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How had his life become so chaotic? How had his feelings done a complete one-eighty?
Abby’s soft, steady breathing combined with her soft, luscious body nestled at his side rendered him speechless. He loved running his hand up and down her smooth, flat abdomen.
There were no words to describe how he felt now. There were no words to comfort her because Cade knew that Abby wouldn’t have offered her body if she didn’t truly love him. She was the happily-ever-after type and he was in a way, too. They just considered happiness two separate worlds. His revolved around mergers and contracts; hers involved love and cherry cheese Danishes.
Happiness in his world was making sure his company stocks were going up, up, up.
Her happiness was daydreaming of her children flying kites.
Stock, kites. They were both supposed to soar…right?
No, no, no. What the hell was he thinking?
God, this situation had gotten so jumbled he was equating kids and kites to stocks and mergers.
“Cade.”
Abby’s tender voice drew him back. “Yeah?”
She turned, resting her head on her hand as she looked down to him. “You’re not regretting this are you?”
The hand he’d used to stroke her midsection now cupped her cheek. “No.”
The simple word was out of his mouth before he could retract it. But then he realized he didn’t want to take it back.
Regrets? No. He wasn’t sorry he’d slept with Abby. How could he be when she was all flush from their love-making? How could he possibly be unhappy with the sparkle he now saw in her sea green eyes looking back at him?
“I know I kind of jumped the gun earlier,” she told him, resting her other hand over his heart. “I know men don’t like the L word thrown around, especially in bed. But I just wanted you to know where I stood before we went any further.”
He covered her hand with his own as if he could actually give her the organ she covered. “That’s what makes you so amazing. I always know where you stand.”
That didn’t sound lame at all, he thought. But, he couldn’t say the four-letter word back to her.
“This won’t be awkward between us. Will it?”
God, when she bit that lower lip she nearly undid him. Her words may have sounded confident, but her actions were not. She was nervous.
That made two of them.
“Not at all,” he lied, easing out of the bed.
Abby fell back against the oversize white pillow. A wide smile spread across her face and Cade wished she’d always look at him like that.
He had to talk to Mona and her father. Why hadn’t they returned his calls? What would he do if they took away the merger altogether if the marriage was called off?
Dammit, he didn’t want this thing with Abby to be cheapened to romps behind his fiancée’s back or limited to this business trip they were on.
His engagement had to end.
As he stood beside the bed, he couldn’t help but take a mental picture of Abby’s soft, blond waves fanned out on the white sheets. Her flushed cheeks and chest. Her swollen mouth and sparkling green eyes.
Everything about her made him want to say to hell with the company and this marriage.
There had to be a way. He refused to take Abby’s affection and throw it back in her face. He needed to know how to keep the arrangement he had with Mona’s father, but skip the wedding.
Cade knew if there was a way, he’d find it. He had to. “How are you feeling? I mean from earlier,” he clarified with a smile of his own. “No more dizziness?”
“I’m fine. Better than fine.”
Cade had to look away before he found himself falling deeper into those mesmerizing pale green eyes. He focused on the tray the waiter had delivered.
Grabbing a bottle of water and the fruit plate, he walked around the bed and came to stand beside her.
“I think you need to eat some more.”
She sat up, causing the sheet to fall around her waist, exposing her breasts. He couldn’t help it. His eyes fell and took in the full, pink tips.
“Looks like we both need something, but I don’t think it’s food.”
Her eyes had dropped, as well, and, since he stood before her wearing nothing but a grin, there was no hiding the fact he wanted her again.
Why fight feelings?
He set the plate and bottle back on the nightstand. “Stay right there.”
Once again, he moved around the bed and over into the corner. He turned on the water to the sunken garden tub, tested the temperature.
Once the water was adjusted to his liking, he dumped the small bottle of bubbles into the water and flicked the droplets from his fingertips. When he turned, Abby stood mere inches away.
“Is that for me?” she asked.
Unable to keep from touching her one more second, he wrapped his hands around her waist and drew her close.
