They both moaned. Gabe lashed her nipple with his tongue and drew it deep into his mouth as he applied strong suction. Leslie arched her spine, letting her head fall back as she savored the pulling sensations. Every firm suck sent a jolt of pleasure to her core. He kept up the sweet torture, scraping her with his whiskers, pulling with his teeth, and sucking hard enough to make her gasp. When he finally released her nipple, it was throbbing and sore.
Gabe grinned as he chewed and swallowed the bite in his mouth.
“These pancakes are absolutely delicious,” he said with a playful waggle of his brows.
Leslie giggled. She watched avidly as he reached for another bite, dribbled sticky syrup all over her breast and placed it on her other nipple. He repeated the exercise, feasting on her breast along with the bite of pancake. Leslie didn’t even try to contain her moans of pleasure.
After chewing and swallowing the second bite of pancake, he straightened again, and they both stared at her breasts. Her nipples were glistening, swollen and red from his mouth. Gabe gently scraped the tines of the fork across both nipples, grinning when she shivered and moaned. Goosebumps appeared on her breasts, and he chuckled. “Like I said, absolutely delicious.”
She was panting with excitement as he speared another bite of pancake and dredged it with syrup. His eyes twinkled with good humor as he held it over her and slowly dribbled syrup all over her stomach. He deposited the bite in her navel and then bent to savor the results. His tongue was sinfully delightful as he licked her, finding every trace of syrup in his quest to explore her body.
Leslie twitched and moaned. Every hot sweep of his tongue caused her hunger to grow, until she felt an empty, aching void in her womb. Gabe finally reached her navel and plunged his tongue into the indention as he closed his lips over the bite of pancake.
“Oh, please,” she gasped. “Please, Gabe.”
He merely smiled and reached for yet another bite, this time using his fingers instead of the fork. His eyes met hers, and he flashed his dimples with a naughty grin. “Not yet, kitten. I’m still eating my breakfast.”
He pulled his chair closer and sat down. Leslie moaned but held still as he trickled syrup over her mound. He smeared the syrup all around her slit. Then, he gave a wicked chuckle and used his fingers to push the bite of pancake deep inside her. He met her eyes and winked.
“Now, for my favorite part.”
Leslie trembled as she watched him methodically lick all the syrup away. He was thorough, using his tongue to find every drop, and sucking her outer folds clean. Once again, he met her eyes and grinned. She held her breath as he parted her flesh with his thumbs and placed his mouth directly over her opening. He held her gaze, and with a plunge of his tongue and a strong suckle, he retrieved the sticky morsel from her depths and gloated as he chewed.
“Best damn breakfast I’ve ever tasted,” he said. He waggled his brows at her.
Leslie released a startled laugh, shaking her head at his playful antics. Her heart felt full to overflowing. She had known for a long time that she loved Gabe, but the intimacies they had shared over the past few days only intensified her feelings. It was a bit frightening to realize that she would do literally anything to make him happy. The more demanding he became, the more joy she took in obeying his commands.
Gabe bent his head again and feasted on her delicate flesh. Leslie closed her eyes, relishing every sensation. She let go of any inhibitions, content to cede control of her body to her husband. He knew just how to stoke her desires, and he lavished her with pleasure until she could barely breathe. When she could hardly stand it, he thrust two fingers deep inside her and caressed the sensitive bundle of nerves as he closed his mouth over her clit.
“Come for me, kitten,” he murmured.
He bit down, and she came with a scream. He continued to suck as her clit pulsed in his mouth and her warm fluid gushed onto his waiting tongue. He lapped it up eagerly as her inner walls spasmed around his fingers. He continued working them deep inside her to prolong her pleasure. When her muscles finally relaxed, Gabe withdrew his fingers, licked them clean with a grin, and stood up. His eyes held hers while he hastily unbuttoned his britches and let them fall around his knees.
Leslie was thrilled by the hunger in his eyes. They burned into her, as he positioned the head of his cock at her opening and slammed home. He gripped her hips, digging his fingers into her flesh as he fucked her with wild abandon. They were both sweating and panting, and the sound of flesh slapping flesh mingled with their grunts and moans. Her breasts jerked with every harsh thrust, and Gabe watched their bouncing movement with obvious enjoyment.
