Chapter Ten

Gabe had a serious headache, and all he wanted to do was relax on his couch with a glass of wine and snuggle with Julie. Damn, he'd missed her. Missed seeing her smile and the way those big brown eyes would light up when he walked into a room. He missed the way she gave herself to him so completely, she left no doubt in his mind that she belonged exclusively to him.

They'd only been together for five months, but there was no denying his feelings any longer. He was head over heels in love with Julie Bennett. Why else would she be his last waking thought at night and the first when he woke up? He'd told his mother all about her and was anxious to have them meet.

His mother had always said when he found that special someone, he'd know right away. Perhaps he'd always sensed Julie was the right one. She was a far cry from the leggy blondes and sultry, redheaded model types he used to date. It was probably one of the reasons why he loved her so much. She was so much more than just a pretty outer shell. She was the total package, and it warmed his heart to see her blossoming and asserting herself more.

Though he would like to take credit for her change, Gabe knew she'd had it in her all along, and he couldn't be more proud. But where was she now? He'd called earlier to say his plane would land around eight. It had arrived at the gate a half hour early, and he didn't mind the wait, but it was nearly nine. Had something happened to her? He had told her he'd meet her at the baggage claim area in terminal B at eight thirty.

He dug into his breast pocket for his cell phone and was about to punch her number in when he heard her call his name from across the other side of the terminal.

“Gabe!” she shrieked, running toward him.

He barely had enough time to brace himself for the collision when she tossed herself into his arms, nearly knocking him over. She placed kisses all over his face. “I missed you so much.”

He returned her enthusiastic kisses. “Whoa, sweetheart. Easy. Now calm down and give me a proper kiss.”

She smiled. “With pleasure.”

He lowered his head to kiss her parted lips. Damn, he'd nearly forgotten how sweet her mouth was. Like raw honey. He didn't know how he'd gone these past four days without his Candy Girl. He pressed his tongue forward to meet hers. Their tongues circled, tasted, and licked in a ravenous meeting of their mouths.

His cock sprang to immediate hardness, and he wanted nothing more than to rip her clothes off right then and there. The airport security probably wouldn't appreciate it, though. He needed to get her home, and quick. With reluctance, he pushed her away. “Hmm, that's more like it. How about we get home and finish what we started?”

“Yes. I have something special planned for you tonight.”

He groaned. All he wanted to do was fuck her senseless to make up for the four days he'd been away from her, but he didn't want to hurt her feelings. “Oh? What do you have planned?”

“It's a surprise.”

“Here, let me get this bag for you.” She picked up his carry-on.

He followed her out of the terminal. Walking with an erection was a painful ordeal.

In the car she drove at a breakneck speed as she explained why she was late.

“You did what?” he exclaimed.

“I poured—”

“I heard you; I guess I didn't believe what I'd heard. Wow, Julie. I didn't know you had it in you.”

She laughed. “Neither did I, but damn if it didn't feel good. I finally understand what Sheridan is always going on about. I mean, violence is usually the last resort, but I have no regrets.”

“I'm sure your cousin does, though.” Gabe couldn't help but laugh. His meek little mouse had turned out to be a tigress in disguise, and he found it sexy as hell.

“Does it sound bad to say I no longer think of her as a cousin? Since we were kids, she's done nothing but go out of her way to make me miserable. I remember once my aunt bought me a really nice sweater, one of the few nice gifts she'd ever given me. Corinne spilled grape juice on it and said it was an accident, even though there was no way it could have been by the way she tossed it at me. She's always been so spiteful.”

Gabe's heart went out to her. Though he didn't say so, he was secretly happy she'd gotten physical with her cousin. There were some people who wouldn't get a clue unless you did something drastic, and Corinne sounded like that kind of person. “Perhaps she was jealous of you. Like I said before, there's something about you that draws people to you like a moth to flame. Even after you started setting your coworkers straight, they still came to you for advice and someone to talk to. Not as often, granted, but face it, you have a gift.”

“I never minded people talking to me; it's the taking-advantage-of-me part I didn't like. Everyone has been more considerate lately. Even Rob apologized to me today.”

“Rob Danford?” She couldn't be talking about the same guy he was thinking of.

“Yes. Rob Danford. I think you're going to see a big change in him in the next several weeks.”

“Seeing is believing, I guess.”

He told her about his business trip the rest of the way to his house, and Gabe breathed a sigh of relief when Julie turned into his driveway.

Julie grabbed his carry-on and laptop, and he took his suitcase out of the car. The second he walked into his house, he raised his brow in awe. The room was lit with the warm glow of electric candles. He turned to Julie. “You did this?”

She nodded. “I have a special dinner waiting for you.”

He wasn't particularly hungry, but since she'd gone to so much trouble, he pretended enthusiasm. “Everything looks great.”

Julie led him to the dining room table. “Have a seat, and I'll bring you dinner.”

