She took a quick look at him. “I had a long talk with your mom the other night when she brought me dinner. She helped me find some clarity about a few things that were bothering me,” she said, eyes back on the road. “We need to talk, Jackson, but I don’t want to do it while I’m driving. Thecabin is only a half-hour away. I promise I’ll explain once we’re there.”
“I’m just glad we’re here together,” he said, making himself more comfortable. “I’ve missed you, Abby.”
“I’ve missed you too,” she said, stealing another glance over at him. “More than I want to admit.”
Warmth filled him, and he smiled at her, then took her hand and kissed her palm before turning to watch the scenery out the window. He could be patient; he’d already waited days for this. A few more hours wouldn’t make much difference, and his heart swelled with hope that by the end of the night, Abby would be his for the rest of their lives.
***Abby***
Hands shaking, Abby slid the casserole dish into the oven, closed the door, and set the timer, then, taking a deep breath, turned to face Jackson, suddenly nervous about the decision she’d made. The fire Jackson had coaxed from the cold hearth flickered brightly as she crossed the small cabin and joined him on the loveseat. The warmth of her love for him mixed with the heat of the fire, bringing a flush of color to her cheeks. He didn’t say anything as she settled next to him, but the look in his eyes had her heart pounding, and the words she’d so carefully rehearsed abandoned her.
“I had this big speech all planned, but now that we’re together, I can’t remember a word of what I wanted to say,” she said, then let out a long sigh. “I want to be with you, Jackson, I want it more than anything in the world, but I can’t lose myself in this relationship. I’ve been afraid that’s what was going to happen. You made it sound like there wasn’t any other choice, but after I talked to your mom, I realized it’s not that black and white.”
Jackson studied her for a second. “I never meant for youto think that,” he said, shaking his head. “I just wanted you to understand how powerful the bond between us would be.”
“Yeah, I get that, but all you did was scare me,” she said, shrugging her shoulders. “In my world, when a woman gets married, she gives up everything to take care of her husband and kids. I swore I would never be one of those women, I swore my goals and dreams would always come first.”
“Oh, Abby, I would never ask you to give up anything for me. That’s not the way I want our life together to be,” he said. “I know how important it is to you to become a doctor. It never even occurred to me that you’d do anything else, even if it means we’ll be separated for a while.”
“Really?” she asked, wondering if it could really be that easy. “I thought…I mean, you said we’d be miserable if we were separated…I just assumed that I’d have to…”
“Finish your education and become the best doctor you can be,” Jackson said, pulling her into his arms. “Abby, your passion for medicine is one of the reasons I’m falling in love with you. I’ve never met a woman like you, so tough on the outside but soft and sweet on the inside. I wouldn’t want you to change, I want you just the way you are, even if you drive me a little crazy sometimes.”
“Hey, look who’s talking,” she said, tears stinging her eyes. “You’re not exactly Mr. Perfect; you’re bossy and stubborn, and you always think you know best.”
Jackson pretended to be insulted. “Oh, now you’ve hurt my feelings,” he said, but there was a little smile on his face. “I think you should find a way to make me feel better.”
“Oh, what did you have in mind?” she asked, her heart pounding faster when she saw desire blossoming in his eyes. “It wouldn’t involve me kissing you, would it?”
“It might,” he said, pulling her into his lap. “I guess we’ll just have to see what happens.”
When his mouth came down in hers, all the worry andanxiety about what a future with Jackson would mean for her dreams and goals floated away, and she knew deep down that what was about to happen between them was meant to be. It was easy then to give herself up to the wonderful feelings rushing through her, so simple to mold her body to his and kiss him back for the first time that she didn’t even have to think about what she was doing, it was completely natural. Jackson sensed the change in her, felt her resistance fading away, and with a low growl, crushed her body tightly against his as he slipped his hands lower to cup her buttocks in his powerful hands.
Thrill after thrill rushed through her when she felt the hard muscles of his chest pressed up against her breasts. She let out a little moan when her nipples hardened, sending ripples of sensation through her entire body, but let out a gasp of surprise when Jackson grabbed her by the hips, twisting her in his lap until she was straddling him without even breaking the kiss while his hands began to roam over her body.
His nimble fingers made quick work of the buttons on her shirt, and it fell to the floor in a heap at his feet just as his lips left hers, and he began kissing his way down her neck, making goosebumps break out on her skin. Her bra disappeared just as quickly as the shirt had, and his hands were suddenly cupping her breasts, his thumb and finger toying with the stiff peaks of her nipples. Nearly overwhelmed by the pleasure rushing through her when his mouth followed his hands and he lavished all his attention on her breasts, she fought to catch her breath but could only moan as a tight ball of pleasure began to form deep inside her.
Suddenly desperate to feel his naked skin under her palms, she tore his shirt off and began to explore the hard planes of his chest. Her breath caught in her throat, and anticipation thundered through her when she saw the littlepatch of hair peeking out of the top of his jeans. Deep inside her a need she’d never felt before began to grow and she slowly became aware of Jackson’s throbbing erection pressing up against her. She gasped when he thrust his hips, driving himself up against her throbbing core.
Jackson groaned at her response, then reached up and cupped her face in his hands, his breath coming in short gasps. “Abby, are you sure about this?” he asked. “We’re reaching the point of no return, I want you so much, but I have to know this is what you want.”
“I want you, Jackson, I want you to make love to me,” she said. “I want to bond with you and spend the rest of my life with you.”
In one fluid motion, he got to his feet, carried her over to the bed, gently laid her down, and then stood looking down at her for a second before stripping off his pants. She gasped when she saw his bulging manhood but couldn't resist reaching out to touch him, smiling when he groaned with pleasure as her hand closed around him. He gritted his teeth as she explored, then grabbed her hand and gently pulled it away with a shiver, his eyes locked on hers.
Leaning over her, he slowly unbuttoned her jeans, then slowly slid them down over her hips, his hands lingering at the junction of her thighs and making her gasp. When her jeans hit the floor, he reached for the scrap of lace that was the last barrier between them and a second later, she was lying naked on the bed. His eyes traveled over her body, beginning to glow in the darkness, and then, with a groan of anticipation, he joined her on the bed.
His mouth found hers in a searing kiss as his hand traveled down her chest, across her stomach, and between her legs before gently pushing them apart. Anticipation erupted inside her again, making her gasp, but she was unprepared for the pleasure that ripped through her when his fingerslipped between her folds and he began stroking her slick nib. Wave after wave of sensation overwhelmed her as Jackson ravaged her mouth, then the gentle stroking of his finger took her higher and higher until she tumbled over the edge crying out his name, sure that she was going to break into a million pieces.
But as the last waves slowly faded away, she became aware of a new need throbbing deep inside her and instinctively understood what she wanted. “Please, Jackson, I need you to make me yours; I need you inside me,” she said, spreading her legs wider. “Take me now, I can’t wait any longer.”
He growled deep in his throat. “God, I wanted to make this take all night, but I need you as much as you need me,” he said, rolling between her legs. “You’re mine, Abby. You were made just for me, and after tonight, you will belong to me forever.”
CHAPTER 22
***JACKSON***
Using the last of his control, Jackson slowly sank into the warm moist heat of Abby’s core, trying not to hurt her as her body slowly stretched to take his full length. She tensed for only a second, then let out a low moan and he slipped completely inside her, his own groan of satisfaction filling the room as he seated himself deeply for the first time. When she opened her eyes to look up at him, they were filled with both wonder and pleasure as he slowly pulled out of her then buried himself deeply again.
