This had been her sanctuary when she was a girl – lost, scared, and orphaned in the world. Countless nights had been spent here in the comfort of her imagination, only a scrap of parchment and chunk of coal to keep her company. Placed high from society’s reach, she’d been perfectly alone – yet far from lonely. Inhaling a deep breath, Ariah allowed her eyes to drift shut as her mind receded into an inner sanctuary.
This had been the light within her darkness. And now she would share it with Gabriel. Heart pounding, she turned to him and savored the serene expression that claimed his face.
Ariah tensed as he approached the stone railing. For such a large man, he was oddly quiet when he walked. He moved with the elegance of a phantom – suave, steady, and secretive. He possessed a hauntingly masculine beauty … one she’d never seen the likes of before. As always, his strong back was perfectly erect, his gaze alert and calculating, both shoulders firmly squared. She imagined him riding through a battlefield on horseback, yelling commands in that robust, mesmerizing baritone. She would have given anything to witness him in action, among his comrades, totally in his element …
Ariah shuffled closer to him, aware of the nervous smile that conquered her lips. His eyes glittered as they drank in her features. They moved up and down her face in a slow, leisurely perusal, missing nothing. Her skin grew unbearably hot, ignited by the naked, blunt passion in his gaze. It felt as though his eyes were hands – and they caressed everywhere they touched. A fierce blush swept across her cheeks. She glanced away, averting her attention to Paris’s bejeweled skyline. Hovering above the city’s sleeping streets, Orion drifted against an endless horizon, ready to ward off all evils, his bow drawn into a taut arch.
“Even in the midst of the city’s despair, Paris looks so beautiful from this angle.”
She felt the whisper of Gabriel’s body as he edged closer. She stiffened, then turned to him and devoured his broad, towering form. Only the handsome side of his face was in view. Moonlight kissed the dark strands of his hair and brightened his amber gaze.
“Yes,” he said in a suggestive tone that set her heart racing, “very beautiful.”
She gripped onto the stone railing, cleared her throat, and willed her pulse to resume a steady pace. “I used to come up here when I was a girl. Some nights, if I closed my eyes and concentrated hard enough, I felt as though I was on top of the entire world. This is where I found beauty during those times of loneliness. This was my light.”
“And you are mine.”
Ariah’s heart skipped a beat. The power of his words ignited an inferno deep inside her soul.
One of Gabriel’s massive ungloved hands cupped her cheek. She shuddered at the unexpected caress and nearly lost her breath. His fingers deftly coiled around her chin and turned her face toward his own. His hand wasn’t fully healed, and the uneven skin grated against her chin in a hypnotic caress.
“Gabriel. I – ”
“Shh,” he murmured, increasing the pressure of his fingers.
The gesture was strangely erotic. His thumb and forefinger drew invisible circles along her skin, igniting it with lines of fire. Her lashes fell shut at the tender ministrations while her breaths deepened. The heat of his body engulfed her as he stepped impossibly closer. Warm breaths fanned against her flushed cheeks and mingled with her own.
When he at last spoke, his voice was a decadent rumble – rich, provocative, and laced with tentative emotion. “Look at me, Ariah.”
She did as her colonel commanded. He stood intimately close, his chest almost brushing against her own. Her heart melted while those beguiling lips took the form of a crooked grin.
Then he shifted behind her body, engulfing her with impenetrable heat. Long, nimble fingertips whispered along the expanse of her shoulders – sliding from one side to the other. They kneaded the strain in her muscles, replacing the tension with pleasure, urging all of her fears far away. Those icicles, which had too long clung to her heart, deftly melted at his touch. His essence filled her spirit and strengthened her resolve, blanketing her senses in winter, sandalwood, and Gabriel.
“Just relax, ma chérie.”
Entirely under his command, Ariah exhaled a soul-deep groan and slowly relaxed. Weak at the knees, she leaned against the railing for support. An exhilarating combination of strength and gentleness surged from his fingertips. His strong hands formed a steeple at the base of her neck, slipping down, down, down – passing over each side of her body and then back up again. His breaths wafted across her nape in an airy tease. The hot brushes of air melted her resolve and took command of her senses.
