the bed and sat down heavily on the chair’s ottoman.
What the hell have you done? What the fuck did you do? Gabriel demanded of himself. He had taken her without pause. He hadn’t even bothered to wear a condom. There had been no gentleness in his touch, only raw need and passion. He hadn’t even realized what he’d taken from her.
Flashes of his sister’s last few minutes alive pounded through Gabriel’s head, the blood, and the tortured pain in her eyes. He hadn’t been there for her until it was too late. He had been careless about her safety and he lost her.
Looking up at the bed, Gabriel grimaced in pain and put his head in his hands as the pleasure of last night became jumbled up with the ugly memories of his past. Flashes of his sister’s horrible end became twisted with scenes of him with Honor. Gabriel couldn’t stop guilt and remorse from swamping his mind. He had been too careless. Why hadn’t he been patient with Honor? How could he not have known? Would he have even stopped? He just didn’t know. His own need had been his primary focus. How much pain had he caused Honor with his thoughtless behavior?
Taking a couple of deep breaths Gabriel reached back and pulled his T-shirt over his head. He walked out to the living room and sat on the large sofa and waited for Honor to return.
*****
Honor left Maybell’s with a bag full of pastries and a few cartons of whole milk. She hopped into her newly repaired truck and smiled when the engine purred to life. “That’s my girl,” Honor said fondly and pulled out into traffic.
Thinking about getting home made Honor shiver with excitement. All she wanted was to leap into Gabriel’s arms and have another day and night of nothing but passion and pleasure. No wonder so many teenagers get themselves in trouble when they start experimenting with sex, Honor thought, imagining someone trying to stop her from having sex after experiencing the extreme pleasure it could bring. “Not a freaking chance in hell,” Honor muttered out loud and grinned.
When she woke this morning and stepped into the shower, she felt the unfamiliar aches and pains from last night’s indulgence. She had let the hot water sooth some of them away before dressing and starting her day. Her body pulsed with arousal as she remembered waking time and time again last night to the stimulating and demanding caresses of Gabriel’s hands and mouth. He had demanded her pleasure and she gave it up freely, and had even done a little demanding of her own throughout the night.
The best part was when they settled down to sleep. Gabriel had pulled her close until her head was on his shoulder and her body draped decadently over his. He had begun to run his hand up and down her back. It was both sensual and soothing. She had never felt anything like it. She had almost felt like crying, but instead, she had relaxed against his body and allowed herself to enjoy the feeling of connecting with him on a deeper level.
As she pulled into her drive, her silent wish was granted. Gabriel’s truck was still there. She ignored the flashing red lights going off inside her head warning to her to stop and be cautious. After last night how could she be anything else but spontaneous and lighthearted? Honor jumped out of her truck and locked the door before sprinting up the front porch steps and unlocking the front door. She saw Gabriel sitting on the couch and flashed him a wide smile as she made her way the kitchen.
“Hey, glad to see you’re finally up. You didn’t even stir when Joe called. I have a bunch of different pastries from Maybell’s. I didn’t know what you’d like, so I got a bunch of different ones,” Honor spoke quickly pulling out a plate and two small saucers and glasses for the milk. What she wanted was to crawl back in bed and eat breakfast laying next this beautiful man.
“Why didn’t you tell me you were a virgin?” Gabriel asked, wincing slightly wh
en his tone sounded slightly accusatory. He stood leaning against the kitchen’s bar. He wanted to wrap his arms around her and make it all up to her. Instead, he just stood there staring at her unhappily. Flashes of his sister’s last moments kept coming back to him. Guilt that he may have hurt Honor lashed his heart.
Honor froze at his tone and slowly finished arranging the pastries before looking up at Gabriel. “I didn’t think it would matter. I’m not a teenager, just inexperienced. We weren’t exactly taking things slow, Gabriel. It wasn’t a big deal to me,” Honor said shrugging, but watched him with caution. He looked like he was in pain and then his expression seemed to switch to anger. Her stomach clenched with sudden tension.
Gabriel frowned darkly causing Honor to stiffen up more. “What do you mean you didn’t think it would matter? It was your first time with a man. That should mean something to you. You could have said something. I would have slowed things down and tried to make it special for you.”
Honor felt an icy chill enter her body at the implication of his last words. She felt blindsided, and like a fool for letting her guard down. Denying the hurt and pain, she went into survival mode. “So what are you saying, that last night wasn’t special? It was just what, a booty call, casual sex?” Honor asked coldly. It’s happening. Why hadn’t she stopped this from the beginning? I knew this couldn’t be real. Her thoughts were bleak.
“You’re not listening to me, Honor. Last night shouldn’t have happened. I should have had more control over things,” Gabriel practically yelled in frustration. “You should have told me, damn it.”
“Tell me when would have been a good time, Gabriel? When you were sticking your tongue down my throat at the construction site, would that have been a good time? Wait, what about when you were sticking your tongue down my throat at my front door or when you threw me on the bed and screwed my brains out all night long? Please tell me Gabriel, when would have been that perfect time to tell you about my sweet innocence?” Honor yelled back sarcastically. Shut it down, the pain is coming, shut it down, Honor screamed inside.