Chapter 30

Chapter Thirty

Rafe

West: Keep me updated on anything new.

Me: As long as Abby says yes, then I will.

West: Good answer. And…

Me: And what?

West: And let’s meet for drinks soon. I have things to say.

Me (typed but deleted): Will we both need ice packs by the end of it?

Me (actual reply instead): Sure. I’ll text you tomorrow with some times. I haven’t been to The Watering Hole in a while.

West: This time I’m going to kick your ass at pool.

Me: Keep talking. We know I’m the town champ.

West: middle finger emoji I look forward to your loss.

I t was hours later when I finally drove us home. Abby sat staring out the window, and I remained quiet. The last few days had been overwhelming for her, and she probably needed some downtime.

Even if I burned to ask why she’d thanked me earlier, right after she’d explained everything to her family.

It’d been strange to be a part of the chaos, yet still a little apart. That was on me, of course. Abby’s family had tried to include me when possible. And yet, my guilt about not being married for real had kept me from truly enjoying myself or joining the group.

And when Aunt Lori had suggested our trip had changed things between us? I’d wanted to shout, “Yes!” Because for me, it had.

While holding my wife on the hill overlooking the Peak District, it’d become crystal clear what I wanted for the next stage of my life—Abby. To love her and treasure her and always be there for her. To finally have a family and start living the life my parents would’ve wanted.

Months of my sister suggesting I needed to realize our parents would want us to be happy and not forever grieving had started to sink in.

However, while I might be ready to pursue Abby, she’d only just started to trust me. And only a little.

We were a long way from being a couple in love.

Not that I was giving up. Watching Abby share everything with her family, afraid but confident, had shifted my feelings even more. And by the end of the night, when she’d laughed with her friends at dinner as her brothers tossed rolls at each other? I’d all but fallen for her.

It wouldn’t take much more to push me over the edge.

I was deep in thought about how to take down her ex as quickly as possible so I could focus on making her happy when Abby asked, “Was my family too much for you?”

I glanced at her and then back to the road. “Hmm? Why do you ask that?”

“Well, you were pretty quiet tonight. I wanted to rescue you, but people kept talking to me.”

The corner of my mouth kicked up. “I needed to be rescued?”

“Hey, pretty much anyone new to my family needs rescued at some point. Sabrina took a little while to feel comfortable, more than Katie and Emmy, who were already used to us all. But Sabrina was even more of an outsider in the beginning than you. And now look at her—secretly tossing green beans at Zach when he wasn’t looking.”

I chuckled. “Seeing it land in his hair and staying there, without him ever noticing, was pretty funny.”

Her hand rested on my knee, and her touch sent a rush of heat through my body. It took everything I had to keep my dick from hardening.

She said, “None of tonight would’ve been possible without you, Rafe. I hope you know that.”

“I think you would’ve gotten there by yourself. Maybe it would’ve taken a few more days, but your family would never sit by while some asshole badmouths you to the world.”

“Maybe, maybe not. Without you, I might’ve run away. It’s something I’ve thought about doing on and off since returning to Starry Hills.”

I was never so glad to see the entry to my property so I could talk to Abby properly. After pulling up the drive and parking, I turned to face her. “I don’t think you would’ve run.” I hesitated, not wanting to reveal even more of my flaws. But if I ever wanted to win Abby for real, I had to be honest. More so than I’d ever been in my life. So I took a deep breath and added, “You are braver than me, in that regard.” She opened her mouth to protest, but I beat her to it. “No, you are. Yes, you had a setback. But you still came home and tried to deal with it. You didn’t pretend to be someone else in public, distracting yourself with parties and women and booze. You might’ve kept a secret, but you still returned home.”

“You did too, eventually.”

“Only because I was forced into retirement and had nowhere else to go.”

She shook her head. “No, you knew exactly where you belonged, even if you hadn’t realized yourself.” She smiled. “Starry Hills is your home, Rafael. Family and friendship and even supporting the community—you want and need all of that.”

Before I could think better of it, I blurted, “What I need is you.”

She sucked in a breath, and I wondered if I’d fucked up. Then she leaned forward and whispered, “Then come and get me.”

After exiting the car, she rushed to the front door and opened it. I turned off the car and followed, doing my best not to limp—rushing after Abby at Lyme Park hadn’t done me any favors—and saw her at the top of the stairs. She smiled at me and then went into a bedroom.

My bedroom.

I hurried as much as I could until I finally stopped at the doorway of my room. Abby was only in her bra and panties, lying on my bed, with her hand propping up her head. “I’m cold, Rafael. Come warm me up.”

Striding toward her, I tugged off my jacket and then my shirt. “Are you sure?”

She laid back and arched her back. “I’m sure.”

I unbuttoned my jeans. “You don’t owe me anything, Abby. If you want this, I’ll fucking make it so good, love. But there are zero strings attached to me helping you.”

