Arrested Pleasure (29 page)

Gabe whooped and pulled her upward out of the chair. "I thought—" His arms wrapped around her in a tight hug. "Oh, hell. Never mind. Will you ever forgive me?"

She should be the one asking forgiveness. After doing a lot of thinking, she'd realized he'd only been doing his job and couldn't come clean about the investigation without jeopardizing his job. In the end, he'd protected her from a killer and stood by her side in the aftermath. "You don't have to apologize. I understand."

"I'm sorry for not telling you the truth about those allegations. I wanted to, but the whole business threw me for a loop, especially after I met you and realized you couldn't be involved. Your honesty with me and willingness to help people like Olivia and her daughter showed the real you." His hazel eyes pleaded with her. "I promise never to withhold the truth from you again."

"Oh, Gabe." She tugged one of her hands out of his tight hold and brushed his face with her fingers. "You didn't have any idea if they were telling the truth. God, I would've thought the same thing. Isaiah is—"

"Out of control? A jackass?"

She smiled. "Yeah. To both of them."

He chuckled. "Any idea what you're going to do about staying here? I can't see you wanting to rent from him after what has happened, and I don't want anything to happen to you ever again."

Cassie shivered despite the warm closeness of Gabe. "I know, but Daddy has come up with a solution. I told him I didn't want to move, so he's proposed buying the property and letting me pay him off."

"Sounds like an excellent plan." He placed a kiss on her cheek. "How are you going to be with your father as your landlord?"

She smiled as she snuggled into his arms. "Fine. He agreed to stick his nose out of my business, except now he's going to install security cameras and alarms, as well as beef up the locks."

"Good for him. I hope you take him up on the offer," Gabe murmured as he trailed little kisses down her jaw. "I have another suggestion he might like."

She closed her eyes to savor the rush of desire coursing coursed through her.

"What is that?"

"You marry a cop, and then you'd have onsite protection 24/7."

Her eyes flew open. "Marry?" She hadn't gotten that far yet in her newfound love for him.

His face was now even with hers, he smiled. "I love you Cassandra Nichols.

Hearing you cry out in pain about killed me last night. I will not let anyone hurt you again. Never."

Her heart began to pump. Gabe loved her and wanted them to marry! "I . . . don't know what to say," she told him. Marriage would be a big step for them. "We've only known each other a short time."

"Maybe. But it's like we've been together for a lifetime." He kissed her softly on the mouth. "Didn't you sense it at the wedding reception?"

"I know, but it still seems so soon."

"Can you love me, despite me being a cop? Can you see us together forever? Just say yes. We can work out the logistics later." He didn't wait for her answer as his lips claimed hers in a deep kiss.

For several long minutes, only the tick-tock of the kitchen clock filled the silence as they exchanged deep drugging kisses. He loved her! Cassie's heart soared, and the darkness that had been her day became lighter.

"You didn't answer me," he suddenly asked her, pulling away and cradling her in his arms.

"Mmm . . . What?" she asked him, now suspicious.

He laughed and reached around to cradle her bottom. "If you'll marry me.

Somehow I don't think your father will appreciate me if we lived in sin together."

The man was persistent. Cassie tossed her hair over her shoulder in mock protest. "Well tough cookies for him."

Gabe's mouth opened, as if he wanted to protest her response.

She laughed and placed her fingers on his lips. "I have one request."

He gave her a long, considering look. "What's your request?"

"You'll cook me a meal at least once a week."

He smiled and gave her another long, body-tingling kiss. "I'll cook for you every night of the week if it means you're in my life."

Minutes passed and the sizzling desire of flames rose between them. Nights they'd spent apart left an ache inside her that she wanted to soothe. Cassie tugged at his waistband. She needed more than mere kisses. Hot skin seared her fingertips as she slid her hand in his pants.

"Cassie, I don't think you're ready after everything that's happened," he protested, grabbing her hand.

She evaded him and instead pulled at the hem of his shirt. She couldn't get enough of him. "I've missed you, and I'm ready for anything. I hope you have a condom on you." Her mouth caught his in another frantic kiss.

"Ah, babe, you're killing me." He reached into his back pocket for a condom.

Something clattered to the linoleum floor. She ignored the sound, her attention on Gabe and making up for lost time.

"I'm just anxious," she told him. "All I thought about to get my mind off everything was your being there for me." She unhooked her bra, and the garment slid to the floor, baring her breasts.

But he wasn't paying any attention, his gaze snagged by something on the floor.

He leaned down, picked the tiny object, and brandished it in his hand. She peered at the silver jewelry he held, circular and that looked a lot like . . . .

A cock ring.

He tilted his head, a saucy expression on his face.

Her mouth dropped open. "You have that
still
?"

Gabe smiled as he fingered the ring. "I sort of forgot I still carried this around in my wallet." He cocked a brow at her. "Want me to try it out?"

Cassie gaze widened, and she felt the telltale beginnings of a blush. While she'd bought the ring as a gag gift, she didn't intend to use it. And certainly not Gabe . . .

"I . . . uh . . . didn't think you'd want to. The whole thing was just a joke gift."

"We can put this to good use." He dropped to his knees. He held up the cock ring in his fingers and then pressed it into her hand. She stared down at him in amazement.

"Cassie, will you marry me?"

"You're proposing with a
cock ring
?" She laughed so hard tears ran down her cheeks. God, he was wonderful, and she loved him so much.

"Well?" he persisted as he continued to wait, an expectant expression on his face.

"Yes!" She pulled him up and hugged him tightly. "I love you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Of course I'll marry you, but you don't need to wear a cock ring." Laughter filled the room as she showered his face with kisses.

"Sweetheart, I'd do anything for you. Including wearing this." With a flick of his hand, he tossed the ring away and swept her up into his arms.

As he laid her down on the bed, she gazed at him. She'd once been afraid of letting a man control her, but now she realized love wasn't about control but about melding a future together as one.

"I love you," she murmured, running her fingers through his hair.

"I love you, too, and I plan to spend the rest of my life reminding you."

She smiled in anticipation, but soon her attention became focused on more current matters as he rained passionate kisses down her body from head to toe . . . and in between. Her toes curled with sensual anticipation as time stood still. They came together in a fiery mating sealing their love forever.

Dinner became long forgotten. The meatballs turned hard as rocks and the lettuce wilted, but that didn't matter. Love would be all they needed.

~The End~

About the Author

Holli Winters was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest where she learned to sneak and read her mother's romance novels at a young age. In her teens, Holli discovered hot, sexy Alpha males and dreamed of creating her own romance stories
.

Learn more about Holli online at
http://holliwinters.com/

To find more great books by Holli Winters
, please visit her author page
at Noble Romance Publishing, LLC.