Chapter 7

7

CALEB

I grit my teeth, trying to get my cock under control. I have never had this problem before. There is only one thing I can do. I brace my hand against the wall, then use the other hand to wrap it around my cock.

My eyes close as I recall the sensation of Gabriella's body against mine. She pressed her warm pussy against my cock and stroked her tongue against mine. She tasted of peppermint and sex.

The little sounds that came from her as I kissed her play on a loop in my mind. The way my mouth traveled across her skin. The salty sweetness of her skin against my tongue. I wanted to rip her clothes from her body and bury my face between her thighs. The need to taste her everywhere rode me so hard.

So many dirty thoughts of how I would pleasure her crowd my thoughts. I’d make her rub her pussy against my face while I licked every drop from her until she came, and then I’d do it all again and again. Until she was screaming my name and begging for my cock.

I groan, my balls pulling up tight as my release explodes from me. I keep stroking my cock, trying to work all of my cum out. It spills into the toilet before I flush it down the drain. My breathing is uneven, and my fucking dick is still hard.

I take a deep breath, trying to get my shit together before I stuff myself back into my pants. I wash my hands. When I enter back into my bedroom, I stare at my bed. I want her there tonight. Not down the hallway. She tried earlier to take one of the other bedrooms upstairs. She thought it would be better, so she wasn’t in my way.

It was laughable because I want her in my bedroom, but that will have to wait. I pull out my phone and fire off a few emails to get things in motion for tomorrow before I order food. I go ahead and change out of my suit too.

When I step into the hallway, I pause when I hear the sound of singing. I stand there and listen as Gabriella sings a holiday song. It makes me smile. What has she done to me? I have no fucking clue, but I never want it to stop. For the first time in as long as I can remember, I don’t feel only cold indifference.

If someone had suggested I would feel this way before I met Gabriella, I would have laughed in their face. But the moment I laid eyes on her, something changed inside of me. She makes me want to be different. I mean, of course, that side of me is only for her. I’ll still be my miserable self when it comes to others.

“Oh, hey,” Gabriella says when she steps out of her bedroom to see me standing there in the hallway.

“You were singing.”

Her cheeks pinken. “Yeah, sorry. My singing voice isn’t the best.”

I close the space between us, needing to be closer to her. It had been hell to put her back on her feet, but I didn’t want her to think I brought her home with me so that I could use her body and that this is only about sex. In some of the biggest deals in life, you have to plan ahead. It can be about the long game. I have to keep that in mind. There is no way I’m going to let my dick ruin this.

“I enjoyed it.”

“You’re so full of it.” She playfully slaps my chest. I wrap my hand around her wrist. Her eyes widen when I bring it to my mouth and kiss her palm.

“I have no reason to lie about this.” I cannot guarantee that I will never lie. There’s not much I wouldn’t do to keep her. You often do what you have to so that you get what you want. I’m no different. I didn’t get where I am today because I was a choir boy. I wish I could even say I wouldn’t lie to Gabriella, but the truth is I’d do anything to keep her. You name it. Lie, steal, cheat, or even be nice to people if that’s what made her happy. Sell my soul to the devil if I had to.

“You’re just being sweet.”

“I told you that I enjoy the sound of your voice.” My thumb strokes her wrist.

“I enjoy yours too.” Gabriella leans into me, rising on her tiptoes to kiss my cheek. I’m a bastard because I turn my head and claim her mouth. She doesn’t try to stop me. No, Gabriella gives me what I want. Her lips part for me so that I can deepen the kiss.

When I lift my head, we’re both breathing heavily. Gabriella’s cheeks are even more pink; her lips are redder too.

“You’re so fucking beautiful." A smile spreads across her face, giving me her dimples. “Come on, food will be here soon.”

I take her hand, leading her down the hallway and past the living room to the kitchen area. A smaller, less formal dining room is located directly off it, in front of the windows. I never use the formal dining room.

“We can use the formal dining room if you want.”

“Do I look like I need a formal dining room?” She motions to her clothes. Gabriella had put on pajamas. Her red shorts have tiny candy canes on them. The white shirt has a reindeer across the center. Although it's not a matching set, something about it makes it endearing. Everything about her is. "All my meals were consumed in my bed, which was a sofa." She lets out a small giggle.

I know. I've seen her at home, but I can't tell her that. She had so little but still always wore a smile. She was always kind regardless of her situation. “What do you want to drink?” I ask instead.

“Water is fine.”

“You don’t want anything else?” Gabriella shrugs, and I know she’s trying to be polite.

“I have sparkling cranberry juice.”

“Really? That’s my favorite.”

Again, I know. I’d never had it before. It’s why I bought it when I saw her getting it. I paid attention to all the details I could get when Cole would hand over his report on her at the end of each day.

"I'll have one with you." I go to the fridge to pull out our drinks along with some water. "The food should be here any second. I'm not that great of a cook."

"I can cook if you want. It could be part of my job." She sounds excited about it, so I nod in agreement. I don't love the idea of her working for me. Only because I don't want her doing things for that reason, but there is no getting around it right now. I’ll just have to come up with a solution so she can do as little as possible without feeling as though she’s doing so.

"Did you enjoy working at the coffee shop?" I ask, wanting to know more about her. I've gathered a few details from our conversations at the coffee shop, but I still need more.

Always more.