Page 18 of Satisfied
“Finally!” She laughs and drops her hands from her face, and the tension leaves my body like a popped balloon when her jaw drops. My eyes stay on hers as she silently looks around the room, a stunned expression on her face.
I tried to recreate her ideal date. I’d overheard her telling her friend Cara about it at the shelter. It was just mentionedin passing, and I don’t imagine she thought anyone was paying attention, but I was.
I’m always paying attention to her. I can’t help it.
“Jesus, Ransom,” she whispers, and my eyes follow hers to the vibrant red roses tastefully arranged around the living space, their velvety petals a stark contrast to the delicate baby’s breath. Above us, the projector casts a swirling night sky onto the ceiling, a canopy of stars I hoped would make her feel as though we’re the only two people in the universe. My heart does a little dance as I watch her take it all in. The soft glow of the electric candles casts a warm light on her face, and I watch as the surprise slowly melts into a smile.
I cleared the living room and spread soft blankets on the floor. A picnic basket sits beside them, a chilled bottle of white wine waiting to be poured into the two glasses. From the makeshift night sky on the ceiling, the soft blankets, and the picnic basket and flowers, I wanted her to feel cherished after everything she’s been through.
“Do you like it?”
Abby turns to look at me, those blue-gray eyes stealing my breath right out of my lungs. “I…I can’t believe you did all this for me.” She sniffs, her eyes welling up with tears. “A picnic, under the stars.” She laughs even as the tears fall.
“I know just how hard it is for you to feel safe outside, so I wanted to bring the stars to you.” I watch her anxiously. “You like it?”
She laughs, the sound raw. “Are you kidding me?” I watch as she spins around and fingers the roses in a vase near the entrance. “I love it. I’ve never seen anything… God, I can’t even think right now. I’m speechless.”
I step up behind her and help her out of her jacket before reaching down for her hand, my fingers intertwining with hers. Her skin is soft, and her grip tightens on mine as I walk herto the center of the room and gently guide her to the blankets. We settle in, surrounded by the soft glow of the candles and the sweet scent of the flowers.
“Are you hungry?” I ask, opening the basket. She laughs when I reveal a selection of gourmet cheeses, crackers, and some fresh fruit, but I take out the chocolate-covered strawberries first and offer her one. Her eyes twinkle in the light as she leans in and takes a bite.
“Why?” she asks, before taking another bite. “Why me?”
I toss the last bite of the strawberry into my mouth as I reach for the wine, slowly pouring it into the glasses. “Because no one deserves it more than you do.”
“Do you…um, feel sorry for me because of what happened?”
Her question should offend me. That she would worry my feelings for her are only out of pity, but I mull over it and consider her concerns. “I do feel sorry for what happened to you, and I want to make sure it doesn’t happen again, but it’s the other way around.”
She accepts the wine I offer and takes a sip. I watch pleasure flood her eyes at the taste. “What do you mean?” she asks, shifting her eyes back to mine.
“My feelings don’t stem from pity,” I say, reaching out and brushing my thumb over her cheek. “I feel sorry and angry about the situation you’re inbecauseI have feelings for you. This urge to hunt everyone who hurt you is because of how deeply my feelings run for you.”
“Okay,” she says after a moment, smiling as she brings the glass to her lips and takes another sip before placing it on a side table. She falls onto her back on the pillows and stares up at the ceiling and the makeshift night sky. I set my wine aside and join her.
“You can hardly see the stars anymore unless you travel to the countryside,” she whispers, reaching into the space between us and taking my hand before bringing it to her chest and holding it there. “I love living in the city, but sometimes it gets too loud and bright and chaotic. But…” I feel her turn beside me so I mirror the move until we’re staring at each other. “It’s not loud or bright or chaotic in here. It’s never been anything but quiet and peaceful when I’m with you.”
“Abby—”
“I want you to take me,” she whispers, shuffling closer until our noses are touching and we’re practically breathing the same air. “I know you’ve been holding back for days because of what I said about waiting until marriage, but that was just because I was putting Jake off, knowing deep down I didn’t really want to be with him.” She releases my hand to finger the buttons on my shirt, popping the first. “If it’s with you, then I don’t want to wait anymore.”
“I don’t mind waiting—”
“I do,” she whispers, brushing her lips along my chin, trailing them up my jaw as her fingers tug at my buttons, slowly stripping at my defenses and leaving whatever control I pride myself in having torn to shreds. “I want to do this, as long as it’s with you.”
I lean back and reach up to grasp her chin. “Are you sure about this?”
“Yes,” she whispers, nodding for good measure. “I’ve never been more sure of anything in my entire life.”
My mouth is on hers the second the words leave her lips, and then I’m kissing her sweet mouth, getting drunk off the wine on her tongue. My need for her clamps down on me with such force, it threatens to destroy me if I don’t touch her. Mark her as mine.
My mouth is locked on hers as I roll her onto her back and climb over her, flattening her on the blanket, my hands hungry and seeking as I slide them under her dress to caress the smooth skin under it. The need to have her claws at my chest, and I feel like I’ll die if I don’t take her this very moment. She moans into the kiss as I caress a path up her body, stopping short of grabbing her panties when I realize that my hand is shaking.
“Fuck!” I manage, tearing my mouth from hers and pushing back to stare down at her. Her lips are wet and a little swollen. Those beautiful eyes are dazed as they stare up trustingly at me.
“I’m sorry,” I breathe, closing my eyes and dropping my forehead against hers in an attempt to regain some semblance of control. This is her first time, and I’m about to jump her like a sex-deprived maniac who’s never touched a woman his entire life.
It seems I overestimated how strong I am when it comes to controlling my lust around Abby. I need her more than my next breath…more than life itself.
