Page 77 of Into These Eyes

Gavin

J esus fucking Christ. That woman.

Trying to get control of my pounding heart and straining erection, I slump onto the office chair.

When I rub my hand over my jaw, that gorgeous scent of hers fills my nostrils again, not helping the situation at all.

God, she’s so damn responsive, and so fucking sexy with the way she wants me just as much as I want her.

Swivelling in the chair, I stare in wonder at the sketches of her eyes spread out on the desk.

She asked me to heed her mother’s words and open my heart.

Well, I haven’t just let her in. She’s speared right through to the other side and wrapped herself around it, making certain it’ll never be anyone’s but hers.

I suck in a deep breath, reminding myself that even though I can barely believe it, it’s real. And tomorrow can’t come soon enough. I just need to survive tonight.

Deciding I’d better take a shower, calm my dick down and reluctantly wash this amazing scent off my face, I grab some clean clothes and get to it.

After dinner, we remain at the dining table and play round after round of Uno.

With two packs shuffled together. Apparently, that’s Jamie and Anika’s tradition.

We laugh and fight and squabble over the rules like we’ve been doing it all our lives.

The whole time, Jamie and I constantly touch each other under the table with our legs and feet.

It’s playful and caring and the whole night is another moment in my life where I feel totally at home, where I belong, where I matter, where I’m needed and wanted.

“Well, that’s it then,” Anika says as she scoops all the cards together and taps them on the table until they come together in a neat, thick rectangle. “My last night as a cockblocker. Until next time I’m here, of course.”

I press my knee against Jamie’s. “I thought that was off the table?”

Anika scoffs. “That was a one-time deal. Too bad you blew it. Or, more accurately, didn’t blow it.”

“Anika!” Jamie chastises, her face instantly flushing. She’s such a contradiction, loving a bit of dirty talk, then blushing over a little innuendo.

“What?” Anika asks with faux innocence. “Jeez, I’m sure after all this time, you two can contain yourselves for a few more hours. You’ve got all day tomorrow to go at it. Kinda hurts my feelings, though, that my brother and sister want to get rid of me so they can get down and dirty.”

As Jamie shoots to her feet, I scoot my chair back and grab her, pulling her onto my lap before she kills our sister.

“Oh!” Anika says with glee, “I just had a thought. Gav, when you’re out with Jamie, you can introduce her as your sister’s sister. How cool is that?” With that little nugget, she slaps a palm on the table and cracks up.

Jamie struggles to free herself from my arms, but I hold on tight, then tickle her side until she’s giggling and writhing on my lap. When I relent, I find her hand, bring it to my lips and kiss her knuckles.

“Vomit,” Anika gags.

I shoot her a wicked grin. “How about this, little sister … The more you talk about us like that, the more we’ll make out in front of you.”

Jamie smiles and gives me a quick peck on the lips before she turns to look at Anika.

Our sister’s eyes shoot back and forth between us. Finally, she lets out a defeated breath. “Fine! But you’re not gonna stop me talking about it behind your backs. And with that,” she says, standing, “I’m going to bed. Behave.”

“I’d wish you sweet dreams, but I doubt Satan’s little helper has anything but nightmares,” I smirk.

In return, she gives me the finger before disappearing down the hallway.

Jamie snuggles into me, squeezing her arms around my neck. “Nice one, Shawshank.”

I pull her in closer. “Give me that cheeky mouth of yours.”

And she does, her soft, plump lips pepper me with those sweet little closed-mouth kisses that drive me crazy until I have to taste her. Drawing on her bottom lip, I gently nip at it before soothing it with my tongue.

Sweet little whimpers escape her throat, then her tongue’s touching mine and I lose myself in her, in the wonder that I get to do this at all. That she wants me to kiss her and touch her and love her. That she wants to do the same to me. It’s a goddamn fucking miracle.

When she wriggles against my hard dick, I reluctantly break the kiss. “Let’s get to bed. The sooner we fall asleep, the quicker tomorrow’ll be here.”

She’s off my lap in a flash, grabbing my hand and pulling me toward her bedroom.

Our bedroom.

I smile as she closes the door behind us. The thought that we’ll never sleep alone again swells my heart.

As we stand side by side in her ensuite and brush our teeth, staring at each other in the mirror, I take it all in. It’s surreal, yet completely and utterly normal. A normal I’m sure most people take for granted. But to me, this is so far removed from my life in prison, it means everything.

