Falling Together (All That Remains #2) (21 page)

The
expression on my face doesn’t escape Airen’s notice. “I don’t know if Joseph can
hold out until Friday, darlin’. He’s mentally stripping you naked.”

Abby
blushes and climbs under the covers. “Ignore him and come warm up your side of
the bed,” she invites. She rests her head on the curve of my shoulder, and
Airen spoons up behind her. It occurs to me again that this is where I belong.
I haven’t felt this content since before Tim died. In this room, lying on this
bed, wrapped in the arms of these two beautiful people who love me; I’m home.
For once, I fall asleep first.

“Airen,
stop.” Abby giggles. “All of us together, remember?” I wake without opening my
eyes.

“I
know, but that doesn’t mean I can’t touch you.” Airen’s voice is smooth and
deep, seductive enough to lure an angel into hell without a backward glance.

“He’ll
wake up!”

“Not
if you’re quiet.” I raise my eyelids just enough to see Airen slide his hand
into Abby’s panties while his other pushes her shirt up to her neck. The room
is dimly lit with thin early morning light, making her pale skin appear
luminous as his hand caresses her bare breasts before slipping back below her
navel. His lips part to meet hers in a tender kiss, his dark hair brushing her
cheek. A light moan escapes her throat, and his dark eyes sparkle with desire.
Fuck. They’re beautiful. I should close my eyes, or let them know I’m awake,
but I can’t look away. She groans again when Airen’s lips close around her
nipple, and his fingers move briskly under her panties. My heart thrums in my
ears and I try not to let my breathing speed up. This is hot as hell.

“Shh,
you don’t want to wake Joseph,” he teases. Abby grabs a pillow and buries her
face in it to muffle her cries. Airen’s eyes meet mine before I can close them.
Shit. I’m busted
. He grins and places a finger over his lips in a silent
warning.

“Are
you close, sweetheart?” Airen whispers, shifting the pillow away from her face
when her hips begin to move against his fingers.

“Yes,”
she moans, “don’t stop.”

“I’ve
got you, darlin’.” A whimper escapes her throat and she throws her head back,
gasping. Her hands fist in Airen’s hair as she climaxes, shaking and trying to
smother her cries. A shudder runs through me and I shift uncomfortably, trying
to conceal the thick hot stone between my legs.

Airen
grins at Abby as she gazes up at him with dreamy eyes. “You’re so sexy when you
come, Abigail,” he whispers, planting a soft kiss on her lips. “Isn’t she
Joseph?” he asks, outing me with an impish grin. Abby’s jaw drops and her eyes
widen as they dart to mine.

“Beautiful,”
I agree, running my fingers down her side. An instant blush rushes from her
face to her chest, and she buries her face in a pillow while attempting to pull
the covers over her half naked body.

“No,
no, no,” Airen chides, “no hiding allowed.”

“Airen!
Joseph!” she pleads, embarrassed when Airen steals her pillow, forcing her to
face us.

“You
knew he was awake!” she accuses, her face flushed.

“All
of us together,” he replies, grinning. “Are you going to be this shy with Joseph
on Friday night?”

“This
is different. I’m the only one on display.”

“He
didn’t see you naked.”

“No,
but he saw me…you both
watched
me…” she sputters. I do my best not to
laugh. I understand what she means. It’s completely different when you’re the
only one naked, with all eyes on you, watching you at your most vulnerable
moment.

“We
watched you come,” I whisper, running my fingers through her silky hair. “Don’t
be embarrassed, baby, it was sexy as hell. Besides, you’ll get to repay the
favor.”

“Assholes,”
she remarks fondly, grinning and shaking her head.

I
can’t resist touching her any longer. My hand circles her navel before it
travels gently over her breast, my thumb stroking her nipple until it hardens. “Your
breasts are so lovely, Abigail.”

“They’re
small,” she murmurs, averting her eyes.

“No,
they’re precious and sweet. You fit perfectly in my hand.” She smiles and
closes her eyes when Airen’s hand joins in, caressing her other breast.

