‘You think you could have restrained an angry man at nineteen, do you?’ Abby, hands on her hips, was still pushing her point. ‘One a great deal heavier than you?’
‘I like to think so.’ He knew he could do it now, thanks to his BJJ training. At nineteen, all he’d known was how to punch.
‘You think so. And what about if he’d pushed you away and then hit her? How would you have felt then?’
Doug gazed down at Abby. She looked all soft and small wrapped in his huge dressing gown but that was just an illusion. ‘I don’t know.’
‘Really? I’ll tell you then. You’d have felt just as awful, just as guilty as you do now, because you’re not cold and unfeeling like your non-biological father. You’re emotional and sensitive.’
Her eyes blazed into his as if she could make him believe her words simply through force of will.
‘You really believe that, don’t you?’
‘Yes.’ Her reply was immediate and unequivocal. ‘If it had been me in your situation mind you, I’d have hit your father years before that. Probably as soon as I was tall enough to reach his stomach. Or better still, the sensitive parts dangling below it.’
Unbelievably he felt himself starting to smile. ‘You would, eh?’
‘I would.’ She tucked her arms around his waist, squeezing tightly. ‘Where I come from, a man who threatens a woman deserves a punch in the face.’
‘Even if he’s knocked unconscious?’
‘Yes.’
He guessed that was yet another difference between them. In his circle men didn’t punch other men. They especially didn’t punch older men, father or no father.
‘Did your mum thank you?’
Images of his mother’s stricken face as she’d screamed at him for being a violent oaf flashed through his mind and he kissed the top of Abby’s head. ‘Not exactly.’
‘She should have done.’ Abby pulled back a little to stare up at him. ‘It was your father who was at fault, Doug. Not you.’
He gave her a small smile, accepting she was partly right; his father had been at fault. But it had been his own immediate, violent reaction to what he’d seen that had scared him to death. He’d immediately given up boxing, a sport he’d taken up to help channel his anger, and shifted to martial arts. With BJJ he felt more in control. He only hoped he was.
Abby nestled against him, her warmth banishing the dark, ugly memories. With a soft groan he heaved her closer.
‘Please don’t push me away again,’ she murmured into his chest.
His heart shifted disturbingly. ‘I don’t think I can any more.’ He lifted a hand to point to his chest. ‘You’re in too deep.’
Pleasure washed over her face, bringing a tinge of pink to her cheeks. ‘Good.’ Taking his hand she kissed his knuckles, causing another wave of sensation to flood through him. ‘Do you think we could manage that cuddle I missed out on earlier? Because if you’re serious about having a relationship with me you need to know that I’m a cuddler.’
His pathetic uncertainty must have showed because she rolled her eyes. ‘I’ll show you. It’s not hard.’
After pulling down the duvet she lay on the bed and removed her robe. With her naked body on full display, she pointed to the bed next to her. ‘First you take off that towel and lie next to me.’
Biting back a smile, he did as he was told.
‘Then I sidle up to you and snuggle onto your chest like so.’
Her body wrapped around him like the most luxurious velvet blanket.
‘Now you put an arm around me so that should I move away, which I won’t by the way, but suppose I tried, I wouldn’t be able to succeed because you’re holding me too tightly.’
As he moved his arm as requested she entwined her legs with his, her hair falling over his chest. He let out a long, pleasurable sigh. ‘What happens next.’
‘We sleep.’
Nobody was more shocked than Doug when he did.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Abby woke to a hot male body spooned against her back, his arm around her waist. When she tried to move the arm tightened, pulling her closer to him. For a man who didn’t know how to cuddle, he’d certainly caught on quickly.
On a breath of pleasure she snuggled against him, enjoying the feel of his hard muscles against her back. And that was when she realised he must be awake.
‘I hope you’re not leaving just yet. I have plans for you.’ His voice was gruff, that deep male timbre a woman only heard first thing in the morning. And this morning, it was all hers.
When his hand moved to caress her breast, she smiled. ‘I think I might like those plans.’
