“I did. Just work stuff. I was out a lot of the day.”
“Oh yeah? Anything interesting?” He figured it had to do with the article she was writing on him, and he wondered what she’d been up to. When she didn’t respond right away, he joked, “You were spying on me, weren’t you?”
Rachel seemed to startle at his words and then assured him she’d never do that.
“Sure, sure,” he teased. “Thought maybe you were peeping in my windows from the roof across the street or something.”
When she turned toward him, resting her head on her hand as she propped her elbow on the car door, he noticed the small smile playing on her lips. “If I were going to peep in your windows, I’d get a better vantage point than that,” she said.
“Oh yeah? Like where? It sounds like you’ve given this some thought.”
Rachel shrugged. “Like your bedroom.”
Gabe raised an eyebrow. “You’re welcome in my bedroom anytime,” he said, placing a hand on her thigh after turning into his parking garage.
“Oh yeah?”
“Yup. The door’s always open.” He felt her relax with his touch, the muscles in her leg loosening. When he parked the car, he looked over at her, taking in the way her deep green eyes seemed to sparkle in the dim light of the parking garage. He could feel the pull between them, like there was a force drawing them to one another that they couldn’t fight even if they tried. Not that he’d want to. Every moment with Rachel made him wonder how he’d gone so many years without her.
“How do you feel about cold Chinese food?” she asked before leaning in the rest of the way to kiss him softly. Her mouth opened for him instantly, her lips soft and wet.
Gabe felt himself harden instantly, and he adjusted his jeans to accommodate the bulge that now filled them. He didn’t know if he’d even be able to wait until they got inside the building to start undressing her, much less inside his apartment. The way her body responded to even the softest touch had him wanting to climb over the console and take her right there in his car.
Truthfully, there was nothing to stop him. His parking space was relatively private, near the corner of the garage with a concrete pillar obscuring them from view. He realized rather quickly that if she was game, he certainly was. Sliding a hand under Rachel’s shirt, it wasn’t long before Gabe had her almost completely naked from the waist up. And though he’d waited for a signal that she didn’t want to do this here, she hadn’t given him one.
Instead, her hips lifted off the seat, giving him easier access to the button on her jeans, which were so tight he wasn’t sure he could remove them in the confined space. “I’ve never had this problem,” he said, yanking her pants down as gently as he could. “But I can’t get these off.”
The comment caused Rachel to laugh out loud. Then she wiggled beneath his hand as she helped him slide them down. Before she could take them off completely, she kicked off her boots. “You have too many clothes on,” she said, already lifting his shirt to pull over his head.
Once the article of clothing was off, Rachel’s fingers were on Gabe’s abs as they traced along the lines between them. His muscles flexed at the cool touch of her skin against his, and he could already feel how ready he was. He wanted to grab himself, dull the ache that was throbbing inside his pants, but Rachel’s hand got there first.
As soon as she made contact with his cock, rubbing him through his jeans, he knew he wouldn’t last as long as he wanted to. It was hard and fast and fucking frantic, like she couldn’t get enough of him. “Jesus,” he said, and he could hear how harsh and unsteady his voice sounded. With a sudden gasp, Gabe found himself putting his hand on hers to stop her movement. “No more.”
Though she paused for a moment to unzip his pants, springing his erection free in the process, she went right back to touching him. But this time it was with her mouth. He willed himself to think of anything else but Rachel’s mouth on his cock, but the effort was in vain. As her lips wrapped around him, warmth spread through his body, and soon enough he was thrusting into her mouth wildly. His hands tangled with her hair as it fell over his lap, and he thought how easily he could come from watching her. “Christ, Rach. This is so fucking good.”
He thought he felt her smile, but she went right back to sucking him. And as her wet lips slipped slowly over him, his hips began to buck frantically. “Rachel, I’m going to… God, you have to…” He couldn’t even get out the last word of warning before he was coming. And though he’d tried to pull away, Rachel’s lips stayed tightly locked around him, licking every drop of his release as it shot into her mouth.
“That was incredible,” he said once she pulled away from him and he was able to get his brain working again. He didn’t miss the way she licked her lips as she looked into his eyes. It was one of the sexiest things he’d ever seen. “Now I think it’s your turn.”
***
A few moments later, Rachel was lying on the black leather of Gabe’s back seat, the lower half of her body in the air as Gabe’s face nestled between her legs. His movements were slow and calculated as he licked and sucked on all her sensitive areas. She couldn’t even remember the last time someone had done this to her. Somehow, it was so much more intimate than sex, more vulnerable. But with Gabe, Rachel found herself able to open up to him, expose parts of herself inside and out that she’d never felt comfortable sharing with anyone before.
Rachel’s legs draped over Gabe’s shoulders, but she could already feel them growing weak. Making him come had turned her on almost as much as what he was currently doing, and she knew she wouldn’t last long, especially now that he was picking up the pace. The sounds that escaped from her were barely recognizable, even to her. She was a mess of gasps and moans, sharp inhalations and shuddering sighs as she struggled to hold off the release she knew was close. She didn’t even care that she could hear how wet she was with every stroke of Gabe’s tongue. The fact that he seemed to be enjoying himself only turned her on more. She was needy and frantic and on the edge of an orgasm she knew would be one of the most amazing she’d had in recent memory.
