So Irresistible (20 page)

Silently, Gabriella shook her head. Shane’s harsh expression and faraway eyes should have scared her . . . but his hoarse, heartfelt tone moved her too much for that to happen.

“It means people want to adopt cuddly little babies, not gangly preteen troublemakers. It means girls go faster than boys, little kids go faster than big ones, and delinquents like me . . . well, we circle the drain, pretending we don’t care.”

“But you do care,” Gabriella said gently.

He met her gaze head-on. “I already told you I do.”

Uncomfortably, Gabriella looked away. She still didn’t want to deal with this—with the uncertainty Shane caused. By loving her. By being himself. By being unknowable. She had enough on her plate. Why had she started this in the first place?

In the shadows, Shane turned her face to his.

He kissed her. She remembered.

She’d started this because she felt drawn to Shane, bonded with him in a way that defied reason and schedules and excuses.

Gabriella tried to stick to reason and schedules and excuses anyway. “I’ve got to lock up.”

“Go ahead.” Shane’s dark eyes glimmered at her. He stroked her face again, making her sway. “I’ll take you home afterward.”

“I have my bike,” she protested. “I need to ride it home.”

“It’ll fit in my trunk.” Companionably, Shane moved his shoulder against hers. He held her hand, then gave her a grin. “I haven’t even seen your place yet. I’m starting to think that’s where the bodies are buried.”

Gabriella shivered. She wanted Shane. But she needed to keep at least a little bit of distance between them if she was going to retain any wits at all. Going to her house was the last step. It was the only vulnerability she hadn’t allowed. Not yet.

“I’m starting to think you don’t trust me,” Shane said.

And
that
was why Gabriella had to do it. That was why she had to bring Shane to her house. Because if she didn’t, she might lose the best access to her potential saboteur anyone could have asked for. She absolutely couldn’t risk that.

She blinked up at him. “Why wouldn’t I trust you?”

“You tell me.” His smooth tone lulled her. “I’ll fix it.”

She bet he would. And she wouldn’t be able to resist.

She was
so
in over her head here.

“Never mind.” Brightly, Gabriella summoned a smile. If Shane
wasn’t
the saboteur, she still wanted a future with him. “I’ll go lock up.” She trailed her hand down his chest. “After that, we can celebrate our victory tonight. Campania won!”

“Campania won,” Shane agreed. “And so did you. So let’s quit tiptoeing around this thing and go get naked already.”

Whew
. At least he was back to talking about sex, not love. Sex, Gabriella could handle. Love, she wasn’t so sure about.

Feeling reassured, she put a little extra sass in her step as she went to lock up the pizzeria. A man who wanted her was watching her—and as the woman who wanted
him
right back, Gabriella didn’t intend to disappoint either of them.

Affecting an indifference she didn’t feel, Gabriella strode up the front porch of her Craftsman-style cottage with Shane in her wake. She lived in an offbeat neighborhood of southwest Portland, one that had originally been home to turn-of-the-century Italian immigrants. They’d brought their loves and their businesses and their traditions to the Pacific Northwest with them, and Gabriella still had ties to their descendants today.

Under her feet, her porch floorboards creaked. Her porch light shone welcomingly, casting her and Shane in flattering golden light. Beyond them, the only sounds were crickets and the whoosh of faraway traffic. Her yard smelled of the roses that her Nonna Grimani had initially planted. Gabriella tended them now, inexpertly, trying to keep their beauty blossoming.

“Nice place.” Shane nodded. “I like it.”

With one final burst of self-protectiveness, Gabriella faced him. She put both hands on his chest, gently warding him off. “Thanks for driving me home. I’ve got it from here.”

“You’re not serious.” Appearing entirely and appealingly sure of that fact, he smiled at her. “I can’t come in?”

“I, um, didn’t think you’d want to,” she fibbed.
Geez
, she was terrible at subterfuge. Shane knew it, too. But that didn’t mean Gabriella could quit. Feeling newly nervous, she said, “It’s so late now, and we both have to work tomorrow, and—”

“And you’re so cute when you’re nervous—”

“—and we’re both so tired, and I need to vacuum—”

His gaze sharpened. “Why are you trying to ditch me?”

Awkwardly, Gabriella laughed. “I’m not! I just—”

Don’t want to find out that you’re really a bad guy
.

“—don’t think you’ll be impressed when you get inside.” She waved toward her house. “Your place is so fancy. Mine . . . isn’t.”

“I grew up thinking ramen noodles were a delicacy. I slept without heat. When my parents forgot to pay the electric bill, I kept on eating only because I sweet-talked the little old lady next door into feeding me fried-egg sandwiches and Tang.”

“Oh. Ugh.” Feeling sorry for him, Gabriella looked up. “I didn’t know that. You seem so capable now. So on top of things.”