He didn't wait long before Julie returned. When he saw what she was serving, he laughed out loud: pizza from his favorite pizzeria and an ice-cold beer. “Ta-da!” She giggled, taking a seat.

“Looks like you outdid yourself.”

“If there had been more time, I would have made you something fancy. Besides, I put all my effort into dessert.”

He liked the sound of that. “And what's for dessert?”

“You'll only get dessert if you finish your dinner.”

Gabe chuckled. “Okay, you win.” He tore into the pizza, realizing he was hungrier than he'd thought. He noticed Julie barely touched her food, but she seemed to be waiting anxiously for him to finish. He took a swig of beer to wash down the pizza before placing the can on the table. “Now, tell me what's for dessert.”

Julie leaned across the table, her expression serious. Gabe wondered if he should be concerned. “Julie?”

She took his hand in hers. “I just wanted you to know how much these past few months together have meant to me. Because of you, I'm a different person.”

He shook his head. “No. Not because of me. You had the power to change your life all along.”

“I know, but you were the catalyst, and for that I thank you. You've made me happier than I ever thought I could be. And I just wanted you to know, I love you.”

Gabe closed his eyes briefly and opened them again, in case he was dreaming. “Say that again.”

“I love you, Gabe.”

“Again.”

“I love you!”

He got out of the chair and then pulled her out of her seat and hugged her close to him. “Aw, sweetheart. You have no idea how much I've wanted to hear those words from your sweet lips. I love you too.”

She looked up at him with glistening eyes. “Do you mean it?”

“Yes. I do. I think I've been in love with you since I first laid eyes on you. Let's go upstairs.” Grabbing her by the hand, he attempted to pull her along with him, but she wouldn't budge.

“No. Not yet. Not before you've had dessert.”

“Dessert be damned. I haven't seen you in four days, and I'm going to go insane if I don't get some pussy.”

“I promise it will be worth your while.” She yanked her hand free and began to undress.

What was the woman doing to him? Didn't she realize being this close to her with a fucking hard-on was excruciating? As she undressed, revealing her cocoa skin to his gaze, his engorged cock strained on the inside of his pants. His mouth watered, and his fingers itched to get ahold of her.

When she was down to her bra and panties, his mouth fell open. Was that what he thought it was? “Is that…?”

She grinned. “Dessert.”

Julie had been a bit self-conscious when she'd purchased the candy bra and thong at the adult lingerie store Sheridan had suggested she visit. But it seemed so appropriate. Sheridan had suggested edible undies, but when Julie had seen this getup fashioned from the same type of ingredients candy necklaces and bracelets were made of, she had to get it.

The expression on Gabe's face told her she'd made the right choice. She turned around to give him the total view. Beneath the weight of his heated gaze, Julie had never felt more beautiful than she did in this moment.

“Mmm, you look good enough to eat, Candy Girl.”

“Then eat me all up.”

He strode toward her, then scooped her up in his arms and carried her to his bedroom in record time. Gabe ripped his clothes off, tearing fabric before sliding on the bed to join her.

“Oh God, you're beautiful. And you're all mine.” He ran his hand along the length of her body with a reverence that made Julie shiver. “I don't know where to begin.”

“Anywhere you want, lover.”

He nibbled at the sugary bra, slowly exposing her breasts. With each new inch of skin he revealed, he'd flick his tongue over it, creating the most delicious tingling sensation between her legs.

Gabe took his time alternating between nibbling on the candy bra and sucking and nipping her breasts. Her nipples came alive in his mouth as he sucked them each in turn. “Oh, Gabe. This feels wonderful.”

“And you taste wonderful, Candy Girl.”

His hands, lips, and tongue roamed over her breasts and belly. Gabe circled her navel with his forefinger and moved it lower still. He cupped his palm over her pussy. “You're so hot. That's one of the things I love about you, Julie. Your pussy is always ready for sucking and fucking.”

Settling himself between her thighs, he went to work on the candy underwear. “This is a particularly favorite flavor of mine. Candy coated with pussy juice.”

Julie giggled. “You're being silly.”

“I'm being serious. The very taste of you is intoxicating.” To prove his point, he pushed her underwear aside and slipped his tongue into her channel.

“Gabe.” She groaned. The point of her wearing the sugar-coated underwear was for him to eat until he had her completely naked, but Julie wasn't sure she could last that long. She'd been without his cock for four days, and she needed him now.

As if he'd read her thoughts, his eyes locked with hers. “You can't wait either, can you?”

She smiled. “No.”

“Good. I was dying here.” He ripped off what was left of the panties and just as quickly eased into her.

She wrapped her arms and legs around him, sighing with the feeling of completeness. Loving him and knowing he loved her back was an awesome feeling. On a journey to find her voice and discover who she was, she'd found herself love and the answer to her question. She was Candy Girl.

Gabe's Candy Girl.

As he moved in and out of her, his breath brushing her ear, he whispered, “I love you.”