“I’m still trying to get the thought of you lusting over Blue out of my mind.”
She pressed her body against him and said, “I promise, I’ve got no interest in Blue beyond friendship. But I do love to see your jealous side come out.”
“You do, do you?” He wrapped his arms around her.
“Mm-hm.” She put her lips beside his ear and whispered, “The only man I want to see strip is you. But only for me. A private show.”
He laughed, but her pinked-up cheeks told him she wasn’t kidding. She was so adorable, all bundled up in her sweater, her hair cascading over her shoulders like spun gold, and those big blue eyes an alluring mix of sensuality and did-I-really-say-that? There wasn’t a thing he wouldn’t do for her. “You’re serious?”
She lifted one shoulder with a shy smile. “I’ve never actually seen a stripper. And I don’t have an interest in seeing a stranger do it.”
“Damn, baby. What other secret desires are you hiding?”
“I never knew I wanted to see that until right this second.”
Just the idea of stripping for Sally made him hot and bothered. “I’ll make you a deal. The day I’m allowed to tell the world we’re married, I’ll strip for you.”
“Really?” Her eyes widened—and heated. “That’s a lot of incentive to offer a girl who’s small on experience and big on wanting you.”
“Just the way I like you.”
They shopped for a while longer. Coming up empty on a gift idea for Blue and Lizzie, they stopped at a baby store to pick something up for Blake and Danica’s baby shower.
“Isn’t this gorgeous?” She admired a mosaic bowl that had designs of baby’s feet in the center.
“Didn’t you and your mom do mosaics together when you were young?”
“Yes. When we traveled she always found an artist who would let us work in their studio.” She looked at him thoughtfully. “I can’t believe you remembered. I haven’t thought about that since…”
“Since we went to that little shop in the Village, Jewels of the Past, when we bought Danica and Blake their wedding gift.” A day he’d never forget because it was the first time she’d opened up to him about her parents.
“That was so long ago. How on earth did you remember?” She set the bowl down.
“It’d be hard to forget. You got this look in your eyes like you missed it, and you went into so much detail about how connected you’d felt to your mother during those times.”
“I do miss it.” She looked at her hands as if she were remembering how it felt to work with clay. “That time with my mom was special.”
“Then you should do it again. Find a studio and invite your mom to go with you next time she’s in town.”
She rolled her eyes. “She’s never in town. You know that. They travel all the time now that they’re retired. But maybe I will try it again.” She lifted a tiny pink dress from a rack and her gaze softened. “Aw, look at this. I remember when I was pregnant with Rusty, I’d go through stores looking at all the infant clothes, dreaming of what it would be like to finally meet my baby. I didn’t want to know if he was a boy or a girl until he was born, so the poor guy was dressed in mint green and yellow for most of his infancy. I wish we knew if Danica was having a boy or a girl.”
Gage drew her in close, looking forward to one day shopping for their own baby’s clothing. “I bet you were the prettiest pregnant woman there ever was.”
“Hardly, and I wasn’t a woman. I was barely done being a girl when I became a mom.” She smiled and added, “But I remember when they put Rusty in my arms for the first time. He was so tiny and vulnerable and perfect. I couldn’t get over that he was part of me. To actually see this little person we’d created was overwhelming. I don’t know how I got anything else done the first six months after he was born. I swear I stared at him every second, marveling at how beautiful he was.”
“I want that with you, Sal. Not now. I know we have a while before we’re there. But I look forward to seeing your belly round with our babies and being right beside you when you give birth.”
She set the dress back on the rack and wound her arms around his neck. “Gage, you know there are risks involved with having babies after age thirty-five, right? Premature birth, birth defects, getting pregnant with multiples…”
“I know all about that. I’ve been in love with a cougar long enough to have thought it through.”
She swatted him. “I am not a cougar.”
He chuckled as they meandered through the store.
“Don’t you know you’re not supposed to talk about a woman’s age?”
He grabbed her around the waist and ducked into an aisle, out of view from the employees. “I like being your boy toy.” He began kissing her neck.
