Total pages in book: 24
Estimated words: 22752 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 114(@200wpm)___ 91(@250wpm)___ 76(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 22752 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 114(@200wpm)___ 91(@250wpm)___ 76(@300wpm)
I’ve considered every possibility. Is my Abby the product of an assault? Was she born to a woman facing domestic violence? What made her choose me? How does she know my name? Have we ever met?
“Were you...close with her?”
“No,” I admit. I mean, I couldn’t have been. It’s not like I’m spending my time around pregnant women. I work the ranch and occasionally, I help out a homeless teen. But that’s it.
“So, you never loved her?”
The question nearly breaks me. I can’t figure out how to explain this. If she ever comes back and wants Abby, could I fight her? Would I have any legal grounds? Or would what I’ve done be considered kidnapping? I’m pretty sure you’re not allowed to do finders keepers with a baby, even if someone left her on your porch. Would all of this make Chloe an accessory?
I tighten my hold on the steering wheel at the thought. I can’t risk that. I can’t tell her everything and implicate her. “No. It’s hard to explain and complicated.”
“But it’s over now?” I don’t like the hesitation in her tone. I don’t like the idea that she doesn’t know where she stands with me.
I squeeze her fingers, applying gentle pressure to her small hands. “There’s nothing between Abby’s mom and me. You’re the only woman I want in my life and my bed.”
She chuckles softly. “You haven’t gotten me there yet.”
“Give it time,” I murmur, pressing my lips to her fingertips. Being with Chloe is the most natural thing in the world. Dad always said that when the right woman comes along, you know it. I always thought he was full of smoke but now I get it. Because the moment I saw Chloe, everything in my life shifted. She became mine and only mine. My heart beats for her. For her and little Abby.
I stop the truck in the parking lot of the community center and help her inside. Before I can get her on the dance floor, we’re stopped by so many of the townsfolk. All of them want to make small talk, and I force myself to be polite when I want to drag Chloe onto the dance floor and hold her in my arms.
After I’ve finally managed to excuse us from a conversation with Mayor Banks, I pull her into my embrace. My fingertips touch her back and fuck, her skin is so soft. Is it this soft everywhere? What’s on underneath this? Because I’m not seeing a bra line, and I definitely shouldn’t be thinking about that when I’m surrounded by all of these fine people.
My voice is a deep, rasping growl in her ear that I barely recognize, “Did I tell you just how damn sexy you are?”
“You didn’t,” she says softly.
Did I really do that? Did I not take a moment to appreciate just how incredibly beautiful she is and let her know that? Never again, I vow to myself. Never again will I let a day pass without reminding her of how beautiful and sexy she is.
“Well, you are, and that dress is making my cock hard.” To emphasize the point, I grind my hips against her. Not enough to be indecent right here in the community center. But enough that her eyes widen.
“Yeah, that’s all for you, sweetheart. All nine inches,” I promise.
“Micah! You can’t say stuff like that.” No outrage colors her tone. Her nipples are hard points against my chest, and every time I move, she tilts her pelvis. She’s trying to carefully grind against me. It’s just dark enough in here that no one would notice, not unless they were looking directly at us. Besides, all the couples are lost in their own little worlds, oblivious to the nasty things I’m whispering in my woman’s ear.
I press kisses along her jaw before I nip at her earlobe. Her skin smells amazing. It’s a mix of vanilla and jasmine. At first, I thought it was her perfume. But after spending the last week with her, I recognize that it’s just her sweet scent, something unique to Chloe. “Are you aching? Is that pretty little pussy of yours hurting?”
She groans. “Please.”
That one word nearly undoes me. My cock pushes painfully against my zipper. “You want me to take care of you right here?”
“Yes.” The word is a breathy whimper, letting me know she’s too far gone to care about where we are. Fuck, I’m too far gone too. But her sounds will be for my ears only.
Taking her hand, I pull her away from the dance floor. I stick to the dark corners at the edge of the room so no one will try to talk with us. I thread my way to the back of the community center where the women’s bathroom is unlocked.
Fortunately, the stalls are empty, and the settee covered in a pastel print from the sixties is just heavy enough. I give it a harsh shove and it slides behind the door. Yeah, nobody is coming through there anytime soon.