Page 63 of Finding Home

CHAPTERTWENTY-THREE

When Hope woke the next morning, the first thing she heard was the faint rush of water.Shower,she thought, stretching her body and moaning in pleasure as she savored the delicious pull of muscles that hadn’t seen this kind of action in years. Sex truly was a most excellent workout. She was pretty sure she’d burned a zillion calories through the night. And this morning.

Buoyed by the memories from a couple of hours ago, when dawn was cracking through the shutters and Gabe nestled low between her legs to gently lick her out of slumber, she kicked the covers off her heated body and followed the sound of running water into a small ensuite.

She took a moment to appreciate the sheer masculine beauty of his tall, broad form behind the fogged glass of the shower door.

His head was bowed as he leaned into the spray, hands braced against the tile, water pouring down his head and over his toned back.

She felt herself go damp at the mere sight of him. She had no idea when she’d developed a ravenous sexual appetite, but she knew it had everything to do with this man. Quietly, she slipped into the shower, looped her arms around his torso, and pressed her body against his back.

Gabe froze for a beat, then expelled a harsh breath when she ran her fingertips down his ripped abs to her favorite appendage, which was already deliciously hard. She shivered with the memory of how good it felt when he’d been deep inside her.

She reached up on tiptoe to kiss him. “Morning.” She smiled against his lips, before slowly sinking to her knees on the floor of the shower.

“What are you doing?” Gabe asked, his voice a gruff rumble.

Hope ran her hand along his length in one long stroke.

“Hope.” His tone was a warning, which she ignored with a smile.

Instead, she did what she’d wanted to do since she woke to the sound of the shower running. She bent her head, taking him into her mouth as far as she could, running her tongue along his smooth skin.

She had to clench her legs tight when a rough growl tore from his lips, his hands tangling in her hair in a firm grip. She loved the sound of his passion and was pretty sure she could come from that sound alone, but she’d had her turn earlier. This time, she wanted to get her pleasure solely from giving him his.

* * *

Later, as they toweled each other off, Gabe casually said, “So I thought we’d spend the day together.”

Hope stilled. They’d talked briefly last night about this thing between them beingmore, and her heart had sung at the idea. She wanted more with him so badly she could taste it.

But she was apprehensive. There were things he didn’t know about her past. Things she didn’t even know how to share with him without betraying Ivy. Things that were complicated and painful, and quite frankly things she didn’t really want to relive again—but knew she had to. For him, she had to.

She just hadn’t quite worked out the how or the when yet. Which made her feel like they were starting off on the wrong foot and he didn’t even know it. And that didn’t sit right with her.

As if sensing her hesitation, Gabe stepped forward, his damp body towering over hers, his slightly too long hair—made even longer by the weight of the water—curling at the nape of his neck and around his ears. He took her towel from her, dropped it on the floor, and pulled her into his arms.

“Hope, last night was…” He dipped his head until he held her gaze fix on his. “Last night was the closest I’ve been with anyone since Carrie died. Both physically and emotionally. I told you I wanted more, and I meant it. I want more of you. I want to learn more about you. I want to explore this thing between us.” He looked as serious as she’d ever seen him, and she realized he was putting it all on the line for her. “I know I’m not always easy, and I come with a shit load of baggage and—” He halted when she lowered her gaze.

Little did he know she also came with a shit load of baggage.

“And Ruby…”

“I love Ruby,” she said adamantly, her gaze flying back to meet his.

His eyes burned into hers, searching for the truth. After a moment, he must have found what he needed because he relaxed.

“So,” he repeated. “Spend the day with me. Just us. We can keep going slow if you want to. I just don’t want us to stop.”

With his damp body pressed against hers, his words soft, enticing, and most of all, honest, she had a hard time reminding herself of the reasons she should be hesitating.

She needed to trust that when the time came and her past came out, he would understand. He would understand because he knew about sacrifices better than anyone. He would recognize why she’d made hers and support her. She had to stop second-guessing him—them.

With that thought in her head, she looked up at him, a small smile breaking free, a sense of peace flooding her heart. “Does the day start with breakfast?”

Gabe grinned, and his green eyes shone. “It does.” Then he tossed her over his shoulder as she shrieked and headed back to the bed. “But first, dessert.”

* * *

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