heat and atmosphere.
“Do you want some hot chocolate?” She
asked, delaying the moment. Tonight she’d dressed up, or at least as dressed up
as Abby King could be. Soothing down the skirt of her short black cocktail
dress, she watched Cade as he took off his coat. He was such a big, beautiful
man. The black jeans and black western shirt he wore fit him to a tee. Couple
his good looks with his reputation, no wonder companies were beating down his
door wanting him to endorse them.
“Hot chocolate? Sure.” He wanted something
sweet, but it wasn’t chocolate. Abby seemed nervous, so he went along with her
suggestion, even helping her fix two steaming mugs with a pile of gooey
marshmallows on top.
“Let’s sit down in front of the fire.” She
threw some pillows on the floor.
Cade maneuvered down, his bones creaking.
“Man, I’m getting old.”
“No, you’re not. You’re perfect.” Once
she’d made up her mind to tell him the truth, honesty just kept bubbling out of
her.
He didn’t understand what was going on,
but he didn’t need to. Cade was just thankful for this amazing turn of events –
an answer to prayer. Lord, he wanted her. “I want to make it perfect for you,
Abby.” The fire crackled and hissed. Abby looked everywhere but at him. She was
twenty-six years old, but had an air of precious innocence. Cade was completely
under her spell. “Now, what did you want to talk about?” She took a sip of the
chocolate, leaving foam on her upper lip. He couldn’t resist bending over to
kiss the sweetness away.
Abby was about to pass out from the
intense sensuality of the moment. Still, it was necessary to tell him her
wishes. “First, I want to be with you very much, but I need for it to be in the
dark.”
Cade’s hand froze in the midst of raising
his cup to his mouth. “In the dark?” Didn’t she know how much he’d fantasized
about looking at her body? He sat his cup down, took off his Stetson and ran
his fingers through his hair. “Why in the hell would you want us to make love
in the dark?”
“I just would, please. I need this.”
Firelight danced over the room. The only other light was a lamp by the couch,
but she could see him clear enough. He didn’t often remove his hat. All of the
guys seemed to think it was a necessary part of their wardrobe. But when he
did, she couldn’t help but stare. Cade’s hair was dark, a little on the long
side and had a bit of a wave to it. Abby longed to touch it, and maybe soon
she’d get the chance.
“Don’t you realize how beautiful you are?”
He sought words to convey his feelings to her. “You’re exquisite, Abby.”
She couldn’t answer. Her voice was
paralyzed.
“Look at me.”
Abby raised her eyes.
The look on his face was pleading. “I know
we have a history of wrangling and locking horns, but you have to realize I
acted that way because I couldn’t get my hands on you. I had no other way of
connecting with you.”
“Oh, Cade.” She hugged herself to keep
from reaching out to hug him. “I know, I did the same thing. Fighting with you
was better than nothing.”
“So, you realize – you can do no wrong
with me.” Cade leaned forward, placing his hand on top of hers.
“Thank you, Cade, but I need to do it this
way. Please?”
“Can you tell me why? Are you shy?” He
couldn’t imagine it. She was always in the middle of anything he or her
brothers did. A look of pain flashed over her face and he realized it was more.
“You can tell me anything, you know.”
“Not this.” She shook her head. Her long
dark hair flowed over her shoulders like a silken waterfall, attracting his
touch. “Not yet.”
“All right. Deal.” Cade gave in. There was
really no question about it. “I’ll take you anyway I can get you.”
“There’s more.” She bit her lower lip. He
waited. “I don’t want you to touch me below my waist, except—”
“Except?” Okay. He was confused. Cade
remembered her panic when
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