N. Walters: Erin's Fancy

His hair was plastered to his skull, his chin was shadowed with morning stubble, and his lips were pressed together in a firm line. Even though they were closed now, Erin loved the way his green eyes subtly changed shade, lightening and darkening, depending on his moods. His face was as tanned as the rest of him, evidence that he spent quite a bit of time outdoors. Even resting, his body was a study in rippling muscles and toned flesh. There wasn’t an extra ounce of fat anywhere on the man. Simply put, he was gorgeous.

She sighed, knowing she could easily pass a day just looking at him. But strangely, that was not what really attracted her to him. Even when she was only a kid, Erin had sensed an innate kindness in Abel, as well as a sense of fair play and justice. He always stuck up for the underdog and didn’t tolerate bullies. She’d found that out when he’d stopped several older boys from teasing her about her height and her red hair. Although she’d only been eight, after that incident she’d followed the fifteen-year-old Abel around, openly adoring him. Not once had he ever scolded her for it or made her feel bad in any way.

The senseless death of his parents had changed him so much. He’d gone from open, smiling young man to one who was grim and silent. The man who’d shot his mother and father in a convenience store holdup had been arrested and charged with their deaths, and Abel had gone to the trial proceedings every day, absorbing every detail. His first book had come out of that incident. It had simply been entitled, A Son’s Search for Justice by A. B. Garrett.

Almost a dozen more books had followed, each one chronicling the tragic events of some crime. Erin had read only one. The story had been gripping and so real it had given her nightmares for weeks. She owned them all, but had never read more than the opening and final chapters of any of them.

No matter where he had lived or traveled for his work, Abel had always made a pilgrimage home once a year. Sometimes he was here for as long as a week, other times he’d be gone after two or three days. No one ever knew when he was coming or when he was leaving, but he always wrote to them. Well, really he occasionally wrote to Jackson who shared the letters with her and Nathan. They were always filled with details of where he was and what he was working on. Erin had traveled all the way around the country through those letters.

Erin didn’t know how he could keep his sanity investigating gruesome crimes such as serial murders and rapes, and then writing about them. She sensed from his letters that it had taken a toll on him. Over the years, his letters had gotten further apart and sparser on details, but permeating them all was a sense of aloneness. It broke her heart to think of him buried in his work, hardly coming up for breath between projects. It was if he was driven to write each one, as if that would somehow make dealing with the death of his own parents easier to handle.

Reaching out, she placed her hand on his arm, simply wanting contact with him. She admired him as a person, but she adored him as a man. This morning, he’d made her feel sexy and womanly for the first time in her life and for that alone, he had earned a special place in her heart forever.

Flawed he might be, but she didn’t think she’d ever met a finer man. Their time together might be short, but she planned to take full advantage of every second. He didn’t move a muscle, but suddenly she knew he was awake. She peeked up at him and sure enough, his green eyes watched her with such a look of sexual intent that it almost took her breath away.

“Hi,” she said.

“Hi back.” Taking her hand from his arm, he kissed her palm before laying her hand on the bed between them. “I’m sweating like a pig in this heat, honey. You don’t want those gorgeous hands on me until I get a shower.

She placed her hand on his chest. “I don’t mind. I’m sweaty too.” Leaning forward, she dropped a kiss on his lips. “Besides, I’m a farm girl. I don’t mind a little honest sweat.”

Laughing, he grabbed her in a bear hug and tugged her on top of him. “Then I’m a very lucky man.”

She nodded emphatically. “You certainly are.” Pushing her hips against his already half-aroused penis, she added, “And maybe you might get even luckier.”

“Think so?” he teased.

“I know so.” She loved bantering with him. Never had she felt this comfortable in any man’s presence, including her brothers. Her glance happened to stray to the bedside table where the clock radio sat. She blinked, not believing her eyes. It couldn’t be that late. But when she looked again, the clock still said that it was just after eleven.

“Omigod.” Screaming, she rolled out of bed, ignoring Abel’s surprised yelp as her knee came to close to his groin for comfort, and began to frantically search for her clothing. Bending over, she grabbed her underwear, but before she could tug them on, she was captured from behind in a bear hug and tossed back on top of the bed.

With her panties still clutched in her hand, she glared up at him. Smiling, a very pleased, satisfied male smile, he surveyed her naked body from head to toe. Her flushed skin felt even hotter and her nipples tightened, but one more glance at the clock had her sighing. “I’ve got to go.”

Abel leaned over her, planting a hand on either side of her head. Bending down, he lowered his mouth to hers. His lips skimmed her own and she parted hers in response. Quickly taking advantage, his tongue swept inside, engaging hers in a sexual duel. Her arms crept up around his neck, pulling him closer to her. Taking his time, he kissed her with a thoroughness that left her breathless when he finally did pull away.

“Good morning, again.” Taking her hand in his, he placed it over his obvious erection. “I know you have to go, but we could take a shower together before you do. It’s the environmentally responsible thing to do you know, to conserve water.”

His grin was wicked and she couldn’t resist teasing him. “Well,” she drawled. “I suppose if it’s for the environment, I can sacrifice myself.”

Standing, he tugged her up from the bed and pulled her along behind him as he left the bedroom and padded down the hallway. “Abel,” she cried. “We’re naked.” She was desperately trying to cover part of herself with her free hand.

He stopped in his tracks and threw back his head and laughed. Erin, not amused by his humor, tried to free her hand from his hold, although he wasn’t holding her tight, his grip was unbreakable. Finally, she stopped trying and settled for just standing there and glaring at him. Really, the man lacked all sense of modesty.

Getting himself back under control, he scooped her up in his arms, threw her over his shoulder, and proceeded to carry her down the hallway. Erin yelped when he picked her up. She was no lightweight, but he carried her with ease. At first she struggled against his hold, but he smacked her on the ass. “Settle down, honey. There’s no one here but us, and besides, we’ll be in the shower in just a second. It doesn’t make any sense to get dressed.”

“I know,” she muttered, squirming slightly as his hand soothed the slight sting on her bottom. The heat on her bottom aroused her, which surprised her greatly.

Her reaction to their nudity made her feel like a prudish old maid. “I’m just not used to it.” She felt the need to justify herself.

“That’s okay. I’ll make sure you get plenty of practice.” He deposited her on the countertop in the bathroom and then leaned over to turn on the taps in the oversized shower stall. The smooth countertop was cool against her behind and she could barely resist the urge to spread her legs and push her hot pussy against it.