Someone Like You

by Jennifer Gracen

  He pulled out of her slowly, tossed the condom away to the far corner of the shower floor, and turned her to face him, kissing her passionately as their arms circled each other. The water continued to beat down on them and he licked and nipped at her skin as they both caught their breath.

  “Good morning, tiger,” he finally murmured.

  “Good morning yourself.” Her legs were still trembling, and she didn’t care.

  “I say we go back to bed,” he said with a sultry, satisfied grin. Water dripped down into his eyes and he blinked the drops away. “I’m wrecked. You wrecked me.”

  Smiling with drained elation, she trailed her mouth along his wet chest, up his neck, kissing as she went, bringing a long shiver from him as she molded herself to his body. “You promised me breakfast.”

  He let out a low laugh. “Demanding woman, aren’t you?”

  “Yes. And hungry.” She stood on tiptoe to kiss his lips and look into his eyes. “I worked up an appetite.”

  “Vixen,” he accused. His hands slid down her back to her ass and rested there as he took her mouth in a lingering, lusty kiss. “How about breakfast, then a short nap?”

  She narrowed her eyes at him, but said, “Deal.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  As promised, Pierce made breakfast for Abby, then they took a lazy nap. When they woke, they decided to go outside and take advantage of what was left of the gorgeous day. He carried two lounge chairs out to the lawn and found two baseball caps in Tess’s extra room. Sprawled out on the chairs on the grass, both of them wearing caps to keep the sun out of their faces, they lay next to each other and talked as the clouds slid across the crisp blue October sky. He asked her about her friends, her hobbies, and she asked about his . . . but after a while, Abby turned the conversation to him, and possible new career paths.

  “I’ve been thinking about it, actually,” she said.

  “You have, huh?”

  “Yeah. Have you considered joining the coaching staff, or even playing, for one of the American teams? Soccer here isn’t what it is in Europe, but it’s growing. Any team would probably love to have someone of your status on the roster.”

  He turned his head to look at her. “Of course I’ve thought of that. I’d do coaching before playing, though. More of a long-term future in that; I’m thirty-one already. Just don’t know if it’s what I want to do.”

  “You should look into it. You’re a natural coach. You’re great with the boys.” She turned her head to look back at him. “You really are, Pierce.”

  “Thank you.” The side of his mouth curved up. “I like the kids. It’s easy for me.”

  “Well . . .” Her fingertips ran slowly up and down the side of her water bottle as she thought. “The truth is, you don’t need money. Which is a nice position to be in. So since you have that freedom, and you really like working with the kids, what if you did something like coaching kids’ teams, or sponsoring clinics, that sort of thing? Like, across Long Island, or even in the city?”

  He paused, and pulled down the brim of his cap a little lower. “Um . . . I don’t need to worry about money, that’s true. But Abby . . . just so you understand, my money is mine. I only use the money I’ve made playing football for a decade. The money I’ve earned, not whatever I’ve inherited. I don’t touch the Harrison money. It can sit there and rot for all I care. I don’t want it, and I don’t use it. So yes, I’m very comfortable, but not a billionaire.”

  She sat up, the surprise obvious in her rounded eyes. “I wasn’t saying that like—Pierce, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to offend you.”

  “You didn’t, babe. You didn’t.”

  “Your finances are none of my business.” Her gaze shot to the horizon as a hint of pink stained her cheeks.

  “Abby. Sweetheart. Listen to me.” He sat up too, swinging his legs over the side of the chair to face her. “You weren’t prying, and you weren’t offensive. I think everyone probably thinks the way you do, that I’m just coasting through life on my family’s billions. But since you brought it up, I thought you should know that I’m not. It’s there, yes, but I don’t use it.”

  “Is it, like, in a fund for you somewhere?” she asked, cautiously inquisitive. “I’m sorry, I’m curious now, I admit it. I’ve never known any family with your wealth. I don’t know how any of that . . . works. Does that sound dumb?”

