Page 30 of Abigail
“Aren’t you afraid you’ll get a noise complaint? Umph!” Robert asks as Jessie pounces on him. “Whoa! Little man. You’re going to get hurt doing that.” The boy just frowns at Robert. Abigail wants to laugh.
“Daddy says we got to be tough,” Jessie declares defiantly. “You don’t get tough being a pansy on the couch. Take no prisoners. You gotta go for blood!” Jessie leaps back toward Joshua and the other children. Robert’s face forms a frown as he contemplates the boy’s words. Abigail bursts into a full-on belly laugh at the look on Robert’s face at the boy’s statement.
“Jordan Brian Jackson!” Charlotte exclaims. Abigail is looking around to see who she’s calling. Hawk just shrugs his shoulders as he grins. “I can’t leave you alone with the boys five minutes.” Charlotte isn’t really angry. There’s no venom in her statement, more like exasperation.
“Just be thankful I taught him to say pansy.” Hawk gives her a knowing look. “Could have been worse, love.” Charlotte just shakes her head and walks over to her husband. He snags her around the waist and kisses her deeply. Abigail’s face heats at the intensity of their kiss. When they break apart, Charlotte is breathless. Hawk looks over at Deadeye and Elise. “Slumber party’s moving to your room.”
“Nope,” Deadeye replies. “Your woman’s idea. It’s staying here. I, however, am taking my woman to our room while you watch over our kids.” He stands, pulling Elise to her feet. “Maybe Ace and Daisy will take these hooligans. We’re out.” Elise waves her good-byes as Deadeye drags her out the door. She’s laughing all the way, despite the blush flooding her face.
“Damn,” Hawk says without any anger. “It was worth a try.” He places another quick kiss on his wife’s lips. “Sorry, love, no chitty chitty bang bang tonight.” Charlotte rolls her eyes and smiles up at him. The love that radiates between the couple is blinding. Abigail is so happy for them. She looks at Robert and sees he’s watching the couple, too. He brings his eyes to hers. Unspoken words pass between them. That’s their future. She just has to trust him, trust that he will love her and support her. Abigail can’t wait until she and Robert are that in love and comfortable with each other.
Ellie wiggles in Abigail’s arms. “Let me down. Time to play!” Ellie laughs as Abigail plops her down onto the nearest bed. She gives Ellis a kiss and another hug.
“Be good, little girl,” Abigail says. “I’ll just be down the hall if you need me, okay?” Ellie nods distractedly. Then she’s jumping back into the fray of the pillow fight.
“Here’s Ellie’s clothes,” Abigail tells Charlotte. “If she needs anything at all, just call us.” Charlotte nods and reaches for the bag, as she watches the kids destroy the beds with their raucous behavior.
“Go, have a good time,” Charlotte insists with a smile. “We’ll take good care of her, and we know where to find you if she gets homesick for her momma.” Abigail smiles back at Charlotte as she hands the bag over. Charlotte pulls her in for a brief hug and whispers in her ear. “Don’t be so nervous. Everything will be fine.” Charlotte pulls back and squeezes Abigail’s shoulders before releasing her and turning back to the pillow fight. Abigail feels Robert’s hand on her waist. She looks up at him. Time to go. At her nod, he leads her from the room and back down the hall to his.
They enter Robert’s room, and it is much like Hawk and Charlotte’s, except there’s a large king bed with a wine bedspread, taking up a large portion of the room. A dresser is against the wall with a large TV on top. A low table with two chairs is just beyond the TV. The bathroom is on the right as you enter the room. Robert ushers her in and shuts the door behind them. Abigail is suddenly nervous. What had she been thinking? Is she really ready for this? She isn’t sure, but she’s dreamed about it often in the last week. It’s just that it has been so long since she’s been with a man, but to be honest she wants to be with him. Robert is seriously hot, and he’s been so good to her. Ugh! She needs to get out of her head and focus on the man standing behind her not her past or her insecurities.
Abigail drops her grocery bag of clothes on the dresser next to the TV. Taking a deep breath to calm her nerves, she turns to face Robert. He takes her in his arms. She expects him to kiss her to pick up where they’d left off in her apartment, but he surprises her. He places his forehead on hers and just holds her for a moment.