Their coupling didn’t last long. He reached down to pinch her clit, and Leslie flew over the edge. Her climax was enough to pull Gabe along with her. He ground into her depths and released a roar of satisfaction as he unleashed his seed inside her.
When they finally managed to catch their breath, Gabe lifted her into a sitting position. He untied her wrists and kissed the backs of her hands. He grinned down at her.
“Thanks for breakfast, kitten. It was perfectly delicious.”
Leslie giggled and stretched up to kiss him. “You’re welcome,” she murmured against his lips.
He winked at her and buttoned his britches. “Are you ready to head into town?” he asked.
Leslie blinked. “I forgot all about that.”
When he chuckled, she blushed lightly and hopped off the table. She was sticky from the syrup, and she could feel his warm seed running down her inner thighs. “I’ve got a list of the things we need, but I need to wash up before we leave.”
Gabe swatted her sore bottom and turned her toward the bedroom. “You wash and get dressed. There’s no rush. I need to load a few things that I’m taking into town.”
Gabe loaded the wagon and hitched the team while Leslie washed the dishes and herself. When she came out to join him, she was wearing another one of the dresses her mother had made for her. This one was a deep, chocolate brown with pink trim and pink lace around the scooped bodice and sleeves. The dress was elegant but practical, modest, and perfectly suitable for a farmer’s wife. Because of Leslie’s curvaceous figure, it also inspired all manner of sinful thoughts.
Gabe gave a low appreciative whistle, and his eyes lit up as he surveyed her from head to toe. “Kitten, I might have to change my mind about these dresses. You make it awfully hard for me to think about anything other than taking you back to bed when I see you dressed like that.”
Leslie giggled delightedly and turned in a slow circle before him. “You like it?”
His eyes devoured her, and he flashed her a wolfish grin. “Hell yeah. Maybe we should just go back inside and discuss it some more.”
“No way, Gabe Faulkner. You know we both have plenty of work to do today. Now, help me up so we can get going.”
Gabe chuckled and lifted her onto the wagon seat. He climbed up beside her, and they headed into town.
Leslie turned and looked at the wagon bed. There were several large shapes covered by canvass packed in the wagon.
“What is all this?” she asked.
“A few pieces of furniture that I’m delivering for customers of Mr. Thompson.”
Leslie gave a puzzled frown. “Why are you delivering furniture?”
Gabe gave her a sidelong glance and shrugged. “Because I made them.”
Her eyes widened. “You make furniture?” When Gabe nodded, she looked even more confused. “I never knew you make furniture. You’ve never mentioned it before.”
“It started as just a hobby, but I’ve been doing more of it, recently. Gives me something to do when work around the farm is slow. Mr. Thompson takes orders for me, now and then. I buy most of the materials from him, and he keeps a small commission when the pieces are finished. Works out well for both of us. It’s a profitable sideline business, and I enjoy doing it.”
A look of wonder transformed Leslie’s face, and she smiled at him. “You made the beautiful
furniture in your home, didn’t you?”
Gabe grinned and playfully bumped her shoulder with his. “Our home, kitten. And yes, I did.”
“Gabe, you’re extremely talented! The first day after our wedding, I couldn’t believe how beautiful all the furnishings were in our home. I had no idea you had made them. How on earth did you learn?”
Gabe proceeded to tell her how furniture making had been a family tradition passed down from his great grandfather. He talked about how he chose different types of wood or upholstery fabrics for different pieces, how he tried to balance form with function, and how he tried to make each piece unique in some way.
Leslie was enthralled. She asked numerous questions, and he seemed pleased that she was so interested in his craft. By the time he had answered all her questions, she was seriously impressed.
“Gabe Faulkner, you are a man of hidden talents,” she said with a smile.
He waggled his brows at her and returned her grin. “My furniture making skills are not any more surprising than your cooking skills, kitten. That breakfast this morning was delicious.”
Leslie giggled. “It did turn out better than expected. Although, that’s probably just because you were especially hungry.”
