GansettAfterDarkKobo Read online

  The engagement party broke up shortly after the guests of honor left in an ambulance. Kara’s parents had tried in vain to salvage the festivities but gave up when it became clear the party was over. After saying good-bye to their family and friends, Adam extended his hand to Abby to walk the short distance to the house they rented from Janey.

  “That, right there, is why we should never have an engagement party,” Adam said as they navigated the crowded downtown, which was overrun with tourists late on that sunny Sunday afternoon.

  Abby had no idea what to say to his joking comment. She’d had reason to wonder if they’d ever have an engagement, let alone a party. At times, she feared she’d made another mistake by moving in with him before they were married. Since she was right there, at his disposal, what reason did he have to want to move things forward? If her father said one more word about cows and milk in regard to her and Adam, she’d never speak to him again.

  The sad part, if you wanted to call it sad, was that she’d never been happier in her life. Adam was everything she’d ever wanted—and their relationship was light years better than the ones she’d had with his brother Grant and her ex-fiancé, Cal. Adam understood her on a deep, intense level that had created an indelible bond between them.

  And the sex continued to be a revelation. All of which had her wondering whether he had any plans at all to take the next step with her.

  “Hello? Anyone in there?”

  Abby realized she’d zoned out on him. “Sorry. What were you saying?”

  “I was making jokes about why we’ll never have an engagement party.”

  She glanced over at him, slayed as always by the wavy dark hair, the glasses that made him look like a smart, sexy nerd, the sardonic little smile and the light dusting of stubble on his cheeks that made for one incredibly sexy package.

  He bumped her hip with his. “What’s the matter?”

  “Nothing. Just thinking.”

  “About?”

  “Dan and Kara, and Jim with the knife, and how I hope Dan’s okay. He’s just finally back to normal after what happened on the sailboat, and now this.”

  “Is that all you were thinking about?”

  “Yeah, I guess.”

  “You guess. So you don’t really know what you were thinking about?”

  His persistence had her looking over at him again. “Why do you want to know so badly?”

  He surprised her when he led her across the street to a bench that overlooked the ferry landing below. “Sit.”

  “Okay…”

  Adam sat next to her, turning to face her. “Talk.”

  “What do you want me to say?”

  “I want you to tell me why you went all quiet on me when I made a joke about our engagement party.”

  “You need me to tell you why? Really?” The comment was testier than she’d intended, but honestly, how obtuse could he be?

  “Yeah, I guess I do.”

  “For someone so smart, you can be rather dense at times.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “Nothing. Never mind.”

  “Abby… Come on. This isn’t how we roll. We air it out. Don’t we?”

  She wanted to be cool and calm and collected, but this was too important, and she’d already been burned twice before by long romances that didn’t work out in the end. If that happened this time…

  “Baby, why are you crying?”

  Abby hated herself for the tears that came despite her ardent desire to be unemotional and pragmatic about broaching this subject with him. She forced herself to look at the face she loved above all others. “I want to get married, Adam,” she said softly, “and we never, ever talk about that. Which leads me to wonder if that’s what you want, too.”

  “It is what I want.”

  “Then what’re we waiting for?”

  “The right moment.”

  “For what?”

  “For this.” Before she knew it, he was on his knees in front of her. “Abigail Callahan, I love you more than anything in this world. You’ve changed my life in every possible way, and I want to be with you forever. Will you do me the great honor of becoming my wife?”

  She was crying so hard that she could barely hear him over the sound of her own sobs, but his words registered just the same, as did the slide of the ring over the third finger on her left hand.

  “Where… What… How long…”

  “On the mainland, two carats and about three months ago now. Any other questions before you answer mine?”

  She gazed down at him and then at the exquisite ring and shook her head.

  “You aren’t saying no, are you?”

  “I’m not saying no.” She cupped his cheek and leaned in to kiss him. “I’m definitely not saying no.”

  “A double negative is hardly what a guy is looking for when he asks the most important question of his life.”

  “How about a triple positive, then? Yes.” She kissed him. “Yes.” She kissed him again. “Yes.” She kissed him a third time and stayed there when his arm encircled her neck, keeping her trapped against him.

  “I like triple positives,” he said, coming up for air after kids walking by on the street yelled at them to get a room.

  “Did you say that about engagement parties on purpose?”

  “Maybe. I’ve been waiting for an opening.”

  “I’ve always been open to this conversation. Since the day you told me you were moving back here permanently.” She paused, needing to ask him something but unsure of how she should put it. “Adam?”

  He rejoined her on the bench. “Yes?”

  “We’re going to actually get married, right?”

  “Of course we are,” he said, laughing. “Why would you ask me that?”

  “I don’t have the best track record when it comes to making the close.”

  He waggled his brows. “You have a very good track record for making the close with me.”

  “I’m not talking about sex.”

  “I know you’re not, honey, and I’m well aware of what you’ve been through in the past. And you know what’s happened to me. I think it’s safe to say we both want to see this through to the finish line. I know I do.”

  “So do I. I can’t wait to be married to you.”

