“Aw, sweetie. Come here.” Rick climbed into bed behind her and gathered her in his arms. He brushed her hair as he murmured soothing words in her ear. “Close your eyes, Gabby. Think of something nice, something beautiful. You’re safe. I’ve got you, and I’m not going to leave you.”
Four hours later, Rick was seriously regretting ever agreeing to stay with Gabby. She must have been having some kind of erotic dream, because she was pushing herself back into him, making the sexiest little sounds. Almost involuntarily, he moved against her, pushing himself closer. She ground her ass against him and pulled his hand up to her breast.
His conscience getting the upper hand, he gently pulled away from her. “Gabby,” he whispered.
Still asleep, she said, “Oh, yes, Rick.” The sheets slipped down as she rubbed herself against him.
Christ. “Gabby, wake up, you’re dreaming.”
Gabby woke with a start. “What? Huh?” She pushed away from him when she felt his hard cock behind her. She sat up, her eyes questioning as she looked at him. “Rick?”
“Go back to sleep. It’s almost morning. I’m going to go sleep on the couch, okay?” He had one problem, though. Thanks to the sweatpants he was wearing, he couldn’t get up without it being blatantly obvious that he was aroused. “Lie back down. I’ll stay until you fall asleep again.”
The events of that night changed Rick. It changed the way he thought about not only Gabby, but himself, too. He knew, just from that one fateful night, his feelings for Gabby had evolved, and they would never be anything less. They would continue to grow until she either loved him back or he left her forever. But deep in his heart, he knew a relationship with her would be wrong. Forbidden. So why did the sound of that make him so excited?
Chapter One
Present Day
Gabriella Tuttle was sitting at her desk in the corporate office of Jameson Construction, when the low rumble coming from her stomach signaled that lunchtime was near. Late as usual that morning, she hadn’t packed anything to eat. As she was mentally running through the food contents of her purse—granola bar, gum, mints—Rick Jameson walked in.
“Hey, Gabs. Want to grab some lunch?”
Gabby peered over the blue half-wall of her cubical, amused, as always, to see how many women had whipped out mirrors to check hair and makeup the moment Rick stepped onto the floor. Her stepfather invariably attracted women everywhere he went, much to his chagrin.
“Sounds good. I was just thinking about lunch.”
She reached over to grab her purse out of the bottom drawer of her desk, but it was wedged in tight. That particular drawer neither opened nor shut all the way, but she could usually finagle her purse in and out. She continued to tug at it, finally giving up after one last vicious pull proved ineffective.
Rick leaned over her and tried to jimmy the drawer open with no more success than Gabby. “You’d think the owner of a construction company could figure out how to open a desk drawer.”
“Yeah.” Gabby gave him a wink. “He must be a real moron.”
Still trying to open the drawer, he replied, “Watch it, or I won’t leave you the company when I die.”
Tired of watching Rick fight with her purse, which was obviously not going to be freed at that particular moment, she grabbed his hand. “Let’s just go get some lunch. You can have someone fix it when we get back. But you’ll have to buy. It’s kind of convenient that my wallet’s stuck in there, huh?” She smiled up at him, but he didn’t smile back.
He looked at her hand lying on top of his and slowly closed his eyes as if savoring the feeling. When he opened them, he gave her a smile, but it looked forced.
“Rick? You okay?”
He had been rubbing his thumb along hers without even realizing it. Reaching his hand up, he cupped her cheek.
“Yeah, Gabby, I’m fine. Let’s go.” He stood up abruptly and led the way out of the office, winding his way around desks, ignoring the fawning women as they passed.
~*~*~*~
Sitting in the cab of Rick’s truck, Gabby couldn’t shake the strange feeling that had come over her after the desk encounter. Something felt off—like they’d shared an intimate moment. That was crazy, though, wasn’t it? Even though it was impossible not to notice how insanely hot he was, they were relatives for God’s sake. Sort of.
