Abby Read online

  My head lies against the cool surface of his desk and I’m going crazy with need. “You,” I mutter.

  “Tell me. I can’t hear you,” he says as I hear the zipper on his pants open and his pants drop around his ankles.

  I look over my shoulder and see the desire in his hooded eyes. Without blinking, I tell him, “You. I need you.”

  His fingers stroke through my wet slit and I feel the moisture on my thighs. He lines up at my center and pushes slowly into me. I forget to breathe because it feels so damn good. When he’s fully seated inside me, he waits for a second before pulling out again. His slow thrusts are driving me mad. I put my hands on the desk for leverage and push against him, meeting him thrust for thrust.

  “This one’s for me, Abby. I’m going to nut inside you so that my cum is dripping out of you all day. I’m marking you. Making sure everyone knows that you’re taken… that you’re mine.” His words cause my whole body to tremble and I can’t stop it. The pressure builds and his controlling words put me over the edge, making me come so hard that my whole body flexes. He groans into me, shooting his hot warm seed deep inside me.

  Brent

  I help her clean up and we get dressed, while her phone rings on the floor. I stoop to pick it up, see that it’s her brother Jackson and hand it to her.

  She answers, “Yeah, Jackson, I’m on my way. I had to wait for Mr. Wilder to give me the plans.” Her eyes are on me as she talks to him and I don’t try to stop myself from gathering her in my arms. When she hangs up, she backs away from me.

  “I have to get to work.” And she starts walking toward the door.

  I grab her by the hand. “Do you want to take the plans with you?” I smirk at her.

  She shakes her head, obviously embarrassed, and holds her hand out to me.

  I hold the plans in my hand, out of her reach. “Have dinner with me tonight.”

  She scrunches her nose up and won’t meet my eyes. “Brent, I really don’t think that’s a good idea.”

  I force myself to take a deep breath so the anger doesn’t show in my voice. “Why not? You can fuck me but can’t let me take you out to dinner? That doesn’t make any sense.”

  “We’re… just, I don’t know, okay, we’re too different. Look at us.” She points between the two of us.

  I look down her body and even with her manly boots, jeans and jacket on, I’m still turned on. I don’t think she realizes exactly what we have here.

  She puts her hand back up on that hip and I believe that’s my new favorite pose for her. I love it when she gets determined. Except for maybe when she’s trying to disagree with me. “Brent, please give me the plans. I have to get to work.”

  “I’ll give you the plans if you promise to have dinner with me tonight. That’s it. Dinner,” I tell her firmly and hold my breath.

  “Fine.” She holds her hand out and I drop the rolled-up papers into her hands.

  I step forward and drop a kiss on her forehead. “I’ll pick you up at six.”

  She merely nods her head and walks out the door.

  Chapter 6

  Abby

  I pick up food for dinner. Yep, I’m a chicken, and I don’t like the way this feels. I’m usually in control and confident. With Brent, I don’t feel that way. So instead of going out to some four-course restaurant, I’m feeding him at home and then giving him the boot.

  Just thinking about ending it with him has my heart beating double time and causes me to gasp for air.

  When he gets here, still dressed in his suit from work, I let him in and tell him that we are having dinner in. He doesn’t argue and honestly seems pleased to have me to himself. He slides my chair around until I’m practically sitting on top of him.

  “I didn’t know what you liked, so I got you spaghetti with meatballs. I hope that’s okay.” I put his plate down in front of him.

  “Perfect,” he replies.

  As we dig in, we talk about our day at work. He tells me about the new hotel and I can hear the excitement in his voice.

  I tell him about work and how Jackson and Megan have already had a falling out. We talk about the party last night and all my crazy family. It hits me then that I’ve know this man less than twenty-four hours and I already feel closer to him than I have most anyone else.

  “So I need to get to bed early tonight. I didn’t get much sleep last night,” I tell him as I start rinsing our plates and putting them in the dishwasher. He cleans up the table and then comes up behind me and wraps his arms around me.

  “How come I have the feeling if I go home to shower and change clothes, you won’t let me back in?” he asks me before kissing the top of my head.

  I allow myself to lie back in his arms momentarily, enjoying the feel of being in his arms. I want to tell him—hell, I want to beg him to stay, but I know this won’t last and I’ll just get hurt in the end.

  “It’s probably best if I don’t,” I tell him honestly.

  His arms and body tighten against me. “Why, Abby? Explain it to me.”

  I turn in his arms, but I can’t make myself back away. “We’re, I don’t know, just too different.”

  He smiles at me before kissing me. His kiss goes on and on, making my toes curl. When he pulls away, he leans his head against mine. “Abby, I’ve had women that wanted to be with me because of how much money I have. But you DON’T want to be with me for the same reason.”

  I laugh when he puts it that way.

  “You can laugh if you want, but it’s true. And I’m not letting you throw this away. Just give us a chance. We’ll take it as slow as you want.”

  I look into his eyes and see the sincerity there. He’s right. I feel it too; I know we have something special. And as long as it’s here, just the two of us, we’ll be fine. I merely nod my head at him, and he puts his hands on each side of my face. “So, if I go across the hall for ten minutes, you going to let me back in?”

