by Claire Adams
“I want to accept your offer, Richard. I really do. More than I can express to you. My people have looked it over as a formality, and they agree with me. But before I can accept the offer, I need to be straight with you. There’s something you need to know first.” I blew out a deep breath.
Gabrielle’s eyes grew wide, and she shook her head almost imperceptibly at me, her eyes flashing with some kind of warning. Too late to stop now.
“I lied to you yesterday,” I said. “Olivia put me on the spot, and I reacted horribly. The truth is, there is something going on between Gabrielle and me. Or there was, at least. It’s entirely up to her whether there still is or ever will be again.”
The vein in Richard temple throbbed, and his face turned beet red. The muscles in his jaw twitched.
The fact that he hadn’t clocked me yet had to mean something, though. I took it as a sign of encouragement to continue.
Gabbi still hadn’t moved. She looked like I’d dumped a bucket of ice water over her head. Her eyes flicked from me to her father and back again.
Richard’s eyes locked on mine, the challenge in them clear. I met it head on. “I love her, sir. With every damn fiber of my being.”
I hadn’t called him ‘sir’ in years. It brought him back from his frozen state. His jaw dropped. His voice incredulous. “Are you fucking kidding me?”
“I’m not. I love her enough that I’m in here, placing my entire future in jeopardy to tell you that I lied. To tell you that I love her more than I ever thought it was possible to love someone.”
Gabrielle’s eyes shone with tears. Richard didn’t look at all convinced. Or on board.
“You’re serious?” The incredulity in his tone rubbed me the wrong way, but I knew better than to let it show. “You fuck a different woman every day of the fucking week, and you want to believe that you’re suddenly in love? With my daughter? Conveniently while waiting for me to make you a better offer?”
Shit. I could see how that looked. I hadn’t thought quite that far when I’d formulated my not-so-master plan.
“I can see how this looks. I give you my word that the two things are completely separate. I’m even willing to pass up on the offer if that’s what you want, but I had to tell you, and I had to tell her, the truth.” I hoped that he would see the sincerity in my eyes.
He went completely silent as he thought about what I’d just offered to do. Gabrielle’s voice spoke up softly. “James is the reason I’m taking the bar, Daddy. We started hanging out after we met here. He made me see that it was my passion as much as it might have been your plan.”
Richard turned to face his daughter, his expression disbelieving. His voice soft. “James is the reason you realized that?”
“Yes, Daddy, honestly. I wasn’t going to do it. I’d packed up my books and was researching other options when I met him. Veterinary sciences, even.” Her eyes locked with mine, a small smile playing on her lips.
Richard moved closer to her, wrapping a hand around hers in a gesture more fatherly than I’d ever seen him make. “You hate blood, baby.”
She squeezed his hand tenderly and fixed her teary gaze on him. “I know. I was desperate to find the place where I belonged, my true calling. I would’ve gone to the ends of the earth to find it, too. James made me see that I’d already found it. Well, he let me see it for myself, actually.”
Richard pulled her into a long hug, whispering to her. I was standing close enough to make out only one sentence. “I only ever wanted you to be happy, Gabbi.”
She whispered something back. It made him shoot out a tired laugh before he released her and turned to me. “You’ve got yourself an incredibly stubborn girl here, James. I hope you’re ready. In the meantime, you don’t have to worry about your contract. I meant it when I said that you were a great asset to the team.”
He stuck his hand out, and I shook it, completely shell-shocked. “I know, sir. I am ready. Thank you. I love this team. I’m going to give it my all next season. The contract was couriered an hour ago. It should be here any second.”
“You had it couriered before you came here?” His voice was lighter than I’d heard it in a long time.
“Yeah, I told you. The ball was completely in your court on this one.”
“One more basketball analogy and I might have to reconsider.” He grinned. “Now, I’m sure that you two have a lot to talk about. Get out of here. I’m late for my next meeting already.”
Neither of us argued. Neither of us so much as made a move towards the other. I kept glancing at Gabrielle as we walked to the parking lot. She looked like she moved in a haze.
Once we reached her car, she met my eyes for the first time. I opened my mouth to tell her what I’d been dying to tell her since I had realized it in that very parking lot the day before, but she raised a finger to my mouth. “Not here. We’ll talk at my place.”
“No, we’ll talk at mine. Follow me.” Her lips parted, her brow furrowed. She’d never been to my house. She knew that I had never taken one single woman to that house. That I hadn’t even had a woman at my old place since the day that Harper showed up on my doorstep.
She nodded slowly. Without another word, without a single clue about what her thoughts were on my life-altering confession, she slid into her car and pulled off next to the gate, evidently waiting for me to catch up.
I wasted no time. We pulled into my driveway before the enormity of the situation caught up with me. I loved this girl. If she walked out on me, she would be taking the part of my heart that had grown just for her. I wasn’t sure that I’d ever get it back.
Gabrielle followed me through the garage into the kitchen, still without a word. It seemed that it was my turn to speak. “Would you like some water?”
She shook her head and marched right up to me. “Did you mean what you said back at the office?”
