To Have and to Hold by Nalini Singh Page B

too fast for her to follow. “Please, please, please.” The whimpers were so needy she couldn’t believe they were her own.
    Gabe’s arm came around her waist and his teeth scraped lightly over the sensitive skin of her neck. “Now, Jess. Now!”
    She fractured under the command, everything female in her glorying in the wildness of that harsh masculine voice. At the last second, their eyes met in the mirror and Jess knew they’d crossed a line. The question was, what lay on the other side?
    * * *
    They were forty minutes late to the party. Jess’s dress had been wrinkled beyond repair, so after a quick shower shared with a surprisingly playful Gabe, she’d put on a fitting pencil skirt and thin V-neck cardigan, both in black. The pendant glowed against her flushed skin. Gabe had insisted she put her stockings back on and she’d acquiesced—she liked the idea of him thinking her sexy, especially since Sylvie was going to be around.
    Gabe’s shirt, on the other hand, had emerged magically unscathed and he’d pulled it back on. It was only as they were walking through Sylvie’s door that Jess realized the color almost perfectly matched his eyes. She scowled. Gabe might be wealthy and powerful, but he was also a man’s man—fashion was not in his repertoire. The fact that he’d chosen something with that much care for Sylvie’s party, stuck in her craw, dispelling what remained of the sensual afterglow.
    The birthday girl beamed at Gabe, giving him a kiss on the cheek in return for his gift of a bottle of premier wine. “That green does wonderful things for your eyes, darling.”
    Jess wondered if it would be catty to ask why she didn’t deserve a welcome kiss, too. Amused by the thought, she leaned into Gabe’s hold. Sylvie’s eyes went straight to the emerald. She covered it well but Jess glimpsed a definite spark of anger. And no matter how petty it was, that reaction made her very happy.
    â€œI can’t take any of the credit. Jess is the one responsible.”
    Jess was so startled by Gabe’s comment she couldn’t say a word.
    â€œI didn’t know you had such a good eye.” Sylvie gave her a bright smile that could have cut glass. “You’re always so…simply dressed.”
    â€œI prefer to leave things to the imagination.” Jess smiled and pointedly avoided glancing at the plunging neckline of her rival’s very short black dress. The irritating thing was that Sylvie looked sexy when anyone else wearing that outfit would have crossed the line into trashy.
    Thankfully, another late arrival entered behind them and they were able to move on.
    â€œWhat did you mean about me being responsible?” she asked the second they were out of earshot.
    He raised an eyebrow. “Last year, my birthday.”
    â€œOh.” Now she remembered sending him that spontaneous gift. “I wasn’t sure I got the size right.” Or that he’d even like it.
    He ran his knuckles down her cheek. “Obviously you were keeping an eye on my body long before you left.”
    Blushing, she couldn’t help but recall their wild encounter in front of her mirror. Gabe smiled and reached over to pick up two flutes of wine from the tray of a passing waiter.
    Jess found her wits quickly. “Actually, can I have juice?”
    He switched her drink and handed it over. “I thought you liked white wine.”
    â€œI don’t feel like it tonight,” she lied, wondering how long it would take him to figure out why she didn’t want to drink. Gabe had a mind more efficient than many a computer but maybe this one time he’d be blind for a little while longer.
    At that moment, a landowner Jess knew only vaguely walked over. “Gabriel, I’ve been wanting to talk to you.”
    Smiling at the man’s wife, Jess made small talk for a few minutes before another couple joined them and