Someone Like You (17 page)

“Abby McCord, this is my sister, Tess.” Pierce introduced them even as he reached out to stroke the dog's back again.

“It's nice to meet you,” Abby said with a friendly smile. She quickly took in Tess's high cheekbones, full mouth, long, curly, brown hair, and brilliant blue eyes—astonishingly beautiful, and features so similar to Pierce's they could have been twins. Tess was tall, had to be five-ten easy. Her long, thin arms and legs rivaled those of runway models. But the willowy beauty's bright eyes sparked with obvious intelligence. Christ, the whole package was intimidating. “Pierce talks about you a lot,” Abby said. “He adores you.”

“And I adore him, too.” Tess grinned at her brother, then freed a hand to shake Abby's. “Pleasure to meet you, Abby. Please come in.”

The three of them went farther into the house. Abby marveled at the decor: tasteful and elegant, with warm, earthy colors and textures. Pierce had been right; despite the size of the house, and the obvious wealth reflected in the impeccably chosen pieces, it felt welcoming. He placed his hand at the small of Abby's back to usher her into the living room. She felt a little thrill at the intimacy of the gesture.

“Did the food get here yet?” he asked his sister.

“Yup, maybe five minutes ago,” Tess said. “Your timing is perfect. It's all in the kitchen. I didn't know where you wanted to have dinner, inside or out back, or I would've set a table for you.”

“Not necessary, Tessie. I got this. But thank you.” Pierce flashed his sister an appreciative smile. “I think we're going to eat outside. Won't be able to do it much longer, once fall kicks in, so why not.”

“Absolutely,” Tess agreed. “Beers and white wines are in the kitchen fridge, but if you want red, they're in the basement, in the wine rack. Take whatever you want.” She moved to the edge of the room and slipped her feet into red flip-flops. “I'll be going in a minute. Just let me get my things.” With a smile, she strode from the room, Bubbles yipping at her heels.

“God, Pierce,” Abby whispered, “she is seriously gorgeous. Yeesh.”

“Yeah, she is,” Pierce agreed. “She looks just like our mother did at her age, except much taller. The tall gene comes from the Harrison side.”

Something occurred to Abby and her eyes flew wide. “Wait a minute. She's leaving. Like, we're having our date here, so we're making her leave her own house?”

He flashed a grin. “No! Look, I'm staying here. This is my home base for now. When I told her I wanted to have you over here,
she's
the one who volunteered to get scarce.”

Abby groaned in distress. “Now I feel like a slut on top of a jerk.”

“What? No, no, don't.” His hands ran gently up and down her arms. “She's just walking across the yard to the main house. She's having dinner with our father and has one of sixteen bedrooms to stay in. Believe me, it's no hardship. It's fine. She's brill.”

“I love when you use British slang,” Tess announced as she swept back in. “Like most Americans have a clue what you mean half the time. You're not in England anymore, sweetie.”

Pierce chuckled and nodded in slow agreement. “You're right. Sorry.” He told Abby, “I meant like, awesome. Brill is short for brilliant.”

“He's right. I am.” Tess grinned mischievously.

He stepped back from Abby and slung his arm around Tess's shoulders as he stage-whispered, “Abby's horrified because she thinks I threw you out of your own home. Tell her it's not true.”

The blush started on Abby's chest and rose into her face.

Tess shook her head and lightly punched her brother in the arm.

“Hey!” he yelped.

“Don't embarrass her, you dope.”

“I didn't mean to!” he protested, rubbing his arm. “Abby, I—”

Cutting him off, Tess looked at Abby and said, “He's staying here, and I want him to be able to have privacy whenever he needs it. I'm just going to my dad's, it's fine! You're not throwing me out. I'm leaving of my own accord.”

Abby choked out a laugh. “Um . . . that's very nice of you.”

Tess waved a dismissive hand. “Go eat your dinner, enjoy yourselves.”

“Right.” Pierce looked at Abby and raked a hand through his dark hair, tousling it further. Abby loved his hair. She loved running her fingers through it. “I'm going to quickly set up dinner out back. You stay here, okay? Give me two minutes.”

“Um, sure,” Abby said. “Okay.”

“I'll keep her company while you do that,” Tess said.

Pierce cast his sister a long glance, one brow lifting curiously, before heading to the kitchen. Bubbles barked and followed him.

