Rerouted Obsession - A Sexy New Adult Contemporary Romance Novella (6 page)

             
Obviously, she let it out too soon, because when she had driven only twenty more feet, she hit a patch of ice and lost control of the wheel. For a few seconds, everything seemed to be happening in slow motion. Abby tried to correct the wheel, but it was too late. They ran off the road and into a large snow drift. The entire front end of the truck was encased in snow.

             
“Are you okay?” Jake asked after they abruptly stopped.

“Yes, I am fine,” Abby replied, breathing heavily from the shock.

“I told you we shouldn’t have left, Abby!” Jake said tensely.

“I didn’t have a choice,” Abby shot back as her adrenaline set in, making her shake.

“Yes, you did. I didn’t think you were the type of woman who needed to coddle someone like this Connor. I guess I was wrong,” Jake muttered.

At that remark, Abby saw red. She shoved at the driver’s side door until it opened against the snow and hopped out. She angrily stalked down the road to her house. Her anger and adrenaline were so strong, she barely noticed the frigid conditions. She didn’t care whether Jake would follow her or not. If he wanted to sleep in the truck, call for assistance, or walk all the way back to town, she didn’t care.How dare he! Connor meant the world to her and if it weren’t for that darned patch of ice, she would already be home safe and sound. That accident could have happened to anybody.

Thirty minutes later, she stomped onto her front porch, chilled straight to the bone. She shivered as she fumbled at the lock on the front door, her fingers not wanting to insert the key properly.She could hear Connor whining inside.
Poor thing
, she thought.

As soon as she opened the door, he was jumping on her.

“Calm down, boy. I’m here,” she cooed. She scurried to the kitchen to get one of the pills the vet had prescribed to give Connor during storms. After she coaxed Connor into taking his medicine by hiding it inside one of his favorite treats, she heard heavy footsteps on her porch. She went to see who was at the door.

             
Of course, it was Jake. She opened the door amid Connor’s incessant barking.

“Hush Connor!” she said before acknowledging Jake’s presence.

“Connor? Connor is a dog?” Jake questioned in surprise.

“Yes, Connor is a dog. A very frightened dog,” Abby tersely replied.

             
A look of relief crossed over Jake’s face.

             
“What did you think Connor was?” Abby questioned as she patted Connor’s head. He would be snoozing away very soon.

             
“I thought Connor was your loser boyfriend who needed you in a storm,” Jake sheepishly told her, still standing on her porch.

             
Abby sighed at the ridiculous mix-up. “Come in, Jake. It’s cold,” she motioned him inside.

“Do you think you could get a fire started?” she asked him as she shut her front door against the blustery wind. “Everything you need is right there.” She motioned toward the fireplace.

             
“Sure, no problem,” Jake quickly agreed, seeming anxious for a task.

             
Abby went to change into warm, dry clothes. After she changed into yoga pants and fleece pullover, she grabbed the biggest pair of pajama pants she owned and an oversized sweatshirt for Jake. He was a pretty big guy, and even though she was tall, the pants would surely still be several inches too short. It was all she had to offer, though.

             
She went back into the small living room and was greeted by the sight of Jake standing in just his boxers, inches away from the fairly impressive fire he had started. She turned away, embarrassed by the sight of an almost-naked guy making himself so comfortable in her living room.

             
“I brought you some clothes. I hope they’ll fit,” she said, holding them out to him while trying to keep her eyes averted.

             
“Thanks.Sorry about the lack of clothing, but my shirt and jeans were soaked through,” he explained as he took them out of her outstretched hand.

             
“I figured that was the case. You can change in my room. It’s the door on the left,” Abby said as she went into the kitchen to make them some coffee. She was going to have to get some dinner going soon, too.
I hope the power doesn’t go out,
she thought.

             
As soon as she started rummaging through the cabinets, the familiar silence of all electricity ceasing alerted her that the power, had in fact, made an exit.
Crap,
she thought as she busied herself locating candles, flashlights and her backup generator.

“So how do I look?” Jake asked with his hands on his hips. Abby paused in her search and turned to see what he meant. She put her hand over her mouth to stifle the laugh that threatened to burst out.

             
“You look . . . fine,” she said and cleared her throat to fight down the fit of giggles that had suddenly overtaken her. The pajama pants Abby had assumed would sort of fit Jake did not fit him at all. They were well above his ankles and way too tight.

             
“I can tell you mean that,” Jake laughed. Abby gave into her laughing spell and leaned over onto the counter until she could gather control of herself. Wiping the tears away, she took a deep breath.

“Jake, I wish I had something that actually fit you, but I’m not well stocked in the men’s clothing department,” she teased.

“It’s okay. At least they are dry,” Jake said as he bent down awkwardly to check on the fire.

“Yeah, I guess. So, the power’s out as you can see. I’ve got candles, plenty of firewood, and a backup generator, but I don’t like to use the generator unless it is an absolute dire emergency,” Abby explained.

“I think if we both camp out here in the living room, we will be good and warm. This is a pretty awesome fire, if I do say so myself,” Jake remarked as he poked at the logs.

Abby rolled her eyes. Men and their fascination with fire. She would never fully get it.

“All right. While you admire your handiwork, I am going to see what I can pull together for dinner. I’m thinking peanut butter and jelly,” Abby told him as she headed over to peek in her pantry.

“Whatever you have is fine with me,” Jake called out.

After she made a couple of sandwiches, she took them and some bottles of water into the much warmer living room. Jake had arranged a very comfortable-looking pallet on the rug in front of the fireplace. It looked like it was several quilts and blankets thick, and he had pulled the throw cushions from the sofa and chair onto it, as well.

