Love your curves and all your edges, all your perfect imperfections (NSFW)
“Gabrielle, mia bellaza, you are a creature of poise. That is perfect. Do that.”
Well used to Marco’s ‘coaching,’ Gabrielle struck the appropriate poses. In the sheer white dress -- and no bra -- she let the ocean breeze run through her hair and ruffle the soft material fluttering around her thighs. Tipping her head back in pleasure, one hand skimmed upwards to cover a breast; the thin material of her dress did little to hide the pink peaks.
“Si, si, mia dolce, this is perfect. You are perfect.”
“Oui, Marco, you ‘ave been telling me this for years.” While she adored her work, Gabrielle couldn’t help but feel the tiniest bit guilty. While she and Neil had talked about her schedule, the fact that this particular shoot had gone back to back with a huge campaign for Rag & Bone had been unavoidable. As it was, she had been missing her boyfriend for nearly two weeks, and it didn’t sit well with her.
She missed Neil. It was as simple as that. She loved him -- though she was still unsure of his feelings regarding her -- and she wanted to spend time with him. But their respective careers were getting in the way of that.
It had taken him nearly an hour, but Neil had finally managed to convince Gabrielle’s agency to give him the address of her photoshoot. It took another fifteen to make the enormous bloke outside the roped off area that led to the water believe that he was not a stalker, and that his girlfriend really would be pleased to see him. The last bit was mainly speculation on his part, but Neil figured it was a reasonable assumption. He missed her, after all. Surely she missed him as well. At least a little.
Once Gigantor let him past, he followed the sound of an Italian-accented voice bestowing innumerable compliments on his muse. Had Neil not known the shoot was with Marco, Gabrielle’s favorite, quite gay photographer, he might have taken issue with the familiarity of his words. When he finally made his way to the oceanfront, the sight before him took his breath away.
“Stunning,” he said before his brain could kick in and tell him it might not be the best idea to disrupt the work going on.
Gabrielle’s blue eyes flew open and locked on a familiar sight, a gasp slipping from her lips. “Neil!” Ignoring Marco’s muttered oath when he realized that whatever work that might have been left to do would be postponed until tomorrow, she dashed across the sand towards her beau.
Throwing her arms around his neck, she laughed in delight when his arms circled her waist and twirled her in a circle. Pressing her face to his neck, she inhaled deeply of his clean scent; a hint of cologne with an underlying note that was unique to her boyfriend. She’d missed him. “Chéri, you did not say you were coming to Bora! When did you arrive?”
Holding his girlfriend tightly, Neil nuzzled her hair. It was nice to have her back in his arms, even if he knew Marco was surely giving him the evil eye for disrupting their work. “I got in about two hours ago. You’re a difficult woman to track down, Mademoiselle Delacour.” He pulled back slightly, aiming a crooked grin at the lovely woman he’d come to see. “I haven’t made hotel arrangement. I do hope you’ve room for me in yours.”
A coy smile tugged at her lips, and she walked two fingers lightly up his chest. Her eyes twinkled with mirth, head cocked coquettishly. “I am thinking there is space for you in ze bungalow, per’aps. Eef you make it worth my while, bien sür.”
An annoyed -- albeit good-natured -- snort sounded behind them as Marco started breaking down his equipment. “I am sure your giovane amante will be making it worth your while. Make sure and cast the silence charm, no? I am not wanting to be kept up all the hours by you screaming in pleasure.”
Turning in Neil’s arms, Gabrielle flashed Marco a smug smile. “Someone ees sounding a bit jealous, non?”
“Ah, mia bellazza, you have me there.” The photographer shot them an appraising look, not bothering to hide the way he looked Neil up and down slowly. “I am jealous you have such a beautiful man warming your bed.” His lips curled. “Are you sure you are not wishing to share him?”
Gabrielle merely raised an eyebrow. “What do you think?”
Marco sighed and threw his hands in the air. “You cannot blame a man for trying, no? But go, go and have the sex and be in love and whatnot, you cruel creature. I cannot work with you in these… amorous conditions.”
“Ignore ‘im, ma cher,” Gabrielle murmured in Neil’s ear, breath tickling the lobe. “We were nearly finished before you arrived, and ‘e ees making ze fuss for nothing.”
