This had been a mistake. Jesus, he needed his ass kicked for even believing in all this ... He wanted Lindsey and couldn't bear to wait months on end while she worked to change her mother's mind about his ethnicity. No way could he sit around waiting...
"Okay.” He swallowed hard. “Okay. I'll take care of everything."
"What?"
"This is Vegas, baby.” He made sure all of his few possessions were in his bag before closing it. “What's done can always be undone.” Technically, they probably couldn't get an annulment, but they could divorce. Hell, he didn't care. Right now, he had to get out of there before he did something equally stupid and ask her to come to Arizona with him right then and there, her mother be damned. “I'll be in touch.” He lifted his bag.
"Wait...” She scrambled from the bed.
He worked hard to ignore her tear-stained cheeks, but her next words stopped him. “How will I reach you?"
With the muscles straining in his shoulders, he dropped his bag to collect a card from his wallet. “I can be reached here."
"We'll talk, okay?” Her bottom lip trembled.
Instead of pulling her into his arms, he snatched up his belongs. “I'll be in touch.” And he would; he'd get everything sorted in a speedy manner. The door clicked behind him.
His throat worked and his fists white knuckled. Everything could be undone. He looked down at his balled fist. Everything besides the tattoo he'd foolishly had designed.
[Back to Table of Contents]
Chapter Six
Lindsey cradled the phone to her ear. “I don't know what to do.” She missed Abram so much. She ached from wanting him.
"Honey, I've already told you.” Cynthia's voice came through clear as a bell. “Get your ass down to Arizona."
She whimpered. Yes, yes, she should. It'd been almost a week since Abram had left her in Vegas. So far the messages she'd left for him hadn't gotten a call back. As the days passed, the more nervous she grew. What she wouldn't give to hear from him. What if Abram didn't want her anymore? What if he'd never wanted her at all?
"Lindsey?"
"Hmm?"
"You married him. Now, you've got to own it.” There was a moment's pause. “Are you going to allow your mom's off-the-wall attitude to stand in the way of your future and happiness?"
She sighed. She needed to get the confrontation over with. But her mom could be so ugly about some matters. “I'll talk to her tonight."
"Did you deal with your bank and everything?"
"Yes. The only hitch I have is my mom.” Besides an aunt, her mom was all the family she had left. Lindsey had opted to go to a community college instead of going away and had been with her mom even after she'd been old enough to be out on her own.
"Oh, honey.” Cynthia's sounded on edge. “Sandulf just posted to the Keys to Myths’ group forum."
Angst snapped along her nerve endings. “What?” Abram hadn't responded to the offline Instant Messages to Sandulf she'd left or her e-mails. She didn't understand why he was being so unreasonable. Those months they'd spent online had been good ones. Exciting ones. Knots of worry formed in her stomach. “What did he say?"
"Maybe you should read it."
"Cynthia, please."
"After thanking those he wrote with, he left the group. He's given the alpha position to his beta."
Her mouth dried out.
"I checked. He's unsubbed from the group."
"Gone? He left the group?"
"I'm sorry, honey."
Oh God ... He'd left the role-play list where they'd met. “I've gotta go."
"Sure, honey. Call me if you need me."
"Thank you. I'll talk with you later.” She hung her phone up and sat on the bed. Shaking, she slumped over onto the bed. She scooted up to rest her head on the pillow.
Abram had dropped Sandulf from the game's fan-fiction players. Her throat clogged as her chest constricted. Why did this hurt so much? It was as if something was missing now.
All she'd wanted was a couple of months to ease her way out of her mother's house.
She moaned, recalling how he'd stated there'd be no going back for him. Only forward. He'd wanted a marriage and everything that went with it. She'd known that. Had agreed to marry him, had accepted him in all ways. She wanted a home too. Especially one with Abram.
It was time she became assertive in her life.
In the living room, she sat down on the couch near where her mother sat in a chair watching television. “Mom."
"I thought you were sleeping."
