Page 219 of Plunge into Obsession

I shivered a little from the cold air, but Gabriel didn’t linger.

He moved to the closet, came out moments later, and stripped off most of his clothes, save for his boxer briefs. In his hand was one of his shirts.

This one was a navy blue that I was sure looked amazing on him.

He put it on me instead, his scent engulfing me right away.

He guided me down on the bed and crawled between my legs, resting his head on my chest, almost as if he was listening for my heartbeat.

I wrapped my arms around his solid frame.

“Your heart?” I asked. “Am I your heart?”

“Baby, I thought we already had this conversation. You’reeverything. Got me?”

My breath caught. “You love me?”

He didn’t say anything for a moment, but I wasn’t worried. How had I missed it before? Was I so blind to my own emotions, my own insecurity, that I couldn’t see Gabriel clearly?

This man loved me. Had for a time now.

“With all my heart,” he finally answered. “I love you desperately. I love you more than my own life. More than anything in this world. I love you to obsession. How could you ever doubt that?”

I shook my head, my voice thick when I said, “I don’t.”

He smiled slightly, his thumb moving over my lips, tracing along the outline.

“I love you, too,” I whispered.

“I know, baby.”

I fisted my hands around his shirt.

“I love you,” I repeated. “I love you so much. So much.”

So much. The words paled in comparison to my feelings.

He kissed my lips sweetly.

I closed my eyes, but the intrusive memory of him kneeling on the ground, begging Lucinda to kill him, was almost too much to bear.

I started to shake, and his eyes filled with alarm. “Baby?”

“Don’t ever do that again.”

“Do what?”

“Don’t ever think about putting your life on the line like that again. What the hell would I do without you?”

He shook his head, but it did nothing to reassure me.

“Silly girl. I would die a thousand times over, in the most painful ways, to ensure you are safe and happy.”

Tears fell from my eyes.

He nodded.

Those words coming from other men might sound sentimental or trite, but Gabriel meant it.

---