Constant Craving [Rapture Island 2] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Classic) (9 page)

Shaken that Gabriel seemed to read her so easily, she rubbed her hands over her arms at the chill that went through her. “You know nothing about me.”

Leaning forward, he glanced up as he refilled his glass, his eyes twinkling. “Defensive, too, especially when you get rattled. I know more about you than you think. What do you think I’ve been doing these past several months?”

Crossing her arms over her chest, Kelsey turned toward him, wishing he would just grab her and take her instead of building her arousal until she thought she would die of it. Moisture trickled down her thighs, the erotic torment of the last few minutes so intense that she knew one touch from him would send her over. “I don’t know. You tell me.”

Sitting back, he smiled again, his eyes even more possessive than ever as they moved over her. His sharp gaze lingered on the arms she’d crossed over her chest. “I’ve been observing. I’ve been paying close attention to you. Put your arms at your sides. They’re mine now, and I don’t want them used to hide your breasts from me.”

Kelsey whirled to face him fully, not grabbing the edge of her skirt in time to keep from showing herself. She lowered her arms to her sides without thinking, and started to put them back across her chest, stopping when she saw the look of challenge in his eyes. Lifting her chin, she kept her arms where they were, not about to show any weakness by covering herself. “I noticed. You always stared at me.”

She hadn’t thought anything of giving her arms to him, thinking that when he released her, it would be the end of it.

Evidently, Gabriel took it seriously, and placed her in a position where she would have felt ridiculous not honoring her agreement.

She began pacing, careful to keep her steps small, the threat of moving wrong and flashing more skin than she wanted to keeping her on edge. “You know, you really didn’t have to glare at every man who spoke to me. A few of them have never come back into the coffee shop again. Don’t think I didn’t realize you did it on purpose.”

His gaze lifted to hers again, a dark brow going up. “Of course I did it on purpose. I want you, Kelsey. We’ve already established that I’m a man who goes after what he wants. I wasn’t about to let you pretend interest in one of them to discourage me.”

“What makes you think I wasn’t interested in any of them?”

“You used to wince every time the blond grinned at you. The tall, skinny guy annoyed you because he kept interrupting you and spent most of his time talking about himself. The guy with the long hair creeped you out, and the muscular one hardly ever talked, and when he did, it was only to say something incredibly stupid.”

Surprised, and somehow touched that he’d paid so much attention, Kelsey faced him squarely. “Okay. Why me?”

“Ah.” Getting to his feet, Gabriel strolled toward her. “I wondered when you’d ask me that. I’ve already told you several reasons that I’m attracted to you, but attraction isn’t enough to justify all of this, is it?” Moving in behind her, he ran his fingertips up her arms, creating delicious ribbons of sensation. “You and I are a lot more alike than you think. I don’t want a woman who only wants what I can make her feel. I want a woman who wants
me
. Not many people bother getting to know either one of us, do they? There’s a restlessness inside us, a need for something more challenging and satisfying than what we’ve had so far.”

Surprised, Kelsey turned her head, lifting her gaze to his. “You feel that way, too?”

He ran his hands over her hair as if enthralled with the texture. “Yes. That’s why I recognize it in you. I know you won’t believe me if I tell you how beautiful you are, so I won’t bother to tell you, but when the time is right, I’ll show you just how I see you.”

Finding it harder and harder to remain still, Kelsey turned her head, looking up over her shoulder to find him watching her. “How do you propose to do that?”

“Don’t worry about that.” He moved her hair aside, his touch gentle as if he savored every moment. “One of the things I admire most about you, one of the things that excites me more than any woman’s ever excited me before, is your courage.” His gaze slid to hers, sharpening, holding hers as he turned her in his arms.

“When you have the courage to let me show you the woman inside you, to free the woman who’s dying to get free…well, I think that woman’s going to turn my world upside down.”

Sliding his hands down her arms, he linked her fingers with his and raised her hands, linking them behind his head.

