Asking for Trouble (16 page)

“I'm so happy for you.” Morgan wrapped her arms around him as well as she could and gave him a squeeze. “You'll be doing what you love and it won't even seem like work.”

“Better yet,” Angela said as she finished with the basket. “Now we'll have extra money so you can stop hiding bills from us.”

Morgan swallowed wrong and choked. “I don't know what—”

“Did you think we didn't notice when the medication bills started disappearing?” Nico asked in a serious tone. “Or the electricity bill?”

“The water bill? The phone bill?” Angela continued.

“Cable, Internet,” Nico said.

“Okay.” Morgan held up her hands. “Okay, I get it. I'm not as sneaky as I thought. I just didn't want you to have to worry about—”

“What everyone else has to worry about?” Gage asked, and earned nods of agreement from Nico and Angela. Morgan started to sputter.

“You can't take on everyone else's problems.” Nico headed into the washroom and pulled down the stack of picnic blankets. “We went into this fosterage together. We will handle it together. Stop protecting us. We'll make it through. So we will need to sit down and put together a new household budget and payment schedule. Understand?”

“Understood,” Morgan said. Was this what it felt like when responsibilities dropped away? As if she'd lost fifty pounds in fifty seconds?

“Excellent. Enjoy your night. We'll be back late. Kids!” Angela called. “Move it. Van's leaving in ten.”

Morgan dropped what was left of her ice pop in the sink and followed them to the door. Kelley wore her Princess Ariel mermaid costume that had ripped enough up the back so she could walk. With her magic wand in hand, she waved at Gage as she dashed outside, followed by Brandon. But it was seeing Drew walk behind a determined Lydia that etched permanently in Morgan's mind.

“No wheelchair tonight,” Lydia announced as she took the steps one at a time. Twice Morgan saw Drew's hands shoot out when she wobbled, and once they reached the landing, he bent down so she could climb on his back. Morgan saw Drew try not to look at her, but a glimmer of humor shone in his semi-obscured eyes. “Whatever,” he mumbled as they passed.

“Drew's going to be okay,” Nico told her as they followed. “Good night, you two.”

“Oh, wait. The other basket.” Morgan moved to retrieve it from the kitchen.

“That's ours.” Gage caught her arm. “Good night.” He shut the door behind Angela and Nico. At Morgan's confused look, he rolled his eyes. “I called my mother, asked her to send dinner over for us, and Liza delivered.” He pulled her closer, dipped his head down, and brushed his lips against hers. “Thank you for calling me.”

“I didn't really.” But she loved the thank-you.

“One ring was enough.” Another kiss, this one deeper, longer. She sighed as his hands moved down her arms, cupped her hips. His mouth moved on hers, erasing the hours of self-pity and doubt, of reminding her that she could have, even for a little while, some happiness. Something just for her.

“Will the basket keep?” she murmured against his lips, wanting more, more than she knew she should take.

“I'm sure that's how she planned it.”

Morgan smiled, then turned and dragged him out the back door and picked up the basket on the way to her apartment.

The second she closed the door, she pushed him against it and curved her arms around his neck, stretching herself up to bring his mouth to hers. She broke away long enough to slide her hands underneath his shirt to feel the taut, smooth skin she'd dreamed about. Frustration coiled as she worked the buttons free and shoved the fabric apart to flatten her palms against his chest. She trailed her fingers over shapely abs, skimmed the waistband of his slacks. She heard his sharp inhale as she dipped under. She smiled.

She had imagined this happening. A lot. She'd suspected he had a beautiful physique, but her imagination hadn't come close. The solid form of his body against hers, the heat of him radiating like the sun, warming her water-cooled skin through the layers of fabric separating them.

He was toned, and tanned, and the slight dusting of dark hair made her fingers itch to touch him, to explore, to tease.

She took a deep breath and her head went light at the intoxicating scent of him, as if he'd taken a long walk in the redwoods. “I do have one question to ask.”

Gage lowered his head and nibbled the side of her neck. Her brain fogged over as heat suffused her entire body.

