by Eve Vaughn
Spreading her legs, she lifted her hips, silently pleading for his dick to enter her. “I want you. Please put that beautiful cock inside of me,” she murmured against his mouth.
Gabe lifted his head with obvious reluctance and rolled off her and slid off the bed. “Just one second, sweetheart. Gotta find a rubber.” He quickly dug through the drawer on his nightstand and produced a small silver square. With rapid speed, he tore the foil open and extracted the condom.
Julie shivered with anticipation, wishing he'd hurry up. She was on fire and wanted to have every single inch of him. Moving her hand between her legs, she fingered her clit to temper the burning heat raging along every single nerve ending in her body. “I need you. Hurry up and get over here, lover.”
With condom donned, Gabe moved onto the bed. “You don't have to tell me twice, Candy Girl.”
She couldn't keep the smile off her face. He'd turned the name she dreaded into something positive. Something beautiful. Opening her arms wide, she accepted the press of his weight when he slid on top of her. “I love it when you say it, Gabe.”
He chuckled lightly as he nudged her thighs farther apart. “Sure you won't blow up on me like you did in the office?”
Julie laughed. “Don't remind me.” She circled his waist with her arms. “Fuck me, Gabe.”
“With pleasure, Candy Girl.” He guided his cock to her damp entrance and paused. “Are you sure this is what you want, Julie?”
She nodded. “No turning back. Remember?”
“Of course, but—”
She shook her head. “Shut up, Gabe.” Julie raised her lips in silent demand.
“Oh, Julie.” Gabe surged forward with a loud grunt of satisfaction. Driving balls-deep into her, he placed his arms on either side of her head, bracing himself. “So tight,” he whispered through gritted teeth.
Julie had already imagined how it would feel to be so deliciously stretched by his thickness, but the reality far outweighed her fantasies. He was so deep inside of her, it felt as if they were one unit. She held on to him, wanting to savor this moment for as long as possible. Gabe was everything she'd imagined he'd be and then some.
“Are you ready, baby?”
“Oh yeah. Take me.”
Gabe pushed forward, nearly touching her womb, and pulled back until he was almost completely out of her. Then he slammed back into her. A gasp tore from her lips. “Gabe, what are you doing to me?” She groaned, tossing her head from side to side.
“Fucking you.”
“Then keep on fucking me, lover.” She gripped him tighter, digging her nails into his back.
The deliberate slowness of his movement drove Julie out of her mind. The man was pure magic to make her feel so many sensations at once: wonder, lust, passion she didn't realize herself capable of, sadness, and finally joy. It saddened her to realize she'd suppressed her voice for so many years that she'd lost who she was. But then the joy and happiness soon followed due to this epiphany. This was her awakening.
When Gabe had said there was no turning back, she never imagined it would mean so much to her.
Not content to let him have all the fun, she bucked against Gabe, meeting him thrust for every delicious thrust. Each time he drove into her, he went deeper and harder, filling her with the primitive need to be branded. Yes, she belonged to him.
They strained, grinded, and moved together in a syncopated dance of lust and desire. He made her soul sing with happiness and her body cry with hunger. As the intensity of their passionate motions increased, she dug her nails into his back, breaking skin.
“Gabe.” The heat within her had reached a boiling point, threatening to scorch them both.
“That's it, baby; give me everything you got. Tell me this pussy is mine and only mine.”
“It's yours, Gabe. No one else's. All of me.”
“Damn right,” he growled, plowing into her like a man gone berserk. The feral gleam in his topaz eyes excited her.
Her body was hurtling to another powerful climax. Instinctively, Julie knew it would be more potent than the one she'd already had. Raking her nails down his back, she let out a scream of pure ecstasy. A volcanic eruption-sized orgasm ripped through her being like nothing she'd ever experienced before. “Yes! Yes! Yes! Gabe. Oh God!”
The experience was so intense, Julie grew light-headed, and stars danced before her eyes.
Gabe thrust into her several more times before a look of sexual satisfaction crossed his face. His body shook and spasmed, signaling his own climax. He collapsed on top of her, his mouth merging with hers.
Their tongues dueled for supremacy until they both conceded their battle with an unspoken agreement for more to come later. Breaking the tight seal of their mouths, he rested his head within the crook of her shoulder, breathing ragged.
Julie loved the feel of his weight on top of her and was content to remain locked in his embrace for as long as possible. “That was…wonderful.” She sighed, breaking the comfortable silence that had fallen between them.
“I'll say.” He nuzzled her neck. “I was serious when I said this was only the beginning for us.”
She stroked the back of his head. “Don't kill a beautiful moment by making promises you won't keep. Let's just enjoy each other's company.”
He raised his head, a deep scowl lining his mouth and forehead. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
Julie moistened her lips with the tip of her tongue. There was no way she was going to read more into their situation than there actually was. She'd give herself to him as long as he wanted her, but she wouldn't put her hopes into a future for them. Gabriel Carland could have any woman he wanted, and the novelty of being with a plain Jane like herself would eventually wear off. As much as the thought bothered her more than she cared to admit, she would simply enjoy what they had for now. Besides, putting too much trust in others only ended up hurting.
