“Amy’s in Gavin’s office.”
“What? Why?” She shot out of her chair.
“I don’t know. I heard Sherry yelling at Amy on her way down here.”
Ashley straightened her skirt out and pushed her shoulders back. She marched past me out of her office.
“What are you doing?” I asked.
“Well, since you’re too chicken shit to go down there and see why the hell that skank’s in your man’s office, I will.” Ashley’s heavy footsteps stomped down the hallway.
I leaned out of her office. “Damn it, Ashley!” I desperately whispered.
She threw her hand up in the air and kept walking. Stopping outside Gavin’s door, she pressed her ear to the door and listened. I saw her face furrow, then she banged loudly on his door. “Dr. Hunter?”
She beat on his door again. The door opened and Ashley wedged herself halfway inside the doorway. “Oh, I’m sorry I didn’t realize you had someone in here. I apologize.”
I could faintly hear Gavin’s response to Ashley’s intrusion. “Oh, it’s quite all right. Dr. Moore was just leaving.”
I scooted out into the hallway.
Amy emerged from Gavin’s doorway. Her face was cherry red, her eyebrows were pulled down and her lips were tightly closed, forming a rigid line across her mouth.
She was pissed!
Slinging her designer bag over her shoulder, Amy swiftly made her way down the hallway. She didn’t even look at me as she passed by me. I heard the door open and slam shut.
I came to Gavin’s doorway and Ashley was propped up against the wall inside his office, picking her cuticles.
“You’re both welcome!” she said, leaving the room and heading back to her office.
“What in the hell?” I asked.
“Oh, I managed to royally piss her off.” He sat back down in his chair and placed his arm behind his head.
I stared at Gavin, wanting a little bit more of an explanation.
“She kept hounding Scott about putting her on the study as a Co-Investigator. I finally just told him I refused to work with her. He insisted I give him a good reason and I told him that she was a lunatic.”
“I’m sure he wanted a better explanation than that,” I mumbled as I crossed my arms at my waist and rested against the doorframe.
Gavin nodded. “Of course he did. I told him we’d had a brief ‘relationship’ and when I’d tried to break it off with her she’d gone mad, calling me all hours of the day, sending me lewd photos of herself, and for that reason I refused to work with her. I explained that I felt her interest was with me, not the research.”
Hearing Gavin say that made me cringe.
“What did Dr. Knight say?”
“He agreed that it wouldn’t be a good idea. Of course, when Amy found out, it embarrassed her, which is why she came over here.” He laughed to himself. “Oh, she brought you up too.”
“What did she say? Do I even want to know?” I rolled my eyes back in my head just imagining what ridiculous things she’d most likely said to him.
“She asked if I had grown tired of you yet. I, of course, responded that I had not and that I believed it to be impossible to grow tired of such a flawless creature as yourself.” He cast a brief look at me and grinned as he raised his brow and nodded. “She really liked that.”
“God, she’s crazy.” I turned to walk out of the doorway. “What time are we going to dinner?”
“Six-thirty. I’ll pick you up at six o’clock.”
After dinner Gavin took me back to his house. Leading me into his living room, he sat me on the couch.
He slipped his Sperry’s off and pulled his collared shirt over his head. “Stay there,” he instructed me as he made his way back to his bedroom.
I sat on his couch and kicked my heels off, looking down at my right hand and adjusting the ring Gavin had given me at dinner. The design of it appeared to be ancient and Grecian. It was two snakes that were knotted together to create the eternity symbol. In the middle of the symbol was an emerald. The body of the snakes looked like they were slithering around my finger with their heads pointing in opposite directions.
I heard Gavin walk into his kitchen and turn his surround sound on. Then I heard his footsteps stop behind the couch. He leaned over the arm of the couch and grabbed my hand. “You like it?”
“I do. You never told me where you got it.”
