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My protest dies on my lips as he moves me even closer, and there’s a delicious friction that makes me gasp.
“But should we?” His voice is a low rumble, resonating against my ear, sending shivers down my spine. His teeth graze my earlobe, and my eyelids flutter shut, lost in the sensation.
I clutch at his shoulders, heart pounding loudly inside my chest threatening to jump and just move in with Gabe. “I-I need to look at the budget again. To figure out how I’m going to deal with the medical expenses.” My excuse sounds weak even to my ears.
Gabe chuckles, pulling back just enough to look into my eyes. His hands frame my face, his gaze filled with a tenderness that makes me want to melt into him.
“So we take this slower, is that what you’re trying to tell me?” he asks softly.
“Umm, what is this?” I dare to ask because . . . well, what are we really doing?
He lets out a playful scoff. “If I have to spell it out for you, maybe I’m not doing it right.”
The budget, the worries of the world, they all fade into the background. Right now, all that matters is this feeling of belonging, of being cherished, here in Gabe’s arms.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Gabriel
As I lean in to kiss Ameline, it’s like stepping into a different world—a world where only the two of us exist. Her lips are soft, yielding under mine, and I feel a jolt of something powerful, a connection that goes beyond the physical. My hands trail down her back, each touch reaffirming this indescribable bond we share.
This kiss, it’s not just a kiss. It’s an awakening, a realization of feelings long suppressed, emotions that have been simmering just beneath the surface. The way she clings to me, the soft moan that escapes her lips—it’s all-consuming. I’m aware of every point where our bodies meet, of the heat that radiates between us.
I want her badly. I want so much more.
The taste of her is intoxicating, like a promise of something more, something so deep.
I want to dive into these uncharted waters with her, to explore the depths of what we could be. But there’s a voice in the back of my mind, a nagging reminder of the reality we face—her health, her father’s threats, the uncertainty of her future—our future.
It’s so hard to stopand break this kiss, but I do it gasping for air and trying to calm my body. Knowing that we have to come up with a solution to her medical insurance right away. When her beautiful bright eyes stare at me I get an idea. Why didn’t I think of this?
I grab her hand, interlacing our fingers. Her palm is clammy, her pulse racing beneath my thumb. I brush my lips against hers one more time. “I think I got the solution.”
“You do, huh?” she scoffs. “Kissing isn’t it.”
“Well, it might include a kiss or two,” I tell her.
“Really?” she laughs.
I pause, considering my next words carefully. Knowing that I wouldn’t mind spending an eternity with her. Loving her. Caressing her, and caring for her but only if she allows it—if she’ll have me.
“Marry me,” I say, meaning those two words not just as a proposal to fix her current situation, but because I do want a lot more from her.
Her eyes go wide. “What?” she shrieks. “Are you insane?”
“Marry me,” I repeat, trying to sound calm and then add, “You can get on my insurance. I’ll pay for the treatments, whatever it takes.”
Disbelief crosses her face. She lets out a shaky laugh. “You can’t be serious.”
I meet her gaze steadily. “I’ve never been more serious about anything in my life.”
She searches my eyes, realization dawning. “You would really do that for me?”
I squeeze her hand. “I would do anything for you. I—” I catch myself, not knowing if telling her how I feel is the right thing to do at this time. “I care about you. Deeply.”
Her lips part slightly. Several heartbeats pass.
“Okay,” she finally whispers.
