Chapter Twenty-Four
CHARLOTTE
Ididn’t have a moment to think about, let alone second-guess, the fact that I was sprawled on my back in the middle of my bed with Gabriel face-first between my legs.
Rationale had left the building and, with it, the faint illusion of control. And for once, I welcomed the surrender.
Never in my life had I experienced such an acute awareness of a man.
It wasn’t merely the physical attraction that had me throwing all sense out the window.
It was everything I’d seen of him in fragments over the past few weeks finally coming together and creating an overwhelming magnetism I could no longer deny.
He was more than the grumpy, arrogant new hire who was out to get my job.
He was also the man who showed up for his brother when he was falling apart.
Who spoke to his daughter with quiet pride softening his voice.
Who’d been there for me with such unexpected tenderness when I’d gone into shock after the incident with George.
And just when I thought I’d seen it all, he had to go and amp up his appeal by exhibiting the alpha jealous thing I never would’ve thought would be appealing until tonight.
When he trailed his tongue down the entire length of my slit, it was all I could do not to buck off the bed. “Oh—”
My groan of pleasure died on my lips when his finger slipped inside of me. Writhing at the new sensation, I knew it wasn’t enough. I needed all of him.
My toes curled while my body tensed, coiled and desperately chasing a release.
But he wasn’t quite ready to give me relief. Instead his thumb found my clit and rubbed it in a circular rhythm. The image of this gorgeous man’s face buried in my most intimate part was a reel that would be forever etched in my memory.
“Look at me when you fall apart, Charlotte.”
His command was my undoing, so hot in its authority and without apology.
My gaze remained helplessly locked on his, adding to the intensity of the moment. Fuck.
My entire body seized, and when his lips fastened onto my clit, I went off like a bomb.
There wasn’t another word for it. No cute moan, no slight whimper.
None of that. Instead, this was the sort of eyes-rolled-back-in-my-head, seeing-stars, and completely-unaccountable-for-how-my-body-reacted-to-going-off-a-cliff type of orgasm.
While my body wracked with the aftershocks, he lapped up the evidence of my orgasm as though it was the best thing he’d ever tasted.
It was as though I was floating above my physical form, taking in the scene but unable to form a thought or move my muscles.
Meanwhile, he stood up and hastily undid his belt and dropped his trousers. Frantically, he ripped at the buttons of his shirt as though his clothing was offensive.
I agreed. I needed to see all of him.
If I hadn’t been suffering from the lack of his touch, I might’ve thought this would be a good time to object to going further. But there was no stopping this. Only the holy-fucking-hell hotness of Gabriel Chambers standing in my bedroom naked.
His body was like something straight out of a Sports Illustrated athlete spread, with his broad shoulders and sculpted chest. Clearly, Gabriel was no stranger to the gym. Every line and chisel drew my eyes lower to where his unabashed nudity revealed his impressive cock.
Every nerve in my body sparked to life, and I reached out to wrap my fingers around his length. But he was already moving to take a condom out of his wallet as if he knew we were on borrowed time. If we didn’t rush this, one of us was going to remember it was a bad idea.
“Let me get you out of this dress.”
“No, I need you now, Gabriel. Please.” I didn’t want to take the chance we’d snap this spell. I didn’t want to think about my responsibilities or the recklessness of tonight. Instead, I just craved him with an urgency I couldn’t describe.
As if he sensed my need, he climbed on the bed, spread my legs, and settled between them. He took a moment to lock his gaze with mine once more. “Tell me how much you want this,” he teased, stroking himself and putting one of his fingers deep into my heat.
The embers started to ignite again, the need for him so tangible, I mewled. Actually fucking mewled. “Please. I need to feel you inside of me. Now.”
His nostrils flared with desire at my command.
Wedging his hips between my thighs, he guided himself slowly into my heat.
My entire body shivered with anticipation.
The burn of the stretch, and the sensation of being so full left me breathless.
But it was his gaze burning into mine which held the moment and ratcheted up the intimacy.
“You all right?” he asked between gritted teeth. “Because you feel so fucking good I need to move.”
My body answered before I could. I arched toward him, pulling him deeper by wrapping my thighs around him. I needed him to move, too. “Yes.”
He moved his hips, circling, and grinding against me before pulling out a couple inches and thrusting back, harder and harder.
A moan ripped from my throat from the way his punishing rhythm commanded my body.
Since I was not one to typically orgasm with vaginal sex alone, the climax took me completely off guard.
Jesus, the elusive G-spot was not only real, but it was unlike anything I’d ever experienced. My scream was swallowed by Gabriel dipping his head and devouring my mouth as he chased his own finish like a man possessed. He growled, long and hard, prolonging my pleasure with his own.
Eventually, the aftershocks stilled, and our breathing calmed. I had no words, and even if I did, I didn’t have the breath to share them.
I watched through half-lidded eyes, wincing slightly as he eased out before walking away and into the bathroom. The sound of running water drifted from there, and for a moment I simply lay still, my heartbeat echoing in my ears.
By the time he returned, I’d managed to push myself upright, fumbling to straighten my dress, or maybe my thoughts. Perhaps both.
Gloriously naked, he held out his hand and pulled me to my feet.
I attempted to stand on shaky legs.
“Here, let me help,” he offered.
“Oh, I’m fine, and it’s fine if you need to go or if—”
He cut me off with a searing kiss. “We’re not nearly done yet, and you’re not going to overthink this tonight, Charlotte. And neither am I.”
The sound of my dress unzipping punctuated his words. The woosh of air met my bare skin as he slowly unwrapped me like a gift. Once he started to dismantle my armor, I found myself uncharacteristically off-balance and feeling vulnerable.
I kept in shape, grudgingly, but I didn’t fool myself into thinking I had the body of a twentysomething-year-old. “Okay, but this is only for tonight.”
If I thought his smirk had been sexy before, it hit an entirely new level when he did it in the nude.
“Mm. Agree to disagree. You’re even more stunning than I imagined.” His reverent gaze fully tracked down my body as if he was memorizing every inch.
I took the opportunity to do the same while running the palms of my hands down the warm skin of his chest and muscled biceps. I was in awe at having the license to touch this man.
If we only had tonight, well, then, I was going to take advantage.
My eyes fluttered open, and I was surprised to see rays of light starting to peek through the blinds. Shit, what time was it?
My clock revealed it was still only six thirty in the morning. Not my earliest start, but at least I wouldn’t be late to the office. Shit. The office. Gabriel.
Rolling over tentatively, I blew out a breath of relief when I realized he was gone, and his side of the bed was cold.
For a few seconds I lay perfectly still, the memory of last night rushing in.
My body was sore in places I hadn’t felt in years, and a surge of satisfaction rolled through me before reality started to settle in.
I’d slept with someone who reported to me. Someone who was after my job and who now had all the ammunition he needed to derail my plans if he wanted to.
Fuck. I scrubbed my hands over my face. Mistakes weren’t something I should be making at this point in my career. And this one could wipe out years of work. A knot settled at the bottom of my stomach.
I swung my legs out of bed, intending to jump into the shower, but a sound from downstairs caught my attention. It was the front door closing.
Right. I’d completely forgotten my mother was stopping by this morning to borrow my large serving platters for the luncheon she was hosting.
I was throwing on a robe to go down to her when her voice carried up the stairs and froze me mid-step.
Because she wasn’t alone.
And unless sleep deprivation was making me hallucinate, she was talking to a man.
A man whose deep, sexy timbre I recognized instantly.