Page 10 of Losing Hope

ChapterFour

Sunlight streamedin through the wall of glass that made up the backside of the house, brightening the living room, causing Hope to blink her eyes several times as she tried to adjust to the light. She raised her hand to shield her eyes, and that’s when a warm grip tightened around her waist and pulled her into its embrace. A smile ghosted over her lips as thoughts of the night before ran through her mind, a small groan of embarrassed satisfaction escaping as she curled against the hard body behind her. She picked a stranger up off the side of the road and ended up having mind-blowing sex withhim!

“Don’t get up yet.” His voice vibrated deeply against her neck, causing goosebumps to break out across her body. “I just want to feel you against me for another minute.”

“Okay.” She scooted herself back until her entire body was flush with his, almost purring when his arms wrapped tighter to hold her possessively. She could feel his heart beating against her back, his hot breath gently breezing through the strands of her hair. As she grazed her fingers lightly over the muscles that corded his forearms, she blushed at the memory of them grasping onto her as she rodehim.

“What are you smiling about?” His voice grumbled behindher.

“How can you tell I’m smiling?” Her smile grew even wider.

“You are, right?”

“Maybe.” She tried hard to stifle the giggle trying to escape.

Before she could react further, her body was flipped around and Gage was pressed down on top of her, a wicked gleam in his eyes. He leaned down and ran his tongue languidly around her ear before whispering, “I like making you smile.” He continued to trail his tongue down her jawbone before making his way to her lips, tracing them lightly before nipping playfully. “And I like how swollen and pretty these look after I kissyou.”

She let out a gasp of surprise as his mouth captured hers completely in a searing kiss, his tongue snaking inside, dancing together with hers. She slid her hands up over his broad shoulders and around his neck, pulling him tighter against her raging body. Her legs fell open as he pushed himself up against her core, a low growl of desire sounding in his throat. His lips tore away from hers, causing a strangled groan to escape her lips as her eyes flew open in question. He leaned his forehead against hers, his eyes capturing hers, his breathing heavy.

“I probably should have brought this up last night, but protection?”

She felt her cheeks heat in embarrassment as she realized that was something she should have thought to ask about, as well. Damn wine and his fine body had made her senseless. “I’m on the pill, so, um, I think we’re okay, and I actually was just tested. I’m clean.” She thought about her lying, cheating boyfriend for only an instant.

“I haven’t been with anyone in about six months. I can wear a condom if youwant?”

She moved her chin up and brought her mouth up to his, kissing him slowly. Not moving her mouth from his, she whispered, “The only thing I want inside of me is you. Justyou.”

“Thank you, Jesus,” was all she heard before his lips crashed back against hers and his hands wrapped around her waist, pulling her body back to his. She arched her hips up to rub againsthis—

BRRRING! They both froze, their lips breaking apart. BRRING!

“That’s the phone.” She pushed gently against his chest and rose to sit up. “The power must be backon.”

Gage moved completely off her, his eyes following her as she wrapped a blanket around her nakedness and walked to a phone on the wall next to the pantry entrance. She lifted the receiver off the cradle and brought it to herear.

“Hello?”

“Hope dear, is that you?” Her father’s concerned voice carried over theline.

“Daddy? Of course, it’s me. What’s wrong?” She heard a sigh come from the other end of theline.

“Dearest, I hadn’t heard from you since yesterday, and you weren’t answering your cell. I’ve been worried.”

Nothing like a call from her father to throw cold water onto the flames that she was about to ignite into. “Oh, Dad, sorry about that. No power here last night because of the storm, and my cell was dead. I didn’t even realize the power was back on. I was just wakingup.”

She watched as Gage stood up and bent down to retrieve the sweatpants that had been discarded on the floor the night before. She couldn’t help but admire his ass and had to drag her eyes away in order to pay attention to her father.

“What was that, Dad?”

“I said, is everything okay up there? Should I send one of the caretakers out to check on things?”

“Oh, no, that shouldn’t be necessary.” She watched in disappointment as Gage pulled the t-shirt over his head and looked away quickly when his eyes caught her staring. “I’ll take a walk around the property, and if I need anything, I know who tocall.”

“Okay, dear, just keep me posted. Please be careful up there and get somerest.”

“I will, Dad. Promise. Loveyou.”

“Love you too, Hope.”

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