Grizzly - Bundle Parts 1-3 (10 page)

Abe nodded his head, “Indeed, I’ll have the usual and the lady here is considering it…” He said, peering at me for confirmation.

I closed the menu, “That was easy. I’ll have the same, thank you.”

“Fair enough. Anything to drink?”

I ordered a sparkling water and then he was gone. Gabe was fiddling with the straw to his coke and studying me. A silence fell between us and I decided to just let it be, not fill up the air or the space with some neurotic need for conversation.

“You got my email? With the finished version?” He asked.

“Yes, thank you. Already sent to my agent. Bless you for finishing so quickly.” I said and pulled out a check for him, sliding it across the table.

He looked at it but didn’t pick it up.

“This one, this edit, is on me. All I ask is for your professional reference if I may?”

“Of course, but I insist on paying you. You did a great job.” I said, confused as to why he wouldn’t accept payment.

“I don’t know any other way to go about doing this but to be very blunt and candid. You ready?” Abe said, looking serious all of a sudden.

“Okay?” I said, gulping.

“I need to fire you as a client. I can’t be your editor. I hope you understand?” He said, a tentative and concerned look crossing his features.

Holy mackerel…

“Sure, I understand. Any particular reason?” I asked.

“Yes, a very good one. I think I’m falling for you Cass…” He said softly.

I was stunned. Not only had he taken care of the awkward writer-editor client relationship and the need for it to be terminated, but he’d owned his feelings for me.

Like a man.

A very appealing man.

I’d never had a man just be so – mature. Honest. Open. Real.

It was refreshingly attractive and stirringly arousing. The urge to just climb over the table and straddle him in front of the world and god, was overwhelming. Thankfully, my sensibilities and social propriety had my ass glued to the booth seat.

Instead, I knew I must have been semi-gawking in awe. Because, right then and there, I knew I’d landed the man lotto. Like big time. Like, holy crap! I’m not even one of my characters in one of my books and this is like a thousand times better than any of those!

A sound came out of my mouth that was a little bit like a chortle, maybe a cute, furry animal laughing, a sort of warped version of extreme excitement and confusion. I wasn’t exactly sure, but I’d never made a noise like it before. In my entire life.

Because there had never been reason to.

Now there was.

Either way, it did something to him as he reached across the divide that was the table, semi-standing and pulling me forward towards him, his big paw of a hand cupping the back of my head and neck. It was the most awkward, uncomfortable position of my life and I would hold it if all hell broke loose because the brief but passionate kiss he gave me, claimed me.

Once separated, I couldn’t speak. I was struck dumb. Mute. Deaf. All of the above, really.

“I hope that wasn’t too forward of me?” He asked, a teasing look in his eye. A naughty glint.

I grinned and shook my head, “Not at all…”

“So, you’re good with this? Everything is on the table? No surprises or mis-understandings?” He asked.

I was too happy to respond, I just sat there grinning like a love besotted goon hoping that was answer enough. Thankfully, our food showed up just in time. I set about fixing my cheeseburger, eyeing it hungrily. Abe did the same thing and a sweet intimacy began to pass back and forth between us.

That happy place where you realize that someone you care for has the same kind of feelings for you and there is so much to look forward to. The way it settles down on you and you can just accept it. How something simple and mundane, like eating out and having a meal becomes more than just lunch or dinner, but quality time spent with one another.

For me, at least, it felt good, true and sweet.

My core was registering it and I swore that he could sense or feel what was happening with me. His eyes flickered to my face from time to time, stealing peeks of me. Which only made me feel even warmer and sweeter in my core.

God, what a heavenly feeling…

“Abe?” I asked after chewing and swallowing a hearty bite of my cheeseburger.

“Yes, Cass?”

“This is like one of the best cheeseburgers I’ve ever had.” I said, an approving smile plastered on my face. A new man in my life and a good cheeseburger. It was turning out to be a really good day.

His smile was all the confirmation I needed that he was glad to hear it. The twinkle in his eye wasn’t bad either.

