by Katie Dowe
“Thank you, Florence,” she said quietly. “I think I will come and sit in the kitchen for a little bit.”
“Come along, dearie! I would love the company.”
*****
The engagement ring was a family heirloom passed down from one generation of Moore’s wives to another. It had been cleaned to a dazzling shine and sparkled brilliantly when the light caught the stones. It was a large sapphire stone and each generation had made the stone bigger! There were iridescent pink tinted pearls all around the large stone and Abby could not stop looking at it.
“If you don’t like it I could buy you one to your liking,” he said anxiously as he looked at her. He had come home at six and had taken her into his arms holding her as if he had no intention of letting her go. He had then gone on one knee and officially proposed to her. They were sitting in the large living room where a fire had been lit.
“Aren’t you afraid that I will take advantage of what you feel for me?” she asked him huskily. He had taken off his tan jacket and his brown sweater vest. His ash blonde hair had been blown by the wind and looked unkempt but it made him looked boyish.
“No.” He took her hands in his and looked down at the ring on her finger. He had had it resized because the former brides had very tiny fingers. “It would not matter to me. Everything I have is yours. You have the power to hurt me in the worst possible way but I am not worried about that because I know you do not have it in you to do that.”
“Edward, I am overwhelmed.” She gripped his hand. “I am not used to this and I feel as if I am being swept away by a very large wave.”
He pulled her closer to him and she buried her head in his chest inhaling his spicy cologne and closing her eyes as she felt his arms around her. “I want you to do something for me,” he said gently. “I am a member of a club that is pretty exclusive and I am friends with some very extraordinary men, Lorenzo being one of them.” He eased her away a little bit and tilted her chin up. “Monique was a school teacher when she fell in love with Lorenzo. Debbie was an administrative assistant when she fell in love with Alexander and I could tell you a whole lot more. I want you to have lunch with these women and let them be your support. They are very kind and down to earth or else I would never suggest it. Will you do that for me my sweet?” His grey eyes melted her resolve and she nodded. “I will have Leesa call you tomorrow.” He bent and kissed her lips, pulling the bottom lip into his mouth and nibbling at it driving her crazy.
She reached up and held his hand, her body shivering. “Edward,” she moaned.
“I want you. Jesus! I want you so badly!” He took her hand and placed it over his crotch. Abby moaned and swayed to him.
“I want you too.”
“It’s too soon.” His tongue darted into her mouth and explored, his body shuddering as she closed her hands over him and squeezed gently. “I should give you two weeks,” he rasped.
“No.” Her heart was hammering inside her breasts double time! “Please, I can’t-“
He took her hand and pulled her up carefully using his hands to frame her face. “If I am the cause for you to open up your wound again I would never forgive myself.”
“I cannot sleep like this,” she whispered.
He sighed deeply and closed his eyes. He took her hand and they went into the bedroom where he undressed her slowly, his eyes darkening at the puncture wound above her breasts. He bent his head and kissed it softly before moving to her nipple which he took inside his mouth and sucked slowly not wanting to cause her pain. Abby moaned and clutched at his hair, her body slowly heating up. She still had the ring on but did not even notice as the light from the lamps shot through the stones sending myriad of lights around the room! He moved and finished undressing her and himself. “On your side,” he told her hoarsely as he held his long smooth erection in his palm. “I don’t want to hurt you.” He came behind her and slipped in his penis. He emitted a sigh of pure pleasure as she wrapped around him. He had been without her for a week and it had felt like an entire year. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled at the nipple he had gorged on. He sent himself deep inside her and slowed down for a bit as he savoured the slick wetness of her. He loved the fact that she was always wet for him! He pushed up and into her and felt his control slipping away as usual. It was always the same when he touched her! He went giddy with desire and the control would slip by him. She bent her head back and looked up at him, her dark brown eyes a liquid pool, her lips parted as she panted. He twisted his head around and took her lips with his, his tongue darting and tasting and going in deep. It was not long before she bucked and cried out his name as the orgasm tore through her unsuspecting body!
