She shook her head. “I didn’t know you were here.”
He nodded and his lips twitched. “Ah, so it was someone else who got me a glass of water to take my migraine meds. Someone else who took off my shirt. Sponged my head and chest with a wash cloth to cool me down. Right. Must have been some other gorgeous blonde woman who’s always being kind and taking care of people.”
Oh, wow. The memory came back to her in black and white images, not quite fitting together. She had helped him. She’d touched him. Unbuttoned his shirt and laid him down on the bed while she knelt beside him, then she’d practically given him a sponge bath. He’d been burning up with fever. Now she remembered.
Still, there was no reason for the image of her palms sliding over the contours of his damp chest, down the ridged path of his abs. Her eyes slid over his body again. Yes, her ab-memory was correct.
Ribbed, for her pleasure.
He even had a golden happy-trail of raspy hair from his chest to the waist of his trousers. Probably lower. His skin was tanned a toasty colour too, everywhere she could see. Her fingers twitched where they clutched at the sheets.
But wait, did he call her gorgeous? He had to be trying to butter her up.
Of course. He wanted to stay.
The crazy storm blustered on outside, rattling the windows, and here he was lying in her bed without a care in the world.
He sat up, leaning on his elbows. “You didn’t remember any of it, did you? I wondered if you were half asleep. Or drunk. Too many Singapore Slings, I guess. That explains it.”
“Explains what?”
“The kiss.”
“What kiss?” Shivers passed over her skin like phantom fingertips, stroking all over her body in tiny circles.
“You kissed me. Then told me to rest and tucked me into bed.”
She gasped, pressing her fingers to her lips. “I did not. If I’d kissed you, I’d remember. I’d know how soft your lips were. I’d know whether they tasted like ice cream and the beach the way I imagined …”
Oh. My. God.
She’d kissed him all right.
Now he grinned at her like the cat who’d got the cream. Except he hadn’t, of course. Gotten any. No cream, not even a lick of it. It didn’t even count as a real kiss when one of them was half drunk and the other out of his mind with a migraine. Although from what she remembered, it had been a gentle, delicious kiss.
She shook her head again. “If I’d kissed you properly you wouldn’t be so smug. You’d be begging me for another kiss and all sad and mopey because I won’t.”
“Won’t what?”
“Kiss you again.”
“Kiss me again.” He bit his bottom lip. It was all damp and glistening. Lord, she did want to kiss him.
She stared at him – his eyes, his mouth. His face was dead serious now. The smirk had dropped right off his dial, replaced by a tense-jawed concentration wholly focused on her lips. His eyes burned with white-hot laser beams, searing her from three feet away. Although he was suddenly closer. When had he moved closer?
He hadn’t. She was the one who’d moved closer. She wasn’t sure how it had happened, but she couldn’t stop herself. She was leaning into him and breathing too fast. Should she kiss him?
She hovered, still leaning towards him. The sheets pooled around her legs, leaving her sitting beside him in a semi-sheer white T-shirt which did nothing to hide the hard points of her nipples. At least she was wearing knickers this time and not a towel. Still, she was more naked.
He raised one eyebrow and stared at her. “I dare you to kiss me again.”
She blinked. “What? How old are you, Gabriel Anderson?”
The grin was back. He looked like a teenager when those dimples showed themselves. “A few years older than you, I’ll bet. But I still remember some things. Like when a girl kisses you, it’s a good sign. It means she likes you.”
“I do not like you. I find you infuriating and annoying. And too Australian.” Seriously, he was like a commercial for surfing and barbeques. But he was certainly good looking. Even more so without his shirt on.
“You like me. I can tell.” His gaze strolled lazily down her body and landed on her breasts, circled there until her flesh swelled and pushed against the soft cotton. “I like you very much, Irish.”
Lucky she was already sitting, because her legs evaporated. She kind of fell forward until she had to grab his hard shoulder to steady herself. Months of pent-up desire wreaked havoc on a girl’s muscle control.
His eyes reeled her in. “Kiss me again. I double-dare you.”
