A Journey of Passion Ch. 04

"I can almost feel the way your thumbs would trace my spine. Your fingers easing down my sides and finding the curve of my breasts would feel so sensuous."

"Yes," he whispered, "caressing your skin as I pulled you closer to kiss you."

"Soft slow kisses, your lips burning mine, our tongues mating and dancing ..."

"Gabriela, yes, so slow but building until you crawled all over me."

"Did I slide my tongue down your body, Seth?"

His heavy breathing and groans told her all she needed to know. Gabriela ran her fingers over her own tight nipples and moaned.

"God yes, you did. Your sweet mouth ravished me in ways no one ever has before. I wish you knew the effect you have on me."

"Are you hard, throbbing, aching and drooling? Can you feel the tension in your body? Is your heart racing?"

"That and more," he said between ragged breaths.

"I like that, Seth, knowing what I do to you. You make me feel like that, too."

Seth tried to slow down but he only wanted to sink inside her center. All his life he'd been in control and here he was falling apart. He loved it.

Much later Seth looked down at his sticky hand and let out a growl. The only thing on his mind when they hung up was that he was calling her again the following evening. His body hardened, making sleep almost impossible.

****

The next morning he flipped through his mental calendar to see if he could swing a few days away. Gabriela worked part-time and he knew she wasn't opposed to having him come up to see her. They'd talked about it a few times but nothing was ever set. Now he knew it was time to change that. A quick call to his travel agent had him booked on a flight the following weekend. Seth hung up and dialed Gabriela to tell her next. Her machine answered on the second ring.

"Hi honey, it's me. I'll call later."

Seth didn't want to give his surprise to her over the machine. He sat in the chair and waited until he thought she'd be home. His own phone ringing caught him working on some contracts an hour later. The 'other' job needed him. A special team he worked with was following up on the kidnapping of a senator and his wife overseas. Rescue plans were already in place. They expected Seth to be with his team in less than twenty-four hours

He swore when he hung up. Seth knew the possibility was always there for this to happen but the timing was so wrong. The clock showed ten thirty when he tried Gabriela again.

"Hello."

"Gabriela, honey."

"Seth, I just got in from dinner with Nicole. We went to a movie and stopped for coffee. There's this new place —"

"Baby, listen, I don't have time to talk right now. I have to go away for a while."

Seth cut in but stopped short of saying where he was going.

"What's wrong?"

"I shouldn't be gone too long. If I can get to a computer, I will. Just don't worry if you don't hear from me for a while," he said.

"This sounds dangerous, Seth. Are you in trouble?"

"No, I'm not and I'll be fine. There are just things I can't say right now."

Gabriela sensed the importance and secrecy in what he implied and kept quiet. She'd already learned enough to know he had another position that required confidentiality.

"Gabriela, I want you to know that you're very important to me. When I get back, I hope we can continue."

"Seth, be safe. I'll be here waiting for you so we can explore further."

He hung up minutes later with her voice still in his head. He needed to get this assignment over so he could see her in person. The timing was horrid but it was his duty, he reminded himself as he grabbed his duffel bags and jogged out to the garage. He'd be back soon, he promised her as he drove to the meeting place where the rest of the team waited.

****

Gabriela held her tears until they'd hung up. She tried to make sense of her feelings for this man she'd never even met in person. From the very first e-mail, she'd sensed he was special. Nothing she'd discovered had changed her mind. Now he was going into what she read as a dangerous situation. His promise that he'd return ran through her head to give her strength. She would wait. However long it took.