Summer Love_ A Steamy Small Town Romance Anthology - Piper Rayne Page 0,98

really think that of me, do you?”

I swallowed hard and opened my mouth to object, but he held up a finger and pressed it to my lips.

“I have nothing but respect for you.” His voice was smooth and slow. “You can leave anytime you want. And I won’t report you to management. I’ll even let you keep the money. That’s not what this was about.”

He was letting me off the hook?

Of course he was. It was never about the money. We both knew it.

But…no! I didn’t want to leave.

The thought crashed into me hard, and a hot pool of need settled between my legs as I realized I was exactly where I wanted to be. Here. With him.

I inhaled slowly, snatched the corset from his hand, spun on my heel and left.

Chapter Four

I didn’t really think she’d leave. I thought…hell, I didn’t know what I thought.

But I sure hoped she felt the same way about me that I did about her. That maybe after all these years, she might still have some sort of feelings for me. But maybe I’d blown it again. Maybe I’d pushed too hard.

The lingerie…that might have been a step too far. But despite her reaction, I didn’t think so. I knew Abigail. Correction. I had known her. But the Abigail I’d known had loved her lingerie.

She’d lost so much. Everything in her life was ripped from her through no fault of her own, and it seemed like such a small thing to offer her a little bit of extravagance. Lingerie had been her secret splurge back then. Even though I’d never personally unwrapped her from any of those sexy, lacy treats she used to wear while we dated, I remembered them well. I also remembered exactly how they’d made my body come alive with just one glance.

Damn.

Why had I never taken our relationship to the next level? It was a question I’d tortured myself with for over fifteen years. But as much as I’d wanted to, I’d known then that Abigail was special. Too special to rush things with. I was going to ask her to marry me first. Make sure she knew exactly how I felt about her. But then Daniel had come home from Europe.

And Daniel always got everything he’d wanted.

I’d been a fool to let him have Abigail without a fight. I’d just stepped away, like the weak coward I’d been.

But I’d spent the last fifteen years becoming a man strong enough, powerful enough, and confident enough to be worthy of her.

And now, I’d blown it…again.

Fuck.

I slammed my fist down on the desk, hard. Before I could do it again, I heard the creak of the door behind me open.

“What do you think?”

My whole body stiffened at the sound of her voice, deepened with desire. I knew before turning what I would see.

But knowing what you’d see and actually seeing it were two very different things. When I turned around, I sucked in a sharp breath at the exquisite sight of Abigail, my first and only real love, looking every bit the sex goddess she most certainly was.

The corset I’d chosen for her—I knew she’d secretly love the sweet, feminine color—looked far more sinful than sweet on her body. The boning of the garment narrowed her already slim waist further, creating curves that my hands itched to touch. Her breasts were pushed so far up, they almost spilled out. She wore the matching panties, which I knew were only a scrap of lace. Sure enough, when she turned to show me the entire effect, and her perfectly round peach bottom was fully exposed to me, it was confirmed.

Unwittingly, I let out a low growl and stepped toward her. “What are you doing, Abigail?”

She turned to me, her face a mixture of defiance and desire. “Isn’t this why you bought it? Because you wanted to see it?”

She was playing a dangerous game. In more ways than one. And she knew it.

I didn’t miss the way her nostrils flared, her eyes narrowed in challenge as she refocused on me.

“Abigail.” I worked hard to keep my voice under control. As it was, it came out low and gruffer than I wanted it to. But I couldn’t help it. The sight of her was doing things to me. Still. I needed to stay in control. “You don’t want to—”

“You have no idea what I want.”

I was pretty sure I did. I just didn’t know why.

Her tongue slipped from between her lips and licked slowly along her