Closer_To_You (9 page)

“How do you know what I want, Penelope?” Gabriel stood up from the couch and walked over to her, grabbing her by her arms to halt her progress. “Why are you running?”

Pulling back, she stared at him as if he had just lost his mind, “Running? I’m not running from anything. Especially you.”

“Yes, you are. You ran away twice. Our night was more than just a one-time thing. You felt it. I felt it. There was something more between us and instead of waiting to see what more it could be, you ran.”

“Are you just trying to make yourself feel better about me leaving? Plus, you’re only here for a couple of weeks. You told me so yourself. Why would I stick around only to have you leave anyway?”

“How about you could have stayed because you just wanted to be with me. To spend time with me.” His nostrils flared in frustration and anger, but she wasn’t afraid of him. If anything, she was turned on. It made her nipples tighten and her pussy clench watching him this way. Maybe she was coming down with something. There was no way she should be reacting to him this way.

Standing this close to him, she could feel her body respond to his. Even when he was being overbearing and arrogant, she could not stop herself from sinking into him. She could get lost in his gaze. The slight crinkles at the side of his eyes, and his barely there five o’clock shadow and his strong jaw just made him look even more attractive. She ached to get closer to him. To kiss away the frown marring his brow.

Was it simply that she had been the one to walk away? He did not seem like the type to pursue a woman, but for some reason, here he stood. Asking her why she had left. Would he have truly wanted her to stay? What if she had? Her eyes closed at the thoughts swirling around her head. It was almost too much. One man should not affect her this much after only one night. It was an amazing, unforgettable night, but still—only one night.

“Open your eyes and look at me, Penelope.” His warm breath flowed over her lips and she gasped. Opening her eyes, she bit her bottom lip in surprise when she noted how close his face was to hers. Her nipples tightened to hard pebbles and her stomach clenched in desire. Oh goodness, what was this man doing to her?

“Do you see me? Do you see how much I want you right now, Penelope? I wanted you again when I woke up from our night of passion. Imagine my disappointment when you were no longer curled up beside me. Do you even realize that your lush body warmed me all night? Your curves were wrapped around me and at the slightest movement, you sought me out, seeking my heat.”

Her breath hitched and her eyes fluttered as she remembered how it felt to feel his strong arms wrapped around her, pulling her body flush with his. Somewhat shy and reserved about her body since she was a steady size fourteen, it was something so refreshing and exhilarating about being desired by a man like Gabriel Turner.

Voice heavy with desire and breathless with need, she finally answered, “Yes, I remember.”

He removed his hands from her arms and placed them on her ass, pulling her lower body closer to his. She could feel his hard erection pressed up against her stomach and she could feel her resolve weakening. This situation could only end badly for both of them, but she felt her body sinking into his. The way this man made her feel would be her downfall. Memories of how he felt inside of her flashed through her brain and she wished, with everything in her, that they were still in his hotel room. That she had never left that morning.

Gabriel moved his head slightly to the left and began to place light, sensual kisses on the side of her mouth, her cheek, and lower jaw. Slowly making his way to her earlobe, he whispered, “Don’t make me beg, Penelope. I need more of you. Just give me one more night to get you out of my system.”

Although she wanted to scream yes, she hesitated. Not because she did not want him. It was just the opposite. She wanted him a little bit too much. When she had been the one to walk away after the one night, those were on her terms. Penelope had come to grips with never seeing him again and only having her memories to keep her going through the long and lonely nights. Now, here he was standing in her living room and he was asking her for more. If she went down this path, she had no idea what would happen. Could she walk away from him a second time with her sanity intact and peace of mind? Honestly, she really didn’t know if she could. At this moment, with his body pressed so close to hers and his kisses melting away every ounce of denial as the seconds passed, she didn’t care.

“No, Gabriel, you don’t have to beg. I would never make you do that. I want this. I want you.” Gabriel’s strength amazed her. His hands gripped her ass hard and he lifted, pulling her body up as she wrapped her legs around his waist. Wow, that had never happened before.

