A Risk Worth Taking (19 page)

“But, they’re coming to help tomorrow?”

“I’m not sure. I haven’t heard from Jackson in a few days.” She needed to get off that train of thought. Otherwise she was going to end up saying more than she needed to. “By the way, thanks for helping out. I know running a cotton candy machine wasn’t how you planned to spend your Saturday.”

Touching her cast he said, “Well, it’s not as if you could do it one handed,” he said with a laugh. “But, if I’m going to be up by nine in the morning, I need to get my beauty rest.” Chris planted a kiss in her hair before heading to the door.

“Sweet dreams,” she called, locking the back door behind him. After that Abby puttered around the kitchen, her head too full to even consider getting her own beauty rest. Besides, she was hoping to hear from Grant. He’d kept his promise and called every night after he got Grace settled.

When the clock reached eleven-fifteen and he hadn’t called, she figured he’d gotten sidetracked. She’d see him in the morning, Abby told herself as she went through her bedtime routine. The promise didn’t do much for helping her wind down. Once she was tucked in, restlessness kept her plumping her pillow and tugging at the covers. Trying to distract herself, she checked her email then read. At midnight, she’d just turned off her e-reader when her phone went off. She made a grab for it, thankful no one was there to see how desperate she was to talk to him.

“Hey there, beautiful lady,” he murmured. “I hope I didn’t wake you.”

“You didn’t. How was your day?”

“Nothing worth talking about at work. Grace is good, just not wanting to go to sleep.”

“I was just getting used to you sleeping over and now I have to readjust to having the bed all to myself.”

A tiny fib lay buried in her admission. There’d been no getting used to having his six foot, three inch frame in her bed. From the first night it felt as if he’d always been there. With her cheek resting on his chest and a leg thrown over his, she’d slept deeply and woken full on energy.

“I know,” he purred. “Tonight’s the last night. I can come over after the picnic if you like.”

The suggestive lilt in his voice heated everything below her navel. “I’d really like that,” she said imagining how good his weight would feel atop her as they made love. As much as she’d like to continue discussing what they’d do once they got in the privacy of her bedroom, she mentioned the main reason she hadn’t been able to sleep. “Then we could have that conversation we’ve been putting off.”

“Absolutely,” he shot back. “I’m sorry about bailing on you.”

He’d told her the same thing every conversation they had, and she’d answered in the same way each time. “It’s not a problem. We both have obligations and we can’t always do what we’d like.”

“That’s true, baby,” he said, sounding relieved.

“Even though there’s going to be people around all day, I can’t wait to see you in the morning. It’s been five days since I’ve gotten to hold you and I’m worried I’ll forget how to do it.”

“Till tomorrow then. Good night, beautiful lady,” he murmured before hanging up.

Abby turned out the light but didn’t fall immediately asleep, despite feeling better having talked to Grant. After the picnic, when they were back here in her room, they’d work everything out. She rehearsed what she’d say to Grant. First, she was going to use those three words she should have said weeks ago. Then she was going to tell him that even though she’d thought about staying, she really wanted to go to London. She’d tell him about the book opportunity, then after that she’d whip out her calendar and they’d mark off the days that he could visit. She’d repeat step one if he needed reassurance and sprinkle in some naughtiness if that was what it took to get the job done.

Despite the sweet conversation they’d had, doubt niggled at the back of her mind. Not that she was conflicted or confused because she knew exactly what she wanted: everything. She wanted Grant in her life, the new job in London, and her son’s acceptance.

Question was: could she have it all?

Chapter 19

“Ms. Roberts, where would you like us to set up?”

“Put the inflatable slide over there and the bouncy house between the ball fields and the lake,” Abby said, pointing to a wide expanse of lawn.

The morning of Help and Hope’s family day picnic had dawned clear. Coming in the middle of a dogwood winter, it was cold enough to make her glad for the sweater she’d grabbed on the way out the door.

She folded her arms around her middle and watched the guys unloading the truck. The board members and a couple of other volunteers were due at Magnolia Park within the next few minutes, but there was only one person who had Abby tuning her hearing for the sound of his arrival.

