Author: Tara Sue Me

I kept caressing her knee, interested in her answer.

“Wednesdays aren’t good for me,” she said. “There’s a patron who comes in every Wednesday to see the Rare Books Collection—and we don’t let researchers in unaccompanied, so I have to be there with him.”

I almost laughed.

My aunt sighed. “That must be a bit tiresome, but I suppose that’s what customer service is all about.”

“I don’t mind,” Abby said. “It’s refreshing to find someone so thorough.”

I slipped my hand farther down her knee. She thought I was thorough? I couldn’t wait to show her just how thorough I could be.

“How would that Tuesday work?” Linda asked. “He doesn’t come on Tuesdays, does he?”

My heart leaped with the knowledge that my aunt wanted to spend time with Abby. I rejoiced at how my family accepted her.

“Tuesday will be fine,” Abby said.

“It’s a date then.” Linda smiled.

I slipped my hand back under the table and stroked Abby’s knee again. Todd asked me a question about the upcoming local election. He knew I couldn’t keep out of a political debate. I didn’t mind, though—it kept everyone’s attention away from where my left hand was.

You’re mine, I told her with my fingers. Even at this table. I can do anything I want.

And she’d let me.

I passed the bread to Felicia. I wouldn’t call her attitude toward me warm, not by any stretch, but she wasn’t as cold as she had been at the hospital. Maybe she’d come around eventually.

I dropped my hand back to my lap and inched closer to Abby. Working up to her thigh this time. Just to remind her. Elaina asked me a question and I picked my silverware up when I answered her. I wanted to remind Abby not to draw attention to herself. What we did was between us. In the eyes of my family, we would be just another couple eating dinner.

But below the table . . .

I reached my hand down to touch her knee again, but her legs were crossed. We couldn’t have that. I pushed on her upper leg and she spread her knees for me.

Much better.

I inched my way up higher, drew up the hem of her skirt, and went back to eating my salad.

I glanced around the table—Felicia laughed at something Jackson said; Linda was talking with Elaina.

I let my mind wander to my plans for the remainder of the night. I’d left instructions for the hotel to—

Abby’s choking brought me back to the present.

I slapped her back a few times. “Are you okay?”

“Fine,” she said, her face flushed with embarrassment. “Sorry.”

“You know,” Todd said from across the table. “You’re not supposed to pat people on the back when they’re choking. It could be dangerous.”

“Thank you, Dr. Welling,” I said.

“Just trying to help.”

“Don’t try so hard next time.”

He gave me a teasing grin. “What’s the fun in that?”

The waiter cleared our dishes. Abby’s wineglass was empty, so I poured her a bit more. I wanted her completely relaxed.

“What do you read besides poetry?” I rubbed her upper thigh. We were just any other couple showing affection.

Sure we were.

She took a sip of wine. “Just about anything. Classics are my favorite.”

I smiled. Because I’d enjoyed our poetry game in the library last weekend, I spent some of my lunch hour this past week reading quotes from famous authors. I couldn’t wait to show off.

“A classic,” I said, “is a book which people praise and don’t read. Mark Twain.”

Abby smiled an evil grin. Her eyes flashed with delight. “I cannot think well of a man who sports with any woman’s feelings. Jane Austen.”

Yes, I supposed I was sporting with her a bit. But Jane Austen to my Mark Twain? She did know about the animosity between the two, right?

I smiled at her. “But when a young lady is to be a he**ine, the perverseness of forty surrounding families cannot prevent her.” Take that. “Jane Austen.”

She didn’t even blink when I slid my hand up her dress, but calmly quoted, “Truth is more of a stranger than fiction. Mark Twain.”

Oh, she got me. She got me good. I laughed, drawing the attention of the table. “I give up.” I set my hands back on the table. “You win. But only this round.”

“Hey, you two,” Elaina said to Abby and Felicia. “Linda and I are hitting the spa tomorrow for massages and facials and to get our nails done. We made you both appointments as well. Our treat. Will you come?”

I had called Elaina earlier in the week to suggest it. She’d surprised me, though, by saying she’d already booked treatments for Abby and Felicia.

“How very thoughtful.” I stroked Abby’s knee again. I hated to spend the day apart from her, but I did want her to get to know my family. “I suppose Todd and I can amuse ourselves with golf. Would you like to go with the girls, Abigail?”

“Sure. I’d love to.”

Of course she would. What woman wouldn’t want a spa day? I looked across the table to Todd.

Todd winked at me. You’re going down, West, he mouthed.

I’m going to kick your ass all over the green, Doctor, I mouthed back.

“Try it,” he said.

Linda coughed.

“Sorry,” I said.

I went back to eating, keeping watch on Abby from the corner of my eye. She smiled throughout dinner and talked with everyone at the table. Nothing shy or self-conscious about her. She was beautiful.

She was also strung so tightly, it wouldn’t take much to make her pop.

I didn’t want that. Not yet.

I left her alone as we ate our entrées. I was next to her. It was enough. I could damn near feel every time she took a breath—the slight shift of her body, the gentle rise and fall of her chest.

She laughed at something Felicia said, pushing her hair back with an elegant sweep of a hand. My mind wandered, and I pictured those hands on me.