  “No, not at all. Hey, my family’s unusual on a good day.” He winked and held out his hands. She slipped her hands into his, and he gave them a gentle squeeze. “There’s a trust fund, yes. I became eligible to have access to it on my twenty-fifth birthday. That was a dig from Dad. Charles, Dane, and Tess all had access to their money on their twenty-first birthdays. But Dad claimed he didn’t think I was responsible enough to handle it at twenty-one.”

  Abby shook her head. “That seems unfair. I mean . . . that was an intended slight?”

  “Yup.” His shoulder lifted in a careless shrug. “Didn’t make any difference to me. I never planned on using it. I’m a lot of things, but I’m not a hypocrite. I wasn’t made to feel like a part of the family because of him; I wasn’t going to take anything that came from him.” A crow squawked from the trees, loudly enough to echo along the great lawn. “Besides, by twenty-one, I’d already been in England for three years, supporting myself just fine. I got decent money playing. And once I gained some fame, I got endorsement deals, and that brought in as much as my playing football. I made sure I wouldn’t need the old man’s funds.”

  “That’s admirable. And I understand all that, I really do.” Abby adjusted her cap to better block the sun. “But what if you change your mind one day? Will you still have access to it, if you need it or want it?”

  “Sure. It’s mine. But . . .” He turned his head to look out at the Sound in the distance. “I hope I never need it. I do what it takes to ensure that I don’t. I have my own, that I earned honestly.”

  Abby stared at his profile, then took her hands from his to hold his face. She kissed him tenderly. “Okay. So, back to what we were talking about, then. Your career. You’ll need to do something or you’ll get bored.”

  He grinned that crooked grin she adored. “Yeah, probably. So you really think I’m a good coach, huh?”

  “I really do.” She lay down again, adding casually, “And I’m not just saying that because you screwed me senseless last night.”

  He barked out a laugh. “And this morning, too, thank you very much.” He stretched out on his chair too, crossing his arms behind his head as a pillow.

  “True, true.” She grinned, enjoying the feel of the breeze sweep across her body. “I’m not asking how much money you have, because I don’t care. But what if you bought a share in a team or something? You know, took a stake in one, like a sponsor? Got involved in management somehow? Does anything like that appeal to you?”

  “Hmmm . . .” He was quiet, and she waited for him to think and respond. “Possibly,” he finally said. “I’d have to look into it more. But honestly, I think right now I like the coaching idea more. What you said earlier, about my having more freedom because I don’t have to worry about income? That’s true. I am lucky in that, so I really can do what I want. Just . . . have to figure out more precisely what that is.”

  A breeze blew across the property, carrying the scent of the Sound and a hint of a chill. She wrapped her arms around herself.

  “Are you getting chilled?” he asked. “We could go inside.”

  “In a few minutes,” she said. “I’m enjoying the fresh air. And relaxing with you like this. It’s nice to have some downtime.”

  He slanted her a sideways look. “I do relax, you know. Often. More than I should these days, probably.”

  She only grinned.

  “Abby?” He shifted to lie on his side. “I want to ask you something pretty forward, and I’m asking because I want a truthful response. All right?”

  “Sounds ominous,” she murmured.

  “No. Maybe.” The side
of his mouth quirked up. “The chemistry between us is hot, no question. But . . .” He tried to formulate his question correctly. “I know you’ve been burned. I know you don’t really trust guys. So why did you take a chance with me? I really want to know.”

  Her lips parted and her eyes flew wide. “What? What do you mean?”

  “I think the question’s pretty straightforward, Abby.”

  “I—I’m with you because I like you.”

  “Why?” He peered closer at her. “I know what I like about you, besides your gorgeousness. It just occurred to me . . . what do you see in me? Because I’m . . . really not sure.”

  She sat up and turned to him. “I’ve never heard you say or do anything that didn’t smack of swagger. You’re so self-assured. This . . . wow.”

  He didn’t say anything, just kept his eyes on hers.

