by Jennie Marts
He could feel her nipples harden through her bra as he brushed his thumbs across the lacy pink fabric, and the thought of teasing them with his mouth made parts of him harden as well.
Well, harder would be the more appropriate term. He’d been hard for her since he’d followed her up the stairs and imagined grabbing hold of her sweet little ass.
Now he was beyond hard, moving toward painful, he wanted her so bad. Wanted her naked and writhing beneath him, wanted to touch her, to fill her, to drive her to a desire like nothing she’d ever experienced before.
Which was crazy. He didn’t usually let a woman affect him like this. But there was something different about Gabby.
He liked her. Really liked her.
Liked the way she talked, the way she laughed, the way she looked, the way she smelled and tasted. God, he loved the way she tasted. Like the scents of the bakery had infused with her skin, she tasted liked vanilla and cupcakes, but like the sexiest cupcakes imaginable.
He dipped his head, nuzzling into her neck and kissing her throat. Peeling down the front of her dress, he ran his lips across her skin, working his way down her chest, teasing the tops of her breasts with his tongue.
Sliding his fingers under the straps of her bra, he slowly swept them down her arms, tugging the fabric and releasing her lush breasts, and earning a sigh of desire from Gabby.
Taking the tender swollen bud of one nipple between his lips, he licked and sucked, as Gabby squirmed beneath him and clutched his shoulders. “God, you are so beautiful,” he murmured against her chest.
“So are you,” she said, her voice breathy as she worked at the buttons of his shirt, freeing each one then tugging the fabric from his pants. She slid his shirt from his shoulders and down his arms. He pulled it off and tossed it to the floor.
He sighed as she ran her hands across his chest and over his arms. She arched her back and wrapped her legs around his waist. Her bare breasts pressed against his chest, and the feel of her skin against his was intoxicating.
And knowing she still wore the glittery high heels gave him another rush of pleasure. He wanted this woman, wanted her now.
Squeezing and caressing, licking and touching—he explored her body with his hands, his lips, and his tongue, discovering what pleased her and what caused her to make those deliciously soft sexy moans of pleasure. He couldn’t get enough of her. And of those sounds.
“You really are an angel,” he said into her neck. He hadn’t meant to say it. Had only thought it, but the words slipped out before he could stop them.
A hard pounding sounded at the front door, startling them both, as a male voice called Gabby’s name.
What the hell? Who was knocking at her door at midnight?
As if being dashed with cold water, she froze for an instant, then scrambled from beneath him, a note of alarm in her voice. “It’s my brother.”
She adjusted her bra and pulled up her dress, covering herself as she hurried across the room.
Which was a damn shame. Because Gabby Davis had amazing fricking breasts, and he never wanted to see them covered up again.
Her brother called her name again, this time the drunken slur in his voice more evident.
Owen stood, doing some adjusting of his own as he straightened his pants and grabbed his shirt off the floor. What the hell was her brother doing here at this time of night?
Gabby pulled open the door, and a guy with thick brown hair and a messy scruff of a beard leaned against the door jamb with a miserable look on his face.
“I really screwed up this time, Gabby. I think I lost her. For real. She said she never wants to see me again.” His words came out in a slow slur, but the heartbreak was unmistakable and Owen couldn’t help feeling a little sorry for the guy.
“Oh, Justin. Not again,” Gabby said, reaching out for her brother. “She always says that.”
“This time she meant it. She left and she’s not coming back.” He leaned in and fell toward Gabby. She grabbed him before he hit the floor, his weight tipping her backwards. “I don’t feel so good, Sis.”
Owen crossed the room in two steps and wrapped an arm under Justin’s shoulder, taking the brunt of his weight off of Gabby. “Hey there, buddy.”
Justin looked up at Owen in surprise. “Whoa, dude. What are you doing here?” He squinted his eyes in concentration. “Has anyone ever told you that you look just like that Bannister guy from the Colorado Summit?”
