Mine - HelenKay Dimon Page 0,89

that.

“What?”

Brandon’s excitement. Gabe’s insistence that he work Natalie’s job. Bringing her back to this house and keeping her here. All the pieces started to come together in Andy’s head. “Maybe there’s someone else who’s pretty important to you these days.”

“Well, I usually like you.”

Andy didn’t let Gabe laugh this off. Not after so many years of playing it cool with women and holding them at a distance. “Could be you more than like when it comes to her.”

Gabe’s mood sobered. “I want her safe.”

They weren’t saying the same thing, but Andy was pretty sure Gabe knew that. Felt like a pretty calculated move. “Okay.”

“She drives me insane.”

That sounded about right. “After years living with you I can say with some certainty that’s probably a mutual thing.”

“Is it so weird that I don’t want anything to change? From right now. Right here forward. I love where my relationship is with Brandon. I want Natalie here.”

Andy took that for the huge admission it was. Gabe might throw around talk about keeping Natalie safe, but he really wanted to keep her by his side. No doubt about it. Good thing Andy liked her because, unless Gabe or Natalie screwed up, she might be around for a while.

“No, but I think you should be telling her that.” Andy started to wonder what other secrets Gabe had trapped inside that head of his. “And then you need to talk to Brandon.”

“I still hate those options.”

“Being a grown-up sucks.” Andy knew from the kick-in-the-teeth drive over here with Wade and Eli in the car. Neither talked much, but when they did they finished each other’s sentences and talked almost in code, about things only they understood because they lived through them together.

The hour had amounted to pure torture. Andy made the drive in record time.

Gabe nodded. “Sure as hell does.”

TWENTY-FOUR

Gabe slid his hand up the center of Natalie’s bare back to her shoulders and used his palm to press her upper body even deeper into the mattress. Her hair fell over her arms and across the sheets. With every plunge he enjoyed a front row seat to her ass. On her elbows and knees, she opened for him, and he couldn’t take much more.

His gaze shifted to the mirror that ran along the wall, parallel to the bed. In this position he could watch her body buck as he entered her then retreated. See those full breasts bounce as he ached to touch them. The lean muscles of her arms clenched in time with his thrusts. Those fingers grabbed fistfuls of his sheets.

The way she moved, so sensual and graceful. Drawn out, as if every shift was picked for his pleasure. Pure magic.

Every second pushed him closer to the edge. Not that he had far to go. He’d prolonged the tasting, touring his mouth over her until they both shook. When he finally entered her a few minutes ago he nearly sighed with relief. Now he bit back a groan as his body begged to come.

The last two days had been like this. Alone in the house, lost in a haze. They ate then they had sex. They’d watch a movie then have sex. Walk the grounds for some air then rush back inside to rip their clothes off. Talk, sex, eat. He’d check in and scan the grounds, but mostly he’d focused on her. He’d never experienced the combination of wild and comfort before.

But in this moment, as his breath clogged his throat and his rapid heartbeat threatened to knock him over, all he wanted was to feel her clamp around him one more time. One of his hands slipped down and over her hip, then lower, until he could touch her. Feel her wetness as she clung to him. Touch off the spiraling inside her.

One brush of his finger and her head flew back. He wanted to lean in and kiss her neck, but his body had other ideas. The burning inside him had taken over. He needed release and couldn’t hold back the rush one second longer.

Her tightening touched off steady thumping deep inside him. He curled around her, desperate to be closer, to push in deeper. His chest lay against her back. The heat from their bodies mixed but they kept moving.

She made a noise that sounded like a “guh” as her head finally dropped forward, and her elbows shook and her upper body collapsed into the mattress. Her hair hung around her except for the strands he’d clutched in his hand.