"Nope, not yet.” Sweat moistened her palms so she clasped them together. “I've something important to tell you."
Her mom lowered the volume.
Heart in her throat, Lindsey leaned over. “While I was in Vegas, I got married."
"What?” Shock, disbelief, even accusation splashed across her mom's face. In fact, Lindsey had never seen the look that now covered her mom's face.
"You've changed since the trip, but surely you didn't..."
Abram got the credit for the courage she felt now. She wanted to go to her husband and she didn't want to wait too long. “We'd been seeing each other online for several months."
"Online? You went to Las Vegas to meet a man you met through the computer.” Her mouth twisted. “He could've been a serial killer, or a rapist ... What were you thinking?"
"Mom, I took measures to be safe. Besides, I trusted him.” She still trusted Abram. Unease played across her skin. What if he no longer trusted her?
"You trusted a man you met through the computer?"
"Yes.” It'd be impossible to explain this to her mom, who didn't even own a computer. She shouldn't bother trying. “Yes, Mom I trusted him. I fell in love with him. And when he asked me to marry him, I said yes."
Her mom shook her head.
"His name is Abram Rios."
"Rios..."
"Yes, he's Hispanic.” Cutting her mom off, her back straightened. “Mom, he's a wonderful man."
"I can't believe you met some man on the computer and ran off to Vegas to marry him."
"We didn't run off to get married...” Her heart swelled at the beauty of the moment she'd shared with Abram. How lucky she'd been to find him. She'd been even luckier that he'd wanted her in return. “It just happened."
"Not just some man, but some Hisp—"
"Mom!” She cut the obvious derogatory statement off. “Please."
Her mom shook her head. “He could've been married or a drunkard or a hunchback. You didn't know him for real."
"Mom.” She tensed at the brewing storm in her mom's gaze. Already tired with arguing with her, Lindsey's back stiffened. “Please, listen to me."
"No, Lindsey Marie, you listen to me.” Her mom scooted to the edge of her chair. “There are nice men around here. Instead, you had to marry..."
"Mother.” Lindsey stood. “Don't start.” If her mom started a tirade, or got on one of her soapboxes, Lindsey'd be there a week. “I'm not going to let you talk badly about Abram."
"What has come over you? Mixing outside..."
"Love.” Again, she cut her mom off. “I've fallen in love with someone. And I hope it's something you'll come to accept."
Wearing a mulish expression, her mom turned the sound back up in a dismissive gesture.
She sighed. That'd gone far better than she'd thought it would. Now, how long did she dare give her mom to come around? Did she risk giving her mom any time at all? Or just strike off to Abram like her heart said she should do? If only she didn't love them both.
* * * *
This is it.
Lindsey had closed up shop on this stage of her life.
The last seven days had been the slowest of her life. Odd that, until now, she'd thought the last days before the Vegas trip had crawled by. But these had made those feel like they'd flown. And her mom hadn't helped. She'd been completely disagreeable.
Once more, Lindsey gave her barren room a look over. The last twenty
years had been spent in this room inside her mom's house. As nice as many of those years had been, she was ready to make her own way. Make her own life.
Hopefully, at Abram's side.
She blew out a breath. He'd yet to return her calls. Though it saddened her a bit as the days passed, she understood his decision. Over Instant Messenger, she'd poured her life out to him. Though she'd tried in the beginning, there had been little separation between her cyber persona's existence and her real world. The only part of her life she hadn't shared had been her relationship with her mother. He couldn't possibly understand how devoted she was to her mother.
In her heart, she knew she should've left her mom's house several years ago. But, then maybe she wouldn't have met Sandulf ... Maybe then, she wouldn't be married.
Ignoring the nervous twitch in her fingers, she picked up her purse. On her way through the house, she lingered over a picture and then another that'd been taken of her as a child. Nostalgic, she closed her eyes a moment. So many school years had been spent in this house. So many sleepovers had been held in this very room in front of the television with her friends. And there were the nights that she'd shared popcorn with her mom. Those hadn't come often enough. Her mom had worked hard after her dad had passed on in the summer of her eleventh year.