“You sure you don’t want someone younger? With years of possibilities ahead of them? Someone who could give you a baby a year for five years?”
He bit her lower neck.
“Hey!” She scowled.
“Don’t even start that with me, Sally Tuft—Ryder.” Holy shit. How did he not put that together earlier? By the look on Sally’s face, she hadn’t put two and two together either. “What do we have to do to change your name?”
“Um…”
“What? Not this second. After we tell Rusty.”
“But Rusty’s last name is Tuft. And he’s my son.”
“And I’m your husband. I’m not asking you to forget Tuft. But I think Sally Tuft-Ryder has a nice ring to it.”
“If Rusty freaks out—”
He silenced her with a kiss, unwilling to entertain the idea of not being married, much less of Sally not taking his name. Maybe that made him too possessive or old-fashioned, but he didn’t care. He was proud to be with her, and he wanted the world to know it.
When their lips parted, he touched his forehead to hers and said, “I love you, Sally. Please tell me you’re not going to walk away from us.”
“Never,” she said quickly.
“Thank God. Then what…?”
“I’m just thinking about the best way to handle Rusty. Does it make more sense to ease him into it? Tell him we’re dating and eventually move on to being engaged and then married?”
“Not unless you’re talking speed dating, an hour engagement, and immediate elopement.”
AFTER BUYING BABY gifts and a special doll for Chessie, Gage and Sally grabbed dinner in the food court. On their way back toward the exit where they’d parked, Sally stopped to admire a long red dress in the window of a clothing store. It was the most gorgeous shade of crimson she’d ever seen. Lace-capped sleeves decorated with rose and pearl appliqué gave the dress an air of elegance. The sweetheart neckline and empire waist would be slimming and comfortable, and the crinkled chiffon gave it a hint of shine.
Gage took Sally’s hand and dragged her into the store. “You need that dress.”
“No, I don’t,” she insisted as he made a beeline for a rack where several sizes of the gorgeous dress were displayed.
“Then I need you to have it. I need to see you in that dress.” He fished through them and his shoulders slumped. “What is this? A children’s store? Six? Ten? Twelve?”
She laughed. “That’s how women’s sizes run. I have no place to wear a dress like that, Gage. It’s too glamorous. Let’s just go.”
He pulled every dress off the rack and flagged down the salesgirl. “She needs to try these on.”
The salesgirl couldn’t have been more than twenty years old. She smiled at Sally, laughing softly. “All of them?”
“Just sizes eight and ten, please,” Sally said, glaring at Gage as he sifted through the sizes of the seven dresses in his arms. She lowered her voice as the salesgirl unlocked the dressing room. “Gage, I really can’t wear it anywhere. This is silly.”
He held up two dresses, victory written in his beaming smile. “It’s perfect for Christmas, bird.” He shooed her into the dressing room and stepped in with her. “I can’t wait to see y
ou in it.” He was like a kid in a candy store, unzipping the back of the dress as quickly as he could. His enthusiasm was contagious. Sally wanted the dress to look as good on her as it did on the rack just to see his reaction.
The salesgirl’s face was pinched. She opened her mouth to speak, then closed it again, like she was trying to work out how to tell him that he couldn’t stay in the dressing room.
“Um, Gage?” Sally touched his arm as he slipped the dress from the hanger.
“Yeah?” His gaze moved from Sally to the salesgirl, who pointed to a plush armchair meant for waiting customers. “Oh. Right. Sorry.”
He handed Sally the dress, gave her a chaste kiss, and plunked himself down in the chair, anxiously tapping his fingers.
As Sally closed the dressing room door, she heard the salesgirl say, “That’s the prettiest dress in the store.”
Sally stripped off her top and heard Gage say, “The perfect dress for the perfect wife.”
She reveled in his admiration as she changed into the dress. The length was ideal for a pair of low heels, and the satin lining felt heavenly against her skin. She turned to look in the mirror, momentarily awed by her reflection. She’d never owned anything so glamorous. The crisscross bodice and empire waist were flattering. It was the type of dress that belonged on a red carpet, not a holiday dinner. As she turned to open the dressing room door, she was suddenly nervous again.
