She laughed. The sound of her musical laughter took his breath away. He had never seen her express her joy so openly before. In the club, she was always a bit reticent, a little closed off, as if she wanted to protect a part of her and keep it safe.
But right now, in this moment, he felt as if he could see the real Gabby. This is what she would’ve been if she wasn’t sucked into the ugly world from which there was hardly any escape. She was very brave to take the steps that got her out of the clutches of her pimp. Most women didn’t even attempt to break out, and sure, most of whom that took the leap ended up dead.
But Gabby was safe, and she was here.
And he was determined to protect her.
“Is something wrong?”
“No!” He smiled. “What movies do you like?”
“The usual...fairytales, romances, comedies. And I am sure you dig action flicks.”
“Blood, gore, high speed chases,” he said. “You’re right. But I can sit through a few comedies if push comes to shove. But fairytales...” He shook his head. “That’s just not my cup of tea.”
“It’s hard to believe in fairytales when you know that reality is far different.” Her voice was soft. He could barely hear her. “As we both well know.”
He reached forward to take her hand in his. The brief contact was enough to send a lance of desire straight through his heart. Damn it! He was gone for good. He wanted her, and although it was physical, it was also emotional. Lust coiled in his gut every time he glanced at her, but there was something else that stirred whenever he gazed into her innocent eyes. It was fuzzy warmth that simmered under his skin. “I am sorry that you had to go through so much shit in life. But it’s time to put it back and start all over again.”
She gazed down at their entwined fingers. Surely, she could feel the fizz and burn of the desire that leapt and coursed his veins? Her eyes were wary as she lifted her lids to meet his gaze. “What are you doing, Nick? Why are you making this effort? If you want, we could just tumble into bed and it will be all over.”
He smiled, squeezed her hand, and let go. The confusion in her voice was all too evident. In time, he would tell her all that he felt, but this wasn’t that moment. “I could, yes. But what if I don’t want it to be all over? What if I want more than just a tumble in bed?”
“I don’t have anything else to offer.”
He allowed the waiter to whisk his empty bowl away. She was scared, sure. As was he. It wouldn’t hurt to take it slow, but if he went any slower, he would probably die from regret and frustration. “If you dig deep down in your heart, Gabby, you will find that you have so much more to offer a man than quick, lusty sex.”
“You’re wrong.”
Smiling, he said nothing. Did she have so little confidence in herself? He would love to peel back the layers of her personality and show her all that she got. She wasn’t just a pretty face and a sexy body; she was so much more than that. And he wanted to prove that to her. The waiter brought their main course. While he’d ordered grilled chicken, she got pasta. They shared a little with each other and ate.
It was a long time since he brought a woman to a restaurant. Much to his surprise, he had a much better time than expected. Gabby might not have traveled or gone to a formal school, but she was knowledgeable because she read a lot and watched documentaries on TV whenever she got the chance.
“What kind of books do you like to read?”
“Biographies,” she said. “And old history books.”
He was surprised. Most women read romance novels or mysteries and thrillers, but she had different tastes. “Why?”
“They teach a lot, and I like to learn. Couldn’t go to school, so I guess that was one way to make up for the lack of formal education. Libraries were my favorite places. Every time we shifted to a new town, I would find out the location of the library and somehow get there. Joseph didn’t like it. Even got a berating for it a few times, but I persisted. Finally, he allowed me to go seeing that I wasn’t going to stop anyway.”
In such a short time, she explained so much. He didn’t think she realized that she’d revealed so many details of her life. Her pimp beat her? If he ever got his hands around that man’s neck, Nick would squeeze until his tongue bulged out. How could he treat her in such an inhumane manner?
Nick believed that he had seen every dirty angle that this world had to offer, but what she went through was new to him. Once they finished dinner, he paid the bill. As they strolled out, Nick couldn’t believe how quickly time flew. They walked back to his motorcycle. She was so bubbly and chirpy that Nick felt the need to take it slow. He didn’t want to take her back to the same place where she would be reminded of her life. His heart longed to take her to a place where she would be safe from what she faced every day. But he had to be sure why he felt this way.
Was this love?
The mere thought of that sent fear skidding over his skin. Shit! He was scared to fall so fast for someone he barely knew. But it was happening at such rapid speed that he couldn’t make sense of it.
It was dark outside. Night descended while they sat in the restaurant. The lights of the ships could be seen twinkling even from this distance. As Gabby paused at the edge of the harbor to take a closer look, Nick tried to figure out why he was liked her so much. She was easy-going and yet so complicated, beautiful and so unabashedly unaware of her own sex appeal, a curious mixture of wise woman and a joyful child who took delight in little things.
She was a dichotomy.
She was a puzzle.
And he wanted to solve her.
On one hand, he didn’t want this night to end. And on the other hand, he wanted to take her back to the clubhouse and make wild love to her. She probably wasn’t averse to the idea. Their sexual chemistry was way off the charts. Each time he touched her, something happened in the pit of his stomach.
But was this the right time?
He wanted her to be confident and to feel secure with him.
Nick decided that he wouldn’t make the first move even if it killed him. Unless she wanted so, he wouldn’t touch her. Because once he did so, he wouldn’t be able to stop.
So the ball was in her court.
But the real question was; did she know that?
CHAPTER EIGHT
Something shifted and changed between them. It was so subtle, the feeling so delicate, that Gabby wasn’t sure if she actually felt it or if it was her imagination. While her date was fantastic, she was acutely aware that every brief contact with Nick sent her in a tizzy. He was the ultimate man – and she was wildly, crazily, madly in lust with him.
It was nothing more than plain old lust.
How could it be something else?
Once she got him out of her system, things would cool down between them. She’d spent too long on the bed, on her back, not to recognize the classic symptoms of sexual frustration. Maybe it was best to get it over with, and then hopefully she would be able to rid herself of these silly romantic notions that plagued her.
She was going to have incredible sex with Nick – and once they were done, they could both share a smoke and be normal with each other.
When his motorcycle came to a stop outside the clubhouse, she got out, took off her helmet, and handed it to him. “Thank you for a lovely meal!”
Now that she decided on her next course of action, Gabby was feeling supremely confident again. After all, she made a living out of seducing men. This was her job, and she was damn good at it.
He took off his helmet and hung it on the bar. “You’re welcome.”
She ran a hand through her hair and watched as his pupils dilated. Good! It was working. Gabby put a hand on his arm. He tensed, but didn’t say anything. Leaning forward, she claimed his lips. The touch was brief, soft, but the sensations that careened through her veins were unpredictably tumultuous. Need and heat mingled in equal quantities and stormed through her senses. She sucked in a deep breath of air and inhaled the scent of him; spicy and strong. It hit her nostrils and doubled the desire that simmered in her belly.
Her tongue licked his lips, and he granted her access. She explored the crevices of his mouth, enjoying the feel of his mouth against hers. His breath was hot. She gripped his shoulders as she clung to him as a drowning man does to anything that can keep him afloat.
It felt fucking wonderful.
When she raised her head, Gabby stared into his piercing eyes. The time for inaction was long gone. “Why don’t you come upstairs with me?”
She could see the struggle on his face, but then he got off the bike, and hand in hand, they walked inside. This time of the night, the clubhouse was deserted. Quietly, they went upstairs. She unlocked her room and went inside, pulling him with her hand on his collar. The fire that burned inside her was hot and unrelenting and she needed to sate it.
Once again, his lips claimed hers. But this time he was the one who made the move. Their clothes came off. Soon, they were lying in bed, naked and reveling in the glory of each other’s body. While she had longed to feast her eyes on his hard, muscled body, now she didn’t want take the time to simply look.