Finding Gabriel (30 page)

He wanted
everything
.

Desire slammed through his mind and body in a deafening roll. Increasing the pressure of his mouth, he pressed a kiss against the rim of her ear. She trembled and sucked in a breath, those slender hands grasping onto the railing for dear life. A low groan of protest wrenched from Ariah’s throat as he pulled his lips away. His body vibrated with pure sensation.

Gabriel ran both hands down the slope of her shoulders and nudged the cloak aside. He fairly held his breath at the sight of her veiled breasts. He clenched his hands into fists as he fought the desire to unbutton the row of clasps and expose her to his scarred hands. But no, he wouldn’t risk frightening her. He’d wait a lifetime to earn her trust.

“Oh, Gabriel …” Her voice was little more than a whisper and taut with desire. Gabriel nuzzled the side of her neck and wrapped her waist with both arms. He held her firmly against his chest, never intending to let go. Together, they gazed at the bejeweled night sky, entirely lost within the sweetness of the moment. A great number of stars decorated the sky – far more than a man could ever hope to count in one lifetime.

“Gabriel …” She turned in his arms. Unsteady hands rose from her sides and cupped his cheeks. A whirlwind of emotions crossed her features while she gazed into his eyes. She swallowed before speaking, as if working through some great lifelong obstacle. Then the words poured from her lips like fine wine: “Please, Gabriel. I need you to make love to me.”

I need you to make love to me.

The words escaped before she could stop them. She was beyond afraid, yet she trusted Gabriel – mind, body, and soul.

His eyes flickered with echoed desire. He pressed his forehead against her own and sighed. Hot breaths wafted across her flushed cheeks and roused all five of her senses. He gently kissed her forehead before stepping backward to stare into her eyes. Holding her spellbound, his rich mahogany gaze deepened with a jumble of emotions.

“I care for you, Ariah. I care for you more than I can say. More than I can quite believe.”

She smiled, barely able to speak. “Then show me.”

A choked growl wrenched from Gabriel’s throat as his lips crashed against her own. Both arms wound about her waist in a possessive claim, securing her to him. Melting into his arms, she obliged with a moan and sagged against the rock-hard planes of his chest. Her hands slipped down his greatcoat and grazed the countless medals.
My hero.
Groans vibrated his body, and his muscles drew rigid beneath her palms. Cradled within the circle of his arms, she felt safe, secure, and complete. She returned his desire tenfold, behaving strictly from instinct. She encircled his neck with both arms and wound her fingers through the thick waves of his hair. He murmured incoherently against her lips – a sound of masculine appreciation – and buried his tongue inside the hot cavern of her mouth.

Consume me. Make me yours today, tomorrow, and always.

She responded to his kiss with fervor. Her mind spun, her breasts grew hot and heavy, and her feminine core ached with damp tenderness. Fingers tugging the lush waves of his hair, she reeled him closer and welcomed the insistent exploration of his tongue. He tasted like passion, and she ached to consume him forever.

Gabriel was not gentle, but he was
Gabriel
, and Ariah knew he’d never harm her. Indeed, nothing about him could be considered soft or gentle – and yet he instilled a kindness that often stole her breath away. In spite of everything she’d endured, he’d earned her trust. And through his gentleness toward her daughter, he’d ultimately won her heart.

His tongue, smooth but fiercely strong, dueled with her own in a passionate tango. Ariah nearly fell faint from the sensation. Never had she been kissed in such fashion. Jacques had stolen a few kisses during their time together – though they’d always been closed-mouthed and cautious. As much as she’d adored Jacques, she never could bring herself to summon the passion she was feeling now. After all he’d sacrificed for her family, Ariah had been overwhelmed with guilt. Yet Jacques, bless his heart, had merely pulled away, straightened out his meticulous coat, and whispered, “I shall wait for you.” He’d worn a small, sad smile. Smooth, gloved fingertips had propped her downcast chin. He’d stroked her cheek, that charming smile never wavering. “Have it be a day, a month, or years, I shall wait.”

If anyone might have healed her wounds, Ariah had imagined it would be Jacques. Certainly not a dark, brooding man such as Gabriel – a man with a past more twisted than her own.

Yet not since her father had she felt so safe in another’s arms. Despite his tentative touches and kind words, Jacques had never elicited feelings of absolute serenity. She’d attempted feigned responses on several occasions – and Jacques had read through her lies with ease. Now Ariah understood how.

True, unbridled passion could not be feigned or denied.

Gabriel’s lips boldly moved against her own and devoured her very spirit. His tongue met hers thrust for thrust, parry for parry, causing her thighs to grow slick and wet. She succumbed to him, responding with a natural audacity that startled her. He possessed her, branded her, stole breaths from her lungs and secrets from her mouth with every slick thrust.

