Gabe (Men of Clifton Montana Book 2) (27 page)

She
cleared her throat and glanced down at Sophie. “She’s just growing so fast. I
can’t believe she’s seven weeks old already. It went by so quickly,” she
whispered.

“S
even weeks?” Gabe stood and moved alongside the rocker. He
leaned in close and lowered his lips to her neck. Closing her eyes at the
sensation, Emma laughed softly.

“Yes.
Seven weeks,” she said looking sideways at him with a shy smile. “Why? What are
you t
hinking?”

Gabe
gently lifted Sophie from her arms and placed her in the crib while Emma pulled
herself out of the rocker. When he turned to face her, she almost squealed when
he scooped her up and carried her from the room.

“I’m
thinking it’s a week past
the six weeks we couldn’t
have sex,” Gabe said giving her a mock glare. “And you didn’t say anything.”

Emma
grinned and shrugged her shoulders. “I planned to tell you today. Last week you
came in from the barn every night and went straight to bed.”

Gabe lo
oked self-conscious. “I know I did. I had to stay away from
you and keep busy. I’ve wanted you every day.” He kissed her passionately,
thrilling her and making her clasp onto him tighter. “I’m sorry, darlin’. What
do you say we take a nice bath together, a
nd then get
reacquainted? I’ve missed you.”

“I’m all
for that. Just let me get out of these clothes.”

Gabe set
her on her feet and cupped her face in his hands. “Let me take them off.” He
pressed his lips to hers and kissed her, moving his tongue over her
lips he slowly slipped it into her mouth, deepening the
kiss. She moaned and wrapped her arms around his waist leaning into him. She
could feel his hard arousal pressing against her belly. His fingers slid down
her front side to the zipper of her jeans and
lowered
it slowly. She reciprocated by slipping her hands between them to open the fly
of his pants. She cupped her hand over the hard bulge there. Gabe groaned.

Her
hands grabbed the bottom of his T-shirt, lifted it off over his head and
shoulders, tossi
ng it to the floor. She felt cool air
hit her back as Gabe pushed her blouse off her shoulders with his lips never
leaving hers. Her hands busied themselves fumbling with his belt. Gabe pulled
back from her. “I can do this quicker,” he said through ragged
breaths while his hands worked the belt open and had it
pulled through the loops in no time. He dropped his jeans to the floor and
stepped out of them never looking away from her.

Emma
laughed and then squeaked when he picked her up. “I thought we were tak
ing a bath first,” she mock scolded.

Gabe
laughed against her neck. “I don’t think I can wait that long. I need you now,
baby.” He carried her to the bed and dropped onto it so she landed on top of
him. He rolled her under him and ran his fingertip over he
r eyebrows, down her nose to her lips. His finger touched
her lips softly as he outlined her mouth then he leaned down and captured her
mouth with his in a passionate kiss, which stole her breath and her heart.

“God, I
need you Emma,” Gabe whispered agains
t her lips.

She
moaned and reached for him, pulling him close. “Gabe, I…need you.”

* * * *

Though
the room was dark, Gabe’s mouth found hers like a beacon. He had Emma
completely naked in mere minutes. Her mouth was hot and wet and he couldn’t get
enough
of it. He captured it hard, parting her lips
with his tongue and tasting the recesses of her mouth. She kissed him back just
as roughly. Her fingers thrust into his hair, massaging his scalp. Her hands
cupped the back of his head, pulling him tighter to h
er
as she moved her tongue into his mouth, hers dueling with his. He groaned a
sound full of yearning. He moved over her, spreading her legs with his knees.

Emma
took the condom from him and rolled it down over his hard shaft.

He
rested his forehead agains
t hers and sighed. “I want
you so much.”

He moved
his hands to cup her breasts and ran the pads of his thumbs over her nipples,
hardening them into peaks. He knew he was fast losing control and needed to
slow down, but he about lost it when she wrapped her
legs around his waist and undulated against his erection.

“Fuck.
Emma, it’s going to be over before it starts if you don’t stop,” he growled low
in his throat. Emma’s hands went to his butt and she dug her nails in, urging
him on. He shuddered and moaned
as he moved up onto
his arms so he was looking down at her. He moved one hand between her legs, and
felt her wetness. His thumb moved over her clitoris.

“Gabe.”
Emma threw her head back on the pillow and whimpered. Gabe watched the rapture
on her face as h
er orgasm rushed over her. He jerked
when her hand wrapped around his hard shaft. He thrust into her palm and grew
harder.

“Emma.”
He caught her wrist to stop her. “I want to be inside you.” When she nodded, he
rolled her to her stomach and kissed his way
down her
spine. Every time she gasped or moaned, his groin twitched. He lightly nipped
at her butt with his teeth, and then raised her hips and thrust into her from
behind. “Get on your hands and knees, darlin’.”

Gabe
almost came when she complied without
hesitation.
Tightening his hands on her hips, he slowly started moving in and out of her.
“Move with me,” he groaned through clenched teeth. He reveled in the way Emma
moaned and rocked back faster against him. His hands held her tighter as she
moved back
against him.

“Yes.”
Emma moaned arching back into him. “Gabe…
please
, I…” She paused on a gasp and withdrew then thrust back
against him.

He could
feel her muscles start to squeeze and clench around him as she came. He thrust
harder against her, groaned, an
d moved faster against
her as he drew closer to his own orgasm. Sweat broke out across his forehead,
arms and chest when his body gave in to the pleasure she gave him. Emma fell
forward and he collapsed on her. He quickly rolled his weight off her and onto
his back. He pulled her onto his chest, trying to catch
his breath as he ran his hand down her spine.

