by Various
"Cade, Cade, I wish it could have been different."
"Why didn’t you tell me?"
Abby pushed away from him, wiping tears from her own eyes. "Afterward, there was no use. It was all over."
"All over?" He didn’t follow. "Nothing was over as far as I was concerned. You decided it was over."
"It had to be." She shuddered with the memory, wrapping her arms around herself. "I was ruined."
Fuck! "Ruined?" He ran his hands over her hair, down her arms, finally framing her face. "You are here. In my arms. There isn’t a damn thing about you ruined!"
"You don’t know. You haven’t seen." She shook her head, her emotions almost to the breaking point.
"No, I haven’t. But I want to."
"No!" She pushed at his chest. "You just don’t realize…"
Cade was gentle, but he held on to her, preventing her escape. "Did you honestly think this would matter to me? I cherish you, all of you!"
"I can’t. I just can’t." Abby felt as if her world were caving in. A horrible feeling of panic was consuming her. She was shaking, trembling, filled with nerve-wracking anxiety.
Cade could see she was very upset, and he wasn’t going to stand for it. "Come here, let me hold you. It’s okay. We’ll do it your way. I’d rather have you this way, any day, than any other woman in the world."
She let him hold her. "I wish…I want…" She hiccupped a sob. Cade began kissing her.
"Don’t you cry." He cradled her close. "Just let me love you, that’s all I ask." He stroked her back, loving the way she felt, the way she smelled. "You’re my baby. Don’t you know that?" To his absolute relief he felt her lips press soft kisses on his neck. He accepted the caress and didn’t try to rush her, but when she sought out his mouth, he cooperated fully. "God, I want you Abby. I want you all the time."
She framed his face and began kissing him. No one could say this was a gentle, easy kiss. It was hungry and passionate and smack full of lust. Cade pulled her against him, his cock pressing into her belly. "Take me, Cade. Make me yours."
"I want you here. Now. Bend over the couch." This time they didn’t even undress, which was fine with Abby. He stood, took his erect cock from his pants and pumped himself, watching her arrange herself over the padded arm. He flipped the little skirt up on her back and with one jerk, tore the silky panties she wore completely off.
Abby groaned, soaking wet with arousal. This angle would protect his view. He couldn’t see her front. Knowing this, released her inhibitions. She spread her legs and tilted her bottom, presenting herself like a mare in heat.
"You have the most glorious ass in the world." Cade took both hands and molded the heart shape cheeks, sliding his fingers between her legs and groaning when they came back coated with cream. Holding her by the hips, he probed her opening, sliding in slowly. He loved that he had to fight for every inch—she was so tight, she fit him so well. "Feel good?"
"God, yes," she whispered. Abby pushed back and at the same time, she tightened down on him. "Hard, Cade, do it hard."
He groaned and spanked her cheek. Abby squealed. "I love it. I love how you take me. I love the sounds you make when you’re inside me."
Cade felt himself swell even harder. Bending over her, he fit his hands between her and the couch, cupping her tits and massaging them through the thin material of her dress. It wasn’t enough. "I’ll buy you another dress." He promised as he took hold of the neckline and ripped it in half. Pushing her bra straps off her shoulders, he freed her tits to his hungry hands. "Do you love me, Abby?" He had to know.
She couldn’t deny him. "Yes, Cade, yes! I’ve always loved you. I never stopped."
Her confession almost brought him to his knees. Pushing into her, again and again, he filled her. Hard and penetrating, throbbing, stroking, burying himself to the hilt repeatedly. "You’re mine, Abby. Cum for me, squeeze me, darlin’."
She could feel her clit swell, her sex was wet, saturated with a need which was being met, superbly. Cade ground into her, possessing her, riding her without mercy. It was so good, she couldn’t stand it. His hips jerked against her, his thick, heavy cock driving into her until she was losing her mind. Burning, stretching her, he pounded her pussy until she was screaming, begging, "Please, Cade. Please." Starbursts of pleasure rocketed through her body, and tingles of sensation ripped through every cell until she felt her climax explode in a tidal wave of bliss.