She slid down her bra straps. “I know. I’ve wanted this for a long time, Rafe. Now, come make me forget about the outside world for a little while.”

As soon as she unhooked her bra and tossed it aside, my mouth watered at her hard little nipples.

She sat up, gently batted my hands away, and slowly unzipped my fly. I was so hard, even just the brush of her fingers against me made me hiss.

After pushing my jeans and boxers down, she lightly traced the top of my cock, back and forth, so gently I almost didn’t feel it.

Her eyes finally met mine. “Take your pants all the way off, Rafe.”

My hesitation vanished, and I quickly shucked my shoes and remaining clothes. As I stroked my dick, Abby’s gaze zeroed in on me and she licked her lips. I groaned as I let out a drop of precum.

She rose from the bed, knelt before me, and pushed my hand away. Her hot breath danced across the head of my cock, and it took every bit of strength I possessed not to fuck her mouth right then and there.

We’d long ago discussed recent tests and being clean, so she didn’t hesitate to lick the drop of wetness from my cock. I threaded the fingers of one hand into her hair and groaned. As her tongue lightly lapped me, my balls tightened further.

No woman’s touch had ever affected me like this before.

And if I had my way, this woman would be my forever.

Then Abby took me into her hot, wet mouth. Her eyes never left mine as she bobbed and used her hand to stroke in time to her movements. The sight of her, the feel of her, the scent of her made me even harder. “Fuck, yes. Just like that. You feel so fucking good, so perfect, love.”

Hesitation flashed in her eyes, and I tugged her head back until she released me. “I’m not saying it just because, Abigail. I promised to be honest with my wife, and I am. Your mouth feels so fucking good, love. So much so that it wouldn’t take much more to make me come.”

I helped her up, pulled her flush against me, and lightly caressed her cheek. “Do you believe me?”

She searched my gaze, and then smiled. “I think I do.”

“Well, then it’s time for me to convince you of how fucking beautiful you are.”

And I kissed her.

Her lips parted instantly, and I devoured her. Every lick and lap and twirl made me groan.

She whimpered before murmuring, “Please, Rafe. I need more. Much more.”

I cupped her cheek. “What do you want, wife?”

The word had slipped out, but Abby didn’t bat an eye as she replied, “For my husband to fuck me. Hard. Like he promised.”

With a growl, I pushed her back toward the bed, and she sat. “Take off your panties, lie down, and show me what’s mine.”

Abby didn’t hesitate to do as I said, reclining back as she spread her legs wide.

I drank her in for a second, eager to touch every inch of her. Abby’s voice brought me back to the present when she asked, “Why are you staring at me?”

Looking at her eyes again, I replied, “Because you’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen in my life.” Before she could protest, I knelt between her thighs on the mattress and rubbed her inner thighs. “I love your long legs, your curves, your pert little nipples.” Leaning down, I took one into my mouth and suckled. At Abby’s cry, I gently bit her.

“Rafe, yes. That feels so good.”

I released her and blew over her wet flesh. I loved how goosebumps rose on her skin. “Let’s see if the other one tastes just as good.”

I repeated my torture with her other nipple, and Abby’s hand went to my head. Wanting to drive my wife even more out of her mind, I ran a hand down her belly, slowly, stopping just above her clit.

As I continued to caress her skin just above where she wanted, Abby growled, “Stop teasing me.”

With a smile, I released her nipple and met her gaze again. “What, you want a guy who pumps a few times, rolls over, and leaves you frustrated?”

“Of course not. But I’m impatient. I’ve wanted this…”

I moved my hands to her hips, stroking them, as I asked, “Wanted this, what?”

Her cheeks heated. “For a long time.”

“How long?”

“You’re really going to make me say it?”

I moved my hands to her breasts and gently fondled them. “Tell me, love. I want to know.”

She glanced away. “Since I was sixteen.”

After releasing her breasts, I gently cupped her face and made her look at me again. “I wasn’t even here.”

“I know that! But that’s the thing about dreams and fantasies—they don’t require real people. I can do whatever I want, with whomever I want.”

I leaned down, propping myself up on my forearms. But the second my cock laid against her pussy, we both made low sounds in our throats.

Abby’s voice was strained as she asked, “Do we really need to talk about this now?”

I moved my hips, my dick running through her pussy lips, and I let out another drop of precum. “You’re so fucking wet, Abigail. For me?”

She bit her lip and nodded.

I kissed her, taking my time to nibble and lick and explore every inch of her mouth. My cock ached, and I wanted nothing more than to be inside her. And yet, I had to kiss her. I needed to.

This was more than just sex to me. It was the first time I’d ever be making love to a woman.

My woman.

After breaking the kiss, I brushed the hair from her face and murmured, “I want to be inside you, love. Tell me I can.”