So, she did. Of course she did. Not because of the dare. She wanted to. No one could blame her. Not even her brain, which fled on a little holiday as soon as her mouth brushed his too-full, too succulent lips.
Delicious man.
Gabriel hadn’t expected the kiss last night. He’d sunk into heavy sleep with the taste of her, teasing him. Sending him on dream adventures where he’d wrapped her in his arms on some tropical beach and kissed her until she sighed and moaned.
And he didn’t expect the kiss now, even though he’d goaded her into it.
But she leaned into him and her scent surrounded him, wrapped right around him, blocking out the rest of the world. Some kind of flowers, sweet and light as springtime. Her lips touched his and he groaned.
The noise had a weight to it, reverberating all the way up from his stomach and shaking his bones. She licked across his lower lip and hummed into his mouth. Like she was singing a song only for him. He was a goner.
When she gripped his shoulder and leaned over, pushing him down into the mattress, he could only go along with it. Her tongue flicked into his mouth, tangling with his.
Next thing he knew, Sinead was rising up above him and straddling him, lowering herself over his body. She flexed her hips and pressed her soft heat into his groin. Only a tiny scrap of white cotton covered her. Heat surged through his system and all the blood rushed south, so he lost his damn mind.
A goner? He was dead meat. Lying powerless at her mercy, waiting to be taken to heaven.
What a way to go.
Her lips opened and she tasted him. His mouth, his lips, his tongue. Sweet and salty and so, so, good. The way he stared up at her, as she pressed herself into his body …
He was all open, boyish innocence and wide eyes, blue as the summer sky. Not the arrogant CEO now. Not half.
Jaysus.
She thrust her tongue into his mouth. Tasting him, wanting more. Kissing with eyes wide open, soaking up his admiration and handsomeness like a sponge.
That look of his was almost enough to tip her over the edge. Her body, her sanity, balanced on a precipice, teeter-tottering on the point of no return. Heat drummed through her belly and legs, pulsing at the point between her thighs. She almost had him where she wanted him, but not quite. She hadn’t taken her clothes off, but she didn’t have time for minor details like that.
He groaned and God help her, she pressed her hips into him. The hard, solid length of him still clad in trousers. Fizzy tingles of pleasure fanned out from her centre to every nerve she had. If her body had wiring, she would’ve lit up like a Christmas tree strung with lights.
Ding, twinkle, flash!
Shifting slightly, a wave of pleasure rolled through her. She gasped, an incoherent noise in her throat.
He broke their insatiable, ongoing kiss and chuckled darkly. All deep and rumbly. “Slow down, Irish.”
“Oh, Gabriel. I don’t think I can.” She didn’t think she could stop now, even if she wanted to. She rocked her hips and pressed into him again.
His eyes rolled back in his head and he tightened his grip on her hips. “You’re a firecracker. I want you too,” he whispered.
She squirmed as he kissed the delicate skin along her throat and licked the shell of her ear. Shivers danced over her sensitized skin as he blew hot air over the damp spot where his lips had been.
Then he hypnotised her with whispers abo
ut the things he wanted to do to her. Dirty things. Delicious things.
So fecking sexy.
The pressure built inside her, swirling and brewing like a storm. He reached under her shirt to cup her bare breast. She leaned into his touch and he rolled her hard nipple between his fingertips. She gasped at the sensation, his slightly rough fingers rasping over her sensitive skin. Tingles zipped here, there and everywhere. It was almost too much. It had been so long, and Gabriel seemed to know how to push all the right buttons.
He thrust his hips forward and she moved with him, then her mind went blank.
She gasped, and closed her eyes as she fell over the edge. Floating. A surge of hot pleasure overtook her and she rode it, she rode him.
Warmth washed over her whole body, like a wave lapping at the shore. Finally, she collapsed across acres of his hot, bare chest. Her lungs burned, full of heat but no air.
After about fifty years, she came to. Inch by inch, she regained her senses and found herself back in her body, in possession of limbs. She’d flopped over him, boneless as a jellyfish washed up with the tide. Very attractive.
