you do have a way of making a woman feel cherished for a few hours in a way that I never knew was possible. I'm getting too attached to you, because of that." She forced a smile. "That's why you have to go."
"You're real easy to grow attached to, yourself, kiddo." He offered her a half-smile and took her mouth slowly.
She shivered as his rough palm slid down her shoulder and cupped her breast, feeling a renewed heat begin to warm her. But she had to remember more important things. "I'm glad you only brought Bobby to the New Orleans house once. Don't bring him to the one in Los Angeles. Promise me. He's in training and doesn't need to indulge and get his head all screwed up. As it is, my initiate, Jasmine, hasn't been able to concentrate on anything but him since he deflowered her." Gabrielle forced a chuckle. "You Guardians have a way of making a girl crazy, did you know that?"
Rider chuckled and sighed, allowing his hand to glide over the swell of her naked hip. "I don't know if that was a good thing or a bad thing, giving Bobby a onetime taste of female affection. Now that he's no longer a virgin, the poor kid is really bouncing off the walls. But, Dan, God bless him, is gonna have an aneurysm if I don't bring him to see one of your girls again soon." So much was changing, just like his beloved New Orleans. He just prayed Gabrielle would be a constant for a little longer.
She shook her head, her eyes holding a warning. "Don't. He's young, doesn't need to be corrupted, and my establishments are too dangerous--and I can't afford to lose another initiate right now." She tried to soften her warning with a smile. "If I let him have Heather, then where would this witch be? No virgin initiates to appease the beast. I don't want Dan or any of you guys fooling around with anything in my establishment that might bear fangs... or a human female that's got a negative aura, especially not your young guys. Not now."
Rider looked at her and stopped the lazy caress up and down her hip. "Okay... but he's also male, young, and a Guardian, and the Light doesn't exactly move at the speed of light. That kid could be left hanging for a very long time, Gabby. I won't let anything happen to him."
"I know," she said, gathering the sheet around herself and standing. Rider watched her cross the room.
"Okay, at the risk of divulging sensitive client information, er, uh, did one of my guys upset one of your ladies or something? Bobby being banned from your houses I can understand. Can't have your nephew thinking a certain way about his aunt--some things are just not done, and I'm glad he still hasn't put it together that where I took him that one time was under your management. But Dan... jeez. For crying out loud, he'll be a basket case if several years go by before he gets laid again."
Rider pushed back with his spine pressed to the headboard and a wry smile tugging on his face. "Give the kid a break, Gabby. I had to get Dan out of the house when your niece turned eighteen a few weeks back. After the little fracas the brothers had in Arizona over her, Dan's frame of mind was damned near suicidal when J.L. gave her his little jade Buddha amulet and her dad finally let the two of them supposedly go have a private lunch after we cut the cake."
"But--"
"You shoulda seen it," Rider said, grinning wide and cutting her off. "The girl clutched the amulet to her chest like J.L. had given her a diamond ring, and then the two of 'em went all googly-eyed to the point where her own father gave up the battle. So, if Dan came into your L.A. joint on his own and momentarily lost his mind--"
"No, no, no, it wasn't like that," she said, smiling despite the circumstances. "He didn't offend, even though from what I hear, he definitely lost his mind for a few hours."
Rider closed his eyes laughing and slapped his forehead. "My nose is never wrong. Jose and Carlos told me the same thing--the three of us got bloodhound in us, hon. That kid was so torn up by your niece, he still has to do his own laundry. Don't banish him right now," Rider pleaded