For the most part, we ate the rest of our meal in silence interrupted only by the sounds of two people thoroughly enjoying their food.

Once done, he ordered a chocolate shake for us to have for dessert and just like in those old fashioned movies where the couple share, their noses meeting in the middle as they each lean in to scoop up a bite with their long spoon or take a taste through the straw, we slowly ate it. I giggled like a tween in love, not much caring what decorum required of me.

Once done, he reached across the table and caressed the top of my hand. “Shall I pay and we get out of here?” He asked.

I nodded and instead, put my hand on his which held a twenty I’d pulled out, anticipating he’d attempt to pay the bill. “Allow me. Please.”

It was one of those moments that really mattered to me. I knew his circumstances. I already knew he was a gentleman and I knew his ex-wife had taken him to the cleaners, financially. I also knew I had been his only client and he had just quit for the sake of a chance at a relationship with me.

The least I could do, right about now was pay the damned bill.

“It’s my treat, Cass. I invited you. I want to pay for this.” He said, a sweet and soulful beseeching on his face.

I studied his face, and relented. I didn’t want to injure his pride. There would be plenty of time to get the situation figured out to his advantage, financially. It touched me that he might be willing to spend some of the only money he had, on me.

Because he needn’t do so. I had money. Plenty of it.

* * *

By the time we managed to make it to my place and inside my apartment, I’d never felt the kind of carnal attraction I was feeling for Abe. Knowing the feeling was more than mutual made everything better. Knowing there was sentimental emotion behind it made it all the better.

I was outside of fantasy and squarely stepping into reality.

It had been a while too…

His strong hands were everywhere, caressing, squeezing and feeling all of me with his own sexual hunger. His kisses were urgent, commanding and consuming.

At some point, he had me pinned up against the wall, his knee driving apart my legs and hoisting one leg up to hook around him, his fingers fumbling with my pants.

In a blur of lust, I did the deed for him and soon he had access to my aroused pussy, wet and eager for his touch. I wanted to slow it down and just as if he read my mind, he did.

Our urgency melted to a sweet simmer and when he made it past the small barrier of my panties, and his way into my swollen folds, I gasped with pent up desire.

“Oh my god Abe…” I panted into his ear, clutching his body with the full embrace of my own. I could feel the hardness of his own desire through his jeans, pressing urgently up against my core.

Taunting. Teasing. Tormenting.

He found my clit and my entire body was his to command. Having him explore me with his hands first was more than I could express. As much as my entire body was screaming with the desire to be penetrated by his manhood, there was a part of me that wanted to slow down and not be in such a rush.

To allow the lovemaking to find its rhythm.

But, oh god… his hands! His body…

Pressed up against him, pinned against the wall, while he supported the wait of my own body, he watched my face keenly as he played my pussy like a much love fiddle. I could see his need to experience my reaction, to see it plain as day on my face. To make me come and witness it.

“God Cass… your core is so wet, so needy… Greedy little girl…” He said, growling some dirty talk into the dynamic that enflamed me further. My ears were aflame from the naughty sounds he made, and those that I were making too.

“Oh gaaaaaaaaaaawhhhd, Abe...”

His hand continued to explore, arouse, titillate and in sweet time, he masterfully pulled out one of the biggest and best orgasms of my life. He’d taken his time, allowing it to build languorously and then crest, holding me in that place of ecstasy for as long as I could handle it.

Bearing down on him as I came, I bit into his shoulder, a yelp of pleasure coming out as I trembled around his capable hand. Amused that I was being hand-banged, like we were high-schoolers or college mates, we soon erupted into a shared laugh.

“Oh good god, Abe… you just hand-fucked me and I loved every minute of it…”

“Good,” he said, nuzzling into my body, “Cuz there is a lot more where that came from, Cass my dear.”

“I have no doubt…” I purred then entwined my hand with his free hand, pulling him away from the wall and to my sofa.

His fingers trailed my backside as I twisted him down on the sofa so that I could lay atop him. Take charge and change the dynamic.

