One dark brow arched beguilingly. “So what do you give me for savin’ you from a fall,” he murmured, leaning too close.
Jessica pulled back so sharply she almost fell, and it was exactly the opening he was looking for. His bare arms wrapped around her, the hair sprinkled skin of his forearms deliciously abrasive against the portions of her back bared by the strappy sundress. Did the man never wear a shirt? She couldn’t think straight with all that potent male flesh exposed to her view and the skin of her palms.
Her fingertips tingled as his muscles played beneath them, moving as he trapped her. He tightened his hold, pulling her close, closer. Jessica flattened her palms on his chest, ignoring the fluttering in her stomach touching his bare flesh and sculpted muscles aroused, and pushed away with an effort. It did nothing to stop him.
“Gabriel, we can’t do this here in the middle of the hotel.”
“Perhaps we could go up to your room?” he whispered, brushing his lips against the delicate shell of her ear, his warm breath ruffling her insides with delighted shivers.
“I don’t think so.” She gasped as his tongue thrust, wet and hot, in her ear, sending goosebumps chasing over her skin. He withdrew it, then tugged her earlobe with his teeth before swiping a wet path behind her ear.
“Mmm. You taste good. I could eat you right here, chere.”
Why did he make her feel so weak and vulnerable? She couldn’t scrape him off of her. “Please don’t.”
“You don’ sound sure. You sound like maybe you think yes.” His voice dropped an octave, making her quiver with sensual promise.
With an effort, Jessica reined in her careening libido. “I think I said no, Gabriel. You’re embarrassing me.”
He pulled back and studied her with mirth in his eyes and a lazy grin. “I hardly got started. Ah dis color is a blush? It looks sweet on you, chere. Such a preddy face, why you hide from me?”
Jessica’s face flamed even more at that remark. She was gratified when, reluctantly, he released her. She resisted the urge to wipe her kiss dampened skin, cooling in the climate controlled air. He grinned at her as if he knew exactly what she wanted to do.
Jessica glared back, then her eyes narrowed. “You didn’t just happen by, did you?”
He looked wounded. “You don’ trust me, chere?”
“I don’t know you,” she said indignantly. “Why should I trust you?”
“Because I am your champion. And I have decided to sacrifice my day and put myself at your disposal. I will show you Nawlins.”
“That’s so thoughtful of you. But I have a tour guide. I believe I can find my way around.” She brushed past him and strode from the hotel. He fell into step beside her, not looking the least perturbed by her determined efforts to brush him off.
“We should go for coffee, and luncheon at the Bayou Cafe. And then you must tell me what sites most pique your interest.”
Jessica stopped and stared at him. The truth was, she really didn’t know her way around New Orleans, and it had occurred to her before that knowing a local would help her in her quest. She couldn’t really afford to hire a tour guide--not if she wanted to continue having a hotel room or money to buy things to eat. “All right. I’ll have lunch with you. But I warn you, if you try anything, you’ll draw back a nub.”
He smiled that toe curling grin again and made a sweeping gesture with his arm. “After you, cherie.”
She stopped in her tracks and gave him a once over. “Wait a minute. Are you going like that?” Never in her life had she seen a restaurant that would allow patrons to go in half naked.
“Somethin’ wrong? You don’ like what I’m wearin’? I’m hurt, cherie.”
“Well ... uh ... there’s just so much of you ... exposed.” Jessica blushed as she realized she was staring at his crotch. Not that it was exposed. She probably wouldn’t still be standing if it had been. She was sure the sight of that would make her faint.
“Not exposed enough for what I’d like to do,” he said, full of promise.
“And what would that be?” she asked and immediately regretted it.
He grinned. “Gimme some time, I show you.”
“That’s not necessary. I’m sure it’s pretty--” She looked pointedly at his chin, trying very hard to be good.
“And fun to play with. You ever slid down a pole?” He hooked his thumbs on his pockets, emphasizing the object of their--his discussion.
She blushed straight to her roots and realized all attempts at not being a pervert had failed. She was too curious by half about how he looked without his clothes on. Why did she feel like a prude all of a sudden? “I’m not even going to think about what you just said. Can’t you at least button your britches?”
He looked down at himself, fingering the half open fly deliberately to make her look at it. “Scared d’serpent gonna break free and bite you? I promise, he just nibbles. He likes warm hidey holes bedder anyway.”
Jessica strangled on her saliva and coughed with embarrassment. She took a deep breath to recover before giving him a hard stare. “Well, it isn’t getting anywhere near this hole. I thought you were going to behave?”