“Ask whatever you want,” he murmured. He licked the lobe of her ear, took it between his teeth. He nipped gently as she shuddered. “I doubt I'll say no.”

Morgan brushed her lips against his, pulled away when he tried to deepen the kiss. “Tell me you came prepared.”

Gage kissed her, the smile on his mouth contagious, and they laughed. “I was a Boy Scout. Take a wild guess.”

“I've never been so grateful for the Scouts.” She slithered against him.

His entire body went rigid as he caught her face in his palms and gazed down at her in the dim light of the entryway. “Are you sure?”

No matter what waited for them down the road, Morgan didn't want to live the rest of her life without having made love to him. “I'm sure. I'm taking your advice and asking for help, Gage.” She trailed her lips across his cheek, rubbed her skin against the roughness of his. Who knew stubble could be sexy? Erotic? Arousing.

“Help with what?” His hands were already roaming, slipping under her shirt and over her back.

She shivered and grinned. “There are some things a girl shouldn't have to do on her own.”

He kissed her, long and deep, and when he lifted his mouth, he whispered, “I think that's about the sexiest thing I've ever heard.” He bent down and scooped her up in his arms, setting her heart to soar. “Bedroom that way?”

“Mmmm.” Thank goodness she'd made the bed this morning. She pressed her lips against his throat, kissed him, nipped him. Licked him.

He'd barely set her on the bed when she reached for the zipper on his pants, only to have him catch her hands in his and pull them away.

He brought her hands to his mouth, kissed her fingers as he smiled. “Let's start someplace else,” he murmured, and walked over to close the shutters and turn on the bedside lamp.

Morgan's courage faltered with the spotlight. She crossed her arms over her chest and looked anywhere but at him as he returned to her and slid his hands down her arms.

“Morgan, look at me,” he ordered, as if he could read her thoughts.

She cringed, lifted her chin, but not her gaze. He bent down in front of her and caught her chin between his thumb and forefinger.

“You are beautiful. Inside and out. I thought so the minute I first saw those sexy legs of yours come out of that Mustang. I've dreamt of nothing else but those legs around me, holding me to you, keeping me inside you.” He pressed his lips against hers until she melted against him and her arms went lax.

He moved slower this time, taking the hem of her wet shirt in his hands and, inch by inch, drawing the fabric up over her ribs, above her breasts. She inhaled him and lifted her arms.

Gage tossed the shirt away and, taking both her wrists in one hand, stretched her out on the bed and settled himself beside her.

He kissed her again and Morgan felt her heart clench at the tenderness of it. He coaxed her lips apart with his tongue, as if asking her permission to delve deeper. She stretched up against him, desperate to feel his naked flesh against hers. She twisted and turned to get to him, only to have him hold her firm as he wedged a fabric-clad leg between hers.

She gasped, tearing her mouth free, and he trailed hot, moist kisses down her throat. He released her hands and skimmed the valley between her breasts before sliding his hands down the sides of her body and then up again to cup her breasts in his palms through the plain white bra. She groaned as her nipples hardened and strained against the cotton. He glided his fingers around her rib cage and released the clasp. Drawing the straps down her arms, he tossed the fabric away and brought her right breast up to his lips.

He kissed her there, drawing the peak into his mouth and laving her with his tongue. She whimpered, tightened her legs around him as the heat built between her still-clad thighs. Morgan dove her hands into his hair and held him against her, not wanting him to stop, wanting nothing more than to feel him hot and heavy inside of her.

Only he could ease the ache that grew deep in her belly. Never in her life had she felt this much, needed this much from another human being. She felt so wanted, so desired, as Gage shifted to treat her other breast to the same erotic care.

She raked her nails up his back and around his shoulders as he lowered himself on top of her. Finally, the weight of him descended and the sensation of crisp, curly hair scraping her bare skin sent her reeling.

“Gage,” she gasped, and cupped his face to drag him to her mouth. She kissed him hungrily, drawing his tongue into her mouth as if she couldn't get enough. Because she couldn't. She didn't want this to end. She never wanted to be without him.