The distant sound of a motorcycle sent a spark of anticipation dancing up her spine. She listened as the high pitched whine grew louder. Her imagination had his large frame leaning into to the curves of Maxwell Road. He’d be at ease on the machine as he tested Newton’s laws to the edge of good sense. And he’d look damn fine doing it.

He pulled in beside Abby’s car, then after killing the engine, tugged off the chrome helmet. Her imagination didn’t do him justice. She could spend a lifetime trying to describe the snug way his T-shirt outlined the definition of his muscles and still not get it right. Abby tracked him as he stalked in her direction. The sight of his stubbled jaw sent chills skating across her skin.

She spared a glance over her shoulder at the delivery guys. Disappointed to see one of them heading in her direction, she resigned herself that it would likely be hours before she could properly express how happy she was to see him. “Nice day for a ride and a picnic,” she said, thinking of their private picnic a few weeks before. For her that day had been more of a turning point other than her first time on a motorcycle. Or making love outside. She’d welcomed a man into her bed. While to some it might not have been much of a hurdle, but for Abby it had seemed like a pretty big step.

He shot her a look that made her skin go hot. “Everything get delivered like you wanted?” He was doing it again, using their need for discretion to drive her crazy.

He stood inches from her and the scent of his aftershave wafted toward her. She loved the way the sandalwood scent lingered. It took everything in her not to bury her face in his neck until this scent had tunneled into her brain. “Everything from Party Place was delivered, so I have almost everything I need.”

He arched an eyebrow. “Almost?”

With practice, she’d gotten considerably better at playing this game with him, and his wicked grin let her know he enjoyed getting as good as he gave. She turned the legal pad for him to see. “I have a list we need to go over before the families get here. I’d like to run through it if you have a minute,” she said as innocent as you please.

“Certainly,” he began, his gaze surveying the open expanse of park. He pointed to a wooden gazebo at the far end of the park. Nestled in a small area with trees on three sides, it offered the only place they could enjoy a private moment. “I’ll meet you at the gazebo in a few minutes. I’m sure we can check those items off your list,” he said before ambling away.

Abby forced her mind to the task of checking off the inventory list of the things they’d ordered from the party supply store. The second the delivery guys set up the slides, she made a beeline for Grant. As she approached, his back was to her. Abby glanced around, surprised to find they were actually alone. She stole behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist. “Quick, kiss me before someone interrupts us.”

He twisted in her embrace, holding her at arms’ length. His greedy stare raked over her body. “God, I’ve missed you.”

At some point she should have gotten used to the way he greeted her. She hadn’t and hoped she never would. Becoming bold under his hungry gaze, she did as she’d never dared before. She trailed her hand, the one not in the ridiculous hot pink cast, from her neck down to her hips. “You like what you see?”

“You make me hard,” he leaned in to whisper. “I want you so bad, I might have to steal you away later.”

Desire fogged her brain, making it nearly impossible to think. “We can’t. People might see,” she finally managed.

Abby buried her face in the crook of his neck and soaked in the warmth of his body. Her need to have him overwhelmed her. Even if all she could do was stand next to him, she was content with that. Like a riptide, the lingering dread she’d been fighting against tugged her. She felt like a leaf on the water buffeted by every wave until she wasn’t sure which way to turn. What if the open mind he’d asked her to have meant he wanted her to reconsider going to London? If so, what would he say when she said no?

“You know there’s a way of fixing it so we don’t have to do this in secret,” he murmured, pulling her thoughts to their immediate issue.

Her mind shot to the memory of Jackson’s face when she’d tried to explain her relationship with Grant. “Not now,” she asked, pleading with her eyes. She buried her face into the hard planes of his chest. “Right now I just need this,” she breathed. Her words fell short of expressing how much she needed to be in his arms.

“Whatever you want. Always.” His fingers combed through her hair as he tilted her mouth up. He brought his mouth down hard against hers. His tongue plundered her mouth, turning their already heated kiss into something bordering on hunger.

