Chapter 6

He watched her from across the room, his eyes noting every intricate detail of her from the way her glossy chestnut hair caressed her shoulders to the sparkle in the chocolate depths of her eyes. The red dress she wore caressed her body with scarlet silk, a tiny bit of lace slipping over her arm. It followed her curves with the faithfulness of a lover's hand, hinting of the sweet ripeness of her nipples through the translucent fabric.

He saw her as she swayed with the music that played in the air around them, seeing her lips as she sang along. She smiled at him, her fingers waggling in front of her as she backed away, beckoning him, daring him to come with her.

Pressing through the crowd was difficult for they seemed to be determined to keep him away from her, blocking his path whichever way he turned. He finally pushed past them, his eyes scanning the room, searching for her once more. He saw her on the staircase, watching as she slipped the straps of her dress from her shoulders, seeing it pool in a waterfall of scarlet silk around her slender waist baring her breasts to his avid gaze.

"Come, Gabe," she moaned, her hands slowly sliding from the smooth skin of her taut stomach up and over her ribs and finally cupping the soft curves of her breasts, kneading them gently. "Come make love to me," she called to him, rolling her hard nipples between her fingers, her lips parting as she whimpered her pleasure.

He took the steps two at a time, anxious to reach her, wanting to touch her, to kiss those lips, to make love to her. His cock was hard, straining against the zipper of his jeans, his hands itched to touch her, to mold her body to his, to feel her wetness surrounding him.

She backed away from his slowly, her eyes on his, her hands out to him, beckoning him. She smiled seductively at him, backing into a bedroom finally allowing him close enough to touch her.

His hands grasped her waist, hauling her to him, his mouth finding hers in a kiss that scorched his soul, firing his desire. Her lips were warm and soft, her mouth hot with the darkness of passion. She tasted of sweetness and sin, a combination that had him pulling her even closer.

"Fuck me, Gabe," she whispered against his lips, her voice a siren's song of lust and need. "I want you inside of me."

His hands found the silk that covered the rounded curve of her ass, pulling it up until he could feel the soft flesh beneath. He tilted her hips, pressing her into his groin, letting her feel the hard bulge that pulsed with the rapid beating of his heart. Spinning her around, he pushed her against the wall, leaning his weight into her.

"More, baby," she whimpered as he ground his jean covered cock into the lacy red silk that covered her mound. "I want more."

He lifted her, her long slender legs wrapping around his waist. Reaching between them, he yanked on the tiny thong that barely protected her wet cunt, hearing her gasp as it dug into her flesh before the delicate material ripped, leaving her bare. And then his hand was at his own pants, tearing at the button and zipper, feeling her hands as they helped him push his jeans and the soft white briefs he wore under them, down his thighs.

His cock sprang out, slapping against her taut belly. He lifted her further, settling her so that she was just above the fat head of it and he could feel the swollen lips of her pussy, the heat of her brushing his skin.

"You want that?" he asked her, his voice a harsh growl of lust. "You want me to shove that into you?" He lowered her slightly, feeling his cock push between wet lips into a heat that was almost unbearably sensual.

"Yes," she moaned. "Please, fuck me."

His mouth was on her throat, his teeth nipping hard at the soft skin there, using his tongue to lave at the spot and then sucking upon it as she moaned and whimpered, wriggling against him. He pushed into her, amazed at her tightness, at how wet and hot she was, his hands finding her ass and holding her even as she tried to take more of him.

"You're so tight," he moaned, his mouth at her ear. "You're so fucking tight and hot, Kaylee." And then he let loose of her, letting her drop until he filled her with his last few inches, pressing through tightly muscled depths as she cried out her pleasure, her nails digging into his shirt covered back, her head falling back against the wall.

He pressed her into the wall, his body thrusting against her with a fury born of lust and forbidden pleasures. Every stroke left him wanting more and knowing that it wouldn't be enough. Every friction filled thrust pulled him closer to the ecstasy he knew she would give him.

Kaylee clung to him; he could feel her hands on his back. He knew she was close as well for her whimperings had turned to moans and begging pleadings for more. Her eyes were tightly closed, her mouth open clinging to his when he kissed her.

And then he heard her scream and his eyes flew open. He was alone in his bed. "Kaylee?" he said softly.

