She had to blink away tears when she pulled back to peer down at him. “But you didn’t,” she assured him. “I’m here now, Gabe. And there’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”
He kissed her then, the pressure of his lips so loving and tender, the tears she’d been holding back slipped to her cheeks. And she knew. Her heart was telling her everything she needed to know but that her brain wasn’t ready to acknowledge. When the kiss drew to a close, she nestled against him, the sound of his heartbeat soothing in its steady rhythm as she drifted to sleep in his arms.
Chapter 16
Elle stretched languidly as she awoke, feeling more well rested than she had in ages. A slow smile curved her lips as she remembered why.
Gabe.
God, what a night they’d had. Because… Damn.
She had to admit, Gabe definitely had the skill to back his swagger—he was the most selfless lover she’d ever had. But it wasn’t just the mind-blowing sexathon that had her grinning from ear to ear. She’d never felt so safe, so cared for as she had while lying in Gabe’s arms, held tenderly against his heart.
Longing for those strong arms around her, she slipped from the bed and searched the ground for her clothes. Not immediately finding them or the T-shirt she’d worn to bed—which had been discarded at some point during the night when Gabe had awakened her for a kiss that had quickly and blissfully led to more—she opened his closet and grabbed a long-sleeved button-down. Luckily, he was tall enough that the shirt hit her midthigh.
She shrugged. Good enough. If she had her way, she wouldn’t have it on long anyway.
But as she padded down the hallway, the house was so quiet, she began to wonder if he was even there. Then she caught the sound of soft music coming from the room he used as his office. She crept to the doorway and peered around the doorframe, her breath catching in her lungs when she saw him.
Gabe stood at his desk, holding a steaming cup of coffee, wearing only a low-slung pair of jeans and a fierce scowl. His bare chest moved in slow, even breaths, but Elle could tell from the way his jaw was clenched that he was furious.
“Band of Horses, if I’m not mistaken,” she said, referring to the band playing on the stereo.
His gaze snapped up to her face and the tension in his expression instantly eased. “Well, good morning,” he said, a smile breaking across his face as he reached out a hand, inviting her in. “Sleep well?”
She nodded as she came forward, taking his hand and letting him draw her into his embrace. She wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head against his chest, heaving a contented sigh. “How about you? How long have you been awake?”
He pressed a kiss to her hair. “Few hours.”
She pulled back and studied him for a long moment. “Gabe, it’s only eight ten. What time did you get up?”
He shrugged. “About five. I wanted to do some more snooping on Monroe. He updates his blog every Saturday.”
Now it was her turn to frown. “So you’ve been reading his blog for over three hours on a Sunday morning?”
He took a sip of his coffee, then set the cup down on the desk so he could wrap his arms around her and draw her closer. “I do my best thinking early in the morning. Of course, that’s not all I’m best at in the morning.”
She raised her brows, preferring his playful, dimpled smile far more than his pensive scowl. “That so?”
He demonstrated what he meant with a long, slow kiss that set her mind spinning, his lips alternately gentle and demanding. When the kiss ended, he took her hand in his and spun her in a quick dance step before drawing her close again, swaying slowly with her in time to the music.
“And you can dance, too,” she mused, grinning up at him.
“Took a class in college,” he admitted. “Thought it’d be a good skill to have, make me more of a Renaissance man.”
She pulled back with a skeptical look. “Renaissance man. Right… You sure it wasn’t just a ploy to get laid?”
He laughed in a loud burst and pulled her closer. “I can’t reveal all my secrets just yet. Man of mystery, remember? There’s a lot you don’t know about me, honey.”
She brushed a quick kiss against his lips. “So I’m learning. Guess I’ll have to hang out with you more often to discover more of these startling revelations about the real Gabe Dawson.”
He brought their clasped hands in close, pressing them against his chest. “It could take a while. You might have to tough it out for a long time before you find out all my deepest darkest secrets.”
She drew him down for a brief kiss, then snuggled in close. “I think I’m up for that.”
As the next song started to play, Gabe began to hum softly, the sound vibrating in his chest where her head rested. Elle closed her eyes, letting the warmth of him envelop her. She didn’t remember the last time she felt so content. Or loved. It was in his touch, in his smile, in the way he held her close.