For a weightless moment, she moved her mouth from his. Blood raced through Ariah’s veins like liquid silver. Lightheaded with desire, she struggled to breathe slowly, anchoring her thoughts on the air that moved in and out of her lungs. Gabriel, too, fought to catch his breath. She watched in fascination as he swallowed, his Adam’s apple undulating in a hypnotic movement. Suddenly she was overcome with the need to press her lips against the hollow of his throat, to taste the wild beat of his pulse with her tongue, to slide her hands beneath his coat and caress those ropes of muscles …

He momentarily lowered both hands to his sides and formed two clenched fists. “If I move too fast, tell me and I shall try to slow myself,” he rasped between intakes of air. Ariah’s eyelids grew heavy as he teased her hairline with his fingertips. Each touch was painfully delicate and laced with affection. “I want you to remember this night forever. Remember this night and nothing else.”

They were in this together; united, they would conquer their pasts. She nodded, breathless and riddled with emotion.

“Close your eyes. Abandon yourself to my touch.” He passed a palm over her eyes, urging them shut. Anticipation mounted within her. Gathering her to his chest, he tugged her impossibly close, allowing their two heartbeats to consummate as one. With every breath, she felt the painful memories bleed out, heal, and finally fall away like an old scab. Strong hands curled around each of her shoulders, ran down her sides in an achingly slow movement, and finally seized her hips. Long fingers spanned her waist with ease. They skirted across her dress before descending behind her – running over the tender curve of her backside. A low, mumbled sound filled the air as Gabriel cupped her bottom, kneading her through layers of coarse muslin.

Everything heightened and dripped with sensuality. With her eyes shut to the world around her, her remaining senses soared. She could smell the smoke from a nearby chimney, could hear the wind’s gentle whisper as it rushed through stone walls, could feel every subtle movement of Gabriel’s fingers as they tracked over her cloak in leisurely pursuit, could taste the sweet rush of desire as it blossomed within her breast, engulfing her whole …

His labored breaths wafted against her cheeks and whistled in her ears. His chest felt harder than steel as it crushed her breasts through the material that separated them. He pushed against her – all muscle, sinew, and brawn. Then he aligned his lips to her ear and whispered words of comfort. His mouth tracked down the length of her neck, leaving a damp trail everywhere it touched, stopping only to nibble the hollow of her throat. Swept with euphoric sensation, her head lolled backward and an airy gasp spilled from her lips.

“Ariah … lose yourself completely …” The husky, dark timber of his voice stoked an inner fire. Ariah had been enamored of that voice ever since she first heard him speak. It was decadently low and rich. The immobility of the left side of his lip made it slightly muffled – something that added to its appeal rather than detracted from it.

Gabriel was perfect in his imperfections.

And such a thing was true for the both of them. Here they stood, two shattered souls made complete through each other.

Her heart thudded as Gabriel caressed her bottom with calculated strokes.
Mon Dieu.
Those fingers were strong, skillful, and impossibly long. He splayed his palm across the small of her back and nudged her body forward. The subtle movement sent her hips rocking against his own in a fluid motion. He sprang to life against her – massive and harder than tempered steel. She tensed at the heady, burning feel of him. The size of his manhood ought to have frightened her away, reminding her of that painful encounter … of that unforgettable, stabbing sensation that had haunted her nightmares for so many years. And yet, foreign thrills shot up and down her spine, empowering her with an ever-growing need that only Gabriel could sate.

Ariah ground against him without conscious thought, and a guttural sound emerged from his throat. Her breasts felt unbearably heavy. The coarse material of her walking dress was suffocating. He stilled her hips with a single hand, as if the pressure was too much to bear. He seemed to be suffering an exquisite agony … one not so different than her own. And the power she held over this strong, battle-worn commander was exhilarating.

“
Mon Dieu
… Ariah. You shall be the death of me,” he groaned, as if in excruciating pain. “A rather pleasant death – but death nonetheless.”

Her mind spun as she imagined how he might look naked. Ariah had never seen a man in the nude, though she knew Gabriel would put most to shame. Every bit of him was a testament to his years on the battlefield – coarse, well defined, and rugged. Brief sadness passed over her heart as she thought of his deformity, though it was swiftly replaced with a much stronger emotion.

Love? Had she fallen deeply in love with this man? She’d contemplated the notion several nights before, when putting Emmaline to sleep, and had tried to brush it aside. But now the thought consumed her. Her heart stirred at the silent confession, though she dared not speak the words. Not yet.

Suddenly she longed to hear his voice once more, to feel those sultry vibrations move against her. “Speak to me, Gabriel. Please. Your voice is an instrument of pleasure.” With her eyes still sealed shut, she was overwhelmed with raw sensation. “Let me hear you.”

He spoke in Russian, adopting one of the tongues he’d acquired during his worldly travels.
“Два сердца в любви не нужны слова.” Two hearts in love need no words.
Then he followed suit in several more languages. Deaf to the meaning, Ariah immediately wished she was more cultured. He spoke again, spinning his words through various dialects:
“Me enamoré de ti profundamente.”
The words were spoken with such soul, such passion and
love …
Ariah nearly shattered into climax from their force.

