I squeal like a little girl when I slide across half of the bed while Gabe grins like the cat that got the cream—or at least caught it with his grabby little paws.
My legs are on the edge of the bed, and I don’t know how, but somehow my shirt magically stayed in place.
If Gabe’s smoldering look is anything to go by though, it won’t stay on for long. “Now, where did we stop last night?”
I don’t wait for even a second before I sit up and grab his shirt, pulling him back down with me. “Well, I remember lots of this…” One of my hands goes up to the nape of his neck while the other one snakes under the back of his shirt. His skin is warm and surprisingly soft. Wrapping my ankles around his butt, I gently guide him close enough to finally be within kissing distance because that’s exactly what I plan on doing—a lot.
My lips mold to his, like they were meant for each other, fitting together in a way that comes so natural, it makes me want to high-five his parents for creating this amazing individual exactly the way he is.
“Oh yes, I remember lots of that too. And some of this as well, I believe.” He pulls back to catch his breath before crushing his mouth back to mine, deepening the kiss until I forget what’s left and right. The sensation only intensifies when he puts his hands on my knees to slowly, very slowly, work his way up my thighs.
It makes me hot all over but also tickles a little, resulting in me squirming around. The movement causes friction in all the right places, and a low moan escapes my mouth.
Gabe ignores my writhing and continues his torturing caress all the way up to my hips. Just when he’s about to move further up under my shirt, he freezes for a moment and pulls back to look at me. “I completely forgot. You little minx, you.”
I don’t need to guess what he’s talking about—his smoldering look says it all.
His hands are back on track now, definitely more eager than before—which might be due to my still-pantyless state Gabe apparently forgot about.
Moving around my hips, he lifts me enough to squeeze my butt and upper thighs. “I love how strong you are.”
“Thank you.” The smile I give him is as real as they come, filled to the brim with appreciation. I’m not back to my normal strong “dancer’s body” yet—having gained a few extra pounds this last year while losing some muscle mass—but I know not everyone likes muscular women. I realized, a long time ago, you can’t ever win and make everyone happy. It took a while, but I love my body, big muscles and all.
His acknowledgement of it, combined with my own self-confidence, causes a burst of energy to shoot through me. I tighten my legs around him even more and flip us over.
Gabe chuckles for a moment when I position myself above him, but his smile is gone when I reach for the bottom of my shirt to pull it over my head, along with my bralette, leaving me completely bare for his perusal. I toss it behind me, the quiet thud of it landing somewhere barely registering, my gaze never leaving his. His hands come up to cup both of my breasts, massaging them for a few moments before finally paying some attention to my nipples too. He rolls them between his fingers, and I arch my back, reveling in this exquisite feeling and wanting more of it.
“You’re captivating, Monica.” His words do something to me, and I close my eyes for a second to enjoy the warmth spreading through me.
My body feels like it’s on fire from both his words and his touch, and I can’t fight the strong urge to kiss him senseless.
So, I do just that.
I lower myself and his hands go around my waist to my butt, kneading my skin while simultaneously pushing his hips into mine, creating a maddening friction between us.
“I need to feel you too.” My words almost get swallowed by his mouth, but I know he understood them when he lifts his body to take off his shirt. He stays in a sitting position, pulling me against him so our upper bodies are flush together, naked skin on naked skin. The feeling is magnificent, his warmth seeping into my body, his heart racing alongside mine.
He watches me, his eyes intently on mine, as if he’s trying to figure something out. When his gaze leaves me a moment later, it’s only to dip his head down to take one of my breasts into his mouth. The attention he pays to them is beyond thorough, causing my nerve endings to light up and the heat between my legs to grow by the second. As if he can read my mind, one of Gabe’s hands moves down, disappearing between our bodies. When he finally touches me where I need it the most, I’m ready to explode.
My bundle of nerves quivers under his touch, and when he uses his other hand to pull my head closer to his for a tantalizing kiss, I’m done for. My orgasm hits me, and again, he swallows my moans like they nurture him in some way, feeding his own pleasure with mine.
Once I catch my breath after a few minutes of slow kissing, I pull back to look at him. I’m sure my eyes are a little clouded, but I couldn’t care less. This man has magical fingers and deserves every dreamy and satisfied look I can shoot his way.
“Your turn.” I kiss him one more time before slowly making my way down his chest and abdomen, planting kisses wherever I can. When I reach his basketball shorts, I climb off him to pull them down, along with his boxers.
His erection greets me happily as I crawl my way back up his legs. I take him in my hand, enjoying the weight and warmth of it before bending down to take him into my mouth.
It seems like only two seconds have passed when Gabe gently pulls on my arms. “No more, please. That was enough torture as it is. I do not want to come already.”
I pretend to pout for a moment before climbing back up his body with a big grin. “Do you have a condom? I’m on the pill too.”
He studies me for a moment, his eyebrows up high, but I can easily detect the hope in his eyes and I don’t blame him. “Are you sure? I haven’t been with anyone in forever, and I’m clean.”
Since I know he’s telling the truth, I don’t hesitate and nod. This man is the opposite of a stranger. “I trust you.”