“They’re
beautiful,” he agrees huskily. “Pink and cream. So firm under my fingers. So
soft in my mouth.” He bestows an open mouthed kiss on her nipple, and she sighs,
soaking in the sensations as we love on her. An immediate and unanimous groan fills
the room when Lane begins to cry over the baby monitor.

“I’ll
get his majesty,” Abby volunteers, pulling on a pair of sweats.

“I
need a shower,” I groan. I’m still hard as a rock.

“I
can’t imagine why.” Abby giggles, kissing him.

“Airen
was trying to work me up yesterday, and now I wake up to this. If blue balls
were fatal, I’d be a dead man.”

“Airen!
Have you been teasing him?” She regards us with amusement.

“Does
that sound like something I would do? I’m offended,” he replies haughtily.

“No,
you’re an ass,” I correct.

After
lunch, Airen turns to Carson and advises him to wear a couple of layers of
clothes for the job they’re doing today.

“What
are you working on?” Abby asks.

“The
roof of the barn needs repaired now that the snow has melted. It’s sunny so it
shouldn’t be too cold, but it’s windy up there.”

From
the look on Abby’s face, this isn’t going to be pretty. “Carson isn’t getting
up on the roof! He could fall!”

“We
could get struck by lightning, too, but that isn’t going to happen. He’ll be
fine. As long as he follows directions, I won’t push him off the edge.”

Shaking
his head with a grin, Carson replies, “You’re the one most likely to fall and
break a hip, old man.”

“Pssh,
you know I have cat-like reflexes.”

“A
dead cat.”

Neither
seem to notice Abby isn’t amused until she turns to Carson, her tone firm, and
says, “You aren’t getting on any roof. End of.”

“Abby…”
Airen begins.

“Drop
it, Airen. I don’t want him up there.” Her movements are jerky, her posture
tense as she shoves the lunch leftovers into the fridge. Carson gives a barely
perceptible nod when I gesture for him to leave the room, and heads off down
the hall.

Airen
scowls and crosses his arms. “So, that’s it? Decision made? The queen has
spoken?”

“What
the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“It
means you could at least pretend my opinion matters. I’m his father, but I
don’t get a say? You think I’d let Carson get hurt?”

She
sighs and leans against the counter. “Not on purpose, but what if he fell and
broke his leg?”

“Julie
would set it, and he’d wear a cast. Next question?”

“I’m
not arguing over this,” Abby announces, and stalks to the bedroom with Airen
hot on her heels.

These
two never learn. It’s like déjà vu watching them fight, repeating the same
pattern. Abby tries to act indifferent, then runs, and Airen pursues, pushing
to get his way until they’re both pissed off and yelling. I’m torn on whether
to intervene. Normally, I’d try to get Airen to leave Abby alone for a few
minutes, then encourage Abby to explain why she’s upset and get them to talk it
out like reasonable adults. Our new relationship complicates things a bit because
I don’t want them to feel like I’m taking sides now that we’re together.

Airen’s
raised voice rumbling from the bedroom, followed by Abby’s sharp reply, prompts
me to action. Sometimes, I could strangle them both. When I enter, they’re
glaring at one another from across the room. “You’re going to wake Lane,” I
warn them. “You know he’ll be a grouch without a nap.”

“We’re
done,” Abby says, darting past me through the bedroom door.

“The
hell we are,” Airen grumbles, marching after her. He doesn’t get far before I
grab his arm.

“Give
her a minute, buddy. Let her cool off. You know her temper is as bad as yours.
You aren’t going to get anywhere.” His hands fly through his hair in
frustration.

“She
says she wants me to be a father to Carson, but she won’t fucking let me!”

“Airen…Abby
was a single mom for twelve years. She’s used to making all the decisions when
it comes to Carson.” Glaring, he opens his mouth to respond, but I interrupt.
“I’m not making excuses for her. I didn’t say it was right. I only want you to
understand where she’s coming from.”

“She
doesn’t trust me.” Hurt thickens his voice.

