Sex, Lies and Valentines (13 page)

His hands tightened on her waist and he lifted, settling her on the dresser and angling himself between her thighs. Scooting closer, she gasped as her skirt slid higher. Gabriel wanted to touch that sweet flesh, needed to taste the soft curve of her thighs. But he couldn’t.

Not yet.

“I don’t want to stop,” he admitted breathlessly. “If you’re going to make me, you’d damned well better do it now.”

Her eyes, huge and blue, glistened with emotions that Gabriel could only guess at. Desperation clawed at him. Needs roared through his system, both sexual and emotional.

But he waited.

Because when he took her, it was going to be incredible. Better than either of them had ever experienced before in their lives. And he’d be damned if she was going to ruin it with some lame excuse tomorrow morning.

Danita’s heart pounded so hard her chest hurt. Her breath came in pants. Her body tingled with needs so intense, she thought she was going to explode.

“Well?” Gabriel demanded, his gold eyes narrow with desire.

Desire for her.

Not the real her. He only saw the role she played. Or…roles? She’d played so many with him, they were all blurring. But none were her. Hell, she didn’t even know who the real her was anymore.

All the reasons to say no flashed through her mind. There was no solid, practical reason not to shove him away and demand that they return to a professional standing.

But her body, damn her body, it wanted more.

Needed more.

Demanded more.

“This is a mistake,” she said, her words so soft they were barely there.

“What fun is life without a few mistakes here and there?” His fingers trailed, so softly they were barely touching, the elastic lace of her stockings where they met her thighs. Danita shuddered as excitement swirled through her. Her brain fogged, overwhelmed by desire.

She leaned closer.

“It’s going to cost us,” she predicted breathlessly, her lips just inches from his. So close, she could almost taste him.

“Nothing worth having is free,” he said, his eyes locked on hers. He was waiting, she knew, for her to finish making the move. For her to take responsibility for this next step.

Nerves were there. Clawing and poking at her confidence. But desire was stronger. Need was predominant.

She had to taste him.

Had to feel him.

Had to have him.

Now.

Like she was jumping off a high cliff to her probable death, Danita closed her eyes and took the plunge. Her lips met his in a soft, damp slide, making Gabriel groan.

Power, bigger and darker than anything she’d ever felt on the job, spiked through her system. That she could make a man as desirable and gorgeous and dangerous as Gabriel Black groan, that was a major rush.

Just what else could she make him do?

She slipped her tongue between his lips, sliding it along his, swirling, enticing. His fingers tightened on her waist, then, as if unable to help himself, he poured himself into the kiss. Their tongues tangled and danced. Their lips devoured, pressing first one way, then the other.

Her nipples tightened with need, the soft satin of her bra torture against the aching flesh. As if hearing their plea, Gabriel’s hands quit teasing her thighs to graze their way up her torso until he reached the heavy weight of her breasts. Fingers curved over her sweater, cupping the aching mounds and squeezing gently. Danita whimpered deep in her throat as the move sent a shaft of desire swirling low in her belly. Her thighs quivered, damp heat pooling between her legs.

Those magic hands skimmed down, gently caressing her torso and leaving a trail of tingling delight until he reached the edge of her sweater. Anticipation tangled with nerves, adding a wonderfully addictive layer of delight to the sexual tension spreading through her body.

Slowly, so slow she wanted to tear her mouth from his and urge him to hurry, Gabriel raised her sweater. Cool air washed over her heated skin. He released her lips, leaning back just enough to pull her top the rest of the way off. As if she were hypnotized, Danita raised her hands overhead to make it easier to give him more access to her body.

As soon as the fabric cleared her fingers, she was reaching for him again. But Gabriel stepped back with a tiny shake of his head. His eyes traveled over her like an art lover might gaze at the Mona Lisa. With pleasure, excitement and just a little bit of awe. Her smile was just a little shaky at the corners. She’d never had anyone look at her like that. It was intoxicating.

Her head swimming in the delight of his admiration, Danita reached for him again. This time, Gabriel gave in to her demand, his mouth closing over hers.

This was amazing. Delicious. The most incredible feeling she’d ever had.

That little voice in the corner of her mind, the one that usually kept her from being shot in the back, was screaming a warning, though. This was against the rules.

Gabriel’s hands cupped her breasts, sliding over the slick satin fabric as he gently squeezed.

To hell with rules, she thought as she moaned.

But the rules were what had made her the woman she was, that irritating voice reminded. A woman she admired. So she couldn’t completely ignore them.

“We shouldn’t,” she protested. It was a pathetic protest, she knew, since her fingers were making quick work of the buttons of his shirt as she spoke. But she had to say the words aloud if she was going to face herself in the morning.

“Yeah, yeah,” he muttered, those gorgeous eyes watching intently as his fingers skimmed along the satin edge of her bra, dipping beneath the fabric to tease the rock hard tip of her breast before sliding to the other side. “The time for half-assed excuses already passed.”

This kiss was even more intense. Like hot molten passion, pulling her in. She shuddered, her body melting as his fingers tweaked her aching nipple before sliding away again. She wanted him so bad. Wanted to feel everything he had to offer. To see if it was as good as she was imagining. But that didn’t mean she was abdicating all control and letting Gabriel be in charge, here.

