thigh-high stockings with the anticipation of jumping into bed with Hubert. She’d even bought fancy underwear--a black, lacy bra and black, silk, thong panties. It seemed like such a shame to waste them. Raising her arms overhead, she felt a hint of satisfaction knowing her dress climbed her thighs about two inches.
Gabe hadn’t missed it either. “Janie,” he said, raising his gaze from her thighs to her face, “you’re starting to tick me off. You’re behaving like a dog in heat and it’s not very becoming. Call me old fashioned, but I don’t like it when a woman comes on to me. I like to be the one who does the chasing.”
“But how can you chase me when I’m not running?” She gave her hair another toss for good measure, seeing the way his gaze raked over her. Like she was a giant ice cream cone and he wanted a lick. Yet he still didn’t make a move.
Giving it one last shot, she thrust her chest forward. “I still think you’re afraid.”
“I’m not afraid,” he said, punctuating his words this time.
“You could have fooled me. You keep using the excuse that we’re related, but we’re not, and you know it.”
“There’s still Sara and Alex to consider.”
“Since when have you ever given two hoots about what Alex thought?”
Scowling up at her, he didn’t answer. Janie watched as a muscle twitched in his jaw. Heat rippled through her, thinking about the way his five-o’clock shadow would feel against her skin, her breasts in particular. She studied his face, feature by feature, slowly, appreciatively, before moving her gaze over the rest of him. He was all man. Hard, muscular and potent. A shiver of ecstasy ran up her spine, wondering what it would be like to have Gabe buried deep inside her. Would his strokes be slow and deep? Or fast and hard?
Either way, she knew without a doubt he was the right man for her. Well, not for her exactly, but he was certainly the right man to help her with her mission. And maybe he was the kind of man who could give her not just one orgasm but multiple orgasms. Smiling, she let her mind drift. The thought was heavenly.
God, what had gotten into her? she wondered, quickly coming to her senses. She’d never been so bold and brazen before in her life. And looking down at Gabe, she decided it simply wasn’t working. But as she went to move away from him, he grabbed hold of her wrist and yanked her onto his lap.
He took her mouth with a savage intensity. His kiss was hard and punishing, slamming shock waves through her entire body. She was surprised by her own eager response, but that didn’t stop her from lifting her hands around his neck and digging her nails into his shoulders. Moaning softly, she encouraged him to take what he wanted. And to give her more.
She felt his thumbs circling her nipples, felt their reaction to his touch. Her dress moved higher onto her thighs as she tried to get closer to him. He toyed with the skin above the tops of her stockings, caressing her with whisper soft strokes. And then his hand crept higher, seeking, searching for her. He touched her there, then ripped his mouth free. His breath came in shallow gasps. “You’re wet.”
His vivid words penetrated deep into her soul. Her mouth and body burned with fire and she was aching for more of his kisses. Moaning softly, she drew his face to hers and devoured his lips.
Several kisses later, he pulled his mouth away from hers, leaving her weak and confused. Then he took her hand and placed it over his erection. “Is this what you want?”
Janie sucked in a breath, loving the feel of him. Gabe was long and thick and hard.
And oh, God, this was all wrong.
Pulling her hand away, she scrambled off his lap and fell onto the floor, bumping her shoulder against the coffee table. When he reached for her, she swatted at him, and scooted around the table and across the rug, as far away from him as possible.
Gabe started to stand.
“Don’t come near me,” she said. “I