CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO ~ ABBY ~ NOW #3
“Turn around.” The water seems to carry the low vibrations of his voice, sending them through every inch of my body.
I lift up on my knees, and he guides me as I move.
There’s more splashing and some embarrassed giggling on my part, but I eventually get settled between his legs with my back pressed against his front.
He glides his wet fingers along my shoulders and upper arms, leaving a trail of goosebumps in his wake. His mouth presses against my neck as his fingers trace the lines of my collarbones. My breath catches as his hands move lower, stopping just above my breasts.
“Can I touch you?” he asks.
Emotion swells within me. We’re already in an incredibly intimate position and we’ve had sex dozens of times over the last few years, and yet he still asks for consent. If I hadn’t already thought Graeme MacKinlay was the sexiest man alive, I certainly would now.
At my nod, his hands slide under the water and cup my breasts.
I drop my head on his shoulder and let my eyes fall closed.
He remembers the exact pressure I like as he gently squeezes my breasts and rolls my nipples between his fingers.
I squirm against him, pressing my thighs together to soothe the ache building between them.
One of his hands leaves my breast to inch down my stomach.
My entire being narrows to the back and forth motion of his fingers just below my belly button.
“Is this all right?” he asks.
I was already biting back a whimper, but I don’t fight it now at the sound of Graeme’s gravelly voice in my ear. “God, yes.”
His chuckle turns into a moan when I angle my ass to press against his hard cock. He catches my earlobe in his teeth, giving a sharp tug before closing his mouth around it. He continues the teasing back and forth motion on my stomach until I cover his hand with mine and guide it down.
A gasp escapes me the moment his fingers find my clit.
He circles me with a light, almost teasing touch as he runs his lips along my neck, the stubble on his jaw scraping the sensitive skin.
His other hand continues to play with my breasts, alternating between squeezes and gentle caresses, just the way I like.
When I stifle a moan, Graeme’s teeth catch my earlobe once more. “Don’t hold back.” He rocks his hips, pressing his hard length against my back. “You know I love the sounds you make.”
At my breathy whimper, he applies more pressure between my legs, his fingers moving faster. He bands his arm around me under my breasts, holding me even tighter as my hips rock against his hand. Moans and soft cries spill from my lips, urging him on.
“That’s a good lass,” he says. “Let go for me, sweetheart.”
Stars burst behind my closed eyelids as pleasure sweeps through me.
I ride Graeme’s hand, clutching at the arm wrapped around me.
I’m vaguely aware of him murmuring in my ear and thrusting against my back as wave after wave of sensation crash over me.
As I come down, I realize the shaking in my body isn’t just aftershocks, it’s shivers caused by the rapidly cooling water.
Graeme loosens his hold on me, pressing firm kisses to the side of my head, neck, and face. “We should get out before your teeth start chattering.”
Once we’re out of the tub, it’s impossible to miss the fact Graeme is still hard. I bite my lip as he hands me a towel and then takes one for himself.
“What about you?” I ask.
He lets out a quiet groan as he wraps the towel around himself.
I’m still shivering, so he grabs my robe and drapes it over my shoulders.
He leans in, stopping with his mouth just inches from mine.
At my questioning look, something softens in his expression, and I feel his breath against my face as he sighs.
He closes the distance between us and presses his lips gently to mine.
His damp hands cup my face and tilt my head to deepen the kiss. My body is still humming with that post-orgasm buzz, but the slow tenderness of the kiss makes me want to cry.
He pulls back, and his eyes dart away as his jaw clenches and unclenches. When his gaze returns to mine, he appears resolved. “I think we should wait before we go any further.”
I don’t need to ask what we’re waiting for, although I’d be curious to hear how he’d word it. We’re waiting for me to figure things out. To get my shit together. To pull my head out of my ass and finally let myself be wholly and completely happy, here in this place I love with the man I love.
He lets out another barely audible sigh when I remain silent. “Sex hasn’t exactly complicated things for us in the past, but it’s added layers to our relationship that were deeper than either of us anticipated.”
“You’re absolutely right, I get it,” I say in a rush.
He grips my shoulders and ducks slightly so we’re eye to eye.
“Don’t think for a second I don’t want you, Abby.
I want to touch you and kiss you and taste you, but I want all of you.
I don’t want you for only one night or even for a few days.
I want you forever. I want you to know what I know: that we're meant to be together. You're meant to be mine.”
If our kiss a moment ago made me want to cry, his words now make me want to break down in sobs. Droplets of cool water slide down my spine, making me shiver once more.
Graeme rubs my arms through the robe. “Maybe we should spend a bit of time apart while you figure things out,” he says.
“Some work stuff came up that I was going to pass to someone else, but now I think I’ll handle it myself.
I don’t want us to avoid each other, and I’ll be around if and when you’re ready to talk, but maybe a bit of space would be good. ”
I’d be lying if I said I didn’t feel the sting of rejection, but I do understand where he’s coming from. He’s protecting both of us. “Okay.”
“Okay,” he echoes. He offers me a half smile as he leans in to kiss my forehead. “Go get warmed up. We’ll talk more soon.”