Crossing the floor, Serenity opened the door to a charming balcony overlooking the creek and surrounded by lush gardens. Gabriel stood behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. “This is beautiful, Gabriel. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

She turned in his arms and came up on tiptoe to kiss him. His tongue charged into her mouth, kissing her with a potency that weakened her knees. She slid her arms around his neck and held him in place as his hands moved slowly up and down her back, caressing and teasing. His lips left her mouth and skated along her jaw before claiming her mouth again. “Gabriel?”

“Hmm,” he said, still trailing kisses along her shoulder while his hands caressed her breasts.

“We don’t need two rooms.”

Gabriel’s head came up sharply. “Are you sure? I don’t want you to feel—”

Smiling, Serenity placed a finger on his lips. “I’m very sure. After you cancel the other room, I want you to make love to me.” He’d left it up to her to make the next move, and she was ready. She wanted this night with him, to have the memory once he went back to Atlanta. And she’d gladly pay the cancellation costs.

Without a word, he walked over to the desk, picked up the phone, and made the call. Gabriel faced her and slowly crossed the room to where Serenity stood. “Are you sure?”

Serenity nodded and was, once again, swept away. His hands roamed down her back and settled on her hips briefly before moving around to cup her buttocks. She moaned, slid her arms around his neck, and drew him closer. He gripped her tighter and pulled her flush against his erection, turning her legs to jelly. She felt the slide of the zipper on her dress, then the warmth of his strong hands on her bare skin. He pushed the dress off her shoulders, let it drop to the floor, and then charted a path of butterfly kisses along the column of her neck and over her shoulder. She could do nothing but stand there and feel. He gently turned her around and trailed his tongue down the center of her spine while his hands caressed her breasts. Her breaths came in short gasps, and her knees buckled. “Gabriel,” she pleaded.

“I love kissing you, touching you. Your skin is so soft.” He spun her around and captured her mouth again in a hungry kiss while he unhooked her bra and dragged the straps down, freeing her breasts. He circled his tongue around a taut nipple and drew it into his mouth, then lavished the same on its twin.