It's Only Love(37)

Ella tightened her legs around him to keep him from getting away. “I’m on birth control. If you’re safe, so am I.”

“Oh my God, are you serious? Sex without a condom? What’s that like?”

Despite the full-on assault on her senses, he made her laugh. “Want to find out?”

“You have no idea how badly. I’m safe, baby. I haven’t had sex in a long time, and never without a condom.” He pushed back into her, going slowly this time. “This is gonna be fast.”

Her heart soared at hearing it had been a long time for him, too. She’d had far too much time to picture him with other women while she nursed her broken heart. “I’m good with fast.”

“Does it hurt?”

“Not anymore.” This, this, this, Ella thought as he drove into her over and over again, is why I waited for him. It had never been like this with anyone else. She’d never had a man tear her clothes off her body and take her against her door like a madman because he couldn’t bear to wait the two minutes it would take to reach her bed.

In truth, she wouldn’t have wanted that with the other guys she’d been with. She wouldn’t have trusted them enough to let go so completely. With Gavin, she had no choice. He swept her up in a sea of sensation and pleasure that left her gasping and panting and coming harder than she’d ever thought possible.

And then someone was knocking on her door. “Ella? Are you all right in there? I heard something banging from the vestibule and didn’t know what to make of it.”

“Oh my God,” she whispered. “It’s Mrs. Abernathy.”

Gavin snorted through his nose. They’d both had her for high school math.

“I-I’m fine, Mrs. Abernathy,” Ella called through the door. “Sorry, just dropped something.”

“If you’re sure . . .”

“I’m sure.”

“Did I see Gavin Guthrie’s truck outside?”

“Yes, he’s helping me with . . . We’re hanging some pictures.”

Gavin shook with silent laughter, his tears wetting her neck.

“All right then. Good night, dear.”

“Good night.”

While their bodies continued to throb from what they were doing before they were so rudely interrupted, Ella listened to the sound of Mrs. Abernathy’s sensible shoes scuffing against the treads on the stairs.

Gavin laughed so hard, he made no sound. His laughter sparked hers, and before long, they were clinging to each other, tears rolling down their faces.

When he got himself under control, he grasped her bottom, lifted her off the door, and carried her to the bedroom, coming down on top of her. “I’ll never be able to look Mrs. Abernathy in the eye again.”

“How do you think I feel? I have to see her every day!”

“You need to stop banging in your apartment.”

“It’s that Guthrie boy. He’s bad news.”

He smiled at her, and she loved that look on him. “Yes, he is. I tried to tell you that.”

“I’d like to finish banging now, please.”

“Oh, so polite.” Gavin kissed her and began moving inside her, starting slowly on the way to picking up where they’d left off. He had her so primed and ready from the session against the door, that it didn’t take much to take her right back up again.

She clung to him, her arms wrapped around his neck, her knees snug against his hips, rocking into his every thrust.

“Ella, babe . . . Come with me. Come with me.” He threw his head back as the orgasm overtook him. His release triggered hers, and she had to smother the urge to scream from the exquisite pleasure they generated together. “Feels so good, baby. So good.”

She held him close as his body rocked with aftershocks.

“Holy shit,” he muttered. “What a difference no condom makes.”

“I take it you liked it?”

“If I loved it any more, I’d be dead.”

“Don’t joke about that, please.”

He raised his head and kissed her softly, gently. “Sorry.”

Ella brushed the sweaty hair off his forehead and took a moment to just look at him. She never, ever got tired of looking at him. He was so damned beautiful.

Kissing her again, he said, “I should probably go. We’ve been outed by Mrs. Abernathy.”

“Don’t go. I want to sleep with you.”

“I’d hate to make you the subject of gossip, El.”

“I don’t care if people talk. I want them to know we’re together. What do I care what people say?”

“I care,” he said. “I don’t want them talking about you.”

“Then let’s go to your place.”

“Right now?”

“Right now.” She pushed at his shoulder, and he withdrew from her, flopping onto his back to watch her as she got busy packing an overnight bag. “Get up before you fall asleep.”

He groaned as he pulled himself out of bed and went into the bathroom to clean up and then to get his clothes in the other room. By the time he was dressed, Ella was ready. “Leave your car here,” he said. “I’ll bring you home in the morning.”

“That’s crazy. You don’t need to make a special trip.”