Chapter 34
CHAPTER 34
LEAH
I roll over and stretch like a cat, my hand arching out across the sheets, only to find the bed next to me cold and empty.
I sit up, memories of the night before crashing into me. The sheet drops, exposing my naked breasts. Wanton me, begging Gabriel to make me come.
A telltale stickiness coats my inner thighs, a sign of both his and my desire mixed. Not that I can regret it. I’ve never felt so thoroughly used. My body warms as I remember all that is Gabriel. His dominance as he took charge, as he played my body like a finely tuned instrument. He rang orgasm after orgasm until I was crying with the emotional overload. Then he kissed me and soothed me. Boy, who would have thought Gabriel could kiss like that?
I drop back onto the bed, my chest exposed to the room, my arm flung over my eyes. Flashbacks of how he held me, wrapped in his arms as I fell asleep, my head resting on his chest, his heartbeat soothing me. I haven’t felt this close to anyone in years.
Sex with Vince was functional towards the end. I’d come or not, then we’d roll over and sleep on our separate sides of the bed. I can’t remember the last time we spooned. Until last night, I forgot what it was like to connect with another human being. I should be shocked or horrified that it was with Gabriel. We are supposed to be clinical. Last night was anything but clinical.
I will blame the scorching heat and undeniable allure of Monaco.
An incoming notification causes my phone to beep on the bedside table. I stare at it in horror.
What? I never sleep this late.
I jump out of bed and shower. The warm water soothes my tender body as I wash away the evidence of the previous night. I glance in the mirror, telling marks adorn my skin, reigniting the memory of Gabriel’s mouth against my skin.
I dress in shorts and a t-shirt and make my way up to the main cabin.
Someone has laid out an enormous breakfast. Gabriel is standing by the railing, his phone planted against his ear. I stop at the top of the steps, taking in the view and enjoying the warm breeze coming off the sea. As if sensing my arrival, Gabriel turns, ending his call.
“Morning,” I say, walking up to him, my eyes focused on the table, unable to meet his gaze.
“Morning, Leah,” he says, putting down his phone and stepping towards me. His hand comes up, tilting my chin until I’m forced to meet his gaze. My body heats under his scrutiny. “I was going to grab some breakfast for us both. Serve you breakfast in bed.”
I check his face, for any signs of regret. Nothing.
“I didn’t realise what the time was,” I stutter. “I’m not usually so?—”
Gabriel stops me, dropping a kiss on my open mouth. My body relaxes against his .
“The purpose of this weekend is rest and relaxation. You had a late night,” he says, pulling me into his arms.
Is that a smirk I see gracing his lips? Did he just wink at me?
If I didn’t know better, I’d think this mischievous person in front of me was Caleb.
As if summoned, Caleb bounds up the stairs, looking as fresh as a daisy. No sign of his marathon sex session the night before.
“Morning, Gabriel, Leah,” he says, snagging a fresh croissant from the table and taking an enormous bite.
“Morning, brother dearest. I take it you had a good night? At least, from the sound of it, you did,” Gabriel says drily, still holding me against him.
Caleb shoots me an awkward side glance. “Sorry if we were loud.”
I bite the inside of my cheek to prevent myself from laughing.
“Where are your lady friends?” Gabriel asks.
“Er, they headed back to their hotel. I’m going to leave you two alone and join them there. Give you love birds some privacy.”
A contrite Caleb is cute and makes him look much younger than he is.
“Have fun,” I say, grinning.
Caleb groans. “Were we really that loud?”
Gabriel growls. “You probably kept the entire marina awake.”
As twins, they couldn’t be more different, or so I thought. Then I think back to Gabriel in bed. When Caleb covers his face, it’s not the action I expect from the playboy, but then I doubt he expected family members and friends to overhear his sexploits.
Caleb steps forward and kisses me on the cheek. “You look good on him,” he says, winking at me, making my eyes widen. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” he adds, slapping Gabriel on the back.
“Get out of here,” Gabriel growls.
Caleb leans past us and steals another croissant before leaving down the stairs and off the yacht.
Gabriel picks up two plates and moves to the table. The sun is shining, and the Marina is a hive of activity. Gabriel’s yacht is enormous, and from the upper deck, we have a perfect view of our surroundings.