Gabby pushed the door shut behind her brother. “He is that Bannister guy from the Colorado Summit. Justin, meet Owen Bannister. He’s my date. Owen, meet my little brother, Justin Davis.”
Justin let out a loud drunken laugh and clapped Owen on the back. “That’s so cool. I’m a huge fan, man.”
“I appreciate that. Why don’t you come in and sit down?” Owen led him toward the couch. The couch where he’d been just about to have his way with this guy’s sister.
Awkward.
Justin’s face took on a sickly pallor. “Actually, I think I’m about to be sick.”
“Not on the carpet,” Gabby yelled as she pushed him toward the hallway. “Get to the bathroom this time.”
“I got it,” Owen told her, and dragged Justin down the hall. How did Gabby normally support him? She must be stronger than she looked. The guy was lean, but solidly built. Still, he was no match for Owen’s strength—Owen benched more than this guy weighed. Although usually Owen was knocking down guys bigger than him, not helping them up.
“You don’t have to do this,” Gabby protested. “He’s my brother.”
Owen gave her a smile as he dumped Justin on the floor of the bathroom. “It’s no big deal. I’ve got little brothers, too.” He gestured to her dress. “Why don’t you get changed, and let me take care of Justin for a little bit.”
She hesitated a moment, then nodded gratefully and slipped into the room across the hall. Owen glimpsed a dresser and a bed covered in a light green comforter and more throw pillows before she shut the door. What was it with women and throw pillows?
Easier to focus on the abundance of decorative pillows than to think about the fact that they should have already been naked in that bed by now.
The sound of retching drew his attention, and he let go of thoughts of Gabby’s body and focused on her brother.
Thirty minutes later, Justin’s stomach was empty, and Owen had him set up on the futon in the guest room. He’d found some Advil in the bathroom earlier and got him to drink some water. The guy was gonna have a serious hangover in the morning.
Leaving him snoring and with an empty trash can by his head, Owen pulled the door most of the way shut and stepped into the living room.
Gabby stood in the kitchen wearing a pair of black leggings and an orange Manning jersey.
He shook his head as she handed him a steaming cup of tea. “We gotta get you a new jersey. Manning’s all right and all, but I’d rather see you in the red, white, and blue colors of the Summit with the name Bannister across your back.”
Actually he’d rather see her on her back. And underneath him. But that ship had sailed. At least for tonight.
She laughed. “I don’t know. I’m pretty loyal to Peyton. It would take a lot to get me out of this jersey.”
He cocked an eyebrow at her. “Is that an invitation? Because it would be my pleasure to get you out of that jersey.”
“Mine too.” Her eyes widened at her bold comment, and she clapped a hand across her mouth. “Did I say that out loud?”
He loved the way her cheeks reddened in embarrassment.
She glanced around the kitchen, avoiding his eye, and chewing on her bottom lip—an action that was doing crazy things to his insides. She must have been embarrassed because she quickly changed the subject. “Sorry about tonight. With my brother and all.”
Setting his cup on the counter, he slipped an arm around her waist and pulled her to him. “This isn’t a one-time deal for me, Gabby. I like you. And I’d like to see you again.” He
leaned down and brushed a kiss against her lips. “I’d like to see you several times. And without that jersey.”
She grinned. “Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
She peered up at him from under her lashes. “Thanks for taking care of my brother.”
He brushed off her comment with a wave of his hand. “Really, it was no big deal. I told you, I have brothers too.”
Reaching her hand up, she smoothed his wrinkled shirt. “You’re never gonna get your deposit back on this tux.”
The feel of her hand on his chest sent darts of heat down on his spine. “Don’t worry about it. I own it. The team makes us all buy one. And I have a good dry cleaner.”
“That’s nice of you. It appears Justin is a fan of yours. I had no idea.”
“I’d like you to be a fan of mine, too.” A sudden idea came to him. “Hey, why don’t you and your brother come to a game later this week? We’re playing Friday night. And I think my brother’s band is performing downtown this weekend. Maybe we can catch his gig after the game?”