“You started it. I’m just waitin’ for you to move so we can go.”
Jessica spared him a warning glance and stepped outside, waiting for the doorman to hail them a cab to take them to Bayou Cafe. Gabriel said nothing as they made the five minute drive through traffic, but it wasn’t like she could ignore his presence. He seemed to fill the confined space and wind her nerves tight, until she felt ready to spring at any moment. He watched her constantly, as if eating her with his eyes, and Jessica had the unnerving notion that he could see straight through her clothing.
The cab stopped and Gabriel paid, then held the door open for her as they entered the cafe. The scent of sausage and spices filled the air with a tangy nip, and Jessica’s stomach began to rumble with hunger.
“Mmm. Smells good,” she said, taking a seat at a booth.
“Dey serve the best gumbo in town,” he said, sliding in beside her.
“Can’t you sit on the other side?” she asked, trying to scoot away and get some distance.
“I could, but I won’t.”
Jessica tried to ignore him, but it was nearly impossible when he slipped his arm on the back of the booth, right over her shoulders. Jessica cleared her throat noisily, trying to warn him off, but he recognized hints about as subtle as he flirted. Finally, she looked over the menu while he played with a lock of her hair, wiggling her shoulders as he tickled her with it.
A waiter came up and offered her a brief reprieve. “Are you ready to order?” he asked.
“I’ll have d’gumbo special, a coffee, and a glass of water.”
“I’ll have the same,” Jessica said, setting the menu aside.
Gabriel gave her a look. “Bedder bring us a pitcher of water.” The waiter smiled and walked away. “Can you stand the heat, chere?”
Jessica wiped her hands nervously on her skirt, squirming to get comfortable and failing. “I could probably handle it better if I wasn’t so close to the fire.”
Jessica saw that sultry grin from the corner of her eye.
“You have no idea, chere.”
She thought she probably did. Changing the subject, she asked, “Why’d you send me to that shop last night?”
“Mikel’s?”
“Yes.”
“He’s good, no?”
Jessica fingered her necklace, playing with the medallion. “Very. But I just get this feeling you wanted me to do more than just get this fixed.”
The waiter came back with their water, and Gabriel took a sip before answering. “Did Mikel tell you a story?”
Jessica twisted in her seat to watch him suspiciously. “Don’t tell me you believe that crap too? Wait, this is a trick, right? Some little thing y’all do to the tourists to bilk them out of money?”
The food arrived before he could answer, and she soon forgot all about it as her mouth cau
ght on fire. Gabriel dug in to his meal with gusto, while Jessica nibbled at hers. Her tongue burned like a torch, and she had to take two sips of water for every bite of food. She didn’t know how he could stand it.
He paused, studying her. “So how do you like gator gumbo, petite? Too spicy for you?”
“Alligator?” Jessica’s stomach protested instantly. She dropped her spoon in her bowl.
“Oui.”
Despite her sudden ill feeling, the delicate meat she’d thought was chicken was actually quite tasty. “It’s good. But yes, it’s too spicy for my tastes.” She pushed her bowl away and fixed her coffee, heavy on the cream and sugar.
“I could show you a bedder spice. It goes down smooth as silk and heats you from da inside.”
Jessica chuckled despite herself. “You’re incorrigible. Shut up and eat your food.”
Gabriel finished off his and her gumbo and stretched out his legs when he was done, rubbing his stomach as he sipped his black coffee.
Jessica looked at his hands wrapped around the mug and wondered if everything on him was as big. She blushed at the thought and knew he’d begun to corrupt her.
“So what are you doin’ down here, chere?”
She didn’t see much harm in sharing her past or why she’d come. “I came looking for my birth parents. I didn’t find out until I got here that they died years ago.” It pricked her heart that she’d never known them, that they’d given her up for reasons she’d never understand or know. Maybe it was too personal information to give to a near stranger, but she thought it would help her feelings having someone to share with.
“I’m sorry, chere. What were their names? Nawlins can be an intimate place.”
“Shelly and Jacques LaValle.”
He stiffened and straightened in his seat, setting his coffee down.
Jessica noticed his strange reaction, getting her hopes up. “Do you--did you know them?”
He wiped his mouth with a napkin, balled it up, and threw it onto the table while she watched him intently. “No, chere, no. I’m sorry.”
Jessica felt downhearted. She was going to find answers, somehow. If she hadn’t cleaned out her adoptive parents’ house after their death in a car crash, she would’ve never known she wasn’t their child. Sometimes she wished she’d never found that damn birth certificate in all that junk. Sometimes she wished things were as they had been. But wishing wasn’t going to get her anywhere but smack in the middle of depression. “Any way, I’m going to the cemetery to see them today.”
