Abel (6 page)

She also never expected to be sitting here
, talking to him about her divorce. But she wouldn’t take his interest in it to be anything more than
killing time
as he’d put it, when he said he wouldn’t
mind
hearing about it. So she answered very carefully. “First of all, I never say “never.” But I married really young and missed out on a lot. I remember hearing my single friends talking about traveling and doing all kinds of exciting things. You know letting loose and really living during that time in their lives between being teens and becoming adults.” He was staring at her, focused on her every word now, and it made her nervous. “It’s not that I regretted marrying young, but since things worked out the way they did, I figure that this is my chance to make up for it. So jumping into a serious relationship hasn’t made my to-do list just yet.”

Still staring at her very closely
, Abel straightened out a bit before his next question. “What exactly does that mean to you?
Letting loose
?”

This time she
cleared her throat for the first time, realizing she didn’t even know what she meant when she said that. She’d used the term so loosely, but it was just a figure of speech. Although when she’d told Roni that it was what she was doing with Abel, she knew what she
wanted
Roni to think it meant to her. It was likely what he wanted it to mean as well. She remembered his apprehension on the cruise and the entire months leading up to it when the sexual tension between them had begun to feel unbearable. It wasn’t until she’d made it clear what she was game for that he was interested. In case he was asking because maybe she’d begun to give him the impression that perhaps the rules had somehow changed, she played it safe and went with that. “Just enjoying my freedom, I guess. I have no one to answer to now, and I’m taking full advantage of it.”

Again that beautiful Adam
’s apple on his big thick neck distracted her. She’d expected a smile maybe, at the very least a slight show of relief in his eyes. But there was neither. She sensed he had more to say or ask, but he didn’t. Instead he finally pulled his penetrating gaze away and sat back, taking a drink of his water.

It seemed he was done killing time with small talk or talk of her divorce. Without letting go of her hand
, he laid his head back on his seat and closed his eyes.

~*~

They each checked into their respective rooms at the hotel, but Abel had no intention of sleeping alone that night, not for their entire stay for that matter. They would be there for three nights, so it’d be the first time they’d be spending this many days and nights of
letting loose
together. And if Abel got his way, it wouldn’t be their last.

The young male attendant behind the counter had recognized Abel immediately
, and he was a talker. The last thing Abel wanted was for this guy to go spreading the word about him and Nellie checking into one room only as he would’ve liked. The press would begin hounding her in no time. So they went through the motions of checking in separately for appearance’s sake.

The moment the elevator doors closed
, Abel pulled Nellie to him and kissed her. “Stay in my room tonight,” he whispered against her lips. “Only reason I had them book two rooms was because of the damn paparazzi; otherwise, I would’ve just gotten one.”

He waited to see if she
’d protest in any way about his presumptuous admission. “You sure no one will catch wind of it?” she asked, staring at his lips.

Abel
couldn’t help smiling. “I honestly don’t give a shit for my sake. I just want to avoid
your
life being turned into a circus.” Feeling his smile wane a bit, he added, “For as long as I can anyway.”

Lifting her gaze from his lips to his eyes
, she stared at him momentarily without saying a word. He wanted her to get that this thing they had wasn’t going away anytime soon. And while he kept reminding himself that he’d already tasted firsthand his reaction to knowing she might still be
living it up
with other guys, getting her to change her mind about that eventually might be easier than pulling back now. Because with every moment he spent with her now, the likelihood of that happening was beginning to feel impossible.

The anxiety mounted as he waited for a response to his last comment. Would she remind him again of the unspoken rules
? Point out that he was starting to sound as if he might be breaking them? Already he’d asked her about her ex more than once. He’d even taken it a step further by asking if she was seriously thinking of never remarrying. She, of course, reaffirmed her desire to make up for what she’d missed out on when she’d been tied down to one guy the first time. What had been the most galling was that serious relationships were not on her to-do list.

“
Don’t worry about me.” She smiled, easing his anxiety a bit. “I’ve had my share of the press, and I think I can handle them.” The elevator came to a stop, and she began pulling away from his embrace. “But I know how private you are and how much you’d prefer to stay out of the headlines, so I think it’s best if we’re careful.”

She started out the elevator doors as soon as they opened
, leaving him wondering one thing. “But you’re still staying in my room, right?”

Glancing back at him as she pulled her luggage along behind her
, she winked. “Try and keep me out.”

The huge and very relieved smile was instantly plastered on
Abel’s face. Then it hit him. “You had your share of the press?” He asked as he took her in from behind. He’d told her to dress comfortably since it was a redeye, and she hadn’t disappointed, wearing a very short pair of denim shorts. He somehow got the feeling she hadn’t worn them when she was married to her idiot ex-husband.

She turned to him just as they got to the door of one of their rooms.
“It’s more about my ex, and I’m done talking about him for today. Maybe another time I’ll tell you about it.”

“
Good enough,” Abel said, slipping his key in the door.

He was done talking about her ex too.
There were obviously not so much as kindling embers left on that torch. The moron had snuffed that out for good. That’s all that mattered to Abel anyway. He had better things he wanted to do with his tongue now than stand there and talk about that asshole. He opened the door and held it open for her, already excited about the night ahead of him.