The truth was, Neil wouldn’t have felt too badly for the interruption even if they’d only just begun, but that would be rude to announce aloud. “Well, I am grateful for the permission to whisk you away,” he said with a wink in Marco’s direction. “I am rather looking forward to having the sex and whatnot.”
Being shared with a man - or a woman, really, but especially with a man - was not something Neil would ever agree to, and not that he expected otherwise, but he was glad Gabrielle was disinclined toward that sort of arrangement too.
Her hand slipped into his, and Gabrielle pulled out of his arms to tug him down towards the beach. “Come come, I am ‘aving a villa down ze beach. Eet ees needing ze touch of a man.”
“Ten o’clock, Gabriella!” Marco called after them.
She waved a hand over her shoulder in acknowledgement. “Au revoir, Marco!”
“It is, or you are?” he teased, leaning close to nip at her ear. Despite his taunt, Neil was eager enough to follow his girlfriend along the beach and gave a backward wave to the disgruntled photographer. “I promise to have her in bed at a reasonable hour, Marco!”
“That was never in doubt, signore!”
Gabrielle laughed and reached up to cup his cheek, drawing his lips to hers for a quick kiss. It’d only been two weeks, but it felt like so much longer since she’d been with Neil. It hurt when she was away from him.
And having him here, with her, soothed that pain.
Rag and Bone had graciously put the models and shoot staff up at the St. Regis, one of the most beautiful places Gabrielle had stayed in while on the job. With lines of little huts jutting out over the turquoise waters, it looked like something out of fantasy. The sun was sitting low on the horizon by the time she tugged him into the small quarters assigned to her, the well-worn wood warm beneath her bare feet.
Neil took in the sumptuous decor in the little villa - colorful fabrics against dark wood, wood floors interspersed with occasional squares of glass that looked down to the clear water below. “They pay you to stay in places like this?” he queried with a grin. “I should really come visit you more often when you’re away for work.”
Spinning around on bare feet to face him, Gabrielle’s lips curled. She reached out for him, fingers curling in the belt loops of his slacks and tugging him towards her.
“You would not be ‘ear me complain, eef you did,” she murmured softly, brushing her lips over his stubbled jaw. The thin dress she wore did little to hide the way her body was already responding to his presence -- just being in the same room with Neil made her blood run hot and her body react. She rubbed against him as one hand slid around to cup his arse and pull him tight against her.
The eager welcome had a soft chuckle rising in his throat. Gabrielle was not shy about her desires. There was no ambiguity - his girlfriend wanted what she wanted, and at the moment, it seemed she wanted him. Neil could find no flaw in that plan.
Wrapping his arms around her middle, he lifted her from her feet and grinned as her legs automatically surrounded his waist. He took a few steps, pressing Gabrielle’s back against the wall and fitting himself firmly against her. As his lips found her neck, Neil murmured, “I hate being away from you. You’re the sun in my days.”
She hummed softly and ran her fingers through his dark hair, blue eyes sliding shut in contentment. “I was not knowing you were such a poet, mon coeur. Does Bali bring eet out in you, per’aps?”
“I think it has more to due with the company, although Bali is certainly a beautiful and inspiring little island,” he said between nibbles. His body ached for her as he rolled his hips against her, mentally cursing the layers of fabric between them. One hand rose to cup a pert breast, kneading gently. “But you’re better.”
Not for the first time did Gabrielle recall how much she loathed being apart from Neil. Even though she wore nothing but a flimsy excuse for a dress and knickers, it still felt like layers upon layers of thick, unforgiving clothes, keeping her parted from his touch. She reached up and covered his hand with one of her own, pulling his grasp firmer.
She moaned and let her head fall forward, brushing her lips over the closest thing to her -- his temple. Tu m'as manqué," she breathed.
Neil’s lips curled and his bit gently at the curve of her shoulder. “I’ve missed you too, love.”
He let her back down to her feet slowly, trying to convince himself that wall sex was not the most romantic reunion. Taking Gabrielle’s hand, he led her to the bedroom. Lifting the gauze-y dress over her head, he said, “I plan on making up for lost time. I hope you don’t mind.”
