by Anna Antonia
“Okay. I move to strike the no-sex rule—oh!”
Gabriel sprang up and lifted me in his arms. “It’s our bedtime, Emma.”
“Bedtime?”
“Bedtime.” His slow smile clued me exactly how we would be spending our time before sleep.
He walked into one of the guest rooms for which I was very grateful. Our bags were waiting neatly at the foot of the large bed. Gabriel set me down and bade me to get ready for “the pounding” of my life.
“Oh, Emma? Make sure you’re fully nude, won’t you please?” I skipped into the bathroom, eager to obey his every command.
A few minutes later I’d barely exited the bathroom before Gabriel yanked me to him. Foreplay didn’t last long before I was stretched out beneath him as my sweetest love made good on his promise. We didn’t last long. My cries sounded in his ear only seconds before his sounded in mine.
And then we started again.
It was decadent, delicious, and beyond exciting. I tasted all of him, sucking Gabriel’s beautiful shaft into my mouth while he did the same to my tender core. We were insatiable, completely at ease with one another as lovers were but always finding something new to savor.
Gabriel bent me over the bed as he thrust into me from behind. I loved when he pulled my hair hard, bending my head back so he could thrust his tongue deep into my open mouth. Gabriel went wild when I rode him and offered both my breasts for his greedy lips.
We went hard and fast, never feeling like we got enough of the other as we pushed our bodies ever closer together. When we needed to slow down, to make it last longer, Gabriel positioned me on my side and faced me. I loved the tight fit and how easy it was to hold and kiss him.
I came sweetly this way. I came harder when Gabriel had me sprawled on his lap, back to front while he slapped my mound in time with each sharp thrust.
If there was any doubt that I belonged to Gabriel then it was being driven right out of me.
A couple of hours passed before we finally fell away in exhaustion. Tired, we dragged ourselves out of the rumpled bed and into non-adjoining bathrooms. We’d agreed to take separate showers in order to resist temptation. As I stood under the powerful spray, I wouldn’t have minded his company.
Finally, we were both minty fresh and ready for slumber. It was strange sleeping in the same bedroom that I’d cleaned during the summers.
“I’m going to have to wash the sheets before we leave tomorrow.”
Gabriel responded to my sleepy murmur by plucking at the blanket. “You’re right. We’ve thoroughly dirtied the sheets, haven’t we? And we still have tomorrow…”
I pressed my lips against his nipple. “I can hardly wait, Mr. Gordon.”
“Then let’s wake up early so I can make love to you every hour on the hour.”
“Hey! I do need to be able to walk.”
“All right, all right.” Gabriel tucked me against his chest. His deep voice softened with undisguised vulnerability. “I’m going to miss you when you leave tomorrow, Emma.”
“I’m going to miss you too.” His heartbeat beneath my ear soothed me like a lullaby. “How long before you come see me?”
“Give me a day. Two at the most.”
“You’re not going to stand me up in some diabolical plot to get even, are you?”
“Emma, you’re the diabolical one here. Not me.”
I pushed up on my arms. “You’re kidding, right? Don’t forget about how we got together again, Gabriel, and the whole Embry connection. That was pretty diabolical in my book.”
He rolled his eyes heavenwards and groaned. “You’re never going to stop bringing that up, are you?”
“Nope. Not for at least fifty years.”
Gabriel brushed the hair out of my face tenderly. “Fine. I’ll take it as long as I get the fifty with you. A happy fifty at that.”
“That’s all you need? Nothing else?”
“That’s it, Emma. That’s always been it.”
I kissed the spot above his heart. “You’re not a real person, Gabriel. Seriously.”
He smiled and cupped my chin. “Last I checked I was. At least I think I was.”
“No, I mean the way you love me. It’s unreal. I don’t think it’s normal at all.”
“Oh, baby. Who wants to be normal?”
Indeed.
FIFTEEN
“Did you enjoy your day with me, my sweet Emma?”
“I did.”
