Page 89 of Texas Honor

“No, not really,” he replied. “Just to you, I expect. But as long as that interest is exclusively for me, I won’t complain.” He finished the cigarette and stretched back toward the arm of the sofa, his powerful body covering almost all of its length except for where Maggie was sitting.

“Did you mean it, what you told Becky?” she asked, turning her head to look at him.

“Of course I meant it,” he replied. “She needs a stable environment, a family, a place to grow up without pressure. She can have that here. I can give her damn near anything she wants.”

“She loves you,” Maggie said gently.

“I know. It’s a pretty big responsibility, being loved,” he replied, leaning forward to crush out his cigarette. “That’s why I was honest with her. There will be bad times as there are in any relationship. She had to choose for herself.”

“She’s so different around you,” Maggie told him, standing up and staring down at him. “She’s always been frightened of men. But she’s opened up with you. She laughs and plays—she’s not the same shy little girl I brought here. And all this has happened in just over a week.”

“She wasn’t happy,” Gabe replied. “She told me. She was afraid her father would take her away from you. Now she’s not.” He grinned at her. “I told her what I’d do to him if he tried.”

She relaxed even more, her weary eyes seeking his. “You told everybody we were getting married.”

“Yes, I did, didn’t I?” He stretched, easing his back against the arm of the sofa. His pale eyes narrowed, searching her slender body in the colorful dress. “Come here.”

She hesitated. He looked...very sexy like that. Dangerously male.

“Come on,” he coaxed. “I’ll let you play with my chest.”

She colored feverishly and glared at him. “Of all the masculine arrogance I’ve ever seen...”

“You haven’t seen anything, yet,” he laughed softly. He reached up unexpectedly with his good arm and jerked, landing her squarely on top of him with such delicious force that it winded her. He held her there with both hands on her waist.

“Let go of me,” she muttered.

“Stop wiggling, Maggie,” he whispered at her ear.

All at once, as her hips came into contact with his, she began to feel what he was talking about. Stiffening, she tried to move away, but he held her there with one large, lean hand at the base of her spine. After a moment her eyes came up to meet his, finding there a wry acknowledgment, and a kind of quiet pride.

“I’m more of a man with you than I’ve ever been with a woman,” he murmured, holding her shocked gaze. “You can arouse me by walking through a room, for God’s sake. I don’t even have to touch you.”

“Isn’t that...the normal thing with men?” she asked bitterly.

“Not with me, it isn’t,” he replied. “I’m thirty-eight. I’ve reached the age when I have to work up to arousal, as a rule.”

She hadn’t realized what an intimate turn the conversation had taken until he said that, and she bit her lower lip. It was vaguely flattering to have him admit such a thing, but it added to the subtle doubts she already had about being able to satisfy him. Love play was one thing; it was delicious with him, and she enjoyed it. But love play wasn’t sex.

His lean fingers brushed lightly under her ear, making sweet shivers where they touched. “Relax,” he whispered. “You’re all tensed up. There’s no need to be defensive with me. I won’t take you like this.”

She colored, feeling sixteen again with this devastatingly masculine man. Her fingers pressed lightly against his shoulders as she tried to keep her balance.

“Come on,” he coaxed. “Just relax. It won’t hurt to let your body go soft against me, will it?”

“You’re...” She hesitated, trying to find the words.

“I’m...?” he teased. He nibbled softly at her earlobe. “I’m aroused? And it embarrasses you to feel it?”

“Yes,” she burst out, burying her face in his throat.

His lean hands spread against her back, smoothing her against him with easy, stroking motions. “Give in, honey,” he whispered, his voice deep, silky. “Just relax. Lie against me and let me feel your heart beating.”

“Gabriel...” Was that her voice, sounding so weak and helpless?

“That’s it,” he murmured. He could feel the tenseness going out of her, feel her breasts softly cushioned on his hard chest, feel her legs like silk over his. He reached down to the very base of her spine and moved her softly against his hips, loving the surge of pleasure it gave him.

“Oh, you...mustn’t!” she cried. Her body felt hot. Blazing hot.