She nodded. I gave her one quick kiss and then retrieved a condom from the nightstand and put it on in record time.

Abby didn’t need me to say a word as she spread her legs wider and arched toward me. I ran a finger up through her center, stopping just short of her clit.

“Rafe.”

I lightly circled her clit, wanting her ready to come because I wasn’t going to last long this first time. And I wouldn’t be an ass and leave her wanting.

As her breathing quickened, I positioned my cock and slid inside her, slowly. Inch by inch. Loving how hot and tight she was.

When I finally was in to the hilt, I leaned down and kissed her quickly before saying, “I love how you feel, Abby.” I rubbed her clit a few times, and she moaned. “Tell me you’re close, love, because I’m already there.”

I quickened my thumb, and she struggled to reply, “I’m close, Rafe. Move. Please.”

After pulling out slowly, I slammed back in. Abby reached up and grabbed my shoulders. “Kiss me again while you do that.”

“As my wife wishes.”

I took her lips in a brutal kiss as my hips moved faster and faster, loving how she would clench around me sometimes, making it harder to hold on.

I used my thumb to increase the pace and find the pressure she liked, all while kissing her and doing my best not to orgasm.

When Abby finally cried out and spasmed around me, I pumped a few more times and stilled as pleasure coursed through me. Each pulse of my cock took me higher until I finally stilled and collapsed on top of my wife.

Her arms went around me, and she nuzzled my neck as she said, “That was amazing, Rafe. I didn’t know it could be like that.”

Her voice was soft, and I sensed an emotion in it I couldn’t define. So I rolled over, taking her with me, until she rested against my chest. I gently raised her face until I could see her eyes, and at the mixture of disbelief and pleasure, I frowned. “Could be like what?”

She bit her lip and looked away. “That a guy could make me come too during sex.”

A thread of anger shot through me. It wasn’t hard to guess that her ex had been selfish in bed, too. “Any guy who doesn’t make you orgasm too isn’t worthy of you.”

Her eyes met mine again. “I should know that. But after weeks of…”

I sat up against the headboard and settled Abby next to me, covering us with the blanket. I stroked her arm with my thumb as I said, “Tell me, love.”

“Promise you won’t go and murder anyone afterward?”

“I guess I can agree to that. Although I can’t promise I won’t punch the guy if he hurts you.”

Her fingers trailed across my chest, and she played with my nipple. I focused on her words and not on how her touch made me want to have her all over again.

“When I first fell for Travis, he was charming and sweet and did little things to make me smile. But once we started sleeping together, his behavior changed.”

I already regretted my promise to not murder anyone, but nodded, not wanting to break the spell.

Abby continued, “In retrospect, I can see it was a sort of manipulation to lure me in. But he knew just what to say to make me want to please him, not disappoint him, and because I so wanted someone to love me and not leave me, I did whatever he wanted.

“The changes were small at first, like wearing my hair down instead of up. Or wearing skirts instead of pants. But eventually he struggled to get hard enough for me and told me what I could do to fix that. To make him happy. And I believed I was so in love with him, so determined to please him, that I forgot about myself and orgasms and anything but getting him hard and coming. And eventually, after weeks of it, I thought nothing of him fucking me, coming, and rolling over to sleep or going home. He always praised me for putting his needs first, showing how much I cared for him.”

I clenched the sheets with my free hand, doing my best to tamp down my anger. I’d learned that Travis was nearly twenty years older than Abby and had probably known exactly how to manipulate her—by pouncing on her desire to be loved and wanted.

Given how smoothly and quickly he’d changed Abby, he probably had experience manipulating other young, vulnerable women.

But I pushed aside my anger to focus on Abby, who’d remained quiet.

“Hey, look at me.” Her lovely green eyes met mine again. Right then and there, I knew that if Abby ever loved me, I would treasure the gift and not take advantage of it.

But that meant first trying to win her over and earn her trust.

I continued, “I’m not an expert on relationships, but based on my parents’ marriage, it was about taking care of and loving each other. If something becomes all about one person and what they want or need or demand, then it’s not really a true relationship. Sure, my parents fought sometimes, but they’d talk and make compromises. And I never, ever want to know about their sex lives.” I shuddered. “But for me, at least, giving you pleasure makes me happy. And when we come together? It makes it all the more intense.”

Her hand cupped my cheek as she searched my gaze. “You’re a good man, Rafael Mendoza. And I’m glad you came back to Starry Hills.”

I placed my hand over hers. “Me, too.”

I love you , was on the tip of my tongue. Because, yes, it was true. Abby was kind yet strong, funny yet determined, and the only person in the world I felt okay to be myself around.

But she was still hurting, still healing. And until she could live her life without fear of her ex fucking things up, I wouldn’t say the words.

However, now that Abby held my heart, I wanted to know every little thing about her. And so I held her tight, laid my head atop hers, and asked about her life during the years I was away.