“This is a big deal,” she protested, pulling her lips from his only to have him start kissing his way down her throat. His lips were soft, his tongue hot. She swore even her toes were melting. Still, she had to take a stand, feeble though it might be. “We do this, and everything changes. I think, maybe, we should slow down.”

Except she didn’t want to.

“You think too much,” he decided. She barely saw the warning in his eyes before he thrust his hands into her hair to tilt her head back. Just before his mouth took hers, he said, “Obviously I’m not pushing the right buttons to shut off your brain. Yet.”

Uh-oh.

Gabriel kissed her as if his life depended on blowing her mind. His hands left her hair, one slipping between her shoulder blades to unsnap her bra as the other reached down to shove her skirt higher. Her breath came in pants, her head spinning at the pace he set.

Fast, furious and intense.

Fingers tweaked her nipples, first one then the other. In a quick tug, he ripped her damp panties, the sound of tearing satin echoing loudly through the room. Her thighs quivered and her heart raced.

“Oh my…” Her words trailed off against his still plundering mouth as Gabriel’s fingers found her wet, throbbing core.

Without a second of hesitation, he dove right in. She couldn’t hold back her whimper when his finger trailed along her swollen bud.

At the same time, his fingers teased her nipple, preparing it for the wet heat of his mouth. His tongue swirled, sucking and nipping, making her moan as the combined torments sent her body screaming for release.

How many damned hands did he have?

Her own fingers tunneled into his hair, clutching the dark strands for support as the world spun out of control. She wanted to touch him. She wanted to explore his body the same way he was delighting hers.

But all she could do was hold on and enjoy the ride.

Which was clearly fine with Gabriel.

His tongue traced a sweet homage around her areola as his fingers danced over her swollen nether flesh. She was sliding into the gentle delight he was giving her body when he changed the game.

Suddenly his teeth nipped at her nipples, making her gasp and shudder. His fingers thrust, one then two, fast and hot into her body, making her cry out in delight. Her juices flowed, hot and inviting. She moved against him, wanting more. Needing more.

It was like he’d lit a fire within her. Her body burned. She had to fan the flames and take this higher. Hotter. She shoved his shirt off his shoulders, not caring that it caught on his biceps because his hands were so busy. She needed to touch flesh. Her fingers scraped the hard breadth of his muscled shoulders and she purred deep in her throat at the strength there. For a man who talked his way in and out of fortunes and trouble, he was amazingly built.

He sucked her nipple into his mouth, swirling his tongue around the turgid flesh as his fingers danced faster. She let her head fall back, her body arched into his.

“Oh, God,” she breathed as every muscle in her body tightened, as the pleasure became so intense she could barely breathe.

“Grab it, babe,” he muttered against her breast. “Grab on, and ride.”

His voice, low and husky, triggered her release. Danita’s head fell back against the mirror, her entire body tightening as the climax ripped through her. Her fingers dug into his shoulders as she gripped him, holding on as if Gabriel were the only thing that still existed in her world.

Slowly, deliciously, she floated on waves of pleasure. Gabriel’s touch was now soothing instead of titillating. His kisses soft whispers over her sensitized flesh. His mouth took hers in the sweetest of kisses as the last shudder of her climax rippled through her body.

Before she could do more than gasp with delight, Gabriel moved. Her body shivered without his heat, sagging into the unwielding hardness of the dresser.

She barely had her eyes open, and definitely hadn’t regained the power of thought, before he moved. She watched him rip open a condom and wanted to reach out and take the pleasure of sheathing him, but he moved so fast, she didn’t have a chance.

Two heartbeats later and he was back, his body hard and strong between her still shaking thighs. Danita wanted to say something. To do something to indicate how good she felt. To make him feel just as wonderful.

But Gabriel was clearly not in a chatty mood. His mouth took hers in a devouring sort of kiss. Even as she was gasping and sinking into the spiraling delight, his body thrust into hers.

“Oh, God,” she said again, mewling in delight as his hard length filled her. He was so big. So strong.

She wrapped her legs around his hips, her feet digging into the hard planes of his butt and realized she still had her black patent leather pumps on.

Snickering a little, her lashes fluttered open to see him staring at her, his gold eyes so intent it was like he was trying to see into her soul.

Feeling more naked than ever, Danita tried to look away. But he was a sorcerer holding her in a spell, he wouldn’t release her gaze. She couldn’t look away. Couldn’t hide from the powerful heat burning between them.

He drove into her body, flesh pounding flesh in a mesmerizing rhythm, each thrust sending her higher, spinning her body tighter.

His fingers slipped between their bodies, teasing and tweaking her swollen nub. The caress sent Danita flying over the edge. Her body exploded. The orgasm ripped through her like a tidal wave, pouring and pounding pleasure into every pore. Her breath came in pants. Her hair, damp with sweat, stuck to her face as she flew.

Her gaze still locked on his, she saw his eyes narrow, then with the most exquisite look of pleasure in those gold depths, she watched him tumble over the edge. His groan was guttural and deep. His body so tight, she could see the muscles ripple as he tried to hold back.

Needing, desperately, a little of the power he’d shown over her, Danita arched her body. Her heels dug into his hips, her breasts brushed a sizzling trail over his chest. His groan deepened. His eyes were almost black as the pupils expanded.

“Grab it, babe,” she said, tossing his earlier words back at him at the same time she leaned back so there was just enough space between their bodies to put on a show. Balancing on her hips, her eyes locked on his, she reached up with both hands to cup her own breasts, offering herself to him.