“Abigail.” Robert’s voice is thick and husky. “We don’t have to have sex tonight. I know things are moving fast, maybe too fast for you. Don’t get me wrong. I want to have sex with you, but I’m fine to slow it down if this is too much, too fast.” Abigail lets out a shaken breath. “Let’s just relax and see where the night goes. I’ll be happy just to hold you, okay?”
“Really?” Abigail asks. She’s never been with a man who didn’t expect her to spread her legs when they wanted her too. If he’s serious, then she knows for certain, Robert is truly different. She will be able to trust him with not only her body, but also her heart.
“Yeah, baby,” Robert says. “I just want to be with you. I’m planning on forever, Abi. If this works out like I want it to, we have many more nights to explore our pleasure.” His declaration melts her heart even more. Yep! Robert’s going to be a keeper.
Robert sends her into the bathroom to get ready for bed. He flips on the TV and begins scanning the channels as she gets her bag. In the bathroom, she’s nervous as she brushes her teeth and changes into her simple cotton gown. Abigail doesn’t have any sexy lingerie. She hadn’t had the money or need for such things before, but now she wishes she’d had at least one sexy nightie. Once she’s changed her clothes, she takes her hair out of the bun at the back of her head. Picking up her brush she strokes it through her wavy locks as she studies herself in the mirror. The large ugly scar on her neck draws her attention. The constant reminder of her past. She sighs. There’s nothing she can do about it, and Robert’s never mentioned it, but she’d seen him looking at it when they first met. He now knows the cause of her injury, and he still wants to be with her. There was a time, not so long ago, she had been ashamed of and embarrassed about her injury. Now, Robert is helping her see that she was never to blame for the abuse she’d suffered. Todd is responsible for his actions not her. She’d been young and raised in a violent home. While she knew that what she was living wasn’t right, she’d felt that a home without abuse was merely fantasy, made up for television. Now she is seeing first hand love doesn’t have to hurt. She doesn’t have to live in fear. Robert will give her love without fists, without degrading her, without forcing his will on her at her expense. It’s all at her finger tips. She merely has to reach out and take it. Smoothing her hands over the front of her cotton gown to get the sweat off her palms, she turns to open the door, heading out to face Robert.
Robert is lounging on the bed, looking like a bored, yet, sexy god as he scans the channels. His head turns in her direction as she leaves the safety of the bathroom to join him. His eyes rove over her body as if undressing her with them. His gaze tracks over her face down to her full breasts, which are mostly hidden under the oversized cotton gown, down to her slim waist, over the widening of her hips. When he ogles her bare legs, she notices his pupils dilating as desire begins to swirl in the blue pools of his eyes. When he reaches her feet, his eyes track back up her body, pausing to take in her slight curves. Abigail’s nerves leave her in a rush as if the horde of butterflies in her belly have suddenly taken flight into the air and left her far behind. She’s ready for what the night will bring.
Robert rises from the bed. His eyes never leaving hers. Slowly he stalks toward her. The look on his face sends tremors of desire down Abigail’s spine. She watches as he nears her. Standing in front of her his hand reaches out to cup her face in the gentlest of touches. They stare at one another for a few moments before he leans down to press his lips to hers. A soft feather-light kiss that turns her on more than their previous deep, sensuous kisses they’d shared earlier today. Breaking the kiss, he pulls back to look down into her eyes for a brief moment.
“I’ll be out in a few minutes. Make yourself comfortable.” Robert slowly releases her as if he can hardly pull himself away. Abigail can hardly breathe as he strolls toward the bathroom. The door clicks shut leaving her alone with her nerves, which have returned with a vengeance, as she awaits his return.
A few minutes later, he emerges with only a pair of navy-blue sleep pants, which are sitting low on his hips. Abigail notices his impressive pectoral muscles as they move and flex when he emerges from the bathroom. Her gaze trails down to his six-pack abs that look good enough to lick. Abigail momentarily wonders what he’ll taste like because she’s made a decision as she waited. Life is too short and unpredictable to continue to keep holding back. It’s past time to be brave, take a chance. She needs to grab a hold of Robert with both hands and never let go. He cares for her, something she’s never been given before. She knows deep inside he will give her his heart and more if she can only trust him to take care of her. Robert stills just outside the bathroom door. His eyes flick up to meet hers. His smirk tells her he’s noticed her intense perusal of his body. Maybe he can even read minds, too.
