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“It’s for us.”
He eased down, taking her mouth beneath his. How was he already addicted to her taste, her touch?
Crazy, but there it was. He wanted her again and wasn’t ashamed to show her.
Easing away from her lips, Cade guided her to the water and helped her step down. After he followed her in, he reached and shut off the water.
The iridescent bubbles foamed up around Abby’s creamy pink skin, clinging onto her breasts where his mouth ached to be once again.
She eased against the back of the tub, tilted her head and closed her eyes. “Mmm, this feels nice,” she moaned on a sigh.
Wet strands of her hair danced on the top of the water and bubbles. Cade could do nothing more than watch and appreciate the simplicity and beauty of this amazing woman.
He reached beneath the water and found one delicate foot and began to massage. “You love me.”
It wasn’t a question, but Abby’s eyes snapped open, her body tense.
“Relax,” he said as he continued to rub her foot. “I just had no idea your feelings were that strong.”
Her shoulders settled a bit, but she still didn’t tip her head back in the relaxed position she’d been in. He was almost sorry he’d mentioned anything, but he had to know.
“You want me to be honest?” she asked, biting on her bottom lip, her eyes darting to the bubbles. “Of course.”
The hesitation was brief, but Cade noticed. She was more nervous than she wanted him to believe.
“Hey.” He tugged gently on her foot to get her attention. “Just tell me what you’re thinking. The best way of life is to always be honest.”
Her eyes came up, this time with unshed tears. “My mother used to say that.”
Cade worked his hand up to her calf and kneaded. “Tell me more about her.”
If she loosened up, maybe he could get an insight as to why, or better yet when, Abby fell in love with him.
“She was my best friend,” Abby explained with a sad smile. “I’ve never known anyone like her. She fought to the end of her illness. Her strength was amazing.”
“You’ve mentioned her strength before.” He kept his touch light. “You have to see you have the same quality, as well. Your mother would be proud.”
Abby shrugged. “I don’t know about that. I’m not sure how strong I’ve been since she passed.”
His hands stilled. “You’re kidding, right?”
“Not at all. You should’ve seen my mother. She never let anything get in the way of what she wanted. She lived each day to the best of her abilities and made an impression wherever she went.”
Cade could only smile as he listened. “Like I said before…”
Abby smiled. “Well, if you really believe that I’m describing myself, that’s the greatest compliment I’ve ever received.”
Switching to the other foot, Cade continued massaging, not wanting her to become tense. “Keep talking,” he urged.
“Why?”
“I want to hear your voice. I want to know everything about you.”
She rolled her eyes and laughed. “I’ve worked with you for a year.”
Guilt crawled up and tightened around his chest. “And I still don’t know much about your personal life. Riding the mechanical bull, for example. You don’t seem like that type at all.”
“I’m not. I’ve never done anything like that before.”
Once Cade had worked over her calf, he shifted around to sit closer. “What on earth prompted you to do it, then?”
Her eyes leveled on his. “You.”
“Me?”
With a nod, Abby moved to face him. “You’d just asked me to plan your wedding. I was crushed.”
“You were?” How the hell had he not noticed? “Why?”
“Because I love you.”
The simplicity of her words humbled him—and made him feel like a jerk.
“I’ve had feelings for you for quite some time,” she went on. “You wanted honesty, there it is. Although, I’m sure that’s not what you wanted to hear.”
Was it? He honestly had no idea anymore. All he was sure of was that he wanted Abby. Not just her body, though that was a nice perk. He wanted to get inside her head and know everything she had stored and locked away.
To know that she buried feelings, all this time, deep inside herself, was amazing. How long would she have kept them bottled up? Was she so intent on making sure everyone around her was happy that she would’ve continued to plan his wedding?
“Any thought on your mind, I want to hear,” he assured her. “Are we clear? Don’t worry about if I want to hear it. I’m telling you now, I want to know everything in your life.”
