Ross 04 Take Me On by Cherrie Lynn Page A

that way, doesn’t it?”
    It seemed like a sore spot, so she let it drop. “Well, whatever your reasons are, I’m glad you could be the one to do this for me. You’ve made a lot of people happy, I’m sure.”
    “The honor’s been all mine, Gabriella.”
    Unf. Why was it she hated her stupid long name until he let it roll off his tongue in its entirety? Because that tongue of his could make anything better, that’s why.
    “Pardon me for saying so, Ian, but you are the hottest thing I’ve ever laid eyes on. It just seems unfair and cruel of me to not let you know that.”
    He barked with laughter. “Well, it seems unfair and cruel of me to not let you know that I think you ruined me for all others.”
    Oh shit. If she could’ve snuggled him right then, she would have. And most likely, she wouldn’t have let him go for a long, long time.
    What the hell were they going to do about this? She was all-systems-go for a repeat. But she would only want another. And another. And another. At some point, it all had to end. She was leaving very soon. In fact, she’d worked it out with Tina next week to stay with her while she looked at apartments. Her old building where she’d lived before moving in with Mark was full, but she’d made some phone calls and found a couple of others with vacancies.
    “Thank you,” she said, and meant it so much, more than he could possibly ever know. “Not that I wanted to ruin you for all others, but…okay, yeah I did.”
    “Yeah, thanks for that.”
    “You’re welcome.”
    It was a good thing he couldn’t see her, because she was grinning like a fool.
     
     
    “All done,” he announced over an hour later.
    Gabby exhaled and went absolutely limp, just soaking up the bliss of knowing it was over. She’d done it.
    “Damn,” he said slowly. “If I do say so myself, it looks fuckin’ sick.”
    She’d been around Brian enough to know that was a good thing. “I can’t wait to see it,” she told him, “but I think I need to lie here for…an hour or two.”
    “Take your time. Do you need anything? More water?” He’d given her all the breaks she’d needed…more and more as time went on.
    “I think I’m good.” Stiffly, she pushed herself up on her hands, not even minding that she was topless. He snatched his gaze away from her as she sat up straight.
    “You really might want to cover those.”
    “Why?” she asked innocently.
    “Because I can’t be trusted around them.”
    Laughing, she grabbed her shirt, which she’d been lying on, and tucked it under both arms so her breasts were covered. “Fine, fine. Men. Faced with a pair of tits and they lose their shit.”
    Blowing out a breath, he grabbed a handheld mirror and held it toward her so she could see her back reflected in the large mirror on the wall behind her. And…she absolutely lost her breath.
    “Oh God,” she whispered, unable to take her eyes away from the beauty of his work. The colors were so vivid, so strong…blues and greens and purples all fading so effortlessly into each other it was almost impossible to think it had been created with human hands and not born on her. The design as a whole wasn’t huge and overpowering, but soft and feminine, the mythical bird surging into the heavens with a strength she could somehow feel. The movement was incredible. She almost expected to see it soar off her skin and rise up with beating wings.
    “Tell me that’s a good ‘oh God,’” he said, leaning in so he could see it exactly as she did.
    “That’s a good one. Almost as good as the kind of ‘oh God’ you give me,” she said.
    Gave me, she should’ve said. Past tense. But with him hovering near her, his scent teasing her nostrils, his work gracing her skin…
    She turned her face to his and caught those lips with hers. His breath shuddered out, and he surrendered, sinking into her kiss.
    “Oh God,” he murmured, and despite being so caught up in the taste of him, she had to laugh. Memories