She traced his jawline with her fingertip. “What I meant was, let's just enjoy each other's company and not burden ourselves with unnecessary things.”
His scowl deepened. “And what exactly do you deem unnecessary, Julie?”
Why did he sound offended? Wasn't he the office lothario? “Talk of relationships and a future.”
“Are you saying this was just sex to you?” He spoke with such dead calm, it sent a chill down her spine, but not the good kind.
“I'm saying let's enjoy each other's company. Why are you getting so upset? Most men would kill for sex with no strings attached.”
“Maybe I'm not most men.”
She laughed. “Of course you are. Half the women at work are in love with you.”
“What does that have to do with the price of tea in China? It doesn't mean I love them back.”
That old uncertainty reared its head once again. What was he trying to say? That he actually wanted something more than sex? “Oh.” She broke eye contact with him, at a loss for words.
He grasped her chin. “Look at me, Julie. I won't lie and say I'm in love with you, but I'm halfway there. I'd like to see where this goes. Give us a chance.”
Her gaze flew to his, her mouth falling open. “Me?”
Gabe leaned forward to brush her lips against his. “Yes, you, silly. Haven't you ever wondered why I walk by your desk as much as I do?”
“I thought you were checking up on me to make sure I was doing my job. You've made it known you don't like the amount of visitors I get at my desk.”
“I really don't care about that as long as you get your work done, and from what I've observed of your performance, you've done an excellent job. What annoyed me so much was the way you let people take advantage of you.”
Hearing someone else voice what she knew to be true was embarrassing. She was fully aware that most people took advantage of her good nature because she let them, but knowing Gabe knew it too made her feel pathetic. Besides, no one but Sheridan had ever said anything on the subject with this amount of concern. It was disconcerting. T
he man saw far too much. “Why should that bother you?”
“At first I didn't realize why it did either, until I realized I cared about you.”
Did she dare believe him after all the months of hostility?
“But you acted as if you hated me.”
“No. I was fighting my feelings for you. Besides, it was a defense mechanism. How do you think I felt when every time I walked by your desk you'd be talking and smiling with one of your coworkers, but the minute I stopped by you'd totally shut down? You looked as if I was something on the bottom of your shoe. And you can say you didn't, but I'd also point out how when you spotted me coming, you'd turn the other way.”
Her mouth fell open. There was really no point in denying it. “I didn't realize you'd noticed.”
He snorted. “Oh, I noticed all right. I felt like a big tool. How was I supposed to act around you?”
This was all new to her. She licked her lips. “I'll admit that when I saw you coming, I did switch directions, but as for the other accusation, I never meant to look at you in the way you say I did. I mean, half the time you were yelling at me for something I did, and I guess I was a little wary after a while.”
“And I might have overreacted because I was a bit jealous of how friendly you were with everyone else and not with me.”
“You, jealous? You don't seem like the type.”
“I didn't think I was either, until this little lady—with a smile that could light up any room—slowly eased her way into my every waking thought.”
How could she respond to that? “I don't know what to say.”
He kissed the tip of her nose. “Just say you'll give us a chance. I'll tell you what. It's Friday. Neither one of us has to go back to the office, so why don't we spend the rest of the weekend together—you know, getting to know each other better? We already know we're sexually compatible; let's see what we have beyond that.”
“And then what?”
“We'll play it by ear.”
Her heart and body screamed yes, but her mind told her it wasn't a good idea. Did she want to go back home and face Corinne, or spend a weekend in Gabe's arms, letting him touch, lick, and fuck her until she couldn't think straight?
When put in those terms, the decision wasn't so hard after all.
Chapter Five
“Favorite color?” Julie asked before popping another cherry in her mouth.
“Red.”
“Favorite animal?”
“Turtle.”
Julie raised a brow. “Turtle? I would have pegged you for a dog person.”
Gabe shrugged. “I like dogs just fine, but unfortunately my mother was allergic to everything furry, so I had to settle for a pet turtle. I had five.”
“And what happened to them?”
“When they got big, I set them free in my parents' pond.”
“What was your family life like?”
“There's nothing particularly exciting about my upbringing. I grew up in a small town in North Jersey with the typical family, one older brother and a younger sister. Mom was a homemaker, and Dad worked as a sanitation worker for thirty years before he retired. My brother is now a lieutenant commander in the navy, stationed in California, and my sister is a journalist in New York. Both are married with two children, and we all get together for the major holidays, but I talk to everyone at least once a week. Pretty boring stuff.”
Julie wished her upbringing was that boring. To have a proper family and a sense of belonging was what most people dreamed of. “So why are you still single? At thirty-six, most men would have settled down by now.”
He smiled, revealing strong white teeth. “I hadn't met the right woman…until now.”
He had to be teasing her. Refusing to fall into this trap by getting her hopes up, Julie quickly changed the subject. “What's your favorite food?”
Gabe chuckled as though seeing through her ploy. “Candy.” The way his gaze swept over her, there was no doubt in Julie's mind of his meaning.