  “Yes,” I say before I get up on my tiptoes and kiss him again.

  Brent

  After spending another night in her bed and then waking up next to her, I know that this is how I want to spend the rest of my life. Yeah, it’s fast. But I’ve fallen, and I’ve fallen hard. The next day, I stop by her jobsite. After meeting Jackson and talking business a little bit, I then find her and make sure I claim her for everyone there to see. I latch my lips to hers and don’t come up for breath until we’re both gasping. The guys hoot and holler, but after I give them a death glare and Jackson orders them back to work, the commotion dies down.

  “I know what you’re doing.” She smiles up at me.

  My chest bows out proudly. “What? I had to stake my claim. I can’t have any of these men thinking they can come and take my woman from me.”

  “Really. You worried about him?” she asks and points over to the corner, where a man is bent over working and half his butt crack is hanging out of his jeans.

  We both laugh quietly, but then I look at her sincerely. “Even him, Abby. I don’t like to think about you working with all these men. You’re mine, honey. The sooner you realize it, the better I will feel about everything.”

  She rolls her eyes. “Brent…”

  I lift my shoulders up in a shrug. “I know, I know…. We’re taking it slow.”

  The next two weeks pass by quickly, and they are perfect. Abby is everything I want and more. She’s smart, beautiful, determined, kind… she’s the whole package. But there’s something holding her back. We’ve had a great time every night just hanging out, watching movies, and eating dinner.

  But ever since I asked her to attend a fundraising gala with me, she has been pulling back.

  The night of the event rolls around and I know that she is tense. That beautiful smile she has is missing.

  “Why don’t you just go without me?” she asks me for the umpteenth time.

  “I’m not going without you. I want to have you with me… by my side… where you belong,” I tell her as I clasp the necklace arou
nd her neck. She is absolutely breathtaking.

  She has gotten used to wearing my white button-down shirts in the evenings and I can’t decide if I like her better in that or this red dress with the plunging neckline. She’s stunning no matter what.

  “This is a mistake, Brent. Just let me stay home,” she begs.

  I stroke my hands down her body and grab on to her hips. “We haven’t gone out in these last two weeks together. And don’t get me wrong, I love having you to myself. But I want to take you out on a date, Abby.”

  Reluctantly, she agrees and before she can change her mind, I lead her to the town car waiting outside.

  “You look beautiful, Abby,” I tell her honestly.

  She smiles at me, but it doesn’t quite reach her eyes. “Thank you.”

  Chapter 7

  Abby

  I knew this was a bad idea. And I was right when I see all the mean girls from my high school days walking around in their fancy dresses. He doesn’t realize that I’m not really one of the popular girls and I don’t run in his circle. I hold my breath and will the night to be over, because he’s going to find out soon enough.

  Ashley, one of society’s finest, is checking everyone in. When Brent and I get to the front of the line, it all begins.

  “Well, Abby, I never would have recognized you without your boots on. What are you doing here?” she exclaims loudly, smiling ear to ear, and probably not even realizing how mean she really sounds.

  Brent stiffens beside me and starts to remark. I grab on to his hand to stop him. “Hey, Ashley, it’s under Brent Wilder.”

  At the mention of his name, Ashley straightens her back and pushes her chest out. “Of course, of course, we are so happy to have you here, Mr. Wilder. I’m Ashley Sinclair.”

  I can still see the annoyance on his face, so I step in front of him, grab the program off the table and usher him inside, muttering a ‘thanks’ to Ashley.

  When we get inside, Brent starts to speak. “I can’t believe the nerve…”

  I stop him with a hand to his chest. “I told you this was a bad idea.”

  He grips me by the shoulders. “Forget her. Let’s have a good time. The only thing getting me through this night is knowing that you’re going home with me.”

  The night flies by. We have a wonderful dinner and we dance until my feet are aching. I’ve found that I get along well with all of Brent’s colleagues and have pretty much stuck with them. A lot of them I know from growing up here and they have shown me the utmost respect, even asking me advice for housing plans and such. I walk toward the bathroom with a lighter feeling in my stomach. Maybe Brent is right. Maybe this will be okay.

  I do my business and before I come out of the stall, I hear women come in talking loudly. “I don’t know how she got him. Surely he didn’t see her in her work boots and say, “Man, I have to have that.’ They just don’t make sense.”

  Another voice agrees, “I know, I don’t think I’ve ever seen her in anything besides jeans and those boots. I wonder if she wear the boots in bed?”

  They both laugh and I feel my cheeks burn. Never one to back down, I walk out of the stall with my head held high. I go straight to the sink to wash my hands and both women are quiet when they see me. I throw the paper towel in the trash and start walking toward the door. I swing it open and turn around before I leave. “No, I don’t wear the boots to bed. He prefers me naked,” I tell them and let the door swing shut behind me.

  When I get back to Brent, he instantly asks me what’s wrong.

  “Nothing. Do you mind if I go home now?” I ask him.

  “Abby, you were fine when you went into the bathroom and now you’re upset. What happened?” He slides his arms around me and I stiffen.