She found her arms, her hands, and pushed up over him. “How embarrassing. I didn’t even get to undress.” She glanced down at her own body, at the front of her T-shirt which was hanging off one shoulder. She hadn’t undressed, but she wasn’t wearing much of anything.
“You were so hot. And I’m ready to go anytime.” He laughed, the rumbly rolling sound making her belly flip.
He took her hand and placed it over his thick erection, straining against the thin fabric of his trousers. So hot and hard, all for her.
She breathed out, a long sigh of a breath which said she hadn’t quite finished with him. Not even close. It had been a long time since she’d wanted to worship at the temple of a man’s holy place. But she wanted to. Whatever madness had gotten into her, it wasn’t done with her yet. She was more than ready to return the favour with Gabriel. In fact, she was itching to unwrap him and bask in what she hoped would be a glorious sight.
“Let me take care of you, Gabriel.” She sat up slowly, unbuttoned and unzipped, setting him free.
He closed his eyes and sighed. “I’m all yours, Irish.”
She stroked him, lightly at first. Her fingers trembled, and so did he. Then she took in the view before her. The whole shebang. The entire package. All his glory. Everything tightened and heated inside her again.
This was going to be fun. She was a lucky girl. Very lucky indeed. So, she went to town on him.
CHAPTER SIX
The dream gripped him by the throat, even as he opened his eyes and blinked back the shards of daylight piercing the darkness. He was trapped inside his own body, unable to speak. Immoveable as a stone. Helpless. Lying in a hospital bed. He fisted the sheets in his hands.
Gabriel swallowed hard, but couldn’t catch his breath. His heart pounded too fast.
Slowly, he moved his legs. The weight lifted, feeling returned. Then he unclasped his hands and sat up. He leaned back against the bed frame and propped a pillow behind him. And breathed deep.
His breathing slowed, the prickles at the back of his neck calmed. It was only a dream. A nightmare.
On cue, the wind ripped past the windows and shook the entire building and he tensed again. It was the storm, playing havoc with his imagination. Nothing more. Nothing to worry about.
Breathe. In, and out.
God, he should be relaxed after what Sinead had done to him. The way she’d moved above him, touched him and tasted him. So bloody beautiful. She’d let loose, taken him in her hot little mouth and gone wild. She’d given him the best orgasm he’d had in years. Damn, it was amazing. Then she’d fallen asleep before they could go again. She’d better bloody well remember him when she woke up this time. A man’s ego could only take so much.
He lay down, stretched out on the amazingly comfortable bed and enjoyed the view. Sinead, asleep beside him, was simply stunning. She was curled up on one side, facing toward him. Half-naked with only a sheet covering her to the waist, her white T-shirt stretched across those impeccable breasts. There was still a lot of gorgeous soft skin on display where it rode up her stomach. Skin he’d like to taste. Still a lot of her to experience. He hadn’t even been inside her yet. That thought made his body tense again. He had to push it out of his mind. For now.
He turned to her, lying beside him. Her expression was so sweet and peaceful. Rosebud lips and eyelashes fanned out over her cheeks. She looked younger and carefree when she slept.
She was posed like a model, but he didn’t want to share this image with anyone. If he was a great artist or a photographer he’d capture the way she looked right now and keep it for himself. To hold onto the memory.
He’d remember Sinead like this when they inevitably went their separate ways. He’d remember the wild, wanton woman too. Of course he would. How could he forget?
Part of him wanted to wake her, no prizes for guessing which part. He could surprise her with a good morning gift. He was definitely ready for action again after a short rest.
The higher reasoning part of him knew he should leave her to sleep. They’d still have time for fun later. Hopefully, more energetic fun if she was well rested. Although even exhausted, she’d blown his mind.
First things first. He was starved. He’d need some fuel for what he hoped was still to come with Sinead. Stretching his arms above his head, the tension ebbed out of his sore back and shoulders. He rolled out of bed and onto his feet.
Stalking across the room naked, he found the room service menu and phone on the desk by the windows. He pulled back the heavy curtains, shaking his head at the thunderous sky. Pelting rain and wind like the end of the world. He wouldn’t be going anywhere for a while, and he was glad.