Between the candles scattered around the room, the roaring fire, and the soft pallet on the floor, Abby swallowed, her throat suddenly dry. She felt nervous; this was all so romantic.
Too romantic,
Abby thought.

“I see you’ve been busy,” Abby remarked as she placed the sandwiches and bottles on the coffee table and sat on the sofa. She wasn’t ready to join Jake on the floor. She didn’t know if she could trust herself not to jump on him.
It’s been way too long,
she mused.

Jake turned to face Abby. “I figured we would need a warm place to sleep. The couch isn’t too close to the fire and it sure isn’t big enough for two,” he winked. Abby could feel her cheeks turning a rosy red, despite the chill on the sofa. What was this guy thinking? She had to admit, the more she got to know him, the more she liked him, but he was leaving in a few days. The path before her was far too familiar, and she refused to go down that road again.

“Well, the couch is big enough for one. One of us can sleep up here and the other on the floor,” Abby said with a decisive air.

“Whatever makes you most comfortable, Abby,” Jake said as he picked up a sandwich.

During dinner, Abby was consumed with her own thoughts. What was Jake expecting? Was he going to try to kiss her? She wasn’t sure she could withstand his charm if he did. Keeping a literal distance between them was the only way to keep things from turning really physical.

“Abby, I can hear your teeth chattering from all the way over here,” Jake said into the shadowy recess of the room. Abby had insisted on taking the couch, which was farther away from the warmth of the fire and farther away from the temptation of all the masculinity in the floor. Jake tried to get her to take the pallet, but she wouldn’t hear of it; she insisted he was her guest, after all.

“I-I’m f-fine,” Abby said. She tried to huddle further down into her mass of blankets, but she couldn’t escape the icy chill seeping into her bones.

“Good grief. No you’re not,” Jake nearly shouted. He jumped up and walked the few steps over to the sofa.

“You are sleeping over here whether you like it or not,” he told her as he picked her up along with the blankets that covered her. He carried her in his arms, holding her closely against him, and laid her in front of the still bright fire. Abby instantly felt pleasure from the radiating warmth.

“If you insist,” she lightly teased. She was way too cold to put up any sort of argument anymore. She felt his weight when he lay down beside her. Between the warmth of the fire and the nearness of Jake, Abby finally decided to let a little of her guard down. Jake had been nothing but the perfect gentleman, and even now, as he lay so close beside her, he didn’t try to make any type of move. Abby was surprised to find that she was sort of disappointed he didn’t at least try.

“Jake?” Abby softly whispered.

“Yes?” he answered her. She turned to face him, now that she was warmer. Her green eyes stared intently into his deep blue ones.

“Thank you,” she said with simple honesty. That was her way of sending an invitation, allowing him to get closer. She knew he understood and accepted when he leaned over and kissed her lightly on the lips. Although she knew she still felt cool to the touch, she welcomed his kiss and warmed beneath him, pressing her lips more firmly against his, wanting more. She raised her hand to caress his face, running her fingertips along the five o’clock shadow that had formed along his jaw.

             
Jake slid his arms around Abby, pulling her closer. For the first time in forever, she felt herself letting her guard down. She wanted this, and it felt right. Jake’s kiss was mesmerizing, and she entwined her fingers in his hair, trying to bring herself even closer to him.

             
“You’re so beautiful,” Jake murmured as he trailed kisses on her neck. His hands roamed over her body. His hands found their way beneath her shirt, cupping her breasts, and Abby softly moaned in reply. She pulled her shirt off and tossed it across the room, wanting more from him. Jake reached around and undid the hook of her bra, kissing her neck and along her shoulder while he did. Pulling the straps aside, he continued kissing down her body and over each breast, tenderly caressing first one and then the other. Abby thrilled at the sensations his skilled mouth sent all over her body. When his hands reached the waistband of her pants, gently beginning to tug them down, Abby lifted her hips to help.

             
Once her pants were off, Jake paused, staring down at her, now only wearing her sheer white panties. “Abby…Abby,” he said, at a loss for words.

             
The anticipation was killing Abby. She wanted him, very badly. She leaned up and pulled him back down on top of her, fumbling with his pants in her impatience.

             
Jake chuckled at her insistence, but assisted her with removing his pants. Kissing her again, his hand ran back down her body, over the rise of her breasts, down her stomach and stop at the top of her panties. After an agonizing pause, his hand continued its descent beneath the sheer panty. When his fingertips skimmed her sex, the feeling made Abby sigh in ecstasy. As he moved deeper and found a rhythm, Abby’s body moved with him in response. “I want you, Jake” Abby whispered in his ear, finding his rock, hard member with her hands, wanting to find her release with him inside of her.

             
Not needing any further encouragement, Jake finagled a condom out of his pants pocket nearby. Putting it on, he came back over Abby, meeting her eyes as his member found her sex, warm and ready.

As he began to slowly make love to her, she held him tightly against her, closing her eyes and thrilling at the feel of him. She never wanted this to end.

             
He picked up the pace, and she cried out in pleasure as he filled her deeply, arching her back and moving to meet his rhythm. He soon followed, and lay on top of her, spent and breathing heavily. Abby wrapped her legs around him, not quite ready for him to move away from her yet.

             
Awash in the blissful after-moments of their lovemaking, they lay there for several moments as their breathing began to calm down. Abby felt like she was on a high after having the most romantic lovemaking experience of her life. The scene felt as if it were out of a movie, it seemed so perfect.
The only thing missing is a shower of rose petals,
she thought to herself and smiled as she felt the stubble on Jake’s jaw against her shoulder.