Muffled running steps came from across the hall and then his door was flung open. "He's after me, Gabe," she cried, flinging herself against him.

"Who's after you?" He wrapped his arms around her, feeling the tremors of her body against him. "Who? Kaylee?" he said, pulling her back a ways until he could see into her face.

"The killer," she moaned. "He was there with a knife. He's trying to kill me like he did the others." She wrapped herself around him again.

"Where? Kaylee, come on, you've got to tell me where?"

"In my room," she whimpered. "He was there, in the corner. He had a knife. All I could see were his eyes and the knife."

Gabe pushed her off of him gently, going to the side of the bed and reaching for a pair of sweats. He stood to pull them on over his naked body, hearing her gasp as she saw him in the dim light. Grabbing his duty weapon off the stand, he flicked off the safety.

"Stay here," he ordered her.

"No, I'm going with you."

"Kaylee, I don't have time to argue with you. Stay here," he said again, this time with more emphasis.

His bare feet were silent on the carpeted floor and he peered through the crack of his door, checking out the hallway before opening the door. He crossed the hallway, peering intently into the blackness of her room, searching for the shadows. Slipping his hand inside, he found the light switch and flipped it, bathing the room in light.

Nothing. Going through with the search, he checked the bed and the closet, checked the single window and found it locked still, just as it was when he'd checked them earlier. But to make Kaylee and himself feel better, he did a quick search of the entire apartment. Nothing was disturbed, all the doors and windows were locked.

He slipped the safety back on his pistol as he walked back into his bedroom. She'd curled up on the bed, her arms wrapped around her knees, rocking slowly as she stared at the door, waiting for him. As soon as he came in, she rose from the bed, almost running to him.

"Did you find him?" she asked.

"No, there's no one here but us, Kaylee. I've checked the entire apartment and didn't find anything." He put his hand on her shoulder, feeling the tremors that were still making her body shake. "You were dreaming, Kaylee. And it's perfectly normal after the day you've had. If you didn't have bad dreams I'd be worried."

"But it was so real. He was standing there, he was staring at me and flashing that kn ... knife around." She shook her head, wrapping her arms around her waist.

"You should get back to bed, Kaylee," Gabe said, his eyes traveling over the length of her. She'd taken off the sweats before going to bed and was now only wearing his tee shirt and the thick white socks. Her legs were long and tan, leanly muscled. His tee shirt reached about mid thigh leaving a long expanse of tawny skin to admire. And the shirt, an old one that had been washed many times, was soft, molding to her slender body, emphasizing her lush curves. It clung to the curve of her breasts, rounding over the tiny bumps made by her distended nipples.

She glanced up at him, then at the door of his bedroom. Her stomach was in knots, her fear a palpable thing that she couldn't ignore. The palms of her hands were sweating, and she wiped them on his shirt, pulling down on the fabric as she did.

Gabe groaned, staring at the soft curves of her breasts. They could have been naked for all the cover that his shirt gave them.

"I'm scared," Kaylee said, startling him enough that his eyes left her body and he gazed at her face. "I'm scared," she said again. "And it's pissing me off. I've never been a whiny girl who needs a man to get her out of trouble before. I can't believe I'm acting the way I am now. But just the thought of going back to that bedroom and climbing into that bed has me almost frozen with fear."

"It's good to be mad, Kaylee. And it's good to be afraid." He reached out and snagged a lock of her hair that had fallen into her face. He played with it for a moment, sliding the silken tress through his fingers before hooking it behind her ear. "You're being scared means that you'll be cautious. That's a very good thing right now."

"But I hate it. I feel like I'll never be safe again." She angrily swiped at her cheek where a single tear had fallen. "I hate crying, I hate being afraid, and I hate running away. And right now, I'm doing all three." She brushed at her cheek again, sniffling.

"Come here," he ordered her. He pulled her against his naked chest, savoring the way she felt, so soft and warm. "Tell you what, if you can promise to keep your hands off of me, you can share my bed the rest of the night. But I gotta have your word, no hinky stuff. I'm saving myself for my wedding night."

He smiled as she snorted, laughing as he'd hoped she would.

"I think I can refrain," she said, smiling at him.

"I don't know," he said squinting his eyes as he stared down at her. "I'm a pretty hot ticket. Maybe I should have you sign something."