Debra Webb - In His Touch Box Set (Here To Stay, Up Close, Tempting Trace, Basic Instincts) (31 page)

Instantly, Matthew’s tall, well-built frame came into focus. He’d turned his baseball cap around backwards, which looked dorky on most guys, but on him it was appealing. His long fingers clasped the football as he prepared to toss it to his teammate. The memory of how those fingers could create such beauty in his drawings or touch her body so exquisitely made Abby shiver despite the hot July weather. Even participating in a testosterone-fueled sport, his every move did funny things to her insides.

Abby sighed. How had she let this happen? She’d never felt this... this heartsick over anyone before in her life—not even with Cal, her short-term husband. Truth be told, she hadn’t really even loved him. Respected him, admired him, yes. But love?

No.

Abby looked away. She didn’t want to feel this. Love was probably overrated anyway. She’d given marriage a go once, and what had she gained? A humiliating divorce.

Nothing was ever what it appeared. She and Cal had dated during her last year at NYU. They had seemed so compatible. Same career interests, same life goals. Even the same five-year plan. So, they’d gotten married. The first few months were great. But six months into the marriage Cal had done a complete turnaround. “Let’s have a baby!” he had announced. When Abby had been less than enthusiastic—after all, it wasn’t his five-year plan that having a child would have wrecked—dear old Cal had found someone more willing.

The next time Abby had seen Cal, he’d been pushing a baby carriage. All smiles, with his little wife in tow.

Not ever again. She was tired of men trying to change her. She knew what she wanted from her future. No one—not her father or a husband—was going to dictate her life.

“Abby, could you hold Lucy for a minute? I’ve got to find my son.”

Abby stared, open-mouthed, at the stranger who’d just thrust her infant into her arms. The woman dashed away, calling “Johnny!” at the top of her lungs. Abby’s gaze dropped to the squirming baby girl in her arms. All blond curls and big brown eyes, the little girl—Lucy—smiled a big toothless grin up at Abby. She almost smiled back, then she panicked. What if the baby started to cry? What if she got hungry?

Abby made a face. What if little Lucy barfed on Abby’s silk dress? She crinkled her forehead.
Or worse?

Cooing and gurgling with delight, Lucy reached for a handful of Abby’s hair.

“No, no, Lucy,” Abby scolded softly as she pried the chubby little fingers from around a handful of hair. She bit back a gasp of pain as several long auburn strands were yanked from her scalp. She manufactured a smile for Lucy while she untangled the loose hairs from her baby fingers.

“Oh, there you are, dearie!”

Abby cringed.
Aunt Martha.
Why had she let Matthew rope her into coming to this family reunion? Abby already had all the research material she needed. The cover story was practically written. Of course, considering that he’d asked her while their bodies were still entwined as one, she supposed that she had a legitimate excuse: temporary insanity.

“Richard, this is the nice young lady from New York that I was telling you about,” Martha said conspiratorially to the short, slim man at her side. “Abby, don’t you just look adorable with a baby in your arms?”

Abby almost groaned aloud. “Hello, Martha.”

Martha patted her stiff hairdo. “Abby, this is Richard.” She shot Abby a pointed look. “You know, the hairdresser I was telling you about from Clips and Curls.”

“Yes.” Abby turned to Richard, trying to smile despite Lucy’s roving hands. “Nice to meet you, Richard.” Abby shrieked as pain shot through her ear. She gripped a plump baby wrist and pried those little baby fingers from her left earring. Another stab of pain zinged through her earlobe.

“Young’uns are so precious, aren’t they?” Martha immediately went into baby mode, cooing and making weird faces.

Why did full-grown, perfectly sensible—well, maybe Martha was the exception there—people go gaga over babies? Did babies understand baby-talk anymore than they did normal, grown-up talk? Abby didn’t think so.

“I’d love to give you a makeover,” Richard piped up, speaking to Abby over Martha’s ridiculous noises. “I could do a lot with that hair of yours.”

Abby bared her teeth. “Thanks anyway, but I have to get back to New York. I’m leaving early—very early—Monday morning.” And I like my hair just as it is, she didn’t add. The thought of turning up with a fried-and-dyed do like Martha’s almost made her shudder.

Richard cupped his chin and regarded Abby forlornly. “Oh, that’s a real shame.”

