A Forever Christmas(45)

Very carefully, Gabe slipped his arm around her shoulders. But rather than pull away or resist him, she relaxed. He could feel her tension draining from her. Whatever had slashed through her moments ago had been leeched out, leaving her exhausted.

Angel leaned her head against his shoulder. “Why can’t I remember, Gabe?” she demanded. “Or, if I can’t remember, why can’t I just forget about it completely?”

She hated being stuck like this, half in limbo, half out.

“Because you’re a strong woman and you want to face whatever demons are secretly tormenting you. And you will,” he promised, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “And when you do, I’ll be right there, facing them with you. I’m not leaving you to deal with this alone.”

She raised her head to look at him. He was making her a promise, she realized.

“I’m sorry,” she murmured.

“Nothing to feel sorry about,” he told her. “We don’t have to do anything. We can just lie here together until you fall asleep.”

“No,” she said after a moment.

“You want me to go?” he asked.

Moved, she cupped her hand against his cheek, caressing it. Warm feelings stirred within her and grew warmer. “No, I want you to make love with me, Gabe,” she said quietly.

He turned her hand palm side up and pressed a kiss to it. He heard her draw in a breath in renewed anticipation.

“Are you sure, Angel?” he asked. He didn’t want to do anything that would bring back that frightened look he’d just seen.

“I’m sure,” she told him with certainty. “Make the demons go away, Gabe.”

She was asking a lot of him, but he wasn’t going to fail her, he silently swore.

Drawing her back into his arms, he started making love to her very slowly, kissing only her lips until she all but melted against him. And then he widened his scope, anointing her throat, her shoulders, working his way down to the sensitive insides of her elbows.

Hearing her sigh as his own blood heated, he kissed one breast at a time until she was all but panting beneath him. Her pleasure was his aphrodisiac.

He trailed his lips along her belly. It quivered in response.

Angel twisted and turned against him, attempting to absorb every sensation, clinging to the ever-growing surge of desire. Catching her breath as each arrow of desire shot through her.

All the while, she was determined that the shadowy figure would be vanquished by this man she’d entrusted with her heart.

This time, when he came to her, Gabe deliberately switched their positions, gently guiding her hips until she was the one over him. She looked down at him with wonder and he smiled, silently coaxing her to take the lead. The exhilaration he saw in her eyes aroused him to a higher degree.

Driving himself into her, gently but forcefully, he could feel her arching against him, letting him know that she wanted this union as much as he did.

Locked in an embrace, their souls sealed to each other, they quickly built up the rhythm that would in turn usher them to the ultimate moment.

And when they reached it, when a shower of lights and sounds and feelings finally rained down on both of them, they clung to each other, each trusting the other to keep them safe and whole, and out of harm’s way.





Chapter Twelve



It took a while for the euphoria to fade into the darkness. When it did, and Angel still hadn’t said a word, concern prompted Gabe to quietly ask her, “Are you all right?”

He heard a soft sigh escape and then she turned into him. There was a smile on her lips. “I’m perfect.”

Gabe laughed. “I already know that. But I’m asking if—”

Angel didn’t let him finish. She pressed her fingertips against his lips, not wanting to spoil the memory of the afterglow with questions about her temporary break from her present reality.

“Everything’s fine. Better than fine,” she added with feeling. Her eyes held his as she implored, “I don’t want to talk about what happened earlier.”

Ever so slightly, Gabe tightened his arm around her. “All right,” he agreed, although they both knew that she would have to talk about it eventually. Talk about what had panicked her like that. They needed to solve the puzzle that had been her life before she came to Forever and this could have been a very important piece in that puzzle.

But that was for later. For now, he wanted her to enjoy what they’d just shared. They both deserved a little happiness after everything they’d gone through in their lives before their paths had so abruptly crossed.