Chapter Nine
As Carson stood at the bottom of the stairs in the B & B waiting for Abby on Monday night, he was giving himself a stern talk. Abby had asked him not to touch her, not to kiss her. This morning at breakfast, his hand had been already out to do just that when he’d remembered her request.
She probably had a point. They’d made love thinking they’d never see one another again and then it turned out she was his new sister-in-law’s best friend.
What he also knew by now, was that she wasn’t just a one-night stand, easily put out of his mind.
Abby Swanson seemed to have found permanent residence in his mind and heart.
But damn, it was hard keeping his hands to himself. Pun intended.
Craig appeared at the end of the corridor. “Carson, hi. You waiting for someone?”
“Yes, I’m taking Abby to Rocco’s Italian Restaurant.”
Craig grinned. “I see. Not wasting time, I see.”
Before Carson could answer, a movement at the top of the stairs caught his attention.
He turned and there she was. Dressed in jeans, a black top that left her one shoulder bare, a sling bag over the other shoulder, big golden hoops in her ears, she took his breath away.
Her hair wasn’t in its usual braid but cascaded loosely over her shoulders in soft curls.
As she stepped down from the stairs, his eyes fell on the pair of killer heels she was wearing.
Damn, he was a dead man.
Behind him, Craig laughed softly, but Carson’s attention stayed focused on the beautiful woman in front of him. Everything inside him was urging him on to take her hand, drag her out to his truck, and take her somewhere where they could be together. That wasn’t what she wanted, though.
Shoving his hands into the pockets of his jacket, he just nodded and grunted. His throat wasn’t working, his mind jumbled, he wouldn’t be able to construct a proper sentence even if he’d wanted to.
As she put on a jacket, he steered her through the front door out onto the porch with his hand behind her back, not quite touching her.
“Enjoy your evening!” Craig, clearly amused, called out behind them.
Outside on the porch, she turned to face him, her eyes mere slits. “What’s going on? I spent a ridiculous amount of money on this freaking top and a red bra today and you just grunted? If you’ve changed your mind about taking me out, now is the time to tell me.”
Taking a deep breath, he looked away. “You told me not to touch you,” he growled. “I can’t even look at you without wanting to put my hands on you. Do you have any idea how difficult it is to not be able to touch you, to kiss you, to strip you out of the top so I can see the damn red bra?”
Grabbing his hand, she pulled him toward his truck. “Open the damn door.”
Ticked off, he unlocked the truck but didn’t move to help her inside. She waited, arms folded, staring at the door.
“You’re killing me, you know that?” he sighed as he moved to her side and opened the door.
She waited.
Rubbing his forehead, he inhaled deeply. “If I have to help you in, I’m going to have to touch you.”
Without saying a word, she continued waiting.
Gritting his teeth, he picked her up. Soft arms encircled his neck as he put her gently on the seat. As he closed the door softly, he gulped in some of the cool fall air as he walked to the driver’s side.
As he slid behind the wheel, she scooted closer. Without looking at him she put her hand on his leg. “It was a stupid idea.”
“What was?”
“To tell you we can’t … touch.”
His blood surged through his veins. “What about kissing?”
She nodded.
“You’ll have to speak up, Abby, I need to understand exactly what you want.”
She turned and looked at him. “I’m here until Sunday. Your suggestion that we spend time together while I’m here and see whether this is real or not is maybe not such a bad one.”
His eyebrows raised. “You said you’d be too busy. So what changed.”
Fidgeting, she sighed. “Like everything else I do, my wardrobe is planned and I only get a few new pieces each season. I don’t like waste.
What I do buy, I usually wear for years.
Today, however, even though I was only going to buy the underwear, when I came to the cashier, I forgot all about my plans and lists and bought clothes because … ” A blush crept up her neck.
“Because?” he repeated.
Those green eyes met his. “Because I remembered the way you looked at me back in your hotel.”
Her words punched him in the solar plexus, his body reacted. “How the hell am I supposed to sit opposite you and have a meal after you’ve told me that?”
“I was thinking … maybe we can … kiss … before din—”
He was reversing into the street before she could finish her sentence.
*
With her one hand on Carson’s leg and the other on her tummy, Abby stared blindly through the window. Her heart was racing, her blood rushing through her veins.
She never said things like this. What was happening to her? Was the fact that she was leaving in a few days giving her the courage to say something so intimate to a man she hardly knew?
He’d grabbed her hand and was holding it tightly in his, but he’d yet to say anything.