  She stared back, the ends of her hair twirling from the breeze. “I do like you, Pierce. I’m not just with you because of sex, if that’s what you’re thinking. Don’t get me wrong, I’m incredibly attracted to you, and yes, that’s a part of it. But . . .” She glanced down at her hands, twisting nervously in her lap, then back up at him. “I admire and respect your strength, and your seemingly unshakeable self-confidence. You’re clever, not some dumb jock. You’re warmer than you let on, I’ve seen you with the kids. You have a good nature, and you have a good heart. And . . . I just . . . feel . . .”

  “A connection?” he offered quietly.

  Her eyes locked with his. “Yes. Yes, I do feel that. You do too?”

  “From the first day.” He sat up to draw her closer, kissed her lips gently. “Thank you.”

  “For what?”

  “Being open and honest with me. I believe you.”

  Her eyes narrowed. “Have you thought I’ve just been with you because you’re a sex bomb, because you’re kind of famous, or because you’re rich? God, it was never about your money, or your name. Tell me you didn’t think any of those things.”

  “Nope. I knew that about you without a doubt. Actually, I thought you didn’t like me, until recently. Until I realized you were just . . . scared of me. You know?” His hand lifted to trail along her neck, down her shoulder, down her arm. “Sex bomb? I like that. And yeah, that’s part of it.” He winked. “We’re both human, and the attraction between us is red-hot. But no, I never thought for a second you were with me because of the other things you said.” He paused before admitting, “Most of the women I’ve been with, that’s all they saw. You, that was never it. You saw . . . a user. A man who could be dangerous to you, emotionally. And I guess I’m just trying to get some assurance that you don’t anymore. I really want you to feel comfortable with me. Good about it. About us dating.” He raked his hands through his hair and sputtered, “Am I making any sense?”

  Her mouth dropped open in obvious surprise, but she nodded.

  She moved off her chair and dropped to her knees, sliding his legs apart so she could move between them. On her knees, she leaned in to hold him, wrapping her arms around his waist and hugging tightly. He returned her embrace as she whispered into his ear, “You’re a better man than you think you are. I see that in you.” Her fingers ran through his hair, played along the back of his neck. “I didn’t at first, you’re right. But I do now, and I’m here because I want to be. I slept with you, and stayed over last night, because I want to be with you.” She pressed kisses to the side of his face, his jaw, his neck as he buried his face in her hair and breathed her in. “I think we’ve both suffered heartbreaks, of different kinds, and maybe that’s left us both more afraid of what’s happening here than either of us realized.”

  “I think you might be right,” he murmured. One of his hands cradled her head as the other rubbed her back. “But I want this . . . whatever this is. I want you, Abby.”

  She held him tighter and whispered into his ear, “You have me.”

  They held each other as breezes blew across the grass, the high noon sun warmed them, and the only sounds were those of birds singing and the leaves of the trees around the perimeter whooshing in the wind.

  Pierce marveled at the woman in his arms.

  In Abby, he had found someone he enjoyed talking with just as much as he enjoyed sleeping with. She was sharp, insightful . . . so smart. Hell, the truth of it was, she was probably smarter than he was, and he was no slouch.

  He loved that. He respected her. That’s what had been missing with all those other women he’d dated. He either hadn’t really respected them, hadn’t genuinely liked them, or both. But . . . maybe, he’d done that purposely, knowing he’d never truly click with an empty-headed woman and wanting to keep his solitude safely in place.

  Abby challenged him, and made him work for it. Made him look at things differently. And he liked that. He liked how she made him think, and that she made him feel emotions he hadn’t before. Connected. He felt truly connected to her. Making love with her, staying with her, talking with her, all of it had sealed that for him.

  He blinked. Making love? He didn’t make love, he fucked. Crude as it was, that was the truth. But . . . last night, this morning . . . the way they’d looked deeply into each other’s eyes as he moved inside her, the way she’d breathed his name as she rocked with him . . . that wasn’t just a fuck. That was something more. She was so much more to him now.

