Chapter 61
CHAPTER 61
SIMON
A bigail tasted like heaven on my tongue. I could do this with her all day and all night and never get tired of it.
Gripping the insides of her thighs, I spread them apart further and licked through her seam, not even sure how one thing had led to another but feeling desperately relieved to be having her again.
She writhed against me, her muscles tensing and her back arched. Her fingers were wrapped around my hair, tightening and tugging sharply as she unraveled. The stabs of pain only served to make me hotter.
To this day, I hadn’t been with any other woman who lost herself as completely to pleasure as Abi did. There was no faking for her and it made me so painfully hard that my hips started rolling, just little thrusts that didn’t provide the friction I was after and yet it was instinctive.
Her thighs tensed around my head, fighting against my hands keeping her spread open. She was right on the brink. I could feel it. Taste it.
But then she stopped me. “Simon, no. I…”
Panting, she fought for breath. I lifted my head immediately, letting go of her legs and propping myself up to look at her. Her pupils were blown, her chest heaving, and her nipples in hard little peaks. Droplets of sweat sparkled on her forehead, and for a moment, I was terrified that she was going to tell me to leave.
Instead, she beckoned me to her, wrapping her fingers around the nape of my neck and kissing me deeply as soon as my mouth was within striking distance of hers. My tongue swept into her mouth, and if she tasted herself on it, she wasn’t put off.
“Do you have a condom?” she murmured between kisses.
“Yeah, but?—”
“I felt you moving,” she replied before I’d even voiced my protest. “I want you inside me. I want us to… you know. Together.”
The filthy part of my brain wanted me to make her say it, but this was Abi. My Abi. My girl. Whatever she wanted from me, she got.
Reaching for my discarded jeans, I pulled my wallet out and I was just about to put the condom on when it occurred to me that we were still on the floor in her living room. This isn’t where or how you make love to your girl. What am I doing?”
I made to get up, but Abi frowned, her hand catching mine before I could stand. “Where are you going?”
“To your bedroom.”
“No.” She held my gaze, even managing a coy smile as she pulled me back to her. “Here. Now.”
I groaned, but went willingly, lowering myself back to my knees and looking into her eyes as I rolled on the condom. “Fine, but don’t say I didn’t try to do this the right way.”
“Why is it the wrong way to do it here?” she asked, fingers winding into my hair as I covered her body with my own. “I never have. It’s adventurous.”
“But not romantic.”
“Need me to put on some music?” she teased breathlessly. “Light some candles?”
I narrowed my eyes at her and dragged my tip through her slick folds. She gasped and then moaned, running her hands to my hips and pushing her palms down on my ass. I started sinking into her. Scorching heat enveloped me and instantly I was so on the edge that I hissed. Claiming her mouth, I pushed forward inch by inch.
She wrapped her legs around my hips, kissing me back and digging her nails into my butt when I started thrusting. Every move and every sound brought me closer, but when I felt her fluttering around me, I was done.
“Abi,” I breathed into her mouth, kissing her hard as the orgasm crashed into me. Vaguely aware of her coming apart around me, my ears rang and my muscles jerked, my brain shattering as the climax milked me dry.
In the aftermath, I collapsed beside her and pulled her close, then finally took her up to bed and did it right before we drifted off to sleep together. Waking up with Abi snug in my arms, I smiled against her hair and didn’t move a muscle.
Early morning sunlight crept through her windows, only just beginning to wash the room in warm light. Not inclined to move until I absolutely had to, I held her soft body against mine and looked around her bedroom.
It actually reminded me a lot of her room at her parents’ house when we’d been kids. Neat as a pin, she didn’t have anything lying around on her floor and there was nothing out of place.
Two doors on one side led into what I assumed was a walk-in closet while another open door revealed an adjoining bathroom. Her bed was a queen-sized, antique four-poster, with intricate carvings in the wood and crisp white bedding.
A large dressing table sat beside a bay window. A comfortable reading nook decorated with colorful pillows was built in front of the window with an overflowing bookshelf beside it. Dozens of pictures were mounted on the walls, the familiar faces of her, her friends, and her family smiling at me from them.
Several paintings hung between them, all depicting bright and happy scenes of country lanes, lovers, or abstracts of animals. Like the rest of her house, her bedroom was cozy and homey, and I loved it here.
Not only because I was naked in her bed.