Blue eyes flashed up at him, lips slowly curling in an alluring smile; one that hinted at amusement, but the heat in her gaze spoke of underlying want. “I am thinking I would mind more,” she said, reaching for the top button of his shirt. One by one, her fingers slowly flicked them open until she could reach inside and splay her hands over his -- sadly, still clothed -- chest. “Eef that was not your plan.”
“I’m glad to know we’re on the same page.” When she’d reached the last of his buttons, Neil shrugged off his shirt, then tugged the undershirt over his head. Pulling Gabrielle close, he wrapped his arms around her, relishing the feeling of her skin against his. It had been too long since he’d touched her this way.
Standing as they were in their bare feet, there was practically no difference in height between them. Gabrielle wanted to feel his entire body, bare and pressed against hers, but she was momentarily content in his arms. Their noses brushed playfully; each breathing in the other.
This was the man she loved. She’d never felt this strongly about any other person in her life, and it terrified her. Especially given that he’d never responded in kind.
Soft kisses were dotted across Gabrielle’s neck and shoulder as Neil’s hands smoothed down her back. His fingers slipped beneath the band of her knickers, pulling them lower as he cupped her bum. A little shimmy of her hips had them dropping to the floor, and a predatory smile curled Neil’s lips. “Are you excited, love?”
Her own lips curled in response, and her heavy-lidded gaze was dark with want. “I am naked and in your arms, mon coeur. I would think eet obvious.”
Leaning in, her lips against his ear, she whispered, “But are you excited?” One hand slipped between their bodies to cup him though his trousers. Long fingers stroked, teasing him into full hardness, and Gabrielle caught his lobe between her teeth and tugged. “Per’aps, non?”
“What man wouldn’t be excited to be with the woman he loved?” he asked in return. Neil saw the surprise flit across her face, the quick glance at his expression to reassure herself that he was sincere. He understood the reaction; it had taken him a long time to be certain of his feelings, and even longer to be ready to share them. The extended absence from his girlfriend had cemented things in his mind though. Gabrielle was who he wanted, always. It was time she knew that. “The woman he hopes will marry him…”
Gabrielle stilled, her hand falling from his erection to lay flat at her side. Her eyes were wide as they looked at him, slightly rounded in shock. “Quoi?” she whispered on a breath. His words were like a fog in her head; she wasn’t sure if he’d actually spoken them, or if she’d merely imagined him saying what she’d hoped he would for so long.
Neil grinned at the wide-eyed looked she had. Maybe his timing wasn’t perfect, but as long as she agreed to his plan, he could live with that flaw. Taking her hands in his, he repeated, “I said, I hope you’ll marry me.”
Her heart was beating rapidly in her chest. It was a thundering sound, one that threatened to block out everything else. All she could focus on was Neil and what he’d said -- “I hope you’ll marry me.”
“I…” she started, suddenly short of breath. “I…” Gabrielle shook her head and blinked, pushing back the tears that threatened. “You must do this properly, or I will not ‘ave an answer for you.”
With a nod, Neil handed the filmy dress back to his lover. “Alright. You put that on while I go get something from my bag.” Turning, he went back to the front room where he’d left his small duffel. He dug through it quickly, pulling out a small box and removing the ring inside. The box was tossed back into the bag, and Neil returned to the bedroom where Gabrielle was still looking like she was about to cry. He really hoped it wasn’t because he’d botched the proposal.
He lowered himself to one knee before her, marveling at the way she towered above him. Taking her hand, he slid the pink-stoned ring onto her third finger. “Gabrielle Delacour, I love you and I want you in my life for as long as I live it. Will you marry me?”
“Oui. Yes,” she whispered, her breath shaky on the exhale. Tears that had threatened now trickled down her cheeks when he pushed the ring onto her finger. “I want to be your wife, Neil. Je t’adore, toujours.”
“Brilliant.” Neil rose to his feet and gathered his new fiancée close, nuzzling her neck before kissing her deeply. “Can I make love to you now?”
Gabrielle twined her arms around his neck, the salt of her tears mingling with the sweetness of his kiss. This was real. Neil was here. She was wearing his ring on her finger, and she would be his wife. Neil loved her. After months of worrying that he didn’t feel the same way, even if the sensible part of her mind knew he did, she finally knew. “I want nothing more than that,” she whispered against his lips. "J'ai envie de toi."
