by Reana Malori
Rosalind chimed in, “Yes, exactly. I want you to call us whenever you get where you’re going and I want a call or text when you get home.” Typing something into her phone, probably Gabriel’s name, Rosalind put the device back in her purse and smiled, “You may be an old maid past your prime, but getting the cobwebs knocked off is not worth foregoing our safety rules.”
Guffawing loudly at her friends’ words, Penelope shook her head and took a sip of Crystal’s drink. Grabbing her small bag, she straightened her dress and prepared herself to walk toward whatever the night brought.
“Wish me luck, ladies.”
Arriving back at the table where Gabriel sat, she was about to sit down when he adjusted his legs and placed his hands on his thighs, as if motioning to stand, “Are we ready to go?”
“As ready as I’ll ever be.” Her voice had a slight tremble. Was she really brave enough to do this? Yes, dammit. Yes, she was.
Standing from the table, he buttoned one button of his suit jacket and motioned to their waitress that they were done. Reaching down, he closed the billfold that held their check. Apparently, he had already settled the check for their drinks. “Let’s go.”
Standing slightly behind her, he laid his warm hand on her lower back as they walked out. Several eyes turned their way. Some filled with envy, others filled with awe, and still others held a look of admiration. Not for her, but for him.
Stepping into the elevator that would take them down to the main floor of the hotel, she could not contain her questions any longer.
“Where are we going?”
“Trust me. You’ll enjoy it. It’s the perfect place for us to have peace and quiet, and continue our conversation.”
“But that’s not what I asked.” When making her statement, she had to tilt her head to look up at him. Even though she was standing in four-inch heels, he was still at least six inches taller than she was. By the clenching of his jaw and the intenseness of his gaze, she wondered if he simply did not like to be questioned.
“Yes, I know, but I think some things should still be a surprise.” Adjusting his hand along her back, she realized that he had never removed it from her body. He slowly began to rub his thumb up and down, the pressure slight, but full of meaning. “Are you hungry?”
Surprised by the change in topics, she hesitated before answering, “Maybe.”
Stupid answer. Maybe? By the look on his face, Gabriel thought it was as well. What was she, twelve? Ugh! The elevator dinged, signaling their arrival at the main level and they exited. Although she was expecting them to walk out of the hotel, he walked them to another set of elevators and pushed the button that would take them to another part of the hotel. Oh, damn. This was it, the moment of truth. Deciding to force him to come clean with his intentions, she posed a question, “Is there a restaurant on another floor?”
“No, there isn’t.
“Then where are we going, Gabriel? I have to tell you, these cryptic answers of yours are not making this any easier.”
He sighed as he looked at her, but it didn’t seem to be out of annoyance, more like gathering his words. Yes, he definitely was not used to being questioned. “I thought we might order room service. I’m staying here while I’m visiting the city. My suite will be much more comfortable and quiet. We can actually talk and get to know each other without yelling. Does that make you feel better?”
With a Cheshire cat grin on her face, she turned back to the elevator, “Yes, it does.” Penelope was no dummy, she knew where they were headed when he pushed the elevator button. But she also was not going to give him the impression that she would simply go where he led her. Excitement was all fine and good, but she was an equal partner in her own seduction. She would make sure that he treated her as such.
Chapter Four
“This place is amazing.” Penelope could not help but admire the spacious suite she had just stepped into. Looking around at the opulence surrounding her, she now had confirmation that Gabriel was so much more than what he claimed to be. The neutral toned colors of the furniture gave the room a sort of calmness, but it was also somewhat sterile. Splashes of color to brighten things up would be nice, just to give the place some personality, but it was still very nice just the way it was.
“Thank you.” Looking around the room as if for the first time, Gabriel shrugged his shoulders as if accustomed to such elegance on a daily basis. She wondered again, who was this man really?
“Although, I cannot take credit for it. This is only a temporary space while I’m in town for the next few weeks.”