  His heart started to pound a little harder as realizations flooded him.

  Abby lifted her head. “What are you thinking about now?”

  “You.” He tipped up her chin so he could kiss her mouth. “Still you.”

  “Oh really? What about me?” she asked, shifting to a better position so she could look into his eyes as they talked.

  He glanced down at her chin and saw the splotches of red there, and on her neck and chest. “Jesus, I scraped you up with my beard. I’m sorry, Abby. I should go shave.”

  “Don’t you dare,” she commanded. “I like your scruff. It’s hot.”

  “Glad you think so. But your skin’s all—”

  “I have sensitive skin. So what? Do you hear me complaining?”

  “You will when I send you home like this and your parents see you all scratched up.” A thought occurred to him. “Shit, your father’ll come looking to kick my ass.”

  She laughed, a full, delicious sound, and he had to kiss that sweet mouth. He cradled her, held her head with his hands as his tongue swept into her mouth, tasting and savoring her. He felt her hands roam down his back and it made him shiver.

  “I interrupted you,” she finally said when he let her come up for air. “What did you want to say to me?”

  He gazed down at her, steeling his resolve. Once the words were out there, he couldn’t take them back. Damn, he hadn’t felt this vulnerable in a while. He knew he wanted this, but did she? Only one way to find out. “Like I told you before, I’m moving back here. Whether it’s Long Island or the city, I’m not sure yet, but I’m staying. And I . . . I want to keep seeing you. Only you. For us to date exclusively.”

  Abby’s eyes flew wide with shock. “You do?”

  “Yeah. I do.” His eyes searched hers. “How about you?”

  Abby stared back at him. She felt the blood rise into her face, creeping up from her chest. Flushed and off-kilter, her body froze as her mind scrambled to process his words. This man—this sexy, charismatic man who never dated seriously—was telling her that he wanted only her. She hadn’t expected anything like that from him ever, much less so soon. She was stunned speechless.

  He stared, waiting for her answer.

  “I—I thought you didn’t do relationships,” she stammered.

  Something flickered in his eyes, but his voice stayed the same. “I haven’t. That’s true. But I want to with you.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “I didn’t think I’d have to work so hard to convince you,” he muttered, moving to pull away from her.

  She grabbed his arms with both hands and blurted, “Wait. Stop. Look at me.�
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  He did as she demanded.

  “You can’t blame me for being surprised, Pierce. Because we both know your dating history.” She caressed his face as she stared into his eyes. “I just want to make sure it’s what you really want before you commit to that. You’re saying you want to have a real relationship with me?”

  “That’s what ‘dating exclusively’ implies, yes.”

  She pinched his arm and he snorted. “Pierce, if I’m in a relationship, I’m in it one hundred percent. And I’d expect the same in return.”

  “Of course.” He didn’t shy away, and held their shared gaze as he said solemnly, “You’re right, I have a bad track record. I guess I don’t blame you for wanting to make sure. But yes, Abby, I want to pursue this, see where it takes us. I want to be with you. I’m crazy about you . . . and I definitely don’t want to think of you dating anyone else.” His gaze intensified, the blue of his eyes like ice and fire. “So this is me throwing down the gauntlet, Abby. You. I want only you.”

  Her breath caught from the earnest tone of his voice. And at that moment, the open, yearning expression on his face was almost too much to take as his candid words sank in. Could she take that leap again? Much less with a man like him? He meant what he was saying, she knew that. But could she trust him not to hurt her?

  As if reading her mind, he whispered, “Please try to trust me on this. I won’t let you down.”

  She swallowed hard, trying to dislodge the sudden lump in her throat as she stared back at him, felt the warmth of his strong body against hers . . . and it felt right.

  Despite his being a considerable risk, it was a chance she was willing to take. She liked him enough to want to take the chance. Who was she kidding, she was crazy about him.

  Please mean it, Pierce. Please, please don’t let me down. I don’t think I could take that kind of disappointment again.