Chapter 7
The next few days droned on. Since Abel was gone, Holt was working like a dog and Raine was in school, and most of the time I was bored out of myskull.
Right as I was closing Raine’s door from putting her to sleep a little later than normal—it was Friday and I figured I could be a tad bit lenient since she didn’t have to be up for school in the morning—I heard the front door slam and the sound of voices in the livingroom.
Nerves crashed into my stomach when Abel’s gruff tone called up the stairs to me, “Babe? Youhere?”
I got freaking giddy as his boots started stomping up the stairs. “Yeah. Just put Rainedown.”
Her door swung open and she ran out. “Daddy!”
Abel scooped her into his arms. “Hey sugar. You should be inbed.”
“I’m just so happy to see you!” She nuzzled and squeezed him and I saw his heartmelt.
“Come on, let’s get you back tobed.”
“But you just got home. I want to spend time withyou.”
He kissed her cheek and laid her back down into her Tinkerbell covered bed. “We’ll spend time together in the morning.Promise.”
“Pinky promise?” She held her tiny pinky out forhis.
“Pinkypromise.”
I was a puddle of goo on the floor watching how amazing he was with Raine. It made Abel that much sexier tome.
I followed Abel into hisroom.
“How’d everything go around here?” he asked while pulling his cut off. He threw it onto the chair and that’s when I noticed the black eye and busted upknuckles.
“Fine.” I tried to ignore it. I knew he probably wouldn’t tell me what happened, why he was in a fight, but I guess I didn’t do a good job of hiding the concern on myface.
Abel pulled a clean white shirt over his head before taking me into his arms. “Don’t worry babe, it doesn’t evenhurt.”
“Ok.” That was all I could choke out before our lips were crashingtogether.
I gripped Abel’s shirt, pulling him into me as he winced. “What?” I quickly pulled away fromhim.
“Just a bruised rib. Nothing to worryabout.”
“Did you at least find the guy you were lookingfor?”
He sat down on the bed, grabbing my hand to pull me over to him. “Yes. Everything has been taken care of and everyone isfine.”
“That’sgood.”
He nodded and scooped me into his arms, moving to carry me into thebathroom.
“What are you doing?” I giggled as he sat me down on thecounter.
He kissed my hair before turning on the water in the shower. “I want to get cleaned up and I figured you should joinme.”
My hair was still damp from the shower I’d taken after dinner. “What if I don’t want to?” I bit my lip as he walked over tome.
“I didn’t ask, didI?”
The steam bellowed up over the glass door of theshower.
