Stripped - By Brenda Rothert Page 0,40

running a hand through her hair nervously.

“Say it. If it’s true, have the guts to say it to me,” he said, staring at her. Abby had never heard his voice so cold, and she couldn’t even bring herself to look at him.

“It’s not because of you, Chris, it’s because of me. You know why.”

“No, I don’t. Because of Tim, you don’t trust any men? You don’t trust me? You think I would do something to your sisters?”

The outrage on his face scared Abby. It had been a perfect night, until her dysfunction reared its ugly head. And she sensed that this time, it was different. Chris’ usual calm understanding was gone, replaced by shock.

“It’s not that I think you would,” she said. “I’ve only known you a couple months. I’m just careful with them, Chris. All the time. It’s not just about you being alone with them, I also worry about a stranger taking them and hurting them.”

“I can’t believe this,” he said, shaking his head. “No matter what I do, you’ll never let your guard down, will you? Here I am, falling for a woman who thinks I might molest her younger sisters.”

“I told you from the beginning, I’m not normal,” she said quietly.

“You choose that, Abby. Your cynicism knows no bounds,” he said, putting his coat on. “I need some time to cool off before we talk about this anymore.”

Abby watched him go, thinking things hadn’t stayed good for long.

Chris cranked the music up loud, needing to focus on something besides the anger that seemed to be seeping out of him. He’d been stupid to think a relationship was actually possible. Between his issues with commitment and hers with trust, it was bound to fail before it even started.

Abby had gotten so far under his skin that he wasn’t thinking straight anymore. He had started to think about things he’d never thought of before. Started to maybe want them. But it was only because of the effect Abby had on him. Being close to her, smelling her…it made him feel nearly woozy. And making her come had undone him like nothing else ever had.

All his hopes of getting her out of his system were for nothing. The more she gave him of herself, the more he wanted. Even now, a part of him wanted to turn the car around, drive back to her house, and grab her. He wanted to kiss her and -- God forbid – fuck some sense into her.

What was wrong with him? Chris had never wanted any woman this way. He was overwhelmed by the mixture of deep arousal and hurt he was feeling. Abby had hurt him. It was a stunning realization, because he was pretty sure it was the first time any woman had done that. But her lack of trust in him had felt like a physical blow.

He was willing to wait, he had realized after their fight over getting into a relationship. He would wait, and not press her to quit the job. But her lack of faith in him wasn’t something he was sure he could see past.

As she made her way through the club to a small round table, Abby could tell John Houston was down. He stared into his glass, which was nearly empty.

“You want a dance, John?” she asked. He looked up with a small smile. It had been more than a month since he had been to the club, and his dark hair looked grayer than it had before.

“No thanks,” he said. Abby sat down in the chair across from him.

“Everything okay?” she asked. John had been coming to the club regularly for almost two years, since his wife had left him. He had always been good to Abby, and if she had a favorite customer, it was him.

“Yeah, just having one of those days,” he said. “I’ve been holed up in my office all evening grading papers, and then I stopped and had dinner before I came here and the place was nothing but couples.”

Abby looked at him sympathetically.

“Have you thought any more about dating?” she asked. John just shook his head.

“I haven’t met anyone who compares to Melissa. She’s getting remarried.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I saw that guy up in front pull your hair and spit on you. If I was a badass instead of a college professor, I would’ve done something about it.”

“It goes with the job,” she said, shrugging.

“You deserve something nicer than this place.”

“I thought I had something,” she replied softly.

“I’d buy you