But she didn’t want to give in to it because letting go would mean an end to… this. And this, as far as she was concerned, was as close to heaven as someone on Earth could get. Gabe let go of one of her thighs to put a hand on her breast. Her skin lit up at his touch, and when his fingers focused their attention on her nipple, she lost it completely. Waves of pleasure shot through her as her body tried to clench around Gabe’s tongue. It was so warm, so smooth, in such contrast to how his cock felt when he was inside her. But it was no less pleasurable. This, right here, was perfect.
Slowly, Gabe lowered her back down, kissing all the way up her torso until his lips reached her neck. They laid there together for a few minutes, cocooned in a perfect bubble of sated bliss. But like all good things, it eventually had to come to an end.
They put their clothes back on in satisfied silence, every so often exchanging glances that spoke more than words could’ve. Once inside Gabe’s apartment, they heated their food and settled down on the couch to watch a movie. “I totally forgot to ask you,” Gabe said after swallowing a bite of his orange chicken. “There’s a party after the first night of the draft that I’m going to. I was hoping I wouldn’t have to go alone.” He raised an eyebrow at her curiously.
Rachel couldn’t resist. “Who are you thinking of asking?”
For a second, Gabe looked confused, but then his expression relaxed into a smile. “You’re messing with me, aren’t you?”
Rachel let out the laugh she’d been holding in. “Yeah,” she said. “I’m surprised you fell for it. I’d be happy to go.”
“Good. It’s a date then.”
“It’s a date,” she confirmed. “Now tell me about the party.” As much as she wanted to go with Gabe because he was her boyfriend, the reporter in her couldn’t ignore the fact that the event had fallen into her lap. Since her conversation with Jamie, Rachel had been wondering where she
might be able to see someone handing out cards for the club.
Gabe told her the party was being held at the football stadium in one of the spaces that was used for weddings and other fancy events. It was obviously invite only, and would have newly-drafted players as well as established professional athletes. If there were ever an event where Rachel had a chance of finding out who was running the club, this was it.
“Sounds great,” Rachel said. “I’m looking forward to it.”
Chapter Twenty
Rachel loved dressing up. It reminded her of pretending to be a princess when she was a little girl. And even though she was going in at least a partially professional capacity, she was also excited to get to wear a beautiful dress. Her emerald silk gown with an organza overlay on the bodice wrapped around one shoulder and fell smoothly to the floor. She’d put her hair into a French braid that wrapped around one side of her head before being pinned up into a bun. As she looked in the mirror, she thought she looked good. She hoped Gabe would think so as well.
He was due to pick her up any second, so she spread some tinted gloss on her lips, grabbed her silver clutch, and went into the living room to wait. His timing was impeccable because she heard a knock at the door as soon as she made it through the short hall.
Smoothing her hands down her dress, she took a deep breath before opening the door. Her jaw dropped as she took in the sight of Gabe in a tailored, dark gray suit. Underneath, he wore a crisp navy shirt that he left open at the collar so a hint of his bronze skin showed. He was seriously smoking hot. “Wow,” was all she could say.
“Wow to you too,” he said with that sexy smile that always made her clit throb. He leaned it to give her a kiss on the cheek and then whispered in her ear, “I can’t wait to peel that off you.”
Even more heat rushed south as his words sent a shiver through her. “Maybe we should do that now,” she said, her voice husky.
But Gabe, the bastard, pulled back and shoved his hands in his pockets, which made his suit jacket rise and his pants tighten across the front of him. “Good things come to those who wait.”
“I’m perfectly able to come without waiting.”
Gabe barked out a laugh. “I have no doubts about that. But still, I have a car downstairs, and I’m looking forward to showing you off to everyone.”
His comment was classic, sweet Gabe, and there was no way she could refuse it. “Let’s go then.” She acted put-out, but she was excited to go.
The car ride was relatively quick since the party was being held on one of the upper floors of the football stadium, which was close to where Gabe lived. She was amazed that they could fit such a large, glamorous space inside of a stadium, but there it was—all crystal chandeliers and linen-covered tables. They found Jace quickly, and Rachel was introduced to his fiancé, Alessandra, who was sweet in a slightly awkward way that Rachel found thoroughly endearing. The four of them mingled, with Gabe and Jace introducing the women to countless people—many of whom Rachel either knew or at least knew of. Alessandra looked uncomfortable though.
“You okay?” Rachel whispered to her as they stood at a high-top table and the guys talked to a few other men about the new turf the stadium had put down.
Alessandra jolted a little at the sound of Rachel’s voice, but smiled shyly. “Yes, I’m fine. I’m just not much of a people person.” She chuckled in a self-deprecating way that made Rachel like the beautiful doctor even more.
“Honestly? Me neither. But I have to fake it for my job,” Rachel said. That wasn’t entirely true. She did like meeting people, but she also needed a serious recharge afterward. Crowds often overwhelmed her though, and a lot of her calm composure was a façade that she’d perfected over years of attending events like this.
