Chapter 36
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
GABE
Waking up with Jasmine in my arms was surreal.
I almost pinched myself to make sure I wasn’t dreaming.
Last night had been … earth shattering, mind-blowing, a reawakening of my soul.
There were no words sufficient to describe how I felt.
It had altered my brain chemistry. It had transformed the very matter of my being.
And damn, had it felt good to stop fighting. I’d been so afraid to give in to my feelings for her, but now that I had, I wouldn’t look back; to hell with the consequences. It was worth it to finally be with her.
I laid there and watched her sleep for a long time.
In repose, her features were softer and more relaxed.
The scowl that she so frequently shot my way was nowhere in sight.
Her lips were slightly parted, and her dark lashes fanned out across cheeks flushed from slumber.
The light smattering of freckles was more noticeable after our day at the beach.
Tracing my fingers down the bridge of her nose and across her cheekbones, I committed each one to memory.
I was absolutely enamored with her. I wanted to memorize every freckle and scar on her skin, every sigh and moan she made when I touched her, every like and dislike so I always knew how to make her happy.
I wanted to know all her hopes and dreams as well as her fears.
I wouldn’t rest until I knew her as well as I did myself.
She was so peaceful, I didn’t want to wake her, but she had a race to prepare for. Brushing the hair from her face, I pressed a soft kiss to her forehead.
“Time to wake up, Sleeping Beauty,” I said, cupping her cheek. She groaned and her brow pinched as she began to stir. Then her eyes fluttered open, and two pools of gold and sage stared up at me. She blinked a few times as a look of confusion flashed across her features.
“Good morning,” I said, smiling down at her. The moment the fog lifted and she remembered what happened last night, a contented smile played across her lips.
“Good morning,” she said, her voice scratchy from sleep.
I pulled her to me and tucked her head beneath my chin. “How did you sleep?”
“Like the dead. I’m pretty sure I passed out from hyperorgasmemia.”
I barked out a laugh, and my shoulders shook so hard Jasmine drew back to keep her cheek from bouncing against my chest. “That’s not a word,” I wheezed out through my guffaws.
“It is now.” She smirked, and I couldn’t help myself. I leaned forward to kiss it off her face.
“I need a shower and coffee,” she announced as she sat up to stretch. The sheet fell away, exposing her breasts.
“No shower,” I growled. She tilted her head and eyed me questioningly. I curved my hand around the back of her neck possessively and pulled her mouth to mine. “I’m not ready for you to wash me off you yet,” I said against her lips.
She rolled her eyes, but not before I saw them flare with heat. “I probably smell like sunscreen and sweat.”
“I like the way you smell,” I replied, my voice low and husky. The hint of vanilla that always clung to her skin was now mixed with my earthy leather scent. She smelled like mine.
“Fine,” she acquiesced, “but I’m getting a shower after my race. I don’t want to add eau de equine to my scent.”
“Deal,” I agreed, “but you have to let me join you.”
She chortled. “There’s no way we can both fit in that shower.”
“I think we can,” I argued. If there was enough room for her dad, who was a mountain of a man, then there was room for the two of us.
A zing of guilt flashed across my conscience, but I shook it away. We were going to have to tell him eventually, but I didn’t want to think about it right now, and I certainly didn’t want to bring it up to Jasmine and ruin her day or make her think I was having second thoughts about us.
Instead, I cleared my throat and shrugged. “If not, I can stand guard and watch, you know, to keep you safe.”
“Right,” she drew out skeptically, but the corners of her lips tipped up. “How selfless of you.”
“It’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make.” I pulled her in for one last kiss before letting her up to get ready for her race.
She rose from the bed gloriously naked except for the panties she’d slipped on last night so she had something to secure her pump to when she restarted the infusion.
I reveled at the sight as she gathered her clothes and slipped away to the bathroom.
I couldn’t believe how lucky I was, especially after being such a stubborn fool for so long.
I dressed quickly and started the coffee pot. Jasmine and I would both need the caffeine to counteract the fatigue from our late night extracurricular activities. Every second we’d stayed up too long had been worth it. Jasmine was finally mine, and I was finally done being a coward.
We would eventually have to tell her family, but we needed time to adjust to our new reality.
I wanted the chance to enjoy her without their judgment and disapproval hanging over our heads.
This needed time to solidify and grow roots.
We wouldn’t be able to hide our relationship for long, though, and when the time came to face her family, we would do it together.
“I’d really like to stay an extra day if you can spare us both for that long,” Jasmine said, chewing on the corner of her lip nervously. We both stared at her phone, waiting for her father’s reply. “I only get down here once a year and don’t have much time to enjoy it,” she added when he hesitated.
“Did you even run this by Gabe, Spunk? He might not want to stay. The beach really isn’t his scene,” he said with a chuckle. Jasmine looked at me with wide, pleading eyes, and it became glaringly obvious why her dad never told her “no.”
“Hey, Woody. We talked about it, and I’m fine with staying an extra day or two,” I interjected, holding Jasmine’s stare.
“Jasmine’s been working so hard. I think she deserves a little vacation.
” It was the truth. She worked her ass off training and practicing.
She ensured her horse was in tip-top shape, and she threw her all into each competition.
And she’d won every race this weekend. That in itself was cause for celebration, but we had more to celebrate than just that.
We were finally together. We hadn’t put a label on it, but she was mine and I was hers.
