“I should take my belt to you right here and now, Emma, you naughty girl.”
An expression of guilt surely sped across my face. “What do you mean?” Suddenly, I was very glad Gabriel couldn’t look into my eyes.
“We both know what you’re trying to do.” Gabriel’s h*ps moved slow and steady. I barely held back a moan when he leaned closer and whispered in my ear, “Those belong to me, Emma. I decide when and if you get to come.”
My mouth went dry. This diabolical man really was going to deny me my orgasms completely sometimes?
“And considering what you just tried to do,” he murmured hotly in my ear, “maybe I should keep this one for me today. Experience is a far better master than words.” He then stopped moving. His h*ps plastered to mine, driving his threat home far more eloquently than words.
“Oh, please! I’m sorry, Gabriel. I won’t do it again.”
“I’m sure you won’t, especially after suffering the consequences this time around.”
I wanted to open my eyes, to plead for leniency. Instinct told me things would go worse if I did. I remained trapped, beholden only to him to give dimension in my dark world.
“I’m so sorry, Gabriel. It’s just that I didn’t know…” How I hated admitting to something I didn’t know! I licked my lips, somehow sensing his attention was fixated on my mouth. I did it again and begged, “Gabriel, you make me feel so good. Please don’t do this to me.”
He sighed, aggrieved and lusty all at once. “I’m going to spoil you so badly, Emma. Already I can’t deny you a thing.” I sagged in relief. Gabriel then gripped my chin. “Today, dear girl. Today. I’m sure familiarity will render my softness and then we’ll see, won’t we? And considering how naughty you already are, I’m sure I’ll be in trouble quite a bit.”
Oh. Another flood of warmth drenched us both. There was no hiding the effect his words had on me. Who knew I’d be so receptive to being some kind of a masochist?
Although I probably shouldn’t complain about that.
Gabriel chuckled in male satisfaction. With his free hand gripping the back of my head and beautiful mouth devouring mine, he resumed making my toes curl.
He filled me to the brim, making it so I could barely recall my name, much less anything else. Blinded and unable to touch him with my hands, I focused on my other senses to create the picture of us I couldn’t see.
As always, Gabriel epitomized brilliant light and glorious color. The chill had long left my body as the heat from his skin warmed me. We broke apart, mouths looking for other pleasures divine. My nose nuzzled the line of his throat. I suckled the pulse beating strong. I loved the scent of Gabriel’s body, the sound of his voice as he crooned my name or growled in dark pleasure.
He dropped kisses all along my jaw, neck, and shoulders. They branded me as his. All the while Gabriel imprinted me from the inside. Greedy, I wanted to pull him into my body, to keep him there forever.
Such strange thoughts when making love…
Soon the liquid slide became too much for me. I fisted my hands, shoving one against my mouth to keep the loud cries from spilling out. I wanted to come, but I wouldn’t do it until Gabriel said I could. He may have said he was spoiling me, but he didn’t give me the explicit go ahead.
Which I hoped would come soon because I could hardly hold on.
Attuned to me as always, Gabriel thrust into me harder. His fingers slid past my spread thighs and settled into the tender cleft.
“It’s okay, Emma. Come for me, my love.”
I arched wildly. Delicious, drugging pleasure sank into my veins. My free hand immediately reached for the pillar above. Gabriel’s fingers plucked me, gently rolling my flesh between thumb and forefinger before smoothing it in long, even strokes. My thoughts scattered like pebbles on glass. Perverse, I didn’t want to come anymore. I just wanted to feel this ecstasy with Gabriel forever. Joined together as one.
“Emma, look at me.”
I shook my head for reasons I couldn’t explain. I didn’t mean to be so disobedient. I just couldn’t seem to help my contrary nature. No wonder Gabriel and Gretchen questioned my ability to obey.
Gabriel wasn’t amused or inclined to indulge me anymore. “Now,” he growled. There was no sweetness in his tone. No compromise. “Don’t fight me and don’t make me tell you again.”
Nervousness plagued me. I’d come to find comfort in my dark world, ephemeral images of Gabriel there to keep me company. It felt safe. I’d be utterly exposed once I left. Still I slowly opened my eyes. Gabriel’s beautifully clear gaze impaled me surely as his lower body already did. A broken gasp flew from my reddened lips.
“Touch me.”
I reached out, greedily rubbing my palms against his clothed shoulders and chest. The more I touched, the more he touched me. When I dropped my gaze to where we were joined intimately, Gabriel commanded in a clipped tone, “I didn’t give you permission to look away, Emma.”
The sureness of his authority over me made it difficult to remember the charming, playful man I’d become reacquainted with. Gabriel’s earlier fumbling awkwardness had melted my heart. The playful, eager man who had bought me a dress and strapped shoes to my feet seemed a long ago, faded memory. This man bore very little similarity to him.
Intrigued, I couldn’t deny wanting to know this side of Gabriel Gordon.
