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Chapter Fourteen
- Suzanne -
My bedside clock saidit was almost ten am. I had slept, yet I felt like I hadn’t gotten any rest. I rolled over and stretched, willing my heavy eyes to open. I was a sleeper. It was one of my greatest weaknesses. The usual 7-9 hours wasn’t always enough for me.
Normally, I would have snuggled back into the covers. The only thing that got me out of bed that morning was its emptiness. I hadn’t woken up in Gabriel’s arms like I wanted to. The warmth I had enjoyed all night was gone. I could tell from the cold on that side of the bed that Gabriel had been up for a while. I kept the warmth of the blanket around me as I sat up. My apartment was quiet except for the sound of running water in the bathroom.
Isn’t this when all the second guessing usually starts - the morning after? We hadn’t slept together in the slang translation of the words, but we had indeed slept together. I was reassured that Gabriel hadn’t disappeared in the morning light. He’d been awake for a while and hadn’t sneaked out, leaving only a note behind.
Or had I interrupted his flight?
Or was I just being silly?
Swinging my feet over the side of the bed, I grabbed my robe off a hook on the closet door, shoved my feet into my slippers, and took the three steps it took to get into the kitchen. Holding my breath, I looked around the room. Nope. No note.
The Coffee Spot cups and the to-go bag said he was planning on staying - at least through breakfast.
I reached for one cup. It was empty, so I put it back and reached for the other. The initials written hastily on the side said GABE but one crack of the lid said the cold liquid inside was a peppermint mocha latte. I put the cup in the microwave to heat it up, then peeked into the bag.
“Did I say that was for you?”
I jumped at the smooth growl behind me.
I smiled over my shoulder at Gabriel as I quickly closed the bag like a child caught with her hand in the cookie jar.
“It’s in my apartment. That makes it partially mine.”
A slow, sexy smile said he wasn’t the tired man I’d greeted in the dark hallway last night.
“I’m in your apartment.” He stepped forward with a slow-paced swagger that made me swallow. Gabriel stopped in front of me and reached a finger out to push a lock of hair behind my ear. “Does that mean you partially own me?”
I didn’t even know what to say to his teasing banter. I focused on his still slightly damp hair, the tightness of a black button-down shirt that molded itself ever-so-perfectly to his chest, and stopped at the waistline of his incredibly well-fitting black trousers, not wanting to appear as if I were undressing him in my imagination, but...
I looked into his teasing eyes. “I could make an argument for a claim during the time that you occupy my facility, yes.”
One eyebrow cocked upward, along with one corner of his math. “I’m supposed to say something cute and witty here, aren’t I?”
“It would seem the occasion calls for it.”
He took another step, stopping so close to me I could smell the mint from his toothpaste. “Yet, all I can think about is kissing you.”
His head lowered, and I dropped mine.
“I haven’t had a chance to brush my teeth yet,” I whispered, embarrassed to my core.
“There are a lot of other places I can kiss you, Suzanne.”
With the tip of two fingers, Gabriel tilted my head to the side as he lifted my chin. His warm breath scorched the side of my neck as his lips settled into that tender spot under my earlobe. One kiss. Then another. Then a trail of them down the side of my neck until he reached my collar bone. My knees were shaky enough as it was then I made the mistake of reaching out to touch his forearm. I was met with solid, muscled warmth and Gabriel’s groan. How could such a light touch cause such a deep reaction? I’d pretend I didn’t know, except that made me a liar. When Gabriel pushed the edge of my robe aside and ran his tongue along the sharp angles of my collarbone, my knees almost buckled. I dug my fingers into his forearm as I breathed out an elongated sigh.
Gabriel left another burning trail from my shoulder to the valley between my breasts.
And then he stopped.
“Tell me you don’t have plans for the day,” he whispered against my neck.
“I don’t have any plans,” I responded eagerly.
“I’m laying claim to you,” he growled again. “For the rest of the weekend. You’re mine.”
