To Have and to Hold by Nalini Singh Page A

electrifying senses saturated almost past bearing. “Gabe.” It was a plea.
    He ran his lips along the shell of one ear. “Hold your dress for me.”
    Once again, she knew she shouldn’t obey, shouldn’t give in to him. He’d destroy her defenses when she needed them so desperately tonight. But her hands were moving before the thought ended, her body a stranger to her will. Letting her take over the task, he ran his hands up along her sides and then, to her surprise, pulled back.
    Feeling oddly ambivalent about the reprieve, she motioned to drop the hem. He pressed against her once more. “Hold it.” A soft command coated with the authority of a man used to giving them.
    She scowled. “Why?”
    â€œBecause I’m otherwise occupied.” He nudged her gently forward until she stood in front of the mirror.
    â€œWhat—?”
    â€œThis.” He strung something cool and beautiful around her neck.
    â€œGabe!” The glitter of the teardrop emerald flickered in the mirror, its brightness cradled by the soft darkness of the valley between her breasts.
    Closing the clasp, Gabe stroked his fingers along the gold of the necklace to pick up the emerald. His knuckles brushed the upper curve of her breast, causing her to hold her breath until he replaced the pendant in the valley for which it seemed tailor-made.
    â€œBeautiful.” One of his hands came to rest on her hip.
    â€œI can’t—” she began, stunned at the expensive gift.
    â€œNo arguments.” Moving around her, he leaned his body against the vanity and pulled her into the vee of his thighs.
    She finally dropped the hem. “Why? We’re fighting.” Her hand drifted to the cool beauty of the emerald.
    In response, he ran his own hands up under her dress, shocking a short, ultimately feminine sound out of her. Releasing the emerald, she braced herself against his shoulders.
    â€œYou’re my wife,” he said, as if that was reason enough.
    â€œBut you’ve—”
    He kissed the words from her lips, his hands sliding around the back of her thighs to cup her bottom. His hold was incredibly intimate and when he pulled her closer, she went, wrapping her arms around his neck.
    His fingers traced the edge of her panties. “What color?” he asked against her mouth.
    â€œBlack.” Her heart slammed into her ribs with punishing force. There was something very possessive in Gabriel’s eyes tonight, something untamed and wild and all the more exhilarating for it. Her next words came from a part of her that she hadn’t known existed until this moment. “And so is the bra. A matching set.”
    He smiled and it was so slow and satisfied, her stomach tumbled. “Jessica darling, are you trying to make us late to the party? Your way of winning our little stand-off?”
    In truth, she’d forgotten about it. “You’re the one who interrupted me.” She was blindingly conscious of one of his hands moving to the front of her body.

Chapter Ten
    â€œS o I did,” he murmured, reclaiming her lips even as his hand pushed aside the gusset of her panties to thrust two fingers deep into a body more than primed by the slow seduction. Pleasure erupted inside her almost instantaneously. Pulling away from the ravaging fury of his mouth, she threw back her head and rode his fingers, feeling herself clench and unclench with vicious strength. She was on the verge of an explosive climax when he withdrew them.
    Dazed, she swayed on her feet as he switched position to stand behind her. Instinct made her brace her hands on the vanity, her hair a tumbling mess around her face. When she raised her hand to push it back, she caught sight of the primal intensity driving Gabe—her husband was not in control tonight. That was all the warning she got before he shoved up her dress and slid inside her.
    Crying out, she tried to move with him, but his rhythm was