Her Perfect Match (Liaison #1) by Valerie Ullmer Read Free Book Online

grateful that he was planning on a simple omelet for dinner, because she wanted to spend as much time with him before the weekend was over.
    “Cutting board?” she asked.
    He pointed to the cabinet near the pantry.   When she turned and walked toward where he had indicated, he wrapped his arms around her and nuzzled his nose against the back of her neck.   Her gasp of surprise turned into a giggle as he tickled her.
    “I can’t seem to stop touching you.”
    She enjoyed the more playful side to him.   She decided to play along and nipped his ear when she turned around.   She leaned close and whispered, “I love it when you touch me.”  
    She pulled away to see the desire glowing in his eyes, and she took advantage of his momentary stillness to brush a kiss against his mouth, before she turned back toward the cabinet and pulled out the cutting board.   A strangled moan sounded behind her, but when she faced him, she smiled as she watched him crack an egg with more force than was necessary.
    After a few minutes of working companionably side by side, they plated their omelets and he directed her toward the breakfast bar.   As they sat, he pulled his chair close to her, as if he worried that she might change her mind and leave.   She knew she was right where she wanted to be.
    “Eat,” he growled.
    “You’re bossy.”   She laughed.
    His face grew serious and his eyes flashed.   “I knew that Liaison was taking up a lot of your time, but when you walked into my office, you looked ready to drop and it almost stopped my heart.   You’ve lost weight, and if the circles under your eyes are any indication, you’re not sleeping.”
    He brushed a kiss over her mouth and jerked back.
    “I’ll take care of you, and that means dinner, and then we’ll go to bed, together.”
    Her body warmed at the thought of lying next to him as he slept, but he was right.   She was exhausted.   She ate her dinner and was rewarded with a long, slow kiss that threatened to buckle her knees.   She offered to clean, but he threw everything in the dishwasher before he grabbed her overnight bag and interlaced their fingers.   He pulled her to the nearest bathroom so she could get ready for bed.
    “Towels are in the closet.”   He tilted his head.
    “I’ll be quick.”
    He cupped her cheeks before he brushed a kiss, and then another, lightly over her lips.   He nodded and backed out of the bathroom, shutting the door as he left.
    She blew out a breath as her body tingled from his kisses.   She turned toward the walk-in shower and turned it on.   She glanced at each bottle of shampoo and conditioner before she used them, but her thoughts were with the man in the other room.  
    She could feel his desire for her whenever they were close, but it was his worry over her that had touched her heart in a way that threatened her sense of self-preservation.   If he wanted her as much as she wanted him, she would deal with the consequences of a broken heart when it ended.   But for now, she was going to enjoy every moment she had with him.
    She stepped out of the shower and dried off before she threw on a long-sleeved white tee and black yoga pants, her normal sleeping attire.   She was running a brush through her hair when the bathroom door was thrown open and Gabriel started toward her.   When he noticed what she was wearing, he stopped in his tracks and gave her a once-over.
    “You are so beautiful, sweetheart,” he growled.
    For the first time in her life, she felt her cheeks heat with a blush.   She sat the brush down on the counter and ran her fingers through her hair until she felt the heat leave her face; and she straightened and glanced at him.   He leaned against the doorframe and when she walked toward him, he met her halfway and swung her up in his arms.
    She leaned her head against his chest as he carried her through the door and into his bedroom.   A soft glow came from the lamp on the nightstand, but it gave her