She smiled. A gorgeous smile that lit her whole face. “I’d like that. And I’m sure Justin would too.”
“Good. I’ll get someone to drop off the tickets and some parking vouchers for you. I’ve got a big exhibition game the next day—it’s a charity thing—mainly for the fans. I’ll get you some tickets to that one, too.” He felt a little guilty for slipping in the exhibition game. He knew Harvey’d said he should get her to go, but he wanted her there as well. So there was no reason to feel bad about it, right?
He picked up her hand. “It’s late. I should probably go and let you get some sleep. Thanks for going with me to the fundraiser tonight. I usually hate those things and avoid ‘em like the plague.”
“I’m glad I could make tonight bearable for you then.” She grinned up at him. “I had a great time. Those kids were adorable, and you are an excellent dancer. All in all, I’d give this night a solid eight out of ten.”
He chuckled. Leave it to this woman to give him a B. Still, it was better than some of his grades in college. Oddly enough, even though they had spent the night at a fundraiser hanging out with some little kids, and he didn’t score, the night had still been a solid ten for him.
He gave her another soft kiss. “I’ll work on my skills and try to rate a higher score next time.”
“I’ll be looking forward to that.” She reached up her hand and touched his cheek, leaning toward him and this time kissing him. And not a quick kiss, a slow tortuously delicious kiss that had him aching for more.
Her mouth was warm from the hot tea, and his mind filled with all sorts of naughty little things that involved that hot little mouth. He needed to get out of here. Before he lost his senses and took her on the kitchen floor.
It took all of his willpower, but he pulled back and let her go. “I’ll see you soon, Angel.” He left her standing in the kitchen and let himself out the door.
Walking down the steps to his car, he couldn’t stop smiling. And he couldn’t wait to see her again.
Chapter Nine
The ringing of her cell phone woke Gabby from a deep sleep. She’d been dreaming about Owen and what could have happened if her stupid little brother hadn’t shown up last night and interrupted them.
Although it was probably a blessing that he did. Things had been happening really fast on that sofa. Amazingly fast. Amazing, period.
Holy frosted cupcakes, that guy was ridiculously hot.
The winter sun shined through her bedroom window, and she noted the time read a little after seven as she tapped for the phone and brought it to her ear. “Hello.”
“Hello, Miss Gabby?”
“Estelle? What’s wrong?” She recognized the voice of the woman who’d helped raise her and now baked for her in the morning.
“You need to get down here. This place is going crazy.”
“Crazy how?” She was already climbing out of bed and throwing on a pair of yoga pants. Thor stretched and yawned but stayed in his place curled in the folds of her comforter. It took more than a phone call to panic Thor.
Estelle was in her late fifties and had been baking for Gabby for several years. She could be counted on to show up every day, do her work quickly and efficiently, and with a great attitude. The note of panic in her normally calm voice told Gabby that something was very wrong, and she could only imagine the cause. A frozen pipe gushing water into the kitchen? The stove exploding? The mixer falling apart?
“Crazy like there’s a mob of people here. There’s been a line out the door since we opened the doors, and we can’t keep up. We need your help.”
A line out the door? Really? Estelle had to be exaggerating.
Although, unlike Gabby’s mother, the woman was not known for her exaggeration.
But there was definitely panic in her voice.
“I’ll be right down.” Gabby hung up the phone and skipped to her dresser, her heart light, and a smile cracking her face as she pulled open the drawer. The panic was actually over a good thing. Something positive. She could handle a little panic over extra business.
Gabby threw on the rest of her clothes and pulled her hair into a high pony tail. She quickly brushed her teeth and yelled for her brother. “Justin, get up. I need your help.”
She heard a groggy mumbled response and pushed the door to the spare room open. “Get up. I need you. Estelle just called and said there’s a line out the door downstairs in the bakery.”
He rolled out of bed, blinking and rubbing a hand over his head. “I’m up.”