The proper part was done, and Neil whisked the dress back off of the woman he loved, tossing it aside. Gabrielle’s hands were at his belt the moment they were free and together they pushed his trouser and pants down. Later, when the urgency was not pressing quite so hard, he would savor every inch of her, but just this moment he wanted to seal their promise and claim her as his own.
Lifting her in his arms, he laid her down on the plush duvet, covering her body with his an instant later. They’d always fit together perfectly, and Gabrielle’s long legs encircled him automatically as he fit himself at her entrance. “Je t'aime,” he whispered as he finally filled her. Merlin, it had been too long.
“I love you,” she breathed, closing the space between their lips to kiss him. He moved slowly within her, the both of them savoring their reunion -- a reunion of bodies and hearts. It thrilled her more than words could say that this was her future. No matter what, she wasn’t alone.
His fingers were restless as they moved together, caressing down her side to cup her arse before gripping her thigh and shifting the angle of their joining so he could fill her more deeply. She was perfect, and she was his, forever. The thought thrilled him, and Neil sped his movements, relishing the heat of her as he strived to bring her to her peak.
“Neil.” Gabrielle gasped his name, her head falling back as his hands moved her hips to a different position. Every stroke hit that spot deep inside of her. Her nails dug into his back, leaving little half-moon indentions in his skin as she moaned her pleasure for his ears.
Gentle, nibbling kisses trailed down her neck and shoulder, and then Neil moved lower to capture one of the rosy peaks he knew so well. He sucked lightly, laving the taut bud with loving tenderness. Gabrielle’s soft moans resonated through him. He wanted more of them.
As his lips, teeth, and tongue suckled at her breast, Gabrielle’s cries rose in volume. Her own hands were everywhere she could reach; running over his back, fisting in his dark curls, grasping at his biceps. All the while, his hips continued to pump against hers, and her cries transitioned from wanton moans to a needy keening sound.
She was nearly there. Neil knew the telltale signs that Gabrielle was fast approaching the breaking point of bliss. His hand slipped between them, teasing the sensitive button between her folds. As he continued to move within her with strong, determined thrusts, he brought his lips to hers, drinking her in as if he’d been dying of thirst.
Grasping to him, Gabrielle couldn’t do anything but hold onto him and call his name as she climaxed; her body spasmed around him, back arching as she fell over that precipice. She gripped at him, wanting to share in the pleasure. “Come with me, Neil,” she murmured, sliding her hand up his back.
There was no way he could deny that request. Neil let her release, the clench of her muscles around him, pull his own climax forth. With a deep groan of satisfaction, he spilled inside her lovely body, bracing himself above her as they both caught their breath.
That would not do. Hands urging him against her, Gabrielle pulled him closer until he was lying atop her. She wanted his weight against her, to savor every inch of hard muscle as it pressed against her curves. She wanted him -- everything.
Dusting kisses across her lips and neck, Neil rested atop her until her grip eased, and then he rolled to his back, keeping Gabrielle with him as he did. Their bodies were still joined, and he enjoyed the warm of her even though the need he’d felt was temporarily sated. “We have a lot to do when you get home, love. I want you coming home to me every night as quickly as we can make arrangements.”
She hummed in agreement. “I cannot wait to plan all of the things with you, ma chèr. I am glad I will ‘ave Maman and Fleur to ‘elp, because I ‘ave not many girlfriends who ‘ave done this sort of thing before.” Gabrielle had only been eleven when Fleur had wed Bill, and the nuances of planning a wedding had been above her head at the time.
Propping her chin on his shoulder, she looked up at him through her blonde lashes. “When should we ‘ave eet? The wedding?”
“Whenever you like. As soon as we can,” Neil returned, petting her blonde hair softly. “How long do you think it’ll take to plan? A few months? Maybe by September?”
Gabrielle thought for a moment, unconsciously humming as she did. “Oui.” She nodded and smiled, trailing a hand up his side. “By the first, I theenk. At Gavoy?”
Feeling quite content with the woman in his arms and the plans they’d made today, Neil allowed a mischievous grin to break across his face. He rolled them again, rolling his hips to let her feel the awakening desire she inspired. “It’s a date.”
