Chapter 9
Tori
My phone rang just as Gabe came through the door.
“That’s all of it,” he said, walking to my room with an armful of dress shirts and slacks.
I picked my phone up and answered. “Hold on, Mom. That’s all you have?” I shouted to him, guessing he was in my closet.
“Yeah. The furniture came with the apartment.”
My brows knitted while I thought about that. The furniture in his apartment had seemed to fit him, and I vaguely remembered him saying something about buying the couch.
“Victoria?” My mother’s voice came through the phone, distracting my thoughts.
“Shoot, sorry, Mom. Gabe’s moving in today, and he was bringing in the rest of his stuff.”
With Gabe’s lease running out in a month, we decided to take the plunge and have him move in with me. It made the most sense, and with us already spending the night between apartments, it was already like we were living together.
“Today? Oh my, that’s so exciting and perfectly timed for my call. Dad and I want you to bring him home for Christmas so we can meet him.”
There was a high probability she heard my grimace through the phone. Gabe peeked his head out of the bedroom door, his auburn hair messy. I chewed my lip, knowing I was going to crush my mother. I’d already let her down by telling her Thanksgiving was off the table.
“Umm, I don’t think we can.”
“Can what?” Gabe mouthed, entering the room, his hazel eyes scrunched with worry.
“Why not? It’s Christmas. We always do Christmas together.”
“It’s not that simple, Mom. I’m still new, and I don’t have vacation time accrued yet. I only get the one day off, and there won’t be enough time to warrant a plane ticket, especially at holiday rates.”
“Your dad and I will pay, Tori.”
“We will!” I heard my dad yell in the background.
“I just can’t, Mom. I’m sorry.”
“But Cash will be home and, well, we’ve never had a Christmas without you.”
My heart dropped, and the pressure at the back of my eyes had me looking for an excuse to hang up. Gabe took the phone from me before I could stop him.
“I’ll have her there, Mrs. Hent.”
“Gabe!” I heard my mother exclaim, followed by a shout from my father.
My parents loved Gabe. After the first time he talked to them, it was like they had another son.
“What are you doing?” I asked him, trying to grab the phone from him. He put his hand out and held me at a distance.
“Don’t worry. She’ll be home for Christmas.”
“Are you crazy? We won’t have time.” I was still fighting to get the phone back, but his damned long arms had me too far back.
“Sure will. Of course I can come.”
A pause while my mother spoke.
A shadow of darkness passed through his eyes. “No, my family won’t mind.”
Quiet again, and I gave up my fight, flopping onto the sofa and crossing my arms.
“I’ll make the arrangements, and she’ll let you know the flight information. Gotta go. She’s pouting.”
A few seconds of silence followed with my mother’s farewells before he said goodbye and hung up.
“What are you doing?” I asked.
He sat on the coffee table across from me, a smile tugging at his mouth. “You’re really adorable when you’re pouting.”
“Don’t suck up to me. I can’t go home for Christmas. I’m working that Friday, which means I only get Saturday off for the holiday and Sunday. That’s two days and not worth it.”
“It’s worth it. Your family means the world to you, and Christmas is important.
” A faraway look crossed his eyes before it disappeared, like all his mysterious moments.
Another of those memories he hadn’t let me in on.
I hadn’t pushed him since he’d told me about his father’s abuse.
He had trusted me with that pain, and I carried it with him, understanding now why he didn’t like his father, never spoke about him, never talked to him.
I still didn’t know what had divided him and his sister, but I knew in time he would tell me.
“But…”
“No buts. Let me handle this.”
I sighed, knowing he was too stubborn and determined to argue with.
“Come help me make space in your closet. I didn’t know women had so many clothes.” He stood and held his hand out to me. When I took it, he yanked me into his arms and kissed me.
“I changed my mind,” he said, picking me up and pushing my legs around his waist. I giggled as I wrapped my arms around him. “I think we’ll christen the closet first, then we’ll reorganize it after we’ve made a mess of it.”
I clung to him, yelping when he misjudged and my back hit the doorway while he was busy biting at my neck. Lowering me to the floor, he hovered over me, concern crinkling his eyes.
“Shoot, are you okay?” he asked.
Hands bunching his shirt, I tugged him to me, catching his mouth with a raise of my head.
“Apparently,” he muttered against my lips.
