Read Online His Love by Jennifer Gracen - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Jennifer Gracen
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again.
“Make no mistake,” he panted. “I want you. But… not like this.”
She frowned, confused, also breathless. “Like what?”
“You’re drunk, sweetheart. You said so yourself.” With a slow hand, he brushed her hair back from her eyes, even while his other arm stayed locked around her waist. “I can’t do this. You might regret it in the morning, and that would kill me.”
Her heart still hammering in her chest, the throbbing need between her legs almost unbearable, she looked into his eyes. “I won’t regret it. I’ve been wanting this since the night I met you, Gavin.”
“Christ, I have, too.” She saw the look of wonder in his eyes, a mixture of carnal desire and disbelief that touched her. “Thing is, you’re saying that now. I want to believe you. But, Toni…”
She leaned his forehead against his. “I know I want you.”
“And I want you, too. You don’t know what ya do to me. But I want you sober.” He kissed her lips with such tenderness it made her shiver. “Tell me tomorrow you still want me? And I’m yours. But tonight…” With gentle hands, he pushed her back a bit. “Tonight, I’m not going to let this go further. For your sake.” A wry grin twisted his lips. “Ya think I’m mad, don’t you.”
She shook her head and softly kissed his mouth. “No. I think you’re a really, really good man.” She kissed him again. “A really, really good man that I’m going to jump tomorrow. And have my wild way with you when I prove this isn’t the alcohol talking.”
He stared into her eyes and whispered, “God, I hope that’s true.” His fingers played along her cheek, trailed down the side of her neck. “I won’t come to you, Toni, I’ll leave ya be. You come to me when you’re ready. And if you don’t, that’s all you’ll have to do. I’ll know you simply don’t want this, and that’ll be that. I won’t bring it up again. I don’t want this to get awkward and—”
“Stop.” She kissed him again, then nipped at his bottom lip. “You’re very gallant, and I appreciate that. Honestly. But now that you opened the door, I’m going to come charging through. You’re hot as hell, I want you, and now that I know you want me too? Be ready for me tomorrow, Doctor McHottie.”
His bright eyes rounded. Then he laughed and kissed her soundly, still cradling her on his lap as he murmured, “Believe me, Toni, I will be.”
Chapter Seven
‡
T he next morning, when Toni woke, she was grateful to find she felt fine. She felt a little off, but wasn’t hung over. Her last day off. She’d have to go back to work tomorrow, and was already dreading it. All she wanted… thoughts of Gavin flooded her mind, and the butterflies commandeered her stomach. With a little grin, she rolled over in her bed, curling up with the pillow as she replayed moments from the night before in her head. Kissing him… how he’d touched her… the sound of him groaning with desire echoed deliciously in her ears. God, those stolen minutes had been intense, scorching hot. It wasn’t alcohol making that more than it was; it had been unbelievably hot, off the charts hot. He was… wow. He wanted her like she wanted him. He’d been hiding it well. Now that they’d both admitted to it…
A pleased, excited giggle escaped her. The next move was hers to make. She’d relish every bit of it.
He’d be there for about three more weeks. A summer fling? Game on.
She started to mull over the possibilities, the important fine points. On one hand, was she capable of the kind of emotional disconnect needed to have a short affair? And not end up getting hurt, or inadvertently hurting him? She’d done it in Italy a few years ago, sure. But that was her junior year of college. Then again, she hadn’t really been involved with anyone since Mike. Her boyfriend during her senior year of college had done a hell of a number on her head; even now, the thought of her verbally abusive ex was still enough
“Make no mistake,” he panted. “I want you. But… not like this.”
She frowned, confused, also breathless. “Like what?”
“You’re drunk, sweetheart. You said so yourself.” With a slow hand, he brushed her hair back from her eyes, even while his other arm stayed locked around her waist. “I can’t do this. You might regret it in the morning, and that would kill me.”
Her heart still hammering in her chest, the throbbing need between her legs almost unbearable, she looked into his eyes. “I won’t regret it. I’ve been wanting this since the night I met you, Gavin.”
“Christ, I have, too.” She saw the look of wonder in his eyes, a mixture of carnal desire and disbelief that touched her. “Thing is, you’re saying that now. I want to believe you. But, Toni…”
She leaned his forehead against his. “I know I want you.”
“And I want you, too. You don’t know what ya do to me. But I want you sober.” He kissed her lips with such tenderness it made her shiver. “Tell me tomorrow you still want me? And I’m yours. But tonight…” With gentle hands, he pushed her back a bit. “Tonight, I’m not going to let this go further. For your sake.” A wry grin twisted his lips. “Ya think I’m mad, don’t you.”
She shook her head and softly kissed his mouth. “No. I think you’re a really, really good man.” She kissed him again. “A really, really good man that I’m going to jump tomorrow. And have my wild way with you when I prove this isn’t the alcohol talking.”
He stared into her eyes and whispered, “God, I hope that’s true.” His fingers played along her cheek, trailed down the side of her neck. “I won’t come to you, Toni, I’ll leave ya be. You come to me when you’re ready. And if you don’t, that’s all you’ll have to do. I’ll know you simply don’t want this, and that’ll be that. I won’t bring it up again. I don’t want this to get awkward and—”
“Stop.” She kissed him again, then nipped at his bottom lip. “You’re very gallant, and I appreciate that. Honestly. But now that you opened the door, I’m going to come charging through. You’re hot as hell, I want you, and now that I know you want me too? Be ready for me tomorrow, Doctor McHottie.”
His bright eyes rounded. Then he laughed and kissed her soundly, still cradling her on his lap as he murmured, “Believe me, Toni, I will be.”
Chapter Seven
‡
T he next morning, when Toni woke, she was grateful to find she felt fine. She felt a little off, but wasn’t hung over. Her last day off. She’d have to go back to work tomorrow, and was already dreading it. All she wanted… thoughts of Gavin flooded her mind, and the butterflies commandeered her stomach. With a little grin, she rolled over in her bed, curling up with the pillow as she replayed moments from the night before in her head. Kissing him… how he’d touched her… the sound of him groaning with desire echoed deliciously in her ears. God, those stolen minutes had been intense, scorching hot. It wasn’t alcohol making that more than it was; it had been unbelievably hot, off the charts hot. He was… wow. He wanted her like she wanted him. He’d been hiding it well. Now that they’d both admitted to it…
A pleased, excited giggle escaped her. The next move was hers to make. She’d relish every bit of it.
He’d be there for about three more weeks. A summer fling? Game on.
She started to mull over the possibilities, the important fine points. On one hand, was she capable of the kind of emotional disconnect needed to have a short affair? And not end up getting hurt, or inadvertently hurting him? She’d done it in Italy a few years ago, sure. But that was her junior year of college. Then again, she hadn’t really been involved with anyone since Mike. Her boyfriend during her senior year of college had done a hell of a number on her head; even now, the thought of her verbally abusive ex was still enough
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