Page 90 of Until I Have You

Bonnie screams out and spins, her dress splaying out in all directions.

I pull her back toward me, and she lands with a thud against my belly.“All right, I think it’s time for a break, don’t you, love?Go have some sweets or something?”

Bonnie bounces on her tiptoes.“Let’s dance with Abigail!”

“What?”

“I’ll go get her!”

Before I can react, Bonnie darts through the guests and off the dance floor.She must have some sort of Abigail sensor, because she spots her almost immediately and runs in her direction.

To my chagrin, she’s standing with Edwin.He seems to be circling whenever I see her.Perhaps it’s a plan to keep us both honest, to which I say, “Smart girl.”

And also, “Bugger that.”

I’ve been keeping my distance.Staying far away.Ignoring the burn inside me.It was too close a call last night to try and cross the line again.However, when Bonnie is involved, being around Abigailisless suspect.

I wind through people, making apologies for my overzealous daughter, and go over to where Bonnie has cornered Abigail across the beach.

The sunset plays overhead, plenty of pinks and oranges coating the sky, paling in beauty compared to Abigail.

It is not fair, I think.That I have been forced all afternoon and evening to watch Abigail from afar in her flowing, gray blue gown.The fabric cascades down her figure, cradling her hips and breasts the way I’d like to with my hands.

The entire time since I’ve arrived in Florida, I’ve wished I was back in the UK.Or New York.At least then Abigail wasn’t close.Here, she is close, and I cannot have her but in fleeting moments.

When I reach them, Bonnie is tugging on Abigail’s hand.“Come dance, come dance, come dance!”

“This song is kind of slow!Let’s wait for a fun one,” Abigail replies.

“Please!Please, please, please!”

“Bonnie, you know what we have to do when people say no.”I give her a stern look.

Edwin chuckles behind his hand.“Kids.”

Bonnie looks up at me with a furrowed brow and instead of giving me my answer like I expect, she grabs my hand and places it in Abigail’s.“You two dance!”

My mouth falls open.“Oh!”

Abigail’s hand flinches out of mine.“Bonnie, I promise, later, we’ll dance la–”

“No, you two go.No need to upset the queen,” Edwin says with a wink in my direction.

God, is he really so oblivious that he’s pushing Abigail and me together without even realizing?

“Bonnie, how about you and I go check out the chocolate fountain?”Edwin asks Bonnie.

She waves her hands in the air excitedly.“Yes,please!”

Edwin takes her hand with a broad grin.“What do you think, Dory?We’ll trade for a little bit, hm?”

If only he knew how sick that makes me feel.“A little bit.”

Bonnie skips off, tugging Edwin along, leaving Abigail and me in a silence only interrupted by the melodic voice of Eric Clapton.

“Well, we shouldn’t disappoint him, should we?”I offer my hand again.

Abigail eyes my hand.“I suppose not.”

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