Gabriel's Rule Read online

  Riley gave Nell one more squeeze. “Thank you so much for everything.”

  “Let us know when you get there.” She saw Nell dab at what suspiciously looked like tears before turning away to head back to the front of the diner. Grabbing her jacket and purse, she followed Shane out to her car. His fancy sports car was parked in the next spot.

  “I bet you’re going to miss babysitting me, huh?” she said as she searched for her keys. They’d reached a comfortable place in their relationship after the confrontation in Gabe’s kitchen and she knew she was going to miss Shane more than everyone else…well, almost everyone else.

  “I don’t babysit my friends,” he responded.

  She looked up at the word friends. It was true, he had become that to her.

  “Of course, I don’t usually picture my friends naked either, but I guess there’s a first for everything,” he joked and she shoved him before climbing into her car. The drive home went by quickly and Shane was there to open her door before she even had a chance to get unbuckled.

  “You got the car checked out like I told you to?” he said as he led her up the walkway.

  “Yep, got the oil changed, air pressure in the tires checked, full tank of gas – it’s all good.”

  They reached her door and she unlocked it. “Oh, hey, that reminds me. Would you give some clothes I borrowed from Gabe back to him for me? I’d leave them in front of his door but I don’t want someone to walk off with them.”

  “Why don’t you give them to me yourself?” Riley and Shane both turned to see what appeared to be a very pissed off Gabe standing in the open doorway of his apartment.

  ***

  “Say goodnight Shane,” Gabe heard himself saying. He knew he had no right to be seething with jealousy, but he’d spent the last several nights watching Shane walk Riley from the car to the apartment, his hand at her back, their bodies nearly touching as they moved. He didn’t have a peephole in his door so when he’d heard them talking outside her door a few times and her occasional laugh, his imagination had gotten the best of him and it had taken everything in his power not to rip the door from its hinges and beat the crap out of his friend.

  Shane took his time hugging Riley goodbye and when he placed a brief kiss on Riley’s cheek Gabe was done. He pushed Shane out of the way and grabbed Riley’s hand and pulled her into his apartment. Before he slammed the door shut, he saw Shane’s smug victory smile.

  “Gabe, the clothes are in my apartment…” she started to say but stopped when he pushed her against the door.

  “I almost took you like this that first night in the alley,” he said as he pinned her body with his arms and dropped his mouth down to her right ear. “I kept imagining you riding my cock as I held you against that wall.” He dipped his tongue into her ear and was rewarded with a gasp as her whole body trembled against his. Before he could enjoy it though, she was shoving against him and he found his hands full of one pissed off female.

  “Are you kidding me with this? You ignore me for two weeks after you leave me a goddamn note on how to take care of your dog and now you’re trying to get in my pants again?” He loved that she still wouldn’t use the f word. She struggled against him as she called him names. Granted, they were pretty tame names but he wasn’t in the mood to hear them all so he pinned her wrists against the door, used his weight to subdue her and then crushed his mouth down on hers.

  ***

  Riley was in the middle of the word bastard when his mouth covered hers and his tongue thrust inside of her mouth. He held her immobile as he plundered her mouth, his tongue stroking and gliding over hers. When he slanted his head so he could deepen the kiss, she moaned and kissed him back. He sucked her tongue into his mouth and she took the opportunity to test every surface there before he took control again. He gave her a brief moment to suck in some air before he was on her again. She’d been kissed before but never like this – he was claiming her, owning her, and she didn’t want it to end.

  “So sweet,” he said roughly as his hands dropped to hold her head still. He thrust his leg between hers and dropped a hand to her thigh. He shifted her in a way so that she was nearly riding his leg. She needed an anchor to keep her from coming apart.

  “Gabe,” she said as she pulled her lips from his and then leaned her head back so he could have access to her throat. “What about the rules?”

  Gabe looked up from where he’d been holding back the neckline of her shirt so he could caress the sensitive spot where her neck met her shoulder. She still had her hands raised next to her head even though he wasn’t holding them anymore. Her fingers were clenched tight.

