Chapter Seventeen

Serena stood on the edge of the pool, Gabe only a few feet away.

“For God’s sake, woman, make up your mind. It’s just water.”

It wasn’t just water. It was her entire future poised on the muddy side of a pool of hot water. And she was going for it. She laughed and held out her hand. “Help me in. It looks deep.”

He took her hand in his strong one and braced, lowering her into the water. “Careful, over there on that side it gets really hot. This side has more creek water running into it, and over there, where the creek comes in, it’s lukewarm.”

“Ah, it’s perfect.” She sank in and let her feet touch the bottom. “Oh, I thought there might be something down here. It’s sandy.” She moved around, her breasts floating in the chest-high water.

“Once a year we haul sand up from farther down the creek.” He got in next to her. “Girls are weird about getting mud between their toes.”

“That’s not weird. It’s normal.”

“Not when they pay big bucks to have it spread all over their bodies.” He flicked drops of water at her, and she laughed with him. Their laughter died out as they stared at each other in the water.

“Gabe, I—”

His voice dropped to a growl. “Don’t start this unless you want to finish it. I’m prepared to take this all the way. Are you?”

Her stomach fluttered with nerves. She took a quick sip of her wine. She wanted this, oh how she wanted this.

“Serena, maybe you should stay there and I’ll move over here. I know dreamwalkers aren’t exactly used to going with their instincts.” He went to brush past her.

Despite his comment, she reached out and touched his arm. “No, stay here.” Sexual energy sparked under her palm, racing through her and turning her legs to jelly.

Gabe’s mouth descended on hers, hungry and taking everything she had to give. Then he was gone, a rush of water pouring off his body as he got back out of the pool. Disappointment flooded her.

“I don’t understand.”

He was over to their picnic and back before she’d barely gotten the words out. “I told you I’d brought supplies.” He dropped the bag with the towels next to the water and got in. “Condoms.” He leaned in, his face inches away from hers. So close, she could feel the tension radiating from his body. “I’m not stopping this time, Serena, so you’d better be sure.”

A flash of heat raced through her.

This was it. They’d been building to this from the first moment she’d laid eyes on him. In the meadow, in the restaurant, when he’d kissed her—it all led up to this nervous, heart-pounding moment.

“I’m sure.”

He moved through the water, closing the distance between them. Underneath the surface his cock brushed against her thigh. Anticipation rushed through her. They weren’t stopping this time and the thought of having him inside her was as arousing as hell.

She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him, their tongues sliding against each other, like their bodies slid in the water. Her breasts crushed between them, the hairs on his chest rubbed against her nipples, stimulating them into hard peaks. He lifted her up and down rubbing her against him, their skin slick with water. She wanted more, she wanted to be so close to him she was never getting away.

His cock nudged her, and she reached for it under the water, taking it in her hand and squeezing. He gasped and slid his fingers in between them, toying with the outer edges of her folds under the water. She moaned, and he lifted her up. She wrapped her legs around him, his erection floating between them, reminding her of everything he had in store.

Her breasts were out of the water, but the heat kept her warm, despite the chill in the air now that the sun was down. It was getting darker, but she wasn’t afraid of the darkness in the water. Gabe had her in his arms and the shadowed steam rose off the water, creating a sense of magic and mystery.

He cupped her ass in his hands and rubbed her up and down against his cock. She kissed him again, the friction of her clit against him getting her hotter and hotter. He turned around and walked backward to the side of the pool, leaning back against a rock and working her faster over his cock.

“Is that good? Is that what you want?”

It was so good that she could barely put two words together to answer him. “Mm-hmm, yes,” was all she could get out.

She wanted more, she wanted him, but oh God, the pressure building inside of her was too much. She dug her fingers into his shoulders, cried out, and tumbled over the edge into paradise.

Her face fell against his chest, and she trembled against his body.

“Ah, yes, honey,” he whispered into her hair. “I love the feel of you coming. I want to feel that again and again. I want to feel it when I’m deep inside of you and you come so hard you never want to stop.”

His words shuddered through her, and she suddenly wanted more again. She lifted her face, and he kissed her, his mouth hot and needy on hers.