He pushed away and kneeled over me, pulling his shirt off and giving me a naughty smile.
So many times, I looked at him and couldn’t fathom how I’d gotten so lucky.
I ran my hands up his muscles, knowing how hard he worked for them, the early morning hours he spent at the gym.
I wasn’t complaining because I wasn’t awake that early, and the result was sexy as hell.
In a heated rush, he shoved my shirt off, tugging my bra strap down and worshipping my breasts in the way only Gabe could.
As if I were his queen. His hand slipped below the waist of my shorts and hit the spot that melted me each time.
Between his fingers and his tongue, I was in a constant state of bliss.
His fingers slid further, and he lowered his head to my neck, groaning. “Damn, luna mia, what have you been thinking about?” He pushed a finger into me, causing my back to arch.
“You,” I purred. His finger was keeping a rhythm, his mouth pulling my breast in and when combined with my nickname, my climax built.
His tongue flicked at my nipple before he took it between his teeth and scraped them over it. When he sucked it back into his mouth, I lost it, clamping down on his hand and riding out my release.
“Oh, luna mia, you are the most exquisite creature when you’re coming for me.”
My body convulsed as he freed his hand, sat back, and licked his fingers clean.
His sight remained locked on mine, the intensity causing my skin to pebble.
When he finished, he groaned and worked my shorts off before removing his.
I watched as he stroked himself, his eyes devouring me until my chest was heaving.
He gave me a cocky smile, moved his hands to my legs, and adjusted them so my feet were on his pecs.
My lips parted as he nudged me with his tip.
“Ready?” he asked, his eyes mischievous.
“Always.”
His eyes darkened, and the grin turned to a sexy smirk that had me salivating.
He took my mouth hostage before thrusting into me.
Back bowing, I let out a cry, scraping my hands over his neck.
He freed my mouth and leaned on his hands as he continued to drive into me.
Muscles stretching, body heaving, I pulled his head down to deepen our kiss.
Each thrust sent him so deep I grunted with every one until he slowed his pace.
Hand cupping my breast, he murmured, “I need you to come undone again for me, Tori.”
I moaned, but his mouth dampened the sound, his tongue entangling with mine.
Another sweep of his thumb over my nipple had the climax he’d summoned readying itself.
Mouth lowering to my breast again, he turned his attention to the other nipple just as his thumb traced a path between our bodies and tormented me.
I dug my fingers into his hair as my release prepared to heed his command.
My body tingled, the air locked in my chest, and I fell apart.
Gabe threw his hand to the other side of my head, his pace a steady pounding of his body into mine as he chased my release. His features twisted, and he smashed his mouth onto mine, filling me as his body weighed on me.
Going limp, he rubbed his cheek over mine, burying his face in my hair. The strain in my leg muscles burst through my lingering rapture, and I lowered them, trying not to wince from their stiffness. I really needed to haul my butt out of bed earlier and join Gabe at the gym.
Lifting his head, he gave me a smile. “Any other spots we haven’t christened yet?”
With a laugh, I flung my hands back around his neck. “I think there’s a spot on the kitchen counter we haven’t hit.”
“Good, we can put it on the list with the one on the bathroom counter.”
The heat in my cheeks rose, but his kiss soothed it.
Gabe had no problem taking me whenever and wherever the urge to touch me hit him.
And I couldn’t resist him, so I never stopped him.
Knowing Gabe, he would have backed off if I’d told him it was the wrong time.
He was too sweet not to, but I was too addicted to his touch to ever say no.
“I love your blush,” he said. “And your neck.” He gave it a kiss. “And your ears.” A bite to my earlobe. “And these shoulders.” A lick that kicked my libido back into gear. “These breasts.”
The list of places continued to grow, his love nips and kisses following each until I was a mess again. By the time we left the closet, the day was over.
Gabe’s fingers tapped the steering wheel, excitement buzzing from him and infecting me.
“Where are we going?” I asked, scanning the road for any hint.
After leaving me completely weakened when I woke, he’d announced that he had the day planned for us. A day that called for me to dress nice but wear comfortable shoes, a combination that didn’t match up.
“It’s a surprise,” he said, taking my hand and kissing it while he waited for the light to change. He continued to drive into the city, passing over the Blue Bridge with the morning sun sparkling on the water below.