When You're Mine (The Gallaghers)

by Layla Hagen

  I strolled to the restaurant, knowing I was going to be there before Dylan. To my astonishment, he was already pacing out front.

  "Hey, you're here early." I walked right up to him. He leaned in to kiss my cheek. The skin-on-skin contact singed me. He smelled delicious, like soap and nothing else, and his five-o’clock shadow gently grazed my skin. I felt his hand on my waist as his lips touched my cheek, and I was already on fire.

  Holy shit!

  When he pulled back, I sighed deeply. I resigned myself to the fact that I wasn't going to be able to keep from checking him out. But as long as I kept my hands and lips off him, I was okay.

  We went inside and quickly found a small table by the window. Dylan held out a chair for me as I sat down.

  "Here you go with that gentleman streak again.”

  “I do what I can.” He winked, sitting down across from me. The menu was already on the table. It was a simple sheet of paper with a plastic cover.

  "This is all they have," I said, pointing to it. "They don't have many options, but they have incredible dishes. I recommend tuna sushi and even sashimi. They fly it in from Japan, and it's exquisite. It's the best I've eaten. I don't even know why this place isn't more famous."

  Dylan scrutinized the menu, then looked up at me. "You know this place, so order whatever you think is best. I eat anything."

  "Okay."

  We called the waiter, and I ordered the large platter to share. It had something from everything. We also ordered wine.

  Once the waiter left, I felt a bit nervous. This felt more and more like a date. It's not a date. It's not a date, I repeated in my mind, but it wasn't helping. The way he was looking at me wasn't either. He was drinking me up and making no secret of it. And I didn't have it in me to chastise him again about it. It wasn’t like it helped when I did it last time. If anything, it seemed to make us even more aware of the tension between us.

  “Before I forget, here is the medicine.” He took it from his suit jacket pocket, sliding it to me over the table.

  I tucked it carefully in my bag.

  "Thank you so much. How much do I owe you?”

  “Nothing.”

  “Dylan—"

  “I mean it. It's nothing I wouldn't do for my parents."

  I simply melted. "Do you see them often?"

  "They come to the city a few times a year, especially since Josie had Sophie."

  "Oh, I met Josie. She's so lovely.”

  “Josie isn’t training at the gym, though, right? I would have known."

  "No. no. She came once after Isabelle finished her practice, but I think she might join us soon. She said she likes the idea of a personal trainer. She says it increases the odds of her showing up if she knows she has an appointment. I think that's why most people want a personal trainer."

  Dylan chuckled. "Well, I didn't. I have no problem showing up. I just want a perfect excuse to spend time with you."

  I blushed, looking at the table. Yeah, if I thought I was tongue-tied before, after that my mind was completely blank, but my pulse sped up. I felt it in my chest and my neck.

  "So you were saying about your parents?" I said, trying to steer us back to a safe topic of discussion.

  He smiled knowingly, clearly seeing through my ruse. "Yes. I wish they came more often, but I honestly think if they weren't so set in their ways, they'd move here. Especially since all their children live in New York. They've always wanted grandchildren to spoil. And now they have Sophie. She is going to be one spoiled little girl," he said. "Josie keeps telling us all to stop buying stuff or they're going to need a bigger house."

  Well, well. For someone who had sworn off love, he adored children.

  I'm telling myself what I want to hear, and that never leads anywhere good.

  Luckily, before I could fantasize about what a little boy would look like with Dylan's eyes and my hair, the waiter came with our platter of sushi.

  “This is why I like sushi so much. It’s so fast.”

  He looked at the platter, nodding appreciatively. "This looks great. I haven’t eaten sushi in a while. Last time, I got food poisoning. I’ve been avoiding it since.”

  "Why didn't you say any of that when I told you to come to a sushi place?" I asked, mystified.

  "Again, because I wanted to spend time with you."

  I didn’t say anything, just took a bite of the sushi. “How did you get the medicine?” I asked.

  “I know a few people in the pharma industry and asked them for favors.”

