Chapter 620
Amelie and Gabriel returned to the palace in the quiet of the evening. Noah, exhausted from the day’s excitement, had already fallen into a deep sleep during the journey back. As Gabriel lowered him gently into his crib, Amelie stepped forward to tuck a small, warm blanket around the sleeping boy.
“Noah is going to have a long sleep. He played a lot today,” Gabriel whispered.
“I agree.” Amelie stretched her arms wide, the fatigue finally settling into her bones. She moved to the bed after removing her warm coat and sat down, pulling her knees to her chest. She was gently massaging her aching legs and feet when Gabriel joined her. Without a word, he took one of her legs and rested it across his lap.
“Gabriel, you don’t have to,” Amelie said softly as she immediately touched his hand.
“I like it,” Gabriel answered, his eyes meeting hers with steady devotion. “Whenever I do something for you, it makes me happy p>
Amelie felt her resistance melt away at his words. She pulled her hand back and leaned her head back, allowing herself to relax as he began to care for her.
When he finally finished, he rested his palm lightly on her ankle. “We should head back to San Ravendale soon. It feels like the right time p>
“Yes,” she agreed.
Amelie then shifted, drawing her legs beneath her until she was kneeling in front of him. She reached out, cradled his face in both hands, and tilted it gently upward. Her lips brushed his, once, softly, then returned with certainty. Her long hair slipped forward, curtaining them both.
Gabriel’s eyes deepened to rich violet while hers shimmered a dark, fathomless blue. The second kiss came slower, but deeper. His hands slid to her back, drawing her down until she settled naturally into his lap, legs straddling his hips.
Her arms looped around his neck as the kiss stretched on. Soft, shared breaths and tiny gasps were the only sounds in the room.
After a long moment, one of Gabriel’s hands drifted forward. His palm found the gentle curve of her breast and closed tenderly over it.
Amelie moaned softly into his mouth, her fingers threading into the back of his hair, tugging gently at the strands as heat surged between them. They broke the kiss at the same moment, but the desire for each other hand outgrown.
Gabriel dipped his head as lips found the sensitive curve of her neck. He sucked lightly, then harder, drawing a sharp, involuntary gasp from her. The sound echoed louder than she intended in the quiet room. Her eyes flicked toward the crib, her heart stuttering at the thought of waking Noah, so she quickly bit down on her lower lip to stifle any more noise.
Even so, her hand stayed cradled against the back of his head, fingers stroking through his hair in silent encouragement.
“Amelie,” Gabriel breathed against her skin roughly as his mouth drifted lower to her collarbone, “we can’t stop now… Can we p>
She looked down. His gaze was already locked on hers. He grazed his teeth over the delicate ridge of bone, then nipped just sharply enough to make her gasp again, a small, helpless sound that melted into a quiet cry.
“Noah will wake,” she whispered the warning.
Gabriel paused, lips still hovering over her skin, warm breath fanning across the damp spot he’d left. For a second neither of them moved. Then he lifted his head slowly, searching her face.
“Tell me to stop,” he said quietly, “and I will p>
His hand remained curved around her breast, while his humb brushed in the slowest, softest circle. The other arm stayed firm around her waist, holding her close against him.
Amelie’s chest rose and fell unevenly. She glanced once more at the crib, then back to Gabriel. Her fingers tightened in his hair, not pulling him away, but drawing him fractionally nearer.
“Not yet,” she murmured, voice trembling just a little. “Just… quietly p>
A smile curved his mouth. He leaned in again, this time kissing her softly, once on the lips, then along her jaw as though mapping every place he could touch.
His hand slid from the soft swell of her breast, trailing down to settle at the small of her back. With a gentle but insistent pressure he drew her closer until their hips locked together even through the layers of clothing they had. Amelie let her head fall back again, baring the long line of her throat in silent invitation.
Gabriel pressed his lips to the center of it while his other hand returned to her breast, kneading gently through the thick wool of her sweater.
Then he paused.
In one smooth motion he caught the hem of her sweater and tugged it upward. Amelie lifted her arms to help; the fabric whispered over her skin and caught briefly in her hair before coming free. Her hair strands tumbled wildly around her shoulders, framing her flushed face.
She met his eyes, and her lips parted.
“You should undress too,” she whispered.
Gabriel didn’t hesitate. He shrugged out of his long coat, letting it fall to the bed. Amelie’s hands helped him pull the soft pullover over his head.
Bare-chested now, he exhaled roughly as the cool air of the room met his skin. Before he could move again, Amelie leaned in. Her lips found the side of his neck first, trailing slowly upward, then lower, to the hollow of his throat. She lingered there, inhaling the musky scent of her mate and feeling his pulse beneath her mouth.
Gabriel’s hands flexed against her waist, fingers digging in just enough to steady them both. Suddenly, he removed her camisole too, leaving her only in her bra. A low groan rumbled in his chest.
“Amelie Her name came out roughly from his mouth.
She smiled against his skin, then nipped lightly just below his jaw. His head tipped back in response, giving her more room and more of him.