His fingertips circled her neck and eased downward in soothing, calculated strokes. Her pulse leapt to life at the sensual feel of his hands. His breaths drew closer, closer, as he leaned forward, those masterful hands skirting across the high neckline of her dress. They stilled, intimately positioned over the swell of her breasts.
•
Laden with melting icicles and swirling chimney smoke, the air smelled like musky water. Shifting dark gray clouds scuttled across the horizon at a steady pace.
By bringing him here, she’d shared an intensely intimate part of herself. And the gesture touched him beyond reason. Sadness rose in his chest as he pictured a fifteen-year-old child gazing at the horizon, cold and alone, drawing inspiration from the majestic view of Paris.
There were so many things he needed to say. But all words lodged inside his throat. So he spoke through tentative caresses. Desire raced through every part of his body while he peeled back her hood and threaded his fingers through her long curls. They were sinfully soft, spun from an exquisite silk. The warm scent of roses weighed heavily in the crisp air.
Her lips parted as he traced a fingertip down the column of her throat. She was still frightened by the intimacy of his touch, he knew. The horrors of her past stood between them like a barrier, an impenetrable wall.
Tonight, he would break it down. Nothing could contain their passion.
“I … I am scared. I wish it was not so – but I cannot help it.” Her voice was a whisper, nearly lost to the surrounding night. Rotating her body, he drew invisible circles along her flesh, worshiping everything that was Ariah, tracing down the smooth bend of each cheek and back up again. A solitary tear streamed over the curve of her chin and vanished between her lips. She turned away and looked up at the majestic night sky. Her gaze scanned the horizon, as though the solution to her struggle might be written in the stars. Gabriel cupped her chin and aligned her face with his own. His eyes traced the liquid path of her tear and settled upon her lush mouth. Sparks of awareness coiled through his body. Still clasping her chin, he gently wiped away her tears.
Anger swarmed through Gabriel’s veins as he reflected on the torment she’d suffered. She had great reason to be wary of him. He wanted nothing more than to kill Geoffrey with his bare hands.
She glanced up at him, affliction cleanly etched into those breathtaking eyes. He brushed his knuckles over the curve of her cheek and reverently bowed his face. Then he steadied her chin with both palms, tilted her head, and spoke while looking into her eyes. “You’ve nothing to fear with me. Let me show you the pleasure of touch. Let me chase away your shadows …”
Her gaze widened at his words. Her eyes glowed like twin diamonds, shining within the dark abyss. Her lashes were long and dense as they lowered, shielding her eyes from view. “Show me.”
It was all the encouragement he needed.
Gabriel inhaled a sharp breath and deftly grazed her cheek with the back of his hand. The opposite hand ran through her locks and sifted the precious satin. Against his roughened flesh, every bit of Ariah felt impossibly vulnerable. Indeed, he felt the conflict roaring through her very flesh; she was torn between the desire to flee and the desire to submit. He protectively wrapped both arms around her waist and secured her against him. Her heart raced against his torso, pounding with the force of a war drum. He massaged the elegant length of her back with both hands
in slow, soothing strokes. With each caress, the tension seemed to fade from her skin. She returned his embrace, wrapping her slender arms about his body.
Pressing a kiss to her hairline, he whispered, “Just relax. Relax and lose yourself to my touch, my voice …”
She nodded against him, burying her face in the material of his greatcoat.
Pressed against his much larger form, she looked small and perfectly helpless. Safe, secure, and completely at home within the circle of his arms. A feeling of completeness swept through his body. It seemed he’d waited a lifetime for this moment.
Unable to contain himself a second longer, he clasped onto either side of Ariah’s face and drew her into a searing kiss. She returned it shyly at first. Then she gasped against his mouth before surrendering to a sweet, wildly feminine sigh. Latching onto his forearm, her nails dug into his muscles as she fought to anchor herself. He obliged with a satisfied grunt, slanted his face, and deepened their kiss to impossible limits. He drank in her very spirit. Passion unlike anything he’d known before consumed Gabriel’s mind, body, and soul. Indeed, never had he felt so consumed by another person … so consumed and prepared to sacrifice everything.