“Are…”
He had to clear his throat. “Are you all right?”

“I’m…”
She giggled and sighed. “Wonderful.”

Gabe
chuckled and ran his hand down her sweat covered
back. “I think now would be a good time for that bath or shower.” Emma nodded
and started to get out of the bed when Sophie let them know through the monitor
that she was unhappy about something.

He
sighed and reluctantly climbed out of the bed. “I’ll get
her. Go get a shower.” He kissed Emma on top of her head before he put
his boxer briefs on and left the room. When he entered Sophie’s room, she was
fussing even louder. He walked to the side of the crib and looked down at her.

“Hi,
baby girl. Are you sti
ll hungry?” Gabe picked her up.
“I bet you’re wet too.” He laid her on the changing table, changed her diaper,
and put fresh pajamas on her. He carried her downstairs to get a bottle for
her. Even though Emma was breastfeeding, she kept bottles of her milk
available. He loved that it allowed him to feed his little
girl. After warming up the bottle, he carried her to the living room, sat in
his recliner, and gave her the bottle. She took it. He spoke softly the entire
time he held her. Her big blue eyes gaze
d up at him.
Gabe felt the sting of tears in his eyes as he gazed down into her beautiful
little face.

“I can’t
believe you’re still hungry. You fell asleep before you got that little belly
full, didn’t you? You’re such a beautiful little
girl,
Sophie Ann.
Daddy loves you so
much.” He leaned down and kissed her forehead while she greedily sucked at the
nipple. “You look like your beautiful mommy.” He smiled down at her. “And I
love you just like I love her. I will always love you both. You’re my girls.” Gab
e leaned over her again and whispered to her. “I’ll work on
getting you a baby brother to push around, okay?”

* * * *

Emma sat
in the bathtub letting the hot water soothe her. She smiled when she thought of
Gabe and their time together. He was such a won
derful
and thoughtful lover. No one could ever have told her sex would be that
amazing, that hot, and that consuming. She wanted him every minute of every day
and she knew she always would. For the rest of her life, she’d want, desire,
and love Gabe Stone.
There would never be another man
in her life she could ever love the way she loved him.

Sighing
with contentment, Emma stepped from the tub and dried off. After wrapping her
robe around her naked body, she walked into the bedroom only to find it empty.
Sh
e thought for sure Gabe would come to bed after
taking care of Sophie, but he wasn’t there. She tiptoed down the stairs and
caught a glimpse of the back of his head in his recliner. She moved quietly
around to the front of it and put her hand over her mout
h at the sight before her. She smiled with the joy she witnessed. Gabe
was asleep with his head back against the chair. He held Sophie against his
chest while she slept. His large hands cradled her little back and bottom. Her
little bow mouth was moving in
a sweet sucking motion
even though her empty bottle sat abandoned on the end table next to the chair.

Tears
filled her eyes and she knew this picture was now forever in her heart. She
gently put her hand on Gabe’s shoulder. He opened his eyes and gazed up
at her. He smiled and her heart slammed against her ribs.
“Let me take her.” She reached for the baby, but Gabe shook his head and slowly
pulled himself up out of the chair doing his best not to disturb Sophie.

“I’ll
put her to bed.” Gabe pressed a sweet
kiss to Emma’s
lips before slowly walking up the stairs with her following close behind him.
Her gaze couldn’t resist dropping to his boxer briefs and his fine ass.

“You’re
giving me one hell of a view here, Gabe,” she said in a near whisper. She
chuckled
low in her throat when he halted and glanced
back at her.

“Are you
ogling my ass, woman?” He raised an eyebrow at her and grinned.

She
laughed aloud but quickly covered her mouth to keep from waking Sophie. “As a
matter of fact I am. It’s a great ass. What
can I
say?”

Gabe’s
mustache-framed mouth lifted at the corners as he shook his head and continued
up the stairs. “As soon as I put our daughter to bed, I’ll let you see it,” he
said over his shoulder with a wink.

She
snorted. “I’ve seen it many times. Can
’t you just
take a compliment?”

Gabe
chuckled. “Sure, as soon as you learn to take one without blushing.” He glanced
over his shoulder again and cocked an eyebrow at her.

Emma
blushed even as he teased her about it. “Get up the stairs,” she muttered,
makin
g Gabe laugh. She continued into the bedroom
while Gabe put Sophie to bed. When he returned, he got in beside her and pulled
her over to him. She put her head on his shoulder and they fell asleep
together.

The next
morning, Emma was heading toward the kitc
hen when she
heard Gabe’s voice and realized he was on the phone. She paused in the hallway
not meaning to eavesdrop, but couldn’t help it. She heard Gabe say, “It’s just
a little hard being in a relationship where the love is one sided, Wyatt.”

She
threw
her hand over her mouth and felt a stabbing
pain in her heart. God help her, he knew, she thought. Gabe knew she was in
love with him, but he didn’t love her. The tears started down her cheeks. She
ran back up the stairs quickly and climbed back into bed.

How had
she ever thought this would work? Gabe was right. A one sided relationship was
hard and even unfair. She knew what she had to do. Once he left for the feed
store, she would take Sophie and leave for good. It would kill him to lose
Sophie, but Emma
couldn’t stay and she wouldn’t leave
her daughter behind. Of course, she’d let Gabe see his daughter anytime he
wanted. When she heard the back door open and close, she walked to the window
and watched him get into his truck and drive off. He didn’t love h
er and it was killing her.