Walking toward a cabinet situated in one corner, he loosened the tie around his neck and removed his suit jacket, placing it on one of the chairs he passed. Every movement he made called to her inner woman. After she had left her friends and walked back to him, she noticed that his gaze never left her. Whether it was lust or simply an appreciation of the woman in front of him, she wasn’t sure. What she did know was that he made her feel special and very much desired.
The feeling was not foreign to her, other men in the past had made attempts to do the same. But something about Gabriel Turner was different. More powerful. More primitive. While that may have seemed like the exact opposite of the man standing across the room from her, she knew it was the right words to describe him.
He pulled out some glasses and a crystal decanter of alcohol. “Scotch?”
“Sure, I’ll have some.” Remembering that she needed to let her friends know where she was, she pulled out her phone and sent a quick text, letting them know where they had ended up. Safety first and all that jazz. Once that task was complete, she turned back to Gabriel and watched his movements.
After pouring some of the amber liquid into both glasses and putting the decanter away, he walked over to where she was standing. “You know, you could have sat down.”
“I know.” Okay, now she was acting like a scared virgin. Get it together, Penelope. Her inner Diva was completely disappointed in her behavior. Taking a calming breath, she sat her purse down on table closest to her. “I was just waiting for you. Where would you like to sit?”
Placing the glasses on the heavy glass coffee table in front of them, Gabriel sat down on the plush couch and stretched his legs out in front of him. “How about right here? Feel free to take your shoes off. You should relax.”
Pausing for a moment, she eventually reached down and pulled one heel off, and then the other. Her toes immediately curled into soft carpet. The fibers almost tickling her toes as she stood there, as if waiting for her next order.
Patting the seat next to him, Gabriel gave her a patient smile. “Come on, beautiful. Sit down. I won’t bite.”
Giving herself an internal nudge, she sat down on the couch next to him and reached out for her drink. This was not her first time at the party, so she needed to stop acting as if she did not know what was going on. The man was interested in her and she was interested in him. For tonight that was all she cared about. It was the only thing that mattered. Taking a fortifying sip of her drink, she turned to her host and smiled. Tonight was all for her and she was going to enjoy every single minute.
Laughing at another story Gabriel had just shared about his childhood in Brooklyn, Penelope was almost in tears at his serious look. “You have to be kidding me. You? Mr. I’m in control at all times is afraid of small, creepy, crawly bugs?” Sitting her empty glass down on the table in front of them, she went to wipe her eyes when the look on Gabriel’s face stopped her cold.
The look was intense, but not scary. His gaze was filled with heat, the kind that makes you want to jump on someone and rip their clothing off. “Gabriel? Are you okay?”
Voice tight and husky, he went to lift a hand to her cheek, but paused, “My God, you are beautiful.” Continuing the path of his hand, he grazed his fingers down her cheek, stopping at her lips. The flat tip of his thumb caressed her lower lip, his remaining four fingers holding her tight around the face as his breathing became ragged. “Stay.�
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“Gabriel…” Not sure what she was going to say, the only word she could get out of her mouth was his name.
“Just one night. I know this is not your normal thing, but I’ve wanted you since I first saw you. Sitting here with you, just being me for these couple of hours has made me feel normal. Better than I have in years. I haven’t wanted anyone like this in a long time. But tonight, all I want is you.”
The feeling of his hands on her, grasping her tightly, was her undoing. He was right, this wasn’t usually her, but tonight—it would be. She needed this. Even if she never saw him again after tonight, she would relive these moments in her dreams for many weeks and months to come. This experience with him would be hers and hers alone, and she would savor every exciting moment. Being a good girl for all these years should count for something and this man, this moment...was her reward. When she left this lavish hotel room and went back to her normal life, the memory of tonight would keep her warm on the cold nights when she was all alone.
People always say that actions speak louder than words. She let her next actions speak for her. The words left unspoken, she answered the question that still lingered in the air. Would she stay? Hell yes, she would.