Gabriel had feared he’d only bring her pain and torment. His past had taught him as much – but now he realized that he had much to offer her. He could be good for her.
“We are not our pasts. Neither of us,” he said in a low rumble. “It is you who taught me that. And I shall never betray your trust again.”
Gabriel took great pains to ensure every touch was gentle, every word full of promise. With his body humming with desire, such a task was no easy feat. He yearned to thrust her against the column, strip away her cloak, and worship her curves with his mouth and hands.
Instead, he tentatively tracked his fingertips down the curve of her neck. She leaned into his touch as a breath of air fled her parted lips. Her golden mass of curls fell in heavy ringlets to the small of her waist, framing her body with the elegance of a queen’s robe. Mon Dieu. How would they look slathered across his chest, damp from the heat of their lovemaking, as he worshiped her like a devotee worships his goddess?
Gabriel positioned her in front of the railing. Another gasp fled her lips as he stepped behind her. Her body grew limp, sagging against the length of his torso for support. He ran his fingertips up the sides of her neck, brushed away her curls, and exposed her nape. She trembled as his lips ghosted across her porcelain skin. His blood reached a steady boil at the enticing taste of her. She was sweeter than nectar from the honeycomb. And he wanted more.
He wanted everything.
Desire slammed through his mind and body in a deafening roll. Increasing the pressure of his mouth, he pressed a kiss against the rim of her ear. She trembled and sucked in a breath, those slender hands grasping onto the railing for dear life. A low groan of protest wrenched from Ariah’s throat as he pulled his lips away. His body vibrated with pure sensation.
Gabriel ran both hands down the slope of her shoulders and nudged the cloak aside. He fairly held his breath at the sight of her veiled breasts. He clenched his hands into fists as he fought the desire to unbutton the row of clasps and expose her to his scarred hands. But no, he wouldn’t risk frightening her. He’d wait a lifetime to earn her trust.
“Oh, Gabriel …” Her voice was little more than a whisper and taut with desire. Gabriel nuzzled the side of her neck and wrapped her waist with both arms. He held her firmly against his chest, never intending to let go. Together, they gazed at the bejeweled night sky, entirely lost within the sweetness of the moment. A great number of stars decorated the sky – far more than a man could ever hope to count in one lifetime.
“Gabriel …” She turned in his arms. Unsteady hands rose from her sides and cupped his cheeks. A whirlwind of emotions crossed her features while she gazed into his eyes. She swallowed before speaking, as if working through some great lifelong obstacle. Then the words poured from her lips like fine wine: “Please, Gabriel. I need you to make love to me.”
Chapter Twenty-two
I need you to make love to me.
The words escaped before she could stop them. She was beyond afraid, yet she trusted Gabriel – mind, body, and soul.
His eyes flickered with echoed desire. He pressed his forehead against her own and sighed. Hot breaths wafted across her flushed cheeks and roused all five of her senses. He gently kissed her forehead before stepping backward to stare into her eyes. Holding her spellbound, his rich mahogany gaze deepened with a jumble of emotions.
“I care for you, Ariah. I care for you more than I can say. More than I can quite believe.”
She smiled, barely able to speak. “Then show me.”
A choked growl wrenched from Gabriel’s throat as his lips crashed against her own. Both arms wound about her waist in a possessive claim, securing her to him. Melting into his arms, she obliged with a moan and sagged against the rock-hard planes of his chest. Her hands slipped down his greatcoat and grazed the countless medals. My hero. Groans vibrated his body, and his muscles drew rigid beneath her palms. Cradled within the circle of his arms, she felt safe, secure, and complete. She returned his desire tenfold, behaving strictly from instinct. She encircled his neck with both arms and wound her fingers through the thick waves of his hair. He murmured incoherently against her lips – a sound of masculine appreciation – and buried his tongue inside the hot cavern of her mouth.
Consume me. Make me yours today, tomorrow, and always.