Well used to Marco’s ‘coaching,’ Gabrielle struck the appropriate poses. In the sheer white dress -- and no bra -- she let the ocean breeze run through her hair and ruffle the soft material fluttering around her thighs. Tipping her head back in pleasure, one hand skimmed upwards to cover a breast; the thin material of her dress did little to hide the pink peaks.
“Si, si, mia dolce, this is perfect. You are perfect.”
“Oui, Marco, you ‘ave been telling me this for years.” While she adored her work, Gabrielle couldn’t help but feel the tiniest bit guilty. While she and Neil had talked about her schedule, the fact that this particular shoot had gone back to back with a huge campaign for Rag & Bone had been unavoidable. As it was, she had been missing her boyfriend for nearly two weeks, and it didn’t sit well with her.
She missed Neil. It was as simple as that. She loved him -- though she was still unsure of his feelings regarding her -- and she wanted to spend time with him. But their respective careers were getting in the way of that.
It had taken him nearly an hour, but Neil had finally managed to convince Gabrielle’s agency to give him the address of her photoshoot. It took another fifteen to make the enormous bloke outside the roped off area that led to the water believe that he was not a stalker, and that his girlfriend really would be pleased to see him. The last bit was mainly speculation on his part, but Neil figured it was a reasonable assumption. He missed her, after all. Surely she missed him as well. At least a little.
Once Gigantor let him past, he followed the sound of an Italian-accented voice bestowing innumerable compliments on his muse. Had Neil not known the shoot was with Marco, Gabrielle’s favorite, quite gay photographer, he might have taken issue with the familiarity of his words. When he finally made his way to the oceanfront, the sight before him took his breath away.
“Stunning,” he said before his brain could kick in and tell him it might not be the best idea to disrupt the work going on.
Gabrielle’s blue eyes flew open and locked on a familiar sight, a gasp slipping from her lips. “Neil!” Ignoring Marco’s muttered oath when he realized that whatever work that might have been left to do would be postponed until tomorrow, she dashed across the sand towards her beau.
Throwing her arms around his neck, she laughed in delight when his arms circled her waist and twirled her in a circle. Pressing her face to his neck, she inhaled deeply of his clean scent; a hint of cologne with an underlying note that was unique to her boyfriend. She’d missed him. “Chéri, you did not say you were coming to Bora! When did you arrive?”
Holding his girlfriend tightly, Neil nuzzled her hair. It was nice to have her back in his arms, even if he knew Marco was surely giving him the evil eye for disrupting their work. “I got in about two hours ago. You’re a difficult woman to track down, Mademoiselle Delacour.” He pulled back slightly, aiming a crooked grin at the lovely woman he’d come to see. “I haven’t made hotel arrangement. I do hope you’ve room for me in yours.”
A coy smile tugged at her lips, and she walked two fingers lightly up his chest. Her eyes twinkled with mirth, head cocked coquettishly. “I am thinking there is space for you in ze bungalow, per’aps. Eef you make it worth my while, bien sür.”
An annoyed -- albeit good-natured -- snort sounded behind them as Marco started breaking down his equipment. “I am sure your giovane amante will be making it worth your while. Make sure and cast the silence charm, no? I am not wanting to be kept up all the hours by you screaming in pleasure.”
Turning in Neil’s arms, Gabrielle flashed Marco a smug smile. “Someone ees sounding a bit jealous, non?”
“Ah, mia bellazza, you have me there.” The photographer shot them an appraising look, not bothering to hide the way he looked Neil up and down slowly. “I am jealous you have such a beautiful man warming your bed.” His lips curled. “Are you sure you are not wishing to share him?”
Gabrielle merely raised an eyebrow. “What do you think?”
Marco sighed and threw his hands in the air. “You cannot blame a man for trying, no? But go, go and have the sex and be in love and whatnot, you cruel creature. I cannot work with you in these… amorous conditions.”
“Ignore ‘im, ma cher,” Gabrielle murmured in Neil’s ear, breath tickling the lobe. “We were nearly finished before you arrived, and ‘e ees making ze fuss for nothing.”