It was Rick’s sandy blond hair that made her think about him as a man and not a father figure. She couldn’t help it. She’d always thought he was hot. The way it curled around his ears and over his collar when he was too busy to keep it trimmed was so charming. Sometimes her hands itched to brush that one wavy lock out of his eyes when he was leaning over a table reading blue prints. And he had the warmest brown eyes she’d ever seen. The fine wrinkles around them let the world know that he loved to laugh and did it often. His fabulously fit body was something she tried really hard not to think about. After all, he was married to her mother. He had the body of … well … a construction worker. He was all hard lines and taut muscles that rippled when he moved. The way his jeans fit snugly around his hips and ass made smart girls stupid. Quite simply put, he was the kind of man women fantasized about.
Gabby knew she had to stop thinking about him like that, but it was next to impossible. “Have you heard from Mother today?” She didn’t really want the answer, but the silence was deafening, and she knew that the subject of her mother would distract her inappropriate thoughts.
A soft sigh escaped him before he answered. “Yeah. She called me about an hour ago. Apparently she’s having some people over and needs money for ‘cocktails.’”
“That’s just great. I hope she can keep them out of my room this time.” Gabby leaned her forehead against the window and fell quiet. The last time her mother had her friends over, they’d just about trashed her room looking for money. Not to mention, they were obviously rifling through her underwear drawer. After they left, she had spent the night washing everything she thought they might have touched. And she refused to think about the time that Rick had to save her from that scumbag Phil.
Rick reached across the seat and took her hand. “I’ll tell you what. How about after lunch, I run back to the house and put a stronger lock on your door?”
Gabby squeezed his hand, getting that unsettling feeling again. Instead of releasing him, she put their joined hands on her thigh just to gauge his reaction. “Thanks, Rick. I don’t know why you keep giving her money. She could go out and get a job, you know.”
Rick took a quick peek at their hands and removed his with a sad smile. She might have imagined it, but Gabby swore he lightly caressed her as he took his hand away, leaving delicious tingles behind.
“It’s easier this way. I don’t know what exactly I’m going to do with her, but it’s nicer to keep her quiet, isn’t it?” Not waiting for her to answer, he continued. “Why don’t you take off from work early today, get what you need, and stay at Noelle’s house tonight? I’ll make sure your room is off-limits.”
Gabby’s frown and shake of her head conveyed her annoyance. “This is such bullshit, Rick. I’ll never understand why you stay with her.”
Without looking over at her, he told her why. “For you, Gabby. I stay for you.”
The emotion in his voice was powerful. He spoke quietly, reverently—like she was as important to him as taking his next breath.
With wide eyes and her voice at least an octave higher, Gabby said, “Me? You stay for me?” She couldn’t help the shock she felt and tried to soften her reaction by demurely placing her hands in her lap and lowering her eyes. If she were being honest with herself, she did feel a slight thrill deep inside at the sincerity of his words.
Rick still wouldn’t meet her eyes, and his agitation was apparent. His knuckles were white where they gripped the steering wheel, and his voice was gruff as he answered her question. “Yes, Gabby, for you.”
“But, why? Believe me … I learned my lesson after that last time. I can take care of myself. I’m not y
our responsibility.”
“I don’t care. I can’t stand to think of your mother’s fucked up friends getting their filthy hands on you again. I can’t stand the thought of any other man touching you.”
“Any other man? Rick, what exactly are you saying?” That little thrill she felt before suddenly sprang to life.
He glanced nervously at her, eyes wide. It was obvious he hadn’t intended to say so much—or with so much feeling. “Nothing. I just don’t like you being there alone with those people.”
“Well, I won’t be there much longer anyway. As soon as Marcy’s done with her semester abroad, we’re getting an apartment together.” Her best friend was spending a year in Italy to study fashion design.
“That’s still six months away, Gab, and I’m not going to leave you alone there.”
“Okay, then. Good. I don’t really want you to leave me alone.” Gabby gave him a shy smile. She wanted to continue their conversation to see if what she thought she was beginning to feel was one-sided. She’d noticed lately that she was thinking of him less and less as a father figure and more like a man—and she wondered if those feelings were real.
