by Cassie Cross
God, he wanted to kiss her. He’d never let himself just feel the anticipation of a moment before he met her; he’d always given in to temptation at the first chance. There was a crackling in the air between them, an electric charge. He wanted to keep it going.
“Beautiful women are every man’s weakness, Abigail. It would hardly be worth mentioning.”
“What’s your weakness then?”
“Honestly?”
Abigail nodded as she chewed.
“Dogs. Puppies, I guess. Golden retrievers, specifically.”
Abigail laughed. “Seriously?”
“Yes, seriously. Is that so difficult to believe?”
“Why don’t you have one?”
“With the hours I work, it would hardly be fair to an animal. My parents own several; I see them when I can. They have a large yard, too. Better than living in an apartment.”
“Where do your parents live?”
“Upstate New York.”
“In an estate, am I right?”
“I guess you could call it that.”
Abigail nodded, but didn’t say anything. For a split second, Cole seemed wounded.
“I’m not embarrassed of my money, Abigail. Nor am I embarrassed of my parents’ fortune.”
“I never suggested that you should be,” she explained, wiping her fingers on a napkin. “I apologize for being petty. Taking little digs at your wealth is my way of feeling…I don’t know, like I’m on the same level as you are.”
For someone who always seemed so self-assured, Cole was surprised at her admission. “You’re on the same level as me always, Abigail. Money has nothing to do with it.”
“If I’m on the same level as you are, then maybe you should stop calling me by my full name. And stop paying fifteen thousand dollars for a plate for me at benefit dinners.”
Despite his earlier declaration, he did seem embarrassed at that. “I didn’t pay for that plate for you, I did it for me.”
Abigail looked shocked, her beautiful eyes narrowed. “Why?”
“I spend a lot of time at stuffy dinner parties and benefits, and for once I wanted to know what it would be like to have fun at one of them.”
“I made tonight fun?”
He nearly laughed at her self-doubt. Surely she knew how much better she made his life. Just in case she wasn’t being coy, he made sure to tell her. “You make everything fun.”
She grinned, her shyness making her look down.
“C’mon,” Cole said, taking her hand and helping her off of the trunk. Inside the car, he followed the instincts he’d been having all night and laced his fingers with hers. He didn’t let go until he slipped his key card into their suite door’s lock.
Abigail placed her purse on the table in the foyer, pressing her palms against its marble top. Only last night he’d fucked her in this very spot. And it was at that moment that Cole felt shame for the fact that he’d never taken her to his bed. His desire for her had always been so frenzied, so immediate, that he’d fucked her against his desk, on the sofa, in the foyer. He’d never taken the time to savor her, to worship her the way she deserved. He’d never made love to her on a bed. Cole wanted to show her how he felt about her, and it all started with him breaking down the last barrier between them.
Cole walked up behind Abigail and slid his fingers down the sides of her arms. She melted into him, her back against his chest. He brushed his lips against the slope of her neck, then wrapped his arms around her waist and she placed her hands atop his.
He leaned in and whispered, “Abby.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
HE CALLED her by her nickname.
Abby’s heart skipped a beat. Cole finally, finally called her by her nickname. He whispered it, like a prayer.
Abby turned around and faced Cole. He looked unsure, something she was entirely unaccustomed to with him. His eyes were wide and earnest, waiting for some kind of reaction from her. The sound of her name was still echoing in her ears, and she needed to hear again the way his voice sounded when he said it. She looked up and ghosted her fingertips along the ridges of his brows. His eyelids fluttered shut.
“Say it again,” she whispered.
“Abby,” Cole breathed. A slow grin spread across his lips before he turned his head and kissed her palm.
Abby gently slid her hands down the sides of Cole’s face, then they twined together behind his neck. She used him as leverage to pull herself up and plant a kiss on his lips. It was long and slow, and when they finally broke apart, Cole picked her up.
Abby squealed, and then Cole carried her into her bedroom since it was the closest.
COLE WAS taking his time with her tonight, savoring every touch, every kiss. He had removed her dress slowly, gently sliding it off her shoulders and into a pool on the floor. He took care in removing her bra, then caressing and kissing her breasts. She had thrown his jacket across the room and kissed his chest as she unbuttoned his shirt, had slid her fingertips along his hot skin as she’d pushed his pants, then his boxers down to the floor. Until it was just the two of them together, naked.
Cole’s hands rested on Abby’s hips, his erection pressing against her belly as his tongue brushed against hers during a long, heated embrace. Abby wanted to memorize the planes of his skin, learn every curve of his body by heart.
It wasn’t long before the kissing was no longer enough, and Abby climbed onto the bed with Cole following close behind her. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders while she was still on her knees, bringing his legs to rest on either side of hers, pulling her back into his chest. His hard cock rested against the small of her back as he lowered his hand to cup her breast and wrapped the other arm around her waist, sliding his hand down between her thighs. Abby gasped as Cole’s fingers found her clit, building immeasurable pleasure in her belly as he peppered her neck with kisses. She rested her arms and hands over his, not wanting him to stop what he was doing to her.