“Poor is poor. Not incompetent.” Shane’s gaze swerved to hers, then held. “If you don’t want me to come in, I get it.”

How could she refuse him now? She’d be a snob.

Worse, she’d be a liar. Because she wanted him inside.

She wanted him inside in every way.

Steadily, Shane watched her. Gently, he touched her.

“But I really want to come in,” he murmured, moving closer. He pressed kisses to her cheek, her mouth, her neck. His hair ruffled against hers, tousled and dark. “Please let me in.”

That was as much as Gabriella could stand. Shakily, she jangled her keys. She swallowed hard. “Your wish is my command.”

“I hope so,” Shane said, his voice husky as he followed Gabby inside. “I’d like you being mine to command again.”

He’d also like studying her home, getting to know more about her, learning what she liked and wanted. Technically, he wanted to know more about the
non
sexy her. After all, he’d earned it—he’d revealed a lot more about himself than he’d planned, trying to get her to unlock the door. But he seemed to have ignited an unexpected responsiveness in Gabby in the process. Because the minute they got inside and shut the door, she pushed herself against him.

It was as though she’d waited all day to be with him.

“
I’m yours
,” she breathed, wrenching off her jacket. “I am. Just take me, all right? I want to forget . . . everything.”

Shane assumed she meant the difficult night she’d had.

But hers wasn’t an invitation he intended to decline.

No matter how much damn baring of his soul he’d had to do to gain admission to Gabby’s house, he meant to savor the time he spent there. Already he felt he’d won, just by being inside.

“I could use some forgetfulness, too,” Shane said, thinking of the frustrating realization he’d had earlier—that his rival fixer had gotten the jump on him again with that online review slam. “And maybe some TLC.”

He showed her the bandaged gash he’d gotten earlier, on the edge of his palm, while industriously chopping mushrooms for Campania’s special night. Real work wasn’t without its hazards.

Gabby looked at his bandage. “I’ve had worse.” Her gaze turned evasive. “Restaurant work can be pretty dangerous.”

“Wow,” Shane deadpanned. “That’s very nurturing of you.”

“Shut up and kiss me.”

“You can’t tell me what to do.”

“I’m pretty sure I just did.” Eyes sparkling, Gabby wrenched at his shirt. “Kiss me. Kiss me. Kiss me.”

“I get it. I’m not stupid.” With a helpless smile, Shane leaned into her. He brought his mouth to hers, very sweetly.

Gabriella grabbed his head and deepened their kiss.

Evidently, she didn’t want things to be sweet this time.

“Rougher?” Shane asked, feeling his pulse quicken. “Okay.”

He gave her a seductive look, then grabbed Gabby’s wrists. As she stared at him, he pinned her arms to the wall behind her.

“You don’t scare me,” she boasted. “I’m ready for you.”

“Oh yeah?” With another smile, Shane brought his mouth
almost
to hers. Her breath feathered against his lips, inciting a fresh round of shudders in both of them. “How ready are you?”

Gabby tried to complete their kiss. Shane stopped her.

“Really ready,” she gasped, staring at his mouth. “Gimme.”

“Soon,” he promised, not moving yet. He wanted to savor this moment, to lengthen the anticipation . . . to make Gabby love him. That became his mission for the night, in that moment. He was going to make Gabby love him. With his body. With hers.

“Now?” she pleaded. Her hips thrust against his, enticing him into moving. Her gaze locked with his. “You’ll like it.”

Her cajoling tone reminded him that he already had liked kissing her. Multiple times. Multiple ways. “I
love
kissing you,” Shane told her unabashedly. “I love the way you feel, the way you taste . . . the way you moan when I do
this
.”

Deliberately, he met her thrust with one of his own. Gabby’s eyes widened. Shane chuckled. His erection couldn’t do
all
the talking, but it could damn well start a conversation.

“Stop teasing me,” Gabby demanded, “and just do it.”

“Hmm. Maybe we’ve both waited long enough.” Shane kissed her, hard and fast, pinning her more firmly against the wall.

Gabby responded with a moan. She tried to wrench her arms free. Shane held on. He didn’t want her to get away. Not ever.

Their next kiss went on and on. Dimly, Shane felt Gabby wriggling, felt her arching her hips . . . felt her making him crazy.

Maybe he wasn’t really the one in charge here after all.

“Not enough,” Gabby panted. “I want more.”

“Of this?” Shane kissed her. “More of this?”

Her guttural moan answered him. “We need to be naked.”

He smiled. “No, we don’t.” To prove it, Shane released her arms. He hiked up her skirt, whisked away her panties, and found that Gabby was gratifyingly, wetly ready for him.

It was his turn to moan. He wanted her
so
much.

He wanted her to love him even more than that.

“You’re right. This is good enough.” With a determination that was wholly her, Gabby freed him from his jeans. A second later, she flung her arms around his neck. “Let’s go. Now.”

