“You have me where you want me. Now what are you going to do with me?” Gabe asked lazily, staring up at her with a devilish look on his face.
Chloe sighed as she stretched out next to him on the bed, both of them completely naked. She was more comfortable with her body now, and the instinct to hide what nature had given her was no longer an issue…thanks to Gabe. When a man looked at a woman the way he looked at her, it was hard to be self-conscious.
Lying on her side, she propped a hand under her head and looked at him stretched out comfortably on his back. She was relaxed after a long bath, having lain in Gabe’s arms until the warm water had started to grow cold, just experiencing the incredible feeling of being with him.
They hadn’t talked much during their bath, but they hadn’t needed to. Being together again was enough.
She smiled at him. “Did I say I want you flat on your back in bed?”
“You told me I needed to be in bed. I’m here. So now what?” he asked mischievously.
She had told him he needed to be in bed. He looked exhausted, and he was injured. “You need sleep. I can see the dark circles under your eyes.”
“Something about losing the woman who means everything to me isn’t real conducive to getting any sleep,” he told her huskily, reaching out to fondle a lock of her hair. “But I tried by downing a bottle of whiskey. Still didn’t work.”
He’d drank that much and hadn’t slept? No wonder he looked worn-out. Chloe had gotten a cold pack for his jaw and she’d kept it positioned during their bath. The swelling was going down, but now she could see that he was going to have some painful contusions tomorrow. They were already starting to form.
She’d taken more time with his hand, checking over the cuts carefully for any glass. After putting some more antibiotic ointment on the lacerations, she wrapped his palm up again. The worse cut was right beneath his fingers; the rest were superficial. The cut above his eye was small but deep, and he’d probably end up with a tiny scar.
“One sign of infection or pain, and you’re going to the hospital,” Chloe warned him, annoyed because he refused to be seen by a doctor. Stubborn man! “What really happened to your hand?”
“I think that glass table in the living room tried to attack me. I had to punch it, and it broke,” Gabe told her, deadpan, trying to be a smartass.
Chloe’s heart squeezed. “You were angry,” she concluded. “Mad at me because I lied to you on the phone.”
“I was angry,” he said with remembered pain. “But I was mostly pretty much destroyed. My heart was shattered, and I wasn’t thinking.”
“I’m so sorry,” she told him remorsefully, lifting her free hand to lightly stroke his cheek.
“It’s not your fault. I was being stupid. You’re never the cause of a person’s actions, Chloe. I’m responsible for the dumbass things I do.”
She’d wondered what had happened to that pretty glass table in the living room. Now she knew.
“Me, too.” She laid her head on his chest carefully and he continued to play with her hair. “I just wish that my actions before I met you didn’t affect you so much. I hate that.”
“It’s over, Chloe, and none of it was your fault. I say we take a break for a while. Let’s go somewhere, see things that maybe we’ve always wanted to see but never had a chance,” he suggested emphatically. “I never really traveled much, and neither have you. I tried to pick up the reins for Dad right after he died, and you spent all of your adult years in school. Let’s travel.”
Oh, God, it was a tempting offer. She loved the ranch, but she hoped they had decades to spend here. She’d love to complete her healing by traveling the world with Gabe beside her. “But what about the ranch?”
He shrugged. “I can bring in all the help I need. Cal will know where I am. He can always reach me.”
“Will I still have a job when we get back?” she teased. He’d have to get a temporary vet on the premises.
“Absolutely,” he answered earnestly. “I wouldn’t have anyone else by my side on this ranch but you. I can get somebody to fill in.”
“I think it would be incredible if we could arrange it,” she agreed, already imagining being someplace warm and beautiful as the Colorado winter set in. “I’ve heard Thailand is nice this time of year.”
“Done. I’ll arrange it tomorrow. We’ll start there and then play it by ear.” He ran a comforting hand up and down her back.
“Tomorrow? When exactly do you want to leave?” They couldn’t exactly just pick up and go, could they?