  “Hmm... I remember Isabelle told me once that you don’t like doing that.”

  He looked at me in surprise. “It’s true. But you’re an exception. I can’t wait until Isabelle hears about it.”

  “Why?”

  “She’s already giving me so much shit about taking the puppy home.”

  The corners of my mouth twitched. “Well, it was unexpected.”

  “You make me do unexpected things.” His gaze was so intense that I couldn’t keep eye contact for too long, so I glanced at the sushi platter again. I asked him more about his family as we cleared the platter, and we ended up talking about Isabelle.

  “When are they moving to the new place?” I asked.

  “Next week or the one after that. They’re not sure.”

  “Brayden’s still on tour now, right?”

  “Yes. It’s a bit hard for Isabelle, coordinating everything by herself.” He sounded concerned.

  “She’s got all of you, though.”

  “True, but things will be easier for her once the tour is over. This past year has been very intense for her. We try to be there for her for anything she needs, but it’s not the same.”

  I wondered what it must feel like to have such a big family that loved you unconditionally. I pouted at the empty plate. I wanted to hear more about him, and Sophie, and his parents, and anything else he wanted to tell me.

  "They don't have a good dessert, but I do have some cheesecake at home.”

  Holy shit, what did I just do? I was not myself around Dylan. Or rather, I was—a bolder, flirtier version of myself.

  “The sun has already set, but if we go up on my balcony, we can still see the last rays," I added quickly.

  He laughed at me in surprise, as if he weren’t expecting this. To be honest, I wasn't expecting it either. I was sure it wasn't a good idea to spend more time with him, especially in my apartment. But I wasn't ready for our evening to end.

  "That sounds great," he said. "Let me get the check."

  "No, no, I invited you, remember?"

  "Mel, that's not going to happen." He burned me with his gaze. I crossed my legs under the table, accidentally touching his thigh. The look in his eyes turned almost feral.

  "Hell yes it is. You bought Dad's medicine, which you’re not even letting me pay for, so I'm paying for dinner." You’d think I’d just told him something awful by the way his gaze studied mine, unflinching. He really liked doing things on his own terms—but so did I.

  "Okay. Thank you for the invitation. The next dinner is on me."

  I tried to hide my smile as I flagged down the waiter. I paid quickly, noticing a few couples were waiting for a table.

  "How far is your place?" Dylan asked as we stepped into the evening air. It hadn't cooled at all. But then again, we'd only been inside for about forty minutes.

  "It's five minutes away."

  We walked side by side, and I pointed out the gingerbread house to him.

  “They've been trying to sell it for a few years, but I guess the price is too high.”

  "It looks exciting," he admitted. "Why don't they make it a museum?”

  I shrugged. "I don't know. I would love to see the inside.”

  I pointed to a few more buildings as we walked by them, right until we arrived in front of my townhouse.

  "We're here," I said. "Come on, let's go up. I live on the second floor."

  I walked in front of him as we climbed the stairs. I could fe
el him right behind me. The heat of his body was turning my knees weak. I was starting to have doubts. Had this been a crazy idea? We could barely keep our hands off each other in public, and we’d failed inside his apartment. I wasn’t sure we were going to fare any better in mine.

  Chapter Twelve

  Mel

  Unlocking the door, I stepped inside, closing it after him.

  "It's small. I only have one bedroom. And the balcony is just off the living room." I pointed to the door next to the TV that led out onto the balcony. "Do you want wine? I have a great chardonnay."

  "Sure."

  "Okay. You can go outside, and I'll be right there with the cheesecake, two glasses, and a bottle."

  “I'll help you."

  We went into the kitchen, which was next to the living room. It was small with a few cabinets and a little stove, refrigerator, and sink, but it was enough for me. I gave him the wine bottle to open and also two glasses.

  While he poured the wine, I took my phone out of my bag. I meant to check when the actual sunset time was, because I thought it was half an hour ago, and there was still a lot of light. I tapped the screen of my phone, and the last apps I used came up. I accidentally tapped the one for my audiobook, and it started playing.

