Chapter 29
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
JASMINE
My pulse hammered in my veins, and my breaths came in short bursts. The heat of Gabe's touch and his lips still lingered on my skin. I had wanted his hands all over me, but once again, he’d held back. What would it take for him to finally give in?
My eyes squeezed shut when I heard the shower come on, and visions of Gabe’s naked body flooded my mind. I had to use my imagination, of course, since I’d never actually seen him without clothes on, but I’d felt him. He was all hard lines and well-defined muscles.
And he definitely wasn’t lacking in, ahem, other areas.
I tried in vain to go back to sleep, but I was too restless. My body hummed with anticipation and need. Gabe had given me just enough to get my blood pumping before retreating.
Long minutes passed and still, the shower kept running.
It was unlike him to stay in there for very long.
He was usually in and out in five minutes.
Worry niggled at the back of my mind. What if something was wrong?
What if he was passed out in the shower and I was over here fantasizing about his cock?
Slipping out of bed, I made my way toward the small bathroom.
Pressing my ear to the door, I listened for any sounds of distress or movement.
After a moment, a pained groan came from inside, and panic seized my chest. I twisted the knob and began to push open the door when a guttural curse fell from Gabe’s lips.
“Fuck. Jasmine,” he moaned, and my blood heated at the desire lacing his voice. Was he…
I glanced through the crack in the door and caught his reflection in the mirror.
Only part of it was covered in fog leaving the lower half mostly unobscured.
What I saw had me clamping my thighs together and panting for air.
Gabe’s muscled back and firm ass were visible through the clear shower door.
One hand was braced against the wall while the other pumped up and down.
I couldn’t see his hand around his cock, but it was clear he was pleasuring himself.
And he was doing it with my name on his lips.
I wanted to push open the door and drop to my knees in front of him so I could finish him off, but I suspected that would send him running for the hills.
It was clear he wanted me, but there was no way he’d let things go that far that fast, and the last thing I wanted was to scare him away.
Besides, we needed to build up to that, to explore physical intimacy at a pace we were both comfortable with.
If I had any hope of him finally giving in to his feelings for me, I needed to tread carefully, to ease him into the idea of letting the things happen that we both wanted, but had been denying ourselves.
My mind raced with possibilities and a plan began to take root. I was jolted from my thoughts when an erotic grunt rumbled up his throat and every muscle in his body tensed.
The temptation to watch him stroke himself to completion was nearly unbearable, but I’d already encroached enough on his privacy.
Besides, I wanted the first time I saw him unravel to be when I was the one causing it.
So I turned away and quietly pulled the door shut before tiptoeing back to my bed where I worked out the details of my plan to seduce my dad’s best friend.
“Second place isn’t so bad,” I said, trying to hide my disappointment. I hadn’t been at my best after being up half the night, and it showed in my performance.
“It was a great run,” Gabe assured me, throwing an arm around my shoulder.
He pressed a kiss to the side of my head, and everything inside me warmed.
He seemed to be growing more comfortable with casual affection, and that caused tingles to erupt in my belly.
“She only had you beat by a few hundredths of a second. You’ll get the next one,” he declared confidently.
We went through Juniper’s post-race routine, and once her legs were wrapped, we settled her into the trailer.
As suspected, Gabe instructed me to head inside and prepare for the trip home while he packed up the rest of our supplies.
He always encouraged me to take it easy after a race, so he did most of the grunt work while I made sure everything inside the living quarters was secured for travel.
This gave me the perfect opportunity to set my plan into motion.
Grabbing the old set of reins I’d stashed under the sink when he wasn’t looking, I laid them out across one of the chairs and dragged it into the corner facing the sofa bed.
Then I freshened up in the bathroom and applied a little makeup before letting my braid down and shaking out my long dark hair.
I slipped on a long lariat style necklace with a choker and a chain that dipped between my breasts.
It was unapologetically sexy and made the simple black bra and matching panties I paired it with look far more sensual.
I was about to give Gabe a show, so I had to look the part.
After hearing him moan my name last night while he got himself off, I realized I’d have to be the one to make the first move. I’d been waiting on him to give in, but what he needed was a little … encouragement.
I lightly spritzed my perfume over my pulse points and brushed my teeth.
Just in case. Turning to check out my body from all angles in the mirror, I determined this was as good as it would get.
Just as I was about to step out of the bathroom, I heard the door creak open, and the trailer dipped ever so slightly as Gabe stepped inside.
Perfect timing.
A few seconds went by before I heard him call out for me.
I drew in a deep breath and released it slowly to calm my nerves before stepping out of the bathroom.
He was looking down at the chair, his brow furrowed in confusion when I emerged.
His head lifted, and he froze when he caught sight of me.
His mouth fell open, and he blinked a few times before slamming it shut and swallowing.
“Jasmine,” he croaked, and I chanced a step in his direction.
“Gabriel,” I said, my voice low and sultry. Slowly, I crossed the distance to him, hoping my walk looked as sensual as it felt. I let my hips sway as I put one foot in front of the other. His gaze heated and raked down my body.
“What are you doing?” he asked, his voice strained. The rough cadence of it heated my blood and caused a stirring low in my belly.
“Showing you what you’re missing out on,” I answered, reaching out to flatten my palm on his chest. His heart rate shot into a gallop, his pulse increasing with every passing second.
“Showing you everything you could have, if you would just allow yourself to reach for it.” Sliding my hand up his chest and over his shoulder, I cupped the back of his neck and pressed my body against his.
His growing erection brushed against my stomach, and he hissed in a breath.
“I’m all yours, if you want me,” I whispered, my gaze dropping to his mouth and practically begging him to kiss me.
“Jasmine,” he repeated, his voice pained. “I-I want to touch you, but I can’t.” I’d anticipated this reaction, and I had a solution.
“Just because you can’t touch doesn’t mean you can’t watch,” I said conspiratorially as I took a small step back and skirted around him, letting my hand drag over his chest and down his torso.
Fisting the fabric just beneath his ribs, I tugged at it until he turned to face me.
I leaned down and swiped the reins off the chair before backing him up to it.
When the backs of his knees hit the edge of the seat, all it took was the slightest nudge against his chest, and he dropped onto it.
“And just to make sure you’re not too tempted to break your own rules, I’ve brought us some …
insurance.” I grabbed the reins and held them up for him to see.
Then I proceed to stretch the braided leather across his torso, pinning his arms in place just above the elbows.
Bracing a knee on the seat between his legs, I leaned forward close enough for him to bury his nose in my hair.
A growled curse rumbled from his chest, and I smiled triumphantly as I looped the reins through the arms of the chair and secured them behind his back.
Schooling my expression, I straightened and stepped back, letting him look his fill. His gaze darkened as I slowly lowered myself onto the sofa bed, his eyes tracking every movement.
“Tell me exactly what you would do to me if you could.”