“There’s Henry.” Martha snagged Richard’s arm. “I want Henry to hear about Richard’s new hair-regenerating cream. Henry!” Martha and Richard trotted off in the direction of poor, unsuspecting Henry.

Abby could see it now. Henry would provide Richard with free dental work in exchange for new hair. The results could be newsworthy—for the
National Enquirer,
anyway. Lucy started to fret, putting Abby on instant alert.

“Don’t you do that, ah... Lucy.” She quickly scanned the small park. Where was that woman? “Your mommy will be back for you any minute.”

Of course Lucy didn’t understand anything Abby said. Her lower lip jutted out and huge tears rolled down her plump little cheeks. Any minute now a wail that would alert everyone for miles to Abby’s lack of skill with children would burst from that toothless little mouth.

What could she do? Bounce her! Abby had seen people do it before. Bouncing, that was the ticket, she thought with relief as she began an up and down motion.

Apparently Abby’s bouncing technique left a lot to be desired. Lucy belted out a wail that rattled Abby’s teeth.

Oh God, she cringed. In about two seconds everyone in the park would be looking at her and Lucy’s mother would come running, demanding to know what Abby had done to her child. She squeezed her eyes shut against the vivid mental image.

“Hey now, little lady, what’s all the fuss?”

The sound of Matthew’s voice snapped her eyes open. He scooped the baby out of Abby’s desperate clutches and lifted her into his own strong arms. He cooed and spoke gibberish until Lucy’s tears dried. Mesmerized, both Abby and the baby stared at him.

How did he do that?

Abby knew without a doubt that she had never seen anything as beautiful as Matthew Stone sweet-talking a baby. His shirt clung to his body, contouring to every muscle. Her body reacted instantly, suddenly humming with desire.

Little Lucy and Matthew had the same blondish brown hair. With their heads together, it would have been easy to mistake Matthew for the father of this child. Abby’s chest tightened. The future suddenly flashed before her eyes. Matthew would have a wife and kids someday. That’s what he wanted, and he would have it. Beautiful little babies with sky blue eyes.

What woman in her right mind wouldn’t want him? Wouldn’t love to have his children?

Abby swallowed. Anyone but her. That wasn’t her future. Her future was mapped out on a bulletin board in her home office. These people—Abby surveyed the small, crowded park—this place was not for her.

She mentally ticked off the things she really needed in this life. Her career. Food and sleep as required.

She didn’t need Matthew Stone.

She didn’t need this little town.

And she sure as hell didn’t need these people.

As if to refute her claim, Jenny smiled and waved from the swings where she was taking turns pushing Chris and Carlee. Matt Hugh was bickering with Reverend Allgood over the barbeque grill and which of them was actually in charge of the steaks. Richard appeared to be giving Henry an on-site demonstration of scalp cream under Martha’s careful supervision.

Abby’s vision blurred. Her gaze moved back to the man standing in front of her entertaining the baby. Her throat constricted at the thought of how she felt when they made love. And for the first time in her life, Abby could have sworn she heard the faint sound of a ticking clock.

~*~

Abby definitely needed her head examined.

She’d actually cried today. Sought refuge in the park’s restroom and cried like a baby.

Hormones. It had to be hormones. According to her birth control disc, her period was due next week.

PMS.

That had to be it.

But she still needed her head examined.

And she needed mayonnaise. Abby tossed the ham and bread onto the kitchen table and retraced her steps to the refrigerator. She grabbed the mayonnaise.

What else did she need?

A new heart.
The old one was breaking.

“Dammit, Abby,” she muttered. “This is not happening.”

She forced herself to focus on the contents of the refrigerator. Lettuce and tomato. Yes, that would do it. After depositing the rest of her sandwich fixings on the table, she twisted the mayonnaise lid with all her might. It wouldn’t budge.

She swore, then sighed and tried again to open the stubborn jar. Good thing the reverend wasn’t within earshot.

“Need some help?” Matthew grinned at her disgruntled expression as he reached for the jar.

“What did you tighten it with, a pipe wrench?” She frowned when he opened the jar with ease.

“Just had to put a little muscle into it, that’s all.” He sat the open jar on the table next to her.

“Yeah, right.” She forced her attention to the table—away from him. She didn’t want to look at him and she didn’t want him this close.

Up close, Matthew Stone was dangerous... to her heart.

“Didn’t you eat at the reunion?” he quizzed, humor in his deep voice. The slow, sexy sound of it made her skin tingle.