His head tips sideways as his gaze softens. His fingers move up my arms in a lazy motion before he grabs my arms and pulls me toward him. “Come here.”
The kiss he gives me is gentle, somehow fitting the statement I just made. This is his answer, telling me he trusts me too.
And then, two things happen at the same time. He thrusts his hips upward, miraculously hitting home, while plunging his tongue into my mouth. My body’s arousal shoots to one hundred in two seconds flat, and I push myself as close to him as I possibly can.
His hard length hits the right spot and I feel sparks slowly building up again.
After finding a rhythm together, we’re like a well-oiled machine, working hard together to achieve maximum pleasure.
I lose track of where our mouths and hands are, this experience with Gabe heightening my senses to new, impossibly intense measures. At the same time, it almost puts me in my own bubble because the feelings of this moment are just so big.
The closer we get to our releases, the more frantic our movements get.
Just when I think I can’t take it any longer, Gabe reaches between us again. It only takes a flick of his thumb and I explode around him, falling over the edge so blissfully I wonder for a moment if this is all just a dream. He’s right behind me, groaning low into my neck as he comes inside of me.
We stay like this for a long time, trying to calm down our erratic breathing before looking at each other.
I just had sex with Gabe.
We both start smiling at the same time, and he leans in to give me a gentle kiss. “Wow.”
I laugh quietly as our foreheads touch with a newfound intimacy. “I know exactly what you mean.”
Twenty-One
Gabe
My eyes roam over Monica’s body the second she enters the living room, cataloging everything like it’s the first time I see her. Even though she’s wearing her usual combo of leggings and a T-shirt, having seen her naked has changed things.
Not to mention the several rounds of mind-blowing sex with h
er this morning.
Once we got started, neither one of us was able to stop. The pull between us was too strong to resist. The promise of desire so palpable in the air, it was impossible not to chase the thrill of it over and over again.
It also allowed me to see another facet of her, confirming what I knew all along. Monica is a lot more sensitive and vulnerable than she admits to be. Without a doubt, she’s a lot of fun in bed, but I liked seeing that softer side of her. The one when we slowed down, and she gave herself over to me, quiet, her eyes closed and her head tipped back, exposing her delicate neck in a way that made me consider giving poetry a try just so I could capture all of her beauty in writing.
It all added to the awesome person I already knew she is.
I’ve seen glimpses of that side before, but I don’t think she ever noticed showing it. Usually, she’s too busy trying to put up her fun, exuberant front for everyone. More than once, I’ve thought about how exhausting it must be to pretend. To act and feign to be a certain way just to make others happy.
My gaze follows her as she walks around the couch, stopping right in front of me, her strawberry-blonde hair falling in waves around her face. “Hey. How did your writing session go?”
So simple, yet so dang beautiful.
I blow out a long breath. “Really good. Changing my character made all the difference, and the words come easily now.”
“That’s awesome. I’m happy for you.” The smile she gives me is breathtaking, and a real one too, crinkling eyes and all.
My favorite.
“Thank you.” Since she’s still standing in front of me, I take her hand and give it a tug, pulling her down on my lap, hoping that was the right move. It’s easy to navigate us in the bedroom, but outside of it, I’m not sure what the rules are. “How about you? Did you end up going to the academy?”
Her eyes widen at the mention of my sister’s workplace. “I did.”
“Yeah?” I try to act nonchalantly, but it’s not easy. This is huge for her. Huge.
“Yes!” Her eyes sparkle, her hands moving around frantically as she speaks. “It was soooo good. The mirror room is absolutely beautiful. They did such a fantastic job with the renovations, I didn’t want to leave. I’m so grateful your sister offered the space to me. Dancing in your gym started to become a bit difficult with the limited room.”
“I bet. I definitely didn’t have a dancer in mind when I fixed it up.”
She sticks out her tongue at me, and I’m a second away from catching it with my lips, but she’s too fast.
A small yawn escapes her mouth, making me chuckle.
“How can you be tired after all the sleep you got last night?”
Her shoulders move up and down. “No clue. Sometimes I’m even more tired after I sleep a lot. Go figure. Plus”—she leans in closer until our noses almost touch—“someone tired me out with his little sex marathon this morning.”
“Are you asking for more?”
She throws her head back and laughs, her laughter ringing through the room. “Is that what it sounded like to you?”
I grin and nod. “Absolutely.”
“You’re the worst.” She pats my cheek once. “Sounds like you’re the one wanting a repeat.”
Sitting up a little taller, I gaze at her until I’m sure I’ve got her full attention. “With you—all day, every day.”
That does the trick.
She stills in my arms, her eyes heating up the instant she realizes I really mean it.
After clearing her throat a few times, she moves around on my lap awkwardly, her gaze on me sharp. “Are you trying to distract me, Charming? Don’t think I forgot what you promised me for tonight. I believe it’s story time first.”
Right.
Talk about a subject change.
And the equivalent of a bucket of ice-cold water.
When we parted ways earlier today, we made plans for yet another lazy evening together. Monica brought up her plans of getting in some dancing at the academy before reminding me I still had to stick to my end of the stupid bet I made.