“And that scares me to death.”

Gripping her wrists in one of his hands, he ran the tips of his fingers down her arm, sending ribbons of electricity to her nipples. “But, I’m here. I’m willing to take the risk because I think the rewards will be worth it. I hope you have the courage to do the same.”

Kelsey stiffened and tried to pull her hands free, but Gabriel tightened his grip, holding her in place. It was the first time he’d ever used his strength to control her, and the thrill of being overpowered shocked her. Knowing that he meant her no harm and that he would release her if she got scared only intensified the sensation. “Gabriel, I’m not the kind of woman who does things like this.” It came out in a breathless rush of passion as another rush of moisture escaped to coat her inner thighs.

He smiled faintly, his eyes full of tenderness. “I know, but you’re exactly the kind of woman who should. These hands are mine, Kelsey. You gave them to me and I want them to stay where they are.”

Kelsey tried to pretend the spike in her arousal had nothing to do with having her arms raised, and the ensuing sense of defenselessness, but she knew the truth.

“I don’t like being vulnerable.”

“But you’re wondering why it feels so good?”

How the hell did he know that?

Not bothering to answer him, Kelsey turned away, the sense that her life was about to change making her a little uneasy, but the excitement and need for him overrode it. “What did you mean—I’m the kind of woman who should?”

Gabriel’s warm breath touched her cheek just seconds before his lips did. “You have a sadness in your eyes that tears at people, and a vulnerability that makes me want to wrap you in cotton—”

She tried to pull away, but he didn’t let her put more than an inch between them before yanking her back. “I don’t want to be wrapped in cotton, damn you. I can take care of myself and—”

Gabriel scraped his teeth over her shoulder, a clear threat that had her sucking in a breath. “—and an attitude that makes me want to fuck your ass until you come so hard you scream with the kind of pleasure a woman like you needs to feel.”

He moved before she could do more than gasp, turning her and pressing her back against the wall, her hands firmly clasped in one of his over her head. “You make me crazy to have you. Pleasure you. Possess you.”

“Gabriel.” Arching, she pressed her breasts against his chest, moving against him and thrilling at the friction on her nipples through the thin fabric. “I want to. I want
you
. I can’t believe I’m saying this. I want to…see what it could feel like. I just don’t want anything more than pleasure.”

She needed to show him that she could be as sophisticated as the women he was used to. She promised herself that she wouldn’t be clingy, and would do her best to not encumber him with her need for more.

His lips hovered over hers. “We’ll see. That’s one of the things we’ll explore. God help me, I can’t resist you. You’re going to rip my heart out. I know it, but I just can’t resist you.”

No one had ever spoken to her that way before.

No one had ever made her feel so desired.

He had a way about him that made her believe there could be more between them, and gave her hope for forever.

It became harder and harder to remember that his seductive words were part of the kind of games he played, a game she was too inexperienced to understand.

She wanted his lips on hers. She wanted his mouth to
take
hers, as a man would kiss a woman he desired above all else.

Swallowing heavily, she let her eyes flutter closed, so immeasurably touched she couldn’t think, couldn’t breathe, couldn’t move, she found herself engulfed in a warm sea of emotion that shifted everything inside her. Gulping, she opened her eyes, her breath coming out in short, panicked pants. “Gabriel.” Her breathless whimper was met with a sharp intake of breath as his hands tightened on her upper arms.

Lifting his head, he stared down at her, his eyes hooded and searching.

“We’re not going to play at this. I can’t, and I can’t go into this half-hearted. It’s all or nothing, Kelsey.” Even though his voice didn’t rise above a whisper, the harshness and hunger in it told her how deeply he meant it.

Amazed at the fresh rush of moisture that coated her inner thighs and the sharp pull to her emotions, she found herself lifting to her toes to get closer. The heat of his body seemed to wrap around her, like warm hands that drew her against him, warm arms that enveloped her in a sense of rightness and inevitability that dispelled the cold numbness deep inside her.