“Which one?”
“It’s in the Garden district. I thought maybe I’d take a tour if I find a cheap one.”
“You shouldn’ go dere.”
Jessica blinked at him. “Huh? Why not?”
“It’s dangerous for you.”
Jessica rolled her eyes, finally getting what he was hinting at as she was brought full throttle back to the question he’d conveniently failed to answer. “Don’t tell me you believe that werewolf and vampire crap.”
He didn’t say anything.
“You do!” And here she thought he was normal except for wanting to get in bed with her. Her ego suffered a serious blow. She should’ve known it was too good to be true.
He was crazy.
“It’s against pack law for me ta go there,” he said finally.
It was a shame, really. He was so gorgeous. A beautiful man like that always had to have something wrong with him. “Well, you don’t have to come along. In fact, I’d prefer to be alone when I visit.”
“As you wish, chere. I just hope you can handle yourself. Before you go runnin’ into trouble, why don’ you let me show you around a liddle?”
Jessica was sorely tempted. She sipped her coffee, considering it. It was still pretty early, not too long after noon. Hell, she could probably talk herself into anything as far as he was concerned--he didn’t have to be charming. “Okay, but you’ll remember to behave yourself, right?”
“I s’pose that depends on what you mean by behavin’, chere. Dis ole dog don’ do tricks without a treat.” Gabriel left some cash on the table and slid out of the booth, eyeing her appreciatively as she got up, as well.
“This girl doesn’t give them unless she sees something really special.”
Gabriel looked affronted as they headed out. “You sayin’ I’m not sometin’ special, chere? You don’ like my tricks so far?”
Jessica suppressed a laugh and walked along the building shaded street. The wind flirted in her hair and skirt, flashing a length of thigh. She caught him staring, and a little thrill shot through her despite her mind’s misgivings. She grinned, feeling unaccustomedly saucy. “You remind me a little of Pepe Le Pew.”
He choked. “I stink?”
Jessica burst out in laughter. “No. You smell really good, actually--maybe too good.” And maybe she shouldn’t have admitted that. “No, I feel a little like the poor cat he chases is all.”
He grinned, moving closer. “Hunted? Loved?” He caught her hand. “You want me to kiss you all over and whisper French nothings into your ear?” His kissed up her arm to her neck, making noisy smacking sounds.
Jessica screamed and giggled, and pulled her arm free before running down the street. He chased after her, ignoring the strange looks others cast their way. He caught her before she could elude him, took them into the shelter of a doorway.
Jessica felt breathless from her run and looked around, saw that they were virtually alone, and the shop was abandoned. He had a knack for finding cozy, lonely spots. She glanced up at him to see him grinning down at her.
He leaned back on the opposite side, keeping some space between them.
“You gonna start callin’ me Pepe now?”
Jessica chuckled. “It crossed my mind. I’m mean, aren’t I?”
“Maybe a liddle. I like a mean woman though.”
“Hey! You’re not supposed to agree with me.” She mock kicked his shin.
He rubbed his leg with his opposite foot. “Ow. You know how to kill d’romance, chere. I don’ mind a liddle beatin’ now and then, but this? Aren’t you s’posed to tie me up first before you have your wicked way with me?”
Gabriel really knew how to implant a mental picture. Just imaging him naked, tied, and spread-eagled on a bed gave her hot flashes. “Uh. I’m not into that. And you, you’re changing the subject. Admit it. Don’t you think you come on too strong?” Truth be told, it wasn’t him that was the problem, it was her. He was perfect. She just wasn’t used to a hot pursuit, particularly not from a man she actually wanted to pursue her.
He shrugged. “I got to work fast. No time to take it slow.” He gave her a sultry grin. “Besides, it’s workin’, ain’t it?”
She had no idea what he meant by that statement, but that smile said enough. She wasn’t going to admit just how much he tempted her to do all the wicked things she shouldn’t be doing. “No. As a matter of fact, you’re really just wasting your time.”
The look on his face said he didn’t believe her. “Why do you fight so hard, petite? Why cain’t you just feel?”
Jessica’s humor vanished. She was forcibly reminded of past mistakes, of letting people get too close. Her self-esteem was bad about getting beaten, but she preferred to think of herself as a realist. Beautiful people stuck with other beautiful people, and she most definitely wasn’t in their class. “I’m afraid I’ll get addicted,” she admitted, slanting him a look. “Guys like you don’t stick around, especially not with girls like me.”
Mating Fever Page 4