“Which part?” It wasn’t the time to tease her, so I didn’t give her the chance to answer before reaching out and pulling her to me so that we were chest to chest. “The part about being absolutely, completely, proudly pussy-whipped in love with you?”
“Yeah, that’s the part.” She swallowed, doubt coloring her eyes. I needed it to be gone.
“Every word. I love you, Gabrielle Ralls. I thought that my heart was full after Harper came along, but it seems to have grown bigger to accommodate you. At the risk of sounding like a pussy, I’m so fucking far gone for you, Gabbi.”
Her eyes lit up, and the brightest, most gorgeous smile formed on her full lips. “I love you too, James Skye. I was wondering when you’d come around.”
There was my girl. She was really mine. I fucking loved it. I lowered my lips to hers, wrapped my hand around the back of her neck, and kissed her like the fucking ship was going down.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Gabrielle
My mind whirled, unable to completely comprehend what was happening. It was a miracle that I hadn’t fainted when he said that he loved me in that office.
At first, I couldn’t believe it. I didn’t want to allow myself to, just in case it was some kind of game or stunt or something.
My heart had stammered to a stop when he’d offered to give up his dream for me. I couldn’t let him do that. I had to make my father see. I’d muttered my confession about the bar exam before I’d had time to think about it.
It seemed to have done the trick. It made my father realize that there was more to it than James trying to get into my pants.
I was stuck in a daze as I walked to my car, then shocked when James suggested that we talk at his place instead of mine.
For the first time, I allowed myself to maybe believe that he had been telling the truth. I knew how big of a deal it was for him to have a woman over to his house. Even if it didn’t seem like Harper was there.
God, I hoped she wasn’t, given that we were locked in an entirely inappropriate embrace, lips moving together like we were trying to devour one another right there in his kitchen.
“Not here. Won’t be for hours.” His mouth crashed into mine. The tip of his tongue traced my lips. I opened for him. Our tongues stroked and danced and explored like we’d never kissed before.
We had never kissed like this before, though. It was like I could feel his love for me radiating from his every pore. His kisses grew harder. Hungrier.
I responded with equal passion. I needed him. Now. I needed our bodies to become one, just as our hearts were.
My hands traced the hard lines of his chest, his toned stomach, falling to the edge of his shirt. I reached underneath it, running my fingers along the waistband of his jeans.
He groaned. The sound was music to my ears. I loved it. I needed more of it. I repeated the action. He tightened his grip on my hair, his fingers digging into my hip. My hips rocked against his.
He was as hard as the kitchen island he pressed me into. I gasped at the contact. The delicious friction.
I rocked against him. Again and again. Bursts of pleasure shot through me at each pass of my crotch against his.
“Enough.” His voice was low, raspy, commanding. A shiver shot down my spine, straight to my core. God, it was sexy when he spoke like that.
His lips were inches from mine. His eyes hooded with desire, pupils dilated with want.
For me. My sex clenched. The ache building between my legs was becoming unbearable.
“James,” I whimpered.
“Right there with you, babe.” I wanted him so much that I didn’t bother calling him out on the babe thing. He could call me whatever he wanted, as long as he was inside me soon.
He scooped me into his arms and carried me through his house, bridal style. His eyes never left mine.
We reached what I assumed was his bedroom. He set me down gently on a gigantic bed covered in forest green sheets.
He crawled onto the bed with me, caging me with his body. I loved it. I loved the way he looked at me like I’d hung the stars, like I had the answer to every question he’d ever had. He kissed me deeply, his weight sinking us deeper into the mattress.
His lips moved from mine to my jawline, kissing a path down my neck, my collarbone, and my chest. He slid down my body to kneel at my feet. His heated gaze sent sparks flying through me as he undid the straps of my sandals, pressing a kiss to each foot as he released it.
He tugged his shirt over his head and made quick work of his own shoes, letting it all fall from the bed without a care in the world.
My entire body hummed with need. I ached to reach up. To touch to the incredibly hard planes of his torso, but the intensity that shone in his eyes kept me pinned to the bed, watching in fascination as he moved.
My eyes followed his hands to the button on his jeans. I nearly panted as it popped open. Zipper. Unzipped. His jeans fell to the floor. Someone moaned as he stepped out of them. It barely registered that it was me.
I was completely enraptured by the practically naked Adonis that still devoured me with his eyes. I had never felt so wanted. So sexy. So beautiful. And I was still wearing all my clothes.
James reached for the button on my shorts. My skin burned where his fingers made contact with it. He moved slowly. Too slowly.
I lifted my hips helpfully. A devilish, knowing smirk played on lips, but his eyes still burned into mine, like he could see all the way to my soul.
He rolled my shorts and my underwear off in one fluid movement. His breath caught as the scent of my arousal hit his nostrils. His eyes fluttered closed, breaking eye contact for the first time. He breathed deeply and groaned. “God, Gabrielle.”
His reaction set fire to my veins. My sex throbbed.
His eyes met mine again. I didn’t think it would be possible, but they shone with even more intensity than before. Between his eyes and his voice, I was quite convinced that I would come before he even touched me.
He reached for my shirt, unhooking each button like he was unwrapping a cherished gift. He was taking his sweet time about it, too.