Moving slowly, she leaned her head in toward him, her gaze never leaving his as she breached the gap between them. After what seemed like minutes, but had only been a few seconds, her soft lips met his. A sigh escaped from his mouth at the same time that her body melted into his. The firmness of his lips was the perfect complement to her softer lips. His hands gripped her upper arms tightly, pulling her body flush with his, her soft breasts pressing against his hard chest. Their kiss turned more demanding. His tongue pressed against her mouth, seeking entrance so that he could deepen the kiss even further.
His whispered words, full of desire and passion, reached her ears, “Damn, Penelope. You feel so good in my arms.”
“Yeah, so do you.” She craved more of his heat. Pressing closer to him, it was as if she was trying to crawl inside of him. Damn, she wasn’t close enough. It dawned on her that her skirt prohibited her from getting as close to him as she wanted. Breaking the kiss for a moment, she scrambled to adjust her position, “Wait. Give me a second.” She pulled her skirt up to her hips, just high enough to allow her legs free movement and climbed back on top of him, her hot channel snugly situated directly over the hard ridge in his pants. “Now, that’s better.”
Cradling her face within his strong hands, “Less talking, more kissing.” His lips captured hers again, but now they could get as close as they needed to.
She felt his hips begin to rise as she ground her own body downward, their bodies mimicking the act they both desired so much. Strong hands gripped her ass as he pulled her body flush with his, the force of the pressure made her gasp out in surprise at the sensation. Ripples of desire and need filled her body as she fought to focus on both his lips and tongue driving her crazy. His strong hands kneaded and squeezed her firm globes, while at the same time pulling her body toward him. Pleasure coursed through her as they rocked together on the couch. Her hands tangled in his short, wavy hair as they got lost in the feeling of each other.
Gabriel lifted his head and stared into her face. The only sound in the room was their ragged breathing, both of them trying to pull air into their lungs after the intensity of their kiss. He seemed to force the words from his mouth, “Let’s move to the bedroom. Hold on to me, baby.”
“Okay…”, as she began to speak, only the one word managed to come out as their position shifted and she was caught off guard.
In one swift motion, Gabriel lifted them both from the couch and began walking to the back of the penthouse suite. This time, it was she who grabbed his face in between her hands as she kissed him. If the rest of the night was anything like the last few minutes, she was in for a wonderful ride.
Arriving to the bedroom in mere seconds, he placed her down gently on the large mattress and stood up. For several seconds, he just stared at her, as if soaking her in. He bent down toward her and his large hands began caressing her skin, roaming all over her body. His fingertips were manipulating her nipples through her thin blouse. “Off, Penelope. I need to see all of you.”
“If you want to see all of me, then you have to unwrap me.” Maybe now was not the time for her to turn sassy. But, damn, it sure as hell made her feel powerful. His desire for her was almost tangible. If she wanted to, she could almost reach out and touch his need for her. Well, looking at the bulge in his slacks that was straining to break free, she actually could reach out and touch the physical manifestation of just how much he wanted her.
Penelope looked at the man hovering above her and she allowed the slightest of whimpers to come through. This is what she needed tonight. More than anything, the feeling of being desired and wanted was a very heady sensation. She watched as Gabriel began to unbutton his crisp, white shirt. Button by button, he bared his chest to her. A light smattering of smooth, dark hair covered his chest. Just enough to cover the tanned, taut skin of his chest and stomach, and she had to resist the urge to run her fingers across his chiseled body. It wasn’t so much hair that he looked as if it were a carpet on his chest. Continuing to stare at him, she began to run her tongue across her lower lip. The sight of his hair covered chest was perfect and when she imagined him rubbing against her hardened nipples, it made her pussy start to moisten and leak with anticipation.