“No one makes me feel like you do,” Cole said, pressing his lips against the shell of her ear. “Only you, only you.”
Just as Abby was about to come, Cole slid inside her, stretching her in the most wonderful way. The heel of his hand pressed against her belly as he thrust, each move of his hips hitting that perfect place inside of her, his fingers working in concert with the rest of him to completely push her over the edge. Abby turned her head and kissed Cole, wrapping her arm around his neck as she reveled in every lick of pleasure he pushed through her body.
Too soon, Abby’s knees felt weak, and she pressed her palms into the bed, bent over, desperately trying to hold herself up.
“Let go,” Cole whispered, his chest against her back. “I’ve got you.”
Abby did as she was told. She lay down on the bed, and the duvet felt soft against her breasts. Cole settled himself over her, slipping one hand around her hip to tend to her clit. He rested most of his weight on his elbow, twining his free hand with hers as she rolled her hips against him. She was so close that within a minute or two of switching positions she was able to find her release. Cole kissed Abby’s neck, across her shoulder blades, and then the small of her back before he gripped her waist and turned her over onto her back.
Cole’s mouth found hers again, the wet sounds of their kisses filling the air between them. As if he sensed what Abby needed, where she wanted him the most, he laved his tongue along her sensitive nipples, then her ribs, her belly button. Then he pressed his cheek against the inside of her thigh and parted her flesh with one long, sure lick.
Abby’s clit was still thrumming, her delicate skin still buzzing from her orgasm. She knit her fingers through Cole’s hair as his tongue rocked against her, building pressure, pushing her towards yet another climax. And she wanted it, she really did. But tonight, she just needed him close to her, wanted to be able to look in his crystal clear eyes as he moved inside her. She touched his arm, diverting his attention, then she took his hands and pulled him up until they were kissing.
And then, suddenly, there was too much air between them, too much distance even though they were so close together. Abby pulled him to her, until she was comforted by the weight of his body on hers. They didn’t need words, just kisses, just touches, just each other. Cole slid Abby’s arms up over her head, twining her fingers with his as he pushed into her with a long, satisfied sigh. Abby thought Cole’s eyes were so beautiful when they looked into hers, and there were so many things that she wanted to tell him, but words didn’t feel like they’d be enough. So she showed him with her body, with each buck of her hips that made his eyes flutter, with each kiss that made him come back for another. She wanted everything about him to be imprinted on her, so she could carry a piece of him around with her forever. Nothing mattered anymore but the two of them together, lost in pleasure. Tonight, she wasn’t his assistant or his employee. She was just his.
It was a slow, perfect rush when they came, their lips pressed together, breathing each other’s air. Cole didn’t move right away, instead spending the moments as they came down from their high kissing Abby, caressing her hair. Whispering sweet words in her ear that made her drift off into some warm, soft place with a smile on her lips as she fell asleep in his arms at last.
THE NEXT morning, Abby woke up wrapped firmly in Cole’s embrace. He was already awake when she opened her eyes, looking gorgeous as ever with his happy smile and his hair all unruly from sleep. Abby found herself wanting to wake up like this every morning.
“Hi,” he said.
“Hi.” Abby curled against his side, relishing in his warmth.
“I’ve been waiting for you to wake up.” Cole pressed a kiss against the top of her head. That wasn’t enough for Abby; after last night, she wanted every little bit of him she could have, and since they were leaving in a few hours, she was going to have to take what she could get while she could get it. She tilted her head up, intending to kiss him, then at the last minute she remembered that she probably had morning breath and she ducked her head, covering her mouth.
“What is it?” Cole asked, laughing.
Abby spoke under the cover of her hand. “I wanted to kiss you, but I was worried about my breath.”
“I’m not worried about your breath.” Cole playfully rolled her over until she was resting on his stomach, and he gave her a long-awaited kiss. It deepened quickly, and Abby was alerted to another need Cole had so early in the morning. His erection rested against the inside of her thigh, and he drew a hiss through clenched teeth when she moved her leg to tease him. Wanting to relive the endless pleasure she felt last night, Abby reached down and slid her fingers along his length.
Cole thrust against her with that needy look in his eyes, urging her on. She continued touching him, rubbing him, stoking his desire until he rolled her onto her side. He lifted up her left leg and brought it to rest over his, pulling her against his chest as he entered her from behind. Cole wrapped his arms around Abby, holding her close and kissing her as his fingers circled her clit. He moved leisurely, unhurried, seemingly content just to be inside of her. It was a slow build for the two of them, the kind of pleasure that came in steady, small waves.
After, the two of them drifted in and out of sleep, finally waking when the sun was shining through the curtains.
“What are we going to do today?” Abby asked. Their flight left at six, but there were so many hours to kill before then, so many things they could do to each other in that span of time. Abby’s toes curled jus thinking about it.
Cole glanced at the clock on the beside table. “I’m due at a meeting in an hour, but after that I’m yours.”
“All mine?” Abby asked, kissing a trail up his neck to his lips.
“All yours.” Cole sighed happily when Abby’s lips were on him.
“I guess you should shower then.”
“Probably,” he replied.
