by Leah Brooke
She didn’t know how a man could appear both powerfully masculine and elegant at the same time, but somehow Gabriel managed it.
She always felt inadequate and naïve around him, and couldn’t help but wonder what a man like Gabriel saw in her, especially since she’d made it clear that she wasn’t a submissive.
The look in his eyes as they moved over her, though, made her feel as if she was the most desirable woman on earth, and made her believe that something wonderful could happen between them.
It was a heady feeling, and one that created a need inside her that couldn’t be ignored.
It was also too dangerous for her well-being.
His eyes moved over her, creating an overwhelming rush of sensations through her, making her shift restlessly and wish she wore something that covered her a little more.
As soon as she arrived on the island, she’d been forced to change into the most revealing outfit she’d ever worn before, an outfit that every woman who visited Rapture Island had to wear.
What amounted to little more than two pieces of fabric, one covering her breasts and the other wrapped around her hips, it barely covered her. Knowing that only the clasp between her breasts and one low on her left hip kept the material in place made her feel entirely too exposed.
It was a good feeling, though, especially when she saw the appreciation in Gabriel’s eyes each time he looked at her.
The knowledge of her vulnerability and arousal shone in Gabriel’s eyes, his gaze lingering on the jeweled clasps as if he wished they would unclasp themselves then and there.
The thought of being naked and under Gabriel had given her many sleepless nights, especially since learning she’d be spending the week here with him, the need for him becoming so unbearable that even masturbating no longer satisfied her.
She could only imagine how much it would amuse him to know how badly she wanted him, and wanted the erotic pleasure his eyes promised. Hiding it from him became increasingly difficult as the need for him continued to grow, especially when he watched her with those sharp, hooded eyes.
God, she wanted him!
Turning away, she swallowed heavily and struggled to sound composed. “Stop ogling me. I feel foolish enough in this ridiculous outfit.” She suspected that he could see right through her, the knowledge that she couldn’t fool him exciting her even more.
He challenged her, and over the last few months had managed to sneak through her defenses, leaving her feeling exhilarated.
Appearing nonchalant became increasingly difficult.
Standing on the balcony of the luxury hotel, and conscious of Gabriel’s searching look, Kelsey looked out at the turquoise-blue ocean and the white sand and thought that this place had to be the closest thing to paradise she’d ever experience.
Without Gabriel here, she knew it wouldn’t be half as appealing, and not nearly as exciting.
He was her own private paradise—and her greatest weakness.
Unable to resist, she turned her head to look at him, Struck again by the hunger glittering in his eyes.
Gabriel’s dark, elegant brow went up, a faint smile playing at his sensuous lips, lips she’d imagined moving over her skin with an expertise that she knew would leave her helpless and wanting. “No. I’m not about to stop looking at you. It’s not a ridiculous outfit. You knew the rules of this place when you agreed to come here.” He offered her a glass of the delicious wine their hosts had provided, his voice lowering and becoming more intimate.
“You knew that coming to Rapture Island meant that you would have to wear the appropriate clothing I think you look amazing—even better than I imagined.”
Kelsey couldn’t help but finger the silky material of the revealing skirt she wore, the slide of it over her overheated skin driving her nearly mad. She had to be very conscious of the way she walked when wearing it because without panties, she faced the very real fear of showing her pussy and ass to anyone nearby.
The thought that Gabriel knew that she wore no panties aroused her even more.
The almost continuous island breeze made being exposed a very real possibility, and although she didn’t want any of the other men present to see her, she found herself moving in such a way that would draw Gabriel’s attention.
She didn’t even realize she did it at first, and then struggled not to, but the lure of having Gabriel’s gaze on her naked flesh proved too irresistible to ignore.
Narrowing her eyes, she slid a glance at her best friend, Julianna, who was dressed in a similar outfit for her wedding to Nick and Steve, the owners of this island.
And the men who made the rules about what women were permitted to wear here.
