Gabriel’s Inferno Trilogy by Sylvain Reynard Page 0,180

need you.” He grabbed her and wound his hands in her hair. “I need you, Julianne. Right now.”

Julia’s insides liquefied in reaction to the desperation in his words. He drew his lips down the curve of her neck, nuzzling at the opening of her shirt so that he could nibble her collarbone. He closed his bedroom door with his foot, and quickly unfastened two buttons of her blouse, pushing the fabric aside to expose the perfect skin just above her bra. Squeezing the curves of her backside, he lifted her and pressed her back against the door, pulling her legs flush around his hips. Julia gasped at the closeness, at the direct contact between them.

He floated his lips across her upper chest, pausing to dip the tip of his tongue just under the pale pink lace. Julia threw her head back and groaned as her hands sought his hair, urging him forward. He responded by tracing a long finger around the perimeter of her demi-cup, allowing his hand to gently slip inside, while his other hand held the back of her right thigh.

Her eyes popped open as his warm palm cupped her naked breast, his mouth latched onto the skin at the base of her throat, sucking slightly. Much as it pained her to do so, she pulled his hand away and shifted so that he was forced to release his hold on her neck.

“Gabriel, I’m sorry. We can’t.” She quickly adjusted her bra. She wriggled slightly, but he did not set her down. Flushing furiously, she avoided the blazing color of his eyes. “I know you’re upset. And I’d like to comfort you, but they’re all waiting downstairs. Rachel wants you to choose the wine for dinner.”

Gabriel gazed at her with new eyes and carefully put her down. She quickly buttoned her blouse and tried to straighten her trousers.

“You think too highly of me.”

Julia ran the pointed toe of her ankle boot along the edge of the area rug. “I very much doubt that.”

“What I just did was not appropriate or nice. I’m sorry.” He traced a finger over the red mark that had bloomed where his mouth had tasted her and pulled her blouse closed, fastening the top button. Now she looked like a Mennonite.

She gazed up into dark, troubled eyes. “Gabriel, you’re still tired from yesterday, and this is a stressful holiday. I know you didn’t mean anything just now. You feel better when you touch me. And truthfully, so do I.” Now she was looking at the floor again.

“Come here,” he whispered, reaching to envelope her in a warm embrace. “You’re wrong you know, I did mean it. Of course I feel better when I touch you. But I’m sorry to fly at you like that. I wasn’t thinking…” Gabriel appeared disgusted with himself.

“You didn’t hurt me.”

He smiled into her hair and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “I will endeavor to be worthy of you. If you weren’t here, I’d have left already.”

“No, you wouldn’t have. Richard needs you. And you would never leave him in need.”

A pained look shadowed Gabriel’s features. He kissed her once again, more like a friend than a lover, and turned back to his suitcase.

Julia crept out of his room and down the stairs, wondering what would happen during dinner. She paused on the landing to check her appearance in the mirror, hoping that she didn’t look as if she had just stolen a sensual moment with her professor.

Chapter 25

Rachel planned the seating arrangement. She sat in Grace’s place at the foot of the table, so she could be near the kitchen, while Richard sat at the head. Scott and Aaron sat on one side, Julia and Gabriel sat on the other. Julia could feel his eyes on her, but he made no move to brush up against her under the table, much to her disappointment.

Rachel stared at Julia’s new Mennonite look and glanced over at Gabriel. He ignored his sister by focusing all of his attention on his linen napkin.

Before they began eating, Richard asked his family to hold hands so that he could say grace. A shock passed from Gabriel’s hand to Julia’s, making her withdraw hastily. Rachel’s eagle eyes saw the retreat, but she said nothing, especially since Julia eventually gave Gabriel her hand.

“Our Father, we thank you for this day and for the many gifts you’ve given us. Thank you for our country, our home, our food. Thank you for my beautiful family and that we