"Uh-huh." It wasn't going to take three minutes to change my mind. It probably hadn't even been two and I was already on board with whatever he had planned. "I think I hear a ‘but' coming."
"There's that college education." He pulled his hand back only to wrap his fingers around his cock, stroking once before shifting me up and over, lowering me on to his shaft with almost excruciating slowness. His next words were hoarse, raspy, and I didn't know if my own throat ached in sympathy or because it was suddenly bone dry, too. "But I think, Jeannie Jackson, I'm fonder of you than of any of those things. I think I always have been. And fuck if it doesn't scare the absolute shit out of me."
"Shut up." To make sure he did, I took his mouth with mine, deliberately making the kiss harsh, brutal. I told myself it wasn't to distract him but because I needed the edge-something I hadn't realized until he'd acted on some of that so-called fondness for pain-because I wanted the orgasm I knew was just over the horizon. When he tightened his grip in my hair, tugging until it was either break the kiss or lose a few strands of hair, I whimpered his name. "Abraham, please."
"No. I should have said something all those years ago and I didn't because I was young and stupid and didn't know there are worse things in life than disappointing your parents." He pressed his face against my shoulder, his body going still as his breathing slowed. "I'm fond of you, Jeannie Jackson, and I get you don't have the same feeling, whatever this feeling is, but I'm asking you to maybe try."
"That's not fair." I propped my chin on his shoulder, biting the inside of my cheek to keep from crying out when he twisted his hips, his piercing scraping over my G-spot with uncanny precision. Swallowing hard, I said, "You can't ask me that right now."
"Why?" He twisted his hips again, sharper this time, and I squeezed his cock tighter with my cunt. "Because you can't hide? Because there aren't any walls left?" He dragged my head back until the only thing touching was our noses, his gaze fierce as it locked with mine. "This is the only time you give me anything so I'll be damned if I don't push for more when I have the chance."
"Stop." I blinked back tears and turned my face away, even though the pulling in my hair was none too gentle. "It's too soon. It's too much."
"Which means there's something." He relaxed his grip, massaging away the pain he'd caused. "I can settle for that for now." He pressed a soft kiss to my pulse and sighed. "It feels like I've waited my whole life for you. I can wait a little longer."
Instead of telling him the truth, I wrapped my arms around him and let him rock both of us up and over the edge of release.
It was a helluva lot easier than telling him there was a good chance he was going to get what he wanted sooner rather than later.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
By the time we made it back to Cotton Creek the next day, I was close to a grand poorer and was pretty sure I could sleep for the next week and a half. What we hadn't been able to pack in to the overly generous trunk of Abraham's car was being shipped back in a few days, something I'd been able to arrange only because my assistant was the closest thing to a saint I'd ever met in person. I'd picked up the few things I needed from my office, touched base with both Bill and Allison, and set up Skype sessions with all the other employees. As far as trips went, it definitely fell in the "good" category.
Which was why I couldn't quite understand why I was more than ready to spend some time apart from Abraham.
When he turned in to the sorry excuse for a parking space in front of the trailer, I sighed in relief, not waiting for him to shift the car in to park before unbuckling my seatbelt and then Dolly's. "Okay, everybody. Let's get all this stuff unloaded so we can order pizza."
"I can't eat...." Tammy trailed off when I shot her a look over my shoulder. "I mean, I don't like the tomato sauce Sally uses. It gives me heartburn."
"I hope you understand why part of me thinks you're lying but I'm willing to take you at your word, provided you still eat something." Shifting my gaze to Kitty, I said, "Are you okay with pizza?"
"Oh, absolutely, yes, ma'am." Her eyes went super wide, seeming to swallow her face, her ponytail bouncing as she bobbed her head enthusiastically. "I'm perfectly happy with whatever."
"I really hope you get comfortable around me soon because all the ‘ma'am'ing is going to get old quick." Opening the door, I slid out, wincing as Dolly stepped on my foot in her haste to climb out. "Conway, Dolly, pizza?"
"We like pepperoni." Dolly scampered around to the back of the car, waiting patiently until Abraham joined her and unlocked the trunk. "Do we have to put everything up before we can eat dinner?"
"I don't see a point when we're going to be moving in a couple of days anyway." I'd spent the better part of an hour on the phone with the contractor but he'd promised the house would be move-in ready on Friday. In contrast, it had taken all of ten minutes to book the movers mostly because people didn't really move in Cotton Creek and if they did it was almost never in the height of summer. I'd gotten the impression old Mr. James was more than eager for the business. "Just stuff it all in a corner of the living room. We can take it over to the new house either tomorrow or the next day."
"Why don't you kids start working on hauling in all your loot while I have a quick work with your aunt?" Abraham didn't wait for a response, instead grabbing my elbow and dragging me a few feet away, his vice like grip at odds with the lazy smile curving his lips. When we were apparently far enough away to suit him, he yanked me against him and whispered, "What did I do now?"
"What?" I stared at him for a moment before forcing out a laugh. "Abraham, honestly, for someone so successful and so gorgeous, you're amazingly insecure. I'm tired. I'm pretty much always tired these days. You don't need to take it so personally."
"You've barely talked to me since we woke up this morning and when you have it's been with the same level of warmth I'd get from my dental hygienist."
"I was actually invited to my dental hygienist's wedding so...." I trailed off, pursing my lips and letting out a short whistle when he ground his back teeth together. "Okay. Clearly, you're not in the mood for jokes."
"I said I'm willing to wait, to take what you give me when you give it to me, but damn it to hell and back, Jeannie." He banded one arm around my torso, grasping my chin with his other hand and squeezing. "When you give me something, you don't get to take it back. Not something like this."
"I'm sorry I've bruised your ego by not showing an appropriate level of devotion." It was a struggle to keep my voice cool and calm but somehow I managed it. "In the future, I'll make sure to hang on your every word and fawn over you at every opportunity."
"See, now you're just saying shit to piss me off." He squeezed my chin harder, the pressure a step below bruising. "In case you're wondering, it's working."
"Well, all my dreams have come true now." I fluttered my lashes, pushing a breathy note in to my voice. "Whatever will I do with the rest of my life?"
"Let me be honest here, folks-I'm not sure if I should stick you in separate cells for the night or tell you to take it inside to the bedroom and lock the door." Sheriff Underwood's lazy drawl had all of the sobering effect of a bucket of cold water. When I would have jerked away from Abraham, he only pulled me tighter against him, his features shifting in to firm, unyielding lines. Sheriff Underwood glanced from me to him and back again. "Jeannie. We have a problem here?"
"Only if you consider mortal embarrassment something requiring police intervention." When he simply continued to stare at me, I sighed and shook my head. "We're just having a conversation, Sheriff. No need to break out the handcuffs and the rubber hoses."
"I try and save the rubber hoses for special occasions." The Sheriff tucked his thumbs in his front belt loops, rocking back on his heels for a moment before saying, "Abraham. Think you might want to ease up on the girl a bit so she can draw a breath or two?"
For a minute, I thought Abraham would tell him to mind his business or some more colorful variation of the same sentiment. Finally, he let his arms drop to his sides, taking a step back at the same time. "Didn't realize I needed the Sheriff's permission to hold my girlfriend."