As I gently held on to her, feeling more at home in her house than my own, I knew she was all I wanted and it was time I talked to my father about it. I wanted things with her to get serious and I was tired of holding back for fear of his reaction.
Losing her years ago had almost killed me, and now that she was back and I was a grown man, I knew that what I wanted hadn’t changed. My father could either accept it or not, but I was done living this part of my life on his terms.
“Good morning,” she murmured, looking up at me with a lazy, sleepy smile on her face, her eyes still hazy as she blinked to adjust to the light in the room. “Why are you so serious so early in the morning?”
“No reason.” I just realized that you and my friends were all right. It’s time to stop worrying so much about my dad and start living for myself again . “Good morning, baby.”
“ Baby ?” A slow smirk ghosted across her lips before she schooled her features. “Getting a bit comfortable, are we?”
“So comfortable.” I tightened my grip on her and rolled onto my side, putting my face only an inch or so away from hers. “Do you have any objections to that?”
She pretended to think it over, but there was already a smile in her eyes. “Not if it comes with breakfast.”
“Breakfast. Right. I can do that. How do you feel about scrambled eggs and toast?”
“That depends. Will there be fire in my kitchen before you’re done?”
I chuckled. “Nah. I think I can manage some eggs without burning your house down.”
“In that case, I’ll take it.” She cuddled into me for just another moment before she surprised me by pressing a chaste kiss to my mouth, but pulled away before I could deepen it. “I have to go let August out. Meet you down there?”
I groaned but nodded. “Give me a minute.”
Abi giggled as she sat up and noticed the tent under her sheets. “Oops.”
“You did it again? Not quite, but you could,” I joked, watching as she rolled out of bed and donned some pajamas from her dresser.
She laughed. “I would, but poor August is probably starving and bursting to get outside.”
“Go,” I told her, winking when she glanced back at me from the door. “I’m a big boy. I can take care of myself.”
“Sure, but it won’t be half as much fun without me.” She smirked and left her bedroom, calling to me as she hurried down the hall. “If you’re not in the kitchen soon, I’m coming back there and you won’t enjoy how long I’ll make you beg.”
“I might!” I considered staying put just to find out what she had in mind, but August wasn’t the only one who was starving.
I’d worked up quite an appetite last night and I was sure Abi felt the same way. Finally rolling out of bed, I pulled my underwear on and sauntered to her kitchen, heading directly for the fridge. She came in as I was cracking the eggs into a pan, and I nearly groaned out loud again when I looked over to see her in those jammies with her hair all messy.
I’d never been so attracted to anyone in my life, and she smiled when she saw whatever look I had on my face. “Food first, Mr. Astor. You promised you’d feed me, remember?”
“Fine, but only because I promised.” I chuckled, dutifully turning back to the pan.
Her phone rang and she glanced at her screen. “I wouldn’t take this, but it’s Liv. I won’t be long.”
She pushed away from the counter where she’d been manning the toaster, and took her sister’s call. When she was gone, I wondered if I should deal with my family while she was dealing with hers.
Now that I’d made the decision to stand up to my father, I was eager to get the show on the road. It had taken long enough to get to this point, and now that I had, I wouldn’t wait any longer.
Growing up, Dad, Brooks, and I had played golf together every Sunday. Dad and I had gone a few times while I’d been in college, but we hadn’t done it for years. As I kept stirring a spatula through the eggs, I pulled out my phone and texted him.
Me: Round of golf today?
I knew it was a long shot, but it was worth a try. Much to my surprise, just as the toast popped out, I got a reply from him, and even more surprisingly, he had agreed.
George: Crown Woods at 12. See you there.
Encouraged that he’d taken me up on the invitation, I grinned and sent him a thumbs-up. I knew the conversation we needed to have wouldn’t be easy, but I was looking forward to it anyway. Things were finally coming to a head.
By the end of the day, my dad would know how I felt about Abi and I would know if I had to start looking for another job, but I wasn’t afraid. I would take whatever consequences came my way. Hell, I welcomed them if it meant I could finally just be with her.
“Liv wants us to come to Texas for a few days,” Abi said excitedly as she walked back into the kitchen. “They need help at the Houston Rodeo. Don’t ask me what we’ll be doing there, but apparently, there’s awesome food and animals, and we’d get to explore the city, so I said we’d be there.”
I didn’t hesitate. “I’m down. When do we leave?”
