"I don't know," I admitted. "I loved art growing up. I used to go to exhibits and shows all the time, because my mother does a lot of charity work with them. Fundraisers, auctions, that kind of thing. At some point it just lost its appeal to me."
He stood, closing a few files as he did so. Rounding the desk, he held his hand out to me and suggested, "Want to get out of here?"
I placed my hand in his and stood. "Sure."
We stopped by the bar so Gage could follow up on a few things with John, who would be closing up. Gage mentioned offhandedly that John might end up managing the bar, and I tried not to think of what that would mean for him. I was trying to keep our relationship light and carefree, and the fact that we hadn't kissed yet made me think perhaps that’s what he wanted too.
Stopping by my car in the parking lot, Gage turned to me. "How about if I follow you to your place to drop your car off, and then I take you somewhere? Wait - do you have to go in to the gallery tomorrow?"
"No way. Normally I wouldn't have even gone in today, but we want everything to be perfect for next weekend. I'm taking tomorrow off."
"Soooo, I've got you all night if I want?" Gage teased, a lascivious smile playing on his lips.
"Would you know what to do with me?" I clipped back playfully, which caused a look of mock horror to cross his face.
"After last night do you seriously need to ask?" he mumbled. "Don't tempt me, sweetheart," he added as he pulled away and walked to his car.
I was two seconds from telling him to please for the love of God get tempted but I kept my mouth firmly shut and climbed into my car. I went to start my engine when I noticed Gage kick the tire of his car angrily.
I pulled the key out of the ignition and started to get out when he looked over at me and yelled over, "Get back in the car and lock your doors, Savannah." He pulled his phone out of his pocket and swiftly dialed a number.
After looking around the parking lot and not seeing any immediate threats, I ignored his warning and walked over to stand by his side. He was on the phone and I overheard him asking for an officer to come to the bar. Then I looked at his car and saw why.
The side panels were scratched up and both tires on the driver’s side of the vehicle were slashed flat. There was a piece of paper stuck to the window and I wondered what it said. Gage pulled me to his side; wrapping his arm around my waist as he ended the call.
"You don't listen, huh?"
"I guess not. Somebody vandalized your car," I whispered, stating the obvious. "Who?"
He was eerily calm for someone whose car was totally messed up. With the exception of his hand rubbing the back of his neck, he looked as unflappable as always. He led me away, his voice calm as he spoke. "I guess I'm going to be a while. You want to head on home?"
I frowned, pausing to take his hand. "No. I want to stay with you. Come on - we can sit in my car while we wait for the police."
Once the police arrived they checked the scene, wrote a report and questioned us extensively. Privately we discussed the possibility that it could have been Jax or one of his buddies, but we didn't mention that to the cops. The note on the window stumped us both. Stamped in smeared black ink were the words:
Consider this a warning. Guard the things you find precious before you lose them.
Gage asked me to wait by my car while he spoke privately with the officer after he’d read the note aloud to us. I stood there and watched as they talked, each one looking back at me at least once. It made me uneasy, and I couldn't help but wonder if there was something Gage was keeping from me.
Finally, an hour and a half later I was pulling up to Gage's condo to drop him off. The police decided to impound his vehicle due to the threatening nature of the message.
As I parked in front of his unit, I discovered that I was still struggling with why he’d wanted to speak with the officer in private. I decided to take a deep breath and ask.
"Why did you need to talk to the cop in private? Is there something I should know about?"
"Why would you think that?" he asked. His voice sounded almost false to my ears, like he was hiding something.
"This is going to sound so superficial, but I'm not used to dating a bartender. I've seen movies, so I know these things happen. Are you in some kind of trouble that you don't want me to know about?"
"God no, Savannah," he laughed; rubbing his hand down the arm that gripped the steering wheel. "Is that what you're afraid of? I'm a bartender honey, not a gang member."
"Then what was so secret?"
