Watersloshed around her hand as she held it up quickly.
"Oh,no it's nothing bad. It's actually really good." Seeing him relax slightlyshe continued. "Well, thanks to you letting me stay here for a littlewhile I was able to talk to the doctor's office about the payment plan."This is the first time she told anyone about her intentions since she got offthe phone with the doctor's office on Friday. Excitement and nervousness madeher want to laugh a little. Seeing his growing confusion Salene rushed toexplain. "I'm finally getting my breast surgery." Salene rushed out.
"Oh,"Gabriel looked genuinely shocked by the news. "You're getting them…"
"Reduced,yes." She finished for him. "They have made my life a livinghell."
Longlegs surrounding hers within the bubbling water moved slowly, rubbing againsther tantalizing every nerve ending. Suppressing a smile Salene interlocked herlegs around one of his, now he had one of hers and she his.
"Whenyou say a living hell," he took a sip of wine calmly as if they were notcurrently leg wrestling within the water. "Are you referring to yourself-esteem or dating?"
"Both,"she confessed.
Leaningforward he gave her a look of disbelief. "Are you telling me some of yourprevious dates have not enjoyed the size of your breast?"
"No…Yes… I mean no," beyond mortified by his directness Salene took anotherhealthy sip of her wine. "I just feel like they have tried to enjoy themtoo much."
Takingthe nearly empty stemware from her hand, Gabriel refilled it before handing itback.
"Tried?"He questioned.
"Imean what I'm trying to say is, it's a lot of work," just thinking aboutsome of her past dates annoyed her. "I have to make sure it's dark enoughto my liking, and they're not to be too gropey. It has just…Hasn't been ideal,let me just say that."
"Mmm...I guess all men are different." Gabriel said thoughtfully, wading one handin the water casually as he stared up at the sky.
Thearrogant man was baiting her, she knew that. Seconds dragged by in silenceuntil she couldn't take it anymore. "What is that supposed to mean?"
Liftinghis head slowly, he gave her a roguish smile. "What I mean is thatI," he emphasized 'I,' "Would have never let you get away withthat."
Anunmeasurable heat rose in her chest. "What?!"
"Let'sjust say," his eyes creased as he searched for the right words. "I ammore of a take charge sort of man."
"Isee," ignoring the creeping warning in the back of her brain. Salene tookthe presented opportunity to poke the beehive for its information. "So youare one of those dominant types that seek a submissive." She made airquotes with her fingers at the word submissive as she suppressed a laugh.
Gabriel,on the other hand, did not suppress his humor, laughing deeply he shook hishead.
"No,I'm not whatever bad porn or trashy book that's running through your head rightnow. No whips, no blindfolds, and no humiliation techniques." Thesimmering heat in his eyes foreshadowed the change in the conversation."I'm simply the type of man that tells you what to do, not the other wayaround." With every word it felt like he was coming closer, as if the hottub was shrinking around them. "I don't need you to be a submissiveSalene, I just need you to submit."
Ifshe had any doubt in her mind beforehand if he was speaking rhetorically hisdangerous words put that to rest. Nervous and not sure how to respond Salenebegan to shift restlessly in her submerged seat. At some point during theirunderwater movements their legs reversed positions, hers were on the outside ofhis out stretched legs. Intimidated by the overwhelming aura between them Salenegripped the side of the pool to lift herself out for a hasty retreat.
Beforeshe could stand Gabriel used the position between her ankles to his advantage.Quickly pushing each ankle away from the other until her legs were spread farapart, not giving her time to react he suddenly stood in the churning warmwater coming close. Now Gabriel stood between her legs, Salene pressed herselfagainst the tiled wall of the hot tub as the slippery fabric of Gabriel's swimtrunks glided against the inside of her thighs. Rough, callused hands scratchedsoftly against the column of her neck as he ran the pad of his thumb againstthe length of her throat.
"Iknow there is a connection between us Salene," his body seemed to hoverinches away from hers, but she could practically feel the rise and fall of hischest. “I know you can feel it."
Ofcourse, she could feel it, Salene wanted to scream and argue that she couldfeel it very well. It was a sexual connection that she had never beforeexperienced, a raw desire that overwhelmed her in its pull. Salene wasn't surehow to answer, was he just talking about a sexual connection or something more?
"Idon't know," Salene could hardly think as she heard her own breathlessreply. Instinctively she put her hand up to try and push him back to give her achance to think and catch her breath. That was a mistake the feeling of his hotskin, sparsely covered in fine golden hairs, sent reams of powerful energythrough her body. Covering her hand with his own Gabriel didn't allow her topull back. Salene's thoughts felt as if they were drowning in Gabriel'sproximity. Looking down she did her best to organize her thoughts. "I… Ijust feel like this is so sudden, that this could be nothing more than…"
"Itis not all of a sudden," the depth of his voice shook the air in betweenthem. "If anything it is more of a concession on my part. I realized I hadto stop fighting what I really wanted."
Salenecouldn't speak, thoughts were racing through her head, but no words came out ofher mouth. Involuntarily she clutched at the golden hairs beneath her fingers,which only seemed to prompt him to come closer until his chest was touchinghers and his thighs were pressed against the cement underwater seat only ahair's breath from her center.
"Willyou give me a chance?" Dipping his head at her neck, Salene shivered atthe feeling of his trimmed beard scraping along her cheek. "Will you giveus a chance before you say no?"
Thehot wet feeling of his mouth against her pulse made Salene cry out. Sucking atthe sensitive skin, Gabriel wrapped his hands around the back of her kneespulling her until her aching center was flush against his hardening length.Salene let out a low moan when she felt his teeth scrape against her skin. Shefelt like she was hyperventilating as if she couldn't catch her breathproperly. Every intake of breath only felt like hot air that was burning herbody inside and out.
"Wait,"gathering an ounce of strength she pushed herself back, shaking her head.Salene needed to know this was real first, she had to know he was serious orwas this some joke or something. "I don't..."