She peeked out of the dressing area, and Gage leapt to his feet, adoring eyes drinking her in as she turned for him to zip the back.
He zipped the dress and turned her by the waist, his gaze remaining on her face. “Jesus, Sal. You’re stunning. Beyond stunning. Exquisite. That dress was made for you. We’re getting it.”
She flipped up the price tag and gasped. “Gage, it’s four hundred dollars.” She headed for the dressing room.
He caught her around the waist, turning her in his arms again. “You’re worth a hell of a lot more than that. It’s the perfect dress for the holidays, and I’m buying it, so be careful when you take it off.”
“Gage, you don’t need—”
He silenced her with a kiss.
“You can’t keep shutting me up with kisses.”
“Try me.”
Chapter Nine
FRIDAY MORNING SALLY awoke to the feel of Gage’s lips working their way down her belly. She closed her eyes, wishing they didn’t have to leave later today, and reveling in the memories of the date they’d gone on Wednesday night, and the delight in Gage’s eyes when he’d seen her in that gorgeous dress. She’d never felt prettier than she had the moment he’d seen her wearing it. Thursday had passed in a blur of interviews and other preparations for the new center. Sally had silently mourned the end of their time away, which was fast approaching, and when five o’clock hit, she savored every minute of the rest of the night. They had gone to the movies and for a long walk through town, holding hands and kissing under the stars. It had been bitter cold, but they’d heated up in the elevator, and when they’d gotten back to their room, they’d barely made it inside before tearing off each other’s clothes.
Now, Gage’s hands skimmed her legs with featherlight touches, bringing her mind back to the present. He kissed her inner thighs, making her squirm with anticipation. The first slick of his tongue sent shivers racing through her. He kept up a slow, torturous rhythm, licking her center, then kissing her thigh repeatedly. He splayed his hands over her hips, holding her down as he lowered his mouth to her sex. She loved the way he forced her to endure his torturous teasing, refusing to let her hurry things along. She widened her legs, lost in his scintillating tease. His hands pushed beneath her bottom, lifting her hips, and he did something with his tongue that sent spirals of ecstasy shooting through her. She fisted her hands, her heels digging into the sheets.
“You need to”—pant, pant—“patent your tongue. Good Lord.” She writhed against his mouth. “You should have told me how good you were at this years ago.”
He lifted his head, smiling.
“Don’t stop,” she urged.
“Baby, I could feast on you all day long.”
His teeth grazed, his tongue plunged, and those fingers…Gage never held back with his words or his touch, and the combination took her up, up, up, rousing her passion to levels she’d never imagined. She stole a look at him, and he must have felt her shift, because his eyes opened and caught on hers, electrifying the air around them. It felt so naughty, watching him devour her, and when he licked along her center, holding her gaze with a dark, erotic look in his eyes, she nearly lost it. An orgasm clawed at her core, but she struggled against it, enjoying the overwhelming sensations bursting inside her. She lay back, eyes slammed shut, trying desperately to stave off her orgasm. He did something magical with his fingers and her hips bolted off the bed. A cry of pleasure flew from her lungs. “Gage!”
He had already become a master at catching her on the way down and sent her soaring again. Scintillating sensations filled her, one after another, until she was hanging on to her sanity by a thread.
“Too much,” she pleaded. “It’s too much.”
He moved up her body, slowing to seal his mouth over one nipple and tweaking the other between his finger and thumb, doling out more sensual torture. He rocked against her center, creating the most delicious friction.
“Ohmygod,” fell from her lips like a plea. “Gaaaage—”
He clamped down harder, sending her spiraling into oblivion again, and captured her mouth midorgasm. His tongue swept passionately over hers, and his hands took over where his cock had started. Flashes of heat flamed inside her, burning hotter with every tantalizing touch, until she came in a shuddering quake, gasping and clinging to the mattress.
When she finally fell back, spent and sated, he lavished her with several tender, loving kisses, whispering sweetnesses in between. “Love you. You’re so beautiful. I can’t believe you’re finally mine.”