“No,” she said curtly, making a production of arranging her sandwich makings. “I wasn’t hungry then.” The truth of the matter was, she’d lost her appetite. She wasn’t sure she could eat now.

“You know, I couldn’t keep my eyes off that dress today.” Matthew twirled a strand of Abby’s hair between his fingers. “You should have warned me that your wardrobe produced these kinds of side effects,” he murmured close to her ear.

A shiver racing down her spine, Abby drew away from him. She couldn’t do this. Couldn’t allow herself to feel it. “I’m sorry I made you uncomfortable,” she said without looking at him. If she looked it would be all over.

He dragged her hair away from the back of her neck and kissed her in that most sensitive spot. “I’m not complaining,” he said between tenderly sensual kisses.

Sensations flooding her traitorous body, she turned to face him, determined to tell him in no uncertain terms that what had happened that morning wasn’t going to happen again.

He smiled down at her and Abby’s heart lurched. “I can’t even look at you without wanting you,” he said softly, as he traced the outline of her jaw with the tip of one long finger. “It’s going to be lonely around here without you.”

Abby managed a smile. “Maybe someone will come over and keep you company,” she said wanly. The thought filled her with such anguish that her heart twisted painfully in her chest. She didn’t want anyone else keeping him company.

Matthew bent his head and nipped her lower lip, stealing her breath. “Not just anyone will do for what I have in mind.”

Unable to help herself, she pressed her forehead to his chin and slid her arms around his lean waist. “What did you have in mind?” she whispered. Slowly, she pulled his shirt from his jeans. The sound of his sharply indrawn breath when her hands found his bare chest kindled the desire she’d tried so hard to deny. The feel of his skin beneath her palms made her weak with want. This might be her last chance to be with Matthew. How could she deny herself—deny him—this one last time together?

“That’s a very good start, Miss Wade.” Matthew tilted her chin up, then dipped his finger in the open mayonnaise jar and spread a dab of the creamy white stuff over her lips. He moved in closer, wedging her body between his and the table. “A very, very good start.” Slowly, sensually his tongue traced her lips, removing the taste of mayonnaise and leaving behind the unique taste of Matthew.

Past the point of no return now, Abby slowly, one by one, released the buttons of his shirt. She pushed the soft cotton off his broad shoulders, then down his strong arms. He blazed a path of heated kisses down her neck and across her shoulder, then pushed the flimsy straps of her silk sundress down, exposing her unrestrained breasts. Warmth filled her and her earlier doubts dissolved as his tongue laved her erect nipples. Abby planted a desperate kiss on the top of Matthew’s head. She would never learn to numb her body against his touch. He swept the sandwich fixings aside with one stroke of his arm, then, he lifted Abby and positioned her on the edge of the smooth, oak table. All the while his hot mouth moved over hers, devouring and plundering.

He parted her thighs and pushed the skirt of her dress to her waist. Abby gasped as his right hand slid up her thigh and found her panties. Moving beyond the thin fabric barrier, he gently parted her feminine folds and slipped one finger inside to explore the moist, aching heat.

Need and desire detonated into a thousand brilliant sparks inside her. She wanted him—needed him—desperately.
How would she ever survive without him?
She unzipped his jeans, grasped his hard, throbbing sex and freed him from his jeans. Her breath caught as he sheathed himself deeply inside her, filling her so completely that nothing else mattered. She kissed him as if it might be the last time she would ever have a chance. Very soon she had to go, but today she would make love to Matthew Stone with all her heart.

“Abby.” Matthew’s gaze found hers. The look that passed between them said many things, but none of the promises they both knew they could not make. She pulled his mouth to hers and kissed him with a fierceness she felt certain would give away the desperation filling her heart. Somehow she knew that when her time with Matthew ended, no one would ever be able to make her feel this way again. She wanted this moment... the memory of this closeness with him to last forever—no matter what it cost her.

And it would cost her everything.

With extraordinary tenderness, Matthew eased her back onto the table and began to move slowly inside her. With each slow, deep thrust he kissed her more thoroughly. She inhaled the smell of his skin and the scent of their lovemaking. Her senses absorbed every detail, each new element heightening the fiery, thrilling response within her. Abby couldn’t control the need to call out his name. Matthew responded instantly, bringing her to the pinnacle with such driving force that they came together.