I smiled, thinking about how after I talked to my mom and he the office, we stayed cuddled in the guest room, leaving only for trips out for food, before going back to bed. It was a glorious homecoming. I was sore in muscles I didn’t even know existed.
We’d only recently gotten dressed again to run out for dinner. “Very much so.”
“Good,” Gabriel praised softly. “Did you also enjoy your early dinner, my sweet Emma?”
Chinese food out of takeout cartons. It had quickly become our favorite type of meal together. “It was delicious. Did you like your Kung Pao chicken?”
“Tasty.”
His wolfish grin had me squirming slightly in my seat. I had a wonderful feeling Gabriel wasn’t just talking about his meal. Liquid warmth settled low in my belly. I didn’t mind going back on the menu, especially if he devoured me whole.
“Well, then it’s time to talk about punishment, my sweet Emma.”
My gaze zeroed in on his elegant hand, the long fingers playing with the stem of his wineglass. “Punishment.”
“Punishment.”
I straightened in my seat. Desire pulsed even as I geared up to verbally spar with my golden god. Neither of us would like it if I rolled over and easily submitted. Then again, neither of us would like it if I drew it out too long either.
Balance.
“Punishment for what, Gabriel?”
He smiled and gazed at me from beneath a hooded gaze. “Lying by omission, making decisions about our relationship by yourself, running away from me…must I go on?”
I crossed my legs. “We made nice though.”
“Almost.”
“Spilling my guts to you wasn’t enough?”
“Not quite.”
“Punishment after spending such a nice day together would be rather unfair, don’t you think?”
“I think it would be the perfect cap to a perfect day.”
I took a sip of my drink, eschewing wine in favor of water. “What kind of punishment are we talking about?”
Gabriel bared his teeth in a dangerous, seductive grin. “Telling you would imply negotiation. We are not negotiating, Emma.”
“Not even a little bit?”
He dropped his grin. His beautiful face became hard as granite. “No. Not this time, my love.”
“Oh.” Nervousness dampened my palms. He wasn’t interested in teasing me this time. “Then what are we going to talk about then?”
“The fact that you are going to be punished.” Gabriel stood up, smoothing his hand over his pale grey dress shirt. He walked around the Rosenburgs’ polished mahogany dining room table and stood by my chair. “It’s time, Emma.”
I took his proffered hand and got to my feet. My heart skittered in its pulsing. No more games. It was time to submit. “Okay then. This is rather abrupt, Gabriel.”
“My space, my rules,” he whispered in my ear. “Be glad I gave you any warning at all. I could’ve just bent you over the table, pulled down your pants, and used my belt against your sweet, naughty tail before I fucked you until you screamed my name.”
A shudder went through my body. Gabriel, as usual, missed nothing. “Maybe I should do that anyway. What do you say, Emma? Would you like to submit to me in this room…right here, right now?”
I swallowed hard, imagining just how deliciously dark that would be to experience. Would I cry? Would I take it in silence, writhing to escape and embrace the feel of his belt against my skin?
“You’ve perverted me, Gabriel Gordon. You know I’m more than curious to f
ind out what it would be like.”
Gabriel licked my earlobe. “Yet, I sense hesitation. Why?”
“Because it would be my mom’s house. I can’t do that in her house.”
He was silent. And then “You’re firm on this?”
I bit my lip, wishing I could separate my feelings from this. “Yes. I am.”
“Very well.” Gabriel lifted my hand to his lips and kissed my fingertips. “Go get your purse, baby.”
Wait, what?
“Where are we going?”
“A hotel.”
“You’re going to punish me at a hotel?”
“Among other things.”
My eyes widened. “You’re kidding!”
“Do I look like I’m kidding?”
I studied his unyielding expression. “No.”
My whisper brought a dark smile. “Go now, Emma.”
Meekly, I turned around and did as I was told. Gabriel was waiting for me at the front door, coat already on and mine in his hand. He slipped it on me without a word and then took my arm.
We walked to the car in silence. As much as it aggravated me to think it, I wondered if Gabriel was upset at me for causing this much trouble.