  “No more rules Riley.” When she dropped her hands to his shoulders, he brushed a soft kiss over her lips and then another one. The kisses were the complete opposite of his first, almost carnal, kiss but the results had the same effect on her. “I can’t promise what will happen at the end of tonight but I want to try with you. I want to be everything for you.” He dipped down to kiss her again. He pulled back briefly and said, “Although someday I am going to want to tie you up again.”

  She smiled at that and whispered, “Deal…as long as I get to do the same thing to you.”

  ***

  Gabe blew out a curse at the image of himself tied up while she rode him. He’d definitely need to get a bed frame that could accommodate that. Her hands skimmed hesitantly over his shoulders to the back of his neck. He hated that she was worried about touching him but, in truth, he was more nervous that he would start to revert back to his old habits. But when she trailed her fingers down his chest and then slid them under his T-shirt to stroke his abdomen, all he felt was a surge of lust. He needed her touch everywhere.

  “Will you take this off?” she asked quietly as she tugged at the edge of his shirt. He reached behind him to grab the back of the shirt and peeled it off. He heard her indrawn breath as she looked over his body. For the first time he was actually glad for all the sleepless nights that had him taking his energy out on his weight bag. He dropped his hands down to her hips so he could bring his body closer to hers. Her hands moved up and down his chest and then behind him to his lower back. She dipped her fingers below the waistband of his pants and into the small of his back as her mouth found its way to his chest. When she tentatively licked his nipple, he lost it and pulled her up to meet his mouth.

  “I need to see you again,” he said harshly as he reached for the hem of her shirt and pulled it up and over her arms. His mouth watered at the sight of her hard nipples pressed against the fabric of her bra. But he needed to taste them so when he dropped his head to kiss her there, he used his fingers to pull the fabric down. He licked each nipple in turn and then drew back to see the result. The bunched fabric pushed the nipples higher. “Take it off.”

  She quickly did as he ordered and removed the bra, dropping it to the floor. He dropped to his knees in front of her and licked her abdomen. His hands reached up to tweak her nipples as he kissed his way along her stomach and then up the middle of her chest. He was still tall enough that he could reach her full breasts with his mouth. She was gripping his hair now and he relished the sting of pain. He leaned back and undid her pants and pulled them down. Her panties were next and then his mouth was on her, stroking the sensitive bud. When she cried out and dragged his head closer he knew it wouldn’t take much to push her over.

  He lifted his eyes to see her watching him intently and he held her gaze as he stroked her again with his tongue. Lust darkened her eyes but she kept them on him. He used his fingers to separate her folds and then licked her moist flesh. Ignoring her clit, he worked his way around it, teasing softly and he heard her groan of frustration. Reaching down with his hands, he fumbled to free her from her pants and panties and when her left leg slipped free of the fabric he pulled it up over his shoulder, exposing her completely to him.

  At the sight of her, he felt his cock harden even more behind his zipper and he wished he had more hands so he could release himself wit
hout letting her go. He licked her clit once to tease her some more and then dipped his mouth further down until he found her opening. He speared his tongue inside her and she moaned loudly. Her vagina was rippling and he knew it wouldn’t take more than a few strokes to finish her off so he pulled his tongue free.

  “No, don’t stop,” she said as she fumbled to try and force his head back down. He plunged one of his fingers into her hot core and sucked her clit into his mouth. Her body tightened as she screamed. He pushed a second finger inside her and used his other hand on her ass to pull her hips closer as he alternated stroking and sucking on her clit. The orgasm ripped through her and he looked up to watch her drop her head back against the door as she fought to catch her breath. He stroked her clit a few more times to bring her down and then pulled his fingers out of her. Her hooded eyes watched him and it was clear she expected him to suck the taste of her off his fingers, but instead he stood up and put the fingers to her lips.