Chapter 9
Abby twisted her hands nervously as they waited for the car that was transporting his parents to reach the house. His father had told him not to bother picking them up because it made no sense coming so far when they could have a driver take them. It was Saturday and the afternoon had rushed by quickly. Florence had prepared something and had left for the afternoon. She had put on and taken off a few articles of clothing much to Edward’s amusement. It was Friday morning when she had seen a Romano’s delivery truck in the driveway and had looked in shock as the man pulled out racks after racks of clothing for her including shoes, accessories and underwear. He had left nothing out. Monique had called and asked if they were to her liking and she had told her yes in a dazed voice. “You knew about this when we were having lunch?”
“He wanted it to be a surprise,” Monique told her with a laugh. “Your man thinks of everything.”
Her man! Suddenly she had started to think of him as that!
“Relax.” He pulled her into his arms smelling the exotic scent of her perfume. He had bought her several and had also splurged on the latest sexy scent by Romano’s called ‘sex slave’. He thought it was aptly named because he was her slave in every way! “They are not going to bite.”
“They are your parents and you are their only child. They expect a lot from you,” she told him with a shaky laugh. “Did you show them pictures of me?”
He turned her around and looked down at her passing a finger down her cheek. “My parents just want to know how happy you make me and you are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen.”
“You need glasses,” she muttered. She could not help but feel flattered.
“They are here.” He pressed a kiss on her lips before taking her hand he led her to the front door. She gripped his hand as the couple alighted from the car. His mother was enveloped in a dazzlingly beautiful cashmere jacket with only her almost white blonde hair showing. Her husband held her protectively as they made their way to the door. Edward pulled the door open and Eleanor flew into her son’s arms and stood on her toes to kiss him on the cheek. She was tiny and Abby was conscious of the fact as she looked at her. “Mother and Dad, I would like you to meet the love of my life and my fiancé Abby.” He turned to her with a possessive smile.
“My dear.” Eleanor wrapped her slender arms around her and hugged her tightly. “Thank you for making Edward so happy.”
His father kissed her hand and smiled at her and Abby thought she was in a dream. They liked her!
“What’s this I hear about a December wedding?” Eleanor asked as soon as they were seated around the dining table. They had finished the delicious lamb chops and were enjoying the wine.
“I want her to be Mrs. Edward Moore for Christmas.” He looked at Abby with a gentle smile and his mother stared at her son in amazement.
“I have been trying to tell him that it is too short a time to plan a wedding but he is very stubborn,” Abby said wryly as she returned his look.
He reached forward and dabbed his napkin against her lips and then bent to kiss her not really caring that his parents were there. He lifted his head and looked at his parents. “Mother, would you be so kind as to help?”
“Edward!” Abby looked at his mother in apology but the petite beautiful woman had a broad sm
ile on her face.
“I would be delighted to.”
Eleanor shooed the men out to go and do something manly while she talked to Abby. Edward bent to her solicitously. “Are you tired?” he asked her softly.
“I am fine.”
“Okay.” He kissed her and then left the room behind his father.
“He is head over heels in love with you.” Eleanor poured them both coffee into two delicate cups and passed one to her. They had wandered into the living room. “I have never seen him so-“ She waved a hand as she searched for the word. “Animated. It’s as if he has received new life and he is grasping it with both hands. He has changed from the dreary boy I knew to a man full of life and it is because of you my dear. I am extremely grateful.”
“I have never met anyone like him,” Abby declared a little shakily as she put her cup on the table. “If I allow him he would not allow me to lift a finger.”
“The Moore men have a penchant to love excessively,” Eleanor said with a tinkling laugh. “His father swept me off my feet when I was just a very young girl and it was never the same for me.”
“I am different as you can see for yourself. I am sure that with the long line of Moore women there has never been one who looks like me.”
“We are not hung up on looks but on the heart. I admire you, my dear.” She laughed again at the uncertain expression on the girl’s beautiful face. “You are a very attractive woman who wears her clothes well.” Her keen eyes took in the very flattering emerald green pantsuit that sat on her well. Her hair was scooped back into a chignon and diamonds glinted at her lobes. She had also noticed the ring on her finger and thought that it suited her. “Edward is happy and that is all that matters. Now,” she continued briskly. “We have some planning to do.”
*****
“I like your parents,” she said as she rubbed cream into her skin. She had spent the evening and into the night chatting about place settings and color schemes and then at that late hour she had called a very famous wedding planner to set up an appointment.
“They like you too.” He came up behind her and massaged her shoulders. “You stayed up too late,” he said softly as he massaged the knots in her shoulders. “I am very upset with Mother.”