Even though there was a significant age difference between them, it wasn’t terribly off-putting to her. His thirty-seven to her nineteen—soon to be twenty—didn’t hamper their connection. They’d been through a lot of rough times together, and the relationship they now had transcended any age difference.
Their conversation ended as they pulled up to the pier to have lunch. The seagulls flying overhead called out a greeting as Gabby stepped from the truck. She stood there with the door open and stretched her arms up over her head, enjoying the warmth of the sun on her face and the slight breeze ruffling her hair. Her eyes closed involuntarily as she relaxed and listened to the crash of the waves hitting the shore.
Rick startled her as he walked up behind her and put his hand on the small of her back. Laughing at the way she jumped, he took her hand, shut the truck door and led her out to the deck bar. “Come on. It’s a beautiful day. Let’s sit outside.”
“That’s a great idea.” She let him lead her out to the deck, allowing herself to enjoy the feel of his hand enclosing hers. She could examine that later.
Chapter Two
The following weekend was a wash out. The rain was coming down so hard, it sounded like gunfire on the metal roof of the screened porch where Rick was relaxing. He loved the rain. He loved everything about it. The pitter-patter sound it made as it hit the leaves on the trees, the smell it left in its wake, and especially the fact that Sophia would use the dreary weather as an excuse to stay in bed all day.
Speaking of his bed, he kind of missed it. He and Sophia hadn’t slept in the same bed in over a year. She didn’t even seem to notice most of the time. Rick knew he had to make a decision on when to cut ties with her soon, but he first had to make sure Gabby was away from the unhealthy, and possibly dangerous, house dynamic.
“I thought I’d find you here.” Gabby walked out wearing hot pink yoga pants and a tight black shirt with a pink Playboy bunny displayed prominently in the center of her chest. It was almost distortedly stretched, due to her more than generous breast size. Rick tore his gaze away, but not before getting his fill.
Jesus, she’s gorgeous. He grabbed the pillow off the porch swing he was sitting on and covered his growing erection. Patting the seat next to him, he said, “You thought right. Just enjoying the peace and quiet the rain brings. Come enjoy it with me.” Her hips seemed to sway more than usual as she walked toward him, making his cock twitch as he grew harder. When she reached the swing, she turned around and bent over to untie her shoes. Christ! If he didn’t know better, he’d swear she knew exactly what she was doing to him.
“Mother still in bed?” Gabby glanced over her shoulder and caught him staring at her ass. She sat down next to him and took a peek at her watch. “Oh, never mind. Of course she is—it’s only two in the afternoon.” They shared a snarky smile and started swinging.
“Gabby, we need to talk.” They couldn’t go on like they were. She had to notice the looks he’d been giving her. The sneak peeks, the sideways glances. Not to mention the way he would try to grab her scent as she walked by. She always smelled so fresh and clean, so unlike Sophia.
She was fingering a strawberry blonde lock of her hair when she tilted her head in question. “Is everything okay?”
“Yes. No. I don’t know.” Rick took a deep breath and let it out slowly, not knowing if he should actually tell her how he felt or if it would be a colossal mistake. He needed her to understand that it was more than a physical attraction. He was pretty sure he was in love with her. “Okay, here it goes. Lately—well, a little bit longer than just lately—I’ve …” He looked away from her and kicked the floor to set them swinging again. “Well, I’ve …”
Gabby leaned over and placed her hand on Rick’s chin to tilt his head up so that he was looking into her eyes. Eyes that made him think of kindness, comfort, home. They were warm, and such a beautiful shade of brown—like hot chocolate that had just the right amount of cream in it. “What is it, Rick? You know you can talk to me about anything. You and me, we’ve been in this together for a while now.”
Rick knew what she meant. Sophia’s behavior gave them a common enemy. They had bonded over the past couple years and were now closer than they’d ever been. “I know, sweetheart. That’s what makes this so hard. I’d hate to do anything to ruin our relationship.”
“You’re starting to freak me out a little here. Please, just tell me what’s wrong.”