He turned them around, lifting her up to the rock and setting her down on the edge. It was cold and hard under her bottom, but she didn’t care. Gabe spread her legs, and she jumped as his mouth came down hot and wet on her pussy.

She dug her fingers into his head, the short strands of his hair tickling the bottoms of her palms. She opened her eyes for a second and looked up at the starry sky above her until he touched her again. Her eyes slammed shut. He used his tongue and his teeth, sucking her clit in and out of his mouth. And when she was begging and gasping for more, he pushed his tongue into her center, plunging it in and out as she came again, her hands digging into his scalp and the stars swimming in her head.

“Gabe,” was all she said. But he understood. He was out of the water and putting on a condom. He sat down on the rock next to her, and she climbed onto him, using her fingers to spread her pussy for the tip of his cock.

They worked together, and she slid down over him, taking him in. His eyes gleamed in the starlight. “You’re so tight.” He grabbed her hips and pushed her down farther.

“Oh yeah.” She gasped with the pleasure. “That’s good. So good.” She moved up and down, taking him deeper and deeper with each thrust.

His fingers dug into her hips, urging her to go faster and faster, and she did, the pressure building with each stroke. Her third orgasm took her by surprise. She came, and he stiffened beneath her, his face contorting next to hers as he followed her fast with his own orgasm. His fingers dug hard into her ass as they came together, shuddering and slowing under the stars.

As she came down, everything looked wonderful. The stars glinting in the water in Gabe’s hair. The steam rising around them. Her future.

What future?

The excitement of the evening, the feeling of stealing away from reality faded as the water on the skin of her back grew cold. She still had a crappy boss. She still had to deal with Sam. And, as fun and as exciting as this was, she couldn’t ignore it all and just be with Gabe. As much as she’d wanted it, this was only an escape for a few minutes, nothing more. But by the smile on his face, she knew he didn’t see this as just a fun interlude. He saw it as something more. And she wasn’t sure right now that she had that something more.

 

Gabe had never felt this light. The entire drive back to Serena’s he had trouble keeping his hands on the wheel. He wanted to touch her, hold her hand. He wanted her to unbuckle her seatbelt and climb onto his lap.

He never wanted to let her go.

His need for her had eased the moment he’d come into her on the banks of the pool, but it wasn’t completely gone. It ran like hot lava just under the surface of his skin. Pulsing. Waiting for just the right opportunity to erupt.

She was quiet on the drive home. She let him hold her hand, but the reluctant feel of her fingers in his hands bothered him.

“Everything okay?” he asked as they pulled up to her cabin.

“It’s fine.” She flashed him a quick smile, there and gone. “I’ve just got a lot on my mind.”

A rumble of unease stirred his wolf. “This was supposed to relax you, not make you more stressed.”

She gave his hand a squeeze, then let go, gathering her things. “I am more relaxed. I guarantee I’ll sleep tonight, between the wine, the hot water”—she shot him a shy look from under her fall of hair—“and the sex.”

It appeased his wolf, but Gabe still couldn’t shake his concern. They got out of the truck, and he walked her to the cabin. She’d left the front light on, and it brought back full force the memory of their kiss on Sunday and how badly that had ended.

“Do you want me to come in?”

“No, I’m fine.” She unlocked the door and opened it, turning back to him. “Thank you for tonight. I really needed it. Good night, Gabe.”

She was saying all the right words, but something was wrong. She was cool and distant, and he felt farther away from her than when he’d picked her up. Had he screwed up? Had he pushed her too fast?

He held back his need to crush her in his arms and merely brushed a soft kiss aimed for her lips. She turned, and it brushed her cheek.

“Good night, Serena.” It took every ounce of willpower he had to walk back to his truck. Once inside, he waited until she’d shut the door and turned on her lights. Then he started the car and drove the mile back through the dark woods to the intersection with the main ranch road.

His mind wasn’t on the driving, and he lost speed as his thoughts wandered back to the cabin with Serena—where he should be. His wolf didn’t understand why they were leaving her, and the farther he drove away, the more distracted he became. He took the hairpin curve and didn’t see the log laid across the road until it was too late.