His lips seared hers as he reached under her shirt, the rough skin of his hand burning up her skin. The pressure of him pushing against her was almost too much, but not ever enough. The grip on her thigh almost hurt as they moved against each other, her hands tangling in his hair, his yanking the cup of her bra aside and closing around her aching breast.

His mouth left hers then, blazing a hot trail down her throat. He reached the collar of her shirt as he plucked at her nipple.

“Gabe.” She arched her back, crying out.

He rocked backward, pulling his hand out from her shirt. For a brief, disappointing second, she feared that he was going to stop. “Shirt. Off. Now.”

All righty then, he definitely wasn’t stopping.

Before she even moved, he was tugging his shirt off over his head and tossing it aside. Her eyes widened as his hands dropped to the button on his jeans.

“Catch up, sweetheart,” he said.

Nikki sat up as far as she could and reached for her shirt, but she apparently wasn’t moving fast enough because he all but ripped it off her.

Damn.

He caught her before she lay back down, wrapping his hand around the back of her head, holding her in place as his mouth moved over hers once more. His other hand was up to no good, finding the clasp along the back of her bra. He obviously had a lot of experience in that department, because within seconds, he had it unhooked. One-handed. The straps slipped down her arms. He reached between them, hooking his fingers along the center of her bra. He pulled it free, and that, too, hit the floor.

Then he let go of her.

She fell back onto her elbows, her lips swollen as she watched him stare down at her, his intense gaze feeling like a touch.

“I need you. Fuck, Nic. I need you so bad,” he said, his eyes burning as they met hers. “I don’t have a condom with me, but I’m clean.”

Her heart was throwing itself against her chest so fast and hard that she thought she might have a heart attack. “I’m on the pill.”

“Thank fuck.” He leaned over her, planting a hand by her head. The muscles in his arm strained. “You want this? If you don’t want to go this far, we can stop. Right now. Just tell me.”

“Yes. I want this.” She didn’t hesitate. Not for a damn second, and she’d probably regret the hell out of that later, but not right then. “I want you.”

Gabe looked like he murmured some sort of prayer and then he was swinging off the couch. She turned, unable to look away as he shucked off his pants, briefs and all, and then he was standing before her, completely nude. She eyed his erection as she bit down on her lip.

“You keep looking at me like that, this is going to be over before we even get started.”

Oh my.

She forced her gaze up to his. “That would be disappointing.”

“Exactly.” His face was tense. “Stand up.”

A fine shiver rolled through her as she did what he demanded. He got ahold of her pants and he had her naked in record time. Seriously. If it were an Olympic sport, he would’ve gotten a gold medal.

She started to laugh, but then he was kissing her again and guiding her onto her back, settling between her legs. She could feel him, hard against the softest part of her.

Nikki tensed, preparing for him to slam into her, like it had been that night, but that’s not what happened.

Gabe kissed her again, but this kiss was . . . it was different. Slow. Sweet. Tender. He kissed her like he cherished her, and he kept kissing her until she felt herself relax.

Then his mouth left hers.

Kissing and nipping at her skin, he made his way down her throat. The edges of his soft hair brushed the swell of her breast, stretching her nerves. He drew her nipple into his mouth as he slipped his free hand between her thighs, and every part of her body flared to life. Pleasure rolled through her as her fingernails dug into his hair. Nikki’s gasp turned into a moan as he thrust his finger into her. Her hips nearly came clear off the couch as he moved to her breast, taking it deep into his mouth.

Her body clenched around his hand as hot, tight shudders wrecked her. He was driving her crazy, moving his hand slowly and torturing her with his mouth and tongue.

Nikki groaned his name as she rolled her hips against his hand.

A satisfied smile split his lips as he lifted his head. “Damn. I love hearing you say my name when I’ve got my finger in you.”

Pleasure spiked as he slipped another finger inside.

“God, you’re so wet.” His thumb smoothed over the tight concentration of nerves, flooding her body with wet heat. “You’re ready for me.”

“Yes.” She grabbed a fistful of hair, dragging his mouth back to hers. Lightning was rushing through her veins. “Now,” she said against his mouth. “I want you now.”

He made that sound again as he withdrew his fingers, and then she felt him again, hard and hot at her core. The arm pushing into the couch shook as he broke the kiss, pressing his forehead against hers. He slowly pushed in.

“Oh, God,” she panted, gripping his arms as he inched in, stretching her. The bite of pain mingled with the pleasure, twisting together.

He halted. “You okay?”

“Yeah.” She brushed a hunk of his hair back. “It’s just been a while. Like a really long time.”

Gabe shuddered. “I know it makes me an ass, but you have no idea how badly I want to fuck you after hearing that.”

Nikki trembled. “More than before?”

“Didn’t think that was possible.” He kissed her. “But yeah.”

She slid her other hand down his arm, curling her fingers around his forearm. “Then do it.”

He lifted his head, and those sea-green eyes were blazing. “Do what, Nic?”

Never in her life had she spoken those words, but she did just then, without an ounce of embarrassment. “Fuck me.”

His hips punched forward almost out of reflex. Gabe’s eyes drifted shut as he groaned. He pushed in, and she took him, bringing her knees up and hooking her legs around his waist as he sunk all the way in.

For a long moment, neither of them moved. Their bodies were flush, hip to hip, chest to chest. She could feel him throbbing deep inside her, and then he started to move.

His large body trembled as he slowly pulled out and then rocked forward, causing Nikki’s back to arch.

“God,” he groaned. “You feel . . . God, you feel too good.”

So did he. She wanted to tell him that, but she was beyond words at that point, completely lost as he set a slow pace that drove her to the breaking point, but not quite over. His mouth found hers once more. Tilting her hips, she met each deep and even thrust until she couldn’t, until the pace quickened and his body was holding hers down.

Gabe’s cheek pressed into hers as the couch squeaked under them and knocked into the wall. She could feel him swelling and tightening with each breath she took. Tension built deep inside her as she dug her heels into his back, urging him to move faster, and harder, and he answered.

It felt like every muscle in her body tensed up and the coil spinning deep inside her unfurled at a dizzying rate. There was no slow buildup to the climax. The deep pounding thrusts sent her over the edge.

Crying out as the most intense pleasure rolled over her in tight, hot waves, all she could do was hold on as his hips pounded into her in a tempo that was shattering.

“Gabe—oh God, I can’t—” Her head kicked back as Gabe worked an arm under her shoulders, pulling her to him as he ground his hips into her. She couldn’t tell if she was having another orgasm or if it was the first one still destroying her. She fell back, eyes closed, body nearly limp.

Her name was rough on his lips as he pulled out at what seemed like the last second, pushing his arousal against her stomach as he came, pulsing against her stomach.

Gabe braced his weight on one arm, his hips still jerking as she felt him kiss her shoulder. A moment passed and then he kissed the corner of her lips.

Nikki took a shallow breath. “That was . . . one hell of a kiss.”

Gabe stared up at the ceiling, listening to the rain beat the roof as he dragged his fingers along Nic’s arm. Her warm breath danced along his arm. She was on her back, snug between him and the back of the couch, and he was on his side, barely hanging on to the couch. His arm was under her shoulders and she was currently using his bicep as a pillow, but he didn’t care. He’d never been more comfortable in his life.