"Really?" He raised one brow, his eyebrow piercing winking over the top of his sunglasses. "I'll bite."
"Yes, you do."
"You're making sex jokes so you can't hate me that much."
"Yes, I can, because you have coffee and I don't."
"Oh, is that all?" He rounded the car and strolled toward me, stopping at the foot of the steps. He held the cup out, giving it a little shake. "This isn't mine. It's yours."
"Seriously?" When he nodded, I surged upward, lurching down the steps and all but stumbling in to him, throwing my arms around his waist and gripping him tight. "I changed my mind. I love you. I love you so much." Pulling back, I wrenched the cup out of his hand. "Gimme."
"Payment first." He pressed his lips to mine, the kiss short and sweet and tasting suspiciously of coffee. Drawing back, he said, "I'll get the rest of what you owe me tonight."
"You've attached a very steep price to a single cup of coffee." I took a sip and bit back a moan. "Granted, it's a very good cup of coffee but still-I don't think it's worth the sort of sex I'm sure you have in mind."
"If you knew the kind of sex I have in mind, we probably wouldn't make it to Savannah." He gave me another quick kiss before nodding at the door behind me. "So are they ready? And out of curiosity, did you adopt any more children since our last conversation?"
"Maybe and no." I turned, pushing the door open a few inches only to pause and glance over my shoulder at him. "You might want to prepare yourself."
Before he could ask for what, I pushed the door the rest of the way open, wincing at the wave of sound which came pouring out.
"Dolly, you have to wear real shoes, you know this, why are you arguing?" Tammy, looking as frazzled as I'd ever seen her, shoved one hand through her hair, yanking on the ends in obvious frustration. "And Conway, you know you can't wear a dress. People will talk."
"So let them talk." I took another, longer sip of coffee and sighed as the first jolt of caffeine began to worm its way through my system. "If he wants to wear a dress, he can wear a dress. It's clothing, right? And Dolly, you can wear flip-fops. I know your other shoes are too small." I shot Tammy a look when she started to argue. "I promise you, nobody in Savannah is going to care whether or not you're wearing flip-fops."
"Ms. Jackson?" Kitty's question came out on a tentative whisper and I found myself wondering if she ever spoke in anything else. The second I looked at her, she started wringing her hands, a habit I was already determined to break her of. "I don't have to go if it's a problem. I can stay here."
"After the headache I went through last night, you're going, even if I have to drag your ass to the car." I winced and shook my head. "Which was probably the wrong thing to say, all things considered, but you know what I mean."
"Yes, ma'am." She gave a shy smile, the first one I'd seen from her, and I realized she had twin dimples. "I do. And if you're sure it's not a bother-."
"Kitty, I told you it wasn't." Tammy stalked over, giving her friend a gentle shove toward the door. Apparently, my niece took her shopping very, very seriously. "You get a window seat because you know you have a tendency to get sick randomly."
"Yes, she should definitely be next to the window." Abraham held out his arm, flashing Kitty a smile. "And I know this is terribly old fashioned but I would feel so much better if you would allow me to escort you down the stairs. Just to be on the safe side and all."
I resisted the urge to roll my eyes and snort at the over the top gallantry, hefting my overnight bag in one hand and the suitcase the two younger kids were sharing in the other. "Anybody who's going-which is everybody-better get in the car. This party bus is leaving in the next five minutes."
IT TOOK CLOSER to ten which was annoying but not as annoying as the fact that what should have been a five hour drive, six tops, turned in to something closer to eight. By the time we reached the hotel and checked in, my nerves were completely shot, Dolly and Conway were tired and whiny, Tammy was cranky about having to wait until tomorrow to do any serious shopping, and Kitty was on the verge of tears for no other reason than hormones. The only person who seemed to be at least somewhat okay was Abraham and as soon as the connecting door shut, I hurled a pillow at him. He caught it one handed and blinked.
"Okay. Maybe you'd like to tell me why you're throwing things at me."
"Because you're so calm and I wanted to see if there was anything which would fuck that up." I flopped face down on the bed and groaned. "And apparently, there isn't."
"Oh, I don't know about that." The mattress dipped a moment before I felt his lips on the nape of my neck, his muffled chuckle sliding through my body like chilled tequila. "There are a few things you do which disrupt that calm demeanor you're so unhappy with me having."
"The kids are going to want dinner here in a few minutes." It was important to remember the kids because if I didn't there was a good chance we were never leaving the hotel room. Hell, we wouldn't even leave the bed. I rolled over, laughing when he took the opportunity to settle between my jean-clad legs. "Abraham, seriously. We locked the door but that doesn't mean they won't beat it down if they decide they want in here."
"Is sex all you think about, Jeannie Jackson?" He scraped his teeth over my jaw, humming low in his throat when I arched toward him. "Maybe I just want to make out with you for a little bit. You ever think about that?"
"Huh?" Despite my earlier admonition, I wrapped my arms around him, pulling him tighter against me. The man had the most incredible mouth. If I wasn't careful, I'd wind up addicted. "Make out? Like teenagers?"
"Maybe a little dirtier than that but... yeah, essentially." He popped open the top button on my shirt, leaning down and pressing his lips to the flushed skin there. "I think it would be a good idea to keep some clothes on but that doesn't mean we can't have a little fun."
"Right." I pulled his shirt free from his pants, both of us sighing when my hands slid up his back. "So like freshman in college level make out session."
"I forgot you did the whole college experience thing." He flipped open another button, exposing the top of my bra, sliding one finger under the lace hem. "I didn't, so you're going to have to teach me what smart college girls like."
My laugh trailed off in to a groan when his tongue followed the path of his fingers. "I think you're doing just fine on your own."
"Still, I'm just some local boy who never went anywhere or did anything and you've been lots of places. Done lots of things." He nipped at the curve of one breast and then the other, his breathing turning nearly as ragged as mine. "So I need you to teach me, Jeannie Jackson."
"Is this some sort of roleplay thing or...." I trailed off, losing my train of thought when he unhooked the button on my jeans and eased the zipper down. "Abraham. The kids."
"I'll be quiet if you be quiet." He shifted upward, sinking his teeth in to the sensitive skin over my escalating pulse. "I just spent eight hours in a car not able to do anything more than look at you. I can't wait any longer."
"We have to." Even as I protested, I was fumbling with his pants, my fingers suddenly thick and clumsy. "The kids-."
"Are behind a locked door. We'll be quiet. And quick." He tugged my jeans down just past my hips, his own movements jerky. "I need you, Jeannie."
"Damn you." I yanked his pants down, wrapping one hand around his cock and stroking, slow at first and then faster, as he slipped one finger inside my cunt, already wet and aching. I arched toward him, swallowing back a moan. "I hate you for this."
"I hate you a little bit, too." His hair fell forward, brushing my cheek as he crushed his mouth to mine. Pulling back, he rasped out, "Please."
"God." Almost blind with desire, I pulled him toward me, a whimper dying in my throat when the head of his cock brushed against my folds. He gripped my wrist, dragging my hand away as he twisted his hips, burying his full length inside me with one thrust. We both froze, our bodies taut with tension, before simply going lax, like butter left too long in the sun. I hooked my free arm around his shoulders, sighing as I rolled my hips to pull him deeper. "It's not supposed to be like this."
"I know." He pressed my wrist to the mattress and used his other hand to do the same to my hips, his thrusts already harsh to the point of bruising. "So I have to hate you a little bit or...."