CHAPTER TEN
ABIGAIL
“Well, that was interesting,” I said. “To say the least.”
I leaned against the door my parents just stepped through and felt a wave of relief wash over me. I felt like laughing and crying all at the same time. This whole crazy episode was just getting too wild for me. The lie, this whole production, was taking on a life of its own. What started as a way of getting my mother off my back had turned into something else entirely. I was feeling a bit like Dr. Frankenstein, watching his monster start to go off the rails.
How far would this go, I wondered? How far would I take it?
“Well, I thought it went well. All things considered,” Harry said. “And I have to say, your mom has really wonderful taste in wine.”
He walked over to the bar and poured two glasses of wine, coming back and handing a glass to me.
“Thanks,” I said.
Harry had switched to a red and I closed my eyes, sipping the rich wine, which seemed to be a very good, very old Merlot. I was by no means a pauper, but spending time with Harry made me feel like I was. It honestly felt luxurious with his huge home and expensive wine.
I opened my eyes and looked at him. “I really mean it, Harry,” I said. “I'm not sure why you're doing all this. But one thing is certain, my parents love you.”
“Glad I can help,” he said, smiling and staring down at me with his bright, gray eyes.
A girl could get in trouble with a guy like him, he was just so damn charming and handsome. Even after all the drama earlier, seeing proof of his man-whoring ways live and in the flesh, I couldn't deny that I was attracted to him. With his chiseled cheek bones and perfect smile, his dark hair and light eyes, physically, he was a force to be reckoned with. He was a beautiful man who looked like he just stepped out of the pages of a magazine.
And judging by the way Shanna had acted earlier, he was obviously the type of man who could drive a woman crazy. I knew that I had to be careful with the likes of him. I knew from experience that it would be all too easy to get so wrapped up in him that I lost myself. And that would only lead to a lot of pain . I’d had enough pain already to last me a lifetime.
“Come, sit down,” he said, taking my hand and pulling me away from the door. “Relax for a little bit and unwind. Let's get to know each other a bit better.”
“Don't you know everything about me already?” I smirked. “Sweetie?”
His smile was soft and strangely enough, looked a touch sad. “Not anywhere near enough, actually.”
I allowed him to pull me over to the sofa in front of the fireplace, where we sat down side-by-side. “Does anyone truly know everything there is about a person?” Harry asked, raising an eyebrow. “Even if we were dating, I highly doubt I'd know a lot about you this early on. And we've actually only been in the same room together twice now, so I imagine there's still lots I don't know.”
I sighed, drinking more of the wine as I tried to think of something I could tell him. Something that would satisfy his curiosity, but not delve too deeply into my personal life. My mind, however, was coming up blank.
“How about I ask you something, Harry,” I said, turning my gaze toward him.
“Go for it,” he said, leaning back against the sofa comfortably. “I'm an open book. Ask me anything you'd like.”
“Why are you doing this?” I asked. “Obviously you have your pick of beautiful women, as evidenced by Shanna, why would you go through all this trouble just for me?”
“I'm afraid I'm going to get myself into trouble by answering this,” he laughed. “But truthfully, I don't know. Originally, yes, I saw you as another beautiful conquest, a challenge to get into my bed. The more you said no, the more I wanted to make you say yes. But ultimately, I'm finding that I really enjoy your company, Abigail. And I have to say, that's a rare treat for me. Most of the women I sleep with are beautiful, but they lack substance. We don't converse very much – we simply get naked and fuck, which is what I want most of the time. But you have beauty, brains, and ambition. A triple threat, if you ask me, with the added caveat of commitment-phobia –”
“I'm not afraid of commitment,” I blurted out, stopping him in his tracks. “Not at all.”
“So, this elaborate plan of faking a relationship isn't because you're actively trying to avoid one?” he asked me, giving me a serious look. “Because I've never known someone to go to such lengths to avoid a blind date. In my non-expert opinion, you've been hurt, badly, by someone in your past, and because of that, you're afraid you might fall for someone again.”
Damn. He was more perceptive than I gave him credit for. Which meant that I needed to be even more careful around him.
“You're a cardio surgeon, not a shrink,” I said, rolling my eyes. “And I don't think a semester of psych during your undergrad years qualifies you to play therapist.”
“What can I say? I know hearts,” he said with a wink. “Even if I'm far off base with it, there's something going on inside of you, Abigail. And I think you and I are alike in many ways. Neither one of us wants a relationship, we just want to focus on our careers and be left alone. Of course, I still have needs – as I expect you do too.”
“Are you suggesting we become fuck buddies?” I asked.
I couldn't believe I was seriously considering this, but he had a point. I had needs, and my toys weren't doing much to help out with those needs these days. Harry shrugged, putting his glass on the table, a sour look on his face.
“What a horrible term,” he said. “I was thinking more along the lines of friends with benefits. Or an arrangement where I pretend to be your boyfriend and we both fulfill our sexual needs – but without the added pressure of being in an actual relationship.”
“So – fuck buddies,” I said.
He grimaced. “It's such a distasteful phrase, but I suppose that's what the kids are calling it these days.”
“I actually have no idea what they're calling it,” I said and laughed. “But just to be clear in my own head, you're free to sleep with other women as you please?”
Not that it should bother me – I didn't want a relationship either – but jealousy was something that had caused me issues in the past. Especially given Trevor's many indiscretions.
Harry shrugged. “If I feel like it, I guess. Just as you'd be free to sleep with other men,” he said. “But I'm tired of always having to be on the hunt for a woman to bring home. Tired of trying to pick one who won't cause me any drama – obviously, I failed with Shanna. I'm tired of the drama, Abigail, which is why I don't want a real relationship. I just want to live my life as I see fit, on my own terms. I'm a busy man, take my work very seriously, and just want to enjoy life when I have the time.”