“Yeah, I’m fine if I’m in my own element, but this,” Alessandra gestured around the room, “is decidedly out of my element.”
“Maybe we’ll stumble across a team doctor for you to chat with,” Rachel offered with a smile, which Alessandra returned.
“Maybe.”
“Want anything to drink?” Gabe asked her.
“Sure. White wine is fine.”
“Great. Want anything, Aly?”
“I think we’re going to take a walk over to the appetizers,” Jace said as he put an arm around Alessandra’s waist.
“Fat bastard,” Gabe taunted.
Jace patted his flat stomach with his hand. “You know it.”
“You want to come with me or wait here?” Gabe asked her after Jace and Alessandra walked away.
“I’ll wait here and save our table.”
“Okay, I’ll be right back.”
She watched Gabe walk off before she let her eyes glance around the room. Taking in the diverse crowd, she allowed herself to enjoy existing on the fringe for a minute. Rachel was an observer through and through, and people-watching was one of her favorite pastimes.
But when she saw a man surreptitiously hand a recent draftee a card, her entire body tensed. She watched them speak for a moment as the player slipped the card into his pocket and the two men shook hands. Her eyes tracked the movements of the man who’d handed out the card. He was tall and lithe, his black suit hugging his frame. His blond hair was mussed in that intentional way that made it seem as though he’d just been riding in a convertible with the top down. He approached another young athlete and repeated the process all over again.
“Here ya go,” Gabe said as he put her drink down in front of her.
Rachel felt like she’d nearly jumped out of her skin, but Gabe hadn’t seemed to notice. “Thanks,” she said as she lifted the glass to her lips. Gabe stood next to her, his hand on the small of her back and his thumb caressing her over the fabric of her dress as he made small talk. She hated that she wasn’t fully in the moment with him. Hated that she couldn’t stop her brain from thinking about who the man might have been and how she was going to get close enough to him to figure it out.
Gabe, unbeknownst to him, gave her an opportunity. “Hey, I’m going to run to the restroom. You want me to track down Jace and Aly for you, or are you good here for a few minutes?”
“I’m good.” She felt like she’d said the words too abruptly, so she willed herself to calm down before continuing. “I actually might mingle a little. See what stories I can sniff out.” She said the words with a smile that she hoped hid the fact that she was serious.
“Sounds good. I’ll find you in a few minutes.”
“No worries. I’ll be fine.”
Gabe leaned in and gave her a soft kiss. “I know.” With that, he went off in the direction of where she assumed the bathrooms were.
Rachel gave a quick look around. She’d lost sight of the man who’d handed out the cards, so she had little choice but to wander around and hope she stumbled upon him. She walked around, becoming more disappointed as time passed. She figured he must have left already, the dread of the missed opportunity weighing heavily on her. But as soon as she’d had the thought, the man materialized in front of her.
“Excuse me,” he said with a gleaming smile as he tried to slide past her.
“No problem.” She extended her hand toward him, unwilling to let him get away again. “I’m a reporter with All Access Sports.”
The man’s smile grew in response, and he grasped her hand in a firm shake. “Chad Weller. Nice to meet you.”
She nodded. “It’s a beautiful event,” she said as she looked around the room. “Lots of great athletes.” Rachel was desperately trying to think ahead as she spoke, to come up with some way of finding out more about Chad.
“Yeah, it sure is. You came down here for the draft? Isn’t All Access based out of New York?”
“I’m down here on a story,” she answered. “What do you do?” she asked, wanting to steer the conversation back to him.
“I’m an agent.”
Her heart sank. “Oh.” Forcing a smile, she continued, “Bet you’ve found plenty of prospective clients tonight.”
She took it, unsure if his comment was genuine or laced with innuendo. Deciding it wasn’t worth hanging around to find out, she quickly excused herself and went off to find Gabe.
With every step she took, Rachel did her best to quell the frustration she felt. At least now she could stop obsessing and focus on having a good night with her date. She made her way off in the direction in which Gabe had walked. Her eyes settled on him a minute later, and a smile automatically spread across her lips. Yes, she could definitely enjoy the night with her man.
Except, as she approached, she saw Gabe talking to two football players who played in the very stadium she currently stood in. And Gabe was handing them each a small, black card.
***
“We’re having an event tomorrow night to celebrate the end of the draft, if you guys are interested.”
Patrick Reardon and Lamar Tannis nodded solemnly, letting Gabe know they were taking him seriously.
“And no one is permitted in without an invitation from me. So don’t spread word around about where you’re going. You follow the rules, and we’ll get along just fine.” Gabe internally laughed at this persona he had to put on in these instances. It was so unlike him in every facet of his life besides moments like this. He felt like a complete imposter.
“We understand,” Lamar said as he held out his hand to shake Gabe’s. “We won’t say a word.”
Gabe shook each man’s hand firmly. “Then I look forward to seeing you tomorrow.” He gave them each one final nod before he turned around. And came face-to-face with Rachel. Plastering on a casual smile, he approached her quickly and began ushering her away from Lamar and Patrick. “Hey. Been having fun?”
“Yeah. I’ve been networking. How about you?”
The One Night Stand Page 14