He groaned and pulled back, leaving her breathless. “It feels like it’s been weeks since I’ve seen you.”

He stroked her hair letting his hand trail slowly down her shoulder and arm. “What are we going to do when stealing away gets a whole lot harder?” he asked.

“I don’t know,” she said, wondering why the universe had presented her with a great job opportunity at the same time she found such a wonderful man. At lease he sounded amenable to trying a long distance relationship.

“So, what were the items on your list?” he asked, continuing with their teasing instead of pursuing the still unanswered question that lay between them.

She stood on her tiptoes and whispered several naughty things that earned her a sensual growl from Grant. “If I don’t stop now, I’m going to have to take you into the woods,” he groaned, pulling away. “I have an idea. Why don’t you and Chris join Heather, Grace, and me for lunch?”

Abby shook her head. “Maybe next time. I don’t think I could keep up the charade today.”

A flicker of disappointment flashed across his face. “Tonight then,” he said. “We’ll make love, we’ll talk, and then we’ll make love some more. Tomorrow we’ll lie around your place all day.”

Abby grabbed hold to the promise, hoping he’d hear her out. “Yeah, I better go help set up the booths,” she said pulling out of his embrace.

He grasped her fingertips as she stepped from the shelter of the gazebo. “Before you go, I wanted to tell you again how much I appreciate you taking on this project. You amaze me with your capacity to love…” His eyes softened to the color of warm denim, turning her insides equally soft with their tenderness. “And I’m grateful you’ve given so much of that to me.”

With her throat so choked with emotion, she had to clear her it a couple times before she could speak. “Tonight,” she finally managed.

An hour after leaving Grant, family day was in full swing. The volunteers set up and manned the game and refreshment booths, leaving Abby with only a few organizational duties to handle. She waved to Chris who was up to his elbows in pink cotton candy then made a circle around the perimeter of the park toward the playscape. “Are you guys having fun?” she asked, approaching one of the parents from her school.

“Ms. Roberts,” the young mom exclaimed turning from the two boys she was watching. “Justin has missed you. When are you coming back to school?” she added, giving Abby a hug.

“I’ve missed him too,” she said, glancing at the six-year-old as he came down the slide. “I’m cleared to come back to work on Monday.”

“Good to hear. I was hoping I could talk to you about a couple things next week.”

“Sure. Shoot me an email in the morning,” Abby responded, hoping everything was all right. As difficult as her two week absence had been on her, she knew it hadn’t been easy on her students, especially those who needed a routine. Before Abby could ask how Justin had been in her absence, his older brother interrupted.

“Mom,” he whined. “I’m bored. This playscape is for babies. You promised I could go to the bouncy house.”

The woman’s eyes darted between her two boys. “Will, give Justin a little while longer.”

Abby didn’t know how single moms with more than one kid managed to divide their attention fairly. Grant referred to the technique he and Heather employed as, tag-team-parenting, which made the one she’d used with Jackson, man-on-man. What did parents do when the kids outnumbered the parents, especially when one of the kids came with a host of special needs? “I can stay with Justin,” she offered.

“I can’t ask you to do that,” the woman replied.

Abby’s gaze darted to Will whose dramatic pleading made her smile. “I’m glad to do it.”

While Justin made laps up and down the slide, Abby pulled up the notepad app on her phone. She’d been jotting down ideas for potential blog topics and thought the challenges faced by single parents of kids with special needs would be a good one. She hoped her time in London would make her a better teacher, and so she added that to the list of reasons she’d use when she talked to Grant.
Jeez,
no wonder he’d once called her out for being too logical. She was approaching their talk of the future like it was a debate to win instead of a matter of the heart.

With the sun almost directly overhead, the sweater that hadn’t been quite enough was now too warm. After tugging her arm from one sleeve, she tackled the one stretched tight over her cast.

“Let me help you with that,” a woman’s voice chuckled from behind.

Heart skipping a beat, Abby turned to Katie, holding out the arm she was struggling to free from the sweater. “Thanks, I’ll be very glad when this thing comes off.”