The truth was, Neil wouldn’t have felt too badly for the interruption even if they’d only just begun, but that would be rude to announce aloud. “Well, I am grateful for the permission to whisk you away,” he said with a wink in Marco’s direction. “I am rather looking forward to having the sex and whatnot.”
Being shared with a man - or a woman, really, but especially with a man - was not something Neil would ever agree to, and not that he expected otherwise, but he was glad Gabrielle was disinclined toward that sort of arrangement too.
Her hand slipped into his, and Gabrielle pulled out of his arms to tug him down towards the beach. “Come come, I am ‘aving a villa down ze beach. Eet ees needing ze touch of a man.”
“Ten o’clock, Gabriella!” Marco called after them.
She waved a hand over her shoulder in acknowledgement. “Au revoir, Marco!”
“It is, or you are?” he teased, leaning close to nip at her ear. Despite his taunt, Neil was eager enough to follow his girlfriend along the beach and gave a backward wave to the disgruntled photographer. “I promise to have her in bed at a reasonable hour, Marco!”
“That was never in doubt, signore!”
Gabrielle laughed and reached up to cup his cheek, drawing his lips to hers for a quick kiss. It’d only been two weeks, but it felt like so much longer since she’d been with Neil. It hurt when she was away from him.
And having him here, with her, soothed that pain.
Rag and Bone had graciously put the models and shoot staff up at the St. Regis, one of the most beautiful places Gabrielle had stayed in while on the job. With lines of little huts jutting out over the turquoise waters, it looked like something out of fantasy. The sun was sitting low on the horizon by the time she tugged him into the small quarters assigned to her, the well-worn wood warm beneath her bare feet.
Neil took in the sumptuous decor in the little villa - colorful fabrics against dark wood, wood floors interspersed with occasional squares of glass that looked down to the clear water below. “They pay you to stay in places like this?” he queried with a grin. “I should really come visit you more often when you’re away for work.”
Spinning around on bare feet to face him, Gabrielle’s lips curled. She reached out for him, fingers curling in the belt loops of his slacks and tugging him towards her.
“You would not be ‘ear me complain, eef you did,” she murmured softly, brushing her lips over his stubbled jaw. The thin dress she wore did little to hide the way her body was already responding to his presence -- just being in the same room with Neil made her blood run hot and her body react. She rubbed against him as one hand slid around to cup his arse and pull him tight against her.
The eager welcome had a soft chuckle rising in his throat. Gabrielle was not shy about her desires. There was no ambiguity - his girlfriend wanted what she wanted, and at the moment, it seemed she wanted him. Neil could find no flaw in that plan.
Wrapping his arms around her middle, he lifted her from her feet and grinned as her legs automatically surrounded his waist. He took a few steps, pressing Gabrielle’s back against the wall and fitting himself firmly against her. As his lips found her neck, Neil murmured, “I hate being away from you. You’re the sun in my days.”
She hummed softly and ran her fingers through his dark hair, blue eyes sliding shut in contentment. “I was not knowing you were such a poet, mon coeur. Does Bali bring eet out in you, per’aps?”
“I think it has more to due with the company, although Bali is certainly a beautiful and inspiring little island,” he said between nibbles. His body ached for her as he rolled his hips against her, mentally cursing the layers of fabric between them. One hand rose to cup a pert breast, kneading gently. “But you’re better.”
Not for the first time did Gabrielle recall how much she loathed being apart from Neil. Even though she wore nothing but a flimsy excuse for a dress and knickers, it still felt like layers upon layers of thick, unforgiving clothes, keeping her parted from his touch. She reached up and covered his hand with one of her own, pulling his grasp firmer.
She moaned and let her head fall forward, brushing her lips over the closest thing to her -- his temple. Tu m'as manqué," she breathed.
Neil’s lips curled and his bit gently at the curve of her shoulder. “I’ve missed you too, love.”
He let her back down to her feet slowly, trying to convince himself that wall sex was not the most romantic reunion. Taking Gabrielle’s hand, he led her to the bedroom. Lifting the gauze-y dress over her head, he said, “I plan on making up for lost time. I hope you don’t mind.”
