Page 42 of Justified Lies

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The moment they entered the dark bedroom Gabe felt like a predator. Like the big bad wolf who, God willing, was going to gobble this sweet woman up. Last night Lianna had been the aggressor. Tonight, however, she was timid, more reserved. It was driving him crazy. Suddenly the need to show her how much he wanted her was overwhelming. How had he ever kept his distance from her?

Neither of them said a word as he released her hand and pulled her body against his. He thrust his tongue into her mouth with all the urgency he felt. Lianna met him stroke for stroke reassuring him that she was on board for this. Even with both hands locked on her waist, he didn’t feel close enough. Gabe wanted this for so long, holding back was unthinkable.

Making quick work of the buttons on her shirt, he slid it down her toned shoulders. A groan escaped when his fingertips brushed the skin of her bare back. It was quite possibly as soft and smooth as the silk nightshirt now lying crumpled on the floor.

Wiggling out of her adorably oversized sweatpants, Lianna stood naked in his arms except for panties. She looked so exposed in contrast to his fully clothed self. Gabe felt a twinge of guilt at how excited her vulnerability made him. As if she could hear his thoughts, she tugged at his shirt, trying to create enough space between their bodies to lift it off.

Instead of complying, he pushed her down onto the bed behind them. When she tried to scoot away towards the top, he caught her ankle and dragged her down so that her bottom was just on the edge. Grabbing the waist band of her underwear, he pulled them off her long legs. Then he stood there in awe and drank in the image he had so frequently fantasized about.

She was perfect, lying below him, hands covering her breasts bashfully. Long, lean legs gave way to round hips and a soft stomach. He salivated at the undersides of her breastsescaping her grasp. Wild curls the color of midnight framed her gorgeous face, providing a stark contrast to the white comforter. Combined with the coy look in her eyes, his breathing faltered. She was a wet dream on speed.

Gabe had planned on spending hours exploring her body, making her mindless with pleasure. But with her lying before him like an offering, his only objective was to be inside of her. Hoping there would be time for all the kissing and pleasing later, he reached back and pulled his shirt up and over his head.

Not wanting to break eye contact, he fumbled with the buttons on his jeans. Eventually managing to undo the garments, he lost both the jeans and boxers in one fell swoop.

Defying the impossible, Gabe’s arousal grew at the look in Lianna’s eyes. She was staring, open mouthed, at his naked form. When she squirmed away again, up towards the headboard, he let her get halfway there.

After she made adequate room for him, he grabbed her calf muscle, stopping her retreat. The mattress dipped as Gabe pressed a knee down between her legs.

Desperate to bury himself in her, his vision tunneled as he pushed her knees apart with his thighs. Lianna put her hands in front of her body, stopping him from getting any closer. Irritated at being halted, Gabe looked up into her eyes. The fear in them hit Gabe like a sledgehammer. He was immediately sobered.

The objective was not to scare her, and he certainly didn’t want to hurt her. He wanted to love her. Love her so good, so thoroughly, that she kept coming back to him for more.

“What’s wrong?” he rasped, feeling like he had just come back from some alternate reality where only his needs mattered.

“I just… It’s happening so fast. Can we slow down?”

Soft hands were still placed firmly against his chest, her rapid speech telling him just how uneasy she was. Gabe swore.

“I’m sorry, sweetheart.” He wanted to pummel himself for being so selfish. “I seem to have trouble slowing down with you,” he crooned as he loomed over her.

“Gabe, I haven’t done this in a really long time and—”

“Me, neither.”

She looked skeptical at that, which pissed him off more than it should have. Remembering she needed reassuring, Gabe transferred all his weight to one arm, using the other hand to push her hair from her face. Stroking her cheek, he willed her to trust him.

“I would never hurt you. I promise. Trust me, okay?”

She didn’t respond, just searched his eyes for confirmation of his words. He gently kissed her nose before asking again.

“Okay?”

“Okay,” she finally whispered as the hands that were pushed against him started to relax.

Gabe’s heart swelled as the skepticism in Lianna’s eyes turned to acceptance, maybe even faith. Ever so slowly, he let his weight down on top of her.

Taking her face in his hands, he slowly reclaimed her lips. He kissed her unhurriedly and thoroughly, savoring every taste. As his mouth traveled down her neck, his hands stroked every soft inch of her body until it was Lianna squirming beneath him.

“I can’t wait any longer and I need to protect you,” Gabe gasped.

“Oh,” she said thoughtfully. “I’m on birth control. Do we need anything else?”

Lowering himself back down on top of her lithe body a little too fast, he promised, “I’m safe.”

The gasp she made shot straight to his groin.Calm down, you’ve done this before.Focused solely on her satisfaction, Gabe catalogued every tantalizing face she made, every moan thatleft her lips. Pleasing her was the greatest pleasure he had ever experienced.

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