She responded to his kiss with fervor. Her mind spun, her breasts grew hot and heavy, and her feminine core ached with damp tenderness. Fingers tugging the lush waves of his hair, she reeled him closer and welcomed the insistent exploration of his tongue. He tasted like passion, and she ached to consume him forever.
Gabriel was not gentle, but he was Gabriel, and Ariah knew he’d never harm her. Indeed, nothing about him could be considered soft or gentle – and yet he instilled a kindness that often stole her breath away. In spite of everything she’d endured, he’d earned her trust. And through his gentleness toward her daughter, he’d ultimately won her heart.
His tongue, smooth but fiercely strong, dueled with her own in a passionate tango. Ariah nearly fell faint from the sensation. Never had she been kissed in such fashion. Jacques had stolen a few kisses during their time together – though they’d always been closed-mouthed and cautious. As much as she’d adored Jacques, she never could bring herself to summon the passion she was feeling now. After all he’d sacrificed for her family, Ariah had been overwhelmed with guilt. Yet Jacques, bless his heart, had merely pulled away, straightened out his meticulous coat, and whispered, “I shall wait for you.” He’d worn a small, sad smile. Smooth, gloved fingertips had propped her downcast chin. He’d stroked her cheek, that charming smile never wavering. “Have it be a day, a month, or years, I shall wait.”
If anyone might have healed her wounds, Ariah had imagined it would be Jacques. Certainly not a dark, brooding man such as Gabriel – a man with a past more twisted than her own.
Yet not since her father had she felt so safe in another’s arms. Despite his tentative touches and kind words, Jacques had never elicited feelings of absolute serenity. She’d attempted feigned responses on several occasions – and Jacques had read through her lies with ease. Now Ariah understood how.
True, unbridled passion could not be feigned or denied.
Gabriel’s lips boldly moved against her own and devoured her very spirit. His tongue met hers thrust for thrust, parry for parry, causing her thighs to grow slick and wet. She succumbed to him, responding with a natural audacity that startled her. He possessed her, branded her, stole breaths from her lungs and secrets from her mouth with every slick thrust.
For a weightless moment, she moved her mouth from his. Blood raced through Ariah’s veins like liquid silver. Lightheaded with desire, she struggled to breathe slowly, anchoring her thoughts on the air that moved in and out of her lungs. Gabriel, too, foug
ht to catch his breath. She watched in fascination as he swallowed, his Adam’s apple undulating in a hypnotic movement. Suddenly she was overcome with the need to press her lips against the hollow of his throat, to taste the wild beat of his pulse with her tongue, to slide her hands beneath his coat and caress those ropes of muscles …
He momentarily lowered both hands to his sides and formed two clenched fists. “If I move too fast, tell me and I shall try to slow myself,” he rasped between intakes of air. Ariah’s eyelids grew heavy as he teased her hairline with his fingertips. Each touch was painfully delicate and laced with affection. “I want you to remember this night forever. Remember this night and nothing else.”
They were in this together; united, they would conquer their pasts. She nodded, breathless and riddled with emotion.
“Close your eyes. Abandon yourself to my touch.” He passed a palm over her eyes, urging them shut. Anticipation mounted within her. Gathering her to his chest, he tugged her impossibly close, allowing their two heartbeats to consummate as one. With every breath, she felt the painful memories bleed out, heal, and finally fall away like an old scab. Strong hands curled around each of her shoulders, ran down her sides in an achingly slow movement, and finally seized her hips. Long fingers spanned her waist with ease. They skirted across her dress before descending behind her – running over the tender curve of her backside. A low, mumbled sound filled the air as Gabriel cupped her bottom, kneading her through layers of coarse muslin.
Everything heightened and dripped with sensuality. With her eyes shut to the world around her, her remaining senses soared. She could smell the smoke from a nearby chimney, could hear the wind’s gentle whisper as it rushed through stone walls, could feel every subtle movement of Gabriel’s fingers as they tracked over her cloak in leisurely pursuit, could taste the sweet rush of desire as it blossomed within her breast, engulfing her whole …
Finding Gabriel Page 29