“Juice?” I ask Gabriel as he sets the plates down.
“Please,” he replies.
His eyes sear into me as I turn and pour us both cold, freshly squeezed juice from the chilled jug.
Wandering over to the table, I take a seat.
“How are you feeling this morning?” Gabriel asks, sitting back in his chair, his fingers steepled.
His eyes are dark, his face a mask. This is calculating Gabriel.
“Amazing,” I say, watching as a twinkle sparks in the dark depths. I stretch before I can stop myself, the movement pushing my chest towards him.
His eyes darken, and he runs his tongue over his lips. “Good,” he says before breaking our gaze. “I intend to rinse and repeat several times this weekend.”
His words shoot darts of pleasure to my core, and I squirm in my seat.
“If that’s okay with you, Ms Walker,” he adds after swallowing a mouthful of breakfast.
I pick up my juice and use it to wet my unexpectedly dry mouth.
“Fine, Mr Frazer,” I squeak.
Oh yes, please, my body screams.
I’ve never shied from sex before, having had a few lovers in college before meeting Vince. But whether it’s my age, my dry spell, or Gabriel Frazer, my body is a hot, dripping mess for this man, and I can’t seem to control it. It’s like he’s become an addiction, or at least his magical cock has.
“Great, but first, I thought we’d go on a tour around the main area of Monaco. Tonight, I have booked us into the Monte Carlo Casino for dinner and, if we want, some gaming time.”
My heart sinks in disappointment.
“In between each of these events, I intend to strip you naked and feast on your body before filling you with my cum,” he says, his eyes concentrating on the food he’s loading up. Only when I notice him swallow do I realise he’s as turned on as I am. Who would have thought my introverted boss liked to talk dirty?
“I think I can be on board with that,” I reply breathlessly as a shiver of longing works its way down my spine.
“Patience, Ms Walker. All good things come to those that wait.”
I bite my lip. What the hell is this man doing to me? On Monday, we’ll be back to normal, and I’ll be facing him across the office, reliving all the delightful things he spent the weekend doing to my body.
“Eat up, we have places to be,” Gabriel says.
I take a bite of the croissant he put on my plate, the buttery texture melting in my mouth. “Oh,” I say, watching a smile form on Gabriel’s lips.
“The home of the humble croissant, or at least across the border.”
I devour the croissant and the pile of fresh fruit he adds. Everything is perfect.
Once we’ve finished, a staff member appears and removes our plates.
“Can I get you any tea or coffee?” they ask.
Gabriel looks at me .
“A latte would be amazing, thank you,” I say.
“A latte for the lady and an Americano for me,” Gabriel adds.
The staff member disappears, reappearing five minutes later with our drinks. We’ve moved to the main seating area, allowing a clearer view of everything around us.
“I thought tomorrow we could go out on the boat. Swim, sunbathe, if you’d like?”
I sigh. It wouldn’t be hard to get used to this kind of life.
“I keep saying it, but that would be wonderful. I think I need to improve my vocabulary.” I laugh.
Gabriel returns my smile and sips his coffee. “This weekend is about you. I want you to enjoy it, Leah.”
“Believe me when I say I am. It’s like a fairy tale. I’m surprised you can leave this and come back to work.”
Gabriel gives me a sad smile. “It’s not much fun alone,” he says. “It’s my haven, somewhere I come to escape. The rest of my family use it too. Hence Caleb.”
He stands up and holds out his hand. “Come on, I’ve arranged for our own tour guide. I know some facts, but I thought you’d like to know the real story.”
I take his hand in mine and let him pull me up to stand in front of him.
“If you look at me like that, we won’t be going anywhere,” he says.
Somewhere between last night and this morning, our openness with one another has moved to a different level, and I can’t say I regret it. If I only have this weekend to enjoy this man, then I’m going to embrace it. Gabriel’s not only gorgeous but also intelligent and knowledgeable, and he has a dry sense of humour hidden under his serious exterior. Maybe he’s not as different from his brother as he thinks, simply more reserved .
“Then I shall have to close my eyes and put my trust in you that you won’t let me fall overboard,” I say.