  “I’m leaving, Brent. I’ll see you later,” I tell him and stride toward the door. I don’t even look back at him to see if he’s following me. I’ll get a cab if I have to.

  Brent

  I finally catch up with her on the sidewalk. With my hand to her back, I guide her to the car. She says nothing on the ride home and I decide to wait until I have her in my lap, in my arms to talk to her.

  When we reach her door, I start to follow her in, but she turns in the doorway with her hand on my chest, stopping me. “I need to be alone tonight.”

  “No,” I tell her and lift her up and carry her into her apartment, kicking the door shut with my shoe.

  Anger flushes her face. “You can’t just muscle your way into my apartment. I don’t want you here.”

  My jaw tightens, but I tell her firmly, “Yes. You do. We may fight, we may disagree, but every night will end the same. You in my arms.”

  Want flares in her eyes, but just as quickly it disappears. “For how long?”

  Frustrated, I stroke my hand through my hair. “What do you mean for how long? Forever.”

  She looks down at the ground. “Or until you realize how different we are. I don’t fit in with your crowd.”

  Jealousy instantly sparks inside of me when I think of all the comments my friends and colleagues made tonight. “All my friends told me how lucky I am to have you. You had them eating out of the palm of your hands. I thought I was going to have to punch someone if they asked you to dance. They loved you.”

  “Not all of them,” she mutters.

  “Are you talking about the woman at the front, or whatever upset you in the bathroom? Well, that’s on them, honey. They’re just jealous of you. Look at you. You’re gorgeous. You’re every man’s dream.”

  Slowly, she’s letting me hold on to her. I don’t know if she realizes it or not, but she’s softening to my words. When I have my arms firmly held around her and her chin is resting on my chest looking up at me, I finally tell her the one thing that I’ve wanted to tell her since the very first night. “I love you, Abby. I want you by my side forever. I want to have babies with you. You make my world perfect. And if I have to give it all up, the hotels, the businesses, whatever, to make you mine… I will.”

  She finally puts her arms around me. “I love you, too. I don’t know how, it’s so quick, but I know that I’m in love with you… but I don’t want to mess you up. I mean, you’re dating a construction worker. Don’t get me wrong, I’m proud of what I do. I love creating something for people, but I don’t ever want that to reflect badly on you.”

  I smile at her. “I’m proud of you, too. And I’m fine with marrying a construction worker… as long as I can show up whenever I want to stake my claim on you.”

  “Marry?” Her eyes light up.

  “Oh, definitely,” I whisper right before I latch my lips to hers.

  Epilogue

  Three years later

  Abby

  I’m in another dress. The things I do for this man. I swore after our wedding I wouldn’t ever get into another dress, but I made an exception for today. I stand proudly next to him with our son in my arms. We’re standing in the lobby of the brand new Wilder Hotel. He did this. He inspired a whole community with this hotel. He’s resurrected and breathed life into our small town. He’s paved the way for more attractions already being built around us.

  He’s a hero to most everyone he comes across. Especially me.

  Instead of my life where I had to have complete control of every situation, I now live a life where I get to relax and live my dreams. He takes all the hard stuff off of me, never wanting me to worry. Honestly, almost all the decisions he runs by me. Even stuff that he knows the answer to. I think he just wants to keep me happy by fulfilling my need to control things.

  The one thing he did put his foot down about was working while I was pregnant. He forbade it. And after a big argument and some great make-up sex, I gave in. I knew he was right; I just didn’t want to be told what to do. Well, six weeks after Brent Jr., or BJ was we have started calling him, was born and I was given approval to go back to work, I cried the whole day.

  Brent came and picked me up from work; I’m sure my brother called him, worried about me.
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  He took me home, put our baby in my arms, and I was fine. The crying stopped and I felt whole again.

  “Do you even want to go back to work?” he asked me.

  I looked down at the tiny baby in my arms and I swear he grew an inch while I had been gone. “No. Not yet.”

  He put his arms around us and held us both to his chest. “I thought you wanted to, that’s why I encouraged you, honey. But I would love for you to stay home with Brent. Whatever you need to do to be happy.”

  I remember that day like it was yesterday.

  My husband walks to the front of the gathering of people. “I want to thank you all for being here today. This couldn’t have been done without you all and I want to give you my heartfelt thanks to all the workers, their families and the community. I am excited to be a part of this community and help it grow and succeed. But most of all, I need to thank my wife, Abby Wilder. She is my everything and without her I am nothing. I love you, honey.”

  The applause breaks out and as he walks down the stage and toward me, not taking his eyes off me. People thank him and shake his hand as he passes, but he doesn’t stop until he’s standing right in front of me.

  “Nice speech, Mr. Wilder.” I smile up at him.

  “Let’s get out of here.” He lifts BJ out of my arms and puts him over his shoulder. Then he grabs my hand and walks out to the car.

  “Where are we going?” I ask him.

  “Home. I’m taking you home. I missed you this morning.”

  “I’m good with that,” I tell him before reaching up to kiss him. “I love you, Brent. And I’m so proud of you.”

  “I love you too, honey.”

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