“Talk to me, Emma. I can hear the gears grinding, you know,” he said as he started up the vehicle.
Buckling my seatbelt, I gave him a tiny smile. “Are you mad at me?”
“Why would I be? Did you do something bad to make me mad?” he teased ever-so-slightly.
I traced a pattern on my knee. “Well, because I don’t want to do that in my mom’s house.”
“And yet we did many, many dirty things in one of her guest rooms.”
I flamed a thousand shades of scarlet. “I know, I know. It’s just that this is different. It’s us. It’s private.”
“I know.” Gabriel took one hand off the wheel and massaged my neck. “And to answer your question—no, I’m not mad at you. Not in the slightest.”
“Really? You’re sure?”
“Really, Emma. I’m sure.” He squeezed my shoulder. “Haven’t you figured it out yet?”
“No, what?”
“Everything I do is all to love you.”
I melted. “How did I get so lucky? Really.”
Gabriel smiled. “I ask myself the same thing every day.” Before I could overdose on sweetness, he gave me a bit of evil eye. “And then you had to go listen to my stupid uncle instead of me. Bad Emma.”
“Sorry.”
“I know and you will be.”
His angelic countenance was definitely at odds with his wicked words.
Considering the size of town, it only took us ten minutes to drive up to one of the nicer hotels. Gabriel pulled up to the lobby doors and bade me to wait for him.
I sat in the car with the engine running and wondered what it might look like from the other side. Did Gabriel look like a married man having an assignation with his bit of fluff on the side?
With our near-engaged status, I have to admit it made me feel a little naughty to be having an affair with my own lover. But no, we probably just looked like a horny couple who was eager to fall into an anonymous bed.
Which was very true.
A few minutes later Gabriel came back to the car. He waved the hotel key in the air, naughty grin firmly on his face. Opening the door, he got in and said, “Are you ready for the little rough play, my sweet?”
I ran my tongue along my dry lips. “Not too rough I hope.”
“You hope for no such thing, Emma, and you know it.” Gabriel swooped in for a lusty kiss. “Admit it.”
Breathless and wanting more, I swept my hand up his thigh. “Haven’t I admitted too much these past couple of days as it is?” My tongue slipped out to play with his.
“There’s no such thing, my love. I want everything from you and I’ll never tire of hearing your thoughts. You can count on it.” His squeezed my breast before pinching the nipple roughly.
Arching closer, I kissed the corner of his mouth. “Or spanking me perhaps?”
“That I will never tire of, baby. That I can promise you.” Gabriel skated his hand over my belly, moving it closer to the juncture between my thighs. “Spread them…wider…good girl.”
I closed my eyes. His elegant fingers rubbed my core, getting me wetter with each skillful pass. “I never get tired of you touching me. I want you, Gabriel.”
“Hmm…do you?”
“Oh yes…want you…oh!...always.”
Gabriel licked the tops of my breasts. He groaned when I tilted my hips to give him easier access. “I want to come inside you right now, baby. I can’t wait until I can come inside you for real…nothing between us…all my come just for you.”
God that was erotic! Rocking my hips against his hand, I gripped the back of his head and moaned when he sucked my nipples through my shirt.
Gabriel nipped one and then the other before pulling back with a smoky gaze. “If we don’t want to get arrested, I better get us to the room.”
I looked about us in a haze. I’d already forgotten that we were still in front of the lobby for anyone to see us. “Yeah. Let’s get going.”
We pulled over to the side of the hotel and raced our way to the second floor room. Gabriel unlocked the door and swept me up in his arms. He kicked the door shut with his foot, kissing me the whole time.
My feet found the floor when Gabriel set me down. My hands greedily roamed across his body, neither of us ready to stop kissing the other. He roughly turned me around and bent me over the bed.
Gabriel pulled my clothes off, throwing them onto the carpeted floor. “I can’t ever fucking get enough of you, my Emma.”
Moaning loudly at his words, I tried to get my shirt off.
