Built for Love

“That’s the plan.” He takes another bite of his food.

All this time Abel hasn’t been joking with the little comments he’s been making. He built this house for the family he wants to have one day, making sure to leave plenty of places for his future wife to leave her own touches. There have been so many of those small remarks since I met him. He even went as far as saying I was going to be his future wife. At first I thought he was crazy, but now I might be reconsidering.

I peek at him through my eyelashes, not wanting to take my eyes off him. It wasn’t until the car ride home that I realized why I’ve been trying to keep Abel at a distance. I was scared of being hurt. I didn’t know how much what my father had done to my mom had affected me.

It really explains a lot. My dating history is zero. I mean, if you take out the imaginary boyfriend. It’s pretty simple. If you don’t date then you can’t get hurt. Unless you run across a man like Abel who is willing to fight to break down your walls. By fight I guess I mean kidnap.

“You don’t have to sneak looking at me. I enjoy your eyes on me.” I bite the inside of my lip, knowing there is no point in denying it, so I change the subject.

“Will we have popcorn with this movie?”

“We can have anything you like. Are you done?”

I nod and he takes the plate from me. I watch him go over to the sink and rinse them before putting them into the dishwasher. I love that he’s taking care of me. It feels nice for once for someone to dote on me.

“Can I ask you something?”

“You can ask me anything you want.” He walks back over to the kitchen island we’ve been eating at.

“Today. You were different with me. I thought you were annoyed with me or whatever. I know you said you were on edge.” I bite my lip again. Gah, I don’t want to say anything but I have to know.

“Out with it, babe.”

“You weren’t jealous. I was sure your crazy ass was going to be lurking outside the window or something. Nope, you went to go get coffee.” I huff a breath. Abel smirks. I glare at him.

“Even pouting you’re sexy as fuck.” He moves around the counter.

“I’m not pouting.” I totally am. He picks me up, setting me on the counter as though I weigh nothing before stepping between my legs.

“Nothing could be further from the truth, babe. I was losing my fucking mind. I thought you’d get mad if you saw how jealous I was. I didn’t want to give you a reason to run or to push me away so I hid that shit the best I could. I wanted to break about four federal laws, but I took it down to only one.”

“Oh.” I shift, getting turned on. “Which federal law did you break?”

“I might have had a listening device placed on you and Chad.”

“As in you could hear us?” He nods. “What else?”

“Surveillance.” He doesn’t look as if he feels guilty about this in the least. I don’t say anything for a long time, thinking over what he did. “Are you mad?”

“No.” I’m not. In fact, I am the opposite of mad. For some reason his admission turns me on. “It’s kind of hot.” He gives me a look of surprise. “I’m shocked too.” I throw my hands up. “Why would this turn me on?”

“Turn you on?” His voice gets deeper.

“It’s you. I’ve been hanging out with you and now your crazy has rubbed off on me.”

“You want to hear my theory?”

“I’m not sure.”

He chuckles. “Maybe you like the idea of a man being so crazy over you that he can’t think of much else but you. Someone that’s willing to do anything to keep you. That wants to make your every dream come true and fulfill your every desire. Then you’d never have to wonder if he’s like your father. You’d never question my devotion to you because you’d know you were my one and only. Just maybe you want me to be a little crazy obsessed.”

“And you’re that man? You’re going to give me all of those things?”

“I had you moved into my home hours after I met you. A home that no one has been in for all the years I’ve had it. So what do you think?”

I rest my hands on his chest, my fingers digging into the material to grab a hold of him. “I think that I don’t want to watch a movie anymore.” I pull him down to me, kissing him. I think he’s shocked at first, but a moment later he’s all over me. He lifts me off the counter, and I wrap my legs around him.