Page 22

CHAPTER ELEVEN

GABRIEL

I wake up slowly in my totally dark bedroom. God. I love the automatic blinds that block every molecule of outside light. The only light in the room is a slight glow coming from the fancy light switch on the wall next to the door.

My cock and brain come awake at the same moment when I realize my girl is sound asleep in my arms. Her limbs are tangled in the navy sheets and wrapped around me like a human octopus. I glance down in the dimness and can see her hair spread across the pillow and up on my bicep. Her cheek is squished against my chest, mouth open, one soft thigh thrown over my hip.

For a minute, I just lie there and breathe her in. The floral shampoo, the faint trace of my aftershave on her skin, and the smell of sex clinging to the air all combine around us.

I run my finger lightly over her shoulder. Fuck. She’s so goddamn beautiful it almost hurts.

She stirs, snorting a little, and snuggles in closer. Her hand finds my ribs, warm and heavy, and she sighs against my chest. I feel something unfamiliar blossoming in my gut. Contentment and happiness mix deep in my soul. Up until the moment I met her, I had no fucking idea what I was missing. Now, I want this every morning, forever, until we die of old age and reality TV overload.

I run my fingers down her back, tracing lazy circles along her spine. She makes a sleepy noise, not quite awake, not quite dreaming. I know I should probably let her sleep, but I’m selfish, so I keep going. I let my hand drift lower, over the gentle curve of her ass, and she finally comes to with a little squeak.

“It’s too freaking early,” she mumbles into my chest, voice thick with sleep. “Waking up before noon is just not right.”

“Sorry,” I rumble, not really sorry at all. “I’m an early riser.”

She shifts, blue eyes blinking open wide. It’s the most adorable goddamn thing I’ve ever seen. “Well, that’s a game changer,” she croaks. “I don’t think I can deal with an early riser.” Her smirk tells me she’s teasing.

“What can I do to make it up to you?” I have several ideas, but I want to see what she comes up with.

She runs her finger across my chest slowly. “A Caramel Macchiato and a chocolate cream donut would be a good place to start.”

“Done.” I’ll buy her coffee and donuts every goddamn day for the rest of our lives if it makes her happy.

“And you could spend the day with me.” Oh, hell fucking yes. That’s a no-brainer. “I have to do laundry, meal prep, and get ready for next week, so it won’t be too exciting.”

I kiss the top of her head because I can’t help it. “Just being with you makes it exciting.” Okay. Now, I know I’m a pussy-whipped asshole. And I couldn’t be happier.

“We’ll see if you’re still saying that when we watch the Below Deck marathon tonight.” I have no fucking clue what that is, but I’ll do it if it means I get to spend my evening with her.

I press the button next to the bed that opens the shades. As the room floods with light, she sits up, clutching the sheets to her chest, cheeks turning pink as she glances down at her nakedness. For a woman who just spent half the night with my cock inside her, she’s got a weird streak of modesty in the daylight. It kills me.

“We should probably…” She waves a hand at the bathroom, then at her hair, then just gives up, “shower and get dressed.”

I fucking love the way she blushes, even after the shit we did last night. I could spend a lifetime watching her try to cover herself with nothing but a sheet, cheeks flaming, blue eyes darting everywhere but at me. She’s so goddamn cute, it wrecks me.

I toss the blankets back and sit up, letting her get a good look at what she does to me. My cock’s already rock-hard from waking up with her in my arms. I’m tempted to drag her back into bed and make her scream my name all over again, but I know she probably needs a little time to recover from our marathon loving last night.

Instead, I stretch, slow and lazy, and glance toward the bathroom. “After you, coffee girl.” I let my voice drop low, just to see her shiver.

Her mouth opens, then snaps shut, and for a second, I think she’s going to object. But then she hitches her chin up, all sass and fire, and tosses her hair like she’s about to take over the damn world. She stands, dropping the sheet before strutting across the bedroom. I nearly swallow my tongue watching her curvy ass as she heads for the bathroom. Fuck, I know I won’t ever get tired of this view.

The door swings open. A split second later, the motion-sensor lights blaze to life, flooding the marble, glass, and chrome bathroom with a harsh, clean glow. She blinks, caught off guard by the brightness, and I can’t look away. She’s absolutely fucking gorgeous. Curves that could drive a man to distraction, that sharp little attitude, and already there’s a pink flush creeping up her cheeks. All I see is her.

Alice fumbles with the shower controls for a second before I step in and flatten my palm over hers, guiding her wrist slowly and steadily until the water temperature is just right. She squeaks again, the cutest sound I’ve ever heard, and tries to pretend she’s not still flustered as hell.

Water cascades over her shoulders, catching the morning light through the glass walls and turning her skin to liquid gold. "God. I love this shower." She sighs, tilting her face into the rainfall spray, droplets clinging to her eyelashes like tiny diamonds. She just gave me the best fucking opening.

I press my palm against the cool marble wall beside her head, boxing her in with my body. "If you move in with me, you can use it every day." My voice echoes against the steam-slicked tiles.

"Cool your jets, speed racer," she sputters, water spraying from her lips as she pushes wet hair from her forehead. A flush spreads across her cheeks that has nothing to do with the hot water. "We can discuss cohabitation after we've dated more than a weekend."

God, she's adorable with that defiant little chin tilt, water streaming down the curve of her neck. I'm going to hold her to that.

I crowd in behind her, pin her with my body so she can’t escape, and reach over her shoulder for the big rainfall shower head. Water streams down, warm and perfect, misting over her skin. I can’t stop my hands from wandering, tracing soft circles over her hips, up to the dip at her waist, then back down to her incredible ass.