  He propped his sexy glasses on the top of his head and leaned in to kiss her again.

  “Don’t you guys have your own house?” a female voice behind them asked.

  Abby looked up to see Owen and Laura walking toward them, holding hands. Abby held up her left hand. “Big news, and you’re the first to know!”

  Laura let out a shriek and came over for a closer look at Abby’s ring. “It’s gorgeous! Congratulations, you guys.” She hugged Abby and then her cousin. “Nice job on the ring, Adam.”

  “Why, thank you.”

  Owen shook Adam’s hand. “Congrats, man. Happy for you.”

  “Thanks.”

  “We’ll leave you to celebrate in private,” Laura said, taking Owen’s hand and giving a gentle tug. But before she walked away, she gave Abby one more squeeze. “So happy for you. I know you really wanted this.”

  “Thanks, Laura.”

  “We’re going to be cousins!”

  Abby laughed at Laura’s delight and waved as they headed off toward the Surf.

  “What do you say we go home and celebrate this momentous occasion?”

  “I would like to celebrate, but not the way you have in mind. Until later, anyway,” she said with a giggle at his distressed expression.

  “What do you have in mind?”

  She took his hand and turned it so the palm was faceup, drawing a line across the inside of his wrist. “I would like for both of us to get today’s date tattooed right here, so we’ll never forget it. And then when we get married, we’ll put our wedding date on the other wrist.”

  His smile stretched across his face as he shook his head.

  “No?” she asked shyly, uncertain of what
he was thinking.

  “I love the idea, and I love that my sweet, gentle girl has an inner wild child. I want to see plenty of her after we’re married, okay?”

  “Okay.” When he leaned in to kiss her, she met him halfway. “So that’s yes to the tattoos?”

  “That’s yes to the tattoos. It’s yes to everything.”

  Chapter 18

  “I’m so happy for Adam and Abby!” Laura said as she walked along the sidewalk with Owen’s arm draped across her shoulders. His mother had chosen to sit out the engagement party, preferring to stay home with Holden so they could have some time to themselves.

  “They’re great together. I’m happy for them, too.”

  “She’s been really wanting this. She’s never actually said so, but I can just tell by the look on her face when everyone is talking about weddings and husbands and babies that she wanted in on it all.”

  “It’s nice to see good people get what they want.”

  “Yes, it is.”

  Though he was participating in the conversation and had done the same with their friends at the party, he was distracted and distant and not fully present. “Want to take a walk on the beach? I’m sure your mom won’t mind a little more time with Holden.”

  “If you want.”

  She stopped walking and turned to him. “I’m asking if you want to.”

  “I’d rather take a nap than a walk.”

  Now that sounded like the Owen she knew and loved. “Is that so?” she asked, smiling up at him.

  His gaze took a greedy, hungry journey over her face as he nodded.

  Holding his hand, Laura went up the stairs and into the lobby, where they greeted the young woman working at the reception desk on the way upstairs to their apartment. She released him only so he could use his key in the door. Inside, they found a note from Sarah that said she and Charlie had taken Holden to Charlie’s house for a couple of hours and would be back after dinner.

  “Have I mentioned how much I adore your mother?” Laura asked.

  “A few times.”

  “Never more so than right now.”

  “Is that right?”

  “Uh-huh.” She unbuttoned the dress shirt he’d worn in deference to the location of the party at one of the fancier venues on the island. Pulling the shirttails from the waistband of his khakis, she pushed it over his broad shoulders and tugged it down his arms until it was on the floor behind him. Next, she unbuckled his belt and unbuttoned his pants.

  The whole time, he kept his hands by his sides, waiting and watching her undress him.

  “What’s on your mind, love?” she asked.

  “Not a single thing besides wondering what Laura is up to.”

  She laughed softly, charmed by his reply and the effort he was making to connect with her despite the burden of his thoughts and worries. She peppered his belly with kisses, nuzzling the trail of golden-blond hair that led into his pants. Unzipping him, she worked slowly and carefully around the huge bulge. He held his breath, waiting to see what she would do next.

  Working her hands into the back of his pants, she pushed them down over his hips and then rubbed her nose and lips over his cock through the soft cotton of his boxer briefs.

  He gasped and clutched handfuls of her hair. “Laura… Come here.”

  “Not yet.”

  Still on her knees in front of him, she eased his underwear slowly over the straining tip of his cock, letting the elastic rest halfway down his shaft. Then she ran her tongue over the area she’d exposed while cupping his balls through the cloth.

  His breathing became choppy and erratic as she teased him with her tongue and lips, focusing only on the wide head.

  “Babe,” he said on a gasp. “Are you trying to make me lose my mind here?”

  Knowing he was now thinking only of the pleasure and not of the many other things that had been weighing so heavily on him for the last few weeks, she kept up the erotic torture. Sliding her free hand around him, she cupped one of his tight, round cheeks and squeezed.

  “God, Laura,” he moaned. “You’re killing me.”

  “Relax and enjoy.”

  “Right… Relax? Not bloody likely. Enjoy? Hell yes.”