“Sit down, please,” Tess said, motioning to her huge, lush couch. “Make yourself comfortable.”

Abby sat on one end and Tess sat at the other, tucking her long legs beneath her.

“So . . .” Tess started with an amiable smile.

“I can't get over how much you and Pierce look alike,” Abby blurted out, trying to make small talk. She cringed inside; she must've sounded like an idiot.

“We do,” Tess agreed. “We all look like our mother. She came from a strong gene pool, I guess.” Bubbles trotted back in and hopped up into her lap. With a smile and some cooing, Tess stroked Bubbles lovingly. Then she fixed Abby with a look and said, “Pierce really likes you, you know.”

Abby blinked and felt her cheeks warm. “I . . . don't know what to say to that.”

“You don't have to say anything. I'm just telling you, in case you were unsure.” Tess's eyes sparkled as her grin widened. “He wanted me to meet you. He's never introduced me to anyone he's dated, Abby.
Ever.
So yeah, it's kind of a big deal. I'm happy to vacate.” She continued to pet her dog, but her eyes stayed on her guest. “Whatever you may have read about him on the Web, don't believe most of it. Did he party too much in his twenties? Absolutely. Were there a lot of women? Yeah, but he doesn't do that anymore. The bad boy thing? Most of it's bluster. It's a front.” Her eyes pinned Abby and she leaned in a drop. “I know him better than just about anyone. He's got a heart of gold. He just doesn't show it to many people.”

Abby only nodded. Taken off guard, she felt foolish and at a loss for words.

As Tess studied her, her head cocked to the side a little, the same way Pierce's did when he contemplated something. “He's gone through a lot lately,” Tess said quietly. “And he's changed. He really has. I've seen proof of it in the short time he's been here. So . . . give him a chance to show you his heart of gold. It's there, under all the scar tissue.” Her gaze and smile softened. “I'm not saying my brother's perfect. No one is. But he's so worth taking a chance on. I promise.”

Abby nodded again, blindsided by Tess's open and surprising words. She had no idea what to say. But not wanting to seem careless or brainless, she finally said, “I like him too. More than I should.”

Tess's smile morphed into a smirk. “He's hard not to like.”

“That's funny,” Abby said. “He said the same exact words about you.”

“What'd I say?” Pierce came back into the living room, a glass of golden liquid in each hand.

“That you adore your sister,” Abby said, looking up to him.

“That's a given.” He gave one glass to Abby and said, “Thanks again, Tessie.”

“Have a lovely night, you two,” Tess said with a smile. She scooped the dog gently to the floor and got to her feet. “I'm going to take Miss Bubbles here for a walk, then go up to the house.” She stood on tiptoe to hug her brother. She whispered something to him. He hugged her tighter and whispered back.

“It was really nice to meet you,” Tess said as she turned to smile at Abby. “I hope I'll see you again.”

“You will,” Pierce said.

Abby felt a jolt at his words, but said, “It was really nice to meet you, too. And . . . thanks.”

“My pleasure.” Tess crossed the room to retrieve a long dog leash from the end table drawer and called out, “Let's go, Bubbles! Time for a walk! Come on, now.”

Like a snowball thrown through the air, the dog rushed back into the living room in a white blur, yipping happily. Tess bent to quickly attach the leash to Bubbles's collar, smiled once more at the couple, and made her exit.

Anticipation started to hum softly through Abby's veins. She met his gaze, saw the spark of promise there, and her heart began to beat a little faster. “Well, it was lovely to meet your famous Tess. She's intimidating, but she's sweet.”

“Intimidating, really?” Pierce asked. “How so?”

“Um, hello, she's like a six-foot-tall gorgeous Amazon princess warrior,” Abby said. “With obvious brains in her head. She's so
together.
”

“Yeah, she's all those things. Five-foot-ten, though, not six feet.”

“And she loves you.”

“She has excellent taste.” Still holding his glass of wine, Pierce's grin widened as he gestured. “Come with me.”

He led her through the kitchen, which was modern and stunning and made Abby want to explore every inch of it, to sliding glass doors that led outside. Lights cast a glow over the backyard. Tall, thick bushes lined the yard, which included an in-ground pool and a long glass table with seating for eight. On the table, Pierce had arranged two place settings, lit some candles, and spread out what looked like an exorbitant amount of sushi.

“You did all this?” she breathed. It was romantic and lovely and again he'd surprised her with his thoughtfulness. If he was playing her and this was all an act, he was putting a hell of a lot of effort into it.