Rick once again pushed off from the floor, setting the swing to a speed that was too much for the old screws to handle. He heard a loud crack and looked up to see the screw on the left side of the swing come out. It happened so quickly he had no time to react. He slid toward Gabby before crashing to the ground on top of her. “Oh my God! Are you okay, Gabby?”
He felt her body shaking and was scared to death that she had hit her head and was having a seizure or was crying because she was seriously hurt. “Gabriella! Are you okay? Honey, answer me.” He gently turned her face up to him. She was laughing! Rick wasn’t sure if he wanted to laugh with her or throttle her.
“I’m fine.” She shifted her hips, which firmly embedded him between her legs. “Are you okay?”
He knew he should get up immediately. There was no space between them. They were touching from head to toe. Any second now she was going to feel his cock pushing against the juncture of her thighs. Just the thought made him involuntarily grind himself into her, and he let out a low moan. The pressure of her breasts pressing into his chest was almost his undoing. Through clenched teeth, he said, “It depends on what you mean by okay.” He placed his hands on the floor on either side of her head and started to push himself up.
Gabby’s hand shot up and wrapped around the back of his neck, pulling him back down onto her. With a smile, she wiggled her hips and pushed up against him, telling him without words that she did indeed feel his hard cock pressing into her—and she liked it. She licked her lips in clear invitation, letting Rick make the next move.
Rick’s insides were so tight with tension, he thought he might vomit. He wanted her so badly. So, so badly. The way her body cradled his was like a piece of artwork—they fit together like a sculpture. But it was wrong. There were some things you just didn’t do, and having sex with your stepdaughter had to be near the top of that list. In the end, his body won out over his conscience, and he lowered his lips to hers.
At the very second their lips made contact, the other screw gave way, and the swing came crashing down with a resounding thud, causing them both to jump.
Neither one of them said a word. They continued to stare at each other, Rick still lying on top of her, until Sophia came in, screeching to a halt, mere centimeters from Gabby’s head.
“What the fuck happened to the porch swing?” Sophia looked down at her husband and daughter. Rick saw the fury in her eyes an
d struggled to get up. He didn’t trust her not to hurt Gabby while she was trapped beneath him.
“What the fuck are you doing to my daughter, you pervert?” Her words were slurred, but her meaning was clear. Sophia may not want him anymore, but she certainly wasn’t going to share him with her daughter, of all people. “Jesus, look at you two.”
Rick finally set himself in motion and got up off the floor, pulling Gabby with him.
“Mother, what are you talking about? We were sitting on the swing and it broke.” She gestured up at the ceiling where two gaping holes now existed. “We fell when the first side came down.”
The hand that Sophia sloppily ran over her face, trying to clear the fog from her mind, looked none too steady. She walked over to Rick and grabbed the noticeable bulge in his pants. “That doesn’t explain why my husband is hard as a rock. You two been fucking behind my back?”
“Sophia! That’s enough. Go back to bed and sleep it off, will ya?” Rick slapped her hand away and pointed to the door. “Go.”
Undaunted by his actions, she put her hand right back on him and caressed him through his jeans while looking Gabby directly in the eye, even as she spoke to Rick. “Why don’t you go with me, Rick? It’s been so long, and my vibrator needs new batteries.”
Rick pushed away from her and shuffled closer to Gabby. “No, Sophia. You disgust me. I won’t ever share your bed again, you know that. Just go.”
She made a grand exit by picking up a small potted plant and throwing it at him. Rick ducked and watched it sail past his head, landing on the broken swing. “You better not be fucking my husband, bitch. I know people. You don’t want to cross me.”
“I can’t believe how lucky I am to have you as a mother.” Gabby’s statement fell on deaf ears as Sophia was already walking out of the room.
Gabby turned to Rick, her eyebrows raised. “Remind me again why I still live here?”
“Just six more months, sweetheart.”
“You want to talk about …?” She gestured at the floor where they were laying together just moments before.
Forbidden Fruit Vol 2 Page 31