She couldn’t—wouldn’t—allow her emotions to ruin this chance to be with him. She couldn’t deny herself the promise of pleasure that gleamed in Gabriel’s confident gaze. Shivering when he drew her closer, she licked her tingling lips, inwardly cursing the fact that she’d never be able to hide how she felt about him if she allowed him to kiss her. “What do you mean by that?”

Lifting his head, he stared down at her, his gaze moving over her face before meeting hers. “I’m saying that I want you to trust me. I can’t have you stopping and starting for no reason. If you’re scared, tell me. If you’re mad, tell me. Talk to me. I’m going to take you outside your comfort zone, and I don’t want your fears getting in the way of experiencing the pleasure I want to give you.”

Gripping her upper arms, he lifted her to her toes, his hands clenching as if fighting the urge to yank her against him. “You can end this any time you want, but don’t do it on a whim. I can’t do this half-assed, Kelsey. I’ll go as slow as you need, but I care too much about you to play games. I know you and I can have something special, something incredible, but I need to know that you trust me to take care of you, to give you what you need, and not take any more than you’re willing to give. I’m trusting you to commit to this as much as I do.”

Releasing her, he blew out a breath and ran his hands over her hair, the tortured look in his eyes making it impossible to take this lightly. “I want nothing more than to make you happy—to let loose that passion that you’re dying to explore—and to show you that you have no reason to fear me. But if you can’t, or aren’t willing to try, I’m walking away before you put me through an emotional shredder.”

Kelsey blinked in surprise, staring after him as he strode away. “How the hell am I supposed to know if I can do this? I don’t want to get hurt, but I feel like I’m flying blind here.”

Gabriel smiled. “You worry too much, and worry about accepting my lifestyle. This isn’t just about me. I want to learn what you like, too. What you need. What pleases you.” Running a fingertip down her cheek, he held her gaze. “We have this week to explore each other, Kelsey. Please, stop worrying so much. Just relax and enjoy. Your safe word is red. If I do something you don’t like, use it, and I’ll stop. If you need help, say yellow, and I’ll slow down and help you through it.”

Turning her, he pressed a hand at the small of her back. “That’s enough for tonight. It’s late and you’ve had a long day. Come on. Let’s go to bed.”

Blinking again, Kelsey stared up at him, her body humming with a need that demanded to be satisfied. “You’re going to leave me like this?”

Gabriel’s dark brow went up. “Like what, darling? Aroused? If you need to come, I’ll be happy to oblige, but I won’t touch any part of you that you haven’t given to me.”

Clenching her jaw, she tried to tamp down an arousal that had become so strong she shook with it. Her clit felt huge, and the tingling made it difficult to even walk.

Sleeping would be impossible.

”Never mind.” She’d just go to the bathroom and take care of it herself.”

She whirled away, heading for the bedroom, coming to an abrupt halt when Gabriel caught her arm, pulling her back against his chest.

“What?”

His smile sent a chill down her spine. “Even though you haven’t given me that clit yet, those hands are mine, as well as those fingers. You can’t use them to masturbate.”

Furious that he’d outmaneuvered her, she lifted her chin to glare at him. “Are you trying to piss me off?”

“No, I’m just trying to get you to take this seriously. I always took you for a woman of her word. You never play games and you mean what you say. That’s what I want from you now.”

“I
never
go back on my word.”

A muscle worked in his jaw, need darkening and narrowing his eyes. “All or nothing, Kelsey. Decide right here. Right now.”

Kelsey rubbed her thighs together against the overwhelming ache that had her pussy leaking even more moisture. Damn, he turned her
on
.
“No expectations, right?”

She wanted to make it clear that she wouldn’t expect more after the week was over.

Gabriel inclined his head, his expression closed and distant. “If that’s the way you want it. For now.”