“Where’s George?” she asked.
“With Cooper and Rose for the night.”
After only a few minutes, he turned and parked in front of a beautiful double story building surrounded by trees.
“Where are—”
Before she could finish her sentence, he’d picked her up and dragged her across his lap.
“Library …” he growled as one of his hands found its way underneath her top. “If I don’t kiss you now, I’m going to explode.” Lifting her chin, his mouth found hers like a man dying of thirst.
Within seconds, she was lost. Desire crashed in waves over her, not giving her time to take a breath. This was crazy, she wanted to rip his shirt apart to feel his warm flesh under her fingers, but they were out in the open in his truck.
Lifting her head, she gulped in some much-needed oxygen. “I’m ready for dinner now.”
His breathing was labored. “You want dinner? Now?” Barking out a laugh, the hand slipped up and cupped first one, then her other breast.
Leaning forward into his touch, her lips trailed kisses over his face. “We’re in your truck, anyone could …”
His hand was moving again, over her tummy, over the button on her jeans to where she was throbbing for his touch. Leaving his hand on her heat, he kissed her.
“You’re coming home with me afterward?” he whispered.
“I …” There were a million reason why not, but damn it, she wanted to be with this man so badly, she could taste it.
Sitting up and moving to her side of the seat, she combed her hair with her fingers.
“I’ll need to get a few things from the guesthouse.
And maybe take my car. I’m helping June tomorrow.
I’ll need transport to get back to the B & B later. ”
Grabbing her hand again, he started his truck. “If you want to go back, I’ll take you. But let me feed you first. You’re going to need stamina for the rest of the night.”
A giggle escaped. Gulping it in, she swallowed a groan. She never giggled, never. Seriously. With a sigh, she glanced at Carson.
Bringing her hand to his lips, he kissed the palm of her hand. “If you look at me much longer, we’re skipping dinner.”
“I’m hungry.”
“So am I, but not for food,” he grinned. “Okay, let’s have dinner first.”
“Oh, your credit card,” she remembered, opening her bag and returning his card.
“Did you get everything?”
“Everything I’ll need for your house, yes.”
“Did you get a red one?”
She nodded. “I’ve paid for it myself.”
“Of course you have.” His low chuckle did nothing to help extinguish the fire racing through her blood.
Abby was still a trembling mess by the time they’d ordered something to drink and food. Talk. Maybe if they talked about ordinary things this craziness inside of her would subside.
“Tell me about the ranch,’” she said. “What exactly do you do?”
Carson was sitting beside her in the booth with his hand on her leg. With hooded eyes he looked at her. “Seriously? That’s what you want to talk about?”
“We’re in a public place, it’s not as if we can …”
He moved his hand ever so slowly up her leg. Grabbing it with both of hers, she stopped him. “Talk to me,” she just about pleaded.
He hugged her. “Okay, let’s talk. Tell me about yourself.”
“I asked first.”
“Dylan and I moved to The Weston Ranch earlier this year. I don’t know if you’ve heard of the fight our dad and our uncle had?”
“June mentioned something.”
He quickly explained how they’d accepted Hayden’s proposal to combine the two ranches as well as Hunter’s ranch. “Hayden has made a study of new techniques of grazing and we learn so much from him. Dylan and I focus on seedstock production.”
“So what is that?”
Carson grinned. “You wanna know about seedstock production?”
She nodded.
“Well, it’s a vital aspect of the cattle industry responsible for providing high-quality genetics and improving the overall performance and productivity of herds. I won’t bore you further, except to say I love what I do.”
“That’s obvious. You come alive when you talk about your work. So is your photography just a hobby?”
“I love that part of what I do as well, but I wouldn’t be happy only doing that. Enough about me. Tell me about yourself.”
“Not much to tell. I was dropped off at a church as a baby with my birth certificate, but my mother has never been found. I don’t know who my father is. Ever since I can remember, it was just June and me.”
“I’m so sorry …”
“Please don’t be. It wasn’t that bad. Besides, you don’t miss what you never had. It was during our years in foster care that I discovered I like tidying things. I like bringing order to chaos. So it became my job.”
Just then, the food came. While they were eating, a few people stopped at their table, clearly interested in the newcomer. Carson, always polite, introduced her to everyone.
The moment her plate was empty, though, he signaled the waiter for the bill. “May we please go home now?” he asked Abby.
Her heart rate picked up. She nodded.
*