  When he said “open” she did it immediately and without hesitation. “Suck it all off,” he said gutturally as his free hand dropped to stroke his own cock through the jeans that were now threatening to cut off the blood flow to his dick. Her eyes darkened as she tasted herself and when she saw that he was touching himself she started sucking on his fingers harder. “Not this time,” he said to her and at her disappointed look, he chuckled and removed his fingers from her mouth. “If you put your mouth anywhere near my dick right now, I won’t be able to come in your hot, tight body.” He licked her lips so he could taste what lingered of her flavor there. “And I really need to come inside you.”

  “Later. Promise me,” she said. He sucked in a breath because he’d never had a woman do that to him, or even want to, but Riley did. Emotion clogged his throat so he just nodded.

  “You have too many clothes on,” she reminded him as she reached to pull him back down for a lengthy, lusty kiss. Her tongue dueled with his for control and he finally gave it to her. Her fingers fumbled with the button on his jeans. He nearly screamed in relief when she got the zipper down and carefully pushed the fabric away from his rock hard dick. When she stroked him, he nearly shot his load so he grabbed her hand. Her protest died in her mouth when he thrust his cock against her clit. They rubbed against each other as their tongues mimicked their lower bodies. Gabe finally pulled his mouth from hers and then fumbled around to pull his wallet from the back pocket of his jeans. He knew he should remove his pants but since he still had his boots on he abandoned the idea – he just couldn’t wait any longer to be inside of her.

  He tossed the wallet aside once he found the condom he was searching for. He tore into the small, foil packet. Riley was watching him in fascination as he quickly rolled the condom down his length. He leaned down and kissed her again while he pressed his length between her legs and rubbed the tip of his cock back and forth over her opening. Warm moisture seeped over the head of his dick and he moaned into her mouth. He lifted her leg and angled himself so that the tip of his cock entered her. Her fingers bit into his shoulders as he kept up the pressure. He lifted her other leg to open her further and with one thrust he was seated deep inside her. She cried out and then dropped her head to his shoulder. He stilled. “Are you okay?”

  He felt her nod her head violently and she finally pulled back so he could see her eyes. “It’s so good Gabe,” she whispered. Tears were pooling in her eyes and he knew in that instant that he would love this woman forever. He plunged his tongue back into her mouth as he pulled out of her. When he slid back in, she moaned into his mouth. Most of her weight was on him now and he used that to his advantage by pulling her down to meet his upward thrusts. She wrapped her legs around his hips and pressed back against the door so she could brace herself for each hard stroke.

  “You’re so tight,” he mumbled, his mouth now pressed against the side of her neck. The pace he set was brutal but he couldn’t slow down. He’d never felt this before, this overwhelming need to be a part of another person. Stranger still, he felt protected in her embrace – he was nearly twice her size but she made him feel safe, like nothing could ever touch him again.

  He was breathing harshly against her now and they were both slick with sweat. He could feel her murmuring against his neck but he couldn’t make out the words. But as his balls drew up tight and he sensed the end was near, he swore he heard her whisper in his ear, “I’m going to take care of you Gabe,” and then he was coming. He felt her body close tight around his as her vagina held his dick in a vice like hold. His orgasm seemed endless and when it finally started to ease he could still feel the aftershocks of her own release. He slumped against her as they both struggled to catch their breath.

  “Please don’t leave me Riley,” he heard himself saying.

  “I won’t Gabe, not ever. I promise.”

  ***

  “Where’s Bella?” Riley asked as she lay across Gabe’s stomach, his slowly hardening cock pressed against her abdomen. He was running his fingers through her hair as they both lay in his bed, still trying to recover from their lovemaking against the door. He’d eventually released her and she’d been afraid that he would distance himself like last time. Even though he had come inside her, she wasn’t sure if he was okay with it and she had watched him carefully to try to gauge his mood. But he’d simply pulled up his pants, snatched her up in his arms and carried her to his bed. Relief had flooded through her as he stripped his pants off and crawled on top of her and just started kissing her. They’d made out for several minutes and then he arranged them so that she was lying across him.

  “Logan’s watching her for me tonight.”

  She smiled at him. “Did you plan this?”

  He chuckled. “I had planned to get on my hands and knees and beg you to stay, but once I saw you with Shane, that plan went to hell.”

  A serious frown drifted across her face. “He’s my friend, that’s it.”

