Gabriel led her into the adjoining tiled corridor that displayed sculptures and began walking toward the end of it, far beyond earshot of the other guests. He positioned her in a dark corner between two large marble statues perched high atop plinths. She was dwarfed by the towering forms.

He grabbed her purse and tossed it aside. The sound of the leather hitting the floor echoed down the corridor.

“What were you doing with him?” Gabriel’s eyes flamed and his cheeks were slightly red, which for him was a rare occurrence.

“We were just making small talk before he—“

Gabriel pulled her into a searing embrace, one hand tangling in her hair and the other sliding down her dress to grip her backside.

The force of his kiss pushed her until she felt the cold wall of the Gallery against the naked skin of her upper back. His hard body aligned with hers forcefully.

“I don’t want to see another man’s hands on you again.”

He parted her mouth roughly, penetrating with his tongue, while his hand slid over the curve of her backside, massaging the flesh with his fingers.

Julia realized instantly that he’d been careful with her every other time he’d touched her. He wasn’t careful now. Part of her was inflamed, desperate for him. Another part of her was wondering what he would do if she said stop …

He lifted her left leg, pulling her thigh around his hip and grinding against her.

She felt him through the fabric of her dress, hearing the silk taffeta rustle like a breathless woman. The dress clearly wanted more.

“What do I have to do to make you mine?” he groaned, mouth against mouth.

“I am yours.”

“Not tonight, it seems.” He tugged her lower lip backwards into his mouth, nipping it with his teeth.

“Didn’t you understand my lecture? Every word, every painting was for you.” His hand slid up her leg, teasing the skin of her thigh until it reached the string that stretched across her hip.

She shuddered and he pulled back to see her face.

“No garters tonight?”

She shook her head.

“Then what’s this?” His fingers tugged at the very thin string.

“Panties,” she breathed.

His eyes glinted greedily.

“What kind of panties?”

“A thong.”

He smiled dangerously before pressing his lips to her ear. “Am I to assume that you wore this for me?”

“There’s never been anyone else.”

Without warning, his lips found hers again and he lifted her, pressing her against the cold wall. His lips on her neck, he pushed their hips together.

The long, thin heels of Julia’s tangerine stilettos caught the curves of Gabriel’s ass. He fixed her with wild, blue eyes.

“I want you. Right now.”

Suddenly, her panties were gone and she found herself bare.

He began to touch her and her heels shifted, digging into his ass so much that he gasped.

“Do you know how difficult it was for me to control myself during the lecture? How I longed to take you in my arms? Conducting small talk was torture when all I wanted was this.

“I wish you could see how sexy you are with your back against the wall and your legs wrapped around me. I want you like this, except I want you panting my name.”

Gabriel leaned forward to dip his tongue in the hollow at the base of her throat and Julia’s eyes closed…