He eased her onto her back, dazzling blue eyes gazing down at her. ‘By the time I’ve finished, you won’t just like my plans. You’ll be crazy about them.’
It was only when she collapsed against the pillow a long while later that Abby glanced at the bedside clock. And squealed in horror. ‘Flippety flip flip, look at the time. I’ve got to get back. The girls need sorting out. They should be catching their bus in … oh crumbs … fourteen minutes.’
She leapt out of bed, scanning the room for her clothes. Where the blazes had she left them?
‘They’re by the front door.’ Doug eased his long legs out from the duvet. ‘I’ll get them.’
As she watched his naked body, and those perfect muscular buttocks, walk out of the room she wanted to say forget the girls. They could miss school for once in their life if it meant she could snuggle back into bed with him. But responsibility won and she ran into the bathroom, splashing water on her face and under her armpits.
‘Your clothes are on the bed.’
She took five precious but essential seconds to ogle him again before scrambling into her underwear.
By the time she’d zipped up her dress he’d thrown on a pair of jeans and a T-shirt and was dangling his car keys in his hand. ‘You can call home when we’re in the car. I’ll take the girls to school if they miss their bus.’
‘Oh no, you can’t do that.’ She followed him down the stairs, out of the door and into his family unfriendly car.
‘Why can’t I?’ With quick, precise movements he turned the car round and headed out onto the road. ‘I was the one who made you late.’
When he pulled to a stop at the traffic light she turned to glance at him only to find him watching her, eyes full of heat. ‘For the record, I’m very, very happy to be late.’
He gave her a small smile, attention returning to the lights as they turned green. ‘You didn’t even get to sample my morning special.’
His lips twitched and Abby took the hook. ‘I rather thought I had sampled it.’
‘You only sampled my morning appetizer. The special is even more filling and … satisfying.’
He gave her a quick, searing glance before putting his foot down and easing the Aston round a slow moving truck.
They were a minute from her house when she saw the school bus go past. ‘Damn, we missed it.’
‘Perhaps they’re already on it. Aren’t they old enough to get themselves to school by now?’
There spoke someone with no understanding of the young female species. ‘Dad will have woken them before he went to work so there’s a chance they might be awake. Mandy might even have got their breakfast ready, if she’s not had a bad night with George. Plus Sally is very sensible, so she’ll probably be dressed with her bag packed.’
He turned into their road. ‘All good so far.’
‘But I’ll bet you ten pounds they’ll all still be in the house. Ellie and Holly will be chatting, putting each others hair into odd styles, pulling everything out of their wardrobe to find a clean blouse. Sneaking on make-up they know they’re not supposed to wear. Hunting for shoes they threw off the day before in their delight to get home. Oh and finishing off homework they forgot was meant to be handed in today.’
He slid the Aston to a stop and Abby jumped out and banged on the front door.
When Sally
opened it, Abby raised her eyes heavenwards. ‘Why aren’t you on the bus?’
Sally’s eyes widened with horror. ‘Oh no, did we miss it? I told them to hurry up but they wouldn’t listen. They kept giggling and throwing each other’s shoes around the living room and then Holly remembered she hadn’t printed off her English homework.’ Abby didn’t have time to give Doug an I told you so glance because Sally’s eyes were filling. ‘We’re going to be really late now, aren’t we?’
Abby shook her head. ‘No, I don’t have a job any more, remember? I can take you to school in Rodney.’
Behind her Doug cleared his throat. ‘Rodney?’
‘It’s her rusty old car that doesn’t start very well,’ Sally chipped in before Abby had a chance to open her mouth. ‘Yesterday Dad had to give it a jump start.’
‘I’ve got a shiny new car that starts first time,’ Doug replied, nodding to his, admittedly, shiny car. ‘So round up your sisters and let’s get going.’
Sally’s jaw dropped. ‘Cool.’ She dashed into the house yelling, ‘Holly, Ellie, get here now. Doug’s taking us to school in his sports car!’
There was a chorus of wow, really and sick. ‘Why is your car a more acceptable mode of transport than mine?’
