Page 81 of Coming Up Roses
“I want to be here for you,” she says. “I’m going to let you shower.”
“No.” I reach out for her. “Stay. Shower with me?” My voice is pathetic and pleading and Abi hesitates.
She takes a step backwards and my already aching heart feels like it’s just been driven over by a tractor.
Then she strips off her clothes and steps into the shower.
Water spills down her perfect body and I trace the drops as they skim over her shoulders, down her chest, across her belly to the sexy as fuck silvery marks she got from carrying Sadie, one of my favourite humans.
“I’m going to need you to stop that,” Abi says through a gaspas my fingertip traces the outline of her hip. “I’m trying to look after you, and if you keep touching me like that I’m going to be begging you to fuck me against this wall, which isn’t what you need.”
Maybe not, but it does sound pretty fucking incredible.
It’s a shame I’m so completely exhausted from the emotional turmoil that I can’t truly appreciate that Abi is here with me.
I groan. “I want to, so bad,” I whisper against her wet skin.
“Maybe one day, but not right now.”
“Tease,” I mutter and she huffs out a little laugh.
“You’re the one that made me get in here.”
“I hardly held you at gunpoint,” I say and for the first time today I feel a smile tugging at my mouth.
Abi just shrugs and takes my soap from its little shelf, lathers her hands with it, then glides them over my body, washing the dust and grime from my arms and shoulders. I take over as she strays lower, because her washing my dick is where I draw the line, at least if it’s not in a sexy way. Maybe we could revisit this showering thing another time.
As I rinse the soap off, Abi grabs my shampoo, squeezing a dollop into her hand before gesturing for me to turn around.
When her hands settle on my scalp I can’t even be embarrassed by this whole situation anymore, because it feels like magic. She massages the shampoo into my scalp. It makes me want to melt.
The hazy fog of grief that’s clung to me today clears ever so slightly as she cares for me.
I know how lucky I am with the family I’ve ended up with, despite losing my parents.
I know how lucky I am to have Hunter, who put his entire life on hold for me, and Violet who stepped up to mother me when I needed it, while never overstepping.
I know how lucky I am to have best friends like Katie and Olivia, and Dallas and Sadie.
I know how lucky I am to have Abi here with me right now.
And I know, despite me letting them all down by not showing up for dinner tonight, they’re all still going to love me tomorrow.
Well, except maybe Abi.
Because I’m pretty sure friends who are just hooking up aren’t supposed to love each other the way I’m in love with Abigail Fletcher.
41
ABI
After we shower,I force feed Flynn, making sure he eats something.
He perches on a stool at his kitchen bench, wearing only a pair of dark boxer briefs and I do everything in my power not to stare at the long lines of his body. I fail repeatedly as my gaze lingers over the smooth muscle. I want to draw constellations with the freckles scattered across his shoulders.
Instead, I tell him about us eating the apple pie first and a soft smile plays at his lips.
“Mum would have loved that,” he murmurs, reaching for the bowl.