  Oh no!

  I stopped it immediately. But not before the words "wrapped my hand around his cock" rang loud and clear in my kitchen. Thank God the windows were closed.

  Dylan stopped in the act of pouring wine. He set the bottle on the counter, looking up at me. His eyes were fierce and full of steam.

  "What was that?" he asked. The look on his face made me laugh.

  "An audiobook," I said casually. I licked my lips, feeling the tension between us thickening. "Yes, I like steamy books. I like to read them, and I like to listen to them, okay? The steamier, the better. There, it's out there. Don't judge me."

  "I'm not judging. It's sexy as fuck. I was barely able to keep my thoughts in line before now. It's just....” He took a deep breath, coming closer, tilting toward me. “I want you, Mel. Fuck, how I want you. Tell me to go, and I'll leave.”

  "I don't want you to leave," I whispered.

  He grinned. "You're making it hard for me to help you keep your resolution."

  "Now you've suddenly decided you want to help?" I teased. “After breaking through every defense?”

  He brought a hand to my face, pressing his thumb on the bow of my upper lip. "I want you, Mel. So damn much."

  Everything inside me tightened. "I want you too. I can't think about anything else."

  He kissed me, dirty and wet, and desire spread through me like wildfire. I wasn't going to let this man go anywhere tonight. I wanted him for me. I wanted to explore every delicious inch and touch him too. I didn't want to leave any part of Dylan Gallagher unexplored. If I only had one night, I was going to make it count.

  I pushed his suit jacket off, then tore at the buttons of his shirt desperately, managing to take them off, and then pushed his shirt down his muscular arms. Once it was on the floor, I ran my hands over his arms and his chest, placing a quick kiss right on his pecs, lowering myself in a straight line. Looking up, I grinned. "I was right about the six-pack."

  He pulled me up, tugging my dress over my head. I was pleased that I put on super-sexy underwear. I liked wearing sensual lingerie after spending most of my day in workout clothes, but this was downright sinful. I was wearing red lace underwear. My bra had a clasp in the middle, and my panties had bows at the sides. If I tugged at them, they would drop.

  "Fuck," he exclaimed, looking me up and down. Cupping one breast over the bra, he nudged my legs wide apart with his knee and brought his other hand between my thighs. When he touched two fingers over the fabric of my panties, I gasped. The contact of the fabric against my sensitive skin was too much.

  I buckled over, resting my forehead on his chest. He kissed my shoulder and brought one hand up my back. There was something tender about the gesture, and I yearned for more. I looked up at him, tugging at his belt. I needed to take it off. I needed to take all his clothes off. I wanted this man desperately; I’d never wanted anything else more.

  Before I pushed down his pants, he grabbed his wallet and took a condom out of it, which turned me on even more. After I rid him of his pants and boxers, I was about to tease him about still leaving my lingerie on, but I didn't get the chance because he sealed his mouth over mine and lifted me in his arms by my ass cheeks. My center was rubbing against his erection. I gasped. I wanted the fabric out of the way, needing skin-on-skin contact. He walked with me through the apartment while I pointed the way to the bedroom. He was so strong, carrying me like this. I ran my palms over his arms, feeling how hard his muscles were contracting to keep me up.

  Once we were in the bedroom, I thought he might set me down, but instead he pushed me against the wall. He was supporting me with his pelvis. His cock was trapped between us, driving me insane. He undid the clasp between my breasts, leaning in and kissing my nipple until I gasped. He continued to tease me before gently lowering my feet to the floor.

  "You look gorgeous," he said, trailing his finger down one breast and lower still. He rested it on one bow of my panties before tugging at it slowly. He moved to the other one just as slow. Was he trying to drive me crazy? He pulled at it too, and my panties fell to the floor. He groaned, taking a step back to look at me. His gaze traveled up and down my body. There was too much heat in it. I wasn't sure what to do with myself.