He flicked his focus back to the menu and called the order through. Enough breakfast options for two. Coffee, croissants, bacon and eggs, fruit salad. No more weird ingredients to mess with his head or his stomach.
Next most important thing on the agenda: get work off his plate for at least another day or two. It was unusual for him to get a whole day to himself and he intended to make the most of it with Sinead.
Grabbing his phone, he gripped the edge of the desk and braced himself to call his PA, Martha. She was a tough as nails older woman with indestructible-looking iron grey hair and an unforgiving attitude towards time-wasting. He loved her for it. She could be a handful, but she was an absolute gem and made his working life – basically his whole life – so much easier to manage.
“Martha, good. I’m glad you’re there.”
“Gabriel, you had me worried. I’m watching the news about the typhoon. It’s much worse than you let on yesterday. Are you all right? Did you find somewhere to stay?” Her voice went up in a high inflection. A sign of her concern.
He was rattled to hear the motherly tone, coming through loud and clear even over the phone. Martha reminded him of his own mum at times. The way she used to be. He’d been expecting to be told off for being rude yesterday.
“It’s okay, I’m fine. I made a friend on the flight and we’re sharing a room at the airport hotel. No harm done.”
His gaze swung around towards Sinead, still dead to the world in their big bed. Friends. He didn’t usually have such debauched thoughts about his friends. The things he’d like to do to her … Anyway, they weren’t friends. It was only a casual thing. Something in his stomach clenched at the thought and he stared out the window again.
“Actually I’m calling to ask you to rearrange my schedule. I’m obviously stuck in Singapore and I don’t know when I’ll be flying out. And I had another migraine last night. I need some downtime to recover. Let’s say, two days?”
Martha tutted in his ear. “You poor thing. Consider it done. The website palaver was all sorted out last night by those new IT guys in the London office, no problem. I’ll let everyone know Ryan is acting CEO while you’re in Singapore. Now you rest, Gabriel. No checking your me
ssages and worrying about work. I won’t stand for it.”
“Thanks Martha, you’re the best. I’ll call Ryan later to check in. Why don’t you hand over some of your normal work to Katrina and take the afternoon off too? Go and get your hair done, a facial, whatever. Book the fancy spa place you like, I’ll pay. I’ll text my hotel details so you know where to reach me.”
“Listen to you, still giving orders. But I’ll obey the one about the spa. Do you want me to book a doctor’s appointment for you?”
He shook his head. “No, thanks anyway.” He planned to avoid the doctors as long as possible. He’d spent far too much time in hospitals lately.
“You need to look after yourself better. Get back to bed and rest. Bye, Gabriel.”
He raised his eyebrow at Martha’s bossy tone but didn’t dare talk back. He fully intended to get back to bed as soon as possible. With Sinead.
“Bye, Martha.”
Work would be okay. Ryan was more than capable. Both as the new head of the European office, and as his best friend and business partner. Considering he’d known Ryan since their university days and they ran the business together, he was comfortable in handing over the reins. Temporarily.
The thought of Ryan made him remember to let his friend know where he was, and basically confirm he was alive. Gabriel pulled on his boxer shorts, grabbed his phone and moved to the living area, leaving Sinead to sleep. She looked too perfect just where she was.
Settling into the sofa, he tapped out a text message. Ry responded quickly, telling Gabriel to rest and make sure his migraine cleared before he got back to work. He’d obviously been talking to Martha already.
He almost hit the call button – Ryan would be a good guy to talk to about Sinead. Years ago, Ry had met a woman on holiday. They’d ended up dating for over a year. Noelle from some finance company in Europe. Nice woman, pretty too. Gabriel had never heard the end of the story about why they broke up, although he suspected it had something to do with Ryan’s past.
His friend had been in love once. Properly, madly, stupidly in love. Ryan had thrown himself in head first, since he’d been too young to know better. When it ended, tragically, Ryan had been in pieces. Gabriel had done his best to get Ryan involved in work, in building something. To give his friend purpose again.
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