It gave him a rugged appearance and went against what his outward appearance showed when he was covered up in his thousand dollar suit. There was just something about him that screamed out to the woman lying on the bed that he was all man and she knew that she wanted him inside of her. As he slid the shirt off of his shoulders, she bit her bottom lip in desire. Her gaze shifted lower and she simply stared at the body of her soon to be lover standing in front of her. Lean muscles rippled and flexed as he shifted his arms to pull his hands from his shirt sleeves.
A low laugh sounded above her and it took a minute for it to register that the sound had come from Gabriel. Tilting her head up to him, she asked, “What’s so funny?”
“You, baby. You haven’t said a word, but the look on your face is saying a whole hell of a lot to me right now.” His hands dropped to his belt buckle and paused, “Before we go any further, you should understand that I am a greedy lover.”
Looking into his eyes again, she couldn’t resist asking the question, “What does that mean?”
Removing his hands from the belt, he folded his arms across his broad chest and widened his stance. This slight movement was in no way overtly sexual, but it served to make her even wetter than before. His deep voice broke into her thoughts, “It means that I will take everything you have to give. You will not leave this room without knowing exactly what it means to feel pleasure. There has been a lot stress on my shoulders lately and I need a...release, if you will.”
Her breath stuttered at his words. The man standing across from her was almost more than she could handle, but handle him, she would.
“I don’t mind being a stress reliever.”
“Good. That’s exactly what I wanted to hear.”
Gabriel looked down at the woman lying on his hotel bed and an involuntary shiver went through his body. All his. Even if only for this one night, the goddess in full display on his bed was going to be his. Never a man to look a gift horse in the mouth, he welcomed her presence. Taking a deep breath, he tried to calm the inner demon, telling him to take her and make her his. To claim her and make sure she never forgot the pleasure he would give her tonight. It was too soon for those kind of thoughts. He had only been in her presence for such a short time, but the intensity of his desire for her could not, would not, be explained away as a simple moment of weakness.
Taking a step closer to the bed, he leaned down to kiss her again. His firm lips pressed forcefully against hers. He felt her soft hands raise up to grip his biceps, as if holding on to him through the initial onslaught of his passion. At firs
t, she seemed to hesitate and did not immediately return the passionate kiss. For a moment, he thought he had lost her. That he had come on too strong for what many would consider a one-night stand. When he finally felt her lips moving under his, giving back as much as he gave, his heart beat faster and the blood rushed to his cock. Oh yes, baby. Be mine tonight.
Kneeling on the bed, he gently pushed her back so that she was lying on the mattress. Kneeing her thighs open, he lay down in between her legs and situated his hard cock so that it pressed up against her core. Settling in just a bit deeper, he felt her legs lift and wrap around his lower butt. His tongue dueled with hers for dominance. The only sound in the room was their heavy breathing and moans of passion. Breaking away slightly from the kiss, he grabbed her blouse and pulled it from her, her upper body lifting slightly so that he could fully remove the item of clothing. Next, he removed her black satin bra, releasing her lush breasts and giving him full view of her womanly form as she lay on his bed like the siren she was.
Leaning up slightly, his gaze soaked in the sight of her body for a few seconds before one hand grabbed a breast and began kneading the soft, pliable flesh in his hands. His finger pinched the nipple, bringing a sting of pain along with the pleasure. His head dipped down to the other breast and he wrapped his lips around the tip, creating a tight suction as he nibbled and licked her nipple, and wrenching moan after moan from her mouth. He started slowly, intermittently nipping and licking, while at the same time pinching her other nipple between his thumb and forefinger. Her lower body began to writhe and contort in pleasure as he focused all of his energy on pleasing the woman in his arms.
With both his mouth and one of his hands busy, he adjusted himself slightly so that he could easily slip his other hand up her silky brown thigh. His hand sought out her slippery, wet flesh that he had been thinking about all night. Arriving at his idea of Nirvana, he took one long, thick finger and traced the path from the top of her slit all the way down. She was so wet, his fingers were dripping with her musky essence and he could almost taste her.