I wanted those hands on me.

I poured her more wine and watched as she took a sip.

I wanted that mouth on me.

I reached for her hand, placing mine on top, and brought them both to rest on my erection. Very slowly, so as not to capture the attention of anyone at the table, I lifted my h*ps and thrust into her palm.

See? I wanted to say. See what you do to me?

She did. She bit her lip and left her hand against me. It was too much. I gently squeezed her hand and placed it back on her leg.

Soon, I promised. Soon.

I hoped we would both last.

I teased her more in the car—flipping her skirt up to her waist to expose her bare sex to me.

“You’re going to mess up the interior of the rental.” I ran a finger along her slippery entrance and thrust inside. “Wet as you are.”

From the corner of my eye, I saw her bite the inside of her cheek. Yes, my plan was working. I bet she’d beg me right now if I asked her to. I played with her for few more minutes, gliding my fingers through her folds, toying with her clit.

I pulled up to the valet and slipped Abby’s skirt down before anyone came to the car. After handing the keys over, I went to the passenger’s side and opened the door for Abby. She took my offered hand and once more we became any other couple.

We rode up to our suite alone in the elevator. I squeezed her ass, just because I could, and she responded with a moan.

“Not yet,” I told her.

I kept my hand at the small of her back while we walked to our door. She trembled with anticipation.

Oh, Abby, I thought. You have no idea what I have planned for you tonight.

Or maybe she did.

I opened the suite door and let her enter first. The hotel had followed my directions—all the lights had been turned off except for a dim light in the living room. I led Abby down the short hall to my bedroom, where one lamp gave a dull light. The bed had been turned down.

Excellent.

I left her at the foot of the bed and unzipped my duffel bag. I removed the warming gel and vibrator and placed them on the bed.

Her eyes grew large.

On second thought, maybe she didn’t know what I had planned.

“I’ve been patient, Abigail,” I said, speaking firmly, but in a low, soothing voice. “And I’ll be as gentle as I can, but tonight’s the night. You’re ready.”

Trust me. I wouldn’t do this if I didn’t think you were ready.

I walked to the edge of the bed, where she stood—still frozen in shock.

“Undress me,” I told her, in part to get her mind on something else.

With fumbling fingers, she slipped my jacket off and ran her hands down my arms. Fuck, I loved her hands on me. She rushed through the buttons on my shirt and threw it to the ground. Then her hands dropped, pushing my pants and boxers down with one shove.

“All for you,” I said as my erection sprang free. “Because you did so well at dinner tonight, I’ll let you have a little taste.”

She dropped immediately to her knees and took me in her mouth. I felt her moan as I thrust into her warmth.

On her knees, she would focus on me. Not so much the items I had on the bed. I hoped she would, anyway. If nothing else, it would remind her that I had the entire night under control. I could lead us both through this. I closed my eyes and turned my attention to her. The feel of her mouth around me, the way I hit her throat, the silky strands of her hair between my fingers.

After a few minutes, I pulled back, not wanting to come just yet. I reached a hand down to help her stand. She wobbled a bit and I hoped she hadn’t had too much wine.

“Undress for me,” I said. “Slowly.”

She stepped out of her shoes, one at a time. Fuck. Why was that so sexy? With her eyes on mine the entire time, she reached behind and undid her zipper. Her left hand came to the top of her right shoulder and slowly pushed the sleeve of her dress down.

I needed to have her strip for me more often.

Once the dress hit the floor, she reached behind her back again and unclasped her bra. Taking it in one hand, she lifted it up and dropped it.

She absolutely glowed in the moonlight. Her body swayed slightly, throwing shadows across the bed.

I sat down. “Touch yourself.”

She moved, uninhibited, palming her breasts, rolling her ni**les into hard peaks. Pinching one first and then the other. Her eyes closed and she moaned in pleasure, swaying once more.

One hand skimmed down her side and over her belly until she was touching herself, while the other continued playing with her breast. It was the most erotic thing I had ever seen.

“Enough,” I said, when she started rocking into her palm. “Come here.”

She sashayed toward the bed, and I reached out when she approached me, grabbing her around the waist. She let out a little sigh as I flipped her to her back and straddled her.

I nuzzled her neck, inhaling the scent of her, smelling the sweetness of her breath as she sighed again. My teeth nibbled along the line of her jaw, and she buried her hands in my hair.

My exploration of her body grew bolder. I tasted the hidden skin under her jaw while my hands circled her breasts. Lower, my hands went, pinching a nipple, squeezing her hip as they dipped even lower.

My mouth followed, savoring, as I lapped at the circle of her belly button and teased her swollen clit. Her head thrashed and I knew she was ready.

I moved my way back up her body, still dragging my hands, but softer this time. Gently. Reverently. I nibbled even more softly. She groaned under me. Anxious and wanting.

I slowly turned her to her side, trailing my hands up and down her arms.

You’re fine. You’ll be fine. Trust me.

I spoke the words with my touch, and she pushed her head back in to me, arching her back.

I took the warming gel at my side and squeezed the slippery lube onto two of my fingers. I dribbled more along the length of my aching cock.