Blue eyes flashed up at him, lips slowly curling in an alluring smile; one that hinted at amusement, but the heat in her gaze spoke of underlying want. “I am thinking I would mind more,” she said, reaching for the top button of his shirt. One by one, her fingers slowly flicked them open until she could reach inside and splay her hands over his -- sadly, still clothed -- chest. “Eef that was not your plan.”
“I’m glad to know we’re on the same page.” When she’d reached the last of his buttons, Neil shrugged off his shirt, then tugged the undershirt over his head. Pulling Gabrielle close, he wrapped his arms around her, relishing the feeling of her skin against his. It had been too long since he’d touched her this way.
Standing as they were in their bare feet, there was practically no difference in height between them. Gabrielle wanted to feel his entire body, bare and pressed against hers, but she was momentarily content in his arms. Their noses brushed playfully; each breathing in the other.
This was the man she loved. She’d never felt this strongly about any other person in her life, and it terrified her. Especially given that he’d never responded in kind.
Soft kisses were dotted across Gabrielle’s neck and shoulder as Neil’s hands smoothed down her back. His fingers slipped beneath the band of her knickers, pulling them lower as he cupped her bum. A little shimmy of her hips had them dropping to the floor, and a predatory smile curled Neil’s lips. “Are you excited, love?”
Her own lips curled in response, and her heavy-lidded gaze was dark with want. “I am naked and in your arms, mon coeur. I would think eet obvious.”
Leaning in, her lips against his ear, she whispered, “But are you excited?” One hand slipped between their bodies to cup him though his trousers. Long fingers stroked, teasing him into full hardness, and Gabrielle caught his lobe between her teeth and tugged. “Per’aps, non?”
“What man wouldn’t be excited to be with the woman he loved?” he asked in return. Neil saw the surprise flit across her face, the quick glance at his expression to reassure herself that he was sincere. He understood the reaction; it had taken him a long time to be certain of his feelings, and even longer to be ready to share them. The extended absence from his girlfriend had cemented things in his mind though. Gabrielle was who he wanted, always. It was time she knew that. “The woman he hopes will marry him…”
Gabrielle stilled, her hand falling from his erection to lay flat at her side. Her eyes were wide as they looked at him, slightly rounded in shock. “Quoi?” she whispered on a breath. His words were like a fog in her head; she wasn’t sure if he’d actually spoken them, or if she’d merely imagined him saying what she’d hoped he would for so long.
Neil grinned at the wide-eyed looked she had. Maybe his timing wasn’t perfect, but as long as she agreed to his plan, he could live with that flaw. Taking her hands in his, he repeated, “I said, I hope you’ll marry me.”
Her heart was beating rapidly in her chest. It was a thundering sound, one that threatened to block out everything else. All she could focus on was Neil and what he’d said -- “I hope you’ll marry me.”
“I…” she started, suddenly short of breath. “I…” Gabrielle shook her head and blinked, pushing back the tears that threatened. “You must do this properly, or I will not ‘ave an answer for you.”
With a nod, Neil handed the filmy dress back to his lover. “Alright. You put that on while I go get something from my bag.” Turning, he went back to the front room where he’d left his small duffel. He dug through it quickly, pulling out a small box and removing the ring inside. The box was tossed back into the bag, and Neil returned to the bedroom where Gabrielle was still looking like she was about to cry. He really hoped it wasn’t because he’d botched the proposal.
He lowered himself to one knee before her, marveling at the way she towered above him. Taking her hand, he slid the pink-stoned ring onto her third finger. “Gabrielle Delacour, I love you and I want you in my life for as long as I live it. Will you marry me?”
“Oui. Yes,” she whispered, her breath shaky on the exhale. Tears that had threatened now trickled down her cheeks when he pushed the ring onto her finger. “I want to be your wife, Neil. Je t’adore, toujours.”
“Brilliant.” Neil rose to his feet and gathered his new fiancée close, nuzzling her neck before kissing her deeply. “Can I make love to you now?”
Gabrielle twined her arms around his neck, the salt of her tears mingling with the sweetness of his kiss. This was real. Neil was here. She was wearing his ring on her finger, and she would be his wife. Neil loved her. After months of worrying that he didn’t feel the same way, even if the sensible part of her mind knew he did, she finally knew. “I want nothing more than that,” she whispered against his lips. "J'ai envie de toi."
