Arrested Pleasure (17 page)

She sighed against his mouth and he took the opportunity to sip at the tempting lushness of her lips, while his hands explored every curve of her luscious body. His body felt on fire and ready to explode.

She sagged against him as her hands crept around his neck. Her wrists had come loose. She wrapped her arms tighter around him as she pulled him closer.

Shifting a little to relieve the pressure of his cock against his zipper, Gabe fought against the need to take her right there and now. If he didn't, he'd detonate.

He glanced down and caught sight of the tiny bow between her breasts. They beckoned him. He gave the silky material a little tug. The scarf slid down her creamy breasts, exposing two pink globes. Her nipples were already tightening into beaded points.

"You're overdressed again," she murmured. "I'd hoped that you'd ditch your clothes before you climbed on the bed."

Gabe hesitated. Not because he didn't want to remove his clothes, but rather because he hated to leave her warm body.

She must have decided to take matters into her own hands as she began to tug on his belt buckle. His penis surged forward, eager to meet her soft hands. Leaning over, she touched the tip of her tongue to his nipple. Lust surged through his body.

Fucking damnation. She drove him crazy.

She was struggling with his pants, so he decided to assist her. He lifted his body away for a moment before he shed the rest of his clothes. Now clad only in his briefs, he slid back onto the bed and claimed her lips once more.

Cassie tasted of mint and fire. Gabe sipped at her mouth, wanting to get every last drop of her essence. She wound her arms around his neck and moved closer into his embrace. Bare skin to bare skin. Her nipples had turned hard and rubbed seductively against his chest, causing his cock to harden even more.

As if she sensed the effect she had on him, she began to rock against him. White-hot currents burst into flames inside him, and his testicles tightened with need. If she continued this, he was going to explode before he got inside her.

Gabe tore his mouth from hers. "Come on, babe, let's slow down," he told her, his breath coming hard. He ran his hand down the slope of her breast. "I love what you're doing, but you're going to make me shoot off like a rocket."

Cassie smiled and responded by running her fingers down his hard chest. She tipped her head back in a seductive pose as she played with the whorls hair on his chest. "Didn't seem to bother you last night. I think at one point, you begged me to go faster." She pulled on a single hair on his chest, but instead of the action hurting, the sensation caused his penis to jerk.

God, he loved her touch on him. But things were going too fast. Putting his hand on her fingers as they wandered farther south, he smiled. "Last night I wanted it fast and lots of it. Tonight I want things to last."

Tugging at another scarf, he pulled the fabric off and ran it over the curve of her shoulder. She closed her eyes and leaned back, causing her breasts to thrust out, just begging for his mouth. Her nipples were red, tight beads.

"Your breasts are gorgeous," he commented, reaching out and touching a tip. He rubbed the pebbled bead between the pad of his thumb and forefinger, causing it to harden more.

"I bet you say that to all your lady friends," she teased him, a catch in her voice as it quivered.

Did she feel the vortex of desire that shot through both of them?

Gabe paused. Lady friends? Sure, he dated, but with his busy work schedule, he rarely went out and hadn't had a steady girlfriend since he'd been in high school.

"Nah . . . only to pretty, dark-haired vixens." He pushed her onto her back and moved over to straddle her, his legs on both sides of hers. He stared down at her, the sudden surge of passion rising in him. No question about it, she was most beautiful woman he'd ever met.

"Dark-haired?" She smiled up at him with a teasing look in her gaze. "You checked to make sure it's the real thing?"

"Sure did, darlin'."

Tying a scarf to each wrist, Gabe hoisted her arms and tied them to a bedpost.

Cassie never said a word, even though his cock continued to rub against her lower body through his briefs.

"Mmm . . . ." she purred, her hips moving ever so slightly.

The music changed to a harder beat, and Gabe took that as a cue to lean down and take one breast into his mouth. It was like eating an ice cream cone with a cherry on top. He first licked at the slope, and then his tongue slid up to the nub. He repeated the same action with the other.

Cassie gazed at him with slumberous eyes, but when he took one nipple into his mouth and suckled, she moaned and tossed her head back against the pillow. The smell of her arousal hung heavy in the air.