Back in the bedroom, she grabs a fresh set of her usual pyjamas.

While she changes in the ensuite, I strip down to my boxer briefs and slide into my side of the bed.

When she emerges, my dick gets hard again at the sight of her in that skintight camisole and boy-leg undies.

It doesn’t seem to matter how many times I’ve seen her like this, I can’t get enough.

The fact that she’s keeping her completely naked body from me until tomorrow drives me crazy. And I love it.

Kneeling on the bed, her breasts bounce a little as she settles back on her heels, our eyes locked.

“Christ, J. Get under the covers before I go insane.”

Leaving her lamp on, she does as she’s told. Once she settles on her side, she props her head up with one hand and places the other over my heart.

“I was wondering,” she begins tentatively, “if maybe you’d like to invite Lach to Christmas lunch?”

Reaching out, I cup her neck and graze my thumb over that tender spot behind her earlobe. “Remember Benny’s coming. He’s the one who’s always been there for me. Now I need to be there for him. He might feel pushed aside if my father’s here, and I never want that thought to cross his mind.”

She slides her hand from my chest to my chin, her fingers gently stroking my beard. “Another reason I love you. So damn thoughtful when it comes to how others might react. And you’re right. We’ll make Christmas special for Benny. It is, after all, his first Christmas on the outside in forty years.”

I tug her in close, cradling her head until her face is tucked into my neck. “Maybe … we could invite my father over Boxing Day?”

She nods. “I think he’d like that.”

Stroking my fingers up and down her spine, I say, “I wonder if he has someone special in his life.”

Lifting her head, she props her chin on the hand covering my tattoo. “I asked him about that. He doesn’t. He said Mattie was it for him.”

“So, I do have something in common with him after all,” I murmur, brushing a thumb over her cheek. “You’re it for me, J. I know it right down to the bottom of my soul.”

She stares at me, her eyes a little wider, her pupils swallowing those emerald jewels. For a moment, I think I’ve said too much, revealed too much, but that can’t be right. I’ve told her in no uncertain terms how much I love her, why I love her. She shouldn’t be surprised.

Then she’s sprawling on top of me, her lips pressing briefly to mine before she lifts her head, her face alight with love and happiness.

“Seems we both have a lot in common with the way our parents felt about each other. Because you’re it for me too, Gavin. I have absolutely no doubt about that.”

Although the weight of her body on mine is intoxicating, I roll her over until I’m on top of her. As I devour her mouth, our bodies rock against each other instinctively, our hands squeezing and groping, unable to get enough.

When our air runs out, I stare down at her. “Jesus, woman. You’re a wet dream and the love of my life, all wrapped up in this perfect, gorgeous package. How the hell did I get so lucky?”

“I could say the same about you. Only the price you had to pay to get here was far too high.”

I rest my forehead against hers. “It was worth every fucking second, J. I’d go through it all again as long as it led me here.

To you.” The words slide out of me so easily.

Apart from believing no one would ever want me, let alone Jamie Evans, it’d crossed my mind that I might be a little too damaged, a little too distrustful when it came to loving someone. Not with her. It’s so damn easy.

Eyes welling with tears, she lets them spill down her face.

“Hey,” I murmur, “I didn’t mean to upset you.”

She shakes her head. “I’m not upset. I’m just so happy right now, my body can’t keep it contained.”

Goddammit. I kiss her. Softly. Tenderly. Trying to convey everything I feel for without words.

She rocks into my erection and grins. “Looks like your body can’t contain your happiness either.”

I smile down at her. “That’s not just happiness. That’s euphoria. And a hell of a lot of frustration.”

“Hmm … you think it’s any different for me?”

I drop my head to her shoulder and groan almost silently, letting her know just how much she’s torturing me. Sliding to her side, I tell her, “Roll over. We’re never getting to sleep at this rate.”

With a little grumble, she turns off her lamp, then I draw her tight against me until every inch of our bodies touch.

Even her feet rest atop mine. Like last night, I position the length of my erection between her perfect little butt cheeks, and let out a half-satisfied, half-frustrated sigh.

She responds by wiggling a little too seductively.

“Anika’s got nothing on you when it comes to evil,” I whisper in her ear.

“Me? You started it.”

“Right. Because you wiggling that perfect little arse against my dick is me starting it.”