The proper part was done, and Neil whisked the dress back off of the woman he loved, tossing it aside. Gabrielle’s hands were at his belt the moment they were free and together they pushed his trouser and pants down. Later, when the urgency was not pressing quite so hard, he would savor every inch of her, but just this moment he wanted to seal their promise and claim her as his own.
Lifting her in his arms, he laid her down on the plush duvet, covering her body with his an instant later. They’d always fit together perfectly, and Gabrielle’s long legs encircled him automatically as he fit himself at her entrance. “Je t'aime,” he whispered as he finally filled her. Merlin, it had been too long.
“I love you,” she breathed, closing the space between their lips to kiss him. He moved slowly within her, the both of them savoring their reunion -- a reunion of bodies and hearts. It thrilled her more than words could say that this was her future. No matter what, she wasn’t alone.
His fingers were restless as they moved together, caressing down her side to cup her arse before gripping her thigh and shifting the angle of their joining so he could fill her more deeply. She was perfect, and she was his, forever. The thought thrilled him, and Neil sped his movements, relishing the heat of her as he strived to bring her to her peak.
“Neil.” Gabrielle gasped his name, her head falling back as his hands moved her hips to a different position. Every stroke hit that spot deep inside of her. Her nails dug into his back, leaving little half-moon indentions in his skin as she moaned her pleasure for his ears.
Gentle, nibbling kisses trailed down her neck and shoulder, and then Neil moved lower to capture one of the rosy peaks he knew so well. He sucked lightly, laving the taut bud with loving tenderness. Gabrielle’s soft moans resonated through him. He wanted more of them.
As his lips, teeth, and tongue suckled at her breast, Gabrielle’s cries rose in volume. Her own hands were everywhere she could reach; running over his back, fisting in his dark curls, grasping at his biceps. All the while, his hips continued to pump against hers, and her cries transitioned from wanton moans to a needy keening sound.
She was nearly there. Neil knew the telltale signs that Gabrielle was fast approaching the breaking point of bliss. His hand slipped between them, teasing the sensitive button between her folds. As he continued to move within her with strong, determined thrusts, he brought his lips to hers, drinking her in as if he’d been dying of thirst.
Grasping to him, Gabrielle couldn’t do anything but hold onto him and call his name as she climaxed; her body spasmed around him, back arching as she fell over that precipice. She gripped at him, wanting to share in the pleasure. “Come with me, Neil,” she murmured, sliding her hand up his back.
There was no way he could deny that request. Neil let her release, the clench of her muscles around him, pull his own climax forth. With a deep groan of satisfaction, he spilled inside her lovely body, bracing himself above her as they both caught their breath.
That would not do. Hands urging him against her, Gabrielle pulled him closer until he was lying atop her. She wanted his weight against her, to savor every inch of hard muscle as it pressed against her curves. She wanted him -- everything.
Dusting kisses across her lips and neck, Neil rested atop her until her grip eased, and then he rolled to his back, keeping Gabrielle with him as he did. Their bodies were still joined, and he enjoyed the warm of her even though the need he’d felt was temporarily sated. “We have a lot to do when you get home, love. I want you coming home to me every night as quickly as we can make arrangements.”
She hummed in agreement. “I cannot wait to plan all of the things with you, ma chèr. I am glad I will ‘ave Maman and Fleur to ‘elp, because I ‘ave not many girlfriends who ‘ave done this sort of thing before.” Gabrielle had only been eleven when Fleur had wed Bill, and the nuances of planning a wedding had been above her head at the time.
Propping her chin on his shoulder, she looked up at him through her blonde lashes. “When should we ‘ave eet? The wedding?”
“Whenever you like. As soon as we can,” Neil returned, petting her blonde hair softly. “How long do you think it’ll take to plan? A few months? Maybe by September?”
Gabrielle thought for a moment, unconsciously humming as she did. “Oui.” She nodded and smiled, trailing a hand up his side. “By the first, I theenk. At Gavoy?”
Feeling quite content with the woman in his arms and the plans they’d made today, Neil allowed a mischievous grin to break across his face. He rolled them again, rolling his hips to let her feel the awakening desire she inspired. “It’s a date.”