"I was asking about you. I… the note worried me, that's all." He reached up and flicked my hair away from my face. Stretching, he rubbed the back of my neck while meeting my eyes. "It felt like the person was pointing a finger at you."
"Why would you think it's about me? Do you think it was Jax?" Guilt that I could be the cause of so much damage consumed me. First the fight with Jax, then the mysterious circumstances surrounding him being beaten, and now Gage's car.
"It wasn't Jax. I asked about him and the officer called it in. He’s still in the hospital, and I seriously doubt he’s that type of guy anyway. He was a lousy date when drunk, but I don't think he's a bad guy," he assured me, soothing the stress from my neck with his hand.
"You're right; I don't think this is something he would do. So why do you think it would have anything to do with me?"
"It's not that I think it's because of you, but I'm not taking any chances. Whoever it was threatened ‘the things you find precious’…" His hand stilled on my neck as our gazes met, and he finished his thought. "You're something precious to me, and I want to be sure I protect you."
I pulled in a breath and allowed his words to fill me, and the honesty in his voice made my heart leap. I wanted to jump over the console and kiss him - show him how much his words meant - but I held back. His hand began to knead my skin again and I held out hope that he would finally make a move. My eyes closed as his hand rubbed my neck and I yawned a small yawn.
"The officer seemed to think it was a generic threat, but they’re going to analyze the note and see if they can find anything since it was a threat."
"I'm sure it's nothing, Gage. I mean, besides Candace, Sara, and a few of your staff, nobody knows about us. It was probably just some kids playing a prank and trying to scare someone."
He smiled at that and lifted his hand into my hair to comb it out. "You're pretty damn smart, you know that?"
"Why thank you."
"You need to get home, it's late." He frowned slightly when I yawned again. His abruptness startled me as he popped open his door and walked around to my side of the car. The headlights illuminated his easy stride as he came around to my window and tapped on the glass. I rolled the window down and he knelt beside the car. "Thanks for surprising me at the bar tonight. I'm sorry the night didn't go the way I intended."
That reminded me that he was going to take me someplace before we’d found his car vandalized. "So where were you planning on taking me before things went to hell in a hand basket?"
He smiled and leaned into the window just enough to place a chaste kiss on my forehead. "That’s my little secret. You'll just have to wait and see." He gave me another peck and added, "Goodnight."
I closed my eyes and relished the quick heat brushing across my face from his breath. "You're killing me," I mumbled when he started to walk away.
"I'm what?" he asked. Stopping and looking back at me, his eyes narrowed in on my face.
"‘Foolish Games’," I called out.
Astonishment crossed his face and he retorted, "What the hell are you talking about?"
My radio had been set to a nineties station all week, and the song leapt into my mind without warning so I decided to run with it. "You love placing songs with people, right? Well then, ‘Foolish Games’ by Jewel." He cocked his head like he was trying to understand me. A flash of irrational anger hit me abruptly and I yanked the key out of the ignition and kicked my door open. "That's my song for you. ‘Foolish Games
’. The lyrics, Gage - these foolish games are tearing me apart. The push and pull we have going on…it's killing me." Slamming the door, I turned to face him.
It took him three strides to reach me, his face a mask of agitation. "Are you saying you think I'm playing games?" he growled. He came so close to me that my back was pressed against the car door and I dropped my keys.
"No," I shook my head adamantly. "I don't think you're playing games with me. Damn," I barked, running my hands through my hair. "Evidently I'm not as good at your song game as you are."
A charming smile cracked his angry façade. "Don't be afraid to say what you really mean, Savannah."
I drew in a deep breath and pinned my gaze on his as I purposefully and clearly spoke the words I knew he was waiting for. "I'm begging you now."
Those words washed all anger from his features. He stepped back and held his hand out. "Come with me." I complied immediately and he leaned down, picked up my car keys and pulled me in his wake.
"Where are we going?"