"Abby, Abby, my Abby Grace," he whispered the words as he jackhammered inside of her with rapid strokes. Waves of heat flowed between them, making them one and as her pussy still milked him with her release, he leg go—pulsing, jetting, filling her with his cum, giving her all that he was—mind, body and soul.
She was shaking in his arms, trembling. With the greatest of care, he turned her. Gathering her in his arms, he embraced her warmly on the couch, her head buried in his chest. Cade kissed her face, loving the way they felt together. "I want to turn back the clock, Abby. I want to ask you the question I intended to ask you all those Christmases ago." He paused, framing her face, looking into her eyes. "Will you be my girl?"
Abby clung to him, hiding her face from him and from the world. "It can’t work, Cade. How would it work? If you were to ever see me, I couldn’t stand it."
Cade sighed. He didn’t know what to do. He had offered himself, his love, his promise to love her—no matter what. "I’m here, Abilene. I’m yours." He brushed the damp hair from her face. "But now, you’re going to have to make the next step. When you’re ready, come to me. Give yourself to me. All of yourself. And I promise, as God as my witness, I’ll never give you one reason or one moment to regret it."
Chapter Nine
"What’s Santa Claus bringing you tonight?" Justice asked his sister as they stood at the back of the lake house, watching the wedding party assemble for the rehearsal of tomorrow’s big day. Pam was giving the preacher a hard time, just as they expected. She couldn’t make her mind where she wanted her bridesmaids to stand on the dais or if she and Jase were going to light the unity candle before the second song or after it.
"A lump of coal." She grinned. "I’ve been pretty bad."
"Good. You deserve to be bad." He winked at her.
She hit him playfully on the shoulder. "Not that kind of bad." Her eyes immediately sought Cade out. He was standing next to Jase in the line of groomsmen. "You’d better go take your place. It looks like we’re about to finally get this show on the road."
Justice hurried to the front and Abby moved even closer to the back. Her only role in the wedding was to show up—thank God. The cream of the crop in Texas society was here. She recognized the Governor, two state senators, the Houston mayor, a dozen oil barons and several movie stars. None of them held her interest as much as her rugged cowboy. And he was hers. For the taking. If she could just find the courage to reach out and grab him before he gave up and walked away.
"Will you take this woman?" the preacher began, but Jase spoke up, always the clown.
"Somebody! Anybody! Will somebody please take this woman!" Pam glared at him, not seeing the humor.
Abby shook her head, slipping out the door. She’d seen enough. Hurrying back to the Main House, she made sure the big pots of gumbo were warm and waiting for the guests to come and serve themselves as soon as the rehearsal was over. She’d wrapped Cade’s gifts and put them under the tree back at her house. As soon as they finished here, she wanted to take him home and watch his face as he opened them. The Cowboy Hall of Fame inductee announcement wasn’t her only present for Cade. She had made up her mind. Tonight, she was going to give him her trust, her love and her body. Her completely unclothed, bare to his eyes, body. And if he rejected her, she would die.
* * * *
"For me?" Abby was amazed at the size of the box under the tree. She met Cade’s eyes. The love shining out of them almost took her breath away.
"Yes, I hope you like it."
She knelt by the gifts, feeling like a child again
. After the rehearsal dinner, the family had gathered in front of the fireplace and opened gifts, but it hadn’t been the same, not with all the outsiders milling around. The elder Kings had made sure everyone in attendance had a couple of presents to open, but the magic of Christmas had been lost as far as Abby was concerned. Until she came home. To Cade. "I love it."
He laughed. "Open it before you decide."
With a happy laugh, she began tearing into the wrapping, but whatever the box held, it was heavy. Cade had to help her. When at last the lid was off, Abby covered her mouth as she exclaimed with astonishment. "How beautiful!" And it was. A magnificent stone bowl, sculpted from pure Texas granite, carved with horses around the rim, drew her fingers. "Is this a McCoy?"
"Yes, Aron McCoy made this. It’s one of a kind." He spoke the name of one of Texas’s premier artists, a rancher from central Texas. "I can’t believe this!" She threw her arms around Cade’s neck. "You know me so well." He picked it up and placed it on her dining table. The piece was a good yard across and weighed over a hundred pounds. "We may have to reinforce the table."