They’d dressed Julianna in white and gold, with crystals that caught the light, sending flashes of glittering light every time her friend moved.
Kelsey had to admit, she’d never seen her friend look so beautiful, or so happy.
“Julianna’s obviously in love, and I wouldn’t have missed her wedding for the world, but did she really have to get married here?”
Gabriel grinned, his eyes moving over her. “Where else would she get married? Her new husbands own this island.” With a hand at her waist, he pulled her closer, pointing into the distance. “See that construction going on over there?”
Kelsey tensed, the feel of his hand on her bare skin sending warm, tingling heat outward until it seemed to encompass every erogenous zone in her body.
She’d thought his touch on her hand overwhelming in the coffee shop, but it proved to be even more potent now, so incredibly sensual that she almost turned in his arms and pressed herself against him. The struggle to remain stiff cost her, but she knew better than to want something she couldn’t have. Gripping the railing until her knuckles turned white, she stared into the direction he pointed and tried not to think about the heat pouring off of his body in waves.
She tried not to think about the feel of his body brushing against hers, or the slide of his silky hair over her shoulder.
“Yes.” Her voice came out as a croak, and she had to clear her throat before speaking again, too aware of his hard, hot body against hers. “What is it?” She stepped away and turned to face him, slightly surprised, and unbelievably disappointed that he’d let her.
Gabriel gaze narrowed, the pride and amusement in his sparkling eyes unmistakable. His eyes glittered with the knowledge of her reaction to his touch, the satisfaction in them putting her on the defensive. “It’s the resort we’re building. Nick and Steve needed a partner, and I was more than happy to invest.” His smug grin made her pulse trip. “We’re going to make a killing.”
Kelsey already knew about the resort from Julianna, but she hadn’t realized Gabriel would be a part of it. “Julianna told me about it. It’s some sort of place for Dominants and submissives to vacation, isn’t it?” Grimacing, she looked around and tried not to think about the number of women Gabriel had dominated. “Like this hotel.”
“Yes. I already bought one of the penthouse condos.”
Kelsey shook her head, not surprised at all, and jealous of every single woman he would take there. “Of course you did.”
He made her want to try.
Her need for him made her want to try to be what he needed, and it scared her.
Instinctively hiding her fear—her weakness—she reached deep inside her for strength, angry at him for making her yearn for something she could never have.
Turning back to her, he let his gaze move slowly up and down her body, leaving a trail of heat in its wake. “This is a beautiful place for a wedding. Perfect, in fact, and it gave me a chance to have you to myself.” He smiled, his eyes twinkling with amusement. “You look beautiful, despite the frown. I’m going to have to bring you here more often.”
Kelsey tried and failed to conceal the shiver that went through her at the slide of Gabriel’s hand through her hair, her breath catching when he slid his hand lower over her back and to her hip, right above the clasp. “No, thank you
. When we leave at the end of the week, I’m never coming back.”
She couldn’t come back here without wondering how many other women he’d brought to the island.
Gabriel ran a finger over the clasp. “Ever since Julianna introduced us, you’ve been trying to ignore the attraction between us. Do you think I don’t see it? Feel it?”
Raising a brow, Kelsey tried to appear nonchalant, while inside her heart raced. “Julianna told me about your club, and that you’re a Dominant. I’m not a submissive, and don’t even understand that lifestyle. Giving you a wide berth just makes sense. Please, Gabriel, don’t tease me. Don’t make me want something I can’t have.”
Besides being too handsome for his own good, his dark hair and eyes and chiseled features too compelling to be ignored, he had a charm about him, a way of making a woman feel as if she was the most desirable woman on earth.
She had to keep reminding herself that he did it so often that it had become a habit with him and it didn’t mean anything.
She had to believe that—for her own peace of mind.
When he looked at her, though, with his gleaming black eyes that promised pleasure she could only imagine, she had trouble remembering.
