Stripped (25 page)

“Chris, I’ll be okay.”

“No arguments. You’re staying with me.”

“Okay. I haven’t been awake very long, but I’m tired
again.”

“Sleep. I’ll be here when you wake up.”

She woke to the fragrant smell of roses mingled with
coffee. It must be morning. Abby never knew because of the blackout curtains on
Chris’ bedroom windows, which helped him sleep during the day after working all
night.

He had moved the flowers she’d gotten in the
hospital into the bedroom, and had been waiting on her hand and foot for nearly
a week. He was sitting at the kitchen table, reading on his laptop, when she
walked in.

“Morning,” he said, getting up. “You want coffee?
And scones from the bakery?”

“I can get it.”

“How are you feeling?”

“Really good. A lot less sore. The bruises look
worse than ever, though.”

“Yeah, let’s stay in for lunch today. I know that
waitress at the diner yesterday was giving me dirty looks because she thought I
did that to you.”

“Another movie marathon?”

“Sounds good. And I have to go back to work
tonight.”

“I can go home, Chris. Really. I should let you get
back into your routine.”

“No, I want you here. Do you mind getting on my
schedule? Up at night and sleeping in the morning?”

“No, I don’t mind. It’s all the same to me.” She
wrapped her arms around him from behind, running her hands over his firm, broad
chest. “You feel good,” she said, kissing his neck softly.

Chris groaned as one of her hands trailed down
between his legs.

“Abby…” he said in a low voice.

“Hmm?”

“You need to heal right now. I don’t want to hurt
you.”

“You won’t. Come back to bed with me.”

He closed his eyes, seeming to fight his urge to
follow her.

“Please,” she whispered, standing next to him. She
pressed one of his hands under the t-shirt she wore – which was his --  to the
skin of her stomach. “I miss you touching me.”

“Okay. But we have to be careful.”

Abby smiled with anticipation as she pulled the
shirt over her head and sank back into the satin sheets on Chris’ king-size
bed. She was glad for the pitch black room, because the bruises that covered her
body might have changed his mind.

The sound of his jeans falling to the floor incited
her, and she reached for him hungrily. His exhale was ragged with excitement,
and it spurred boldness in her. She quickly moved to her knees, taking him in
her mouth as he stood beside the bed.

“Oh, fuck,” he said, running a hand over her hair.
“No, Abby … just lay down and let me touch you.”

“No,” she said, pausing to lick his shaft. “This is
what I want. You taste so good.”

His breath came in shallow gasps as she worked her
mouth up and down his length.

“Oh, God, Abby … that’s so good.”

She changed the rhythm, slowing as she could tell he
was close to climax, and he groaned loudly each time. She built him right to
the edge and then stopped, lying back on the bed.

“Inside me,” she said, spreading her legs eagerly.

“Abby …”

“I want you inside me, Chris, please. I’ll tell you
if it hurts.”

As she heard the bedside drawer opening and the rip
of a foil package, she arched her back in anticipation. Sleeping with Chris
every night was making her want him more than she ever had.

He hovered over her, sliding himself halfway in and
pausing. She flexed her hips into him, taking the rest of him.

“Fuck,” he said, exhaling loudly. She pressed on his
lower back, encouraging him. The fire of desire burning between her legs
wouldn’t be quelled if he was timid. She whimpered with desire and he seemed to
sense what she wanted, thrusting into her powerfully.

“God, Chris. So good,” she murmured, and he gave her
more of the same – deep, hard and fast. She panted loudly as the orgasm built
quickly. The intensity of it made her unaware of anything else.

Chris groaned loudly, and his sound of satisfaction
pushed her into a deep, powerful orgasm that racked her entire body.

“I love you, Abby,” he said, his voice strained as
he came. “God, I love you so much.”

“Mmm, I love you, too,” she said, breathless with
satisfaction. He stretched out on his back, reaching his arm under her head.

“How often do you like to have sex?” she asked
curiously.

“How often?”

“Yes. I mean, are you like, a once a week guy?”

He made an amused noise in the darkness and then
sighed.

“I’ve never really done a normal relationship,
except once in college. And she went to a different school so for the six
months we were together we had sex about once a week. And after that, you know,
it’s just been … Friday night dates with sex and then we wouldn’t see each
other til the next Friday. Or not, maybe I’d see someone new the next Friday.”

“Oh.”

“But that has nothing to do with you, Abby. This is
what I want now. I love having you with me all the time. You’d be overwhelmed
if we had sex every time I wanted to.”

“How often would that be?” she asked, smiling.

“About three times a day. I could start every day
this way, then have an afternoon session and still want you every night at
bedtime.”

“Really? It’s been so long … I thought you didn’t
want me.”

“I want you constantly. I just didn’t want to hurt
you.”

“I want you constantly, too. Don’t hold back.”

“I’m so lucky I found you, Abby. You’re my dream
girl.”

“Well, I’m sure there are a few things you’d change
if you could.”

“No, I wouldn’t.”

“You’d make my former side job cosmetics sales or waitressing
-- anything other than stripping.”

“No, I wouldn’t even change that. It’s all part of
what got us here. It’s how I know you’re selfless enough to do anything for
Justin, Audrey and Sara. It made me see than I’m capable of being so in love
with someone that I’d change for them, open up to things I never thought I
would.”

“Me, too, Chris.”

Sara was chattering happily about what was going on
at school, and Abby longed to see her smiling face. Being away from her sisters
was the only hard part about convalescing at Chris’ apartment.

