He doesn’t feel as good as Gabe, but it’s all for fun, so she grinds her body against his as well. Toby isn’t at all shy with Aislin. They face each other. His hand moves to grip her bottom. Apparently, Gabe had been watching because the next thing you know, Toby’s hand is removed and Gabe is pressing her body against his once more. Ella laughs at the abrupt partner change and moves back to Toby. When the song ends, Aislin’s eyes find Gabriel’s. His dark denim gaze bores into her. He looks very serious and she wonders if he is angry with her.
“Gabe?”
“Shut up, Mac. Just…shut up.” He almost growls.
She leans her head toward the curve of his neck and he bends his down toward hers. She shivers when his warm, moist breath hits her left ear. Sinking further into his embrace, Aislin realizes just how good it feels when Gabe holds her. He is so much more muscular than Ty, but somehow is gentler as he handles her. She sighs as the two slowly dance to Ed Sheeran’s “Give Me Love.”
†
Holy Shit. Mac just sighed. Gabe is amazed at how she danced with him. He’s convinced that the only thing that will save him now is an extremely cold shower. Maybe two. He can’t control his body. At least, not when Aislin is pressed against him. Their bodies are molded together as they slowly turn. He feels her warm breath on his neck. If her lips touch his, it would be his undoing. He might go all caveman, carry her to the bathroom and have his way with her.
Shit! This is Mac! Get it together! You can’t do this. Dec would kill you! Distance. Gabe needs distance. A lot of distance. And a distraction. An ugly one. Someone who looks nothing like Mac. He backs away from her and without a word, heads toward the bar. A stiff drink and…the blonde at the end, should do fine. Shit! He can’t drink. He’s driving. He orders a Pepsi and heads to the end of the bar toward the big-breasted blonde who had been staring coyly at him only moments ago.
“Hey, handsome.” Big boobs coos, placing her hand on his forearm. He grins and takes a drink of his Pepsi. Damn he wishes it had something hard in it. He needs it to deal with this shit. To deal with Aislin and this chick, too.
Big boobs has a name. It’s Cindy. She giggles incessantly and the sound begins to resemble that of nails raking, screeching down a chalkboard. The only good thing about her laughter is the jiggling of her ample cleavage, which Gabe’s eyes keep drifting down to watch bounce away. He keeps telling jokes just to watch. Man, he needs to get laid.
Another Pepsi and a half an hour later and a pair of heavy hand land on his shoulder. “Hey, come here a minute,” Parker demands. The pair step away from Cindy. Her frame is very slender and other than her breasts, she almost looks like a skeleton. Perhaps she is anorexic or bulimic. Maybe her breasts are fake. He’s never felt fake ones, at least not that he knows of. His eyebrows knit together as he blankly stares into his drink.
“Earth to Gabe.” Parker waves a hand in front of Gabriel’s face.
“What?” He barks.
Parker shakes his head at his cousin. “Dude, you are an idiot. What are you doing with Cindy? Do you realize that she’s laid half of the guys here? At least.”
“That’s the point, Parker.” Gabe says, looking back over at Cindy, who winks and gives him a little wave. Yep. She looks easy.
“Well, I know how you feel about Mac. You are going to royally screw things up with her, man.” Parker shakes his head and purses his lips together.
“What are you talking about? Mac is just a friend.”
“Right. Look at your friend now.” He points to the dance floor where Mac is pressed way too tightly into Jeremiah Stone. Her ass is pressed into his crotch and they are grinding into each other. Gabe decides that he hates that guy. His fingers flex involuntarily. Heat floods through his face and neck.
Parker laughs at Gabe’s jealous reaction. “Look, man. Your reaction just proved that you have feelings for her. She’s beautiful and a real catch, especially around here, man. If you don’t step in, I guarantee he will.” He tips his drink toward Stone. “You’re going to push her away with this Cindy bullshit, Gabe.”
“Mac’s just a friend.”
Parker shakes his head. “Whatever. You’re funeral, dude. But don’t say I didn’t warn you.” Parker walks away leaving Gabe staring at Aislin and Jeremiah on the dance floor. Jeremiah looks too happy and way too comfortable with Mac. His Mac. Gabriel fumes. It’s getting late, he decides.
