"And what?"
"The other thing?"
“Dammit, Jo… okay, yes.My father wore me down until I had to come clean.I didn't tell him exactly where you were, but I did tell him Los Angeles.”
“You told your father?”
“Yeah, and he obviously told your father to gain some favor.”
"You promised you wouldn't snitch.”
"And I kept that promise for as long as I could."
"A promise for as long as you can?Is that who you are?That's not how a partnership, much less a marriage, works."
"It's how real life works, Jo.There were extenuating circumstances.I had to tell them something, and I gave you a heads up, which is probably more than you would have done for me if the roles were reversed."
That's facts, and I hate that he's right.
"And you promise that you didn't hurt my brother?Since you're not a liar and all."
"My word is my bond.I didn't touch him."
"Do you know who did?"
"I don't know anything.What will it take for you to believe me?"
I consider the question as I stare him straight on, searching his face for any sign of deception.
There is a church full of people waiting for me to commit my life to a man, all for a sin he swears he did not commit.The obvious thing to do would be to run again, but my body is a traitorous bitch as I stare into his beady little sexy eyes.
And she wants me to figure something else out.
I place my palm alongside his face, rubbing the texture of his short beard against my fingertips.
"Prove it to me."
Gabriel's eyes darken with lust at my touch.He leans into my hand, his stubble prickling deliciously against my palm.I can feel the heat radiating off his skin, noticing the way his breathing changes at the simple contact.
"Prove it to you?"he growls, his voice low and rough with desire."And how exactly do you want me to do that, Jo?"
I wet my lips nervously, my heart pounding in my chest.I know I'm playing with fire here, but I can't seem to help myself.Something about Gabriel just pulls me in, no matter how much my head tells me to stay away.
"I want you to show me," I whisper, my other hand coming to rest on his thigh.I can feel the solid muscle beneath his pants, and it makes me ache with need.
Gabriel's eyes flare at my touch, and he grabs my wrist in a vice grip.For a moment, I think he might push me away, but instead, he yanks me closer until me and my wedding dress are straddling his lap in the cramped backseat.
"You want me to show you?"he repeats harshly, his other hand gripping my hip possessively."You want me to fuck you right here in this car until there's no doubt left in your mind what kind of man you're about to marry?"
I gasp at his crude words, even as a fresh wave of arousal crashes through me.My panties are already soaked from our encounter in the park, and now they're positively drenched.
This man drives me absolutely nutty.
"Yes, LaRoche," I manage to choke out, my hips rocking forward of their own accord."Show me."
Gabriel wastes no time.With a wicked grin, he slides down part of my strapless wedding dress, exposing my bare breasts to his hungry gaze.The air conditioning makes my nipples tighten into hard peaks, but it's the heat in Gabriel's eyes that makes me gasp.
Then he surges forward and captures one of my nipples between his teeth, biting down just hard enough to make me cry out.