“Yeah, I did,” he said. “I wanted it to be nice for you, since I asked you to dress up but didn't take you out to some fancy restaurant.”

Abby's heart fluttered, and her insides went warm and liquid. She turned to him, careful not to spill the Riesling in her glass, and put her other hand on his chest. “This is so much better, Pierce.” She moved her hand up to his chin, grasped it, and pulled him down for a sweet kiss. “This is perfect. Thank you.”

He smiled and held her close for another kiss, long and slow. “Come on, sit down. I didn't know what kind of sushi you liked, so I just ordered a bunch of things.”

“Thank you.” Abby gaped at the tremendous round platter before them as she took her seat. “Um . . . I think you might have gone a little over the top here.”

“Haven't you heard the stories about me?” he asked, eyes dancing as he sat down across from her. “I excel at over the top. It's one of my special gifts.”

Chapter Fifteen

When dinner was over, Abby insisted on helping clear the table. With the two of them working in tandem, it was done in five minutes.

Pierce leaned against the marble counter and refilled both their glasses, emptying the bottle. Her cheeks had the lightest pink tinge to them. He smiled at her and she smiled back, their eyes locking.

“Thank you so much for dinner,” she said. “That was wonderful.”

“You're very welcome. Glad you enjoyed it.” His eyes traveled over her. She'd ditched the cardigan and her shoes during dinner. Standing close enough that he could smell the sweet florals of her shampoo, he slowly ran a fingertip from the top of her bare shoulder down the length of her arm. She shivered and bit down on her bottom lip, her smile soft and sweet. The gesture made his blood heat and start to race.

God, he wanted her. He wanted to touch her, kiss her, hold her, make her do that little thing where she whimpered into his mouth when she liked something. That sound undid him every time.

“Come with me,” he said, taking her hand. “I want to show you my favorite room in the house. It has the best view, even at night.”

In comfortable silence, Abby followed him through the living room, down a hallway toward the back of the house. She glanced at her surroundings as she went, noticing the fine art and expensive furnishings. Tess's decorative choices appealed to her. She wished she had a house of her own to decorate. She loved the colors Tess had chosen; warm oranges and burgundy, earthy browns, mossy greens. At the end of the hallway they turned, and Abby's breath caught.

They had entered a sunroom, and the entire back wall was made of glass. It curved up over their heads, revealing the starry sky above the majestic Long Island Sound in the not-too-far distance. With the moonlight glimmering on the water's surface, Abby could make out the expanse of it. One bright security light shone across part of the great back lawn, but the rest of the property lay in darkness.

Pierce hadn't turned on a light, and the dim room felt cozy. The only source of illumination was the beam from the security light that streamed across the backyard. Pierce's tall, lean frame was a silhouette as he turned to her, but she could make out the expression on his face when he stepped closer, focused on her with quiet intensity. Her heart rate started to rise, thumping in slow, thick beats against her ribs.

“You should see this view in the daytime,” Pierce said, nudging Abby to sit on the soft, wide sofa with him.

“I bet it's breathtaking,” Abby said. “I mean, you're right on the Sound up here.”

“Yup. It's why my great-grandfather picked this property. He loved the water, he loved to sail. So the story goes, anyway.” Pierce took a sip of wine. “You can see the Sound from the main house, too, the back windows and all. It's quite striking, I have to say. On a bright, sunny day, when the sunlight hits the water . . . beautiful.”

“It's beautiful at night, too,” Abby remarked.

“Yes, it is. I like to relax in here. Thought you might like it too.” He tapped his glass to hers softly. “Cheers.”

They both sipped their wine and settled back into the plush cushions. Her nerves tingled, warmth flooded her, and her heartbeat kept its rapid pace. She wondered if he could hear her heart pounding. “This couch is big and luscious,” she said, speaking to break the silence. “It's kind of sucking me in.”

Pierce chuckled. “Yeah, I've fallen asleep on it many times. Great for naps.”

“I'd sit here and read for hours,” she said. “With the water out there, the sky, the quiet, this cushy couch . . . yeah, who am I kidding, I'd probably fall asleep here too.”

His smile was warm. “What do you like to read?”

The question surprised her, having figured that reading likely wasn't one of his favorite hobbies. “Why do you ask?”

“Because I'm curious,” he said, as if it was obvious.