Gabe makes his way over to the couple and clears his throat. When the two ignore him, he barks, “Mac.”
She jumps a little in response. Jeremiah’s hands had tightened on her waist when she did so. “Gabe, you scared me to death!” Aislin moves back from Jeremiah and crosses her arms over her chest angrily. Gabe can’t help but notice that her cleavage is enhanced when she does so. Jeremiahs has noticed it, too. He hungrily rakes his eyes over her assets and Gabriel thinks of decking him on the spot.
“It’s time to go.” He orders.
“What? It’s not that late, Gabe.” She relaxes and drops her arms. Gabe thanks God for small miracles.
“It’s getting late and people are leaving. And, so are we.” He lightly grabs her upper arm and begins to guide her away from Stone. “I have to head back early tomorrow. I have drill next week.”
Aislin nods and thanks Jeremiah for the dance, smiling sweetly.
“I can take you home, Aislin,” offers Jeremiah, who still holds onto the small of her back possessively. Aislin looks at Gabe and then back at Jeremiah. Every muscle in her best friend’s body is taught.
“No. I think I’ll call it a night.” She gives Jeremiah a shy smile and before she can turn away, he grabs her hand and kisses her knuckles earning a blush from Aislin. Gabe grinds his teeth together in response. His breathing quickens.
Jeremiah clears his throat and says, “Aislin, I’d really love to take you to dinner this week if you are free one evening.”
She smiles sweetly back, “That would be nice.”
What? Is she kidding? This joker? He’s not good enough for Mac! She programs her number into Jeremiah’s phone and he agrees to call her Monday to make plans for their date. Gabriel seethes that he calls it a date. It’s just dinner, right? Who the hell does this guy think he is?
“Get Ella and let’s go,” Gabriel barks. Aislin gives him a dirty look and then finds Ella, whom she pries off of Toby. After Ella and Toby exchange numbers and one last kiss, she and Aislin meet Gabe at the front door and make their way to Aislin’s car. Gabe settles into the driver’s seat. Aislin sits shotgun beside him and Ella lays in the back seat singing off-key a song that neither Gabe nor Aislin seem to recognize.
The only sounds made on the way back to Aislin’s new house is Ella’s horrible attempt at singing. Gabe is angry. Really angry. He cannot believe that Mac agreed to go out with that fake, pretty-boy asshole. He grips the steering wheel until his knuckles turn white.
†
I cannot believe how Gabe is acting. What a jerk! First, he leaves me standing on the dance floor to take up with that fake-breasted, blonde bimbo and then he has the nerve to get mad when I dance with Jeremiah. Well, screw him! Finishing her internal rant, Aislin keeps her focus on the trees passing by outside the window. All of the sudden, the car lurches forward as Gabe slams on the brakes. A fawn had jumped into the road in front of them and now jumps through the field to the side of the road like someone’s lit her tail on fire. Gabe’s hand had automatically shot out to protect Aislin and looking over to her in the passenger seat, he finds it resting on her left breast. She shoves it away. “Gabriel Church!”
He drops his head. “Shit! Sorry Mac. I was just trying to keep you from going through the windshield.”
“Yeah, well, that’s what my seatbelt is for.”
Ella pushes herself up from the floorboard into the seat and continues her song as Gabe resumes their trip. Less than half a mile down the road, Aislin’s house appears. As soon as the car stops, Aislin’s belt is off and she is out the door and headed toward her porch. El
la climbs out, still trying to sing whatever awful song she is attempting. She stumbles up the drive holding on to Gabe’s arm. Aislin is still buzzing and finds that when inebriated, it is quite difficult to unlock her front door. After several attempts and dropping her keys twice, Gabe roughly jerks them out of her hand and nudges her over. He opens the door and helps Ella to the guest bedroom. Aislin watches her friend collapse onto the bed on her stomach. She pulls Ella’s heels off and throws a spare blanket over her. Ella is snoring before Aislin and Gabe leave the room.