  “I know that. But he’s also my friend and he knew exactly what he was doing these past few nights when he flirted with you.”

  “He didn’t flirt with me,” she exclaimed.

  “Riley, the man knew I was watching for you when he brought you home. Didn’t you think it was weird how he kept pressing up against you when he walked you to the apartment?”

  She got lost in thought for a minute. “That rat bastard. He set me up.”

  “He set us both up sweetheart.” Gabe paused and brushed her hair behind her ear as he grew serious. “But I’m glad he did because otherwise I might have lost you.”

  Riley shifted herself so she could reach his lips and kissed him. She dropped her head on his chest and then her eyes drifted across the tattoo on his arm. Skimming her fingers over the intricate design she asked, “What does it mean?” She shifted her head so she was looking at him. “The tree on your back. It’s beautiful but why that tree? It’s so old and withered.”

  “Did Shane tell you about his brother, Michael?” When she nodded he said, “That tree is in the cemetery where he’s buried.” His hand stroked the length of her back as he spoke. “I was there visiting once just after his funeral and I saw this old, ugly tree and I asked one of the caretakers why they didn’t just tear the thing down. He told me it wasn’t actually dead and that its roots ran deep throughout the entire cemetery. It’s a reminder to me that there’s life in everything, even when it doesn’t look like it from the outside. It’s dark and ugly but strong and resilient.”

  Riley got it. The tree reminded him of himself, that he could be strong despite the dark parts of his life. Resting her head on her folded arms, she laid there and studied him for a long moment. He was so beautiful on the outside but that was just pretty packaging. “I love who you are Gabe.” He froze at her words. “I love how strong and kind and passionate you are. I love how stubborn and temperamental and commanding you can be when you’re protecting someone you care about. I love that you make me feel beautiful even when I don’t.” Pulling herself up his body she whispered, “I l
ove all the parts of you.” She dropped a kiss on his beautiful mouth. “Dark and light.” Another kiss. “Strong and weak.” Kiss. “Beautiful and ugly.”

  She slanted her lips over his and licked. He immediately opened for her and she dipped inside to stroke his tongue. His hands closed on her arms but she lifted her mouth and said, “Put them above your head.” Lust darkened his gaze but he did what she said. “Leave them there. I will tie you up if I need to.” She saw a soft smile pass over his lips as she repeated the same words he had said to her the first night he had pleasured her on his living room couch.

  Stormy, intense dark eyes watched her as he lifted his arms above his head and clasped his wrist with the opposite hand. She gave him another bone melting kiss to reward him and then licked her way down his chin. He bucked underneath her when she ran her fingers over his nipples.

  “They get hard like mine,” she said as she flicked them again. She dropped down to lick one and heard him moan. His cock was pressed fully against her now. “Does it feel good when I do this?” she asked, feigning innocence as she sucked his nipple into her mouth.

  “Yes,” he groaned. She smiled against his skin and then moved further down. Her lips traced the tight muscles of his abdomen. When she reached his cock, she pulled it back from where it was pressed against his stomach and traced it carefully with her finger.

  “It’s like silk over steel,” she observed as she trailed her finger along the thick vein running underneath. She cupped each testicle and gently massaged them. He sucked in a sharp breath but when her fingers landed on a patch of soft skin under his balls he groaned. She smiled at this new discovery and looked up to see him staring at her, his eyes now black with need.

  She moved her body so that she was between his legs and darted her tongue out to lick one of his testicles. She gave the same attention to the other side, then touched the tip of her tongue to that soft patch of skin. He cried out her name but didn’t pull back. Instead he shifted his hips and legs so she had better access. As she gripped him and shifted herself so she could get a better angle, her fingertips accidentally brushed over his hole. She stilled when he froze but then he muttered harshly, “Do it again.” She did and her eyes widened as a little bit of liquid leaked out of his cock. Instinct kicked in and she moved up to collect the drops with her tongue. His taste exploded on her tongue and she pulled the tip of his erection into her mouth. He thrust against her automatically and she gagged slightly and pulled back.