Stripped - By Brenda Rothert Page 0,56
rush a relief and joy. She had been nervous, and now her body relaxed as the tension left her.
“Suddenly I’m not very hungry,” he said, his eyes darkening with desire.
“Sorry, but I’m starving.”
He laughed heartily, reaching across the table to squeeze her hand.
“You never fail to surprise me,” he said.
Chapter 11
Abby didn’t feel nervous until Chris put the rental car in park at the beach house. The reality of what was going to happen hit her then. She took a deep breath as she opened the door handle.
She envied the way he didn’t look nervous at all as he reached for her hand. He wore his usual relaxed grin.
“Is everyone else out?” she asked as they entered an empty house.
“Probably out back.”
As soon as Chris opened the door, they heard laughter from the deck.
“Hi!” Kelana called, louder than necessary. “Go get changed, you’re missing a hell of a good time out here!”
Chris opened his mouth to refuse, but Kelana wouldn’t allow it.
“You blew us off last night after about two minutes. Come on!”
“Let’s get in for a little bit,” Abby said. Chris gave a groan that only she could hear.
Chris declined the beer Reed offered him as they stepped into the hot tub after changing.
“I had enough at dinner, man,” he said.
“Abby?” Reed offered.
“No, thanks.”
“Are you like a recovering alcoholic or something?” Jen asked snidely. “You haven’t had a drink all weekend. Or are you not old enough to drink?”
“18-year-olds can drink in California, can’t they?” Abby asked innocently.
“You’re 18?” Jen’s mouth hung open in astonishment.
“No,” Abby said shortly. “I’m 25, remember?” Chris chuckled as he pulled Abby onto his lap.
“So, we’re married,” Kelana said, gesturing to Ty. “And you guys aren’t together, but you’re more all over each other than we are.”
“Maybe you should work on that,” Chris said.
Abby was glad when the conversation passed to others. She quietly enjoyed the feel of the hot water, which warmed her in the cool night breeze, lapping at her bikini top. Chris rested his hands on her thighs, and she inhaled sharply as one of them roamed high, his fingers edging under the side of her bikini bottom. She knew everyone else was talking, but she was only aware of the way his hands felt touching her in the warm water.
The loud howl of laughter broke her reverie, and she heard Reed teasing Chris about a trick he’d played on him while they were in medical school.
“So he was about to do a procedure on a cadaver, and we changed the chart to show that it was a pelvic exam. Chris goes in the room and puts the legs in stirrups and everything, he was about to do it, when I told him it was bullshit. I thought he’d kill me on the spot. God, was he pissed!”
“Physician, fuck thyself,” Chris said, laughing. He rested his chin on Abby’s shoulder and she smiled as his breath warmed her ear. His feet were entangled with hers beneath the water, and she wondered if she’d ever felt so blissful.
“Let’s go to bed,” he said in her ear after a few minutes. Though she was nervous, Abby was also eager, and she jumped up quickly.
As they both dried off, she felt his eyes on hers. The intensity between them was tangible.
“Do you want a drink to help you relax? I make a pretty good one,” he said.
“Why, do I seem nervous?”
“Yeah. But don’t be. This doesn’t have to happen tonight, you know.”
“Don’t you want it to?”
“Only if you do. “
“I’ll pass on the drink because I’m such a lightweight when it comes to alcohol.”
He led her by the hand through the house and up the open staircase to their room. As he closed the bedroom door, she turned to him uncertainly. He sat down on the side of the bed and she joined him.
“I want you to know something,” he said. “Before I met you, I was different than I am now. My world revolved around me. My attitude about sex … I guess I never moved on from college, I’m embarrassed to say. I thought fucking women was an accomplishment. But now … It’s been more than four months since I’ve had sex, and I’m okay with it. I wanted to earn it with you. If we do this, Abby, you can change your mind anytime. I need to know you get that.”
“I do. And I’m on the pill, just so you know.”
“You want me to use condoms anyway?”
“Don’t you want to?”
“I guess