Finding Abigail (12 page)

“You need to go now, Natalie.”

“Whatever. When you’re done with that piece of trash, because you will be—that girl could never hold your attention—come call me. I’m not some fat piece of ass who couldn’t get a date before and must have something on you.”

The park had gone quiet, and he felt Abigail clutch his shirt.

“Okay, you are so off the mark it’s not even funny, Natalie. Just because you’re jealous of something you never had a chance in hell in having doesn’t mean you can act like the bitch you are. Now fucking apologize to Abigail.”

“Make me.”

“Oh, that’s mature,” Abigail said as she went up to the fence. “Get away. Nobody needs you here. I’m sorry you’re so insecure you feel the need to lash out at anyone with a pulse, but get over yourself. I know I’m not skinny like you, but I’m pretty sure Tyler likes my curves.”

“Hell, yeah,” he agreed, liking the way his Abigail stood up for herself.

“He’s just saying that because he wants you on your back again,” Natalie spat.

“Oh, shut up. Can you see that you’re not wanted here? Nothing you can say can hurt me, Natalie. I’ve heard it all before.” She raised her voice and looked out onto the crowd. “I know I’m not the typical girl for a Cooper man, but hell, you guys never saw me to begin with. So, just go about your business because I’m tired of having to hide because you are all insecure about your own lives.” 

She turned to Tyler and smiled, though he could see the tension in her shoulders. “Want to go home? I’m not in the mood to hit anything anymore. Well, at least not a ball.” She glared at Natalie, and Tyler was pretty sure he saw something different flare in her eyes. A blue flame sputtered around the iris, sending shockwaves through his system.

Fuck, he’d forgotten for a moment she was a harpy now, and they still didn’t know the extent of her powers.

Tyler leaned down and kissed her. “Sure thing, baby. Let’s go to my place. We can eat there.” He tangled his fingers with hers and walked toward his SUV, leaving the townsfolk and Natalie staring back open-mouthed.

As they got in the SUV and started toward his place, he kissed her palm. “That was sexy as hell, Abigail.”

“Really? Well, I’m shaking. I hate confrontation. I can’t believe I said all that.”

“I’m glad you did. She had no right to say anything about you.”

Abigail let out a breath. “Well, we did kind of spring this on them.”

Tyler pulled into his parking spot and got out of the car, immediately going to Abigail’s side so he could kiss her. 

“Shut up,” he said playfully. “Don’t make excuses for them. So what if we did? We’re not hurting anyone, and we’re dating. It’s not like we’re attacking anyone or walking around naked.” He raised a brow. “Though the latter sounds fun.”

Abigail threw her head back and laughed. “Is that all you think about?”

Tyler smiled and kissed her thoroughly on his porch. “Pretty much. Well, that and sports. Oh, and food.”

“Typical guy.”

“You know you love me,” he teased.

“Yeah, I guess I do,” she whispered.

Tyler froze then leaned down closer, his heart beating so fast he was sure it would explode out his chest like in those old cartoons. 

“Really?”

“Yeah, don’t get a big head about it or anything. You already knew, anyway.”

“Yeah, but I didn’t know if you still did since everything changed.”

“I love you, Tyler Cooper.”

“I love you, too, Abigail Clarke.”

He leaned down and kissed her, their mouths meshing, and his heart falling for her again.

“God, get a room,” Clara, his married neighbor, lashed out behind him.

Tyler groaned and turned toward the bitter woman. Jesus, what was it with the women in this town?

“What do you want, Clara?” Tyler asked, not really caring.

“Do you have to flaunt your… whatever the hell you want to call it with that nobody… wherever people can see it?”

Tyler let out a breath, tired of all this shit. He could have sworn people loved Abigail before he started dating her, but now people were acting like jealous bitches. “You know what, Clara? Go home to your husband and stop trying to rub your body on me. Stop talking shit about Abigail and, for once in your life, leave me the fuck alone.”

Clara gasped. “You’ve never yelled at me before. It must because of
her
.”

“Oh, shut up,” Abigail growled. “Tyler already told me about the way you flaunt yourself and throw yourself at him even though you’re married. If you’re really that unhappy in your marriage, I’m sorry. But, I’m more sorry for your husband for the way you don’t respect him or yourself or your marriage. Stop trying to get in the way of things that aren’t your concern and just back the fuck away.”