Past being shy, she smirks back as she continues to study him. His trim waist with well-defined sexy abs tapers down to a delicious v that leads to a smattering of hair peeking from the top of his sleep pants. She allows her eyes to drop lower and she sucks in a startled gasp as she notices the impressive tenting of his pants that seems to grow larger and larger as she stares. Her eyes flick back to his to see desire and lust swirling there. He strolls over to stand next to the bed where she’s sitting down as she waits. He sits next to her and takes her hand.
“I’m sorry about that.” His head dips toward his massive erection. “I meant what I said earlier. I don’t expect you to have sex with me tonight, but I can’t control my body’s response to seeing you in your night gown. Honestly I’ve been fighting it from the first moment I saw you.” Abigail gasps in surprise. She’s felt the same way about him. Her body seems to come alive whenever he’s nearby.
“Robert-” Abigail pauses to lick her dry lips. She notices he tracks her tongue’s movement across her lips. “I’ve fought my body’s reaction to you, too. I know things are moving fast, really fast, in fact, but that doesn’t mean that I necessarily want to slow them down.” His eyes widen as her words register.
CHAPTERTWENTY-SEVEN
Straw can’t believe what’s he’s hearing. Abigail’s been hesitant about getting physical. He has felt her fear all day. Now, the woman in front of him is anything but afraid. It’s too good to be true. He’s wanted her from the first moment he’d laid eyes on her, but he doesn’t want to ruin what is budding between them. He’d meant what he’d said earlier. He can wait, because he is in this for the long haul. Therefore, he needs to get himself under control and not tie her to his bed for days.
“Abigail.” Straw’s voice is strained, husky with lust at her nearness. “I would like nothing better than to lay you down and worship your body, make you scream my name all night.” She shivers. Her eyes meet his, and he can easily see her desire. She reaches out to take his hand. Her small hand is warm in his much larger one. Her skin is so soft and delicate against his rough calloused hand. She’s going to make his attempt to be an honorable man difficult, if not impossible. “But I don’t want to push you or ruin what we have here.”
“Robert, you’re not going to ruin anything,” Abigail tells him with confidence. “We have a deep connection. You feel it. I feel it, right here.” She places his hand over her heart. “I wasted a lot of years hiding, being afraid of losing Ellie. I don’t have to be afraid anymore and that’s because of you. I know you will take care of me, not just physically, keeping me safe, but you’ll protect my heart, too. I’m not afraid Robert so don’t over think this and let your fear keep us from moving this forward.” Straw listens to her soft voice and lets it wash over him, sink into his heart and soul. He stares into her eyes for several moments, seeing she believes every word. He decides to take Hawk’s advice and let this love he feels for her sweep him under and carry them out to sea where they will begin the rest of their lives together.
“I will always protect you, Abigail.” Straw’s voice thick with emotion. “Your heart, your body, and your soul. I’ve never really believed in fate or soulmates before, but now, I do believe we are meant to be together, and I promise I’ll do my best every day to ensure your happiness.” Abigail’s smile is radiant, nearly blinding as she looks up at him. The time for waiting is over. Straw leans down to kiss her. She eagerly raises her face to meet him. A sweet gentle kiss quickly deepens. Abigail wraps her arms around his neck and pulls him toward her as she moves to stretch out on the bed.
Straw moves over her to place his weight on the mattress beside her. Leaning on his right elbow, which is pressing into the mattress next to her shoulder, he cups her face with his left hand as he devours her mouth. Abigail’s hands begin to wander over his shoulders, across his back, gently scraping her nails over his flesh. He pulls back to gaze at her.
“So beautiful,” he murmurs as he looks down at her. Dark red blooms over her skin from her chest up to her face. “You’re sure?” he asks one more time. At her nod, he lowers his head again to kiss her long and deep. Then he kisses his way across her cheek to the sensitive skin under her ear, licking and nipping the flesh as he goes. Her quiet gasps and moans turning him on more and more. His cock is so hard it’s hurting. He feels precum leak from the tip in his anticipation. Fuck! She’s going to make him blow in his pants from her soft moans.