  "I want to taste you," he said. My knees weakened a little.

  He pointed to the bed, and I lay down on it, legs bent at my knees, thighs wide apart, inviting him. He lowered himself on the bed right between my thighs. Looking up at me, he pressed the flat of his tongue against my tender flesh, and I fisted the sheet, moaning loudly.

  Oh, oh, oh! I was already so on edge. How was this even possible? With every lap of his tongue, he was bringing me closer and closer to a climax until I couldn't take it anymore. I pushed myself up on my heels and then reached for him, tugging at his shoulder.

  "No, I want you to come. I’m going to make you come like this first," he said.

  I nearly climaxed just from hearing his dirty words. Goose bumps formed on my skin. He pressed his thumb on my clit and alternated the pressure with that of his tongue. I thrashed on the bed, calling his name. When I looked down at him and our gazes crossed, I exploded. My right leg shook violently. My breath hitched in my lungs. My entire body was burning.

  He rolled on the condom.

  As if in a dream, I felt him move up, kissing my shoulder while I still thrashed around. One hand was on my waist, the other next to my arm. He positioned himself at my entrance and pushed inside.

  "Fuck, Mel." He groaned, entering me slowly.

  I was still overly sensitized, still pulsing around him, but even so, I pressed my heels in the mattress and followed his rhythm, wanting to bring him just as much pleasure as he was giving me. When he moved a hand between us, rubbing my clit, I shuddered.

  I couldn't believe he was so attentive, so intent to focus on my pleasure. He kept me in a heightened state in-between orgasms while he thrust inside me harder and harder. I was still feeling the aftershocks of the last climax, and the next one was already forming deep inside me. It tugged at my insides. I was touching him everywhere I could. I wanted to explore his body with my mouth—his whole body—but I could do that later. Right now, I didn't want him to stop moving. It was as if my life depended on it, on feeling him inside me so rough and dirty. He still wasn’t taking his thumb off my clit, even though I could tell he was losing control of his own body.

  I was lost in him, sensing his cock stiffening inside me. He was so, so close. Then I felt him explode, and I went over the edge the next second too. The pleasure took over every cell of my body, and I gave in to it.

  ***

  Dylan

  After cleaning up quickly, we went back to bed. We both were lying down on our sides, watching each other. I
kept touching her shoulder and waist, and I wanted more. I wanted to explore all of her.

  "You're so damn beautiful," I said. "So damn gorgeous."

  "Why, thank you, Mr. Gallagher. Now that you already got in my pants, you don't have to keep up that charm."

  I chuckled. "I'm sorry for making you miss the sunset."

  "It was worth it. Though I'm conflicted. I still want to go out and enjoy the evening, but I also want to explore you." She touched my chest, getting closer. "I want to make the most of this night."

  It took a second for me to understand what she was implying. I cupped her cheek, looking her straight in the eyes. My grip was possessive, but that was precisely how I felt about her. She was mine, and I was not nearly done exploring her.

  "This is not a one-night thing, Melanie. You know it's not."

  She bit her lip. "I don't want this to be just one night either." She sighed, touching my wrist. "Well, we've already established that we're not on the same page. As long as we keep that in mind, maybe we can enjoy our time together, however long that is."

  Something about that bothered me, but I couldn't put my finger on it. Usually I was all for no-strings fun, but now the idea grated on my nerves. I chose to focus on what I did like, namely that things between us weren't ending tonight.

  "That sounds good to me," I said, adding, “for now.”

  Because I wasn’t even sure what I wanted anymore. Mel was making me question everything.

  Grinning, she scooted back, getting out of bed. She clapped her hands, looking around the room. "Since we established we've got more than one night, we could go out on the balcony for a bit and catch the afterglow."

  I pushed myself up on an elbow, feeling as conflicted as she was earlier. I wanted her in bed all night—at my mercy. But I also wanted to see what the fuss was with the sunset. I wanted to know everything that brought her joy, to understand it. More than that, I wanted to join in on it.