inch throbbing with sweet release.
He grabbed her hips and rolled so he wasn’t crushing her with his weight. His skin was damp. The sheets smelled like spice and sex. Her muscles felt sore and used, and she savored the delicious feeling.
He kissed her cheek and pushed her tangled hair back, staring into her face. “You okay?”
She practically beamed with satisfaction and a slow, unfurling joy. “Yeah. You?”
He laughed, tucking her in close. “Yes. But I need to sleep. I’m not even close to being done with you.”
A shiver trickled down her spine. She snuggled tight, loving the feel of his arms enclosing her in shelter. “Me, either.”
She closed her eyes, enjoying the rumble of his chuckle against her ear, then fell asleep.
Chapter Sixteen
When he woke up, he was afraid it’d been a dream.
Gabe turned and immediately relaxed. Bella lay beside him, hand tucked under her cheek, an adorable frown on her face as if she were dreaming about something that pissed her off. Her hair was a tangled, glorious mess tumbling around her shoulders. A tiny snort escaped her lips.
Hmm, the precursor of a big-time snorer.
He traced the line of her puffy mouth, trying to memorize the beautiful lines of her face, the paleness of her skin, the way her chest rose and fell with each relaxed breath. She was everything he’d ever wanted, and she was finally his.
He hoped.
Doubt crept in. They’d woken up three times last night to reach for each other, their hunger not even close to being quenched. Morning light streamed through the blinds. He wondered if she’d wake with regrets. Wondered if the impulse of last night would cause her to pull back again, and this time, he’d have to live with knowing how good it was when she’d been his. Even for a little while.
He had no regrets. Last night, his fantasies had become reality, and he’d never forget. He just needed to convince her to take a chance on a future with him.
Slowly, her eyes flickered open.
He smiled. “Good morning.”
Her answering smile was sweet and a bit sleepy. “Morning. What time is it?”
Relief hit. She wasn’t about to jump out of bed with a long litany of excuses and explanations of why they shouldn’t have slept together. “Only seven. Want me to go down and get you coffee?”
“Yes, please.” She stretched out her hands, locked them around his neck, and brought him in for a kiss. She was warm and soft and cuddly.
His heart turned to mush in his chest. In moments, the kiss turned deep and hungry, and he tugged off the sheet to caress her bare curves, murmuring in satisfaction as he found her wet. “Before or after?”
“Huh?” She blinked, arching into his hand, her gaze beautifully blurred.
“Do you want the coffee before or after I make you come again?”
Her cheeks flushed. He loved the way she had little modesty in bed but was shy when she had to walk to the bathroom naked. She’d made him promise not to look.
He’d lied.
She nipped at his lip like a playful kitten and clung close. “After.”
“Good choice.”
He sheathed himself and slid home. This time, he brought her to the brink slow and easy, enjoying her broken cries and the sexy scratches she left on his back. He steeped himself in her taste and scent, and watched her fall apart with fierce satisfaction.
His own orgasm hit hard, slamming his body into an earth-shattering pleasure he’d never experienced before. Everything was different with Bella. The satisfaction reached beyond the physical, touching the empty place in his chest that seemed to never get filled. When he finally kissed her and got up from the bed to wash up, he felt like beating his chest like an ape, he was so damn satisfied.
He dressed back in his pants and rumpled shirt, rolling up the sleeves. “Gonna change quick in my room, where I left my clothes. I’ll bring coffee and breakfast.”
“Thanks. I’ll check on Zoe. We leaving in about an hour?”
He shot her a grin. “Or two.”
He shut the door on her laugh, reveling in the sound.
She hung up the phone after hearing Zoe’s voice and wondered what she was going to do.
Last night had changed everything. She was not one to ever do things on impulse. Her past loss and being responsible for her daughter taught her to step away from things that didn’t make long-term sense. It had worked well for her since Matt passed.
But now, Gabe had stolen a piece of her heart. And