  Smiling, she pulled his underwear the rest of the way down and wrapped her hand around the base as she sealed her lips over the tip and sucked. She dipped her tongue into the slit at the top and ran it back and forth while stroking with her hand. He was far too big for her to take more than a few inches into her mouth, so she did what she could while continuing to knead his backside.

  “Feels so good,” he whispered.

  She looked up to find him gazing down at her, his eyes heated with desire and passion. In them she saw none of the torture that had been so prevalent over the last few difficult weeks. She saw only the pleasure.

  “Come here, Princess. Let’s do this together.”

  Without releasing him, she shook her head. Though her own sex tingled with need, she loved knowing she was thoroughly distracting him. His thighs tightened and quivered, and his cock got even larger in her mouth, stretching her lips to their limit. When she pulled back to readjust, he pounced, lifting her from the floor into his strong arms, devouring her mouth with his lips and tongue. They landed on the bed in a tangle of arms and legs without losing the kiss.

  He was careful, as always, not to put too much weight on her abdomen, but his hands were all over her, lifting her dress and breaking the kiss only to pull it over her head. Her bra was next, followed by the matching panties, a set she’d bought from Tiffany.

  “You are so beautiful,” he whispered as he tongued her nipple until it was standing up tall. “Sometimes I still can’t believe that I can hold you and touch you this way any time I want to.”

  “Any time, Owen. I always want you.”

  With his hand on her face, he brushed back her hair and kissed her again, softer this time but with no less urgency. He broke the kiss and raised himself up so he was above her, kissing a fiery path down the front of her. “You know what they say about payback, don’t you?”

  Laura let her nervous laugh speak for her as he propped her legs on his wide shoulders and used his fingers to open her to his tongue. She was so ready, so primed, that all it took was a few concentrated strokes of his tongue to trigger her orgasm. He extended it by sliding two fingers into her, connecting with the place inside that set off another wave of intense pleasure.

  Before she could come down from the incredible high, he aligned his cock with her entrance and pushed into her, moving slowly, giving her time to adjust and accommodate him. She liked to tease him about getting more than his share, but she loved the way he felt inside her.

  “Easy, babe,” he whispered as he rocked against her. “Nice and easy. You can do it. You can take me.” Bending his head, he laved her nipple, sending a bolt of heat to where they were joined. “That’s it. Let me in so I can love you.”

  His words were almost as potent as the tight squeeze of his hard flesh, and then he added the press of his thumb against her clit, and Laura came again, drawing a deep groan from him as she clutched him from within.

  “Christ,” he whispered on a gasp as he surged into her, riding the waves of her release to gain entry. Once he was fully seated, he stayed still, letting her catch her breath. “Every damned time.”

  “What?” she asked when she could speak.

  Holding himself up on his elbows, he cupped her shoulders and held her as close to him as he could get her without squeezing the part of her where their babies rested. “You freaking ruin me every damned time.”

  She pushed the shaggy blond hair back from his forehead. “I ruin you? Let’s talk about what you do to me.”

  “Tell me what I do to you.”

  “First of all, you make it so I can’t walk properly for days afterward.”

  “That’s not true.” He raised her legs one at a time until they were wrapped around his hips. When he had her arranged the way he wanted her, he
retreated slightly before advancing again, drawing a keening moan from her as she arched into him.

  “It is true, but I love it. I love that I can feel you inside me long after we make love.”

  “You can? Really?”

  She nodded.

  “You’ve never told me that before.”

  “Hours later, I can still feel you, and everything is still pulsing and quivering.” As if to make her point, she contracted around him, making him groan. “It feels like mini-orgasms that go on and on.”

  “God, I love it when you talk dirty to me. Tell me more.”

  She laughed at his playful commentary, thrilled and relieved to see him relaxed and fully involved in what they were doing. “I love how big you are.”

  He snorted with laughter. “Now you’re just lying to me.”

  “No, I’m not. I do love it. I don’t love that it takes me forever to let you in, but I love the way you feel when we get there and I’m totally impaled by you.”

  He growled against her neck, nibbling and sucking on her skin as he rocked deeper into her. “You’re going to make me come just from listening to you.”

  “I love the way you hold me and kiss me. I love the way you smell and the way your cute butt flexes when you make love to me.” She sent her hands down his back to squeeze his cheeks, which sent him surging into her. “And I absolutely love when you lose control and really let go.”

  “I’m always afraid to do that. I don’t want to hurt you.”

  “You won’t. You couldn’t.”

  “But the babies…”

  “Are fine.” She lifted her hips, daring him to give her what she most wanted. “Please, Owen…”

  “Tell me what you want.”

  “You know!”

  “Say it.”

  “I want you to make love to me.”

  “Oh so polite, Princess. Say what you really want.”

  Her entire body was on fire for him, with every pressure point throbbing and tingling. “I can’t.”

  “Then I’m afraid I can’t help you.”

  “Owen!”

  His soft chuckle made her smile, but her smile quickly faded when she realized he was withdrawing from her.