"Oh, Gabe . . ." Her voice sounded almost incoherent. "Please. Too much."

He smiled and reached up to kiss her fully. She returned the kiss and opened her mouth. His tongue slipped inside and explored the inner rim of her lips. He was on fire, and no woman made him burn like Cassie.

Gabe lifted his head and started toying with the lone remaining scarf at her hips.

He ran a finger around the top edge and dipped a finger underneath the soft material.

Her body felt like heat and silk.

She shifted her hips. "Please, take the rest off. And you. I want you naked.
Now
."

Her dark eyes were ablaze with fiery passion.

"Not yet, sweetheart." Lowering his hand, he ran a finger along the underside of the scarf. He brushed her soft curls and touched the wetness of her hot center. He quelled the temptation to whip off her scarf and end the torture, but instead he slid down the bed until his face was even with her knees.

Cassie's smile never wavered. "What are you doing?"

Gabe didn't respond right away, but spread her thighs apart and placed a kiss on the inside of her knee. She relaxed, and her legs spread even wider. He used the opportunity to run kisses up the inside of her thigh. He could smell her heat. His blood thrummed.

The scarf slid away from her hips, uncovering her sensual secrets. The exposed pink flesh taunted him. Begged him.

"Mmm . . . this is better than Chinese food," he commented before lowering his head and pressing a kiss to the heart of her core. "Much better."

Cassie's body jerked, and her legs started to close around his head, but Gabe kept them apart and continued to lave his tongue into the center of her. He plundered the fiery heart of her until she whimpered in pleasure.

He decided he liked her wild like this. With one last swipe of his tongue, she cried out as she stiffened and went over the edge. It crossed his mind that if she had any neighbors nearby, he bet they heard her screaming with pleasure as she came.

For several long moments, he watched as she lay on the bed trembling, her body still recovering from her climax. Damn, she looked so beautiful. Her dark hair out of control and her eyes lit with a dark, fiery hue he'd never seen before. Her tanned skin had beads of perspiration that gave her face a dewy look. Cassie had rocked his world, and he never wanted it to be upright again. Even though he hadn't had his needs satisfied, he felt a bit of satisfaction in knowing he'd brought her to hers.

Slowly, she lifted her head and smiled at him.

He gave her a lazy smile. "Well?"

"Mmm . . ." She murmured, her voice so soft her barely heard her. "What?"

"Are you up for some Chinese food now?"

"Only if I get to tie you up next," she replied, tugging at her hands still tied to the bedposts.

"I will let you have your way, sweetheart. For you, I'll do anything."

"Oh . . . you taste good."

Cassie tipped her head to the side and smiled at Gabe. She watched as he continued to lick her fingers long after she'd fed him an egg roll. His tongue meticulously dipped between every crevice of her hand, as though he wanted to catch every crumb.

"Good wasn't it? I told you Chinese food is better warmed up."

"You're better warmed up, too."

"Hah!" She laughed. "We'll need a shower to clean up after this." She untangled her hand from his and peered down into the carton. "There's some left. Are you still hungry?"

"Only for you, sweetheart."

Cassie shook her head, grinning as she rose to pick up the remains of their meal.

"Is sex all you can think about? We can do something else."

Gabe gave an exaggerated sigh. "You know what I want." He also stood. "But I'm game. What do you want to do?"

She hid a smile as she tossed the paper plates and cartons into the trash. He shouldn't whine, since he hadn't been the one tied to a bed. She bet he enjoyed having his wicked way with her.

"We can talk. You know, learn more about each other." She rattled off on her fingers. "Other than you're a cop, like massages, and are into kinky sex . . ." She smirked at him. "Okay, not too kinky, but you like a little bondage."

Gabe pulled her close. "Only with you. I've never tied anyone up before—or been tied to a bedpost." He dropped a kiss on her lips. "How about you? You seem to know your way around the bedroom."

Cassie froze. The words were light, yet she sensed an underlying question. Did she get a kick out of bondage for fun or was this a regular part of her relationships? She knew some men might feel threatened by her sexual history, but the truth of the matter was it was mostly myth. Yes, she had experience, but she didn't sleep around indiscriminately.

