Blackstone Ranger Charmer - Alicia Montgomery Page 0,31
have all these physical reactions when I see them.”
She shook her head. “Not irrational at all. Sometimes, things in our past stick with us, whether we realize it or not. I’m sorry, that was mean of them.”
“Thank you.” Her concern touched him; the few people he hung out with these days who knew about his phobia still joked about it. “All right, I hope you’re hungry.”
“That’s a lot of eggs,” she commented. “You’re going to eat some of that, right?”
“Of course.”
After he finished plating the eggs, he garnished it with some chopped green onions and pepper. “Et voilà. Oeufs brouillés, mademoiselle.” He placed a plate in front of her. “Don’t ask me to speak any more French. I’m afraid I nearly failed it back in high school.”
“Thank you.” She leaned over and took in a whiff. “Oh my God, that smells amazing.”
“Why don’t you take it over to the couch and we can eat there? It’ll be much more comfortable than sitting on these stools.” He nodded toward the living area. “I’ll get our coffees.”
“Thanks,” she said, picking up both plates.
After pouring the coffee into two mugs, he joined her on the massive plush sectional couch. “Here you go,” he said, handing her a mug, then picked up his plate from the coffee table.
“Bon appétit,” she said and then took a forkful of eggs into her mouth. “Oh. Mmmm.”
Gabriel swallowed hard as the satisfied sound she made went straight to his groin. Shifting in his seat uncomfortably, he placed the plate on his lap. As he ate his eggs, he couldn’t help but glance over at her, watching as she savored each bite of food he made. It was ironic, really, that he’d been eating her food all these months and enjoying it, and now here she was, consuming something he had made.
They ate in comfortable silence, and once she finished her plate, she put it aside. “Thank you, Gabriel, that was an amazing meal.”
His lion was extremely pleased that their mate was fed. “You’re welcome.” His mouth suddenly went dry as she stretched her legs out in front of her, his eyes tracing a path up her shapely calf, knees, and the creamy skin of her thighs not covered by fabric. God, I want to be a shirt so bad.
“I should check on my clothes in the dryer,” she said, swinging her legs over the side of the couch. As she got up, however, she let out a sharp yell and fell back. “Oomph!”
Immediately, he sprang into action, catching her in his arms, and they both fell back against the cushion with her sprawling on top of him.
“Sorry, my foot fell asleep,” she said. “Um, Gabriel?”
Her sweet scent wrapped around him, and the way her soft body pressed against him sent him into a frenzy. When his erection brushed up against her, she gasped in shock.
“God, woman, I can only control myself so much,” he growled. “Let me kiss you again. Please.”
She took in a sharp inhale of breath. “Gabriel … I thought you’d never ask.”
Fuck. Yes.
He took her mouth hungrily as a possessive streak he’d never felt before swept through him. It was like he wanted to brand her with his lips so she would never forget him. The intensity of his kiss would probably have scared off a lesser woman, but not his mate. No, she responded with equal fervor, mouth devouring his, their tongues dancing and tasting each other.
Her hips ground against his, brushing against his cock with a delicious friction that made him push against her. He needed her so bad, and he could smell her arousal and wetness.
She let out a yelp when he sat up and lifted her so she could straddle his lap. He captured her mouth again, his fingers fumbling for the front of the shirt.
“Gabriel,” she squeaked, pushing his hand away. “No.”
That single word made him freeze. “I’m sorry,” he said quickly. “We don’t have to—”
“I can’t … take this off,” she said, her lower lip trembling. “Please, I’m not ready for you to see.”
Oh. He kicked himself mentally. Of course. Her scars. “It’s all right … shh …” He brushed the single tear that streaked down her cheek. “Don’t cry, baby.”
“I … it’s not that I don’t want to,” she said. “I haven’t told you … haven’t prepared you. You might change your mind.”
Nothing under that shirt was going to make him change his mind, but he respected her boundaries. Someday, she would trust him enough to bare everything.