“Wednesday.” She wrinkled her nose as she looked back at me. “We’d have to call out of Fit Gal on Thursday, so I’ll understand if you’d rather leave later or even not come at all so you can work on your presentation.”
“Wednesday it is.” I turned off the heat on the eggs. “Your breakfast will be served soon, milady. Take a seat. I just need to dish up.”
A surprised smile played across her lips. “Seriously, you’re willing to skip out of Fit Gal and a few days of presentation prep, and you’re serving me breakfast? Who are you and what have you done with Simon?”
“I’m a new and improved version,” I joked. “What do you think so far?”
Her eyes sparkled as she sat down on a stool in her breakfast nook. “I think these improvements might’ve been worth the wait.”
“Glad to hear it.” I buttered her toast and served our food, sitting down to enjoy breakfast with her. For the first time in a long time, there was zero tension or uncertainty between us, and if it hadn’t been for golfing with my dad, I was pretty sure I would have stayed with her for the rest of the day.
As it was, I kissed her soundly and said goodbye at the last possible moment that would still allow me to get home, shower, and change before I had to go meet him.
At the golf course later on, I shook his hand when he reached me. “Thanks for coming out.”
Dad eyed me curiously. “I’ve missed whooping you in golf.”
I chuckled. “We’ll see, old man.”
As we teed off, he glanced at me, not defensive, cold, or angry for a change. “So, why did you ask me to play today? It’s been a long time.”
I gripped my club, deciding to come right out with it instead of easing him in. Obviously, he knew we weren’t only playing for old times’ sake, and I didn’t see any point in hesitating. “Why were you so set on me leaving Abigail back in the day?”
For the merest of seconds, my dad actually seemed a little taken aback. He blinked a couple times before he sighed. “This again?”
“This again.” I definitely wouldn’t apologize for it. “I’d also like to know why you’re so against her now.”
“I don’t have anything against her,” he said as if I was ridiculous for even asking.
I scoffed and straightened out of my swing. “Dad, we need to have this conversation.” I slid my club back into my bag and turned to look at him. “It’s time. Just give it to me straight, would you?”
He sighed, turning his gaze out to the trees surrounding. “I knew she would hold you back, Simon. I wanted my son to go make something of himself and honor his family. Keeping your high school girlfriend back here would’ve fogged your ability to succeed.”
As he said it, I knew instantly where he was coming from. Brooks had done crazy things, including going to that party that he hadn’t come home from for a high-school girl. She’d been his flavor of the week, and although their relationship had been nothing like mine and Abi’s, I was suddenly starting to understand things from my dad’s point of view for the first time ever.
It also definitely hadn’t helped that I’d been with Abigail the night my brother had died. I’d always had a feeling that he’d held that against her. “Do you blame Abi for me not being with Brooks that night?”
Dad focused on his swing, suspiciously silent as he hit the ball with a hard thwack. It soared through the air and he followed it with his eyes. I watched him, seeing the profound sadness etched into his gaze even though he wasn’t looking directly at me.
“I couldn’t have saved him, Dad,” I said quietly, my chest aching for us both as I thought back to that night. “Just as much as you couldn’t have. Abi had nothing to do with his fate, but she does make my life better.”
He didn’t say anything for a long minute but finally inhaled a deep breath and turned to face me again. “Now that we both know you’re seeing her and it’s out in the open, let’s address the elephant on the course.”
“What elephant?”
“You do realize she’s who we’re competing against for Fit Gal, right? You have to call it off, Simon. It could cost you the client and then your distraction could cost you your place in this company.”
My heart pulsed, but I stood my ground. “Is that a threat?”
“Does it need to be?” He handed his club back to the caddie before he ambled over to our golf cart.
I didn’t move a muscle. “Need I remind you that I’m a grown man who will make decisions for himself? If you can’t accept that, you might as well take the wheel of that thing and say goodbye now.”
Dad chuckled, turning on the seat to rest his elbow on the back of it. He held my gaze with a mixture of suspicion and amusement. “How do you know she’s not just using you to get to the client while you’re focused on her? It seems pretty odd timing to me that she’d want to rekindle just when you’re going for the same client. You’ve both been in the same city for years, so why now?”
“Abi isn’t like that, Dad.” That much, I was absolutely sure of. “It’s not about the client. It’s about us.”
As he smirked, my stomach went cold, but I kept a straight face. “Son, you’ll see in your own time that you will have to choose. The girl or the client. You can’t have both, even if I know that you’re not seeing it that way just yet.”