We were explorers, eager to experience each sensation until we were ready to move on. Greedy for the next one as we gorged on it in a dizzying rush of desire. Soul kissing. Openmouthed and hungry. Our heads in a constant state of movement as we attempted every angle to find the perfect fit of our lips. Our tongues twining, stroking lazily, teasing and retreating. We were lost to everything except sating this endless need for more.
Gabi shivered and I forced my mouth from hers, although not entirely as I continued to give her soft smooches as the fog of pleasure began to clear.
I opened my eyes to see her staring at me with the same awe I knew was reflected in my eyes.
“Nolan.”
“Mmm?”
“Did we just reinvent kissing?”
“Sure seems like it.”
“Come home with me. Now.”
“Yes.” I swept my lips up the strong line of her jaw to her ear. “But you have to let go of my jacket first, sweetheart.”
“Oh. Damn. Right.” She released her death grip on my lapels and stepped back. “Uh. See you there.”
But she didn’t move toward her truck.
“Gabriella? Are you okay to drive?”
“Not right at this second. Are you?”
“Not even fucking close.”
She made the time-out sign. “We need to stay in our separate corners to get our heads on straight before we hit the road, okay?”
I nodded.
In my car I turned the air conditioner on full blast, as well as Eminem to clear away the lust long enough to operate a damn vehicle.
When Gabi honked twice to get my attention, I shoved the car in gear and followed her.
* * *
* * *
The instant we’d closed and locked her apartment door, we were on each other. Mouths sneaking kisses as our coats and shoes littered the floor.
Clamping my hands on her ass, I lifted her and demanded, “Bedroom.”
“End of the hallway. Hurry,” she said, her fingers diving into my hair as she attacked my neck with her teeth and sucking kisses.
Her bedroom wasn’t totally dark, but lit by a lone lamp that gave me enough light to admire her by. I let her body slide down the length of mine before I put a few feet between us.
I shrugged out of my suit jacket, draping it over a chair. As I undid my cufflinks, I said, “Get naked for me.”
She yanked her sweater off, letting it fall behind her, leaving her in a see-through nude-colored stretchy sports bra.
“Christ. Lookit you. C’mere.”
“Nope. Your turn.”
“First time I’ve ever regretted wearing a three-piece suit,” I grumbled. I loosened my tie, ditched it and my vest before unbuttoning my dress shirt and chucking the pile toward my jacket, leaving me in just a T-shirt.
Next, instead of unhooking her bra, Gabi peeled her leggings and underwear off.
“Gabriella.”
“We’re taking turns. So drop your pants, Lund.”
I undid my belt, unbuttoned and unzipped, shucking my boxer briefs and pants to the floor, all without taking my eyes off her chest.
She was quiet a beat too long and I chanced a glance at her. “What?”
“Nice manscaping. Oh, and, Charming? That’s definitely above average.”
“Glad you approve. Get those sweet tits over here.”
“The last of our clothing off at the same time.”
I said, “Fine,” and whipped off my T-shirt so fast that I wouldn’t miss a millisecond of my first glimpse of her unfettered breasts.
Gabi popped the front clasp on her bra and then she stood before me, gloriously naked, eyes blazing as her gaze worshipped me as thoroughly as mine worshipped her.
“This body,” I groaned. “Gimme all of it.”
“Same.”
I molded her flesh in both hands, then bent down. Faced with all that abundant skin, I feasted on her breasts, sucking her nipples, kissing the valley of her cleavage, over and over as she writhed against me.
Jesus. The sweaty, musky, salty taste of her kicked my greediness to an epic level and I couldn’t stop.
Her soft plea of my name brought me back around, when I realized I’d reverted to grunts as my only manner of communication.
Nuzzling the soft swells of her breasts, I reached for her hands and flattened her palms on my pecs. “Your turn. Touch me, Gabriella. Please.”
She ruffled her fingers through the hair on my chest, lightly dancing the tips of her fingers over my nipples until they were hard nubs. She bent her mouth to them.
I hissed with unabashed need.
Instead of continuing in a southward progression, she glided her palms up. Smoothing them over my shoulders, squeezing and sighing as she mapped my biceps and triceps with her strong grip. Then she pressed a singular kiss to my Adam’s apple as one hand cupped the back of my neck and the other hand sneakily slipped between my thighs to cup me there.
I circled my hand around her wrist, stopping her. “Let’s finish this on the bed.”
In one fast move, she sidestepped me and pushed all the pillows and the comforter to the floor. Then she crawled to the center of the mattress, making sure I got an eyeful of her luscious ass.
Which I obligingly sank my teeth into since she’d presented it to me so blatantly.
She squealed and I flipped her onto her back, pressing my body over hers, silencing her protest with my mouth.
We kissed for an eternity.
Kissing Gabi when we were clothed was spectacular.
Kissing Gabi when we were naked was the ultimate intimacy. Yes, there was urgency, but there was also sweetness. And trust. And tenderness. And an understanding even before our bodies connected that this was special. Nearly sacred. So we weren’t in any rush.
Until we were.
