He withdrew slowly until she was squirming and gripping the edge of the desk in excruciating bliss. David reached the point where he was about to slip out, he gripped her hips and slammed into her, rocking her against the desk and forcing her to bite the sleeve of her cardigan to keep from crying out.
He was furious and intense, the silence only broken by the staccato slap of skin on skin, and Abbey came so hard she thought she might pass out.
As she was in the height of her orgasm, ready to crash, David stiffened up and finished deep inside of her. She could feel him pulsing his release and she panted her own explosive shockwave.
She could hear people passing outside in the hallway and again she felt thrilled by the illicit sex in David’s office.
David loosened his hold on her hips and relaxed his body. He ran his hands along her back and exhaled slowly, a sound of pure satisfaction.
He pulled Abbey up off the desk and turned her around, they adjusted their clothes and David tightened his belt. He looked down at her with a smug grin.
“Now that was unexpected.”
“And unbelievable,” Abbey replied, smoothing out her hair and reaching up to brush lipstick off David’s cheek. “I guess I need to say thank you for letting me have my fantasy. I mean, I just realized it was a fantasy of mine but it was amazing.”
“Thank you for starting out my lunch hour with a bang,” he chuckled.
She looked him up and down again, let her eyes move up to his, and said, “Speaking of which, where shall we go to eat?”
Chapter 15
“Mom, these boots aren’t going to work,” Sophie complained and kicked her foot out, showing Abbey her little pink cowboy boots.
It was the last week of June and they were getting ready for the town’s annual rodeo. They’d been practically living full time with David for over a month now, and he was finally experiencing the joys of dealing with getting two kids together for a family event.
Sarcasm of course, Abbey was grateful to share the burden with somebody else, but in the grand scheme of things they really were good kids.
Just frustrating.
“All done,” David announced and lead Zach into the living room where Abbey exclaimed and held her hand to her mouth in shock. He looked so grown up and was a spitting image if her father. “I thought you said this would be difficult.”
Abbey glared at David and shook her head, and rolled her eyes. He laughed and sat next to Sophie on the couch.
“You look great,” Abbey told Zach, “just like a little cowboy.”
“Is grandpa ready to load up our horses? Should we go help him?” Zach asked.
“In about ten minutes, right after I brush out Sophie’s tangled mess and force it into a braid,” Abbey replied.
“Sophie, why won’t these boots going to work?” David asked. “I think they look cute.”
“They’re the wrong color of pink. They’ll look terrible with the pink on Pepper’s bridle,” Sophie said.
“I think they’ll look fantastic, and you’ll be moving so fast nobody will even notice,” David said. “Now hand me that brush and we’ll work on your hair before your mom’s head explodes.”
David raised his eyes to hers and motioned for her to go get ready in the bedroom. She hesitated for a moment, assessed the situation and remembered it was David, he had her back, he was her support.
She pulled on her jeans, did up her cowgirl shirt and slid into her cowboy boots. She looked at herself in the mirror and appraised her appearance.
She looked good. She wasn’t a vain kind of woman, any belief that she was beautiful had been stamped out by Tom’s words and fists years ago, but she was surprised to realized she looked good.
David made her feel good, being away from Tom had been good for her overall sense of self and she liked the way her clothes hugged her hips and curves, she was proud of them in a strange way. She’d put on weight, but she carried it well and David clearly didn’t mind anything about her, he couldn’t get enough.
She did a light amount of makeup and thought she did pretty good for somebody who basically never wore it.
When she walked back into the living room she found Zach sitting behind his sister carefully braiding her hair while David got into his uniform jacket.
“You look incredible,” he said as looked up and noticed her. “Wow, I wish I wasn’t working, I’d love to take you to the barn dance and show you off.”
“You’re just with me for arm candy?” she asked with a pleased grin.
“That and more,” he chuckled and reached out for her hand, pulled him towards him and kissed her forehead.
“Gross, you guys kiss too much,” Sophie complained but she had a cheeky grin on her face as she said it.
“I’ll never stop kissing your mom,” David told her. “Even when we’re a hundred years old on the front porch in our rocking chairs, I’ll be kissing her every chance I get.”
“Now that’s gross,” Zach said as he finished the braid and snapped the hair tie around the end. “Old people shouldn’t be kissing anybody.”
“You’ll be changing your tune when you’re old, I promise you that,” Abbey said and looked at Sophie. “Good job on the braid by the way, when did you learn to do that?”
“From my horse,” he replied with a proud smile, “Grandpa taught me how to braid his tail to make it look really nice when we’re competing today.”
“Are you guys ready to go? We should get this show on the road, you need to check in by noon,” David said.
“Okay, off we go!” Abbey exclaimed and felt her stomach quiver in anticipation. David had to work tonight, but he could spend a few hours with them at the rodeo and fair. Both kids were competing in the barrel racing event, Abbey had been surprised, the barrels were usually considered a girl’s sport, but it was open for anybody under the age of twelve.
Her dad had been working with both kids on all events, but they weren’t ready for much else. And no matter how progressive Abbey felt she was, she couldn’t stomach the thought of either of them riding bulls or broncs like their father. The risk for injury was too great to put her kids through that.