Eyes that were so often reserved and detached twinkled back at her. ‘Because it starts?’
‘Yes, let’s go with that.’ Would her heart ever not react when he smiled at her? She placed a hand over it, willing the fluttering to calm. ‘You do realise you’ve only got four seats, don’t you?’ She remarked, peering inside. ‘I won’t be able to go with you.’
‘Worried I’ll lead them astray?’
He’d never looked more sexy, she thought, with his unbrushed hair, unshaven face and clothes tugged on in a hurry. ‘No. I’m worried about leaving you at the mercy of three giggling girls without a chaperone.’
‘I’ve got sisters,’ he reminded her. ‘I think I can cope.’ He moved towards her and gave her a quick but devastating kiss. ‘We need to talk. Can I come back here after I’ve dropped them off?’
She rolled her eyes at him. ‘Of course. I reckon I owe you breakfast.’
‘Is that a reward for my school taxi service, my culinary skills from last night or my … other skills?’
She had no chance to reply because the girls came out of the house like a tornado, pushing past her and towards the car.
‘OMG. Look at these seats,’ Ellie shrieked. ‘Cream leather. I’m gonna have a car like this when I’m older.’
‘It’s so pretty.’ Holly trailed her fingers along the bonnet, leaving smudges Abby bet Doug would be wiping off as soon as they were out of sight. ‘I bet it goes really fast.’
‘It does.’ Sally’s voice held a hint of pride, as if the car was hers. ‘It’s got a top speed of 205 mph thanks to its 6 litre V12 engine.’
As they clambered inside – ‘It might be cool but it’s tiny at the back’ and ‘I’m the oldest, I’ve got to sit at the front next to Doug’ – Abby felt a twinge of guilt.
‘Regretting your rash offer yet?’ she asked him as he slid into the driver’s seat.
‘Of course not. I’ll be fine.’ He gave her a manful smile, though his handsome face looked a shade paler than it had a few moments ago.
Abby bet he’d keep telling himself that all the way to the school.
Doug reversed out of the drive and reminded himself the three girls were all younger and shorter than he was. He’d come to no harm. Physically, at least.
‘Did Abby spend the night at your house?’
‘In your bed?’ Lots of giggles.
‘Does that make you Abby’s boyfriend now?’
The questions were being fired at him from Ellie and Holly in the back. Beside him, Sally was noticeably quiet.
‘Of course he’s her boyfriend,’ a voice from behind proclaimed. ‘Once you kiss a man he becomes your boyfriend. After you sleep with him he’s your lover.’
Doug kept his mouth shut and his focus on the road. Thank God nobody seemed to require any answers.
‘Have you slept with Abby yet?’
His eyes darted to his rear-view mirror and collided with Ellie’s very interested ones. And yes, now they all decided to shut up. He sucked in a deep breath and prayed the school was round the corner. ‘You’ll need to ask Abby that.’ He turned to find his front seat passenger, Sally, staring at him. She flushed bright red when he caught her eye and started to study her knees. ‘Sally, I don’t know where the school is. Can you direct me?’
Her eyes darted briefly up to his and she gave him a shy smile. ‘Sure. You turn left at the top of this road. It’s not far.’
Doug stifled a cheer.
When he pulled up outside the school gates they shouted their thanks.
‘We like you,’ Holly told him as she climbed out. ‘You’re much nicer than Abby’s last boyfriend.’
‘Thank you.’
‘And if you split up with Abby you can go out with Sally. She fancies you,’ Ellie added.
Beside him Sally inhaled sharply, her face turning a vivid shade of scarlet as she scrambled out of the passenger seat. ‘I’m sure Sally will have no trouble finding her own boyfriend,’ Doug countered, raising his voice sufficiently for Sally to hear. ‘Now, you’d better go. It’s bad being late, but even worse when you turn up late in an Aston Martin.’
They waved goodbye, Sally’s eyes not meeting his, and Doug slowly let the air out of his lungs.