She blushed softly. She kept underestimating him. She had to stop doing that. “I like fiction,” she said. “Literary fiction, commercial fiction, historical fiction, and . . . well . . . romances. I like those, too. I admit it.”

“Nothing to be ashamed of,” he said with an easy grin. “Do you like the sweet love stories, or the hot, sexy ones?”

“Um . . .” Abby blushed furiously.

“Aha!” he cried. “The hotter, the better, huh? Atta girl. And why not? Sex is great stuff.”

“From what I remember,” she mumbled. With a self-deprecating chuckle, she sipped her wine.

He grinned, studying her for a minute before speaking. “I haven't been around women like you in a long time,” he said quietly. “Maybe ever. You're so different from the women I've dated. That's a good thing,” he was quick to add. “You're very different from me, too, though. In a lot of ways.”

Abby nodded without speaking, waiting to see where his train of thought would lead.

“I'm drawn to you, Abby. I have been from day one. I mean, yeah, you're really beautiful, but that's not all it is. It's that you're so
real.
” He set his glass on the end table, then turned back to her and caressed her cheek, his eyes on hers. “You're warm, you're grounded, you're just . . . normal. I like that. I
crave
that. Do you know that?”

“No, I didn't know,” she said, almost in a whisper. Her throat felt thicker, and it was hard to get words out with him staring at her like that. So intent, so earnest. His stunning blue eyes absolutely smoldered as they stared into hers. She felt like he was trying to read her, trying to peer into her soul . . . it was unnerving.

His hand cupped her cheek to hold her face, and it made her breath catch. “That's why I was drawn to you, and kept after you. You're a bright, edgy woman, wrapped up in girl-next-door sweetness. You kind of fascinate me.” A hopeful smile flickered across his face. He took her hand and held it delicately, caressing her knuckles with the pad of his thumb.

Pierce Harrison is a man who plays, not stays
. But he seemed completely sincere.

God, she wanted to trust him, believe him. Her heart was urging her to....

For all the times she wondered why he'd be interested in just a normal, everyday woman from a small town, she got it now—if he was telling the truth. He liked her
because
she was just a normal, everyday woman. His opposite, and the polar opposite of the women he'd dated. It was so simple, really, and it made sense.

With a shaky hand, she set her glass of wine down on the end table closest to her, turned back to him, took a deep breath, and whispered, “Wow.”

* * *

Pierce watched Abby's every move, every flicker in her expressive eyes, with careful restraint. Her expression was schooled into neutrality, but his eyes had adjusted to the darkness enough that he could see the pink tint that had bloomed on her cheeks and chest. His words had made an impact.

His pulse was doing a bloody conga beat. He didn't know what had come over him, telling her the things he had so bluntly. He'd surprised himself as much as he obviously had surprised her. But something about her always made him want to talk. Want to curl his body around hers, hold her close, and tell her every damn thing in his head. He trusted her. He didn't trust many women, but yes, he trusted her. Abby McCord was honest and true, and he felt that deep in his bones.

She was also strikingly beautiful, and she didn't even know it. His eyes roved along the nape of her smooth, pale neck. Thoughts of tasting the skin there battered him. What he wanted to do to her . . . he wanted to nibble on her, lick, suck, devour . . .

He reached up to slide his arm around her shoulders and move in closer. Her bare skin was satiny smooth under his hand, and his heart gave a little stutter at the feel of her. He ran his fingers up the nape of her neck, under the length of her hair, to the base of her skull. Moving his fingertips through the silky strands, he played with it softly and said, “Hi.”

“Hi yourself.” She shivered and pressed her lips together, the look in her eyes beckoning him. Lust shot through him without mercy.

“Are you cold?” he asked, his voice seductive.

“No,” she whispered, her eyes downcast. “You kind of . . . tickled me.”

As he smiled, his fingertips roamed gently along her scalp, enjoying the feel of her soft hair through his fingers. He watched the color heighten in her cheeks. His other hand reached up to cup her chin, and her breath caught again. “Abby.” He tipped her face up, his gaze sweeping slowly over her features as he caressed her cheek with his thumb. He watched the emotions swirl in her dark blue eyes. “Don't be nervous,” he murmured. He expected her to deny it, even though he could feel the tension in her shoulders.

But she licked her lips and whispered, “I don't know why I am, but I am. I hate that. Sorry.”

