It was one word but it made his chest ache.
“I really like you,” he managed to get the words out, despite what he’d just said.
“But? Because that sentence always has a but after it.” She sounded as if she was trying to hold back what she wanted to say.
“There’s no but. I really like you. And I know you say you’ve liked me for some time, but it isn’t like I haven’t noticed you either. Did you never wonder why I always came by after a shift to talk to you when you were cleaning up, or when it was quiet at lunch times?” He glanced at her as he parked up, hearing barking from the cottage.
“I just thought you were being friendly.” She met his eyes with hers.
“Yeah, I’m the friendly guy.” There was sarcasm in his voice. “Seriously, Abby? That was what you thought?”
They both got out of the car, Alex locking it and then checking, force of habit. She had waited for him at the front door even though she had a key.
“Like you said, let’s talk when we get in.” Her words were quiet but they contained more steel than before.
He unlocked it, casting an eye around to make sure everything was as it should be, not that he thought it wouldn’t with two huge Alsatians in the building. Jake had dropped by that afternoon to walk them, or rather let them walk themselves around one of his fields so they would be happy just to have Alex home.
He fed the dogs as she made tea, using a teapot she’d managed to find that was probably a gift from his father at some point but never used as there was no point using a teapot for one.
Neither of them said anything and Alex wondered if this was the way it would be with them. She was naturally quiet, more so at the moment with everything happening and he was never the chattiest of men. Jake took that award. With bells on.
“Here.” She put a mug of tea in front of him. “And I owe you for dinner.”
Alex took hold of her wrist gently, stopping her from walking away. He was sitting on the same chair as he had been that morning when she’d given him the blow job to end all blow jobs and that wasn’t lost on him.
“You don’t owe me anything. Apart from a few words.”
Abby sat down next to him. Gretel joined her at her feet.
“What do you mean you weren’t just being friendly?” Her words came out in a waterfall.
Alex looked at her, saw her blue eyes that he knew now hid so much. The blonde hair that once was dark and the full lips that he knew what were like to taste.
“I like you. I wanted to go in and talk to you. I didn’t think you were interested.”
She laughed, the tips of her ears going pink along with her cheeks. “I thought I was out of your league.”
“Seriously? You’re a bass ass climber who’s broken records and you’re stunning…”
“Why did you never say that you knew who I was?”
He reached out to take a strand of straight hair. “Because we all have our secrets for a reason.”
“What are yours?”
“My job and what it entails at the moment. Not even Scott and Zack know.” Her hair was soft, silky, just like he knew her skin was.
“Abby…” He didn’t get any further with his sentence because he’d leaned over to her, capturing her lips in a kiss that he knew was going to burn him to the very core.
She was responsive, some of the tentativeness had gone, maybe because of his confession. He pulled her up with him as he stood up, ignoring the tea. He was only thirsty for her right now.
“My bed. No sofa. Let me wake up with you properly in the morning.” It was meant to offer her reassurance; that this wasn’t just about getting them both off, but also for him because something inside him was tying itself around Abby.
“Okay.”
“We don’t have to do anything you don’t want.”
“Oh, I want, Alex. I want.”