“Where to, Penelope?”

Still in awe at what had just happened, she barely got the words out as he started walking toward the stairs that would take them up to the second level of her home. “First bedroom at the top of the stairs.”

Gabriel looked down at the woman lying beneath him and his hands shook. What had she done to him? No other woman had hooked him so quickly. She was right. A night of fun is what both of them had expected. No more, no less. But somehow during the course of their night together, he found himself truly relaxing. He felt real for the first time in years. His laughter had been true and honest, and he found himself sharing more of who the real Gabriel Turner was with her. It was just Gabriel the man, rather than GT Banks, the hardened businessman. For the first time in a very long time, it felt natural and good to just be himself with a woman.

When arriving upstairs to her bedroom, he had placed Penelope on her feet and just stared down at her while she looked up at him, seemingly unsure about where to begin. Making the decision for both of them, he ran his hands up her smooth arms, taking in her beautiful brown skin as it contrasted against his tanned hands. The two of them fit together so perfectly, it was almost difficult to believe. In his world, every decision he made had consequences. This one would be no different. After making the decision to drive over to her home tonight, he knew he was making an irrevocable step and it had been a huge risk.

She would slam the door in his face and tell him to go to hell, or she would invite him in. Against all odds, but answering all of his prayers, she had opened her home to him and welcomed him inside. Gazing into her eyes, he marveled at just how beautiful she was to him. Not model thin or with long flowing hair. No, the woman standing in front of him was all curves and he desired every inch of her.

Her lips were just plump enough to draw him in for a kiss that made his toes curl. Her hips were flared wide enough that she cradled his large body perfectly when they were making love. Her breasts were the perfect size for his larger hands and when he grabbed hold of them when thrusting into her body from behind. When he was inside of her, he could swear that he had died and gone to heaven.

No, she was not the kind of sexual partner he was normally drawn to, but she was damn near the perfect woman for him. Now that she had given him another chance to spend the night making love to her, he would not waste one moment.

“Let me undress you.” At her nod, he began to unwrap his gift, pulling her shirt off. His lips kissed her shoulders and her collarbone and he felt a shiver course through her body. He slid her pants down her legs, kneeling to the ground as he did so. Once she had stepped out of her clothing, he looked up and saw her looking at him with something akin to shock at his actions. Good. Maybe he needed to show her that he was more than just the heartless shark across the conference room table. He wanted them to return to the two people they were just a few days ago, on a night that would change the course of their lives from this point forward. Placing kisses on her belly, he felt her try and move away. “No. You stay right there.”

“Gabriel, what are you doing?” The slight tremble in her voice was more telling than anything he could have dreamed up.

“I’m showing you how much I want you. I’m reminding you of why you should have never ran from me in the first place.” Reaching his hands up, he pulled her silk panties down her legs, baring her to his gaze. He could see her hardened nub poking through the slit of her slick lower lips, as if seeking him out and begging for attention. Smiling to himself, he decided to give her just a little tease. Dipping his head, he ran his tongue over her clit, giving it a flick and a suck as he lapped at the wetness coating her nether lips. “Damn, you taste as good as I remember. Better even.”

Penelope’s body shuddered above him and her hands gripped his hair, pushing his face closer, trying to keep him in place. Removing her hands from his hair, he stood back up and scolded her for what she had done, “Now, Penelope. What are the rules? Do you remember?”

After a few seconds, she finally answered him. “Yes. I remember.”

Removing the last piece of clothing from her body, he continued speaking, “And what is rule number one?”

“That when you taste me, I’m not allowed to touch. I’m supposed to just feel.”

