by Sarah Curtis
She took a deep breath. Trying to make herself more comfortable as well, she slipped her feet from her flip-flops and settled at the far end of the couch, leaning her back against its arm. Placing her feet flat in front of her, she hugged her legs while resting her chin on her knees. She realized she'd placed herself in a defensive position, but didn't have much time to ponder her reasoning before Cole's arm whipped out, snagging her about the ankles, bringing her feet to his lap.
The swift move vanished the shelf her chin rested on, and her spine straightened in indignation. "Hey!"
All she received was a sly smile in return. She gave him an eye glare that she hoped trumped his smile, but by the sound of his amused chuckle, she had a feeling she'd failed.
"Talk, Abby. I know you've got a million things to say, let's hear them so we can move on to the more enjoyable part."
Abby crossed her arms over her chest with a huff. She was seriously thinking about not liking him again. "Is that all you think about, sex?"
His eyes did a slow sweep from her head to the tips of her coral-pink tipped toes, then back up meeting her eyes. "When you're near... yes."
Those words, in his lazy drawl, sent tingles in pretty specific places, making her squirm. Okay, maybe she didn't hate him.
He either didn't notice or ignored the squirm, which she was grateful for and decided it was best to get down to business. "Okay, so please explain exactly what's going on here in detail."
He raised one brow. Abby was always in awe and dare she say, slightly envious of people who could lift a single brow. She remembered when she was about nine or ten, spending hours in front of the mirror, trying to teach herself how to raise one eyebrow. She'd tried several techniques, but nothing worked and in the end, however hard she'd tried, when she lifted one brow, the other one followed. Over time, she'd given up hope of ever learning but still, even now, when she saw someone able to do it, she couldn't help but feel cheated that she'd never mastered such a cool trick.
"What are you thinking about?"
She shook her head. "It's silly."
He gave her foot a squeeze. "Nothing you say is silly."
She rolled her eyes, letting him know she didn't believe that for a second but still shared her thoughts. "I'm impressed you can raise one eyebrow. I've always wanted to do that but never could." He gave a bark of laughter, and she gave him a knowing smile. "See, silly."
"Not silly, cute."
She wrinkled her nose. Cute was reserved for puppies and kittens. She didn't want him to see her as cute.
His eyes were still laughing as she stared him down, waiting for him to answer her previous question. The laughter faded from his eyes, and he faced forward, dropping his head back against the couch with a sigh. "To be honest, I don't know what's going on. I've never done this before, spent time with a woman other than a quick fuck."
She sucked in a breath, and he turned his head to look at her. "Does that shock you?"
"It's more surprising than shocking. I can't believe you've never been in a serious relationship in all your..." she paused, not knowing his age. "I don't know how old you are."
"Thirty. Probably too old for you."
Abby snorted. "You're only eight years older. Besides, I'm used to being too young. I started college at sixteen."
He did the one eyebrow thing again. "I knew you were smart, being a teacher and all, but I didn't know you were a brainiac."
Wonderful, not only did he think she was cute, but now thought she was a brain, as well. She was sorely failing at the enticing image she so desperately wanted to portray.
Wanting to change the subject from her back to them, she said, "So are you saying you want more than just sex from me?"
He faced forward again and sighed. He was silent so long, Abby thought he wouldn't answer, but then he started talking, and she hung on his every word.
"I lived the rodeo life a long time, joined up straight out of high school. It's not a glamorous life. It's filled with sweat, blood, cheap booze, cheaper women. You're on the road 24/7 never in one place for very long. You learn not to become too attached to anything especially women and honestly, the followers or groupies or whatever you want to call them, they weren't the type you wanted attached to you. They like to play hard, get dirty, and I would oblige them but only for a night.
"Never took one look at a woman and wanted anything more than that," he turned his head, spearing her with his eyes, "until you. First time I saw you, I knew you were different. So fuckin' beautiful, but it was the blush that covered your cheeks that almost brought me to my knees. That blush also told me I needed to stay the fuck away from you and for once in my life, for you, I tried to do just that."
Abby wrinkled her brow. "For me?"
"I've told you this already, I'm not a good guy. I've done things, seen things, and while the things I did, I'm not proud, I know, having to do it again, being in the place I was in my head, I would, and Abby, that makes me a very not nice guy. I'm a guy coming to you with very dirty hands, and you're so fuckin' clean you sparkle, so yeah, for you, I tried to stay away.
"Problem was, you wouldn't leave my head. Your face, your ass, your fuckin' cookies, you surrounded me in sweet, a sweet I knew I wanted to taste, and my devil came out to play." He shook his head, cutting his eyes her direction. "He's a selfish asshole." He looked back at the soundless TV. "I fought it back one more time in the barn, seeing your smile so bright and shiny reaching all the way to your eyes, I couldn't corrupt such brightness. The dark clouds will smother the sun every damn time, and I didn't want to be the one to shadow your glow.
