“Yes,” I breathed, wanting to tell himalways.
I stood naked in front of the counter, facing the mirror. And any insecurities I normally had when I looked in the mirror—whether they were big or small—disappeared. Because it was hard to feel insecure when Gabe looked at me likethat. Like he wanted to devour every inch of me. Like he thought I was the most beautiful woman in the world.
Maybe, to him, I was.
“Oh, fuck,” I gasped as he slid inside me from behind. I leaned against the counter, my palms splayed against the cold surface. “Gabe!” I cried out, immediately clenching around him as he moved his hips. He brought a hand to cup my breast, the pad of his thumb teasing my hardened nipple.
“Fucking dream come true,” he groaned. “Everything about you.” He set his hand over mine, our fingers intertwining.
“Gabe, please don’t stop. Feels so good.”
Gabe grinned against my neck, pressing another series of kisses to the curve of my neck. I tipped my head back toward him, my eyes about to flutter closed when I heard Gabe’s voice.
“Keep those pretty eyes open,” he murmured. “I want you to see for yourself how beautiful you look when you come all over my cock.”
Our eyes locked in the mirror. Another kiss. Another thrust. Another feeling of his rough touch on my breasts. And I was gone.
My vision blurred, and I came undone for him. Within moments, I felt him finish, a low groan vibrating throughout his chest as he rasped my name, our gazes staying locked.
I was a mess—strands of hair escaping my braid, my cheeks flushed, a layer of sweat coating my skin—but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Gabe pulled out but stayed behind me, tucking a strand of blonde hair behind my ear and pressing a kiss to my temple. I turned around in his arms, the cool marble pressed against my lower back. His hands cradled my face. His expression was soft,sosoft. I wondered what was going through his mind, but I didn’t get a chance to ask, because he lowered his mouth to mine and kissed me.
And there was no way I was stopping that.
I leaned against Gabe’s firm chest, letting my eyes fall closed as I settled into the warm water and his even warmer embrace. He needed to refill the tub since the water had cooled, but now we were both able to sink in and relax, taking in the dim lighting and aroma of eucalyptus.
“How do you manage to do this?” he asked, giving the end of my braid a tug. I had my hair in a French braid today, which washow I typically wore it to work. I loved to have my hair down, but braiding it kept it out of my face as I moved around the café. He slid off the black ponytail holder and put it on his wrist, running his fingers through my hair to undo the braid.
I let out a content hum. “That feels so good.” I relished the way his hands gently massaged my scalp and ran through my hair. “And to answer your question, years of practice. My mom used to braid my hair when I was little and taught me once I got older. I’ve gotten pretty quick with it.”
“Oh, I bet.” He pressed a kiss to the side of my head and moved my hair to one side, pulling my back flush against his chest.
“Can I ask you something?”
“Anything.”
I mulled over my words. There’d been something on my mind ever since Gabe had said it. “A couple of weeks ago at the café, I overheard your conversation with Louise.” I bit down on my bottom lip. “She asked about your first impression of me.”
“Yeah, I remember.”
“You said some…things. Did you mean them?”
I thought she was the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen.
Looking into her blue eyes calmed me in a way I’d never experienced.
My first impression of her was that she had the power to bring any man to his knees.
“I meant every word, Lily.”
My stomach pinched, and my brows furrowed. I liked that answer. I just…wasn’t expecting it.
“But we were enemies.” I glanced at him over my shoulder and saw the corner of his mouth tip up.
“I think it was more so thatyouthought we were enemies,” he clarified, which was fair. “And while our first meeting was interesting, that was truly my first impression of you. And I wasonly more impressed with you the more time we spent together. I was—I am—impressed by your kindness, how caring you are, passionate, motivated, determined. All of that only makes you more beautiful.”
I swallowed the lump in my throat, hoping that if I took a moment to respond, he wouldn’t hear the emotion in my tone. It didn’t do any good. “That’s the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me,” I croaked.
