Part 15 (1/2)
Jesus, he wasn't used to this frank side of Abby Mathews. ”The mind-blowing s.e.x is good.”
”And you don't need to worry about me getting all territorial. I just got out of a relations.h.i.+p.”
Tucker wouldn't exactly call what she'd had with the dumb-a.s.s musician a relations.h.i.+p, but he wasn't going to argue with her.
”I just don't want to be treated as if I don't matter, Tucker. Friends don't do that to friends.”
”So what are you saying?”
”I'm saying that I still want to take this day by day, but only if we have some guidelines to follow, because I think we can both agree that our friends.h.i.+p means a lot and I don't want to jeopardize it.”
”Agreed.”
”I have a few rules.” There was the lightness that had been missing in her voice.
”You do,” he replied, letting that lightness wash over him.
”Yep.”
Okay, he thought, things were going to be okay. Relieved, he smiled.
”Let's hear 'em, Miss Mathews.”
”Even though this is pretty much a friends-with-benefits thing, I don't ever want to hear you say those words.”
He arched an eyebrow. ”Friends with-”
”Ah.” Her finger was on his mouth. ”Never. Again.”
”Got it.”
She pressed into him, her arms snaking up behind his neck. ”And it's exclusive. No more yoga instructors or Sonya Devonishes or those freaking groupies that chase after your sports guys. If we're going to be hanging out, then it's just us.”
”Check.”
”And we'll have to come up with something to explain all of this to my brothers. Especially Mick. I have a feeling he's going to have a problem with our new...relations.h.i.+p. I don't want to hide, but he can't know the truth because he'll never let me hear the end of it.”
Okay, Mick, might be a problem, but Tucker was confident he could handle him. Maybe.
”Which brings me to the most important thing. I don't want to hide or sneak around. That's just not my thing. If you walk into The Black Dog and I want to kiss you, then I'm going to kiss you.”
”Got it. Exclusive. No sneaking around and public kissing allowed.” He flashed a smile. This could really work. He'd finally have someone he cared about in his life, and his baggage wasn't an issue. His inability to commit to anything serious wasn't going to bite him in the a.s.s.
”Are you sure about this?” He had to ask one last time, just to be sure.
”Yes, Mr. Simon. I'm sure.” She took a step back. ”Our arrangement suits me as long as...”
”As long as?”
She bit her bottom lip in that way that would drive any man crazy. Lord, the woman had an amazing mouth.
”Our friends.h.i.+p means a lot to both of us so if either one of us thinks it won't survive whatever this is that we're doing, we need to call it quits. Friends.h.i.+p above all else, all right?”
”Deal,” he murmured.
Abby jerked her head toward the walkup. ”Now are you coming up or what?”
Startled, Tucker glanced toward her building. He just a.s.sumed he'd be at his own apartment tonight. Alone.
”My roommate Lisa is upstate visiting her parents and won't be home until tomorrow night.” She shrugged. ”I have the place to myself.”
She didn't have to ask twice. Tucker grabbed her hand, and the two of them took the stairs as if they were racing to a fire.
”One more thing,” Abby said after they entered the building.
”What's that?” He was distracted. Already picturing her naked. Above him. In front of him. Underneath him.
”Marathon or sprint?”
Holy. h.e.l.l. An image of her flashed in his brain. Abby up against the wall, hair all over the place, warm and wet and so f.u.c.king hot that it hurt.
They were at her door.
”Both,” he growled.
Abby unlocked it and then they were inside her loft. She shrugged out of her jacket and reached for the bottom of her T-s.h.i.+rt. It was on the floor before he had time to toss his leather coat.
”Good answer.
Chapter Sixteen.
The sun was just peeking through her bedroom window when Abby woke up. She stretched and took a moment as things slowly came into focus. Like the jeans on the floor beside the bed. Her bra tossed onto the chair in the corner.
Tucker's boot near the bathroom door.
She frowned. Where the h.e.l.l was the other one? And smiled. Oh. Yes.
And then kept smiling as she turned onto her side so that she could have a look at the man she never dreamed would be in her bed.
Tucker Simon was sprawled on his back, arms spread above his head, covers tangled and bunched up low on his torso. With his thick hair low across his forehead, dark stubble on his jaw and long lashes a girl would kill for-he looked hot and adorable and so d.a.m.n s.e.xy.
He was all kinds of masculine with his defined abs, broad shoulders, and square jaw. But the generous mouth and well, those long lashes softened him.
Carefully, she inched forward until she was snuggled against Tucker, her finger absently moving across his chest. She heard his slow and steady heartbeat, watched his chest rise and fall and she couldn't help but think that it was the most wonderful sound in the world.
Memories of the night before washed over her and she bit her lip, cheeks burning. She'd been insatiable and he'd been, well, incredible, and even that didn't come close to describing the night.