"I gave up being nice last night. You tipped the scales, Darlin', and not in your favor. I saw that asshole's hand on you, touching what I wanted but knew I couldn't have, and I saw red. I vowed, right then and there, that you were mine. I want to be in your head, in your heart, and in your pussy so I also vowed, I would do whatever it took to make that happen."
Abby sat quietly, carefully thinking over everything Cole had said. He'd described someone she just didn't see. This was not the first time he'd mentioned he wasn't a nice guy coming to her with dirty hands, and he may have been that man at some point long ago, but he wasn't that man now. Yes, he was a bossy, straight talker with a dirty mouth, but most things he'd said were actually pretty damn sweet. Yes, he tried to push her away, which, he explained, he did with honorable intentions. So overall she didn't see him as a bad man.
Maybe he saw himself differently, maybe others saw him differently. But she? She saw a strong, beautiful man that liked to tell instead of ask. Made her heart beat double-time, sent tingles through her body, and had butterflies taking flight in her stomach with just a look. Made her feel things she'd never felt before and made her want to act on those feelings. And he made her feel beautiful despite her awkwardly shy, unsophisticated tendencies.
Taking her feet from his lap, she pivoted, sitting up on her knees. Placing her hand on his thigh for balance, she leaned into his personal space, this time, bringing her face within inches of his. She wanted him to know she'd heard everything he said, but at the same time, didn't necessarily agree with him. Being bold for the first time in her life, she ran her hand through his hair cupping the back of his head before saying, "One thing you're forgetting. The sun is a mighty strong force, and its rays will beat back the dark clouds every time. There's never a long wait for a sunny day."
The rough pads of his fingers traced a path down her cheek before he too ran his hand through her hair, fisting a large section at her nape. She caught a glimpse of the shadows he kept referring to flash across his eyes before he brought his forehead to hers, cutting off her view. "I don't deserve you, but damn if I'm not going to keep you anyway."
He gave her a light kiss on the nose. "Come on, I'll take you home." He stood from the couch holding out his hand to help her up.
Abby was surprised. It was early yet, only about ten. The surprise must have shown on her face, for Cole gave her a reassuring smile. "It's Labor Day tomorrow. The town throws its annual barbecue picnic, and I want to take you. It'll be a long day, so you need to get some rest. That won't happen if you stay here." She was becoming quite familiar with the sly, mischievous smile he gave her.
She took his hand and slipped her feet into her flip-flops before looking up at him, smiling. "Are you asking me out on a date?" Although Mr. Bossy hadn't really asked, he told.
"I guess you can call it that," he said, with a slight scowl.
She giggled at his discomfort. "Oh, that's exactly what I'm calling it." He directed her to a side door that led to the garage. She gave his hand a tug. "I have my car. I don't need a ride."
"I want to take you home. Make sure you get in safe and see you locked up for the night."
Abby couldn't hold in her laugh even though Cole had a very serious look on his face. "I'm perfectly safe, driving myself home."
"Humor me. Your car will be fine here, and you can drive it home after the picnic tomorrow."
Abby shrugged, giving in easily. If it made him feel better to take her home, she didn't have a problem with that. They arrived at her house in a flash, taking longer for Cole to warm up his truck than to actually drive her home.
He cut the ignition after pulling into her drive. "Let me see your phone," he said, holding out his hand. She slid her phone from her back pocket and placed it in his open palm. After fiddling with it a few minutes, he handed it back. "The first number is my cell, the second my landline at home."
"You still have a landline?" Abby asked, surprised. She didn't think anyone but businesses had one anymore.
"When I moved here three years ago, the closest cell tower was all the way at the highway. Reception was spotty, so I put in the landline. When they put up the tower in town, last year, I never bothered to get rid of it."
Abby nodded. That made sense. She'd seen a phone hanging in her kitchen but had never bothered picking it up to see if it worked. She'd just assumed it was a throwback to a time long gone that no one had bothered removing.
She unbuckled her seat belt and reached for the door handle, but Cole's hand on her thigh stopped her actions. She looked up at him questionably.
"Wait."
She watched as he got out and rounded the car, opening her door and reaching a hand in to help her out. He pulled her to his chest, and she looked up at him with wide eyes. "Wow, no one's ever opened a car door for me before."
She felt more than heard the low chuckle rippling through his chest. He held out his hand and in a low, gravelly voice, uttered, "Keys."
Reminiscent of a few moments before, she reached into her back pocket and plopped the keys in his open palm. He opened her front door, did a sweep of her house, flipping on lights in his wake, while she stood, waiting in the living room. "What are you doing?" she asked when he came back into view.
He came in close, placing his hands on her hips. "Walk-through. You can never be too safe." He gave her a light kiss on the forehead before heading for the front door. "Lock up behind me. I'll be here at nine tomorrow morning to pick you up."
He was out the door and gone before she could respond.
* * * * *
Tossing his keys on the kitchen island, Cole went over to the fridge and pulled out a bottled water before making his way up to his bedroom. He flipped on the light, his eyes falling on the rumpled sheets and kicked down comforter of the unmade bed. He knew if he'd wanted, Abby would be in his bed with him right now. No, that wasn't his arrogance talking, it was a simple truth. He saw the need in her eyes that she, in her innocence, didn't know how or didn't care to hide.