We spend what’s left of the morning travelling the hop-on-hop-off bus, taking our time to get off and wander several of the beautiful sites. We grabbed lunch in a small cafe before heading back to the marina. We talk and laugh. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Gabriel this relaxed. Gone is my quietly grumpy boss, replaced by a more relaxed version. Small talk still isn’t his thing, but when he talks about the things he’s passionate about, he’s a field of knowledge.
“I’ve had some dresses delivered for you to try for this evening,” he says as we arrive back.
“Excuse me?” I say, wondering if I’ve heard him correctly.
“They’re hanging in the wardrobe in the master cabin. See if there is anything suitable.”
He motions to the door.
“Oh. Do you want to see? Having never been to the casino, I’d like some input,” I say, turning towards him.
“Of course, but the decision is yours. I want you to be comfortable.”
I smile at his thoughtfulness, my jaw dropping open when I see the selection of dresses. Each is a designer brand and gorgeous.
“Oh, Gabriel.” I touch the material of the dress closest. “These are beautiful.”
“We will be eating there, and I’m not sure who is around, so we may end up talking business.” He grimaces, and I smile.
“It’s who you are,” I say, moving down the line of dresses.
“And you are my communications officer,” he says, coming up behind me, snatching a royal blue dress off the rack, and holding it up. “What do you think?” he says .
The dress had already caught my eye, the colour striking. “I love it. Let me try it on.”
Gabriel hands me the dress and leaves me to try it on. I step into it and shimmy. The hidden zip, once closed, holds the dress in place.
I stare in the mirror. “Wow,” I whisper. No wonder designer dresses go for so much. I’ve only ever had one, and that was when Vince bought it for me as we were attending a colleague’s wedding. It was a who’s-who and a lot of flexing of wallets by all in attendance. I don’t think the bride knew half the guests her new husband had invited.
But this dress. This is in a different league. It hugs all the places you want it to hug and moves freely where it needs to. The saying I feel like a million dollars is probably true.
I look down and notice the shoe boxes and clutch bags under each dress. My eyes and ears pop. Matching sets.
I open the shoe box and stare in awe at the shoes. My size.
Stella would be wetting herself in excitement now. Guilt hits me. I still haven’t let them know what’s going on. Not fully.
When I get back.
I slip on the shoes that hug my feet, even if they should be entered into society as a dangerous weapon. The heels alone could inflict some serious damage.
I take a few unsteady steps. Heels have never been my strong suit, but amazingly enough, after a few steps, I find these are like walking in slippers.
I step into the main bedroom. Gabriel is lying back on the bed, his arms resting behind his head.
“So,” I say, giving a twirl. “What do you think?”
“You look beautiful,” he says, sitting up on the bed.
Butterflies dance in my stomach at his words.
When did our relationship change so much? My boss is now calling me beautiful? Has falling apart in his arms set us on a different path? This is dangerous. Gabriel has already warned me that he is terrible at relationships. Our co-parenting is only going to work if I can keep some distance. I can’t catch feelings for him. That will be a disaster, especially when I fall pregnant, and he moves on.
A wave of nausea hits at the thought of Gabriel with someone else.
Before I can think, Gabriel is at my side. “Hey, is everything okay?” He takes my arm and leads me to the sofa by the window.
I offer him a weak smile. “Fine.”
“It’s just you looked like you wanted to be sick,” he says, resting his hand against my forehead.
“Honestly, I’m fine. It’s passed now.”
“It’s probably the rocking motion. Although it’s not obvious, the boat still moves. It can take some getting used to. I’ll get you some water.”
Gabriel leaves, heading up the stairs. I make my way back into the dressing room, pulling on one of my summer dresses.
By the time I return to the bedroom, Gabriel is there with iced water and fruit juices.
“You may be slightly dehydrated. We did a lot of walking this morning, and the wine with lunch.”
“Thank you, that’s thoughtful.”
I take the juice and sip, the natural sugar settling my stomach and easing the pressure that was building up behind my eyes. I need to get a grip.
I stand and stare out of the window. The glass is tinted, allowing us to see out but preventing anyone from seeing in. Gabriel comes up behind me, his hands snaking around my waist, spreading out over my stomach. He pulls me back against him and kisses my neck, I drop my head away, giving him access. My body ignites at his touch .
I lean down and put my glass on the table before twisting in his arms, my fingers grazing the short hair at the nape of his neck.