His hand slid to the small of her back, teasing the ends of her hair, his touch bringing sharp awareness to her slit. “I understand you’re scared, Kelsey, but you have no need to fear me.”
Stiffening, Kelsey lifted her chin, not wanting him to see how much her need for him unsettled her. Terrified her. “I’m not afraid of you.”
With a sigh, Gabriel ran the backs of his fingers of his other hand down her arm, using the hand at her back to pull her closer. “Yes, you are. You’ve avoided me as much as possible ever since we met. You like my touch, quite a bit, in fact, but you try to avoid it.”
Not about to give him the satisfaction of pulling away from him and proving his effect on her, Kelsey forced a smile and met his gaze squarely, forcing a sarcastic smile. “You’re a handsome man, too handsome, and can probably get any woman you want. Why would you chase a woman who’s been avoiding you?” She wanted to cry, her need for him so intense it actually hurt. She turned away to face the beach again, gasping when he gripped her upper arms and yanked her around to face him.
With a firm finger, he tilted her face up to his, his eyes hooded and unreadable. “I’ve never wanted a woman as much as, and in the ways that, I want you. Don’t look so surprised. There’s a sadness in your eyes that pulls at me. You’re very adept at hiding your feelings, but your loneliness and need for something more shows through, at least to me.”
Startled that he saw even more than she’d expected, Kelsey stiffened. “Don’t be ridiculous.”
His voice, low and silky, washed over her, more seductive to her senses than the warm breezes of the island. “When you look at me, there’s a look of hunger in your eyes, a desperation almost, as though you know I can give you what you need and want. Very intriguing, wouldn’t you say? How can you expect me to walk away from that? From you?”
She stood mesmerized by his words, unable to move, stiffening when he slid his thumb back and forth over her bottom lip. She had to swallow heavily before speaking, alarmed that he saw too much. “I don’t—”
He tapped a finger on her lips, making them sizzle with warmth, and effectively silencing her. “If you look hard enough, I’m sure you would see the same look in my eyes. You’ve been trying to avoid me, which has been frustrating as hell.”
Wrapping an arm around her, he pulled her close, taking her hand in his and lifting it to his lips, making her fingers tingle, a sensation that travelled all the way up her arm and to her nipples. “I want you to trust me, Kelsey, and I’m willing to do whatever I need to do to earn that trust. I’d like to explore the attraction we have for each other. You’ll find me a very generous and attentive lover.”
Kelsey shivered, her nipples pebbled and aching against his chest. Every warm breeze seemed to caress her bottom and thighs, arousing her further and coating her inner thighs with her juices.
With the odd suspicion that she fought a losing battle, she shook her head, pushing against him. “You want something I don’t know if I’m incapable of giving.”
Gripping her chin, Gabriel kept her face lifted to his, his eyes narrowed on hers as he rubbed his chest against her nipples. “We’ll never know if you keep walking away from me.”
Taking a shaky breath, Kelsey pressed her thighs together as another rush of moisture escaped. “It’s better that way.”
God, she ached, wanting him with a desperation that bordered on obsession. Fighting her need became more difficult each minute she spent with him, undermining her determination to keep him at a distance.
Gabriel smiled as though understanding her inner struggle. “You mean safer that way.”
Kelsey shrugged, fighting the compelling urge to lean closer and rub her nipples against his chest. “Same thing.”
Gabriel’s smile held a hint of sadness. “Do you always have to play it safe?”
“Yes.” Protecting herself had become so ingrained that she did it automatically, but Gabriel had her reevaluating her own values. Suddenly, protecting herself didn’t seem as important as experiencing pleasure and fulfillment at Gabriel’s hands.
“Why is playing it safe more important than living?”
“It doesn’t hurt. A man like you wouldn’t worry about getting hurt, but I have to.”
Taking her hand, he led her to a nearby marble bench and gestured for her to sit. Kneeling in front of her, he removed her shoes, little more than thin leather straps, sticking them into the pockets of his black tuxedo jacket before holding out his hands again.