Pierce almost reeled from the wave of feeling that crashed over him. Her soft admission had him feeling things he hadn't felt in ages. Warmth cascaded through his insides, leaving him intoxicated, strangely protective, and wanting. He wanted her more than ever.

Leaning in close, he whispered into her ear, “Don't be.” He lightly kissed her earlobe, her jaw, her cheek, her forehead, all the while cradling her head in his hands. Her breathing stuttered, he could hear it and feel it. He played with her soft hair with one hand and held her face delicately with the other. In a sultry murmur he told her, “I don't want to keep my hands off you for another second, so I'm going to start exploring your beautiful body now. . . .” Her breath caught, and he smiled. He kissed her brow, her other cheek, the corner of her mouth. He could see the rise and fall of her chest, heard her breathing speed up. “But if at any time you want to stop, you tell me. And we'll stop. Okay?”

She nodded and pulled in a deep, shaky breath. Her eyes met and locked with his, giving a silent, unmistakable green light. “Kiss me already.”

He covered her mouth with his, kissing her gently at first, not rushing, savoring the moment. She turned her body to him for better access and reached up to touch his face. Her fingers curled into the waves of his hair as he coaxed her lips apart. His tongue swept into her mouth, meeting hers, tasting wine and sweetness. She always tasted so sweet. He deepened the kiss, she whimpered softly into his mouth, and as always, desire shot through him like lightning.

The kisses heated slowly, simmering and intensifying. He felt her melt against him, her hands tremble slightly as they roamed over his shoulders and into his hair, only spurring on his desire. His hands moved down to stroke the exposed skin of her arms, thanking God she'd chosen the thin-strapped dress so he could really feel her as he held her. Her mouth opened under his, taking the kisses deeper, matching his growing hunger.

He eased her back to lie down on the soft cushions, drowning her in sumptuous kisses as the heat grew and flamed. Their hands and mouths roamed restlessly over each other, learning each other's bodies and savoring every sensation. Pierce worked to take it slow and not just whip off the dress and take her right there on the couch. But Christ, how he wanted to.

“Abby, wait . . .” He rolled off her to reach into his pocket, pulled out a condom, and placed it on the floor next to the couch. Then he stared down into her face, brushing her hair back with his hand. “You want to stay here, or take this upstairs?”

“Um . . .” A mischievous grin popped onto her face. “Have you ever had sex in this room before? In this house at all?” Her eyes narrowed slightly. “Tell the truth.”

“No, ma'am, I have not had sex anywhere in this house.”

Abby's grin turned seductive. “Then take me wherever you want me.”

His blood heated, raced, and his already-hard cock throbbed. “Which time?”

She snorted out a laugh.

“Maybe I'll take you in every room in this house,” he said, grinning wickedly.

“You have that kind of stamina, stallion?”

“You're about to find out.”

His lips sealed to hers, demanding and carnal. Her mouth was so warm, so inviting . . . he wanted to taste her all night. He cradled her head in his hands and ravished her mouth, wild and wanting. He drew her in to his body and pressed his hips against hers, needing the contact. His hips rolled and his pelvis ground against her, drawing out a low groan from his chest. She dragged her foot up the back of his leg, then wrapped her leg around his, giving his hips better access to rock against her.

The hot kisses grew ravenous, and their breath turned into moans and gasps. She took obvious delight in unbuttoning his shirt and spreading it wide open, letting her eyes take him in before running her hands and mouth over the planes of his smooth, muscled chest. With curiosity, her fingers traced over some of the tattoos on his arms, the one down his side, near his ribs. “Why so many?” she asked, her voice a breathless whisper.

“I got addicted,” he said, his hand cupping her breast. “You get one, then you want more. . . .” He fondled her, the soft, firm flesh like heaven to him. She pinched his nipple and gave it a tiny twist, sending a jolt of liquid heat straight to his cock. A lustful groan ripped from his throat. He lunged for her then, holding her face to crush his lips against hers. The momentum of his lunge made them sway dangerously; still locked in their passionate embrace, they rolled right off the couch and toppled to the floor, landing with a clumsy thud.

She moaned. Not in pain at hitting the carpet, not in shock at falling together . . . but in mindless passion. Her nails dug into his shoulders as she kissed him, her need for him building. Stunned, he realized that crashing to the ground made her
hot.
She was lost in the moment, driven by lust, and she wanted him as much as he wanted her.