Page 153 of The Odds of Happily Ever After
I stroked his shuddering back, feeling it ease bit by bit. “Lua?” I asked when his breaths had quieted.
“Portuguese for moon.” He kissed a path up my neck to my chin and hovered right above my lips.
Placing my hand on my favorite spot around his nape, I smiled at him. “I like it.”
“Good. I love you.”
“I love you too.”
He kissed me sweetly. It was like another version of his declaration, one he spoke without words and echoed with his entire being. I felt enveloped in it, and then I felt him stirring where we were still joined.
Drawing my head back, I looked him in the eye. “I thought the recovery time for guys goes up the older you get?”
“I’m thirty, not ancient.”
“Glad to hear it from you. But that is a no-go zone for the next twenty-four hours. You’re not exactly beginner sized, Professor.”
Gabe looked torn between pride and concern. “Do you want to go to my place so I can fix you a bubble bath?”
Of course he had some fancy tub. “Next time.”
Leaning over me, he kissed me until I was breathless again. Then he pulled himself up and out of bed. “I’ll be right back.”
Later, after we’d gotten ourselves cleaned up, he settled in bed behind me—both of us on our sides to keep from falling off. Something pressed against my back, and I shook my head. “No way, Gabe.”
“Relax. You know I can control myself.”
“Yeah, well, if you hadn’t controlled yourself for so long, we could be pros at this by now.”
“How romantic.” He tickled my waist, making me yelp.
“Sheesh, such a grump. You’re lucky I find you hot.”
“I am lucky. I have you, don’t I?”
Turning to smile at him, I said, “Good answer.”
Then I learned I didn’t need much recovery time after all.
chapter forty-eight
gabe
Unknown number
Congrats on your office.
Gabe
Who’s this?
Unknown number
Alonzo.
Gabe
Thanks, Alonzo. Appreciate it.