Abigail yelled the last part, her hands curling into talons, claws coming out of her fingertips, and Tyler pulled her back ever so slightly, trying to hide the change. He looked down at her back and held back a wince. Her wings were out in full force, fluttering away in her anger.

Apparently, the anger and standing up for their relationship and herself had caused the harpy within her to come out.

“Are you going to let her talk to me that way?” Clara asked as she backed away.

Seriously? Why did these women think he had any influence on what Abigail said? She was her own woman and independent, even if the town couldn’t see that. Even if
he
hadn’t been able to see that.

“Go home, Clara,” he said as he purposefully turned his side to her and led Abigail into the apartment. He wouldn’t give the bitch his back. He didn’t trust her not to come at him, guns blazing.

“I can’t believe these women, Tyler. Is it always going to be like this?”

“I never dated either of them, actually.”

Abigail threw her hands up. “Oh, yeah, because that makes it so much better. What’s going to happen when we actually see someone you slept with? And don’t call it dating. We both know you never did that.”

Shame filled him. He’d never regretted his past, not until he’d found Abigail. 

“Abigail…”

“No, don’t worry. I know you have a past; I knew it going in. I’m not jealous.” She gave a harsh laugh. “Okay, maybe just a little. But I’m a big enough person to get over it and not let it affect us. Okay?”

He went to her, pulled her into his arms, and inhaled her fresh rose scent. “I’m sorry she ruined our declarations.”

Abigail snorted. “Nah, she didn’t do too much.”

“I hate to bring this up, but did you see your hands when you yelled at her?” As much as he wanted to hold her and ignore the rest, they had to get a handle on her new powers—or whatever they wanted to call them.

He felt her nod, even as her body shuddered. He walked her toward the kitchen, needing to get her away from the door. “Yes, I felt them, too. They’re gone now. I guess I’m going to have to learn to control this new temper of mine.”

Her voice broke at the end, and he lifted her up in his arms so he could set her on the kitchen counter. Tyler stood between her legs and cupped her face.

“You’re learning to make them go away, that’s better than nothing. You’re already doing well in hiding it, too. And as for your temper, I love everything about you. You stood up for yourself, for us. You’re perfect.”

“Shut up. I’m not perfect, but I’ll take the standing-up-for-us part. I don’t like the way those women acted. I just hope I don’t act like that when—” Her eyes widened as she cut herself off.

“When what?” he asked, afraid to hear the answer.

She swallowed hard. “When you figure out it was all a mistake and you leave me,” she whispered.

His heart broke even as anger coursed through him. He gripped her chin and tilted her head up so he could look into those hazel eyes he loved so much. 

“I’m not leaving you, Abigail. Not now, not ever. I’m a cupid; I know love when I see it. I’m not walking away, no matter what happens. Do you understand me? And I’m getting a little tired of feeling like I’ve done something to cause you to doubt me.”

“Do I need to point out the last few years?” she said sharply then shook her head, looking as if she held back her temper. Damn, before her change, she hadn’t had this issue he didn’t think, but he still loved her. In fact, she looked damn hot when she was angry.

“It’s only been a week, Tyler. And I know you feel something. I feel it, too. But what if it all goes away?”

“Life can change in an instant. We both know that.” An image of his parents’ accident came to mind, but he brushed it away. Not the time. “I’m not leaving, Abigail. I love you.”

She leaned back and smiled. “I love you too.” She let out a breath. “Okay, I need to get over myself and just let things happen because worrying is only hurting us both.”

“I’ll try not to let my insecurities do the same.”

“What?”

“I’m afraid you’ll figure out you can do better than a man who can’t advance in his job, who spent too many years doing things he now regrets, and is ten years older than you.”

“Okay, well, that’s just stupid. I loved you when you did all that in the past, so I don’t know what the problem is. You love your job, and you’re amazing at it. We’re both going to get over our pasts, and as for the age thing, it’s not like I’m a kid. I know how old you are, and it doesn’t bother me.”

“I’m practically an old man.”