We began to kiss again, a slow kiss brimming with the desire flowing between us. I love nipped at his mouth, taking my time and appreciating the feel of his body beneath mine. He was a big man. Muscular, tall, well built and he barely registered the fullness of my weight upon him. If he was uncomfortable with it, he made no complaint.

“Am I too heavy on you?”

“No, Cass. It feels wonderful having you atop me.”

As if to reinforce, he pulled me closer to him, crushing me into his amazingly hard body and equally hard erection. I got the luxurious feel of his hands all over my plump curves, exploring and discovering.

“Is it okay if we go slow, ya know? Build up our passion as we get to know one another better? Not rush it? Not hop into bed straight away.” I asked, hoping he didn’t mind that I very much wanted to savor what was happening between us.

He nodded, “As hard as that might be – we’ll take this as slow or as fast as your pretty little heart desires.”

His response was music to my ears. I really didn’t want to jump right into bed, have sex and run the risk of him never returning. It would hurt too much at this point, I was too emotionally tangled with him at this point.

“Thank you, Abe.”

“Of course, Cass.” He said before crushing me with another urgent kiss the left us rolling in the deep for another hour to come, making out like teenagers determined to save their virginity.

Oh the irony…

Chapter Twelve

(( 12 ))

ABE

A few weeks came and went. Cass and I fell into a comfortable routine I appreciated more than she knew. Thankfully, between her and Charlene’s connections and references, I discovered that there was plenty of work in the paranormal fiction author world. I had not one, not two, not three, but four new clients and was steadily working forty to fifty hours a week.

We were at her neighborhood
Starbucks
, noses buried in our work, sucking down lattes when a man in an expensive suit sauntered up to the table and uttered one word, ‘
whale
’.

Cass’s face spilled it all but most importantly, I couldn’t believe that anyone had the audacity to be so rude. That was, until he explained himself. She looked ready to deck him herself if he hadn’t salvaged his introduction quickly.

“Might I join you? I’m Philip Silk. Bob Silk’s son.” He asked.

Cass held her own and looked him straight in the face, and asked what he wanted.

“I want to discuss my father’s atrocious behavior. That’s all. Do you mind?” He said.

Cass’s eyebrows shot up and she glanced my way a bit nervously. “All due respect, but any communication regarding the incident with Bob Silk needs to occur with my attorney.” She reached into her purse, shuffling around for a biz card.

“Well then, I guess you won’t get to hear from me directly about his bad behavior with other persons of size?” He said, his eyebrow arched high. “My father and I aren’t on good terms. I used to weigh four hundred pounds.”

Cass gulped and motioned for him to sit and join us. I watched the interaction closely, ready to defend and protect if needed. She was on top of it, as usual.

“Please, join us.” She said.

He did and he shared how he’d been an overweight child, adolescent and young adult. His father and he had split ways in his mid-twenties when his father humiliated him about his size at a dinner party his mother had thrown to celebrate his father’s birthday.

In great detail, we heard all about how horrible his life had been until he’d gained the courage to confront his father before opting to part ways and never speak to him again.

Stunned, we looked back and forth at one another while he shared his story, at times he teared up and it was obvious that he was still very emotional about the verbal abuse and humiliation he’d gone through his entire life.

“In the end, I opted to have lap-band surgery for health reasons, but I’m not here to condone anything. What I did was a personal decision. However, I heard from my mother how my father is fretting this lawsuit and it infuriated me. How dare he take issue with someone defending their self in a public pool after humiliating her! I had to meet you and so I’ve had a PI find you so I could meet you.”

Cass just shook her head the entire time, listening with compassion and sensitivity. “I’m so sorry to hear it, Philip. As far as I’m concerned, in a way, this is one of the last so-called socially acceptable prejudices and people seem to think they can get away with insulting others with no regard to their feelings. Your father is but one of many disapproving remarks that I’ve had to endure over the years and that day at the gym, I just sorta lost it. My thick skin was gone and I just reacted. You must know that I’m ashamed for hitting him, but I’m not ashamed that I defended myself. In hindsight, I just wish that I’d done so verbally – not physically.”