“Are you drunk?” she gasped.

“I haven’t had a single drink all day. It’s not like that night.”

The implications of what he said made her shudder. So did the hand that coursed over her hip. “Gabe.”

“You tell me to stop and I will.”

Her lips parted. She needed to tell him to stop, because she knew that whatever was happening right now was going to change everything between them, and she knew this time there wouldn’t be any repairing the damage it would wreak on their friendship . . . and possibly her life.

This blurred too many lines for her, and especially after learning what had happened to Emma, this wasn’t smart at all. Because no matter what, his heart belonged to someone else, and what did that leave her with?

Just this, whatever this was.

She still didn’t tell him to stop.

His breath danced over her temple. “You have no idea what I wanted to do when you said you had a date. Well, maybe you’re getting a good idea of what that was now.” His fingers reached the hem of her skirt. “And maybe this is crazy. I don’t care.”

“You should care,” she whispered, her heart thundering.

“Then tell me to stop.” His lips brushed her temple, causing her to gasp. “You still haven’t.”

Nikki hadn’t.

She had no idea how she started off her evening with one guy and was now getting pleasantly fondled by Gabe de Vincent in a parking garage.

Other than once this past week, she hadn’t even dared to let herself fantasize something like this.

His chuckle was deep and rumbled through her. “That’s because you don’t want me to, but Ross? Even if he wasn’t a fucking dick?”

She couldn’t breathe as his hand slipped under the skirt of her dress and ran up her thigh. The calluses on his hand drove her crazy.

“He wouldn’t even have gotten this far with you.” Those fingers trailed up to the thin slip of material curving over her hip. “Would he?”

No, he wouldn’t have.

“Answer me, Nic.” He hooked a finger around the side of her thong.

She drew in a stuttered breath. “No. He wouldn’t have.”

His lips brushed the lobe of her ear, sending a shiver down her spine. “And why is that?”

Her throat was dry. “There was no spark.”

“Why?” He tugged hard on her thong and her hips jerked as he snapped each side.

Holy shit.

Gabe pulled the material away, and she had no idea what he did with her ruined undies at that point. “Why was there no spark, Nic?”

She could barely think as his hand slid across her lower belly and then dipped, coming so, so close to where she throbbed. “It just wasn’t there.”

“Now, that’s not the reason.” His fingers stilled. “Tell me why there wasn’t a spark and I’ll show you what a spark is.”

Her chest was heaving as she swallowed hard. “He wasn’t . . . he wasn’t you.”

“That’s my girl.” His fingers slipped between her thighs, wringing a gasp out of her.

Oh God, this was really happening. Gabe was touching her and they were in the middle of a parking garage. Anyone could walk up on them, but she didn’t even care. The only thing she could focus on was Gabe, on the heated sensations he was building in her and the swelling in her chest.

She had wanted him for so long.

Always wanted him.

“Fuck, you’re so wet,” he growled.

Her knees felt weak as she started to press her legs together.

“Don’t. Don’t do that.” He nipped at her ear, causing her to gasp. “I love it.”

She kept her legs open.

“Do you know what I wanted to do the night in the shop? It’s all I’ve been thinking about.” He dragged his finger through the wetness, teasing her. “I wanted to bend you over and fuck you so hard you wouldn’t even think about going out on a date with another man.”

Oh God.

“Can’t do that, though.” His finger circled her clit. “But you know what we can do?”

“What?” she whispered, her eyes darting around the garage.

He leaned away from her and she felt his hand at his waist. She heard his zipper coming down, and then he pressed into her.

Nikki’s body quivered—actually quivered. She felt him against her rear, hard and thick and bare. A seed of panic took root. “Condom—”

“We’re not having sex, Nic.” His hips moved against her ass. “Trust me.”

And with that, he sunk his finger into her.

Nikki’s entire body arched as he went as deep as he could. It was nothing like when she did it. Oh hell no, this was something else entirely.

His curse was a heated breath against her as he twisted the rough skin of his palm against the most sensitive part of her. He moved his hips behind her, dragging his cock up and down her ass as he added another finger, stretching her. She jerked in response, eyes widening.

Gabe’s fingers stilled. “Am I hurting you?”

“No,” she gasped. “It’s just . . . it’s been a while.”

“I can tell.”

Could he really? But that thought disappeared as his fingers started moving again. She was completely at his will as she curled one hand over his arm, digging her nails into his skin as she planted her other hand against the side of his Porsche.

Her thoughts were spinning. Her body was coiling tight. There was no holding herself back. She was moving against him, riding his hand just like she’d fantasized.

“That’s it.” His voice was almost guttural, a tone she’d never heard from him before. “Fuck my fingers.”

His words scorched her skin, and maybe tomorrow she’d be embarrassed by them, but tonight, those words turned her on. Her blood turned to lava and every point of her body seemed to be tightening all at once. His fingers pumped inside her as he thrust against her ass. He must’ve felt her start to come and known she wasn’t going to be able to be quiet. His hand folded over her mouth, muffling her cries as she came.

Ripples of pleasure were still coursing throughout her as Gabe made this deep sound that came from the back of his throat. He ground against her, stilling as his entire body shuddered. She felt him then, pulsing against the cheek of her ass as she rested her head on his chest.

All Nikki knew was that they both were out of their minds.

Chapter 21

Luckily Gabe had an extra shirt in the back of the car and was able to use it to clean Nic up as best as he could. And for some fucked-up reason, he was way too into the fact that it was his come he was cleaning off of her.

Once in the car, he glanced over at her. She was holding on to the edges of her skirt and staring straight ahead. If it wasn’t for the sated little half smile on her face, he’d be really worried.

Still, he was concerned.

Things had progressed further than he anticipated. Wasn’t like when he left the shop to put an end to her stupid date, he’d planned on ripping off her panties and fucking her with his fingers.

Gabe hit the ignition button and the engine purred to life.

Honest to God, he didn’t even know how it all escalated so quickly, but fuck, wasn’t like he could turn back time.

“Hey.” He reached between them, placing his hand over one of hers. “You okay?”

“Yeah.” She cleared her throat. “Yes.”

His gaze searched every square inch of her face, searching for who knows what, but then that tiny smile spread. She looked away, but not before he saw the deepening in her cheeks, the pink turning rose-colored.

This night was . . . different.

He almost killed a man in the middle of a restaurant and then he had one of the best orgasms of his life in a parking garage without actually having sex.

Not exactly a normal Saturday night.

“You know what I could go for right now?” he said, backing out of the parking garage.

She glanced over at him. “A nap?”

He chuckled as he drove through the garage. “That would be nice, but not what I had in mind. I think I could go for a smoothie.”

When he glanced over at her, she was grinning. “Yeah, I could go for one myself.”