One corner of his mouth drew up and he let out a short, almost viscous sounding laugh as he looked down at the ring, running his thumb over it. “All you need to know is that it was made for you,” he said, his gaze lifting from my hand and meeting my eyes. “Come on, love.” He pulled me up and escorted me back to his bedroom.
There was an amber glow dancing on the wall opposite the bedroom. We stopped in the entrance of his room and the bedroom was littered with candles. He massaged my shoulders and gently pushed me inside the room.
Gavin bent down and kissed me sweetly. One hand swept through my hair, and his other hand slowly caressed my jaw. He wrapped his fingers around my chin and pulled his lips away from me.
Ed Sheeran’s Kiss Me was playing softly in the background. I smiled.
“What?” His eyes crinkled up as he smiled back down at me.
“The song, it’s a little cliché-ish. Don’t you think?” I laughed and pulled him close to me.
“Well, you like cliché.”
Gavin kissed my neck gently and pulled the strap of my dress off my shoulder.
“I do. You know me so well.” I tilted my head to the side as he continued to trail my neck with his warm lips.
The heat from his breath rushed across my skin and sent a weakness tearing through me.
He moved his lips to my ear. “You are so beautiful, Brooke,” he breathed into my ear as he wiggled the other strap of my dress down.
I ran my hands over his chest and down his swollen arms. “You’re an Adonis.” I looked at him, soaking up his undeniably sexy body.
His touch, his words, his presence caused a feeling of possession to splinter through my body. The slightest touch from Gavin did something to me that I’d never experienced before in my life. It was almost like there was a transfer of energy any time he touched my body. His kisses devoured me. He was the most addictive thing I’d ever experienced. It was as though this man literally possessed me.
Gavin unzipped my dress and it fell to the floor. I stepped out of the material crumpled around my feet. Reaching down, I unzipped his pants, shoving them down along with his boxers.
He unfastened my bra and ran his hands across my breasts and then down my sides as his mouth covered mine.
“Sinfully alluring,” he embraced my mouth with his again, his lips brushing against mine as the words poured into my mouth, “tempting, bewitching…”
He laid me down on his bed; his hands grabbed the sides of my panties and pulled them off. Gavin ran his hands down between my legs and rubbed across me with his fingers. He slid a finger inside of me, his tongue tracing along the inside of my mouth as he gently massaged my tongue with his, every so often pulling away and locking his gaze on me.
I reached down and rubbed my fingers over him, lightly dragging the tips of my nails across his delicate skin.
“I want you so badly. Let me have you. Let me own this part of you,” he begged as he placed himself on top of me. The heat from his skin intensified the need I had to feel him close to me.
“You have me,” I said, running my hands along his shoulder blades. “I’m all yours.”
Gavin placed himself at my opening. He gently pushed himself inside of me, moving slowly and deliberately. Continuing to kiss me gently on my lips, he moved down across my neck. I closed my eyes, enjoying this new feeling of him moving so slowly and tenderly within me.
I opened my eyes to Gavin staring intently into them. The amber glow from the candles that surrounded us gave him a warm shadowing and accentuated h
is defined, masculine features.
Gavin had propped himself up, his hands placed directly above my shoulders. He ran his thumb along the side of my neck and opened his mouth to say something but bit his lip. He stared into me, the flicker from the flames reflecting off his bright green irises.
His lips melted into mine and then he pulled his face a few inches away from me. I could feel him pushing deeper inside of me and I grabbed onto his biceps, digging my nails into his skin.
Lowering his head toward the side of my face, he let out a sigh. His breathing grew heavy and he said, “I love you, Brooke.”
My pulse skipped. An overwhelming sensation crept over me and I could feel warm tears forming in the corners of my eyes.
“I love you,” he said again, this time louder and more certain.
Letting out a quick breath, I confessed, “I love you too.” I felt crazy for feeling so strongly toward someone in such a short time.
“God, I love you… I need you,” he groaned as he thrust into me a little faster.