Aislin stalks off toward her bedroom, not feeling like dealing with Gabriel’s crap at the moment. She kicks her heels off sending them flying in opposite directions and fumbles, trying in vain to unzip her dress. She can’t seem to get her arms into a position to reach the top of the zipper. Gabriel laughs from the doorway behind her. Scowling, Aislin walks over and turns around moving her long hair over one shoulder to avoid getting it caught in the zipper. When Gabe’s fingers graze the bare skin of her back as he grabs the zipper, Aislin felt a shock to her skin. Not static electricity. Something sensual. She shivers involuntarily. His touch having the same effect as his breath on her body. Traitorous body.
He slowly unzipped her dress, the zipper ending at the top curve of her bottom. Aislin clutches the front of the strapless dress to keep it pressed against her body.
“Thanks,” she said softly, refusing to look back at him. The attraction that she feels toward him must just be the alcohol. The alcohol and the fact that she misses Ty. That’s it. This is Gabe, she reminds herself.
“You’re welcome,” he huskily replies, his thumb grazing the skin of her back. His touch earns a gasp from her and causes tingles to form everywhere he touches, like tiny, silky lightning bolts running through her skin. As if his touch is awakening it for the first time.
His hand moves up and down her back, and when it encounters the back of her strapless corset, he slowly releases the clasps. One by one, the tiny hooks pop open until the final one is released at her lower back. He’s just helping. His large, rough hand is slowly and softly drifts over the skin of her back, barely grazing it. Or not. Her pulse quickens. She refuses to turn around, to admit that she enjoys his touch and how it makes her feel. She swallows and bows her head slightly forward. His stroke travels up and over her bare shoulders now. When it travels down and then back up, it stops on the nape of her neck. Gabe eases her around to face him. She obeys but refuses to look him in the eye; afraid he will get spooked and stop. Gabriel uses one hand to guide her body to his, putting gentle pressure on her lower back. Then his hands, rub up and down her arms. She clutches her dress tightly to her chest.
With his knuckles, Gabriel eases her chin up and her teal pools meet his denim ones. Aislin can see the hunger in his eyes. They are hooded, darker somehow and dilated. He smells so good. She tries to place the flavors that are uniquely Gabriel. Spice, sand and something deliciously male, she decides, inhaling deeply. He holds her close with one hand and with the other toys with her long auburn hair. The act is so intimate, Aislin nearly melts into him. Once their eyes had locked, she had been unable to look away from him. His full lips ease toward her own until the warmth of their breath mingled together. He brushes his lips over hers slowly.
Gabriel kisses her softly, tasting her lips slowly, as if gauging her reaction. When she reciprocates the sensual action, he kisses a bit harder. She opens her lips for him and his tongue enters her mouth and massages her own. This is heaven. I’m dead. Where Ty’s kisses had been brief and strong, sometimes forceful, Gabe’s were slow and sensual, tasting and absolutely delicious. Aislin runs her hands up over his sculpted chest and into his cropped military hair. A growl tears from his throat and Aislin decides in that instant that it is the sexiest sound she’s ever heard a man make.
Their kisses grow more passionate, fingers more frantic. His gaze never leaving hers as he eases her dress over her bottom, the delicate fabric pooling at her feet. He presses her back into him and she gasps as her nipples brush across his shirt. She arches into him and their kisses once more turn hungry. He starts walking her backward, never breaking their kiss until she feels the edge of her bed against the back of her legs. Easing onto the soft white down comforter, Gabriel pulls back and takes in her body. Her white satin panties are the only thing covering her. If it was anyone else, she might have felt self-conscious, but instead, she finds that she wants Gabe to look at her. To see her. Completely.
She begins unbuttoning his shirt, and slowly peels it down his arms revealing a body chiseled from stone. Aislin’s mouth parts at the sight of him. An inch long scar rests just over his left nipple. In the next second, she is leaning forward and running her tongue over the raised, lightened seam of skin. He growls again. Gabriel sits up, his legs over the edge of the bed. It looks to Aislin like he may be contemplating what he is doing. She decides to take action. She wants this. Wants him.