"Shhh." He squeezed my hand and pulled his keys from his pocket. The setup of his building was like a hotel, and we entered into a lobby before then stepping into an elevator. Gage pressed the button for the ninth floor and stood holding my hand, but faced toward the doors the entire time. His thumb rubbed my palm as the elevator chimed each floor we passed.
When we came to his floor, we walked down the long hallway to the last door. Letting go of me for a moment, he slid his key in and pushed the door open. Then he swept his arm out imperiously, indicating I should step in.
I walked into the room and looked around the dimly lit space. It was a large studio condo with a king-sized bed in one corner and a sofa with a coffee table and entertainment area in the other. It was simply decorated, and I got the feeling he hadn't been living there very long. I heard him drop my keys onto the glass table by the door and turned to face him.
"Okay," he finally spoke. "Can you repeat those last four words?"
His face was dead serious and I grinned when I repeated myself. "I'm begging you now."
He closed the distance between us before I could even think about blinking. His hands captured my face and pulled me to within an inch of his own. His fingers splayed down my jaw and over my cheeks.
"What do you want?" he asked; his voice low, his accent thick.
Grasping the severity of the moment, I used his own words back at him. "I want the earth to stop spinning. I want you to ki…."
His lips crashing down onto mine interrupted me. My senses began to spin as I tasted the beer on his lips, and I clutched his shirt and held on for dear life. Our lips mingled together, causing every nerve ending in my body to flare to life. Warmth spread through me as his lips played with mine. My body craved what Gage was offering, while my mind swam with the knowledge that this was just a simple kiss and I was already sinking.
Gage ran his hands possessively over my back and down the curve of my spine, pinning my hips to his body while his mouth continued to slant over mine. He flicked his tongue across my bottom lip and then traced the top, keeping his promise to linger over every inch of my lips.
I waited while he teased and played with my lips with his tongue and then his teeth. It took all the control I could muster to keep from giving him more access to my mouth. He was taking his time, and I was delighted to let him linger.
"God, you taste like chocolate and mints," he murmured. "Do you know how difficult it’s been to wait for you?"
Words refused to come so I did what my body wanted. I kissed him lightly, and then ran my fingers up his shoulders and into his hair. I put pressure on his neck; pulling him tighter to my mouth and flicking his lips with my tongue. He chuckled and kissed me back, allowing me full access to his mouth. Finally.
All thoughts left me as we continued to devour each other. His fingers held me firmly in place and tangled in my hair. The more he kissed me, the more I wanted more. Slowly I began to walk, leading him towards his bed where we fell together, wrapped up in the soul devouring kiss.
Saturday - May 11, 2013
Sweet Nothings
We lay side by side and kissed like teenagers on a first date. When Gage was done with me, there wasn't an inch of my mouth and lips he hadn't explored. He left them deliciously numb and swollen.
The air left my lungs in little pants. He lifted himself up and over me, allowing us both a moment to catch our breath as he kissed the tip of my nose and pulled me up into a sitting position.
His condo was dark with the exception of the moon shining into the room from the balcony doors. His face was wrapped in shadows but for one sliver of moonlight. He looked into my face in the shadows and spoke tenderly, "Stay with me tonight?"
I hesitated for a moment. My desire was running rampant right then, but I didn't want to screw things up with Gage. The hesitation must have shown in my face, because he leaned in and kissed me softly before assuring me of his intentions.
"No strings attached, Savannah. We can do nothing for the rest of the night if you don't want to. I just want to kiss you and hold you close to me. I want to see your beautiful face when you wake in the morning, and I want to start my day with your smile, instead of just your voice."
A squeak escaped me and I leaned into his body and kissed him happily. I kicked off my shoes and crawled backwards to the middle of the bed where I waited for him. I watched as he leaned down and removed his shoes, and when he turned and faced me, the primal need in his face almost sent me running to the door.
