Perfect Fit - Brenda Jackson [75]
He stared up at her, and a sense of peace settled over him because at that moment, he knew why he had allowed Sage to weaken his defenses, soften his resolve and break his vow to never become involved with another woman on the rebound again.
Although they still had a lot of talking to do, a number of things they had yet to work out, he still wanted her, because God help him, at some point since first meeting her six months ago, he had fallen in love with her. And he knew it was no use fighting it. However, he intended for both of their sakes not to leave anything to chance. He would not make the same mistakes with her that he’d made with Lindsey. He would not rush her or assume anything. They would not move from point A to point B until he thought she was ready … no matter what she thought.
“Gabe?”
His name, whispered so sweetly from her lips, reclaimed his attention. He swept his gaze over the outfit she had changed into after her shower, a blue pullover sweater and a black wool skirt that stopped midthigh. Her legs were bare, and her feet were encased in a pair of flat shoes.
Unable to resist touching her any longer, he said silkily, “Come closer and let me feel you.”
Sage swallowed as Gabe’s words filled her mind. He was close enough to touch her if he reached out his hand. But he didn’t just want to touch her; he wanted to feel her, and he wanted her to come to him of her own free will.
She allowed her gaze to drift longingly over him as he reclined in the chair, looking more handsome, more desirable and sexier than any man had the right to look. He made a move to spread his legs apart, and she knew that he wanted her to come stand between them.
Inhaling deeply and tossing all doubts aside, she took a step toward him and stood just where he wanted her to, between his widened thighs. Their gazes held, and her body began heating with a need the likes of which she had never experienced before. Her breathing quickened when he reached out and touched the front hem of her skirt, then moments later, moved his hands to touch her thighs.
Sage sucked in a deep breath as Gabe slowly began trailing his hands down her thighs, touching bare flesh. The feel of his hands on her was seductive, exquisite and decadent. She liked the way it felt.
His breathing became just as ragged as hers when his hand slowly moved from her thighs to her inner legs, gently nudging her knees apart to get his hands between them. Not going any higher than the hem of her skirt, he moved his hands gently up and down her legs as if just touching her brought him intense pleasure.
She closed her eyes, allowing herself to feel Gabe’s touch deep in her mind, savoring every moment of what he was doing. She refused to open her eyes when she felt his hand slide higher, making its way underneath her skirt. And when he touched her intimately, his hand felt hot through the silky fabric of her panties.
“Open your eyes, Sage. Look at me.”
Sage slowly did what he requested. Her skirt and slip were twisted around her waist, and she stood before him with her lacy black panties as the only thing covering her bottom.
She held his gaze as he continued to touch her, stroking her into a feverish pitch through the material of her panties. Then suddenly, she felt the urge to join her mouth to his.
He evidently had the same idea because he reached for her the same time she reached for him, pulling her into his lap and devouring her mouth with a degree of desperation and possessiveness that surprised her. But she didn’t pause to think about it. The only thing she wanted to think about was what Gabe’s mouth was doing to hers.
Pure, unadulterated desire touched every part of her body as his hand slipped beneath the waistband of her panties to touch her. His finger found that part of her it wanted. He used the same rhythm his tongue was using in her mouth to stroke her, spinning her out