He shifted and she raised her leg then hooked it around his hip as she pressed up and against him. He was so hard, so ready for her, that she felt her feminine power ignite. She planted her hands on his shoulders and shoved him onto his back.

Before he could react, she climbed on top of him and straddled his hips. She stared down at him, her long, damp hair draping them like a screen. He stared up at her for a long moment, as if he wanted to say something, needed to, but she kissed him gently, shook her head.

“Not now,” she whispered. “I don't want to talk.” She rubbed herself against him, feeling the pressure begin to grow once again. He dropped his hands to her hips, his fingers sliding under the band of her shorts, flipping open the button, drawing down the zipper until he slipped his hand around and found her, hot and wet. Morgan groaned. His. She bit her lip as she lifted herself on his hand. She was all his.

She arched against him as his fingers probed her depths, circling and teasing, in and out, as her hips fell into rhythm with his touch.

“Gage,” she gasped as she felt herself cresting. “Gage, stop.” But she didn't want him to.

“No talking,” he ordered, increasing his pace. She cried out as she rode toward the peak. “That's it,” he urged. “Let go, Morgan.”

Her body rocked as the orgasm ripped through her. She felt herself clench his fingers, holding him inside of her as her body exploded into a million stars.

She collapsed on top of him, unable to catch her breath before he rolled her under him and drew the last of her clothing from her body.

“Gage,” she murmured as he kissed her again. She tangled her fingers in his hair, loving the silky softness, how it grazed over her hand like the finest silk.

“Oh, baby,” he breathed into her mouth, “we're just getting started.”

He withdrew from her grasp and reached into his back pocket before he rid himself of his pants.

She looked at him, standing there in his naked glory, and felt a wave of pride wash over her that this man wanted her. This amazing, wonderful man thought she was worthy of him. The fierce love she felt for Gage washed over her, and she let go and let herself be dragged under.

He returned to the bed, stared down at her as she lay completely exposed and satiated. She smiled up at him as he tore open the foil packet.

“Thanks to those legs of yours, I bought these weeks ago.”

She lifted her foot and trailed her toes down his arm. “These?” she teased. “You mean it has friends?”

He let out a growl that had her laughing as he covered himself and settled on top of her once again. His hands gripped her hips as he lowered his head, kissed her belly, her navel, brushed his chin against the mass of curls between her thighs.

Morgan arched off the bed as he dipped his fingers into her heat and tested her, probing gently. Just when she thought she'd go mad from waiting, she felt the strength of him pressing against her, sliding torturously into her. She inhaled sharply, forced herself to relax against the desired invasion.

He withdrew slightly, cupped her hips once again in his hands, and then pushed in again, only to slip himself nearly free. Again, and again, until she couldn't take any more.

Morgan wrapped her legs up and around his hips and pulled him down and into her. She cried out as he filled her, heard him hiss as he struggled to keep control. She clenched her thighs around him, felt him pulse inside of her. She bit her lip to stop the groan. This was heaven. Tears burned her eyes, leaked out of the corners, as she took the few seconds to burn him into her memory.

He felt so right, so perfect, and she wrapped her arms around his neck and exposed her throat to his mouth.

Gage sank his teeth into the sensitive spot on her neck as he moved inside of her. She could feel every inch of him stretching and filling her over and over as the muscles in his back strained. She wanted him faster, harder, and thrust her hips up to meet his, driving him even deeper into her.

They groaned together as his hands searched for hers, his fingers tangling with hers and dragging her arms above her head. She stretched her torso as he increased his thrusts. She felt him expanding inside of her, knew he was on the edge, and she clenched herself around him as she felt herself going over with him.

He fused his mouth to hers as he spilled into her, triggering her second orgasm of the night. Wrapped around him, she rode the slow descent in his arms, listening to his ragged breathing as he rolled over and drew her with him.

This was so perfect. She didn't want to forget this moment, how she felt, how he felt. But already it was slipping away.

“Everything's okay, Morgan.” He murmured the words as they drifted into sleep.

She shimmied up his body and pressed her lips to his, keeping her eyes on his as their tongues swept over each other in renewed passion. Then she was under him once more, felt him hardening inside of her again.