They drove to her dad’s house where he already had the trailer hooked up to his truck. He helped the kids load their horses and tack, and they were ready to go.
“Can we ride with grandpa so we can watch our horses?” Zach asked Abbey.
“Of course, we’ll follow you,” Abbey replied.
David pulled his truck behind the trailer and they started into town.
“I’ve never seen them so happy,” Abbey said and slid across the seat to sit next to David. “It makes me feel good about everything, I wish I hadn’t stayed with David so long, but I think everything is working out well now.”
“I think it all happened exactly how it was supposed to,” David said and looked down at her hand on his thigh. “Although I could use a few extra minutes right now to drive down one of the side roads and bend you over the hood of my truck.”
“Oh god, me too,” Abbey sighed. “Damn it, we don’t have time though.”
“I know, but just wait until I get home tonight,” he said and flashed her his killer smile with heat rising in his gorgeous violet eyes. “My shift ends at two in the morning, I’ll come home straight away.”
“And I’ll be waiting,” she replied and squeezed her hand on his thigh, letting him know how much she needed him…as much as he needed her.
It was sometimes strange to be in love with a police officer, she hated shifts like tonight where the danger to David would increase with all the drunks and rowdy people in town for the big event.
She did her best to not let it get to her though, he was so perfect at his job she couldn’t ever suggest he give it up. It would just be an adjustment on her part but she would get there eventually.
And him looking so damned hot in his uniform certainly made it easier on her.
And it didn’t hurt that he made her feel so secure, and th
e respect he got around town was empowering.
For the first time in her life Abbey felt as if she fit in, the town saw her as David’s woman and she earned her own respect because of it. She’d gone from the shadows, both as a teenager and as a married woman, to being proud of herself, her family and her lover.
They pulled into the rodeo grounds and were waved through to follow her dad.
“I had no idea there would be this many people,” she said, her head swiveling around at the huge crowds milling about.
“It’s really grown since a couple other rodeos shut down,” David explained. “We’re officially the biggest amateur rodeo in western Canada.”
“Wow, I hope it doesn’t freak the kids out.”
“Probably not as much as you,” David chuckled. “You look scared, like you’re the one performing.”
“I feel like I am. I haven’t felt like this in years, not since my high school glory days,” Abbey said as they pulled to a stop behind the horse trailer.
Abbey stood back with David and let her dad and the kids get their horses set up in portable stalls next to the trailer.
It was as if they’d been doing it their entire lives, they’d taken to riding and rodeo like the proverbial fish to water.
“Can we go to the fair now?” Zach asked as he ran up to David and Abbey.
“You can take them over there while I get them registered,” her dad said, nodding towards the whirling rides and bunches of people were gathering.
“Are you sure? Do you want to meet us over there?” David asked him.
“See in you in a few,” her dad replied as they began to walk towards the scents and sounds of the carnival.
“I want to go on all the rides,” Sophie said and ran ahead. Zach caught up with her and grabbed her hand protectively.
“I never thought I’d see him taking care of her,” Abbey mused and hooked her hand in David’s arm.
“See? The change has been good for you,” David said. “It’s been good for all of you.”
“I can’t argue with that.”
They bought the kids all day ride passes and Abbey introduced David to the experience of basically running ragged after children as they hopped from one bright thing to the next.
“How are you able to keep up?” David asked at one point after the kids had played a darts game and wanted to immediately ride on the Ferris wheel…again.
“It’s takes practice, don’t worry, you’ll get there,” Abbey laughed. “I have the advantage of being with them since they were babies. It’s like the boiling frog thing, where a frog doesn’t notice when the water heats up slowly. You, my froggy friend, have been tossed into the middle of a boiling pot.”
“And I wouldn’t want it any other way.”
“Have you thought about having children of your own?” Abbey asked out of the blue and almost covered her mouth with her hand when she said it. The words just slipped out, she hadn’t realized the implication of them until it was too late.
They watched the kids climb onto the ride and David stood behind her, enveloping her in his embrace.
“I’ve thought about you having my baby,” David said in her ear in a lustful tone. “I’ve thought about you growing big with our child and watching you care for it while we loved it together. But here’s the thing Abbey, I think of Sophie and David as mine already. I might just be their step dad when we get married, but I’m ready to commit my life to them as well. Anything I can offer you or our child, I will offer them. I swear this to you.”
Abbey felt heat race through her body and tears prick her eyes as she looked up at her children, the ones with Tom who she’d only recently saved, laughing and waving on the Ferris wheel.
The heat was pure love, pure joy and the intensity of being claimed by a man like David. He would take her, but he would take her family too.
He would protect them all.
“Thank you,” she replied and wiggled around to kiss him even as the crowds gathered and people could see them right out in the open. There was nothing to hide about their love, and she wasn’t about to hold back just because they were in town.
“I thought I’d run into you here, you fucking whore,” a deep, angry voice said from behind them.
Abbey broke away from David and scanned the people behind her.
It had been Tom’s voice, she was sure of it.