Gabriel continues his exploration of my neck, moving up and nibbling my jawline, before making his way to my lips. I give him access to my mouth, allowing his tongue to dance with mine. I pull his head closer as his hands wrap around my hair, holding me in place while he devours me.
We finally break apart, both gasping for air.
“Leah Walker, what are you doing to me?” He rests his forehead against mine. “I wasn’t expecting this,” he says and I feel the furrows form between his brows. “You’re like a drug. One I can’t seem to get enough of.” He exhales slowly. “I can’t get you out of my head or what it feels like to have you under me, surrounding me.”
He pulls away, his hand gripping the back of his neck. I move to his side and my eyes lock on his pursed lips. He turns his head to look at me, his gaze almost pained.
I step forward and cup his cheek.
“This.” I look around me. “It’s a surprise. You are the most unexpected surprise of all.” I let my thumb brush over his lips, only to have him draw it into his mouth. Butterflies take off in my stomach.
“You’re not what I expected at all,” I say, tilting my head and locking my gaze on his. “We are trying to create a child. Is it so wrong if we enjoy the process? We don’t need to look too far into the future or over analyse.” I smile up at him. “I know that’s your nature, but we need to see how this plays out.”
He nods, so I raise a second hand and cup his cheeks.
“I’m a woman, you’re a man. I will not complain about amazing sex, and I’m also not going to lie to you. I don’t want any misunderstandings between us. ”
Gabriel goes to open his mouth, but I shake my head. Is this a bad idea? Maybe, but then again.
“Let me finish. All I ask is you promise to be honest with me. Whatever that means. When we got into this, it was to create a child. The day we slept together, we changed the rules. Last night, we changed them again.” I pause. “But Gabriel, the more I get to know you, and whatever the future holds, I wouldn’t want anyone else to father my child.”
Gabriel closes his eyes. When he reopens them, the warmth I see takes my breath away.
“I promise to always be honest if you do the same. I also ask you to be patient with me. I’m no good at this. Relationships and people.”
I rise on my toes and press my mouth against his. “I think you’re doing just fine,” I whisper. “How about you strip me naked and fill me with all that sperm you promised me?”
I’ve never been one for dirty talk before, never been comfortable enough. Gabriel is undeniably influencing me.
Gabriel licks my lips with his tongue. His smile obvious against my mouth. He pulls my lower half against his growing arousal.
“I think that can be arranged,” he says, walking me backwards towards the bed.
He pushes me back, my ass hits the edge of the bed before he kneels between my legs. His hands brush up the inside of my thighs, taking my sundress with them, exposing my panties to his gaze.
“Pretty,” he says, his finger touching what I know is a damp patch soaking through the material.
This man only needs to look at me, and I’m a puddle.
“I’m hoping,” he says as he plays with the elastic at the edge of my panties. His eyes locked on mine. “That when we get home, and you no longer need to keep all my sperm inside you, I can do all the other things I have in mind. ”
A rush of warmth floods my core as I watch his eyes darken. He knows precisely what his words do to me. “Would you like that, Leah? Would you like me to take you, in different places, different ways?”
I bite my lip to suppress my moans, as I know that’s what he wants.
His finger teases at my entrance.
“Are you going to answer me, or do you need to think about it?” he asks again, the tip of his finger dipping in and out before going up and circling my desire around my swollen clit. My hips lift off the bed.
He continues to tease and torment my body, his hands and mouth everywhere, until an orgasm shatters my equilibrium.
He rises next to me, dropping kisses on my lips, his eyes filled with want but also tenderness.
I cup his cheek and give him a dazed smile. “I think I could be onboard with that, Mr Frazer.”
“Good,” he says before his mouth descends once more.
We despatch our clothes in record time, savouring each other’s bodies. His defined abs and broad shoulders formed by years of swimming, move under my hands. A sharp contrast to my soft curves as they press against his hardness. He makes me feel beautiful in a way I never have before.
When he finally enters me, he swallows my gasp, driving my body higher and higher until we both crescendo together. I contract around him, drawing his cum deep into me.
When Gabriel finally withdraws he places his pillow under my bottom, tilting my pelvis, before dropping a kiss on my stomach and lying back down next to me, his arm thrown over my middle.
I tilt my head and drop a kiss on his nose before I succumb to my exhaustion.