"It’s perfect. Perfect." She kissed him and ran to the tree, bending over to pick up his gifts. "Here, sit down so I can watch you open them.
Cade smiled. They were like children. "I have something else for you. The sculpture wasn’t all."
"That’s not all I have for you, either." Abby teased, praying she was doing the right thing.
He opened the box and stared as if what he saw didn’t make sense. Picking up the watch and the belt buckle, he weighed them, clearing his throat. The certificate proclaiming his election to the Cowboy Hall of Fame was read and reread again. "You did this?"
"No, you won the title with your talent, devotion and sexy smile." She kissed him on the cheek. "I just sent the paperwork in."
He placed the items on the coffee table and pulled her into his arms, finding her lips with practiced ease. Cade kissed her tenderly, thoroughly, worshiping her mouth with his. "I can’t believe you did this. You love me, don’t you?" He held her by the shoulders and looked into her eyes.
"Yes, I love you and if you want me, I’m yours." There, in front of the fire, in front of the tree, in front of the man she loved, Abby undressed. She stood and removed her dress, took off her shoes, shed her bra and panties, exposing her body to him. Vulnerable. Hopeful. Scared to death.
Cade stared at her. None of his fantasies even came close. Abby unclothed was magnificent. Her perfect hour glass figure made his heart and his cock swell. Creamy skin, tiny waist, flared hips, breasts so perfect they brought tears to his eyes. There was not one damn thing wrong with her face or her body. The place over her mons and on the top of her thighs that she’d been so worried about was nothing—nothing. He saw it. He knew what it was. But to him—it was all Abby. Abby who loved him enough to lay down her life in his stead. "Is this what you were worried about?" Cade went to his knees. With every word, he sought to reassure her that she was perfect. She was just right. She was his beloved.
"Are you sure?" Abby was about to cry.
"Oh, Honey, I am more than sure." With reverence, he covered her, kissing her lips, her neck, her shoulders, making his way down her body, loving and laving every inch of her soft skin. "Tonight, I get to do something I’ve dreamed about for years."
Abby realized what he meant. "No, I don’t think—"
He brooked no argument. When she would have stopped him, he met her eye. "Put your hands over your head, Abilene. And don’t you move a muscle unless you’re writhing in ecstasy." He winked at her. "I’m going to go down on you. I want to eat you alive. I want all of that sweet honey cream on my tongue, on my lips. Hell, I want to devour you, Abby."
His words and the look on his face almost made her cum before he ever even touched her. Trembling with need, lust and fear, she spread her legs, exposing all of her shortcomings, her scars—everything that she was.
And he took her. Lying between her legs, he took Abby’s hips in his hands and lifted her. Lowering his head, he laid his lips against the soft, slick folds. They were swollen, glistening with passion—for him. God, he was excited. He hoped to hell he could please her before he blew. Pressing his fingers into her thighs, he opened her wider, kissing her all over. Every scar, every place she’d suffered—for him. Cade shook with excitement. God, he was here, his lips buried in Abby’s pussy and grateful for the privilege.
With tender kisses, he licked and lapped at her mound, letting his tongue trace the delicate feminine shape. He felt her hips lift. She wanted more. Fingers tangled in his hair and he didn’t fuss. She was accepting him, giving him a gift beyond measure. She was so sweet. So soft. He was ravenous for her taste, for her trust. Over and over again he licked and nuzzled, kissing her slit from top to bottom. Her moans and groans of ecstasy only made him want more. Spearing his tongue deep into her channel, he showed her how much he wanted her, what she meant to him. Cade gave of himself and regretted none of it.
"Cade!" She keened. Abby was past thinking, past comprehending anything other than Cade and the pleasure he was giving her. The gift. The acceptance. She could feel her sex clenching around his tongue and she pressed upward, wanting more, wanting all he could offer.
God, he could lick her forever. Cade thought his heart would burst with pure happiness.
"Cade, please…" she moaned.
He lifted his lips, just long enough to speak. "Tell me, Baby, what do you want? I’ll give you anything in my power." He knew what she wanted, but he wanted her to ask. He wanted to be the one she came to, ran to. He wanted to be the source of her joy, her pleasure and her happiness. "Ask, Baby. Ask me for what you want."