He rolled out of bed, and Abby admired the muscular planes of his body as he stood, throwing off the sheets. He didn’t even bother to cover himself.
“You?” he asked.
“I’m going to make some coffee.”
“Save some for me,” Cole said, winking at her as he stood in the doorway.
Abby followed Cole out into the living room, playfully swatting at his ass with the belt of her robe. He turned for retaliation, wrapping her in his arms and assaulting her with kisses. They got caught up in one another for a while before Cole finally broke away to continue his day. Abby walked over to the kitchenette and poured some water into the coffee pot, then waited impatiently for her caffeine fix.
It was then that she noticed the flashing chat notifications on Cole’s laptop.
“It looks like you’re pretty popular,” Abby shouted, hoping Cole would hear her.
“Yeah?”
“You’ve got about ten chat windows up.”
“Will you check them for me, please? And my emails, too. Make sure nothing is urgent.”
It felt strange, the transition between being Cole’s lover and being his employee. Abby did her best to shake off the discomfort.
Abby walked over and sat down in Cole’s chair, then clicked on each of the windows. All of them were from Keith; short messages asking Cole to call him back, telling him that Keith had received his email. There were notes of congratulations. She’d seen Josh’s name several times.
Her stomach sank as the realization hit her, and she pulled up Cole’s sent messages, knowing exactly which one she was looking for. It was the last email he’d sent, last night before they left to go to dinner. The subject was Josh Hamilton.
She paused for a moment before she opened the email because she knew, whatever was in there, that it was going to change things between her and Cole. She knew it in her gut, with every fiber of her being. She figured she should do this quickly, like ripping off a bandage. So, she clicked the mouse and the email popped up.
Keith,
I got him, he was just as stupid as we thought. He took Abigail out for drinks last night and offered her a job in exchange for the plans for KC-23. She came back to the hotel and told me right away. I should give her a bonus.
Fired him this morning.
More later.
-CK
Abby felt like she was going to vomit. Everything was starting to make sense to her. Why Cole brought her here, why he was even interested in her in the first place. She thought back to the night she left to get drinks with Josh, how she was desperate for Cole to tell her not to go. Now she knew why he wouldn’t, why he couldn’t. That evening was the whole point of their trip.
What would Cole have done if Abby hadn’t told him about Josh asking her out? She’d wanted him to show a bit of jealousy when she mentioned the invitation, but he didn’t, and this was why. He knew what Josh was up to and was just waiting for him to slip up and hoped he’d be stupid enough to do it with Abby. He was.
And Abby was stupid enough to believe that he actually saw something in her, but…everything was a lie. Every smile, every touch, every kiss. And last night was…what? A reward? Abby’s hands shook as her breathing quickened. She was such a fool.
“Anything important?” Cole called out from his room.
Everything important, Abby thought. She swallowed against the growing lump in her throat. “Nothing at all.” Her voice was steady, she almost believed herself.
Abby heard the water turn on and she stood, trying to figure out what she was going to do. There was only one thing she could do, and it was what she knew would happen eventually ever since the night her and Cole first kissed in his office. She couldn’t cry, not yet. She had to take care of business.
She reached over a stack of Cole’s files and grabbed a sticky note and a pen.
Then, she began to write.
CHAPTER NINE
“That coffee smells good,” Cole said, stepping out into the suite’s living room. It was eerily quiet, and instantly he knew that something was off.
“Abby?” She wasn’t sitting in his chair; she
hadn’t even poured herself a cup of coffee. She wasn’t in the foyer or the sitting room. Cole quickly walked to her room. He didn’t see any of her things; not the underthings he’d thrown on the floor last night that he’d had to step over this morning. Her bathroom was empty, no clothes were in her dresser drawers. The dress she wore last night was hanging neatly on a rack in the corner.
A rising tide of panic crashed against his chest. He walked back into the living room, where he noticed her laptop sitting on the chair, the cord neatly wrapped around it. When he looked at his computer screen, his heart sank.
“Fuck. Fuck!” He wrapped his fingers into a fist and slammed it against the desk. The email he’d sent to Keith last night was pulled up on the screen, obscured by a small square piece of paper with two simple words written in Abby’s impeccable handwriting.
I QUIT
Cole grabbed his wallet off the desk and shoved it in his pocket as he ran for the door.
The story continues with
The Billionaire’s Desire #5: The Billionaire’s Heart
CHAPTER ONE
SAFELY BACK home in the comfort of her shoebox-sized apartment, Abby watched as Becca paced across the kitchen.
“I don’t know who he is, but I’m going to fucking kill him,” Becca said, scooping a giant heap of chocolate ice cream into a bowl. Becca walked over to where Abby was sitting on the couch and handed the bowl to her, but she politely declined. She didn’t think she could stomach anything at this point, not even her all-time favorite comfort food. “What did he say when you told him you read the email?”
“He didn’t say anything, because I didn’t tell him I read it. I wrote that I quit on a sticky note and took off before he got out of the shower.”
Becca stood there, the handle of the spoon she was scooping the ice cream with hanging out of her mouth. “You did what?” she asked, her words slurred by the silverware pressing against her tongue.