Aislin scoots to the edge of the bed and stands in front of him. He looks up to her and pulls her close once again. His mouth finds her stomach and as he kisses her belly button, she nearly orgasms from that contact alone. She eases her legs around his and straddles his lap, which puts her breasts near his face. Perfect, she decides. His mouth finds the swell of her breast. She leans her head back, her hair tickling his hand poised on her low back. As his teeth graze her nipple and tug gently, eliciting a gasp followed by a moan. He nips and laps at her breasts giving each equal attention. Gabriel never once complains that her B cups are too small, the way Ty’s friends had teased sometimes.
He lavishes them with kisses and tender bites and she loves every second of it. She captures his mouth with her own and he moves to kiss her throat and up to her ear. “I’ve wanted to kiss the curve of your neck since the night Parker licked the salt off of it,” he whispers in a gravelly voice. “Mmmmm,” is the only thing she is able to respond with. She slowly rakes her fingernails up his back and shoulders and he growls again and throws her onto the mattress before covering her body with his. Kissing her deeply, painfully slowly, his fingers slowly ease up her inner thigh. She inhales sharply in anticipation. Her heart beats loudly into her ear; her breaths are frantic and shallow, desperate.
Gabriel stills. Every muscle in his body tightens. He leans his forehead against her flat stomach and sighs heavily, his hands gripping her waist for dear life. His fingers dig into her flesh. Oh, God. He feels so good. The angel on Aislin’s shoulder tells her to stop, remember her promise to Declan. The devil on her other, duct tapes the saint and hog ties her to shut her up. Aislin arches into him, a silent plea of her body for more. Why did he stop?
“Aislin?” he says.
She is immediately confused. He never uses her first name. Her eyes questioningly meet his.
“Aislin. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have. This was a mistake. I have to go.” He jumps up, turns his back and puts his shirt on before quickly walking out her door. Gravel crunches under his feet as he stalks into the darkness toward Parker’s, never looking back.
Aislin’s heart cracks a little. A mistake? She had not considered it a mistake at all. She runs to the bathroom and climbs in the shower, letting the hot water mix with her tears, as she sinks to the floor, the water pouring over her as she cries. Had she just lost her best friend? It sure feels like it, she thinks. Maybe he is right. Maybe she had made a mistake.
Chapter 6
Since the night of her welcome party, Aislin and Gabriel had only made contact twice, and both were brief exchanges of text messages. She had not heard the smooth, deep voice of her best friend since he left her that night. Gabe’s first brief text let Aislin know that he had drill for two weeks and wouldn’t be in contact. Two weeks later, he sent another text letting her know it would be awhile before he could make it back down to Mingo County. Aislin had known these were simply excuses. He was avoiding her, and in doing so, adding to the awkwardness that would undoubtedly arise between them when they would see each other again.
The w
orst part for Aislin is remembering the velvety texture of his lips, his sweet breath. Not to mention how his hands made her melt into him. As if she was nothing but malleable clay in the hands of a master potter. How he had guided her and made her into something beautiful by his touch. Repeatedly over the past weeks, she had had to push those thoughts away, the word mistake branded on her tongue and flesh.
Aislin and Jeremiah had gone to dinner the Thursday evening after the party. She made sure to make it clear to him that a friendship was all she was interested in turn, he had smiled and assured her that he welcomed her friendship. The two spoke most evenings. Jeremiah would walk to Aislin’s house and the evening would be passed in conversation on her porch swing or on the back deck. Neither spoke intimately about themselves, but simply enjoyed passing the time with conversations of current events and community news and other idle chit-chat. Occasionally, Aislin and Jeremiah would jog in the mornings out the winding country road that their homes were settled upon.
Aislin had acknowledged that Jeremiah was attractive, but felt nothing but friendly feelings for him. Sometimes, she wished her heart felt differently, though. How easy he was to talk with. Ella had joined Aislin almost every weekend. The pair would dance at The Barn on Friday and Saturday nights before she would leave for Huntington on Sunday afternoon after sleeping in late. Ella knew Aislin well and when Gabe’s name had not come up after two weeks of phone conversations and as many weekend visits, she had asked Aislin what was up with the two of them. Aislin had explained, without going into intimate details, what had occurred between the two of them after the welcome party. Ella had loosed a string of expletives from her mouth that was worse than the one bellowed after she ended her engagement with Ty.
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