I moaned, pressing my legs together in a futile attempt to relieve the pressure that was building there.
“I know, Gabrielle, trust me. I’m dying to sink into you as much as you’re dying for me to do it, but I want to savor this moment. And you.” His voice sounded pained, his features tight with restraint.
“Yes,” I breathed. I would give him whatever he wanted. Everything I had. As long as he kept doing what he was doing, as long as he kept looking at me the way he was.
My shirt finally fell open. I shrugged out of it. James unhooked my bra, slowly sliding the straps from my shoulders. It followed the rest of my clothes to the floor. He leaned back on his heels to admire his handiwork. Me.
His eyes raked every inch of my body. I swore that he stopped breathing.
“You are exquisite, Gabrielle. You are the most beautiful woman that I have ever laid eyes on. I’m the luckiest asshole on the face on this earth.”
I melted. It was too much. He was too much. I reached for him. He came willingly, wrapping his arms around me, pressing his warm skin to mine. Our hearts raced together.
I wound my arms around his neck, kissing him deeply. Passionately. Once I was breathless and achy with need, I tore my lips from his and pressed a soft kiss to his jaw.
He had made me feel adored. Worshipped. Loved. I wanted him to feel the same way. To know that I felt the same way about him.
I nudged his legs and lifted my hips. He obliged my unspoken request and rolled us so that I was straddling him. I locked my eyes to his as my fingers traced every line that they had been itching to touch.
He held still as I explored, even as his fingers dug into my thighs and the muscles in his throat worked when my hand reached the elastic of his briefs. I dipped my fingers lower. He groaned.
I still struggled to believe that he could possibly want me as much as I wanted him. Love me as much as I loved him, but the evidence was right there. In every sound, every movement, every intense stare.
He interrupted my thoughts. “What are you thinking?”
“That you are every dream that I have ever had, come true. I can’t believe that I get to touch you. You?”
“Pretty much the same. Just dirtier. It’s hard to think right now.” He gritted out.
I cocked an eyebrow and played with his waistband, grinding my center against his erection. “Pun intended?”
He moaned. “It wasn’t, actually.”
His moan and the way that his hips moved with mine as if they had a mind of their own drove me out of my mind.
I slid my leg back so I was no longer straddling him and moved to rid him of his briefs. He lifted his hips. My eyes widened as his erection sprung free. An involuntary moan escaped from my lips.
As if my moan were the starting pistol, he moved lightning fast. The very next second, I was on my back. His hips pinned me to the bed. His tip strained at my entrance. I shuddered with anticipation, with need.
“I want to make love to you now. That okay?” His forehead rested against mine, eyes holding mine.
“Please,” I breathed.
He shifted, propping his weight up on his elbows. “I love you, Gabrielle Ralls.”
“I love you too, James Skye.” He didn’t break eye contact as he pushed into me. We both cried out as he slid home.
He didn’t break eye contact when he started to move. Slow, deep strokes that filled every inch of me.
Tension knotted in my stomach and my core. I arched my back, pressing my breasts to his chest. He read me like an open book, moving faster. Harder. My hips moved with his, meeting him stroke for stroke.
His eyes still never left mine, even as they grew more hooded. Darker. I recognized the look in his eyes. He was getting close.
God, how I needed to see him come apart. I wanted his pleasure as much as I wanted my own. His rhythmic strokes drove into me, sending me
higher and higher. Closer and closer.
His breathing became ragged and uneven. My moans permeated the air around us. I angled my hips so his pubic bone would rub against my clit.
Pleasure spread through my core. Almost. James sensed what I needed. He moved faster, pressing his pubic bone to me on each thrust.
My breathing became erratic. White lights exploded behind my eyes. He moved faster still until he hit every spot exactly the way that I needed him to.
My sex pulsed. “James.”
I went flying over the edge with his next stroke. My entire existence was reduced to pleasure. Wave after wave of it crashed into me, spreading from my core to every nerve in my body.
“God, that was beautiful,” James growled, moving faster, chasing his own release. His eyes still burned into mine. His thighs trembled, and the muscles in his back tensed under my palms.
His eyes fluttered closed, and he groaned. His moans ran into one. There. His cock twitched deep inside of me as he came undone, my name on his lips.
When we finally stilled, James rolled onto his back and cradled me to his chest. We were lost in our thoughts as our heartbeats returned to their regular pace. One of his hands stroked my hair. The other intertwined with mine on his taut stomach.
“James?” My voice was barely more than a whisper.
“Hmm?”
I lifted my head to look into his eyes. “Thank you.”
His eyes widened. He seemed genuinely puzzled; then puzzlement gave way to mischief.
“You never have to thank me for that. Trust me.” He smirked.
I swatted his shoulder gently. “That’s not what I was talking about.”
“Thank me for what, then?” He stopped playing with my hair.
I took a breath, trying to formulate the right words. “For what you did today. For coming clean to my father. Just… all of it.”
“I should have done it right from the start. I was just being an oblivious asshole. It took almost losing you to realize that I love you. And how much I love you.”
I nestled into him. “I love you too, James. I have never felt this way about anyone.”