“Good. I’m heading down. Brush your teeth and come down as quickly as you can. Estelle is in a panic.”
Justin was at her apartment often enough that he had his own toiletries and some extra clothes in the spare room. Went to show the state of her love life that the only extra toothbrush in her bathroom belonged to her brother.
“Yes, mom.” He offered her a wry grin, reminding her of how he looked as a ten year old kid, and her heart swelled with love for him. It didn’t matter how old he was or how many messes he found himself in, he would always be her little brother, and she loved him.
He grabbed a flannel shirt that hung from the back of her desk chair. “I’ll be down in two minutes. And Estelle doesn’t panic.”
They had known Estelle since they were kids. She lived next door and often babysat them. They had occasionally taken refuge at her house when things had gotten too bad—or too dangerous—at theirs.
She was already racing for the front door. Thor ran along next to her, either thinking they were playing a game or that he was going to get to go along. “Sorry boy, you’re staying here.” She yelled at her brother. “And will you feed Thor and let him out really quick?”
“Sure.” She heard her brother’s garbled response, and she knew he spoke around the toothbrush in his mouth. “Give me five minutes. I’m gonna hop in the shower.”
Not a bad idea. The five minute wait would be worth him taking the time to shower.
Hurrying down the steps, she rushed around the building and came to a dead stop.
Holy shit. Estelle hadn’t been kidding. There were literally people lined up out the door. And onto the sidewalk in front of the door.
A pretty blonde woman wearing a blue ski parka caught sight of her and nudged the guy next to her. “There she is.”
He turned and held up a camera, flashing several pictures of her in succession.
The woman in the parka rushed forward. “Gabby, nice to meet you. Ricky Johns from Sports Central. Can I get a quote from you on your recent relationship with Owen Bannister? How long have you two been an item? How serious is it?”
Gabby held up her hands. This was all because of Owen? Because she had been seen on the arm of an NHL player? Well, not only on the arm, but in the arms, and in a frosting-covered lip-lock. “I don’t have anything to say about Owen. We’re just friends.”
“Friends with benefits?” Another reporter had followed the firs
t and had pulled a pen and pad of paper from his pocket to jot down whatever interesting nugget of information Gabby had to say. “Bannister’s car was seen parked on the street in front of the bakery last night. Did you two “friends” have a slumber party?”
Geez. Didn’t these people have real news to report on? And how did they know Owen’s car had been parked here last night? She didn’t know what to say or how to respond.
She took a step backward but they surged forward, pressing toward her as they continued to ask questions.
She stepped back again and into the solid chest of a man. Recognizing the scent of her own shampoo, she let out the breath she was holding as her brother’s arms wrapped protectively around her shoulder.
“Back up people. We’ve got a business to run here.” He pushed them through the throng of people and into the bakery. He leaned down and spoke softly into Gabby’s ear. “Get in the kitchen and start making more cupcakes. I’ve got this. Have Estelle bring me some samples. If you’re gonna have a famous boyfriend, we might as well make the most of it.”
She scooted behind the counter and into the back as she heard her brother talking loudly to the crowd. “Have a cupcake—or take home a dozen—and you’ll see why Owen Bannister is hanging around the Simply Sweet bakery. Save your questions until after you’ve had Gabby’s desserts. For now all I want to hear from you is if you want chocolate or vanilla frosting on your cupcake and if that’ll be cash or charge.”
Her brother was cute and a charmer, and Gabby knew Justin would have that crowd eating out of his hand in no time. Like literally eating. She was sure it wouldn’t take him long to have a cupcake in every hand in the bakery.
He was such a great guy and had so much going for him. That’s what made it stink so much that he was screwing up his life with booze and bar fights.
She didn’t have time to think about that now, though. She had orders to fill and frosting to make. Rounding the corner, she saw Estelle moving at a frantic pace, a dusting of flour coating her apron, and her curly hair sticking out of her normal neat bun as she raced around the kitchen.