“Leave it. I want to do it.”
I let my upper half rest on the bed, arms splayed out and ready for his hands to grip my wrists.
Gabriel soon had me naked and bowed over the bed. His lips burned a trail all along my spine. It felt so good. I gasped his name and looked over my shoulder. His mouth crashed against mine.
“I love you so much, Emma.”
“I love you too.”
Gabriel gently bit my lower lip. I moaned so he did it again. Gabriel then stood up. His expression cooled, but his gaze only intensified with heat. “You know what’s coming next.”
Excitement and nervousness made a delicious mix. I licked my lips. “Yes.”
“You know why you’re being punished.”
“Yes, Sir.”
Gabriel rested his palm high on my thigh. That area was so sensitive, especially to his quick strikes. My nerves flared to life beneath his touch.
“When I do this to you know that it’s because you did a bad thing, Emma.”
“I know, Sir.”
“It was thoughtless and cruel.”
I laid my head down on the bed. “I’m sorry.”
Gabriel’s tone remained distant and impassive. “You knew it would hurt me.”
“Yes.”
“But you did it anyways.”
Another whispered affirmative.
Gabriel squeezed my flesh. His long fingers eased into the damp space my thighs. He teased and tortured, giving me barely enough to squeeze between his fore and middle fingers.
“It’s going to hurt, Emma, but you won’t mind at all, will you?”
“No, Sir.”
“Tell me why.”
“Because I deserve it.”
“Why?”
My breath caught. Gabriel’s fingers quickened. “Because I was bad. I was selfish. I hurt you. I ran away.”
Pleasure came at a price. Speaking my sins aloud in this space brought the memories back again.
“That’s right, Emma. You were a very bad girl.” The slither of his leather belt split the jagged sounds of my breathing. “Say it.”
“I’m a very bad girl.”
“Were, Emma. Were.” Gabriel’s thumb dipped inside me and then rubbed my clit slow and steady. He squeez
ed once and then let go of me. Gabriel’s soft commands bade me to rise back up onto my arms.
Gabriel moved over to the side of the bed. He crouched down until he could see my eyes. “Are you ready, my love?”
I nodded and whispered, “Yes.”
He cupped my chin and kissed me hard. Gabriel ravished my mouth, heightening my senses into overdrive. Only when I was aroused to the breaking point, only then did he break off our connection.
Gabriel brought the folded up belt to my lips. He didn’t have to tell me what to do next. I already knew.
I kissed the cool leather, knowing it was going to bring me great discomfort but something greater than the momentary discomfort of the flesh.
Peace.
My actions pleased Gabriel. He stood up and caressed a lock of my hair. “You’re so sweet, Emma. The sweetest girl I could’ve ever hoped for.”
The praise soothed my soul.
Once he stood back at the end of the bed, Gabriel moved my legs an inch one way and a couple of inches that way. Docile, I waited for him to be satisfied. Finally, he finished and said, “This will hurt. I will be quick as long as you stay still. Can you stay still for me, Emma?”
“I can do anything for you, Sir.” His radiant smile was my benediction.
“I’ve never doubted it. Now be brave for me, Emma.”
Tightening my limbs, I prepared myself for the first strike. It came quickly. Pain crackled through me like lightening. Then again. And again.
Gabriel’s voice found me through the heat strikes.
“You’re almost done, Emma. Stay strong for me.”
Instantly obedient to his will, I dug deep. My body trembled but my temporary suffering meant nothing. Pleasing my Gabriel meant everything.
He had given me a penance that I was already so grateful for having. Guilt wouldn’t be able to pump its poison for long.
I just had to surrender to the pain and not fight it.
Gabriel finally laid one last strike and then threw the belt onto the ground. He wrapped his arms around my waist and soothed me with the firm press of his hard chest against my soft body.
It was safety.
After my breathing slowed, Gabriel murmured in my ear, “I forgive you everything.”
I clenched my eyes and sucked in a long, shuddering breath. “You always do.”