Abigail rolled her eyes and wrapped her legs around his waist. “Oh, yes, I can just see the social security checks coming. You’re thirty-two, Tyler. I’m twenty-two. But in terms of who we are, we’re the same age. I mean, we haven’t spent a lot of time in committed relationships, so we can take it one step at a time. That’s all that matters.”

He leaned down and brushed his lips across her. “I’m still too old for you.”

“Get over it.” She sank into his hold, and he kissed her again.

God, he loved her taste.

She tightened her hold, and he ran his hands up and down her back, sliding up under her shirt and feeling the softness of her skin. She pulled him closer, and he rocked his erection against the seam of her jeans, sending shivers along both of them.

They’d made out a few times, kissed constantly, but hadn’t taken it any further. He needed to stop now because in another few minutes he wouldn’t be able to, not when he had the epitome of perfection in his arms.

Tyler pulled back, his breath coming in heavy pants. “We need to stop.”

She looked up at him, her eyes wide, her pupils dilated with need. “I don’t want to.”

His knees shook. “Are you sure?”

“I’m ready; I’ve
been
ready. Please, Tyler. I want you so much.”

His cock stood up at attention and throbbed. Jesus, he had to calm down. The last thing he needed was to come in his jeans like a teenager before he even had a chance to show Abigail what making love was.

And it would be making love.

And fucking.

Because no matter what, he’d make sure it was fucking hot.

Tyler was afraid to speak but picked her up and carried her to the bedroom. 

“Damn, shouldn’t I have candles or flowers or something?” He set her on her feet, his body a coil ready to spring. “This is your first time. It needs to be special, baby.”

Abby smiled and kissed under his chin. “I’m so happy that I’m not the only nervous one right now. But Tyler, shut up and make love to me, okay? I know anything we do will be special. Just kiss me.”

“God, I love you,” he said as he crashed his mouth to hers, wanting to taste her, wanting his skin to smell like her and hers to smell like his.

God, talk about animalistic.

He ran his hands up and down her body, feeling her curves, loving the fact that she wasn’t a twig and had something he could grab onto. He pulled back and kissed along her chin and down her neck. Her breaths came in little pants as she gripped his arms, needy.

“I want to taste you,” he growled, and she shuddered.

He knelt before her and slowly stripped off her top, leaving her in her lacy white bra, her breasts full and ready, the nipples poking out between the flowers on the cups.

Holy fuck. 

“Jesus, baby, you’re beautiful.”

She blushed all over and ran a hand through his hair. “I know I have curves, I hope that’s okay.

“It’s better than okay,” he grunted.

“Then be gentle. Or not.”

“Damn, baby.” He cupped her breasts and kneaded them, loving the little moans she made as he rolled her nipples. “I’m going to taste these, real soon.”

He undid her jeans and slid them down her legs as she shucked off the little flats she wore. Her panties matched her bra, and Tyler was pretty sure there was drool on his chin.

“Fuck.”

“Is that all you can say?” she asked as she swayed from foot to foot, clearly nervous.

He placed his hands on her hips and looked up at her. “You’re amazing. And you’re mine.”

“Yours.”

He nodded at her acceptance and kissed her panties, inhaling. Oh, fuck, yeah, he was gonna taste her tonight. Soon.

“Tyler,” she whispered, and he knew she was getting wetter, or at least he hoped so.

“It’s just the beginning.” He got to his feet and kissed her, hard.

She wrapped her arms around him, and her breasts brushed against his shirt, her heated core flame hot along his jeans.

He walked her back to the bed and sat her on the edge. She gasped as he let his thumb brush against her neck, her pulse fast, needy. Without speaking, he undid her bra, letting her breasts fall, heavy, needing his tongue. He loved the size, the shape…the feel. She was natural, a beauty. His.

Tyler knelt and cupped her breasts, the rosy peaks begging for his tongue. With a heated breath, he let the flat of his tongue press against her right nipple, then her left. The bud tightened against him and he flicked them softly. As he licked each one, Abigail shuddered, her body breaking out in goose bumps. He sucked harder; wanting to make sure she felt it deep down in her pussy, knowing with the size of them, he’d have to make sure she could feel everything because of lack of sensitivity.

But, damn, was she responsive.

She moaned, her legs moving against him as he pressed her breasts closer. Oh, his Abigail wanted more.