Heart Ache (Bound by a Touch Novels #1) Read Online Free PDF

prepared himself for a quick retreat, only to tighten his hold as a sob ribbed from her throat. “Too late.”
    “ No. It’s not too late.”
    As more tears dampened his chest through his shirt, he ached to shake her awake, to show her he was here, that it was not too late. And then spend the hours until sunrise convincing her exactly how not-too-late it was for them. But as he held her, he noticed the ring on her finger. She’d made her choice, hadn’t she?
    He shook his head. He shouldn’t be here. He should never have put either of them in this situation. He should have claimed her long ago. Her fist tightened in his shirt. She pressed a kiss to the soaked cotton of his shirt.
    “ Not real.”
    “ This can be reality.” And he wanted this reality with her, every night for the rest of forever. But the choice needed to be hers. “Come to me, Gabrielle. There is nothing I want more than for you to come to me.”
    She mumbled something unintelligible and eased against his chest. And for the first time in over four-hundred years, Nikolai completely relaxed.

 
    Chapter Four
     
     
     
     
    Gabrielle buried her face into her pillow, tightening her fist around the fabric beneath her cheek. She filled her lungs with the delicious scent she recognized.
    “ Nikolai,” she moaned.
    The falling sensation stopped suddenly when her body fell into the mattress. She jolted to awareness, disoriented and completely confused.
    “ What the hell?”
    She pushed herself up and looked around the room. Everything was exactly as it had been when she’d climbed into bed, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was … off. She stretched her arms over her head, feeling completely revived, like she’d slept for days instead of hours. All of the muscles that had been ready to snap last night were loose. Yet her entire body was buzzing, like a beehive had taken up residence just below her skin.
    She rubbed her hands up and down her forearms, which did nothing to alleviate the sensation. Maybe she should pop a few Benadryl before heading to the office. It would be just her luck to have an allergic reaction to the oil used in her massage. She rolled her eyes and flopped back onto the pillows. The smell that enveloped her made her heart skip a beat.
    Nikolai.
    And why the hell wasn’t she calling him Niko?
    She hopped up on her knees, frantically pulling the bedding to her nose. The comforter, sheets, blankets, pillows; they all smelled like him. She tipped her head to the side and inhaled a lock of her hair. Damn, even she smelled like him.
    This was one hell of a hangover. Too bad she hadn’t drunk anything. She frowned. Her mind raced, replaying everything she could remember about the last—she glanced at the clock— eight hours! She’d slept for eight hours? Normally she couldn’t keep her eyes closed for six.
    Maybe she was coming down the flu. Slapping a hand over her forehead, she felt for a fever. No. She cleared her throat. Not even a tickle.
    So what was wrong with her?
    Her dreams from the night before flooded her memory. She’d dreamt of Niko. But that wasn’t exactly out of the norm, he starred in her erotic dreams every night.
    There was one difference.
    Last night’s dreams weren’t erotic. They were sweet. They were comforting. They were everything she’d expect him to be. He’d held her, ran his fingers through her hair, spoke softly, and asked her to call him Nikolai.
    She giggled nervously, twisting a lock of hair around her finger. Well, that explained the name change.
    “ Nikolai.” A smile spread to her lips.
    “ Nikolai.” The word flowed over her tongue like sweet, melted chocolate.
    “ Nikolai.” Her insides bubbled with the excitement she always felt when he touched her.
    With his name on her lips and the rest of him in her thoughts, Gabrielle glided into the bathroom, oblivious to everything but the cloud she floated on. Her reflection was of a dreamy-eyed girl, grinning like a