His gaze dropped suggestively to her bosom, and his dimples cut deep grooves beside his smiling mouth. “I’m always hungry around you, kitten.” When her cheeks turned a delightful shade of pink, he threw his head back and laughed.
The weather was fine, not too warm or too cold. They had to keep the horses to a walk so the furniture wouldn’t be jostled too much. They chatted easily as they made the hour-long drive into town. Leslie was happier than she had ever been. Since their marriage, the mysterious tension between them had evaporated, and it was like old times, only better. She was finally married to Gabe, just as she had always dreamed, and he was both friend and lover.
He flirted and teased her, whispering naughty words into her ear about all the things he wanted to do with her when they got back home. Leslie giggled and was content to let him nibble along the side of her neck and steal a few kisses. The trip into town passed much too quickly.
Their first stop was Thompson’s General Store. Mr. and Mrs. Thompson greeted them warmly. The older couple was a fixture in the community, and they had a special liking for both Leslie and Gabe.
While the men were busy unloading the furniture from the wagon, Mrs. Thompson pulled Leslie aside and exclaimed over her new attire. “You look just beautiful in that dress. I remember your mother picking out the materials to make it. She and I have both been hoping to tempt you into a dress for years. Seeing you like this really warms my old heart.”
Leslie blushed lightly and hugged the older woman. “I should have listened to you and my mother years ago. I would never admit it to my husband, but I’m really enjoying the way he looks at me when I’m wearing women’s clothes.”
Mrs. Thompson chuckled and nodded knowingly. “It always pays to keep your husband on his toes, honey. Just wait until other men start taking an interest in you. He’s going to have his hands full fighting off the crowds.”
Leslie giggled and shook her head. “The only male attention I’m interested in is Gabe’s.”
“Well, you’ve certainly succeeded in getting that. And I must say, it looks like marriage agrees with you. You’ve never looked happier.”
“I am happy,” Leslie agreed. “I hope I can make Gabe just as happy.” Leslie sent a furtive glance at Gabe, who was engrossed in conversation with Mr. Thompson. “Thank you again for the lovely gift you gave us. We will make good use of the quilt, and it’s so beautiful.”
“I’m glad you like it.” Mrs. Thompson leaned close and murmured, “And there’s nothing like snuggling under a quilt with your man when it’s really cold outside, dearie.”
Leslie blushed but giggled with her. They continued to chat while Mr. Thompson gathered their supplies. Gabe counted out the payment, and the two men loaded the purchases in the wagon. After saying their goodbyes to the older couple, Leslie and Gabe stepped out onto the boardwalk.
When Gabe turned around, he bumped into Lena Lewis, nearly knocking her over. She flailed her arms as she began to teeter, and he grabbed her around the waist to keep her from falling down.
“Pardon me, Lena. I didn’t see you coming.”
Leslie watched as Gabe made sure the other woman was steady on her feet before releasing her. It looked to Leslie like he held onto her waist for a few seconds longer than necessary.
Lena’s cheeks turned a delightful shade of pink, and she smoothed her skirts as she met his eye. “I didn’t see you, either, Mr. Faulkner.” She turned to Leslie with a brittle smile. “Good afternoon, Mrs. Faulkner. I heard that congratulations were in order for your recent marriage.” When Leslie opened her mouth to answer, Lena turned back to Gabe with a mockingly raised brow. “I confess, I was quite surprised by your impromptu wedding. I had no idea the two of you were seeing each other. If I had known you were courting another girl, I would have never allowed you to continue courting me.”
It was Gabe’s turn to blush, and he cleared his throat as he removed his hat. “It’s not what you think. I wasn’t courting Leslie. Things just happened rather quickly, and there was no time to talk with you about it. I do regret if I caused you any hurt feelings.”
Both women bristled, but Leslie held her tongue. Lena raised her brows and gave him a haughty look. “No need to worry about me, Mr. Faulkner. There are no hurt feelings on my part. I’m just glad that I found out how fickle you are before things became any more serious between us.”