“Bullshit.
She trusts you more than anyone. This has nothing to do with trust, and
everything to do with fear. She’s overprotective when it comes to the kids,
but, if I’m going to be honest, I don’t like the idea of letting him roof
either.”

“He
has to learn this shit, Joey.”

“I
know, but it doesn’t have to be today, does it? When you know it scares the
shit out of her? Maybe we can come up with a way to make it safer, tether him
somehow. If she sees he’s safe, she’ll be okay with it.”

“Fine.”

Dishes
rattle and bang in the kitchen as Abby washes up, doing anything to avoid
talking to Airen. She regards me warily when I lean against the counter with a
sigh. “Easy way or hard way, Abigail?”

“What?”
she asks, drying her hands on a dish towel.

“Easy
way, you go talk to Airen, and explain why you freaked out. Hard way, I throw
you over my shoulder and carry you to the bedroom where you talk to Airen, and
explain why you freaked out. Doesn’t matter to me, baby.”

“Leave
me alone.” Before she can take a step, my arms are around her thighs and she’s
over my shoulder, kicking and smacking my back as I carry her to the bedroom.
Airen snorts with laughter, and Abby snaps, “It’s not funny.” I toss her on the
bed, and she stares at me, her glare falling short when the corners of her
mouth twitch up. “Caveman,” she mutters.

“Yeah,
I’m the one with the thick skull. Talk. Work it out.”

*
* * *

“It’s
snowing again,” Airen grumbles, peeking out the kitchen window while Lane hangs
on his leg.

“Layer
up. Let’s take a walk. Get your grouchy ass out of the house for awhile,” I
reply.

“And
go where?”

“I
want to show you something,” I murmur, meeting his eyes. Lane giggles as Airen
flips him upside down, dangling him by his waist.

“Okay,
let me have Abby watch the rugrat.” He meets me on the porch a few minutes
later, bundled in a heavy coat, a woolen gray skullcap pulled over his ears.
“This better be good,” he teases, following me outside into the blustery day.

“I’m
sorry, have I messed up your big plans for today? You have something better to
do?”

“Than
wander around in the cold? Yeah, I’ve had enough of this shit to last me a
lifetime.”

I
slip my leather clad hand into his. “I missed you.”

“Of
course you did.” I get a flash of his smug grin before his face softens. “Me
too, Joey.”

Joey
. No one’s
called me that since I was a kid, but I love how it sounds coming from his
lips. Fuck. I’ve wanted him for so long. I know I’d better take things slow,
though. He’s new to this, and unsure, still trying to accept his new feelings.
I remember what that was like. A comfortable silence settles between us, our
footfalls fading into the forest as we soak in the quiet beauty of our
surroundings. Snow falls in a thin veil around us, lightly coating the ground
and trees.

“Over
here.”

Airen
stares for a moment before glancing at me. “You brought me to see a tree?”

“Yep.”
Laughing at his confusion, I pull him toward the towering willow. I’ll admit,
it doesn’t look as impressive stripped of most of its leaves, but it’s still
magnificent.

“It’s…big,”
Airen says hesitantly.

“Massive,”
I agree. “Come here.” Kneeling, I pull back a folded tarp that I use to cover a
small pile of dry wood.

With
a look of confusion, he tugs off his gloves, watching me start a small fire as
close to the tree as I dare. Everything is covered in wet snow, but still I’d
never risk burning this beauty to the ground. After warming our hands, I pull
him down beside me, leaning against the tree trunk. “This is my favorite
place,” I tell him.

Surprised,
he glances around us. “Why?”

“Look.
See how the edge of the grass arcs in front of us? In the spring and summer,
when the tree is full and green, the branches are so weighed down with leaves
they brush the ground. All the way around us. They hide this little space from
the world. It’s always cool and peaceful, a good place to think.”

“Think?”
The corner of his lip tilts up in a half smile and I can read the dirty
thoughts running through his mind.

“Yes,
think,” I reply, bumping my shoulder against his.