His motions jarred the liquid from my eyes and my body tensed up. Grabbing onto his back, I arched mine and pulled him deeper into me. The intense, satisfying tremor shook through my core and sent a warm rush all over my body. My arms felt numb and fell from his back, my entire body felt weightless.
“You’re mine. You belong with me,” he said. “Nothing could keep me from you.” He pushed into me and his arms stiffened by my head. Holding himself over me, the anticipation melted from his face and he collapsed on top of me.
I stared up at his ceiling. I‘d been told I love you by former boyfriends; I’d told them I loved them too, but this was entirely different. The way I felt about Gavin was unlike any emotion I’d ever had.
Indescribable.
I thought about him constantly and I needed him in a way I couldn’t even comprehend. Everything seemed surreal with him. The smell of his cologne made me feel secure, the feel of his skin gave me such a strong desire, and the only thing that could quench it was his touch. I felt as though my life would cease to exist if I ever lost him.
He rolled off of me and propped his head up on his hand. Reaching over, I pushed back the loose hair that was dangling so seductively in front of his face.
I narrowed me eyes, studying his expression. “I really do love you,” I said. “I do — I love you. You have no idea,” I whispered.
Leaning in, he kissed me. “Well, good, because I’m afraid I’m desperately in love with you. Have been for some time now.”
I laid my head back against his pillow. “I couldn’t be any happier than I am when I’m with you.”
Gavin wrapped his arm tightly around me, spooning me from behind. He kissed the nape of my neck and said, “Love you, my darling love.”
I shut my eyes and cherished the feeling of having him hold me so closely; knowing now that he really was completely mine.
He loves me.
The next morning I texted Constance on my way into work.
He told me he loves me!!!! I think I may just die! I’m so happy.
I knew I wouldn’t get a reply from her until at least ten o’clock when she’d wake up.
Dying to hear somebody’s reaction, I ran into Ashley’s office as soon as I got to work.
I pushed past Nicole on my way down the hall. I opened Ashley’s door with a ridiculously large smile plastered on my face. “He told me he loves me!” I sighed and leaned myself against her wall.
Ashley’s eyes widened and she blinked numerous times. Her eyebrows turned in and her eyes narrowed. “What? Seriously?”
“Yes. He, oh, he’s just so perfect for me. We’re so perfect for each other. I’ve never felt this way about anyone.” I hesitated, “I know this sounds ridiculous, but I think he’s the man I’m supposed to marry.” I swooned as I faintly whispered, “Mrs. Brooke Hunter, oh, that sounds so perfect!”
My face was beaming, my heart was pounding; I was in a disgustingly blissful fog.
Ashley grinned. “Wow, that’s great, Brooke. Never would’ve seen him as the type to fall for somebody so quickly. You’ve really done him in, haven’t you? You little slut. You broke him!” She glanced back to her computer and began typing. “So, you gonna invite me to the wedding?”
I giggled. “Of course.”
“You know if Amy finds out she’ll probably try to run you over with her car, right?”
I rolled my eyes. “Evidently, there’s a line of women that may try to knock me off.”
Chapter Thirty-seven
Gavin
I love her. I love her. That emotion was something I’d always thought would never touch me.
Never had I told a woman that I loved her, and within a few weeks I’d fallen completely in love with her. I knew that I shouldn’t view her in terms of emotions, but it was too late. She’d possessed me, I’d possessed her, and there was no stopping my desire for her.
A twinge of hesitation bubbled up inside me as I thought about the side of me Brooke had no idea of. I was a demon and a murderer, and even those descriptions made me seem less of a monster than I actually was. I knew I would never allow myself to hurt her. I denied the nagging feeling that I had just damned her existence, that I should have stayed away from her to begin with. I didn’t want to acknowledge that something as strong as our feelings for each other should be forbidden, so I just suppressed it all.
Although the next day was hectic, I loved the days I spent in the operating room. The satisfaction I gained from cutting open someone’s skull and holding their warm, blood covered brain in my hands was endless. After finishing up with the surgeries I had several in-patients to tend to. I didn’t get over to my physical office until after Brooke left, and I had reports that needed to be entered into the system. Sitting down at my desk, I pulled a chart from the top of the growing stack.