“Who was that?” David asked, joining her search for the origin.
“Who do you think it was, Lizzie?” Tom asked and stepped out from behind a booth, his face curled into an arrogant sneer.
Abbey screamed and threw herself into David’s arms, her heart pounding in fear as the bottom dropped out of her world.
Chapter 16
“Abbey, get behind me,” David commanded and she obeyed, her fear turning her into an automaton. “What are you doing here, Tom?”
“What do you think, Lizzie?” Tom replied, “I’m here for the rodeo. The money’s pretty decent for such a little shit town.”
“This is an amateur event,” David said, “I thought you were some big shot now.”
“It’s not for me, it’s for Candy,” Tom said and looked past them. “Oh there she is now, over here sweetheart.”
A young, thin blonde with the tightest Wranglers Abbey had ever seen came hopping over and jumped into Tom’s arms.
“All signed up, baby,” she squeaked and kissed Tom long and hard. She couldn’t be more than twenty, barely out of her teens, and Abbey noticed the ghost of a bruise on her neck. She shuddered at the thought of Tom doing the same thing to a new woman as he’d done to her.
“Good,” Tom said and turned back to the two of them and locked his eyes on Abbey. “Where are my kids?”
Abbey’s eyes widened and flitted upwards towards the Ferris wheel. She hated that she couldn’t control her reaction and cringed as Tom followed her gaze.
“There they are,” Tom smirked with an evil glint in his eyes. “They’ll be thrilled to see me, especially once I tell them how you’ve been keeping me from them.”
David stepped towards Tom and said, “You need to go through our lawyer before you see those damned kids.”
“Your lawyer? Do I sense a little lovey dovey vibe here?” Tom said, sarcasm dripping from his voice.
David put his arm around Abbey protectively and said, “Yeah, I stepped up when you couldn’t.”
“You’re taking over for me?” Tom snickered. “You couldn’t close the deal with Abbey way back then, and now you’re taking over? You needed me to make the kids for you because you’re too much of a pussy to do it yourself?”
Abbey felt David tense up and saw his hands turn to fists.
“Shut the hell up, Tom,” she said, “stop trying to goad David into punching you. You’re less than half the man he is, and you’ll never amount to anything. I left you because you were destroying my children and I didn’t know if I’d survive the next beating.”
“Prove it, bitch,” Tom snarled. “Show me a single photo or police report and I’ll say I’m sorry. You’ve got nothing though, you can prove shit.”
“Sounds like your lawyers talking,” David said, his voice calmer and more in control. “Does Abbey have you running scared? Worried you might have to pay child support? Well don’t worry about that, the kids are fine with us. We don’t need a dime.”
“Tom, baby, let’s go,” Candy whined and hung onto Tom’s arm. “You can see your kids later.”
“Piss off, Candy,” Tom snapped and jerked his arm away. “Go do your thing, sweetheart, and I’ll catch up to you later.”
“I don’t want to,” Candy replied, “and I don’t wanna meet your brats.”
Abbey stiffened up at that and narrowed her eyes. “Take your girlfriend out of her, Tom,” she said in a dangerous voice. She stepped forward out of David’s protective embrace and continued. “They don’t need to see you, call our lawyers and we can arrange something. Otherwise stay the hell away from us.”
�
�Listen to her,” Candy said, “let’s go.”
Tom shoved her away and turned towards her. “Get the hell away from me. Let me handle my shit alone.”
Candy looked stricken and out of the corner of Abbey’s eye she saw the Ferris wheel slow and start letting riders off.
“Why don’t you go with Candy and I’ll text you later to set up a meeting?” Abbey asked, her eyes watching for Sophie and Zach to jump down from the ride. She didn’t want the kids to see their dad like this, and she didn’t want them to meet Candy. It was going to be stressful enough as it was, if she could get her dad to help her oversee a short visit, then Tom might settle down.
Candy tugged at Tom’s shirt and Abbey wondered what she’d ever seen in him. He was tall and lanky and decent looking on the surface, but just underneath was a mean streak that almost bubbled as he simmered, glaring at her.
She hadn’t been able to see it back then of course, but now she was alarmed at how obvious it was. Anybody with two brain cells to rub together would be able to tell Tom was a control freak and an asshole.
Of course that was why he still preyed on young, vulnerable women.
She was disgusted by it now, but she still needed to play nice so he’d sign the divorce papers.
Tom glowered and David stood closer to Abbey. She glanced back and noticed the kids were the next seat to exit the ride, so she stared Tom down and demanded he reply.
“So what is it?”
“Come on,” Candy begged.
“Fuck you all,” Tom snarled. “Text me by three or I’ll fucking find you.”
With that he turned, grabbed Candy’s hand and dragged her behind him, half walking and half stumbling behind him.
“Mom! David!” Sophie yelled at them as they got out of their seats. “That was so much fun, we could see everything from up there!”
Abbey smiled but didn’t know how to ask what exactly they’d seen, she worried they’d caught her arguing with Tom.
“That’s cool,” David said and tousled Zach’s hair. What ride do you want to try out next?”
The Way Down Page 11