A Forever Christmas - By Marie Ferrarella Page 0,44

instinct was to hold her in order to calm her, but he had a feeling that would only bring the opposite results. So he held himself in check until he could sort out exactly what had set her off and what was happening here.

He made the only logical assumption. “You remembered something, didn’t you?”

“No!”

The denial was automatic, as if she’d been quizzed about her reaction more than once before and this was the answer she gave time and time again. It was, he had a feeling, the expected answer.

But for who?

Angel drew in more air, this time more slowly as she struggled to get hold of herself. After a beat, calmer, she looked up at him.

“Yes,” she answered, bewildered and drained. Rocking, she locked her arms around herself. “He was forcing himself on me, holding my shoulders down so I wouldn’t fight him off.”

Angel’s mouth dropped open. She seemed as startled by what she’d just said as Gabe was to hear it.

“Who?” Gabe asked, trying his best not to press her too hard. He wanted her to think, to remember, and he knew she couldn’t if he cornered her. “Who was forcing himself on you, Angel?” he asked more gently.

“I don’t know.” The frustration was back, spilling out in her tears. “I don’t know,” she repeated. Angel closed her eyes, but there was nothing. Opening them again, she exhaled a shaky breath as she dragged her hand through her hair. “I can’t see him, can’t seem to make him out.”

Very carefully, Gabe slipped his arm around her shoulders. But rather than pull away or resist him, she relaxed. He could feel her tension draining from her. Whatever had slashed through her moments ago had been leeched out, leaving her exhausted.

Angel leaned her head against his shoulder. “Why can’t I remember, Gabe?” she demanded. “Or, if I can’t remember, why can’t I just forget about it completely?”

She hated being stuck like this, half in limbo, half out.

“Because you’re a strong woman and you want to face whatever demons are secretly tormenting you. And you will,” he promised, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “And when you do, I’ll be right there, facing them with you. I’m not leaving you to deal with this alone.”

She raised her head to look at him. He was making her a promise, she realized.

“I’m sorry,” she murmured.

“Nothing to feel sorry about,” he told her. “We don’t have to do anything. We can just lie here together until you fall asleep.”

“No,” she said after a moment.

“You want me to go?” he asked.

Moved, she cupped her hand against his cheek, caressing it. Warm feelings stirred within her and grew warmer. “No, I want you to make love with me, Gabe,” she said quietly.

He turned her hand palm side up and pressed a kiss to it. He heard her draw in a breath in renewed anticipation.

“Are you sure, Angel?” he asked. He didn’t want to do anything that would bring back that frightened look he’d just seen.

“I’m sure,” she told him with certainty. “Make the demons go away, Gabe.”

She was asking a lot of him, but he wasn’t going to fail her, he silently swore.

Drawing her back into his arms, he started making love to her very slowly, kissing only her lips until she all but melted against him. And then he widened his scope, anointing her throat, her shoulders, working his way down to the sensitive insides of her elbows.

Hearing her sigh as his own blood heated, he kissed one breast at a time until she was all but panting beneath him. Her pleasure was his aphrodisiac.

He trailed his lips along her belly. It quivered in response.

Angel twisted and turned against him, attempting to absorb every sensation, clinging to the ever-growing surge of desire. Catching her breath as each arrow of desire shot through her.

All the while, she was determined that the shadowy figure would be vanquished by this man she’d entrusted with her heart.

This time, when he came to her, Gabe deliberately switched their positions, gently guiding her hips until she was the one over him. She looked down at him with wonder and he smiled, silently coaxing her to take the lead. The exhilaration he saw in her eyes aroused him to a higher degree.

Driving himself into her, gently but forcefully, he could feel her arching against him, letting him know that she wanted this union as much as he did.

Locked in an embrace, their souls sealed to each other, they quickly built up the rhythm