Page 48 of In Search of a Husband
But it was too late.
His father had passed away suddenly at thirty-seven years old, and his older brother, a few months away from reaching his thirty-seventh birthday, met an early end because of his fondness of drink.
Gabriel had three years at best, he figured. Three years would never be long enough to love a woman such as Katherine Bancroft. Three years could see the castle’s properties in good standing order, could see his nieces in an established finishing school that would ensure good marriage prospects, and perhaps a family distillery that would allow his family to live comfortably.
There wasn’t time.
And loving Kate wasn’t a possibility.
No matter how much he wished to kiss her.
Often.
No matter how much he wished to bed her.
All the damn time.
No matter how much he wished he could allow himself to love her.
They bidone another good night.
Kate’s cheeks were flushed and her eyes bright and shining. And somehow, Gabriel had remained the picture of control, before retreating to his room to pore over a pile of boring letters and requests from tenants.
Anything to cool his blood. And sorting out a mess of Dunsmuir not having a land steward for three years did the job perfectly.
But after trying to concentrate for several minutes, he pushed the papers aside and closed his eyes, still haunted by the ghost of her lips on his mouth. The soft graze of her fingers against his jaw. How her legs wrapped around his waist, and she lay before him on the worktable, ready to give herself over for him to feast on.
He shut his eyes and dropped his head back against the tall chair, thinking only of her. Dreaming of what could have happened if he had allowed himself to lose even a sliver of control with her.
Gabriel didn’t wish to hurt her.
He wouldn’t.
But she was something he couldn’t deny himself either.
With a shaky hand, he undid his trousers, freeing his erection. He wrapped his hand around his hard cock and gripped himself, stroking up and down in one long sweep.
A shock of pleasure chased up his spine. It had been far too long since he had last been with a woman, but he couldn’t remember ever wanting someone as much as he wanted Kate.
If he had taken her on the worktable there, she would have tasted of apples and vanilla. Her lush lips soft, pressed against his or tasting his skin.
He quickened his stroke, bracing his other hand on the desk. The feeling of pleasure consuming him but filling him with an insatiable need. He swallowed a moan, certain he would have ripped her dressopen to reveal her breasts in stays, the feel of them warm and soft, filling his hands. Her nipples would be blush like her lips and pebble at his soft, grazing touch. She would buck her hips against him when he bent down and took her nipple into his mouth, circling her with a sweep of his tongue. She would rake her fingers back into his hair and tug before pushing him down the length of her body. He would pull up her skirts and trace his fingers over the soft black curls on her quim before parting her, her heat spreading to his fingertips as he stroked, and she issued the softest of sighs.
He’d taste her well. Lick her and circle his tongue around that sensitive bud between her legs until she quivered, close to shattering around his fingers until she was greedy and pulled him to his feet. He wondered if she would call out his name when he finally thrusted inside of her.
What would she sound like when she chased her pleasure as he drove into her, not worrying about whether he would hurt her, only taking comfort in the feeling of her? Of how tight she was, how she quivered around him and screamed as he spent…
Gabriel groaned, quickening his pace until the pleasure raced through his veins, and he spent over his stomach.
His heart drummed in his ears, and he struggled to catch his shuddering breath as he stroked once, twice… melting back against his seat and slamming his eyes shut.
Madness.
He hadn’t the time to pursue her, and yet, one touch… one kiss wouldn’t be enough.
Gabriel craved her, and he feared this was only the beginning.
CHAPTER 12