“Marla and Jack are coming to see my chorus concert
tomorrow night,” Sara said. “I have to wear a white shirt to it, so Marla got
me one. Are you coming, Abby?”

“No, sweetie, I’m sorry. But tell Marla to take lots
of pictures for me, okay?”

“I will. Where are you guys?”

Abby shook her head, hating that she was about to
lie to Sara.

“We’re on an island in the Caribbean. It’s really
beautiful here. I miss you so much, though.”

“Take some pictures, and bring me some seashells.
Audrey wants to talk now.”

“Abby?” Audrey said.

“Hi, Aud. I miss you so much. How are you?”

“Okay. When are you coming back?”

“I’m not sure. Chris hasn’t bought tickets for a
flight home yet.”

There was silence on the other end of the phone,
which worried Abby.

“Are you not having a good time there? Is everything
okay?” she asked.

“No, it’s nice here. I’m just worried that you’re
never coming back,” Audrey said matter-of-factly. Abby’s heart broke as she
heard it.

“Audrey, I promise I will be back very soon. I love
you and Sara more than anything. I will never leave you. Chris was trying to do
something nice for me with this surprise, but he already said that next time,
he wants you guys to come on vacation with us.”

“Really?”

“Yes. You know I don’t lie to you, Audrey. I’ll
never leave you, okay?”

“Okay. Try to come home soon, though. But not until
after this weekend because Marla’s letting me have my friends over for a
sleepover.”

“That’s great! You must be excited.”

“Yeah, I am. She said I could invite as many people
as I wanted, so I invited 11. But no boys. She said I couldn’t invite any
boys.”

“I’m glad to hear that. So you guys are doing okay?”

“We’re good. I have to go because Jack just brought
home some pizza.”

“Okay. I love you, Audrey.”

“Love you, too.”

Her best efforts to stay awake until Chris got home
from work had failed. Caffeine, a workout video and reading had brought her
nearly all the way, but Abby was exhausted. The new schedule was still hard
sometimes, and she sighed with happiness as she pulled the covers over herself
at 6 a.m.

She squinted at the clock when Chris came in, seeing
that it was after eight.

“Hi, baby,” she said in a sleepy tone. “Sorry I fell
asleep.”

“It’s okay.” He exhaled loudly and ran a hand over
his face.

“How was work?”

“Work was shit, unfortunately. It’s a day I’m glad
to be done with.”

“What happened?” She sat up, wide awake now. He
shook his head, considering.

“I had to treat a burn victim from a house fire. A
young Mom. She won’t make it. And I treated a kid who has to get further
testing but I know is going to get diagnosed with cystic fibrosis. I try to
keep up a wall, and not let emotions get in the way, but sometimes …”

“You’re human, Chris. If you weren’t a caring
person, you wouldn’t be good at your job.”

He gave her a weak smile.

“I can’t tell you how much better I felt the whole
way home knowing you were here waiting for me.”

“Even when I’m not here, I’m here. You can call me
to talk anytime, day or night.”

“I know, but having you cuddled up next to me is
much better than a phone call.”

“Cuddling sounds nice.” Abby smiled at him as he
pulled his shirt off. “But I know what you need first.”

He sighed, shaking his head.

“Just you, baby. All I need right now is you,” he
said.

“Exactly. You need a nice, hard, mind-numbing,
hair-pulling fuck. Lose yourself in me. Then we’ll cuddle.”

“We don’t have to do that just because I had a
shitty night. You look tired.”

“Get naked and in this bed, Reneau.”

He looked at her, bemused, as he undressed.

“Where did my timid, sexually repressed Abby go?”

“You bring out the sex goddess in me.”

His eyes shone with desire as he climbed under the
covers.

“I’m serious,” she said. “No kissing or tenderness.”

“You don’t like those things?”

“Usually I do, but today I just want you to fuck me.
Hard. I’m healed enough that you won’t hurt me.”

“Tell me if it’s too much,” he said, watching as she
stripped away her t-shirt.

“One kiss,” he whispered, enveloping her mouth with
his own. His tongue found hers as he wound his fingers into her hair and
pulled. It was a deep, hard kiss that Abby felt between her thighs.

He was still kissing her as he thrust himself in,
and Abby moaned with satisfaction. He pulled away from her lips, delivering
exactly what she had asked for. When he pulled her arms up over her head and
restrained both her wrists with one of his large hands, her deep arousal left
her dumbfounded. With his other hand, he pushed one of her thighs up toward her
shoulder, allowing himself to get deeper inside her.

She moaned repeatedly, helpless with desire, as he
pounded into her. Though she had thought this would be hot for him, it was
turning out to be incredibly hot for her, too. It was a thrill to see such a
primal side of Chris.

“Oh, fuck!” he cried loudly, his face twisted with
pleasure as he thrust into her so hard the headboard of the bed slammed into
the wall. Abby spiraled into one of the deeply intense orgasms she had come to
expect him to give her.

He collapsed onto her, planting a delicate kiss on
her lips.

“Feel better?” she asked, smiling.

“Much. You know me pretty well.”

Chapter 13

Chris was between patients when he saw Charlotte
approaching the desk he was working at in the ER. She wore a long black gown
and coat and her hair was twisted into a fancy updo.

“That hairstyle push you over five feet?” he teased.

“Hilarious. Reed and I went to that charity dinner
for the hospital foundation tonight. He had to stop by here to check on
something.”

“How was the dinner?”

“Boring. How’s Abby?”