Drifting close to the front door, her fingers trailed over a crack in the vase that she'd broken when she was nine.
She joined her mom on the front steps. Her mom's gaze pierced her heart. Though she'd yet to admit it, her mom would miss having her around. And God, she'd miss being around but Abram called to her heart now. She wanted to be a wife and everything it entailed.
"I'm all packed up."
"I can see that.” Her mom sat down and patted the stone step beside her. “Sit with me a minute."
Recognizing her mom's need, she did as she'd been told. Her own heart swelled at the coming good-bye.
"I just can't believe my daughter went wild and..."
"Mom.” She laughed a little. “I'm not wild. I'm a twenty-seven-year-old who's finally found someone special.” She leaned into her mom's side to rest her shoulder against her mom's. “Can you at least pretend to be happy for me?"
"Pretend?” Her mother turned to face her. “You're my child. Of course I want you happy. I just don't see how you can be happy with someone like..."
"Mom.” She refused to let her mom go on. Since she'd shared the news with her, her mom had used every opportunity the two of them had had to state something ridiculous about the mistake Lindsey had made. “Abram is a great guy.” Again, she tried to snuggle a bit with her mom. “Don't jinx this for me."
"He hasn't even bothered to call you."
Lindsey sighed, wishing he had. But it meant she knew what she had to do now. She had to go to her man.
"I don't see why you've got to move so far away."
Because the man she loved lived so far away. And she'd go anywhere to be with him. She put her arm around her mom's shoulders. “I've already invited you to visit any time you can."
"Well, I'll try to visit, but you know your aunt is senile and needs me."
She laughed at the lie. “Mom, Aunt Janie isn't senile. She's just eccentric and has a difference of opinion with you."
"The woman has a difference of opinion with everyone."
"There's nothing wrong with peace, love, and..."
"My sister will remain trapped in the sixties.” Her mom shook her head. “You can barely speak to her without her spouting off some nonsense."
Over the years, she had always considered Janie one of the joys of her life. Janie was the complete opposite of her mother in both temperament and opinions. Janie was one of the most refreshing people she knew and never appeared bothered by her mother's attitudes. It was her hope Janie would be able to mellow her mother's opinion about Abram and the future Lindsey hoped to build.
"Did you say good-bye to Janie already?"
"Yes. We had lunch together yesterday.” She squeezed her mom. “Invited her down anytime she could make the trip."
"Humph. Well, maybe we'll make a trip together some day then."
Though not too hopeful, a smile turned her mouth up. “I'd love that, Mom.” Anxiety plagued her. “Mom?"
"Hmm?"
"You know I love you."
"Yes, daughter of mine, I do.” Her mom's head rested against hers. “And you know I love you and want only the best for you. I just don't..."
"Mom, I want only your positive thoughts now.” She straightened. “I guess I need to get going.” There was a long drive ahead of her.
They stood together and walked to her car. The embrace her mom gave her brought tears to her eyes. It'd been a long while she they'd hugged one another. “I love you. I'll miss you."
"You too.” Her mom was first to step back. “If you need anything ... if he's abusive..."
"Mom.” She shook her head. “Abram will make the best husband.” If he still wanted her...
"Well, if you need anything, anything at all ... Just tell him you have me if you need to be rescued."
Lindsey gave her mom a final hug. “I'll call."
"Be careful driving.” Her mom walked back up to the steps.
With a thundering heart full of excitement and worry, she drove away.
* * * *
Throttling down, Abram slowed the bike when he approached his house and spotted the compact car sitting in his driveway. After ten hours on the job, he wasn't expecting company. Nor did he recognize the make or model as anyone's he knew.
His chest constricted at the hope he'd been nursing, threatened to drown him again. Could it be?
There wasn't long to find out who waited on him.
