Page 31 of The Billionaire's Angel

His dark rumble of a voice carefully gentle, Gage said, “It was thatbad?”

“I don't talk about it,” I admitted. “And I don't want to talk about itnow.”

“Fair enough,” Gage said. “I don't want to talkeither.”

In a fluid movement, too graceful for a man who'd been drinking whiskey all night, Gage surged forward and pulled the half empty crystal glass from my hand. Before I could move out of reach, he closed his hand around my arm and tugged meforward.

It happened so fast, I lost my balance and fell into him. I started to struggle, to fight my way free when his arms closed around me and he pulled me into his side, pressing my head to hischest.

“Settle down, Angel. I'm not going to do anything you don't want me to. I swear. I’ll never hurt you. I just want to hold on to you for a few minutes. Just let me hold ontoyou.”

I went still in his arms, confused. The second the fight went out of me, Gage settled me into his side, smoothing my robe down over my legs and wrapping his arm around myback.

His heart beat under my ear. His solid body was warm against mine, smelling of whiskey andman.

I felt his breath against the top of my head, his lips in my hair as he murmured, “I just want to hold onto you for a littlewhile.”

The tight knot in my chest unfurled, and I melted into him, letting my legs twine with his and laying my arm across his chest. Bit by bit I relaxed, my body molding to his, my eyes slidingshut.

I don't know how long we lay there. A while. Long enough for me to get comfortable. So comfortable I never realized I'd shifted the arm I had across his chest and was exploring his body in lazy strokes, my fingers sliding over his shoulders, tracing his collarbone, dipping into the ridges of muscle at hisabdomen.

I was lost in my own head, warm and safe, my hands on Gage as if he were mine, as if I had license to do whatever I wanted withhim.

Gradually, I realized that his breath had shortened. His heart beat had sped up. My hand stilled on the side of his neck, and his voice rumbled against my palm when he said, “Don't stop. I won't do anything if you don't want me to. Just don'tstop.”

I didn't know what to do. I didn't want to stop. I wanted to keep touching him. I wanted to dive my fingers under his shirt and feel the heat of his skin on mine. I wanted more of Gage, and I didn't want to worry about theconsequences.

So many wants and all of them were foolish. I knew I should get up and leave. I didn'tmove.

I lay there, completely still, my hand curled around the side of Gage's neck, silently arguing with myself. I might have been there forever if Gage hadn't slid his fingers around my chin and urged my head up, his eyes searching formine.

I shifted over him, maybe trying to get off the couch, away from temptation, but as I moved my body over Gage's his hands closed on my hips, holding me on top ofhim.

I was slow to react. I lay there, straddling Gage Winters, thinking that this was the exact opposite of what I’d intended. I was supposed to be climbing over him, off the couch, and scurrying out the door. Away from temptation. Away fromtrouble.

Gage's fingers sank into my hips, but I could have moved easily enough if I’d really wanted to. I didn't want to move. I knew what Iwanted.

Ignoring all my doubts, I leaned down and touched my lips tohis.

Gage froze beneath me, his muscles tight with tension as I brushed my lips against his. Sinking my fingers into his thick hair, I did it again, slower, flicking out my tongue to taste the full lower lip that always drew my eye. I couldn't resist sucking it into my mouth, opening him to me, fitting my lips against his and tastinghim.

My tongue touched his and Gage came back to life, his hips rolling beneath mine, his erection hard against my heat. His need was unleashed in his kiss, his mouth taking control, taking everything it wanted. I fell into the kiss, forgetting that just moments before I'd been ready to flee theroom.

Yanking at the voluminous fabric of my rope and nightgown, Gage went for the bare skin beneath, stroking his hands from my knees to my hips and up my sides. My breath caught in my throat as his big, rough hands closed over mybreasts.

Gage broke our kiss, his head falling back as he groaned, “Fuck,Sophie.”

My lips met his again, and his kiss was hungry. Demanding. When one hand traced down my spine to dip between my legs, I settled back into him, my knees spreading wider, my hips tiltingup.

I was wanton, as hungry, as needy, as he was. He plucked at my nipple, sending shocks of sharp, sweet pleasure through me. One thick finger delved into the heat between my legs, carefully, patiently opening my body to him. I panted into his mouth, overcome with sensation, too much and notenough.

A second finger joined the first, and I let out a low cry, tearing my mouth from his and dropping my forehead against his neck, panting and rocking back into his hand, undone by thepleasure.

Two fingers pumped deep in my pussy, a hard callous thumb pressed into my clit, and I let out a keening wail, gasping for breath. I think I called hisname.

My cheeks were wet with tears or perspiration. I didn't know. I didn't know anything. Just Gage's hand between my legs, his fingers teasing my nipple, his strong, solid body supporting my weight as I shuddered and wept through a wave of pleasure, unlike anything I'd ever knownbefore.

Afterward, I was shaking, tiny shocks of bliss echoing through my body, a heavenly ache pulsing between my legs. I was aware of Gage withdrawing his fingers, smoothing down my nightgown and robe as he arranged my legs beside his. I couldn't help but notice the long, thick bar of his erection straining the front of hispants.