“A man like me?” Frowning when she avoided his touch, he flattened a hand on the small of her back and guided her down the steps to the beach below.
Trying to ignore the shiver of delight that went through her at the feel of his hot hand against her bare skin, Kelsey stepped down into the warm sand.
Enjoying the feel of it beneath her feet, and the sensuous brush of the warm wind against her skin, Kelsey lifted her gaze to the horizon and the spectacular colors of the breathtaking sunset.
The sounds of laughter and music dimmed as they moved farther away from the hotel, leaving her alone with Gabriel and honing her arousal to a razor-sharp edge.
Gabriel’s gaze heated her skin even more, his attention like warm hands moving over her. “You’re a very sensual woman. You like the feel of the silky material against your skin, the warm breeze in the air. You like the feel of my gaze, and I can see in your eyes that you want my gaze on your nakedness. I’d bet that you’d love to feel the warm air on your naked body. You’d love the feel of the sun and the breeze on your soft skin.”
His voice lowered, becoming soft and silky, his hand moving with hypnotic slowness over her back. “The feel of hands caressing you, the slide of leather over your skin. A blindfold would heighten the sensations, and therefore, your pleasure. I’d be willing to bet that the slightest pain in the right place, at the right time, would send you into a world you’ve never even imagined—a world I’d like very much to introduce you to—to share with you.”
Conscious of Gabriel’s intense stare, Kelsey swallowed heavily, her nipples beading even tighter against the strip of soft fabric covering her breasts. Unnerved at the rush of sensation and the frantic beating of her heart, she tried to push away the images his words created, inwardly cursing him for the sexual awareness that swelled inside her, the temptation to explore it shredding her inhibitions and need for self-preservation.
He made her feel wildly sexual, and yet adored, using the charm that practically oozed from him to make her feel…precious.
It was a heady sensation for someone who’d never once in her life felt special.
He would be an expert at making a woman feel so adored and wanted that she would do anything he asked.
She’d imagined being his lover more times than she could count, imagi
ned what it would be like to be on the receiving end of the kind of attention she suspected a man like Gabriel would give her.
He could hurt her so easily. In addition to wanting him, she genuinely cared for him, something she didn’t want to examine too closely.
When it ended, she’d be even emptier.
Turning away, she looked out at the water, the swell and crash of the waves making her yearn even more for the crash of release from the pleasure swelling inside her. “I told you—I don’t think it’s a good idea. No offense, but I avoid arrogant men like the plague. I only date men when I feel like I’m in control.”
Turning her to face him, he held her wrist, preventing her from turning away again. “Define arrogant.” He looked at her with a hint of possession in his eyes, one that made her wish things could have been different. His look made her want to belong to him, to give in to the hunger that threatened to consume her.
Smiling sarcastically to hide her unease, she lifted her chin, pulling away from him. “You’re too used to getting what you want.” Looking away, she strolled to the water’s edge, careful not to let her skirt get wet, afraid that the weight of the water on the hem would make it fall even lower.
“Would you care to explain what’s wrong with that? I earn everything I have. I’m a man who knows what he wants and goes after it instead of sitting around wishing for things I don’t have.”
Staring out at the crystal-clear, turquoise water, she kept walking, aware of Gabriel’s intense scrutiny as he slowed his steps to match hers.
“I know what you are, Gabriel. I know why you invested in this island and why you want your own condo here. You’re a Dominant, the kind of man who gets his pleasure from overpowering women and taking what you want from them. I trust you, but the thought of that scares me.”
She didn’t divulge the fact that it also intrigued and aroused her, not wanting to give him any more ammunition to use against her.
The tense silence that followed filled Kelsey with foreboding. After several long seconds, seconds filled with tension, she couldn’t stand it anymore and turned her head to look at him. Sucking in a breath at the glitter of anger in his eyes, and at the sudden palpable distance between them, she turned away again.