I finally finished my work around six-thirty and packed my things up. Just as I was shoving some papers into my satchel I heard a knock on my door. Glancing up, I saw a woman standing in my doorway. She had no business being there so late, so I knew this was not work related.
“So, you love her?” she snarled.
I inhaled a quick breath. “Absolutely in love with her.”
I eyed the figure looming in my doorway as she shook her head vehemently from side to side. “Un-fuckin-believable, Gavin!”
“Not happy for her, aye? Imagine that.” I’d been waiting on this to happen. I knew that my relationship with Brooke was eating her up inside.
“Man, you just broke all your rules for that one, didn’t you?”
I pulled the strap to my satchel over my head and walked steadily toward my door when she stepped inside and slammed the door shut. She propped herself against the door and began reprimanding me. “You kissed her, before you even screwed her. She didn’t deserve that, she didn’t earn that,” the woman paused and glared at me angrily, “I did, Gavin — I earned that, and never got it!”
I stared at her. “You didn’t earn anything. You were defiant as hell and not worth the trouble.”
“You liked it when I fought back.”
I decided to appease her momentarily to try and avoid a confrontation. “Yes, at times I did, but not when you broke the rules. You started caring for me, and I couldn’t very well tolerate that. Hard rules and all.” I deepened my voice, cutting a foreboding glare in her direction as my posture stiffened. I pointed my finger at her, “Now — get out of my way.”
She didn’t flinch. I noticed her jaw clench and a pleased smile yanked the sides of her mouth upwards.
“Doesn’t work like that anymore, Gavin,” she snapped back. “You see, you hurt me, you used me, and I refuse to let another man do that to me.” Her tongue darted out to lick her lips. “I’ve decided to become like you. Emotionless, dominating, and manipulative.” She laughed maniacally. “The control you have, the ability to know it’s up to you to take it to another level or end it.” She brou
ght her hand to her face and the anger in her voice transformed into sarcasm. “But oh, it seems maybe you’ve been weakened from the very thing you tried to avoid all these years. She has complete control of you, and she doesn’t even know it.”
Wrath coursed through my veins as I stared at that succubus of a woman. I pulled my satchel from my shoulder and grabbed her by the arms, clapping them down by her sides.
“You need to get out of my business,” I growled.
She moaned as she spoke, “Oh, I might could go back to a submissive role one more time for you. I forgot how good it feels to have you pressed up against me, growling orders at me.” Her bottom lip poked out as she sighed, “Now, what do you think Brooke will think when she finds out about this little fetish you have? You’re too wild to be tamed. You don’t honestly think you can go the rest of your life without her finding out, do you?”
I knew what she was insinuating and I tightened my grip on her wrists, crushing her bones beneath my hands. Her eyes winced from the sudden pain.
I swallowed in an attempt to keep myself from screaming. “You’ll not say anything to her, for two reasons. One, because I’m demanding that you don’t. And two, because I can promise you that you will pay in ways not even your deviant mind can comprehend – I’m not one to be fucked with!”
“Oh, it’d be worth it to see you crumble to pieces over losing her.” Her eyes gleamed as she whispered, “And how badly would it hurt her to know that we’d done that together? Oh, she’d be devastated, completely devastated. She truly does love you,” she laughed, “at least the part of you she knows.”
“That’s enough,” I screamed through gritted teeth, my voice bellowing in the small room as I pushed her away from my door.
Narrowing her eyes, she locked her devilish gaze onto me. “Or maybe I should just turn that pretty little princess into a sadistic queen? Bet you’d love that, wouldn’t you, Gav? I wonder if you’d lose complete interest in her if that sparkle of innocence she has becomes tainted? Would that ruin the perfect little image of love that bitch has painted for you?”
Bound to the Fallen (Prophecy #2) Page 32