She stepped away from Gabe's arms and walked over to the stereo to flip on the music. A soft melody drifted out of the speakers and engulfed the room. They'd chosen to eat on the floor using the coffee table rather than in the kitchen, as it made the mood more sensual.

"Cassie? Are you all right?" She sensed Gabe studying her.

"I'm not into that," she suddenly blurted out.

"Into what?"

Cassie faced him. "Sleeping around with any man that has the right working parts."

"I didn't say you did . . . ."

"No, but you think I do." She ran her fingers through her hair, frustration knotting her insides. "Yes, I've had a few relationships, including Gavin, but I'm like any normal woman with needs. I meet a man I like and can trust and then I date him.

But to go to bed with him, there has to be something more."

He considered her words for a moment, his gaze never leaving her. "You trust me."

"You are a cop. Shouldn't I trust you?" Her words challenged him.

"You didn't know I was one until this morning. Not until Livi mentioned it."

He had her at that. Dare she tell him that he exuded an aura of trust and confidence that communicated itself to her from the first time they met? Not knowing much about him had concerned her at first, but the way he acted told her he would be a man she could depend on.

"A woman just senses these things about men."

He gave her a small smile. "Intuition. Yours said I could be trusted." A statement, not a question.

She nodded and wrapped her arms around his neck and placed a kiss on his jaw.

"Definitely a man to trust and lo—" She stopped herself. What was it she was about to say? Love? She didn't love him. She couldn't. It was too soon.

"Lust after?" he prompted her, clearly misinterpreting what she'd started to say.

"I can go along with that. I have a lusty appetite."

His head swooped down and claimed her mouth with a near earth-shattering kiss. For long moments, the room was quiet, except for their heated breaths.

Her legs shaky, she clung to him, wanting more. He made her feel breathless, like she floated on air. He palmed her ass, bringing her closer to him.

Lifting his head, he gazed down at her. "If you let me, I can show you how lusty I can get."

"Mmm . . . ." she moaned, almost forgetting why she turned down his earlier request to make love again right away. She laid her head against his shoulder and stared at the wall. She could stay like this all day, safe in his arms. She sighed and snuggled closer. As she glanced around the room, her gaze landed on the photograph of her parents taken on a Hawaiian cruise last year. Crap! She needed to ask him to escort her to Junie's wedding and reception.

"Oh! I do need to talk to you." She pulled away from his embrace.

His hazel eyes darkened as she moved away. He ran a hand through his already tousled hair. "What's wrong? We can kiss and talk at the same time."

She laughed and shook her head. "You might, but you'd distract me, and I need a clear head when I ask you this." She stepped around him, wanting to put some distance between them while she talked to him. Dropping onto the sofa, she patted the seat next to her. "Talk first, make love later."

He eyed her for a moment before he complied. "We can't do both?" He asked, settling next to her.

She shook her head.

"Spoil-sport. Looks like I'm going to have to teach you a thing or two."

Cassie arched a brow at him, but didn't say anything. She picked up her glass of wine and tried to think of the right way to pose her request to him. How did one go about asking a guy you barely knew to go to a wedding of a relative? Okay, they had slept together . . . twice. Would bringing him to the wedding lead her relatives to think they were serious?

Her heart kicked up a beat.
Especially her father
. For as long as she'd been an adult, he'd pushed her to get married and settle down. Her mother rarely said the words, but Cassie knew this notion was in Nola's heart. She understood her wanting their only daughter married and producing more grandchildren they'd dote on.

Not that Cassie didn't want to get married, but she had her own vision of the ideal man. One whom she planned to spend the rest of her life with. Handsome, good job, trustworthy, and good in bed.

She glanced at Gabe, and it occurred to her that he met most of her requirements.

Her eyes blinked at where her thoughts were headed. She needed to get back on track.

Taking a big gulp of her wine, she shot him a look. Yeah, he definitely met her idea of an ideal husband. She shook her head. She couldn't be falling in love.