Read Online GABRIEL (The Innerworld Affairs Series, Book 4) by Marilyn Campbell - Free Book Online
Authors: Marilyn Campbell
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without looking at her.
She had plenty but if the answer to a simple question about his birthplace could cause her to want to reach out to him, she was afraid of what might happen to her good sense if she learned anything else. "Not at the moment."
She wasn't sure he was being completely truthful about his lack of skills. After all, it would be to his advantage to keep her in the dark about that. At least she now knew why she hadn't been able to get through to him back in her lab.
If he was being honest about his background, however, she realized, he'd be even more distrustful of her if he discovered the extent of the extrasensory abilities she possessed. She wondered whether it was her or Gabriel who really had the upper hand.
"All right," he said after a moment. "It's your turn. I already know your parents are the Co-Governors, you were born in Innerworld and you haven't ventured far from the cocoon."
"There's nothing wrong with that," she said in a tone that let him know she was ready to defend her way of life.
"I didn't say there was but you must admit you've had a fairly charmed existence so far." He realized he was baiting her but he couldn't seem to help himself.
She stopped dead in her tracks, with her hands fisted on her hips. "Charmed? Do you think you're the only child in the universe who had a difficult time growing up? You don't understand anything about my life. Yes, my parents are important people and wonderful to me. I love them very much, but—as with you—because of what my parents wanted out of life, I have had to live with the consequences."
Gabriel stepped closer, wanting to confirm the color her eyes took on in anger, even though he didn't understand the cause. The hazel was now sparked with yellow. He pushed a little harder. "I'm sure being the center of attention all the time would make life simply unbearable."
Rather than rage at him, her voice quieted as she turned away. "There is a vast difference between being the center of loving attention and the focus of hatred."
His hand raised and stroked her hair before he remembered his promise not to touch. When she didn't pull away, he did it again. "I shared a confidence with you, Shara. I can't read your thoughts but I can tell I've said something to offend you again. Why would you think you were the focus of hatred?" His fingers slipped through the dark, silky strands at the nape of her neck, and the way her head tilted suggested she liked what he was doing. "Why?" he repeated.
She turned to meet his gaze but his fingers remained tangled in her hair, gently kneading the back of her neck. If it hadn't felt so good, she would have stopped him. "I assumed you knew all important data about me, Professor. My mother is a Terran."
His hand stilled. "And?"
Studying his face, she decided he was not being obtuse on purpose. "And that makes me a mixed-breed, an oddity... a freak."
He was well aware of the prejudice she referred to but had not connected it with her. How could anyone call this exquisite creature a freak? "It also makes you rare, like a black orchid-rose." With the slightest tug on her hair, her head tipped back, and his free hand came up to touch her cheek. He watched, totally fascinated, as her eye color softened to the shade of rich, dark chocoberry.
And, oh, how he did love the taste of chocoberry.
Shara held her breath, knowing he was going to kiss her, knowing she shouldn't allow it, yet knowing she didn't have the willpower to resist something she suddenly wanted so badly. As his lips brushed hers, a tingling sensation caused her to gasp. She inhaled his Caress-tinged breath, her eyes closed and her arms snaked their way around his neck.
His tongue teased hers until she shivered with the pleasure he was giving all her senses at one time. Taste, touch and smell blended together in his kiss. The sound of need coming from deep in his chest spurred her passion in return.
He deepened the kiss and she felt his hands easing down
She had plenty but if the answer to a simple question about his birthplace could cause her to want to reach out to him, she was afraid of what might happen to her good sense if she learned anything else. "Not at the moment."
She wasn't sure he was being completely truthful about his lack of skills. After all, it would be to his advantage to keep her in the dark about that. At least she now knew why she hadn't been able to get through to him back in her lab.
If he was being honest about his background, however, she realized, he'd be even more distrustful of her if he discovered the extent of the extrasensory abilities she possessed. She wondered whether it was her or Gabriel who really had the upper hand.
"All right," he said after a moment. "It's your turn. I already know your parents are the Co-Governors, you were born in Innerworld and you haven't ventured far from the cocoon."
"There's nothing wrong with that," she said in a tone that let him know she was ready to defend her way of life.
"I didn't say there was but you must admit you've had a fairly charmed existence so far." He realized he was baiting her but he couldn't seem to help himself.
She stopped dead in her tracks, with her hands fisted on her hips. "Charmed? Do you think you're the only child in the universe who had a difficult time growing up? You don't understand anything about my life. Yes, my parents are important people and wonderful to me. I love them very much, but—as with you—because of what my parents wanted out of life, I have had to live with the consequences."
Gabriel stepped closer, wanting to confirm the color her eyes took on in anger, even though he didn't understand the cause. The hazel was now sparked with yellow. He pushed a little harder. "I'm sure being the center of attention all the time would make life simply unbearable."
Rather than rage at him, her voice quieted as she turned away. "There is a vast difference between being the center of loving attention and the focus of hatred."
His hand raised and stroked her hair before he remembered his promise not to touch. When she didn't pull away, he did it again. "I shared a confidence with you, Shara. I can't read your thoughts but I can tell I've said something to offend you again. Why would you think you were the focus of hatred?" His fingers slipped through the dark, silky strands at the nape of her neck, and the way her head tilted suggested she liked what he was doing. "Why?" he repeated.
She turned to meet his gaze but his fingers remained tangled in her hair, gently kneading the back of her neck. If it hadn't felt so good, she would have stopped him. "I assumed you knew all important data about me, Professor. My mother is a Terran."
His hand stilled. "And?"
Studying his face, she decided he was not being obtuse on purpose. "And that makes me a mixed-breed, an oddity... a freak."
He was well aware of the prejudice she referred to but had not connected it with her. How could anyone call this exquisite creature a freak? "It also makes you rare, like a black orchid-rose." With the slightest tug on her hair, her head tipped back, and his free hand came up to touch her cheek. He watched, totally fascinated, as her eye color softened to the shade of rich, dark chocoberry.
And, oh, how he did love the taste of chocoberry.
Shara held her breath, knowing he was going to kiss her, knowing she shouldn't allow it, yet knowing she didn't have the willpower to resist something she suddenly wanted so badly. As his lips brushed hers, a tingling sensation caused her to gasp. She inhaled his Caress-tinged breath, her eyes closed and her arms snaked their way around his neck.
His tongue teased hers until she shivered with the pleasure he was giving all her senses at one time. Taste, touch and smell blended together in his kiss. The sound of need coming from deep in his chest spurred her passion in return.
He deepened the kiss and she felt his hands easing down
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