Heat flooded her cheeks, and she squirmed in her chair. Since their initial romp yesterday afternoon, Gabe had behaved like the perfect gentleman. They'd watched DVDs and ordered takeout as they got to know each other better. To her delight, they had more in common than she thought they would. They both loved old-school rap and hair-metal bands. They both liked campy movies and classic cartoons. And most importantly they both were in agreement that Sammy Hagar was the better front man of Van Halen.
Gabe, Julie found, not only had a great sense of humor, but he was also a wonderful conversationalist, keeping her enthralled with stories from his youth. He didn't take himself so seriously, like a lot of drop-dead gorgeous men did. He had a self-deprecating way about him at times that was adorable. That this hunk of a man had his own insecurities, and that he'd allowed her to see them, touched something deep within Julie.
They'd ended their Friday night by falling asleep, snuggled together on the couch watching the latest Ben Stiller flick. Gabe must have woken up sometime in the middle of the night and carried her to his bed, because that's where she'd woken up to the smell of fresh coffee and bacon. After a leisurely breakfast, Julie had called Sheridan, who had a spare key to her condo, to take Rufus and bring a change of clothes over. Then Gabe had taken her miniature golfing, followed by a trip to an ice-cream parlor he'd claimed served the best butter pecan ice cream on the East Coast. It was what they were currently enjoying.
Julie stuck her tongue out at him. “Don't tease me unless you intend to follow through.”
He grinned, wiggling his brows suggestively. “Who says I won't?”
She shrugged. “What am I supposed to think? You haven't so much as kissed me since yesterday. Are you having second thoughts about this 'us' thing, and this is your way of letting me down gently?”
He froze with his spoon halfway to his mouth, his eyes flashing with a menacing emotion she couldn't quite discern. “What did you just say?”
Julie gulped. “Well, you haven't touched me since yesterday. What am I supposed to think?”
He raised a brow. “That perhaps I respect you? Look, Julie, yesterday was one of the most satisfying experiences in my life, yet I feel like we've rushed into something you might not be ready for.”
“Don't you think it's up to me to decide what I'm ready for? Maybe what happened between us is exactly what I needed.”
“You still haven't told me why you were so upset yesterday. Whenever I ask, you conveniently change the subject. I offered to take you home to get a change of clothes, but instead you called a friend. If you're not ready to share such minute parts of your life with me, how do you think I should proceed?”
She bit her bottom lip, lowering her lids so she wouldn't see the censure in his eyes. He had a point. He had been open about his life, so at the very least she could tell him the truth. Raking her fingers through her hair, she sighed. “I guess I didn't want go into details because it's pretty embarrassing actually.”
Gabe reached across the table and captured her hand in his. “Julie, whatever it is, you can tell me. I'll listen with no judgment.”
A lump formed in her throat as pain welled in her chest. It hurt to think of how much she'd lost of herself in order to make other people happy. “The truth is, I went home to pick up peanut butter cups because Rob was annoyed I'd forgotten to bring them in. Anyway, when I got home, I found my cousin, Corinne, in bed with my boyfriend.”
Gabe dropped her hand and jerked away from the table as if he'd been scalded. “You have a boyfriend?” His brows flew together as his expression darkened. “Were you just using me, hence the vixen act?”
She shook her head furiously. “You said you'd listen without judgment.”
“I'm not judging, but no guy likes to learn he was used as a stand-in.”
“Gabe, would you shut up and listen to me? You were not a stand-in, and not once did I think of him when we were together. Honestly I haven't given him a single thought since we've been together.”
Her words seemed to calm him, but his face still remained stony. He crossed his arms across her chest. “Out with the old, in with the new?”
She slammed her fist on the table, drawing stares from patrons at nearby tables. “It wasn't like that, Gabe. This is exactly why I didn't want to say anything.” Her anger guiding her, Julie stood up and stormed out of the ice-cream shop.
She was barely out the door when two strong hands fell on her shoulders. Gabe turned her around within the circle of his arms and held her against him. Burying his face against her neck, he whispered, “I'm sorry. I was being an ass. You don't have to go into details until you're ready.”
Julie didn't want to fight with Gabe and realized she owed him some sort of explanation. “I overreacted a little in there. I'm so used to keeping everything on the inside that I don't know how to properly express my thoughts.”
He grasped her arm and led her to a nearby bench. Once they were seated, he placed his hand on her knee. “I'm the one who should apologize. I should have heard you out before I reacted. Julie, please go on. I'm listening.”
There was no doubting his sincerity. If she didn't get the words out now, she never would. “I was saying before, I found my cousin and boyfriend in bed together. Yes, I had a boyfriend up until yesterday, but we hadn't been intimate for some time—months probably. Things were not going so well between us anyway. We didn't argue or anything like that, but we didn't act like a boyfriend and girlfriend should. I mean, we went through the motions, but somewhere there was a disconnect.” She sighed. “I'm not sure if I'm explaining myself properly.”
Gabe placed his hand on her thigh and gave it a reassuring squeeze. “I understand. Please, continue.”
“Honestly, I'm not quite sure why we were together. We kind of drifted into a relationship. The sex was only mediocre at best. Anyway it was just another example of me going with the status quo.” She slumped against the bench. “I wasn't always like this, though—such a pushover, I mean.”