When he arrived back Abby opened the door, dressed in jeans and a knitted pink top. She’d obviously had a quick shower because her hair hung in damp curls around her make-up free, scrubbed-clean face. She was like an advert for all that was wholesome and good in life and he couldn’t resist. He kissed her, drinking in her purity.
When he finally let her go she was flushed and breathless. ‘If you’re that pleased to see me, the girls must have been really bad.’
‘They asked me if we’d slept together and if I was your lover. Then at the end they told me if I didn’t want you as a girlfriend I could have Sally instead.’
She held her hand up to her mouth, her expression half horror, half trying not to laugh. ‘Dare I ask what you said in reply?’
‘I told them to ask you about the first two.’
‘Thanks.’
‘And that Sally was quite capable of finding her own boyfriend.’
Her eyes took on a soft, melted chocolate look. ‘I’ve noticed Sally has a crush on you. When you’re shy and sixteen it can be very painful, so thank you for being so sweet to her.’
‘I was just being truthful.’ He paused and sniffed. ‘Is that bacon?’
‘Yes. I figured you’d worked up an appetite this morning.’
She led him into the kitchen where she deftly transferred the bacon onto two waiting plates of buttered bread.
‘Are there any more Spencers lurking?’
‘Pat’s still here.’ She nodded over to the dog who was sitting with his tongue hanging out, eyeing up the bacon. ‘But Mandy’s in college today and Dad will be at work, so you’re quite safe.’
They sat at the table and Doug allowed himself two large mouthfuls of bacon buttie, before broaching the elephant in the room. ‘Speaking of work.’ He pulled out a cheque he’d written yesterday. ‘I want you to take this.’
She gave a dismissive glance. ‘No.’
He’d expected a battle and it looked like he wasn’t going to be disappointed. ‘This is severance pay. It’s only what you deserve and what you’re entitled to.’
‘When you’re sacked you’re not entitled to anything. Especially an amount that’s more than my annual salary.’
‘You are entitled to it if you’re unfairly dismissed.’ He couldn’t use the word sacked, it made him too angry.
Her jaw set in a stubborn line. ‘I don’t want a hand-out, Doug. Don’t insult me.’
‘And I don’t want to worry about your family going behind on bills because I wasn’t strong enough to
stop my bastard of a father putting you out of a job.’
‘We’ll manage.’
‘And while you’re managing, I’ll be sick with worry and feeling like a total shit.’ He leant across, placed the cheque in her hand and turned up her fingers so she was forced to accept it. ‘Take it, not for your sake, but for mine. I need to know you’re okay while I work out how to deal with this situation once and for all.’
She looked conflicted, clearly unsure which should take precedent: her pride or his needs. Leaning across the table he gave her a gentle kiss. ‘Please. For me.’
Her shoulders slumped. ‘That’s not playing fair.’
‘I know.’
With a huff of resignation she put the cheque in her pocket. ‘I’ll put it in a separate account and only use it if I need it.’
‘Fair enough.’ Feeling as though he’d won a small victory, he took another bite of his sandwich, carefully avoiding looking at the dog who was watching him patiently.
‘What do you plan on doing?’ she asked.
‘I’m not sure yet,’ he admitted. ‘I’ve battled this issue since I was eighteen and I still don’t know how to beat him.’
‘That’s because you’ve been fighting him by yourself, even though it isn’t only about you. It’s about your mother and sisters, too. If you ask me, and in case you don’t I’m going to tell you anyway, you need to let them know what’s going on. They have a right to know what you’re having to do on their behalf.’
The bacon sandwich, delicious a few seconds ago, suddenly lost its appeal. Doug pushed the plate away. ‘How’s telling them going to help, other than make them feel guilty?’
Abby reached across the table and gripped his hand. ‘What if they don’t care about the money?’
‘My mother and sisters are entitled to their inheritance whether they want it or not. I’m not about to deny it them.’
Her hand wriggled away from his and she thumped it on the table in exasperation. ‘Doug, for once in your life will you think about you and what you want?’
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