I kept my stare on his. Even while my h*ps thrashed against his clever fingers and heavy shaft. I barely blinked and didn’t dare close my eyes when the knot in my belly tightened and broke. I whimpered his name, desperately clutching his shoulders as the waves dragged me further.
“Who’s doing this to you, Emma?”
“You are, Gabriel.” Just saying it sent another violent aftershock through my body.
His lips settled on mine. “Do you like the way I f**k you?” His tongue slid into my mouth deeply before retreating. “Do you, love?”
I moaned an affirmative.
“Tell me, Emma.”
Far past the ability to be embarrassed, I panted, “I like the way you f**k me, Gabriel. It’s all I ever want anymore.”
Satisfaction pulled at the corners of his mouth. “Good. Oh, that’s so…so very…f**king…good!” Gabriel’s thrust faster. My core tightened about him and my sensitive nerve endings sprang back to carnal life. I moaned how much loved him, how much I needed him.
Gabriel wrapped his hand around my jaw, fingers digging into my skin and forcing my mouth to open widely. His kiss dominated me. I could barely breathe but didn’t care. I pushed my body against his, clutching his hair so that I could kiss him as aggressively as he kissed me.
This was who we were now. Together as one. No walls, no fear.
He snapped his h*ps and then stilled. “Emma!” Gabriel moaned into my mouth. Deep joy flooded me. I kissed him deliriously, ravenous to consume every last groan of Gabriel’s gratification.
This is what it’s liked to be loved by the whole of a man. His goodness and his badness. Both sides. All for me to experience and to know.
Tangled in his net, I regretted my ignorance in thinking our love could be calculated and tweaked like a formula. Gretchen was right. The wait was worth it. I trembled with anticipation for the things I couldn’t imagine but was bound to experience at his elegant hand.
Awakened and in a state of euphoria, I wanted to tell Gabriel of my beautiful revelations. I wanted to dance across the room and sing my heart out. The urge to babble my bliss itched the corners of my smiling mouth. I did none of those things. Instead, I kept kissing him as a dying woman clings to her last breath.
Violently and with the hope that she’ll keep it forever.
All too soon it was gone. I almost could believe the glorious sense of freedom was all in my imagination. I hoped I’d feel it again, but if not, then at least I had this.
I moaned his name into his open mouth.
Gabriel’s kisses gentled in response, coaxing me to mirror. The tension eased from our bodies. He whispered his undying love for me between soft, lingering kisses. Eventually he let me down. My feet had barely touched the ground before Gabriel picked me up again. “No, not yet.”
“Aren’t your arms tired?” I teased while ecstatic that I didn’t have to leave the safe structure of his hold.
He shook his head. “You insult me, Emma. I’m lazy but I do work out.”
“I can tell.”
“You’re flattering me. Do it some more? Tell me how big my muscles are. ” He fluttered his eyes.
There was my silly man. Which meant our current game was over. I still couldn’t say I understood the reasons for why Gabriel did what he did, but I could no longer pretend any part of me disliked it. I very much looked forward to the next engagement.
He, on the other hand, didn’t seem to share my ease of mind.
“I shouldn’t have asked all of that of you just yet,” he declared rather abruptly.
“All of what?” I asked in genuine curiosity.
“You were afraid out there and I made you walk anyways. It scared you and I’m sorry for it.”
Strange. “I know. Why did you make me?”
“To see how much you really trusted me. I needed to know.”
I hugged him tighter. “I’m sorry about all those questions last night. I should’ve known you better than that.” Guilt was a stain that sometimes felt impossible to ever fade. How many times had I hurt Gabriel and how many more times would I do it again?
I didn’t mean to do it, Gabriel. I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry I’m not braver when it comes to you.
He squeezed me back. “Ssh, Emma. Don’t apologize for your truths. I know we’ve moved blazingly fast, despite our past connection with one another. I’m just glad to know that you trust me enough.”
Enough. Not completely. Not fully. Just enough.
Emotion overwhelmed my island of contentment. Gabriel seemed incapable of holding anything against me. I wasn’t sure if I was worthy of such loyalty and devotion.
“You really shouldn’t be so nice to me.”
“What a strange thing to say!” Gabriel kissed my forehead. “Why would you say that?”
I shook my head, unable to explain. “Nothing. I’m sorry that I forgot.” My fingertips traced the sharp line of his beautiful cheekbone.
“Forgot what?”
“Forgot that nothing worthwhile ever comes easy.”
Gabriel studied me with the gorgeous half-smile that always made me want to curl my toes. “You liked it. It excited you to be under my control.”
Suddenly shy, I nodded my head. Gabriel said my name in measured warning. He also raised his hand and held it right over my backside in case there was any misunderstanding on my part.
“Yes, I liked it!”
He grinned and then slapped my ass hard.
“Ow!”
Undeterred by my undignified howl, Gabriel did it again. I gripped his lapel and buried my face in his chest. His laughter rained over me. Happiness held me in its palm. “You liked that.”
“Of course, I did. I love spanking my sweet Emma.”