*
**

It was nice to sleep in for once. Abel thought about the last time he had with a smile. He
’d woken up next to Nellie then too. He could certainly get used to long exhausting nights. He could also get used to waking up next to Nellie. At least he had the next two mornings to do just that. The memory of Nellie jumping out of bed to answer Logan’s call the last time he woke next to her killed his smile.

They had a free day today since his run wasn
’t until tomorrow, and he was determined to show her a good time. He’d tell her so as soon as she was back from the bathroom. If she was so hell bent on making up for lost time, maybe he could help her do just that. She wanted to experience all kinds of exciting things? No reason why he couldn’t give her a hand there, starting today. Maybe that would be enough for her
. I have no one to answer to now, and I’m taking full advantage.
He didn’t even realize he’d been gnashing his teeth until he heard the shower turn on.

Jumping out of bed
, he thought about her comment last night. He’d make an extra effort to not make her feel
tied down
. Even though his suggesting that she stay in his room wasn’t exactly freeing, she’d accepted happily. She could’ve told him she’d prefer her own room, but she agreed to spend the night in his. And yet here she was already starting up the shower in his room when she could’ve easily said she’d go back to hers for that.

He felt even better about
it when he saw she’d left the bathroom door half open. If that wasn’t an invitation, he didn’t know what was. He wasn’t even in the door yet, and he was already at full attention.

“
Want some company in there?” He paraded his naked ass shamelessly in the already fogging bathroom.

“
Absolutely,” she murmured with what he’d normally refer to as a sexy smile, but on Nellie it was
beautiful
. “This shower was made for two.” She motioned to the second shower head.

Abel glanced at it
, but his eyes went immediately back to her. The more he was around her, the more he thought she was the most beautiful thing he’d ever laid eyes on. Even with her hair soaking wet and not an ounce of makeup on, she was absolutely beautiful. It still staggered him that it’d taken him this long to notice.

As soon as he was in the shower with her
, his hands were all over her wet body, and he kissed her softly. “You,” he said, kissing her bottom lip softly. “Are so,” he brought his hands up to her face, cradling it as he kissed her again, “fucking beautiful.”

She did that thing she always did when he told her so, closing her eyes for a moment then smiling softly—timidly.
“Thank you,” she whispered then leaned against his body, making that vulnerability she made every attempt to hide so evident.

He kissed her deeper now
, but unlike the first couple of times last night when he’d eaten her up like a starving man—every inch of her—now he wanted to take it slowly. All the times before when he’d told her how beautiful he thought she was, it’d made him nervous—nervous that she might pick up on something he let escape each time—something he apparently had no control over. Now he
wanted
her to pick up on it. He wanted her to know that she may not have to answer to him and he wouldn’t ever ask to tie her down if what she wanted was to fly free. But at the very least, as long as she was involved with him, she’d have mercy on his heart. The simple fact that he was thinking of Nellie in terms of what she did to his heart as opposed to other parts of his body, scared him breathless.

What
Nellie had told him last night about still loving her sister even after what the selfish little bitch had done to her gave him hope that he’d been right all along about this beautiful woman. She didn’t have the kind of heart it would take to spend time that felt this special with one guy and then casually do the same with someone else.

Bringing his hands around her now
, he continued to kiss her as he pressed her against the wall, his erection firmly against her hip. He ran his hands up and down her body a little more frantically now as they swept down between her legs. She gasped against his mouth when he slipped two fingers inside her. Her own hand roamed from his shoulders all the way down his arms until they were on his hips, and then she took him in her hand, making him groan.

Instinctively
, he began to lift her, wanting her to wrap her legs around him so he could be in her already, but she protested. “We can’t in here,” she said quickly. “No condom.”
Damn,
he hadn’t even thought of that. In the next moment, she slid down his body until she was on her knees, and his legs nearly gave out on him as she licked away at what he was certain was already dripping with more than just water. “But there is one thing I can do.”

She took him so far and deep in her mouth
that he had to hold on to the shower head, certain his legs would give out on him this time. “Oh,
baby
!” He managed to say before his head dropped back in ecstasy as she licked and sucked him harder.

With one hand on the shower head
, he ran his fingers through her wet hair. He squeezed his eyes shut, wondering if he’d ever kiss her again without messing his pants. He’d forever be reminded of what her amazing tongue was doing to him now. Normally he could hold out a little longer than this, but already he felt ready to blow. “I’m gonna come, babe,” he warned, but she kept on, her tongue going into high gear now. “Jesus!” he said as the first enormous release came and still her tongue went on.

He had to lean against the wall as he continued to
explode massively in her mouth. Her hand let go, but her mouth didn’t as she continued licking away every drop. “
God,
that’s enough, babe, “he pleaded, his legs feeling like noodles now. “I can’t take anymore.”

She kissed the very
sensitive tip before looking up at him with a sly smile. “Just so you know,” she said as he helped her up. “I’ve never done that before.” She licked her lips again. “Swallowed. But with you, I
wanted
to.” He stared at her, his heart still pounding away as she continued to lick her lips sheepishly and unbelievably a little timidly. “I liked it.”

Reaching out
, he brought her to him, and she fell into his arms. Maybe it was wishful thinking, but the way she wrapped her arms around him and kissed his chest made it feel as though her little confession, about having done this with only him, gave him hope that it meant more. Maybe this and everything else she’d experienced with him for the first time so far would stay just like that for good—with only him.