Oh, that made him smile. She remembered. “That’s right, baby. And tonight is all about reminding you just how good we are together.” Penelope adjusted her body on the bed so that she was lying on the bed in front of him. It was all he could do to hold himself back from claiming her right then and there. All he wanted was to touch her, twine his fingers in her hair as he sank inside her body over and over again. Watching her stare at him with desire in her eyes, he knew it had been the right decision to come to her tonight. As the seconds ticked by, he gave her a slight smile as his hands lifted up to his shirt and began undoing the buttons. As if he had all the time in the world, he began to slowly peel off his own clothing. Knowing how much it was killing her to lie there on the bed without moving, he took the time to fold his clothes neatly and place them on the chair in the corner of the room. Walking back over to the bed, he was glad to see that she had not moved. Damn, she was perfect.

Climbing onto the bed with her, he kissed her, claiming her mouth. His tongue mimicked what he hoped his cock would soon be doing. Her hands gripped him along his back, her nails digging tiny, sharp crescents into his skin. He felt her legs begin to rise, as if to position her body for him to enter her and he knew he had to change course before he took her too soon. He wanted more from her than just quick satisfaction. He had a purpose tonight and he would not be swayed.

Breaking the kiss, he began to nibble and make his way down her body. “No, I have a job to finish.” He adjusted his body so that his face was positioned directly in front of her slick folds, he inhaled her scent and dove in for his evening treat. At the first swipe of his tongue, Penelope arched up off the bed and went to reach for his hair. To try and control his actions, he was sure. At the last moment, she must have remembered rule number one, because her hands simply hovered in their air, clenching and unclenching as he licked and sucked at her.

“Oh, Gabriel!”

Words were unneeded. He let his actions speak for him and what they said was, “Yum.” Grabbing her under her thighs, he tilted her body up so that he could raise up and take her the way he wanted. Her moans and screams were becoming so loud, he hoped her neighbors would not think she was being harmed, because he had no intention of stopping.

He felt her body begin to shake and he knew her orgasm was upon her. Intent on bringing her to completion so that he could be inside her even quicker, his mouth began making sucking motions on her clit while his tongue flicked the nub. Her legs shot straight in the air and she let loose a wail of release that caused his dick to harden even more than it already was. How that was possible, he wasn’t sure, but it sure as hell happened. Forcing her to ride the wave of her orgasm with his mouth still on her, he softened his motions and slowly began to release her thighs. With one last kiss on her now puffy lips, he pushed himself up so that he was lying on top of her. Taking her mouth with his, he gave her a taste of her own essence, his tongue dueling with hers as he shared his passion with her. He wanted her to know exactly how good she tasted to him.

Feeling the wetness from her release coat her skin, he was tempted to slide inside of her without a covering. That’s when he knew this was more than just a fling, because he had never considered even the thought of bareback sex before Penelope. Forcing himself to think rationally, at least for the next few seconds, he reached over to the nightstand. His hand found the condom that he had placed there when he took off his clothes. Breaking the kiss, he quickly opened the wrapper and donned the latex on his shaft.

Pulling her body up, he situated her thickness on top of him. Lying on the bed beneath the woman that seemed to hold all the cards, he couldn’t help but trail his hands down her stomach, her hips and thighs as she situated herself to sit low on his stomach, her slit resting on his hard ridge as she twisted her lower body, sliding her wetness over his turgid length.

Grabbing her hips, he lifted her slightly, positioning her just where he wanted her to be. Slowly he slowly began to pull her down so that her hot channel was aligned with his thick cock as he slid inside of her warm sheath. She was so tight, he had to grit his teeth and force himself to slow down. Her upper body dropped down and rested on top of his chest. The moans of pleasure escaping her mouth reached his ears as her head lolled to the side and was now resting on his shoulder. Mouth open and resting at the spot where his shoulder and neck met, the sounds escaping her were doing something to him. Something he was fighting to deny. Feminine hands gripped his biceps as he forced his thickness into her hot channel. He almost felt that it was too much to bear, that he should slow down or pull out, but that thought quickly left his head as she began speaking.

“Oh, yes! It feels so good, Gabriel.” Her warm breath on his neck made him harden even more. The woman had cast a spell on him. There was no way she should feel this good. “You feel so amazing.”