With his heart hammering to match the rumbling of the bike underneath him, he parked behind the car and climbed off. Walking up to the house, he removed his helmet to clasp it in one hand.
The worry he'd been suffering melted away. He'd begun to believe he'd never see her again.
On the front porch sat the most beautiful woman in America.
"Lindsey.” Arousal stirred maddeningly. But it was more. Far more than carnal need. Lindsey was back in his world and this calmed as well as thrilled him. The anger he'd felt at the parting had long since faded. What a huge step she'd taken by coming there. His throat worked over growing emotion. She was there ... Jesus, he hadn't expected her to come at all.
"Hi, Abram.” Wearing a smile, she stood up.
An agonizing relief nearly brought him to his knees. The past days of wanting her had about driven him insane. The nights spent fantasizing had had him contemplating the selfish act of keeping her in bondage and chained to his bed. How close he'd come to calling her to beg for her to join him. Yet, more than anything—if it was going to happen—he'd needed her to join him on her own terms.
It took everything he had not to pull her into his arms. He managed to hold back as he unlocked the door. “How long you been waiting?"
"A few hours."
After swinging the door open, he waved her in. He collected the animal carrier and brought it inside with him. He sat it down. While he watched, she released the fat cat. His hands shook as he closed the door and pocketed his keys.
"Will it be okay?” He eyed the already lazing cat.
"Yeah, she's not been back in her carrier long."
"Lindsey...” He bit back the words his throat ached to spill. The endearments his heart pounded with.
What if their impulsiveness had been a mistake? He'd never forget her uncertainty when she'd told him about her mother. He'd been sure she wouldn't show. And Jesus, the long hours he worked. The harsh land he lived in. An old saying of Arizona came to mind, “Everything in Arizona will either bite, prick, sting, or stick you."
Maybe she'd be better off back in the Midwest.
Yes. As hard as it'd been for him ignoring the messages she'd left, it had been the right thing to do. He'd wanted her here of her own free will. And here she was. Surely that meant some
thing.
"Abram?"
He held her shimmering gaze.
"I missed you so much."
"Lindsey.” A groan tore through him. “I missed you so damn bad."
She didn't allow him time to act, to think. She was there in his personal space. When her arms went around him, he dropped his helmet. At the feel of her hand on his neck, he leaned his head down. When her lips pressed against his, undeniable sparks flew between their bodies. Lust rushed through his veins, heating his blood. His dick went rigid. On a grunt, he leaned back along the door to support her weight.
The kiss was brief, but still his breath raged afterward.
"You didn't respond to my calls.” She didn't try to escape from his embrace.
"I...” His arms and hands held her impossibly close, making sure she knew how badly he wanted her, needed her there.
"You didn't trust me?"
"I...” He clasped on to her shoulders. “I'd thought maybe we'd rushed things. I wanted you to be sure."
"Oh, Abram, we'd known each other long enough.” She shook her head. “Don't second-guess what we found in each other."
"Yes.” They'd been friends and then lovers through the Internet. “But..."
"Besides my mother, I'd shared everything with you. And I now know that through your stories you shared some of the stress you live with."
He groaned. From time to time, his writing fantasies of vengeance had kept him sane.
"I read everything I could find on your career."
"I've a hard life here."
"Do you remember the part in the ceremony, ‘Do you take this man?'” Gently, she pressed her lips over his. “I've already committed to making what I can in your life brighter.” Again, her lips lingered over his. “I am devoted to you. I am dedicated to us.” Her hand drifted down to undo his jeans.
On a gulp of air, he stilled her hands. If she got him naked, that'd be it.
"What happened to your promise to treasure, admire, and celebrate me?” Her lips trailed kisses along his jawline.
"Jesus.” He shuddered at the feel of her hand rubbing his dick through his pants. “Lindsey, I've been giving you an easy out. It's been so damn hard ignoring your messages. It's still open ... Take it, if you're not sure.” Sweat broke out on his forehead as she applied more pressure to his throbbing erection. His balls drew up in anticipation.
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