Which is exactly what I wanted too.
Biting my lip, I looked over at Harry and he flashed me that arrogant smile, showing off his perfectly white teeth and luscious mouth. The idea of being able to have my way with a man like him – with no commitment, no pressure to change – did sound nice. And like Kirby had said to me before, I did deserve a little fun.
Maybe it was the wine, maybe it was hormones, but I was suddenly overcome with desire. I put my glass down on the table and scooted closer to Harry until I was close enough to kiss him.
“Is that a yes?” he asked, staring down into my eyes with his mouth inches from mine.
“I dunno, does it look like a yes?” I asked, batting my eyelashes and swiping my lips against his – a chaste little peck that was just a quick tease.
“Looks can be deceiving,” he said. “And I want to make sure there's no confusion, Abigail. None whatsoever.”
“Then yes, I agree to your terms, Harry,” I purred.
Before I could say anything more, Harry kissed me, long and hard. His tongue pushed into my mouth and danced with mine, as his fingers worked through my hair. He pulled me over onto his lap so that I was straddling him. He pressed me down onto him, letting me feel his erection pressing against my panties. I ground myself down on him, savoring the feel of his cock pushing against me.
My skirt had slid up to my hips, and Harry's hands were on my bare ass. Things were moving fast, but I couldn't complain. I ground myself down onto him, moaning as I felt his hard, thick cock, knowing that soon, I was going to have him inside of me.
It had been so long since I'd had a man inside of me. Way too long. My body ached with desire as I worked to remove his shirt, clumsily unbuttoning it as he slipped my dress up and off over my head. There I was in my black, lacy bra and thong, and a gorgeous man was staring back at me with a look of pure need in his eyes.
Harry quickly removed his belt, then his pants, pulling them down just enough to expose his cock. While I couldn't see it from the position I was in, I felt him pushing up against me, his thick head rubbing against the thin material of my panties.
Groaning, I begged him, “Please, I need you inside of me.”
I slid my panties to the side and lowered myself onto his shaft. His hands clasped my hips as he entered me, sending a shockwave of pleasure through me as his body moved upward to meet mine, joining us together at last.
“Oh God, yes,” I muttered, burying my head into Harry's neck, my body shuddering against him.
It had been so long, I felt like I might climax just from the sensation of him entering me. I took a moment to just relish the feeling of his cock inside of me, clenching my muscles around him and causing him to groan in pleasure as I worked my pussy around his thick shaft.
“Damn,” he grunted. “You feel amazing.”
Rolling my hips, I slowly started riding his cock. Harry unlatched my bra and my breasts fell into his hands. While staring up at me, he took a nipple into his mouth, lightly sucking it as I continued moving up and down on top of him. As soon as his mouth touched my nipple though, it was like a lightning storm had erupted in my body. Intense electrical signals ran straight from my breast down to my pussy, causing me to gasp in delight.
He was so big and thick, filling me up completely, and he knew how to work his cock. Moving together, we worked in the perfect rhythm, and I fell into a blissful state of ecstasy. I felt like I was in heaven, floating amongst the clouds. No one had ever fucked me like that and I could tell Harry was enjoying it too.
His breath was becoming more and more ragged as my body became less stable. I now shuddered every time I lowered myself down upon his dick, an orgasm approaching fast. And when my climax hit me, it was like a train, crashing into me hard. I thrashed wildly on top of him, crying out and holding on for dear life as wave after wave of pleasure rushed over me.
“Oh God, yes!” I cried loudly as I came.
Harry thrust upward into me, as I stared into his eyes. Sweat dripped from his brow as he tried so hard not to lose control. With my pussy spasming around his cock, he lost it. With his brow furrowed, he let out one, long groan as he buried himself to the hilt, exploding deep inside of me.
Our bodies came together, and eventually, I collapsed on top of him, completely spent from one hell of an orgasm. Harry held me on his lap, both of us struggling to breathe.
I knew I needed to get cleaned up and leave. He wasn't the type of man who'd enjoy pillow talk and cuddling, I knew that much, but surprisingly, Harry didn't rush me out. In fact, he held me like that for a long time, both of us relaxing against the other. When I finally could stand up, I wobbled a bit and he caught me.
“Careful there,” he said with a laugh.
His dark hair was stuck to his face, and I knew I looked a mess too. But even still, the way Harry looked at me made me feel like the most beautiful woman in the world. And for a moment, I forgot about our little arrangement and thought he might be someone I could see myself with.
But then I remembered Shanna and our agreement, and the reality of it all came rushing back. And that crushing blow pulled me straight out of the fog of post-coital bliss I'd been wandering through and brought me back down to Earth.
I dug through his couch for my dress, “I should probably get going,” I said.
Harry grabbed my face and kissed me, making me nearly fall over in surprise. He looked at me and gave me that arrogant, roguish little grin.
“What's the rush?” he asked. “I have a bed and an alarm clock, you can stay here instead of running off so fast. If you'd like, of course.”
As nice as that sounded, I knew it would be a bad idea. A very bad idea. I couldn't allow myself to get attached. I couldn't afford to invest in him emotionally whatsoever.
“Thank you, Harry,” I said. “For everything, I mean. But I really should get going.”
His face dropped, and I would have sworn that he seemed disappointed. The very man who made sure to stipulate this was only about the sex in exchange for having a fake relationship, actually wanted me to spend the night. The two things didn't seem to mix and I wasn't sure what to make of it all.
All I knew was that I needed to get out of there.
“I understand, Abigail,” he said, handing me the dress that had somehow gotten wedged behind him. “But I really do hope to see you again soon.”
“You will,” I said quickly.
I knew without a doubt that I wanted to see him again, but I also knew how dangerous he could be.
I had to proceed with extreme caution.