She and I were exclusive. We were committed.
Nothing and no one would come between us anymore.
“I suppose that’d be alright,” he replied after mulling it over.
“By my account, you both have been working hard and deserve a break.” Jasmine’s shoulders sagged in relief, and my body hummed with anticipation.
I couldn’t wait to have an entire day with her all to myself.
“Jasmine,” Woody began, cutting into my thoughts.
His voice was like a bucket of ice water being dumped directly on my dick.
“Your momma and I are real proud of you. You’re doing amazing. Keep up the good work.”
“Thanks, Pops,” Jasmine replied, a soft look of affection settling over her features.
“Gabe, I appreciate you taking good care of my baby girl. I know I don’t say it enough, but thank you. I’m glad you finally came home,” Woody said, and the guilt I’d held at bay bowled me over. The weight of it was nearly suffocating.
I swallowed thickly, clearing my throat before responding. “Of course. I’d do anything for ya. You’re like family to me.” We said our goodbyes, and I scrubbed a hand over my face as Jasmine ended the call.
She took a tentative step toward me like she thought I might bolt or push her away. Her hesitancy sent a pang through my chest.
“Gabe,” she whispered, lifting her hand slowly to me. Then she paused, thinking better of it. I gripped her wrist and pulled her to me, not giving her a chance to retreat. Wrapping my arms around her, I tucked her head against my chest and held her tight.
“I’m not going to pull away again,” I promised. “I’m in this, one hundred percent. It sucks knowing he’s going to feel betrayed, but I can live with that. It’s you I can’t live without anymore.”
She pulled back to look up at me, adoration shining in her eyes. I cupped her face with my hands and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. Tilting her face toward mine, I brought my lips down on hers, kissing her tenderly.
I wanted to tell her to get in the shower so I could get a repeat of yesterday.
We’d attempted to shower together, but it had been a disaster.
We’d ended up with limbs tangled awkwardly while Jasmine dissolved into a fit of giggles, so I’d gotten out and simply observed as she very slowly and methodically washed herself then used the detachable shower head to get herself off.
“Touch yourself,” she had demanded, and I’d eagerly obeyed, needing the relief.
I’d been rock hard watching her run her soapy hands all over her wet, naked body, water sluicing over her curves and down her back.
There was something insanely erotic about witnessing her bathing herself, especially when I had every intention of dirtying her up again.
When she was finished, I’d yanked her out of the shower, threw her over my shoulder still dripping wet, and tossed her onto the bed where I licked damn near every inch of her until she was a writhing, whimpering mess beneath me.
I ate her pussy until she was shouting my name and pulling my hair.
Then she sucked me off, insisting I come on her tits.
When she rubbed my cum over her nipples and moaned, throwing her head back in ecstasy, I nearly lost it.
I was hard again in an instant. Needless to say, we spent another hour in bed before washing up again.
Swallowing hard, I pushed down that memory. We didn’t have time for any more sexcapades right now. I was going to make sure Jasmine got the vacation she deserved.
“Go get your swimsuit on,” I said instead.
“Yes!” she squealed with delight and clapped her hands together. Her excitement was contagious, and it made my insides feel all warm and gooey. I wanted to bottle up that feeling and put it on my shelf so I could pull it out anytime I started to doubt what we were doing.
Thirty minutes later, we pulled up to the same beach as before.
It wasn’t as crowded as last time, so we had our pick of locations to set up our umbrella.
Jasmine disconnected her pump and handed it to me to place in a Ziploc bag, and I retrieved a Tegaderm from the box for her.
It was such a mundane thing to do, but it was a reminder that we were familiar enough to have a routine, that I could anticipate her needs.
Once we had applied our sunscreen, we ventured toward the water.
I reached over and took her hand as we trudged through the soft white sand.
She glanced up at me, and a slow smile spread over her face.
I returned it as I laced my fingers through hers.
This was our first time getting to be a couple out in the open.
We didn’t have to hide what we were, not like we would when we got back to the ranch.
I pushed those thoughts to the back of my mind.
They were a problem for another day. We splashed into the water, and I led her out as far as she wanted to go, then I tugged her toward me, releasing her hand so I could wrap my arm around her waist. She slid her slick palms up my arms and over my shoulders before wrapping them around my neck.
“This is the best beach vacation I’ve ever had,” she declared, gazing up at me, her features soft with contentment.
“Me too,” I agreed, crouching lower in the water until it was at chest level just like it was for her. I slid my hands down her thighs and hooked them around the backs of her knees so I could lift her into my arms. Her hold tightened on me as she hooked her legs around my waist.
We stayed like that for a long time, shutting out the world around us as we talked, and laughed, and kissed.
They were the easy, languid kisses you shared with a person you were completely at ease with.
We never let them grow too heated like the ones we shared last night—we were in public after all—but they were still just as meaningful, still held the weight of our undeniable connection.
“Ahh,” Jasmine sighed, “I could totally be a beach bum,” she said once we were back on the beach.
She was reclined on her towel, soaking up the sun like it was her life force.
Covering her eyes with her hand, she looked over at me where I sat drinking a bottle of water. “Would you be a beach bum with me?”
The corners of my lips tugged up in a grin. “I would be anything with you. Where you go, I go.” I leaned down to press a soft kiss to her lips, feeling her smile against my mouth.
“Good answer.”