Then a gasp burst from her lips as his hands tracked over the curve of her bottom … up the length of her back … past her neck … and fisted in her curls. Wildfire erupted everywhere he touched, igniting an inferno inside her soul, crumbling her thoughts into ashes. The tender area between her thighs throbbed, ached, moistened. He gave a gentle pull and possessively reeled her mouth against his own.

Ariah’s eyes blinked open. Their heads were mere centimeters apart, mouths sharing the same breaths of air. She took in the irregular features of his face – half achingly handsome, half a testament to years of torment. Tears threatening to surface, she pressed her lips against the uneven skin, not daring to leave a piece of him unloved. A salty tang flavored her tongue – and she realized that he was weeping.

Clasping both of her hands in one of his own, Gabriel stepped backward, leading her away from the railing. She followed without thought, her soul carrying her feet. Those powerful, haunted eyes never left her face as he edged toward the center of the roof. What a breathtaking and surreal figure he made, silhouetted against Paris’s eternal night sky. A light breeze ruffled the material of his greatcoat. Carried by the wind’s breath, the greatcoat billowed around his body like a pair of colossal wings. Beneath this light, he resembled a fallen angel. Her legs grew heavy, each one weighed down with desire and anticipation.

His hand slipped free, and Ariah’s knees nearly gave way at the loss of his touch. Then he stripped away his greatcoat, eyes still locked on her own, and suavely smoothed the material across the flooring. Gabriel lowered to his knees and held out his hand, beckoning Ariah forward with the raw magnetism of his eyes.

Pulse thrumming, she moved forward until she stood on the edge of the greatcoat. Moonlight flashed against his raven hair, brightening the locks to a rich amber. His shoulders were strong and wide, and Ariah was struck with the desire to feel his muscles constrict beneath her fingers. Indeed, he resembled a crouching panther – dark, smooth, and infinitely powerful. Admiring his silhouette, she wordlessly stared down at him. She attempted a smile, but her dancing nerves prohibited the simple movement. “Touch me. Touch me, Gabriel …”

Gabriel coiled his hand around her ankle, enveloping it completely, his sultry eyes never abandoning her own. His fingers slid up her flesh in an antagonizing slow burn. The warmth of his caress seared her skin. She watched in breathless awe as his hand vanished beneath her skirts. The simple feeling of his scarred, callused skin moving against her own was maddening. With each caress, each flex of his fingers, she ascended to a euphoric, untouchable summit. He searched her face for signs of reluctance or fear. Unable to speak, Ariah urged him on with a subtle nod.

Gabriel increased the pressure of his touch. Pleasure running anew, another gasp fled her lips as he cupped the curve of her bottom. Eyes hooded with acute desire, he murmured a low groan of satisfaction.

He tugged Ariah impossibly close. Then he reclined on top of his cloak and took her down with him. From head to toe, he was as coarse and as hard as stone. And his arousal was no exception; it stood dangerously prominent, straining against the fabric of his trousers. Their lips were mere centimeters apart … torturously close. They shared the same breaths of air, inhaling each other’s exhales – consuming the other’s heat, desire, and scent.

In a fluid movement, Gabriel flipped Ariah onto her back. Propped on both elbows, he hovered above her face and stared down. She felt the heat of his eyes as they roamed over her body. Balancing on one elbow, he nudged the material of her cloak aside. That cognac gaze ran over the swell of her breasts, taking in every curve, every bend. One of his hands swept over her tousled hair and brushed across her cheek in a painfully gentle touch. She swallowed as it descended, riding down and over her tender curves. He cupped one of her breasts with his fingers, molding his palm around her. Heat coiled about her spine like interlinked serpents. She arched into his touch, overwhelmed by the enticing pressure. Then his fingertips dipped below the neckline of her dress. Ariah worried her bottom lip as she bit back a moan. His callused fingers grated against her bare flesh, kindling flames everywhere they touched. Gabriel strained his body as they moved lower in restless, intimate perusal …

Buried beneath her dress and chemise, he cupped a breast with his palm and gently kneaded the aching flesh. Then his mouth skimmed across her collarbone, tracing the fine line with his lips. Pleasure rippled through her body. Her breasts grew heavy, each one tingling with sensation, both begging for his touch. Her nipples sprang to life as he increased his pressure and rhythm. He rotated between slow, sensual circles and abrupt teases to her nipple. Then those strong, weathered fingers deftly undid the clasps of her dress, freeing her skin to the elements. His mouth abandoned her collarbone as he lifted his face. His breaths sharpened while his eyes roamed over her chemise – the final barrier that shielded her from his eyes. His rich gaze deepened with desire and unmasked longing, and Ariah felt his passion echo inside her.