Telling her why Alex and I aren’t friends anymore.
A frustrated groan rumbles in my throat, and I gently pat her lower back, indicating I want to get up. “I think I need a drink for that. Do you want one too?”
Monica nods. “I think I’ll have a beer. Thank you. You recorded Hudson’s festival, right?” She points behind her at the TV.
After getting both of our drinks and a few snacks, I walk back over. “I did. Normally, I watch his performances live, but this time they went on stage extra early.”
“They did. Charlie said Hudson wanted to perform early so Mira could be there too.” The huge music festival takes place in England every year, and Hudson says it’s one of the coolest performances of the year. I’m not sure I’d be happy with such a big crowd, but I’m completely content with watching it on TV at home.
This time, not alone but with Monica.
Who immediately nestles in between my legs once I sit down, her back leaning on my chest, the blue blanket from the couch pulled all the way up to her chest. Her hair is still a little wet from her shower, pressing coldly into my sternum while her hands cling to her beer bottle.
This feels so normal, it’s almost eerie. Somehow, I expected things to be different.
Maybe I thought there’d be more awkwardness after such a big change between us? Instead, everything seems the same, just more intense. Now, I can barely keep my eyes or hands off her, thinking of her constantly.
Just when my mind takes this a step further, thinking of all the wicked things I’d like to do to her this very moment, she brings me back to reality.
“So?” She looks at me over her shoulder, the curiosity burning in her eyes. “I’m listening.”
I still can’t believe I promised to tell her about Alex and me, but a promise is a promise. Plus, getting her to dance again and witnessing it firsthand was absolutely worth it. “All right, all right.”
She gently presses her lips to my throat, and even though I’m sure it’s only supposed to be a simple gesture, it calms me. I’ve always found it too embarrassing to tell anyone what happened, but look at me now.
There have been plenty of rumors going around over the years, but I never confirmed or denied any of them. All I wanted was to forget that dreadful day.
“You know, I’ve thought about what happened back then a lot since I made that bet with you, and I realized I’ve still been holding on to it. Even after all these years, I was still bitter, and I’m actually wondering if it has held me back in some ways. I mean, I haven’t dated much at all since then. How screwed up is that?”
“Hey.” Monica leans forward to put her bottle on the coffee table before twisting around so she can face me. “It’s okay to feel whatever you feel. You did so for a reason. If you now realized what you did and you want to change things, then that’s good, right? Maybe you just needed time. Nothing wrong with that.”
Her shoulders lift a little, and I can almost feel the support emanating off of her.
“Yeah, maybe.” My chest heaves heavily with the next inhale. “All right, let’s get this over with. So, as you know, Alex and I had been best friends since we were young kids. We went to the same schools, did the same afternoon activities, and then went on to the same college. We’d never had issues with girls, and Alex seemed happy for me when I met Ashley in my first week of college. We started dating and spent as much time together as possible. At that point, I’d already signed my first publishing deal for my first series and got an advance. Ashley thought it was the coolest thing ever, always calling me her famous boyfriend.”
Monica’s eyes are on me, giving me the strength I need to get through the bad part of the story without feeling too embarrassed. “We’d been dating for a couple years, and I thought things were going well between us. Everyone thought we were it, you know? Me included. I thought we were headed straight for the whole package—marriage and
babies. That was, until I tried to surprise her one day, only to end up being the one surprised when I found Ashley and Alex together in bed.”
“Holy shit. I was afraid it was something like that, but I was also really hoping I was wrong. Crap.” Monica’s face is filled with tight lines, the anger quietly radiating off of her in waves.
Even though it seems a bit irrational, the thought of her getting mad on my behalf somehow makes me smile.
The frown on her face deepens, and she tips her head to the side. “Why are you smiling? I don’t see anything funny about this.”
“I’m smiling because of you.”
“Me? What did I do?”
I touch the tip of her nose with my finger, and she wrinkles it in response. “You’re cute when you’re mad.”
She swats my hand away but chuckles. “Whatever.”
“It’s true.” I can’t help myself and caress her cheek with my fingers, feeling relieved when she leans into my hand, as if she can’t help herself to suddenly need my touch either.
“So, what did you do? Did you kick Alex’s ass?” Her voice is softer this time, like she’s afraid she might hurt my feelings otherwise.
I scoff and shake my head. “No. I was too shocked to do anything, to be honest. I turned around and left. I went straight back to our dorm room and packed up my stuff. I tried to avoid them both, but they caught up with me eventually—separately, of course—to explain themselves. I didn’t want to hear them out but was getting tired of being chased on a daily basis, so I let them say their two cents and be done with it.”
The same irritation I felt back then slams into my chest. “They didn’t care about my feelings, or they would have respected my wish to be left alone, especially after what they’d already done. All they cared about was the guilt they felt and wanting to lift that weight off their shoulders. Nothing but another selfish act.”
She grumbles but doesn’t say anything.
“Anyway. Alex didn’t even try to make up an excuse, which was fine by me, and Ashley blamed it all on me and my writing.”
The Mitchell Brothers Collection: A Feel-Good Romance Box Set Page 48
