“Gabe…”
He kissed her slow and deep, pouring every ounce of love he felt for her in that one, sensual gesture. Then he said it again, just to make certain she understood.
“I love you, Elle.” They kissed again, the saltiness of her tears hitting the tip of his tongue. “I love you, and if you give me another chance, I swear to you I will never,everlet you down again.”
“I love you, too, Gabriel.” Letting go of the sheet, she rose to her tiptoes, wrapping her arms around the back of his neck. “So much.”
The sheet fell to the floor with a soft whoosh. With breakfast momentarily forgotten, Gabe wasted no time hoisting her into his arms, his heart swelling even more when her legs instinctively wrapped around his hips.
Carrying his precious cargo into the bathroom, Gabe held on to her luscious body with one arm while he used his other to start the shower. Once the water was warm enough, he was careful not to slip as he carried her with him into the small space.
With her back pressed against the slick shower wall, he then proceeded to show her—for the second time that morning—that he meant every single word.
* * *
Ellena sat on the couch, flipping through the handful of channels the antenna on Kole’s cabin picked up, thinking of how deliciously sore her muscles were. Muscles that had been ignored for a very,verylong time.
All of the sweet, loving words Gabe had spoken over the past few days playing over and over again in her mind.
I never stopped loving you. This is as real as it fucking gets. You’ll never be alone, again.
In spite of the situation, Ellena’s cheeks hurt from smiling so much. She understood Gabe’s hesitation in discussing their future until things settled down otherwise, but she couldn’t help but go there.
Between their lovemaking and sweet, honest conversations, Ellena’s lovestruck mind was already making plans for the two of them. Big plans.
She just hoped Gabe was okay with them once she finally got up the nerve to tell him.
That conversation could wait, though. Because he was right. Even though they seem to have lost the trail of whoever had tried to kill her before, Ellena knew they were still out there somewhere. Waiting for the chance to catch up with her.
“Blueberry or plain?”
Glancing away from the T.V. she wasn’t really paying attention to, Ellena found Gabe standing in the kitchen’s entryway wearing a red apron with the wordsI Turn Grills Onprinted on the front.
She barked out a laugh. “Where on earth did you get that?”
“Found it in one of the drawers.” He looked down at himself and grinned. “What do you think?”
God, she loved this man. “I think grills aren’t the only things you can turn on.”
“Yeah?” He raised a cocky brow and started swaying his hips back and forth like he was doing a slow striptease. “What do you think? You wanna try a taste of my…meat?”
As he continued with his provocative moves, she laughed even harder. Waggling his brows up and down, Gabe started toward her. The closer he got, the more overtly sexual his gaze became.
The sound of Ellena’s growing laughter filled the cabin as she watched the amusing show from her place on the couch.Bless his heart.
Her sweet, charming hunk of a husband had hunted some of the world’s worst enemies. He could kill a man with a bullet or with his bare hands. The guy could seriously do just about anything he put his mind to…
Except dance.
“Come on, baby.” He leaned over the back of the couch, his whiskers creating goosebumps as he nestled his lips against the curve of her neck. “You know you want it.”
“You’re ridiculous.” Ellena chuckled, doing her best to pull away from the ticklish sensation.
“Admit it.” He continued on relentlessly. “I setallyour grill parts on fire.”
With a squeal, she leaned down against the other couch cushion, doing her best to escape the playful torture. They both laughed, but then Ellena screamed for him to stop when Gabe’s wiggly fingers were heading for her ribs.
Looking away, she caught a glimpse of the T.V. and her laughter came to an immediate stop.
