Page 20 of Gabe's Obsession

She felt Gabe move closer as the air around her was displaced. She sighed when his fingers stroked down her cheek and she leaned her face into his hand.

"Baby, you really have no idea how precious you are to me. This moment is a beautiful gift that I am never going to forget."

Her pulse quickened as she listened to the calming tone of his voice. She thought she'd had an idea of what she meant to him, but then he said she was his. And then there was that wordyetwhen he talked about being her lover.

They weren't lovers,yet. Her stomach jolted.

"Nina, open your eyes. Talk to me. I need you to answer my question. This is important."

She opened her eyes, blinking in surprise to discover Gabe crouched beside her, his face only inches away from hers.

"What question?" she asked.

"Your father, Nina. Was he ever inappropriate with you? Sexually, I mean."

Nina felt a keening cry in her head and she squeezed her eyes shut against it. At least she hoped it was only in her head. She didn't want to think about him right now. Not when she felt this vulnerable--this open.

“I—I don't think so. Unless..." She couldn't bear thinking about it, let alone saying it.

"Unless what?" he asked.

Of course Gabe would push. He always would. Wasn’t that what he'd told her? He wanted her to get her memories back so she could move forward with her life. And in his opinion that meant facing the past.

She shook her head, trying to refuse those thoughts from going any further. They were too hard to talk about.

"It's okay, Nina. You're safe. Always safe with me. Do you understand?"

She nodded, still not wanting to say anymore.

"The word unless refers to the one night you don't remember, right? You think he might have done something to you then?"

"I don't know. Maybe. God, don't you think I've tried to remember? That stupid blank spot in my memory is driving me slowly crazy." She tried to control the whine in her voice to no avail. "I'm so tired of this. This not knowing is too much."

"Shhh." Gabe leaned forward and pressed his lips to her forehead and she savored the touch, as she always did.

The man had a knack for calming her down whenever she needed it. Shame welled inside her. She'd been using Gabe as her crutch for weeks and what had he gotten in return? A headache maybe.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "You've got to be tired of all of my non answers by now."

He chuckled. "I've always enjoyed a challenge. And besides, I did get you on your knees for me. That's progress."

A small smile crept across her face. "You're a hard man to say no to."

This time he snorted. "Babe, you've been saying it just fine for years now."

She lifted her head so she could look at him. As always, he looked down at her as if he could see straight through her. "I don't want to say no anymore. I've neverwantedto say no. I just didn't know how to say yes. I still don’t.”

Gabe said nothing. He simply leaned forward and captured her lips with his. Heat speared through her as the simple slide of his tongue prodded her to open for more. She did.

He delved inside and her world titled on its axis. Desire rushed forward as he grabbed her face and took them both even deeper. She moaned into his mouth, her mind and body aching for so much more. She always wanted more from him.

Their tongues tangled, with his dominant in its exploration. Her mind reeled as she locked away all the reasons she couldn't do this with him. Nothing mattered except him. Gabe. The man she loved.

She dug deep for the strength to shove her fear away and simply revel in the feelings of arousal and hard shockwaves of need now rushing over her as both their need threatened to overwhelm her.

But it wasn't just the fact their mouths were fused in an out of this world kiss that had Nina reeling. Nope. His hands were at work too.

From her arms to her waist, there wasn't an inch he hadn't caressed. The fact he'd found her nipples hiding behind two layers of clothing did nothing to lessen the sensations that shot through her every time he flicked one or the other.

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