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Ria listened to him attentively and then seemed to come to a decision "I’m sorry if this seems abrupt, but are you htly on his scotch and needed a moment before he could respond "Excuse me?" he finally said in a cool tone

She flushed, but her eyes were steady as she , but I know er, or they take them off, and it’s not a reliable indicator So that’s why I asked"

"No, I’o," he said, feeling the faht of Elle He had finally taken his wedding band off on the third anniversary of her death and his hand still felt naked

"Oh, I’m so sorry! That was so clumsy of me It’s just…I feel like so many men lie about their marital status, and I just wanted to be sure" She bit her lip and looked distraught

Gabriel arched a brow "Tell me, how do you know I didn’t just lie to you?"

He had to ad hi mix of boldness and shyness She obviously preferred the direct approach, but at the same time he had the distinct i to him and it wasn’t just to flirt--of which she had actually done very little She had been sincere in her praise of his skill with the piano and there was nothing seductive about her manner

She wasn’t the first female to approach him by any means, but she was the first one he was actually interested in

She grinned "I know it seeood nose for lies Put it down toraised by nuns"

"You were raised by nuns?" he asked, fascinated

Perhaps that accounted for how different she seeirls He was entranced with how expressive her face was He could read every emotion on her face as it flitted by He absently wondered what passion would look like on her

She nodded "Yes, ht so I spent a few years in a Catholic orphanage before being placed in foster homes"

She said it all matter-of-factly, without a hint of self-pity, but he still felt a wave of co it

"No, it’s all right It was a long tiavethe side of her nose

"So why did you want to know," he asked lightly, taking another sip of his scotch

"Well, this is rather aard, but I want to know if you’d like to sleep with ht, Gabriel nearly choked on his drink When he finally gained enough control to look at her, Ria was biting her lip, anxiety all over her face

"Why?" he finally asked, careful to keep his voice neutral He really was curious about how she would answer

She seemed to realize how important her ansas to hiest reason is that I’m very attracted to you, and I want to have sex with you"

A blush rose in her cheeks at her bluntness, but her blue eyes ain by their sheer beauty and clarity He felt as if he could see her soul in her eyes

He nodded thoughtfully He could finally admit to himself that he found her extremely attractive, and had froht hair and gorgeous eyes, the rosy flush on her creamy skin, the pink fullness of her ant neck and drop to the round, teain, now darkened with sexual awareness

A fierce wave of lust swept through hith He welcomed it--welcoh his veins, his pulse pounding swiftly with hot anticipation It had been so long…

"Yes," he said

THE TRIP UP TO HIS room was silent and quick They didn’t touch in the elevator, but the tension was thick between theht after opening the door

After aaround It was actually a suite, and the bedroolanced through it at the bed and quickly turned her attention to the sitting room instead

"The view fro up here! Oh yes, there’s the Charles River and I can see Ca the viehile you’re here And this is a really nice room, I’m really impressed with how nicely it’s furnished, it doesn’t seem like a hotel at all, more like soer on her lips and she instantly quieted "Ria, I know you’re nervous We don’t have to do this--if you’ve change your mind, I won’t be upset"

Ria looked up at him, her eyes unreadable, but he could see so in the, she parted her lips and sucked his finger into her asped at the bolt of lust that shot through hi and rising as she sucked steadily Slowly, he thrust his finger back and forth, feeling it enclosed snugly in her hot, armth

He finally drew it out of her er to his own lips Holding her gaze captive, he sucked her flavor off his finger She was so sweet, yet there was an underlying musky spice to her taste and he kneanted littering with desire, and her chest was rising and falling rapidly Slowly, giving her time to resist and pull away, he stepped close to her until they were nearly touching He gently tilted her chin up and holding her gaze, he brought his mouth to hers At the last moment before their lips touched her eyes fluttered shut with a soft sigh