My eyes dart up to Reid’s face, searching to see if he’s serious. All I find there is open honesty, and it soothes the nerves I didn’t know were lurking in the background. It makes me feel like I need to be honest with him.
“It’s been a while.”
His hand strokes my hair as he settles onto his side on the edge of the couch. It’s a bit ridiculous that we’re squished together on this tiny thing when I know for a fact there’s a bed close by, but this feels safer.
“How long?” he asks, and it doesn’t feel intrusive for him to want to know the answer. It’s more like we’re getting to know each other the right way. But that doesn’t mean I’m not nervous about his response to my answer.
“Umm, a couple of years. And before that, well, the last time was what led to Layla.”
As I expected, Reid’s head moves back in surprise. “You’ve only had sex once since you conceived her?” He sounds astonished, and something more. Something…heated.
I nod.
“Where is the guy who led to Layla?”
I love that he doesn’t call him her father. Because he’s not and never has been. “He was a mistake. The only good thing he did, aside from create her, was sign over his parental rights the day she was born.”
Reid’s hand comes up to caress my hip, and he looks at me with such wonder. “She’s an amazing kid, Abby. Thank you for telling me all of this. I don’t know what I did to deserve your attention, but I swear to you I don’t take any of it, any of you, for granted.”
This time when I pull him down for a kiss, we don’t stop. Somehow we shift until he’s on top of me again, and when his lips travel down to the slope of my breasts, my body arches into his touch. It’s more action than I’ve had in years, and the temptation to give in is strong. Reid’s hands go to the top of my pants and he lifts his head to look at me.
“Can I taste you, Abby?”
Jesus Christ. I don’t think I’veeverhad a man ask me that. There is absolutely no way I can say no. I lift my hips in invitation, and he quickly undoes the button and zipper to my jeans, and slides them down my legs, taking my panties with them. Yet again, I give myself a silent thanks for taking the time to groom earlier today. My brain may have been saying there was no way things would get even this far, but clearly my body and my heart knew better.
Reid takes his time peppering my hips and legs with kisses, his hands running up and down my bare skin, teasing me until I’m writhing underneath him, desperate to have him where I truly need him. Finally, his lips come to the top of my thighs and he turns his nose toward my center and nuzzles me, making me gasp and clutch the back of his head.
“You’re fucking delicious,” he growls right before swiping his tongue up the length of my sex. My hips shoot up in response, and I’m moaning his name as he sets to work devouring me. I’ve never had a man devote his energy to pleasing me the way Reid is, like his very life depends on making me see stars.
“Oh my God, right there. Oh God!” I’m rambling, my voice getting higher and higher when he slides in two fingers and turns them to curl around and find my G-spot with impressive accuracy. “Reid! Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes…” My head starts to thrash as I chase the orgasm that I can feel pressing in on me. I want it, I need it, but I just can’t….
“Let go, Abby, I’ve got you.”
I detonate.
Chapter six
Reid
It took everything I have in me not to fuck Abby at the cabin. Having her laid out underneath me, naked and wanting, was just as hot as I thought it would be. And I know that if I hadn’t put the brakes on after her spectacular orgasm, she would have been just as willing as I was to go further.
It’s been three days since that night, and we’ve texted nonstop each night. Last night Abby switched to video and seeing her beautiful face made me want to get in my truck and drive to the farm just so I could kiss her.
But I resisted. And now it’s the night of the town Christmas tree lighting, and I know Abby will be there with some of the animals from the farm for the live nativity. The whole concept of a live nativity scene is bizarre to me. I guess it’ll be fun for the kids, but it sure seems like a lot of work. This is the first year they’ve done it, and I guess Steve and Abby didn’t want to back out, despite his broken leg.
When I walk into The Nutty Muffin, Mila’s café, all of my friends are already there. Mila and her boyfriend, Jackson, are whispering to each other over by the counter, Serena, Paige, and Summer are all talking and laughing about something, and Ethan is scrolling on his phone. The final member of our motley crew, and the newest resident of Dogwood Cove, comes in looking frustrated.
“Hey man, what the hell happened to you?” Ethan asks.
“Don’t. Ask.” Finn clips out. “Mila, tell me you’ve got that bottle of peppermint schnapps we stashed here last year. If I can’t have boozy hot chocolate tonight, I’m going home.”
That makes me raise my eyebrows, but Mila grabs the bottle of schnapps and gives everyone a healthy dose in our mugs. We cheers and as I look around at my friends, I wonder how Abby would fit in with us all. Perfectly, I suspect.
Half an hour later and I feel like a lovesick teenager for how many times I keep stealing glances over at Abby, who’s tending the animals in the nativity. Steve is sitting in a chair next to everything, and I’ve seen Layla running back and forth a few times, going between some friends she must be here with and her mom. My body craves Abby, and it’s getting harder and harder to stay away. The pull I feel toward her is driving me crazy, and I’ve had to work to ignore the curious looks coming from my friends. Thankfully, they don’t say anything, but I know they’ve noticed how I’m orbiting her like a satellite.
When our group makes our way to where the nativity scene is set up, Abby’s face lights up. She bites her lip and I stifle a groan.
“Hi, Reid,” she says demurely, then her eyes widen. “Wait. Should I call you Mr. Corser in public?” I chuckle, but before I can answer, Mila steps in.