He'd always been a man of instant gratification, thinking of his needs before anyone else's but while he wanted Abby, badly, he'd decided that he wanted to do things differently with her. Wanted to take things slow however much the need may kill him, wanted to experience something he'd never experienced before. Anticipation.
All along he'd been fighting with himself. Knowing Abby was special, he'd tried to push her away and when that didn't work he'd forced himself to take it slow. Letting her go home that morning and not taking her straight up to his bed had been one of the hardest things he'd ever done. But sitting on that couch, listening to her tell him that she'd never been touched by any other man, that he'd been her first kiss, something unexpected happened. The excessive possession he'd already felt for her morphed into something more. Something he'd never felt before. Something he was too afraid to name. Abby was special, and he would treat her as such. Take his time, get to know her, savor her.
He stripped out of his clothes then cracked the cap on his water before taking a long pull. He flipped the wall switch shutting off the overhead light before crawling into bed. He wasn't tired but knew he had to sleep. He needed to get up extra early tomorrow to tend to the horses before going to get Abby.
The thought of her name conjured her image. He rolled to his side, trying to find a comfortable position and take his mind off his hard cock but all that did was bring him into contact with the pillow she'd slept on last night. He breathed in slowly, wanting her scent to linger in his nose. His cock throbbed, and he reached down, taking himself in hand. It was a poor substitution but would have to suffice until he could slide between Abby's thighs.
Chapter Ten
The sun was a giant, bright orb in a cloudless, blue sky. The day was surprisingly beautiful for the first week in September. Not blisteringly hot and with a light breeze blowing a cooling wind. Main Street teemed with people, large and small clusters, dotting the sidewalks. Vendors selling homemade crafts and baked goods had booths up and down the middle of the street that had been blocked at each end to flowing traffic. Not that anyone was driving right now. It looked to Abby as if the whole town were there. Two large barbecue stations were set up at either end of the street, and the smell of roasting meat drifted to her on the breeze, creating some serious rumbles through her stomach.
Cole's hand gripped hers firmly, their fingers entwined as they stroll down one side of the street, looking in shop windows while dodging people in their path. He looked down at her and smiled. "You're hungry."
Abby felt her cheeks heat. That he heard her stomach growl was highly embarrassing. She shrugged, "I was too nervous to eat this morning."
Cole scowled. "You nervous to be with me?" His voice had an edge, but she knew him well enough by now to know he wasn't angry with her, it was just the way he sounded sometimes.
She gave him a reassuring smile. "No, I'm comfortable around you. I'm just uncomfortable in large crowds and intermingling with people I don't know."
He tugged at her hand, pulling her into an alcove between two stores, pressing her against a wall, and covering her body with his. She looked up at him startled. The eyes that stared back at her were piercing, a frown marred his brow, and his lips were a hard, straight line. "I knew you were shy, that vibe was hard to miss, but I didn't know coming here today would make you so uneasy you'd lose your appetite. Do you want me to take you home?"
His concern for her and the sincerity she heard laced through his words caused a funny feeling low in her belly and an unexpected lump in the back of her throat.
"The look you're giving me right now, soft eyes and gentle smile, is making it hard for me to keep my resolve."
"Your resolve?" she asked as he tucked a lock of escaped hair behind her ear, lingering to caress the side of her neck.
"My resolve not to fuck you today."
His a
nswer brought forth a surprised giggle.
His lips curved up teasingly. "You think it's funny I'm trying to be a gentleman?"
She shook her head. "I think it's funny you need a resolve for that."
"Then you've no idea how badly I want to put my cock inside your sweet, tight pussy."
She opened her mouth to speak but for the life of her, couldn't come up with a response. His words were crude, and she should tell him they were offensive and a far cry from the gentleman he was trying so hard to be. But the effect his words had on her body, the thigh-clutching tingles they induced, had her calling herself all kinds of a hypocrite if she dared to reprimand.
He closed her mouth with a gentle finger and lightly chuckled, "Does that shock you, Little Mouse?"
He seemed to ask her that a lot and wondered if he always purposely tried to shock her. She gave him a slow smile, standing on her toes while wrapping her arms around his neck, figuring two could play the "shock" game. "No, but they do turn me on."
She almost laughed at his expression, but held it in while displaying what she hoped was a seductive smile.
With a growl, he buried his face in her neck. "Fuck being a gentleman, I'm taking you home, but to my house. To my bedroom, specifically."
Abby giggled. "No, I'm hungry, and you promised me barbecue."
He backed up, cupping her face in his hands, his face now devoid of humor. "Seriously, though, you're uncomfortable here, you want to go home, I'll take you."
"No, this is my new home. I need to meet the town. I might as well get it done in one fell swoop."
"Okay, baby, but anytime you want to leave, just say the word, and we're out of here."
Looking into his penetrating, beautiful green eyes, she said the only thing her brain could compute, a softly whispered, "Okay."