Stripped(68)
She moaned repeatedly, helpless with desire, as he pounded into her. Though she had thought this would be hot for him, it was turning out to be incredibly hot for her, too. It was a thrill to see such a primal side of Chris.
“Oh, fuck!” he cried loudly, his face twisted with pleasure as he thrust into her so hard the headboard of the bed slammed into the wall. Abby spiraled into one of the deeply intense orgasms she had come to expect him to give her.
He collapsed onto her, planting a delicate kiss on her lips.
“Feel better?” she asked, smiling.
“Much. You know me pretty well.”
Chapter 13
Chris was between patients when he saw Charlotte approaching the desk he was working at in the ER. She wore a long black gown and coat and her hair was twisted into a fancy updo.
“That hairstyle push you over five feet?” he teased.
“Hilarious. Reed and I went to that charity dinner for the hospital foundation tonight. He had to stop by here to check on something.”
“How was the dinner?”
“Boring. How’s Abby?”
“She’s doing well. Healing nicely. I’d slow it down if I could, so she could stay with me longer.”
“Reed told me she’s staying with you. How are you feeling about that?”
“It’s great.”
“No dizziness, palpitations or nausea?” she quipped.
“No anxiety at all. I love having her there.”
“That’s a good sign.”
“Yeah. With other women, familiarity was a big turn-off. When the novelty was gone, so was I. But I like it with Abby. We walk to the coffee shop by my apartment every night before I go to work so I can get coffee and she can get chai tea. I look forward to that walk with her. I love figuring out exactly what drives her crazy in bed, watching the news together … just everything.”
“Chris Reneau, I think you’re in love,” Charlotte said, raising her brows with surprise.
“I am. And trust me, no one’s more surprised by it than I am.”
Abby turned her face to the side, glancing at every angle in the bathroom mirror. The makeup had hidden what was left of the bruises on her face remarkably well.
After nearly three weeks at Chris’ apartment, she needed to get home. She missed Audrey and Sara terribly, despite talking to them nightly on the phone. It was hard lying to them about where she was, even though she knew it was for the best.
She had rested a couple hours the night before, and she felt fresh and energized when Chris came in from work.
“Hey,” he said, throwing his keys on a side table. “You look great.”
“Thanks. I’m going home this morning.”
He looked crestfallen.
“You’ve taken such amazing care of me,” she said, her voice threatening to break. “Thank you.”
“You’ve been taking good care of me, too.”
She looked at him, puzzled.
“I haven’t done much of anything,” she said.
“Every morning when I get home, you ask me how my night was and you’re actually interested. You make coffee when we wake up. You’ve been cooking and picking up my dry cleaning. I feel taken care of.”
“I’m glad,” she said, touched by his words. “And I like doing all those things.”
“What if we got a place together?” he asked.
Abby stared at him, stunned.
“What if we got a place together?” she repeated. “What do you mean?”
“Being with you all the time, like in Malibu and for the past couple weeks … it’s what I want, Abby. I’m down about you leaving. I love that you’re here when I get home in the morning, and we get to fall asleep together, and I like seeing you curled up on my couch reading. I want us to move in together.”
“Chris. That’s … I mean, it’s not even possible for me.”
“It is, though. We can get rid of your place and mine, and find a new one.”
“I have my family. I can’t just leave them.”
“I know you do, otherwise I’d just ask you to move in here. We need a place for you and me and Audrey and Sara.”
“My Mom and Justin live with me too, Chris.”
“I want to buy a place for us, and you can use whatever you get from selling your house to help Justin get an apartment. He’ll be able to focus on school better if he lives there. You won’t need his help with the girls anymore, because you’ll have me. And as for your Mom … she needs to be on her own, Abby. She’s not good for you and the girls.”
Abby was floored that he had even considered this. And apparently he’d thought a lot about it.
“It’s irrelevant anyway, because I can’t just move in with a man. I’m the only good example Audrey and Sara have. Audrey’s turning 13 next month. She’ll be old enough to move in with a boyfriend before I know it, and I won’t be able to object if I’m doing the same thing.”