Shane didn’t need a second invitation. Growling with impatience and need, he lifted Gabby in his arms. Their bodies came together perfectly. He nearly came undone on the spot.

Wrapping her legs around his hips, Gabby clung to his shoulders. Eyes closed, she pushed against him. “Oh,
yes
. That’s it. Just like that.
Exactly
like that. Only faster. Harder.”

Full of bliss and urgent need, Shane smiled. “Which is it?” he managed breathlessly. “Exactly like that? Or faster? Harder?”

“All of it!” Gabby panted, beautiful and wanton against the wall. Her elbows banged against it as they struggled for more, but she didn’t seem to care. Everything around them grew hazy.

Much too soon, Shane felt her shudder around him. Crying out, Gabby clenched his shoulders, coming hard. Within seconds, Shane was right behind her. With Gabby, he had no self-control.

He needed, he wanted . . . he took and he loved. That was all.

Giddily, Shane slumped against her, still holding them both against the wall. His heart hammered; his breath sounded as though he’d just run that race with Gabby all over again. He inhaled deeply of the familiar scent of her hair, then smiled.

He might not have her love, but he had this.

Maybe, for him, that would have to be enough.

Could a man like him really ask for more?

Limp-limbed, Gabby kissed him. “Mmm. That was . . .
hot
.”

Shane could only nod. Faintly, he became aware of their disheveled clothing and their perilous against-the-wall position. He liked all of it.

“When you invite a man inside,” he said with a goofy, happy grin, nuzzling her neck again, “you
really
invite him inside.”

“I’m not a halfway kind of person.” Wearing a look of satisfied bravado, Gabby clambered down. Nimbly, she adjusted her skirt. She picked up her panties, then pocketed them.

She really
did
believe this was all about sex with them, Shane realized. He’d done it. How the hell had he done it?

He felt certain that his caring for her wore him like an expensive suit. It elevated him way beyond the man he was.

“Thirsty?” Gabby asked. “How about a nightcap?”

“How about another round?”

She turned. Blinked. Grinned. “Already?”

“Later.” Shane waved. “After you give me a tour.”

“Of my place.” Gabby nodded. But where before she’d seemed nervous—and full of excuses—now she seemed at ease. That was the magic of their coming together. It . . . lulled her. If he were a less scrupulous man, he’d have taken advantage of that. “Okay.”

Her shrug suggested a lightheartedness she definitely hadn’t displayed before. Wearing a matching buoyancy, Shane nodded. “First up, show me where those bodies are buried.”

“You make me sound so nefarious. Maybe
you’re
the one—”

“Who hadn’t pegged you as a flowers-and-cushy-upholstery type?” Switching on the nearest lamp, Shane put his hands on his hips. He studied the entryway and small living room. Both were full of feminine touches, from floral chairs to an overstuffed sofa to a fringed lamp. Lots of throw pillows. Gabby’s place looked comfortable. Homey. “I thought you’d be—”

“More urban? More alternative? More tomboyish?”

“Oh, you’re all woman.” He arrowed a look at her, knowing there weren’t enough jeans and T-shirts and sneakers in the world to consign Gabby to the tomboy zone. She
was
all woman. “And no, actually. I thought you’d be at home someplace more zen. No knickknacks, no tchotchkes, no frills. Just peace.”

“I guess now you know my awful secret. I’m a closet June Cleaver. I have an apron collection, too. Wanna see?”

“Hell yeah.” Shane grinned. “Sounds kinky.”

“It’s
not
kinky.” Grinning back, Gabby showed him to her kitchen. It was equipped with renovated antique appliances, several pieces of collectible Art Deco pottery, a professional-caliber stand mixer, and brightly colored walls. “Ready?”

She grabbed an armful of garments from a nearby peg.

Shane squinted at them. “You were serious.”

“Of course!” Gabby slipped one of those garments over her head. Brightly, she tied on the apron strings. “See? Exhibit A.”

“I like it.” He came closer, then nuzzled her neck. “It makes me want to do
this
.” Gently, he nipped her. “Yum.”

“Mmm.” Gabby’s dark-eyed gaze met his. “More, please.”

Helpfully, Shane obliged. He grabbed the bib of Gabby’s old-fashioned apron, then used it to pull her nearer. He lowered his lips to hers. He caught her next exhalation with his mouth.

Their kiss went on and on, drugging him with its sweetness. Until Gabby, he’d never kissed a woman who was wearing an apron. Now, the very sight of an apron made him start feeling fired up.

She had a whole collection of them? It was going to be a long, hot night. On the other hand, Shane wanted that.

He wanted her and everything she would give him.

Starry-eyed and breathless, Gabby broke off their kiss first. “Let me show you the rest of the house.”

“What about the rest of the aprons?” And the kissing?

“I have an idea about those.” Clutching them in the crook of her arm, Gabby grabbed him. “Come on. Tour’s leaving now.”