Read Online HowMuchYouWantToBet by Melissa Blue - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Melissa Blue
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making her feel dizzy and hot despite the cool weather. She wanted him to soothe the deep ache he ignited inside her and, because she did, Neil moved from him, needing to decide with a somewhat clear head.
There wasn’t any reason to lie to herself. She wanted more from the relationship with Gib, but what? Sex with him would be uncomplicated. It was the companionship he silently offered her each time they were together that would make things extremely complicated. With that added to sex, trouble would be on the horizon, at least on her part.
“Neil, it’s just a trip to San Francisco. If you’re polite on the plane ride, I’ll take you somewhere nice.”
“I’m always nice to you,” she said, matching his playful tone, but she had heard something else in his voice.
She met Gib’s gaze head-on, and the same nameless emotion she’d heard was in his eyes. The quiet outreach for her to understand, the appeal that Neil couldn’t deny. “Since I doubt I’ll ever get another chance to ride on a private jet, I’ll go.”
He placed a hand on her forearm and, for a moment, she doubted her decision. “Thank you.”
She nodded. “What are friends for?”
His eyes darkened, letting her know that “friends” was what they could never be.
*****
Gib couldn’t explain why he had asked Neil to go with him to San Francisco. They didn’t have a sexual relationship—yet. She continued to intrigue him, and maybe that explained one part of the why.
The reason was basic and carnal. He wanted to touch every inch of her, but she wouldn’t let him. He knew from the looks they shared, the way she held her breath when he’d get close to her, that Neil wanted him in equal measure. It was the best damn game of cat and mouse he’d ever played, but that wasn’t all of it, and that was what worried him.
He extracted pleasure from making her sneer, making her laugh, a deep, sultry laugh that belied her choice in clothing. He glanced at her sleeping form, huddled in loose jeans and a shirt.
The clothes hid every feminine attribute, and still he found her sexy. He took one of those wild curls of hair and twirled it around his finger.
His stomach clenched in that all-too-familiar feeling, as if he were on a roller coaster right before the big drop. Yes, he felt desire. What baffled Gib most was why he didn’t push the situation. He could use charm to ease her, buy her gifts to woo her, make her feel more than a woman, a goddess. Each time Gib decided to go that route, he hesitated.
She stirred, and he quickly relinquished his gentle hold on the soft curl of hair. She didn’t wake, leaving his thoughts to run free without interruption. His only explanation for wanting her to come with him was to ease the ache, to have an anchor after his meeting with his father.
He already knew how it would go. They’d exchange pleasantries. His father, a robust man, would settle himself into the gray leather chair in his study by the fire. He would inquire in a mild way about his future, then he’d pick his weapon of choice—guilt. From the way Neil didn’t talk about her mother or father, Gib knew she’d understand.
Her father had been an incredible painter, and parents like that were hard on a child. Expectations were raised to a higher bar, and it could explain her reasons for going into construction. Neil would know, she would understand. But the explanation still left him edgy. Neil stirred again, but this time her eyes opened. She stretched lazily, allowing him a view of her abdomen. Smooth, brown, beautiful, and—his eyes widened with surprise.
“Your belly button is pierced.”
Self-consciously she covered it. “Why do you sound like you just found out a dirty secret of mine?”
He grinned, knowing he had. “Because you don’t look the type. My, my, I’ll be damned.” His mind filled with visions of her wearing only the small ringed stud.
“I’m sure you have a couple of tattoos,” she retorted.
In his mind’s
There wasn’t any reason to lie to herself. She wanted more from the relationship with Gib, but what? Sex with him would be uncomplicated. It was the companionship he silently offered her each time they were together that would make things extremely complicated. With that added to sex, trouble would be on the horizon, at least on her part.
“Neil, it’s just a trip to San Francisco. If you’re polite on the plane ride, I’ll take you somewhere nice.”
“I’m always nice to you,” she said, matching his playful tone, but she had heard something else in his voice.
She met Gib’s gaze head-on, and the same nameless emotion she’d heard was in his eyes. The quiet outreach for her to understand, the appeal that Neil couldn’t deny. “Since I doubt I’ll ever get another chance to ride on a private jet, I’ll go.”
He placed a hand on her forearm and, for a moment, she doubted her decision. “Thank you.”
She nodded. “What are friends for?”
His eyes darkened, letting her know that “friends” was what they could never be.
*****
Gib couldn’t explain why he had asked Neil to go with him to San Francisco. They didn’t have a sexual relationship—yet. She continued to intrigue him, and maybe that explained one part of the why.
The reason was basic and carnal. He wanted to touch every inch of her, but she wouldn’t let him. He knew from the looks they shared, the way she held her breath when he’d get close to her, that Neil wanted him in equal measure. It was the best damn game of cat and mouse he’d ever played, but that wasn’t all of it, and that was what worried him.
He extracted pleasure from making her sneer, making her laugh, a deep, sultry laugh that belied her choice in clothing. He glanced at her sleeping form, huddled in loose jeans and a shirt.
The clothes hid every feminine attribute, and still he found her sexy. He took one of those wild curls of hair and twirled it around his finger.
His stomach clenched in that all-too-familiar feeling, as if he were on a roller coaster right before the big drop. Yes, he felt desire. What baffled Gib most was why he didn’t push the situation. He could use charm to ease her, buy her gifts to woo her, make her feel more than a woman, a goddess. Each time Gib decided to go that route, he hesitated.
She stirred, and he quickly relinquished his gentle hold on the soft curl of hair. She didn’t wake, leaving his thoughts to run free without interruption. His only explanation for wanting her to come with him was to ease the ache, to have an anchor after his meeting with his father.
He already knew how it would go. They’d exchange pleasantries. His father, a robust man, would settle himself into the gray leather chair in his study by the fire. He would inquire in a mild way about his future, then he’d pick his weapon of choice—guilt. From the way Neil didn’t talk about her mother or father, Gib knew she’d understand.
Her father had been an incredible painter, and parents like that were hard on a child. Expectations were raised to a higher bar, and it could explain her reasons for going into construction. Neil would know, she would understand. But the explanation still left him edgy. Neil stirred again, but this time her eyes opened. She stretched lazily, allowing him a view of her abdomen. Smooth, brown, beautiful, and—his eyes widened with surprise.
“Your belly button is pierced.”
Self-consciously she covered it. “Why do you sound like you just found out a dirty secret of mine?”
He grinned, knowing he had. “Because you don’t look the type. My, my, I’ll be damned.” His mind filled with visions of her wearing only the small ringed stud.
“I’m sure you have a couple of tattoos,” she retorted.
In his mind’s
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