Page 79 of A Table for Two
Her face transformed as she ate, softening as a smile curved her lips. “This is wonderful, Gabriel.”
“Thanks.” He sat back, sipped his wine, and silently contemplated what made her different from all the other women he’d dated. It all came back to one word: everything. From her giving spirit, confidence, and intelligence to her engaging smile, sense of humor, and authenticity—she had never wavered from who he thought her to be—she’d captured him totally. Gabriel didn’t even need to think about how much they had in common, especially food and music. Those things added icing on top of a decadent cake. “All done?” he asked when he noticed her empty plate. Placing his glass on the end table, he stood and reached for the tray. “Would you like anything else?”
“Yes. I’d like for you to hold me again.”
Her simple request shouldn’t have pleased him so much, but it did. “I can do that. Let me put this away, and I’ll be right back.” Gabriel left and returned quickly. After turning on some soft music, he lowered himself onto the recliner and shifted her until she sat on his lap, adjusting her until she was comfortable. He pushed the side button to lift the leg rest and didn’t try to initiate any conversation. Gabriel simply wrapped her in the shelter of his arms. He didn’t know how long they’d been sitting when he heard a phone buzz.
“I think that’s my phone.” Serenity sat up and grabbed her purse off the end table. She dug it out and answered. “Hey, Pam. How’s our girl?” She didn’t say anything for a few seconds, then whispered, “Thank goodness. I know you and Reggie are relieved. I’ll stop by tomorrow for a few minutes, and I appreciate you calling.” She disconnected. “Brianna woke up for a longer time and spoke briefly.”
“That’s good news.” Gabriel smiled and dropped a kiss on her lips.
“It is.” Serenity ran her hand up his chest and around his neck, then kissed him. “Thank you for being here. It means a lot.”
“I didn’t want to be anywhere else.” The words were out before he could stop them, but they were the truth.
“Gabriel,” she whispered, pulling his head down for another kiss.
What started as gentle changed in intensity tohotin the blink of an eye. Hearing his name whispered from her lips spiked his arousal. Her mouth parted slightly, and his tongue found hers. He removed the band from her hair, and her braids cascaded around her face. He fisted his hands in her hair and crushed his mouth against hers, plunging deep, swirling and feasting on the sweetness like a starved man. His hands roamed down her back, over her hips, and found their way to the silken flesh of her thighs and curvy bottom. He slid a hand beneath her top and skimmed a thumb over her breasts. She trembled beneath his touch, fueling his passion, and the kiss intensified. Her hands came up to stroke the nape of his neck, and he groaned deep in his throat. Gabriel had only planned to be here for her tonight, but the way she was making him feel negated any chance of the quiet, relaxing night he’d envisioned. “Serenity.”
“I don’t want you to talk, Gabriel.”
He lifted his head, and their gazes locked. “What do you want?”
“You. Tonight, I just want you.”
Gabriel hit the side button, lowered the chair, and with her in his arms, strode purposely down the hallway to his bedroom. He placed her in the center of his bed and followed her down. The rapturous expression on her face combined with the sensual picture she made lying on his bed almost pushed him over the edge right then and there, and he had to close his eyes to steady himself. At that moment, he’d never wanted another woman more. Slowly, methodically, he stripped away each piece of her clothing, kissing and licking his way down her body, and was rewarded with her passionate cries.
Serenity pushed his shirt up and over his head, tossing it aside. She trailed her hot tongue as she went, sending sharp jolts of electricity straight to his groin.
Too impatient to wait, Gabriel stood, kicked off his shoes, and removed his slacks and briefs in one smooth motion. He searched for and found the condoms in his drawer, tore one off and tossed the others on the nightstand. After rolling it on, he crawled onto the bed and lowered himself onto her. He shuddered from the pleasure of feeling their bodies skin to skin. He kissed her with a hunger that both excited and frightened him, and she returned his kiss, giving as good as she got. He kissed his way down to her beautifully formed breasts and captured a chocolate-tipped nipple between his lips. He laved and suckled first one, then the other, charted a path down the front of her body with his hand and slid two fingers into her slick, wet heat until she was writhing and moaning beneath him.
Serenity let out a loud moan, then leaned up and skated her tongue over his jaw, neck, and shoulder.
Unable to wait any longer, he eased inside, inch by inch until he was fully embedded. He withdrew to the tip and thrust again, repeating the action several times. A tremor raced through his body.
“More, Gabriel,” she begged.
Gripping her buttocks in his hands, he stroked deeper and harder, giving her everything she asked for. Her body trembled around him, and her inner muscles clenched him, almost snapping his restraint. You feel so good, baby,” he whispered against her lips.
“Mmm. So do you.”
He closed his eyes and let the sensations take over as he kept up the pace.
She wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled his mouth down on hers, their tongues tangling and dancing.
Their breathing grew ragged and sweat broke out on his body as she arched up to meet him stroke for stroke. It felt so good being inside her. He could feel his orgasm building and knew he wouldn’t last much longer. Gabriel drove into her until she cried out wildly, her inner walls contracting around him. Pleasure ripped through him with an intensity that almost blew his head off, and he yelled her name. His eyes slid closed, he groaned her name again, shuddering above her as the spasms racked his body. She reached up and stroked the sides of his face. He opened his eyes, and when their eyes connected, he felt it again—that tug on his heart. Gabriel could no longer deny what it had been telling him. He loved her.
***
The following Tuesday, during her lunch, Serenity drove over to the hospital to see Brianna and was pleased to learn the little girl would be able to go home the next day. Serenity stayed longer than she’d planned and made it back to the office with five minutes to spare. With back-to-back patients, she kept busy, but Gabriel was never far from her mind. He’d stayed there for the rest of that day, all through the evening, and when she went to bed later that night. Now, tonight as she lay in bed, she reflected on how different he was from her ex.
With Lloyd, everything had been fine so long as she fit neatly into the space he’d carved out for her in his life. And as a doctor, he had never been very sympathetic or held her when she lost a patient. She could still hear his caustic words:This is a hospital, and sometimes people die. You can’t afford to be upset and crying every time one does. So toughen up, accept it, and move on.And in hindsight, she recognized that she’d settled for being Lloyd’s entertainment hostess, instead of holding out for the love she deserved. But Gabriel had done just the opposite, providing the solace she’d needed. The contentment she’d felt in his arms was unlike anything she’d ever experienced.
She glanced over at the clock and sighed.I need to go to sleep.Shifting to a more comfortable position, she closed her eyes. As soon as she did, Gabriel’s handsome face appeared in her mind, and memories of their lovemaking awakened her desires once more. She wanted to call him, ask him to come over and put out the flame he’d started. Despite her best efforts, Serenity had fallen in love with him. How could she not? A part of her wanted to hope he felt something for her, as well, and that, maybe, what they had didn’t have to end.
Chapter 21
After finally admitting to himself that he’d fallen in love with Serenity, Gabriel had gone back to working fourteen- and sixteen-hour days. The emotions she evoked in him were stronger and deeper than he’d felt with any other woman he’d dated, including his ex, and it scared him. He feared that if he put his heart on the line again, he would come away with it broken into little pieces. So he did what he did best—work. Aside from the two short visits with Brianna and his daily run, he’d stayed in. Running into Serenity at the hospital during one of his visits yesterday had made things worse because all he’d wanted to do was wrap her in his arms forever. The wordforeverand a woman had never been used by him in a sentence at the same time. Yet, with her, he’d begun to want it.