“Baby, we’re both billionaires. There’s very little that we can’t do. When do you want to leave?”
Chloe heard the boyish excitement in his voice, and it made her smile. She was ready to begin their adventure any time they could arrange it. They’d both been so very responsible their entire lives. It was time to play. “Soon,” she answered simply.
“Your mama is going to want you married to me before I take you all over the world with me,” Gabe warned her.
“Then let’s get married. I already have a beautiful ring,” she answered dreamily.
“Sweetheart, I’d marry you tomorrow, but this is something you need to be ready for. I’m not pushing. You’re mine, you’re wearing my ring, and that’s enough for me until you’re entirely sure you’re ready.” His voice was sincere.
I’m ready. I’m ready.
“I’m ready,” she told him aloud in an unwavering voice. “James was my youthful mistake. I think I’ve been waiting for you forever.” She’d needed Gabe; she just hadn’t known it.
“Darlin’, I know I’ve been waiting for you all my life,” he rasped. “I think I knew the moment I saw you after you came home for good.”
“Then marry me, run away with me,” Chloe cajoled, thinking of nothing now except escaping for a while with the man she loved.
“I can’t say no because I want it too badly,” Gabe answered, sounding disgusted with himself.
“I want it, too,” Chloe told him as she gently crawled over his body and straddled him, looking down at his beloved face. “Say yes,” she demanded, giving him an expectant look.
Gabe was the man she always should have had, but hadn’t been lucky enough to find until now. In her heart, she thought that somewhere along the way, they’d missed connecting like they should have done years ago. He was the missing piece of her soul that she’d always needed, always longed for but didn’t possess.
He lifted a brow at her. “Getting demanding?”
She tilted her chin. “If I need to be.”
He grinned at her evilly. “Convince me.”
Did he think she wouldn’t take the lead? She leaned down carefully and planted her arms beside his head. “Okay. Let me know when you’re finally persuaded,” she said seductively into his ear. “Don’t move around too much. I don’t want you to hurt yourself.”
She deliberately let her breasts abrade his chest as she leaned down to kiss him. Although she was on top, Gabe immediately responded. Possessive hands slid down her back as his tongue delved into her mouth. She opened and let him in, giving back exactly what he was dishing out, their mouths merging in a sweet passion that brought moist heat flooding between her thighs. Her tongue dueled with his, meeting, merging, and then pulling back to do it all over again.
Urgent hands palmed her ass, and then stopped abruptly.
Chloe sat up, resting her hands on his shoulders. “Don’t, Gabe. Don’t be afraid to touch me any way that you want. I’m not afraid anymore,” she panted as he squeezed her butt cheeks.
“I’m afraid,” he admitted, his fiery eyes meeting hers. “I’m scared I’ll do something to scare you away, and I couldn’t stand that, Chloe. How I have you doesn’t matter. It only matters that I do have you. All the rest of it is just bedroom games. I don’t think I can ever forget what he did to you.”
Chloe knew he was comparing what happened between them to the horror of the videos. “You aren’t him, Gabe. Everything you do to me feels good. Someday I’d like to try everything with you. We’ll decide what we like and what we don’t like. I’m not letting my past experiences shadow my future—our future. This is new. This is us.” She quickly put a hand up to swipe her still-damp hair from her face so she could look at him without distraction. “Do you understand?” She placed her hand back on his shoulder. “I know you’re never going to hurt me.”
“I’ll do anything in my power to make sure nobody does,” he answered. “I’m not going to dwell on the past if you aren’t hurting from it. I just want to be with you. I just want you to be happy.”
His expression was so open and honest that Chloe wanted to cry. But she didn’t. No more crying for her. Not now. She had exactly what she’d always wanted, and the time for regrets was over. It was time to live. “I’d be happy if you’d just concentrate on satisfying this horrible ache I have inside me.”
