Page 118 of The Odds of Happily Ever After
His head tipped back like he was searching for help from a higher force. I hated that I gave him such a hard time, but I hated more that he still hesitated.
“Never mind. I—” The rest of my words died as Gabe leaned toward me and laid his hand on the side of my neck.
“You asked more than one question. My turn.” He searched my eyes as his thumb caressed my racing pulse. “Yes or no?”
I answered with my lips on his.
As soon as our lips touched, electricity zinged through me. I wrapped my arm around his neck and tugged him closer, and he took it further, hauling me onto his lap so we were chest to chest. It felt like settling into the place where I belonged. His lips moved with mine, gently at first, then growing in intensity. I breathed him in, taking in every second of this reality I’d once only dreamed about.
Gabe was here with me, and he was kissing me. It was everything I hoped for and more. Because it was him, I didn’t feel nervous or self-conscious or resigned.
I teased my tongue across the seam of his lips, tracing the way they curved in the smile I’d long memorized. They parted for me, and my tongue swept in, parrying with his. He tasted of spearmint, and it felt like a shot of caffeine had been injected into my system. I could hardly think past the rush of blood pumping through my veins.
“Sweet,” he murmured against my lips.
“It’s the boba. I knew you’d like it.”
He chuckled, and I laughed too. But it turned to a moan as I became aware of the hardness pressing against the spot where I ached. It felt so good.
Experimentally, I ground on his erection.
We both groaned.
“Luna.” Gabe swept his palm up my side, his thumb stopping just short of the underside of my boob.
“Mmm.” My hips moved restlessly against him, the delicious friction amping up my need.
His hand dropped to my waist and stilled me. “Luna.” He said my name in a gravelly voice that sent a shiver through me.
I wanted to hear that tone as he did everything to me that I had imagined, wanted to drive him to the brink of pleasure where he couldn’t choose his words or weigh his actions or hold on to his control.
“This is too fast,” he said.
“Not fast enough. We still have clothes on.”
He eased my body away from his so I sat in the middle of his thighs, our midsections no longer touching.
I instantly missed the solidness of his chest and the press of his erection.
“We’re not taking anything off.”
“But—”
“We have a game to finish.”
“Or we could finish what we just started.” I toyed with the top button of his shirt. “That sounds a lot more fun to me.”
He captured my hand and drew it to his lips, pressing a gentle kiss on my knuckles. “It’s not about fun, Luna. This . . . You . . . You’re important to me. I’ve already made too many mistakes with you. Let me do this the right way.”
His eyes begged me to understand, to not push. But his hands didn’t let go of my hand, my waist. It was like he was being pulled in two opposite directions and one nudge would break his resolve.
The torment in his gaze gave me the strength to nod. We’d do it his way . . . for now.
Because even though it wasn’t just about fun for me either, I didn’t want to pressure him into anything. I didn’t want him questioning his actions or taking a step forward only to backtrack when his conscience struck again. There was nothing wrong about us being together, but it wasn’t up to me to change his mind. He needed to work through it himself.
When we got together, it had to be because we’d chosen each other. Anything less would never work out in the long run.
In the meantime, it looked like I would have to give Chloe’s gift a go.