The bed sank down as Gage crawled to my side. He lay beside me, facing me, and propped his head in his hand. Moving his free hand up to trace my jaw line, I closed my eyes and breathed deeply. He inched closer to me, my left side sinking into a crater from the weight of both our bodies.
His warm lips came down on my cheek and slowly moved over my jaw and chin until he found my lips again. His body leaned over mine; his weight pressing into my chest. My hands found their way around his back and gently tugged at his shirt before running over his back and shoulders.
When our breathing became labored again, Gage pulled back. Taking a moment, he slowly rolled fully on top of me. His legs slid between mine and he pulled back, sitting up a little, between my legs. Leaning with his hands on either side of my head, he bent down, nudged my chin with his nose and lips, and then kissed a soft wet trail down my neck to the skin exposed by the vee in the neckline of my shirt.
I felt his tongue making light swirls and desire ripped through me like a wild child at a party. I lifted my legs and wrapped them snugly around Gage's waist, using them to pull him back into a sitting position so I could sit up as well. His eyes searched my face silently for a moment in question.
Sitting up, I brought his face to mine and licked at his lips, eliciting a half-growl, half-laugh from him before I sat back and without thinking, swept my arms down and yanked my shirt over my head.
His fingertips dug into my hips. "Savannah…"
"Shhh," I whispered softly. "Touch me." I wanted to feel his hands and mouth on my skin.
Leaning back onto my elbows, I held my breath while Gage stared down at me with hungry eyes. He leaned forward, his hand slowly coming up to caress my cheek. He then proceeded to run his fingers down to the base of my neck where he splayed his hand wide.
The heat from his skin was electric. As he gently massaged my collar bone from one side to the other, little jolts of desire shot through me. He made his way down my sternum, gliding between my breasts and then tickling my stomach until he reached my belly button.
"This is way better in person," I sighed. Gage laughed as he continued to touch me.
His fingers circled around my stomach and then he walked his way playfully down until he reached the waistband of my shorts. For a moment he stayed there, his hand hovering over my pants like he was deciding what to do. I took matters into my own hands at his indecision and pulled back up; reaching for his shirt.
Our eyes met as I unfastened e
ach little button on his dress shirt. As each one came free, a new level of yearning awakened. Peeling his shirt from his shoulders was sensual. His t-shirt underneath was still hiding his skin from me, but my body was doing crazy things at the thought of undressing him.
My hands went under his shirt and I pressed my palms to his sides, sliding the shirt off as I moved up his abs and chest. Gage raised his arms, allowing me to slip the shirt off, and soon I was staring at the sexiest male chest ever seen in the history of sexy male chests.
His shoulders were broad and more muscular than I’d realized. His tantalizing abs sat there teasing me to take a taste. I wanted nothing more than to feel his soft, golden skin against mine. My head was beginning to fill with all of the dirty things I wanted to do with him and to him.
Suddenly I was mad with wanton feelings running through me.
"Remember when I told you I wanted to feel your skin on mine?" I groaned. I reached around his back and pulled him down to me, and we both sighed softly when our hot skin touched.
His body covering mine, his lips searched for and found mine. Our hands began to explore the plains and valleys of each other’s body. Our legs twined together and we kissed for an eternity. When at last his mouth left mine I felt abandoned, and cried out for more. Then when his lips began their journey down my neck and across my collarbone, I ceased to think at all.
My neck rolled back and I arched my back as his hot mouth pressed a kiss to the top of one breast, followed by the other. I released a moan of frustration as he pulled up short of removing the protective barrier of my bra. Rolling me on top of him, he pressed my cheek to his bare chest. I took a deep breath, concentrating my lungs on bringing in his spicy scent. We lay together, his heart beating frantically under my cheek.
"We should slow down," he finally rasped out.
I didn't answer. I moved my head slightly to kiss his chest and remained where I was. One of my hands was above my head cupping his face and neck, and the other was lightly stroking up and down his rib cage. My fingers couldn’t seem to stop touching his smooth skin.
Last Call Page 19