“Stop treating me like a baby, Edward.” She leaned back against him and her remark held no power.
“You are my baby,” he continued to rub her shoulders. “In two weeks’ time, you are going to be my wife and I can hardly wait.”
“I still think we should wait,” she murmured.
“No.” He bent and kissed the top of her head. “I don’t want to wait.”
*****
His parents stayed for a week planning to come back the day before the wedding and Eleanor had proved that she was no better than her son. She made things happen and did not take no for an answer! The wedding was planned for the twenty-second of December which was a Tuesday and the color schemes were emerald and gold. Monique had sent over dresses for her to choose from and she was still in the process of doing so. She had finally gone back to her apartment much to Jenny’s delight.
“Pinch me,” she said as she sat on her bed. She had come by in the afternoon with Edward telling her that he was picking her up on his way from the office.
“I am not going to pinch you,” Jenny retorted. “Okay fine.” She reached over and dug her fingers into Abby’s firm skin.
“Ouch, you bitch!” she yelped.
“Your wish is my command,” her friend said with a grin. “It has been lonely without you. I had to ask the Gary the guy I met to come and keep me company. You made me invite a man I barely know to come into our apartment.”
“I am so sorry,” Abby said dryly.
“Don’t be, the sex more than make up for it,” she said with a grin. “Speaking of sex how is Edward in bed?”
“Since we are women in our thirties and I am going to be marrying the man I most certainly will not be discussing our love life with you.”
“Please! I want to know what it feels like to be bedded by one of the richest men in the world.”
“In that case I will tell you that there are no words to describe it! He is unbelievable! It is like nothing I have ever experienced before and I am scared out of my wits! He is unlike any man I have ever met! He makes me feel as if I am the only woman in the world.”
Jenny stared at her friend for a moment and then lowered her gaze. “You love him,” she said in wonder.
“Maybe.” She shrugged and then smiled. “I love him! How could I not when he loves me so much?”
“You have what we ordinary women have been looking for all our lives,” Jenny told her soberly.
*****
“You are quiet. Do you miss the apartment?” he asked her anxiously as they made their way to his house. She had told Jenny that she would like her to be her maid of honor and the girl had agreed.
She looked over at him and lifting her hand she smoothed back his hair. He reached up and closed his hand over hers. “A little bit. We have been friends for a very long time but I love living with you.”
“Are you sure?” They had come to a stop light and he turned to look at her.
“I am sure.” She leaned over and kissed him on his hair roughened cheek.
“Abby,” he murmured as he gripped her hand. The light changed just then and he released her hand to put the vehicle into drive but quickly took her hand again.
That night he did not make love to her but held her in his arms and watched her sleep with a smile on his face.
*****
“Is he in?” Abby asked Lisa as she took off her coat.
“He is in a meeting.” She smiled at the woman warmly. “Would you like to go into his office and wait for him? He should be out in a few minutes. Congratulations by the way.”
“Thanks, Lisa,” she said as she went into the office. She sat on the edge of the sofa and looked around. It was a very large office and he had told her it had belonged to his dad before him and he had made changes. There was a fireplace and several very comfortable sofas. He had made love to her on the one she was sitting on and she would never forget it.
“What’s wrong?” He came swiftly inside and closed the door behind him. He had rebuked Lisa and told her that she should have called him the minute she got there. He came and knelt in front of her, his grey eyes examining her face.
“Tyrone called me.”
He was silent for a bit and then he asked. “Why?”
“He wants to see me.”
“And you told him no.”
She shrugged a little. “He begged me to come and see him, Edward.”
“And you said no,” he repeated, his expression hard.
“I told him yes.” She shivered at the look on his face as he got to his feet.
“You are not going.”
“He just wants to talk.”
“He did that over the phone.” He turned to her. “I have power, Abby, more than I can explain to you and I can get his phone privileges taken from him.” His voice was soft and menacing. “You are not to talk to him again.”
“You are being highhanded-“
“Highhanded?” He rounded on her and she stepped back slightly. “He almost took your life and association he almost took mine. Do you understand that I wanted to have him killed? That I wanted to kill him myself? Do you?” His grey eyes blazed as he looked at her.
She looked up at him shaken. When she had received the call she had thought of hanging up but she had decided to listen to him. He had told her how sorry he was and that he just wanted to talk to her for a bit. “Edward, I am sorry.”