She moved back and let her saturated core slide over his engorged cock.
“What ache?” he asked hoarsely.
“An empty one,” she moaned softly, rubbing her pussy against him again. “I think I need you.”
“I’m all yours, Chloe. Take me, take whatever you need,” Gabe urged.
Sitting up higher, she balanced her weight on her knees and ran her hands down his chest, reveling in the feel of his hot, damp skin. “Mine,” she told him possessively. Her covetous instincts were running as high as his right now.
She positioned herself over his shaft and slowly lowered herself down, feeling every inch of him as he filled the ache inside her. “Yes,” she hissed, throwing her head back as she moved lower, taking him until their groins met and they were completely merged.
“Fuck! You feel so good,” Gabe muttered in a graveled voice.
His hands grasped her hips, urging her to move.
Her heart was overflowing with joy as her body caught fire. Chloe moved slowly, lifting her hands to her breasts to eke as much pleasure from her body as she possibly could.
“That’s it, sweetheart. Take what you want,” Gabe encouraged huskily. “Own it.”
Finally feeling free with her body, Chloe knew what he was asking her to do. She let go completely as he lifted his hips and slammed up into her. She met every stroke of his cock, basking in every forceful thrust.
“I love you,” she moaned loudly, letting the words ring out and fill the room.
Gabe sat up and wrapped his arms around her, and Chloe leaned into him and put her arms around his neck, wishing she could crawl inside his body. Instead, she inhaled the heady scent of him, letting herself drown in pleasure as he rearranged her legs and continued a fierce, fast rhythm of plunging upward as she controlled a downward grind, catching onto the position quickly, and how it could pleasure her.
Gabe lowered his head and caught her nipples in his greedy mouth, nipping and sucking one after the other, making Chloe’s core spasm in pleasure. “Gabe, I can’t stand it,” she cried out helplessly, grinding down onto him hard.
He urged her head down and kissed her, their bodies careening toward climax.
Spearing her hands into his hair, she kissed him back, giving him everything she had as she wriggled in his lap, her clit finally getting the friction it needed to send her over the edge.
Moaning against his lips, she tore her mouth from his and panted, finally screaming as her channel clamped down on his cock.
He took control, grasping her hips, lifting and lowering her in short thrusts that had him following her into orgasm.
They held each other tight, their sweat-dampened bodies straining as they shuddered in release.
Chloe’s head dropped to his shoulder as she struggled for breath, waiting for her hammering heart to calm.
“Yes, goddammit. Yes. I’ll fucking marry you now,” Gabe growled against her skin.
Out of breath, Chloe still smiled. “You’re convinced?” she teased.
“I’m convinced that if I don’t make you mine officially I’m damn well going to go crazy. I love you too damn much,” he confessed. “Marry me, and I’ll make you the happiest woman in the world for the rest of your life. I promise.”
His oath was so powerful that Chloe shivered in pleasure. She stroked his springy hair, wondering how it was possible for her to be any happier than she already was right now.
She had her future.
And she had Gabe, a man more precious to her than she could ever explain, could ever have believed.
“Okay. I’m glad you finally see it my way.” She tried to joke, but the tenderness she was feeling for Gabe was vibrating in her tone.
He flopped onto his back dramatically. “I had to give up. You wrecked me.”
Chloe giggled at his antics. “I love you,” she told him as she started to swing her body to the side of his.
“Don’t.” His voice was entreating. “Stay here for a while. I need to feel you.”
She sighed as she laid her head on his powerful shoulder, their bodies melding as they touched skin-to-skin.
Chloe understood why he needed to feel her against him because she felt the same way. The feel of his body beneath her was delicious, comforting and addictive.
He held her without saying a word, his hold possessive and tender.
Chloe’s eyes slowly drifted closed with a sense of contentment that she’d longed for but had never found…until Gabe.
She fell asleep, her body plastered to his, knowing for certain that with Gabe, she was now eager for her life to really begin.