"Touch my clit, lick it, suck it! Please!"
"Oh, hell, yeah." He chuckled. He gave her what she needed. Taking the sweet button between his lips, he sucked, rolling his tongue over it and listened to her fly apart. She bucked, she writhed, she pushed her pussy into his face, tangling her fingers in his hair.
"Cade!" she screamed.
Abby was lost. Lost in the pleasure. Floating in a sublime place where nothing could ever hurt her again.
He needed to cum. And he wanted to be inside Abby, riding high and hard. "God, you’re sweet." He moved up her body and sank deep within her. She was wet, hot and satiated from his loving. Sitting up, he pulled her thighs over his, exposing her to his gaze and to his attention. "Look, Abby. Look at us. This is me and you—together."
She looked at where they were joined. His skin dark. Hers light. He was hard. She was soft. He was perfect and she…she was loved. And that was all that mattered. "Make love to me, Cade."
He recognized her surrender and he gloried in it. Pulling her up in his arms, he fit her to him, his lips on hers, her legs around his hips and her arms around his neck. He watched her face, her eyes. Pumping his hips, he moved his cock deep into her scorching core. She helped him, using her sheathe to tighten and grip, milking him with every exquisite movement of her body.
"I love this," she whimpered, her fingers threading in his hair.
Cade breathed her breath, studying the golden flecks in her eyes, amazed that they were here, together, joined. He couldn’t hold back. It was too much. His cock was set to bursting. He pushed in, pumping hard, short strokes, willing her to cum again. "This good?" He laughed when she nodded, unable to make a sound. "Feels damn good to me, too." He kissed her neck, licking her, nipping her. "I’m going to make love to you every day for the next fifty years and twice a day on Sunday."
"Okay," she whispered the word, giving herself to him, accepting the fact they had a future. And with that release of will, she let go of all of her worries and fears, catapulting them both into an orgasm so big and overwhelming, it was impossible to tell where she ended and he began—they were one.
* * * *
Abby opened her eyes. It was a brand new world. She had shown herself to a man, given herself completely to a man—and not just any man. Her man. Cade Tallbull. The man she’d loved for
most of her life. Sometime during the night, he had carried her to bed, for she awoke in her own room. The ceiling fan was the only noise she heard. Turning, she expected to find Cade next to her, sleeping peacefully. But he was gone.
Gone.
She jumped up, checking in the bathroom. "Cade!" she called. He must be in the kitchen. "Cade?" Abby raced through the house. Nothing. Her heart was pounding. Running to the front, she looked outside and his pick-up was gone. Tearing through the house, she looked for a note on the mantel, dresser, counter—anywhere.
There was none.
He was gone.
She sank down on the couch, pulling the afghan around her nakedness. The reality sank in. She’d given herself to Cade, bared herself to him.
And he had left because of it.
* * * *
The ranch was alive with people. Everything had been transformed into a winter wonderland. Helicopters were landing. Limousines were arriving. Caterers were unpacking their goods. Lobster had been flown in from Maine, an orchestra from New York. Even Jase and Abby’s piano teacher had arrived. Mrs. Horne wasn’t fancy, but she was witty. "I can’t believe Jase is getting married. I hope his rhythm has improved since chopsticks."
Justice cracked up, hugging the little old lady. "I hope so, too."
"How’s Charlee Parker, Justice?" Justice clamped his lips shut. Mrs. Horne smiled a secret smile. "I hear she’s coming home. Have you heard?"
"Not a word." Justice noticed Shiloh motioning to him. "Excuse me, ma’am. I hope you enjoy the wedding."
Abby wasn’t enjoying it. She had worked the room, speaking to everyone. The cake was all set, she’d seen to that. All of the flowers and ribbons were straight. The organist was in place. The soloist was prepared. Everyone had their corsages and knew their cues. The only one missing was Cade and she hadn’t had the heart to ask anyone if they knew what had happened, or if he was returning. All she could think was that he had reconsidered. He couldn’t face being with her…not after…