I slid my hand up the center of her body and planted kisses across her neck, stopping below her ear. “Open your mouth for me.”
Before she did as I’d asked, she said, “Your bossy side in bed does it for me in a bad way, Lund.”
“Good to know.” Keeping my focus on the split spot on her lip, I eased two fingers inside her mouth. “Suck on them. Get them nice and wet.”
“Is this where I confess you won’t need the extra lube because I’m completely soaked?”
I nipped at her closest nipple.
She gave me a helluva show as she tongued and sucked on my fingers.
Gently I eased my fingers out of her mouth. Then I shifted my arm down to slowly push them inside her as I kissed her collarbone. “You weren’t kidding. I love that you’re hot and wet.” My voice became a rough whisper against her skin when I said, “Smooth and silky and perfect.”
“Nolan. Please.”
I switched to barely there butterfly kisses on the most sensitive part of her neck as my fingers and thumb began to work her over faster.
Gabi tried to ride my hand, but I stopped it with a firm, “No,” rasped directly in her ear. “My pace. You like me bossy.”
When she whimpered and swore at me, I rumbled out a low laugh against her throat that caused gooseflesh to break out across her entire body.
Her breathing quickened so I sped up my movements between her legs.
And I watched every emotion on her face as she came undone. Arching, gasping, giving her pleasure over to my keeping entirely.
I murmured, “Beautiful,” and she blinked her eyes open.
Her answering smile managed to be both soft and sexy.
Her eyes went back to lustful when I slid my fingers out and rose onto my knees between her thighs. She watched as I wiped her wetness on my shaft. “It’s killing me not to shove my fingers in my mouth and suck them clean, but the first time I taste you will be directly from the source.”
“God
, you dirty-talking bastard. You’re killing me. Fuck me already.”
I grinned. “You ready for this?”
“Bring it, Charming.”
I stretched my body over hers, propped up on my elbows as she reached between us to guide me.
Her breath was hot in my ear as I pushed inside her. Slowly.
Holy hell. This was . . .
Everything.
I closed my eyes and counted to ten. To twenty. To fifty.
Soft hands brushed over my ass. “Nolan?”
“Give me a moment to savor doing this with you with no condom.” My teeth sank into my bottom lip. “This is the most epically amazing day of my entire existence.”
She snickered.
“You won’t be laughing when I confess this won’t last long. It feels so fucking insane that I’ll probably forget about touching you, so you’ll have to help me out.”
“I’m already halfway to coming again so we’re good,” she murmured huskily and scraped her teeth down my throat. “Move this hot body and show me whatcha got.”
A quick thrust up as I pressed my groin into her core. After hitting her hot spot, which elicited her sexy groan, I pulled out and immediately slammed back in with a fast snap of my hips.
“Yes. Like that.”
“This is next level,” I grunted as I ramped up my pace.
Her tits bounced as I drove into her.
The heat from her body and mine created a slick friction, surrounding us with the new scent our bodies created together. I wanted to stay right here, in our hot, dirty sex cocoon, forever.
I realized the guttural sounds of need were coming from me when that familiar tingle started to build. But it was fast. Too fast that I couldn’t hold back.
So by the time her rhythmic pulsations were viselike around my shaft, I was flat-out gasping as I came harder than I ever had in my life, pouring myself into her while she whispered wicked encouragement in my ear.
Finally I couldn’t hold myself upright anymore.
Brain fuzzy. Quads quaking. Biceps shaking. She’d spun me into that place where even my hearing had deserted me, and I melted on top of her.
Gabi’s mouth sought mine. I found the strength to roll onto my back, keeping her stretched out on top of me while we caught our breath between lazy kisses.
My hands shook as they stroked her spine.
She nuzzled my jaw sweetly, peppering my chest with kisses as she ran her hands through my hair.
With every shift of her body across mine, that warm, cocoa butter, sugary vanilla scent wafted up.
I continued to hold her, just breathing her in, basking in her—in us. However, I did rouse out of my languor to lightly whap her butt when she snickered at me, muttering, “Fucking cookies.”
Her shiver brought us back to reality.
She pushed away from me and leaned down to grab a blanket.
When our eyes met, I reached out and curled my hand around her face. “Saying thank you seems inadequate for what just happened between us.”
“I know. But I’m thankful too.”
“I wish I could stay with you tonight. But I’ve got a six A.M. flight.”
She sighed. “How long will you be gone?”
“I get back Thursday night.”
“Of course you do because I leave Thursday afternoon to drive to Rice Lake for a hockey camp.”
“When will you get back?”
“Late Saturday night.”
“Then I’ll be here Sunday morning at nine so we can spend at least one day together this week.”
She turned her head and kissed my wrist. “I’d love that.”
“It sucks that we’ve got opposite travel schedules.”
“It does. But like you said one time, we’ll adapt. We can always sext.”
“No offense, Happy, but even sexting ain’t gonna cut it when now I know it’s like this between us.”
Gabi smirked. “We do have killer chemistry. And just think . . . sex will only get better between us.”
I groaned. “You just had to point that out.”
Twenty-Two
GABI
It started out as a typical Tuesday morning at Lakeside.