She started to go around Gabe, but he stopped her by gently gripping her arm. “It wasn’t like that, Lena. Truly. I didn’t plan for this to happen, and I really am sorry that I didn’t have a chance to explain things to you.”
“I would appreciate it if you would call me Miss Lewis. You don’t owe me any explanations,” Lena said coldly. “It’s not as if we were engaged or anything.” She shrugged nonchalantly. “Besides, you’re the one who will have to live with your decision.” She flashed a scathing look at Leslie, taking in her appearance from head to toe with a dismissive humph. “Mrs. Faulkner, I wish you the very best of luck in your marriage. With such an indecisive man for a husband, I suspect you are going to need it.”
Without another word, she turned and entered the general store, shutting the door behind her with finality. A couple of stunned moments passed before Leslie realized that several nearby people had been listening in on the conversation. One of them was Bernie Phillips. He was glaring at Gabe and then he turned a sympathetic gaze on her. Leslie’s cheeks burned, and she made a small, mortified sound.
Gabe seemed to notice that people were staring at the same time. He took hold of her upper arm and turned her to the wagon.
“Let’s go home,” he said gruffly.
He lifted her onto the bench and climbed up beside her. He flicked the reins and urged the horses into a fast trot. Neither of them spoke or looked at one another during the entire drive back to their farm. When Gabe pulled the horses to a stop, Leslie scrambled down without waiting for his help. She stomped into the cabin and slammed the door behind her.
She went straight to the bedroom, slammed the door and began unbuttoning her dress. She thought briefly about donning britches just to be spiteful to Gabe. But then, she remembered the way Lena had looked at her with such smugness, as if Leslie was horribly plain or ugly. She chose a calico dress in a soft, buttery yellow and laid it on the bed. She might never be able to compete with Lena’s beauty, but at least she could look feminine.
She had just stepped out of her fancy dress when Gabe threw the bedroom door open. It hit the wall with a resounding bang, and Leslie jumped.
He placed his hands on his hips and scowled at her. “What the hell is wrong with you this time?” he demanded.
Leslie glared at him and mimicked his stance, placing her arms akimbo. “What’s wrong with me?” she asked with a nasty sn
eer. “Do you even need to ask?”
“Apparently, I do. If either of us has a reason to be angry, it’s me,” Gabe roared, jabbing a thumb in the middle of his chest for emphasis. “Thanks to you, I just got humiliated in front of half the town.”
Leslie gasped in outrage. “You were humiliated? I was the one who was humiliated! I had to stand there and listen to you apologize for marrying me to your precious Lena and beg for her forgiveness.”
She turned away to hang her dress in the wardrobe, dismissing him with a huff. Gabe growled and grabbed her by the shoulder to turn her back around to face him.
“I was apologizing to her, because I had been courting her. I had been planning to propose marriage to her, and even though I hadn’t asked her yet, I’m sure she suspected that my intentions were serious. She had every right to feel angry and betrayed. It was terribly unfair that I married you without any warning or explanation to her. It’s only natural that she would have some hurt feelings. I feel awful about that, and I was trying to explain.”
“Just exactly how did you intend to explain, Gabe? Were you planning to blurt out that you only married me because you might have accidentally gotten me pregnant?”
Gabe threw his hands up and looked to the ceiling, praying for patience. “No, damn it. Of course, I wouldn’t have said anything like that.” He ran an agitated hand through his hair and shook his head. “Maybe I didn’t say exactly the right thing, but I wasn’t prepared to run into her like that. I just wanted her to know that I didn’t purposely hurt her feelings.”
Leslie gave an enraged screech and stomped her foot. “What about my feelings? You made it clear to everyone that you had been saddled with me, when you would much rather have been married to Lena Lewis!” She shot him a scathing glare. “Apparently, I’m good enough to fuck, but you would rather have been married to Lena!”
Gabe’s tentative hold on his temper snapped. He gripped her shoulders and pressed her against the wardrobe door. “I would rather have been married to her, and it would have happened if not for your impulsive behavior, you selfish little brat. I didn’t ask for you to sneak out here in the middle of the night and throw yourself at me.”
His Sweet Kitten (Return To The McKenzies Book 1) Page 16