She smiled at his words, and when he reached for a condom, she pushed him onto his back, wanting to bring him just as much pleasure as he’d given her. “Oh no you don’t.”
“What do you have in mind, sexy girl?”
“Something like this.” She kissed his abs and wrapped her fingers around his shaft, earning a guttural, insanely sexy sound from Gage. Holding his gaze, she dragged her tongue from base to tip, circling the broad head. The heated look in his eyes made her feel empowered and seductive.
“Christ, baby. You feel good.”
She lowered her mouth around him, taking him to the back of her throat. He wound his fingers into her hair, holding so tight her scalp stung. The sharp sting spiked through her body all the way to her core, igniting her all over again. She moaned around his shaft, and he uttered something indiscernible but so damn hot she couldn’t resist moaning again. His hips bucked off the mattress, and she quickened her pace, chasing her mouth with her hand in tight, fast strokes.
“Babybabybaby—”
She kept up the maddening pace, loving the way he squirmed and clung to her hair. When he let out a long, surrendering groan, she eased up. Torture was the name of the game this morning. She loved it when he took her to the edge, then backed off, making her so desperate she begged. She wanted him to feel the same excruciating pleasure. She got up on her hands and knees so she could take him deeper, and his hand moved to her ass, caressing and groping as she teased and taunted him.
“I love your ass, baby.”
His fingers pushed into her sex, and she released his cock, rocking as his fingers stroked that magical spot inside her.
He guided her mouth back to his shaft. “Suck me, baby. Come with me.”
His words alone could make her come. God, she loved him. His dirty talk was addicting, and his wicked mouth and hands made her head spin and his rock-hard cock…Lord, she loved every inch of him. His fingers moved faster, and she followed his lead, speeding up her efforts. But concentrating on her rhythm while waves of pleasure swamped her was
impossible. She must have stopped moving completely, because he took over, helping her find their tempo.
“Baby,” he ground out. “I’m gonna come.”
He tried to pull her head back, but she continued sucking and loving and stroking. She wanted all of him.
“Bird,” he pleaded.
She was consumed by the tingling sensations climbing up her legs and the mounting pressure in her core. His fist tightened in her hair, and his hips bucked at the same moment her orgasm crashed over her. Her inner muscles pulsed around his fingers as warm jets of his release hit the back of her throat.
“Good Lord, bird,” he panted out, pulling her up beside him.
“Good morning,” she said cheekily.
“Good? How about spectacular?”
His mouth came down over hers in a kiss that told her he was as reluctant to get out of bed as she was. Getting out of bed would bring them one step closer to leaving their solitude behind.
AFTER A LONG, steamy shower, during which they drove each other mad again, they packed their bags in silence. Sally couldn’t believe their time alone was almost over. She watched Gage through the adjoining door, remembering how elated he’d been from the moment they’d realized they were married. Had it really been only six days since they’d woken up married in Vegas?
She was still getting used to the idea that they were actually married. She’d never had a real wedding with Dave, and they’d never even gone on a honeymoon. When she’d lost him, she never thought she’d marry again, but even just a few months into her friendship with Gage, she’d been imagining more. She’d give anything to remember their wedding night, though every night since had been nothing short of amazing.
Gage glanced over, catching her staring, and blew her a kiss. He mouthed, You okay?
She nodded, remembering how hard he’d pushed for them to share the honeymoon suite when they’d checked in, and how worried she’d been about whether this marriage would be the start of their lives together or the beginning of the end. Now going home felt like the same quandary. She was already used to sleeping in Gage’s arms, waking up in middle of the night to the feel of his body, the sound of his breathing. How would she keep her hands to herself in the office? How could they be together as a couple without everyone knowing? She couldn’t risk Rusty feeling like he was the last to know. And to top it all off, even though she’d fallen in love with Gage a long time ago, they’d come together and their love had become real and alive here at this hotel. She hated leaving it behind.
Swept Into Love: Gage Ryder (Love in Bloom: The Ryders Book 5) Page 10