Except I was dragging ass into work because Nolan had kept me up late last night “saying good-bye” since he had business meetings out of town again the first part of this week.
We’d been dating for two weeks. Most of that time we’d spent apart but when we were both in town, we spent our time together, usually in my bed.
So while both Nolan and I wished our relationship allowed us more time together, we made the best of those moments we had. Plus, we’d gotten incredibly good at sexting.
After brewing a pot of coffee, I opened my laptop. While I should’ve been going over Jax’s questions on our revised summer schedule, my thoughts drifted. Nearly three weeks had passed since my job interview with Wolf Sports North. Maybe it was time to accept that I hadn’t been chosen for either sportscasting position. But I knew I couldn’t continue to languish at Lakeside either—a decision that would be harder to follow through with now that Nolan and I were in a relationship.
The alarm to the front door dinged, startling me out of my melancholy.
Probably just UPS. Or maybe Margene had come in early. Still, I hopped up because I should’ve locked the main door behind me after I’d arrived. I’d just cleared the edge of my desk when Edie Lund walked into the office.
She looked outstanding in a flowing cream shirt, beautifully patterned with pastel flowers, paired with ankle-length trousers the color of lemon sorbet and raffia wedges edged in gold trim that matched her handbag and her gold jewelry. The chic shades covering her eyes probably cost more than my LASIK eye surgery. Even after she pushed them on top of her head, her hairstyle wasn’t mussed at all.
“Good morning, Gabi.”
“Good morning, Mrs. Lund.” I paused. “Is everything all right?”
“Yes. Please call me Edie. If you’re not too busy, I’d like a word with you.”
“Sure. Come in. Would you like coffee?”
“Desperately, but no need to wait on me. I’ll get it and be right back.”
I flopped in my chair, half-afraid that I was about to get the “you’re no good for my son” warning.
She paused in the doorway and looked nervously over her shoulder. “You’re sure you’re the only one here?”
“Yes.”
“Good.” Then she shut the door.
My panic climbed about fifty levels.
After she glided into the chair opposite my desk, she set her enormous purse on the floor and met my gaze as she sipped from her cup. After that first drink, she sighed. “I wouldn’t have survived parenthood if not for unhealthy amounts of caffeine. It’s a habit I’ve never broken.”
“Are you just a coffee drinker? Or are you into energy drinks?”
“I’ve tried them, the crash is just too severe. With coffee, I can dose myself all day long and no one has any idea how much I consume.” She smirked. “You won’t tell on me, will you?”
“Of course not.”
“So I imagine you’re a little unsettled that I just popped in unannounced, when we don’t really know each other.”
“I’ll admit . . . it is kind of freaking me out.”
“Well, the situation I’ve found myself in is freaking me out and I need your help.”
I blinked at her. “My help?”
“It’s come to my attention, that you . . .” She snapped her mouth shut.
Silence settled between us and it took all of my willpower not to confess that yes, I was currently sleeping with her son and loving every moment of it.
“I’m making this harder than it has to be, but I came here to warn you.” Then she blurted out, “Lucy has decided
she needs to bond with the women employees here at Lakeside, in keeping with the ‘family’ vibe Jax is trying to create. Yesterday I picked Mimi up from school and brought her to hockey practice. Lucy had mentioned wanting to talk to me, so I tracked her down and she was sitting over there”—she pointed to the loveseat and chair lounge area in the corner—“with Margene and Connie.”
“Connie the office manager? What had she been doing here that late?”
“I wondered that too. While I was standing there, awkwardly I might add, your co-coach, Anna, bounced in, and said, ‘Oh good, we’re all here, now we can start.’” Edie took another fortifying drink of coffee. “That’s when I noticed a pile of yarn on Lucy’s lap. My first thought was selfish. I’d hoped her knitting baby booties was a clever way of sharing that she and Jax were expecting.”
“Is that why you need my help? To throw a baby shower?”
“Heavens, no. I’d jumped to the wrong conclusion. Then Anna plunked herself right next to Lucy and pulled out her own ball of yarn. In one of those slow-motion ‘I can’t believe what I’m seeing’ moments, I realized everyone held yarn balls. Everyone, Gabi. Then Lucy handed me a bag and welcomed me to the first meeting of the Lakeside Craft Club.”
“Noooo,” I gasped in horror.
“Yes! Lucy started a craft club and she expects me to be in it. Me.” She thumped her chest. “Do I look like I enjoy crafting?” She paused. “No, don’t answer that. I’m not being disrespectful. While I appreciate that women love crafting and kudos to them for being so passionate about it, I am not one of those women.”
“Me neither.”
“I suspected as much. Which is why I’m here.”
My brain scrolled back to something she’d said when she first walked in: “I came to warn you.”
“Oh, hell no.”
“They have a bag like this”—she reached down and pulled out a canvas bag with an iron-on transfer of an ice skating pond, with EDIE in red sequins across the top—“literally with your name on it.”
“You’re joking, right? This is some prank you and Lucy are playing on me since I’m dating Nolan, to see if I have a sense of humor off the ice.”