You'll Say Yes (24 page)

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to surprise you. Just take me back to my room," I muffled on his shoulder, and didn't dare to look to his face.

I could feel him take a deep breath and begun to move. I felt the soft sheet under my body when Joshua laid me down on my...wait! My eyes widened when I saw the familiar interior of his room. I glanced over to him and I saw him smiling.

"I can't deny you anything, Abby. You can sleep in my room," He said in husky tone. His warm breath was so close to my face.

I just stared at him like an idiot. He grinned and I blinked several times. "Uh...yeah...okay," I mumbled.

He chuckled and kissed my forehead. "Just make yourself comfortable. I'll be right back." He stood up and got out from the room.

I looked around and studied his room. This is the first time I spent the night in his room after we were living together. Some of his stuff from his old apartment was here. A picture of me and Joshua when we were younger, the one I saw when I came to his apartment for the first time, now was framed and he put it on his desk. I smiled at the picture.

I laid my body on his bed and snuggled on his pillow. Even his pillow smelled like him. I closed my eyes and smiled. I wish I could do this forever. My eyes snapped open.

Wow! Hold on!

That was too early. I was just beginning to learn how to love him. Forever was too soon for me. I heard footsteps down the hall and I looked at the door. Joshua got in and closed his door. My heart was beating so fast and my stomach clenched. I couldn't imagine what was like if we were married. I swallowed hard. He turned off the lights and slipped under the covers next to me. He turned on the bedside lamp and rolled his body so we were facing each other.

We didn't speak. Joshua looked at me with love and adoration. He raised his hand and caressed my cheek.

Warm.

I leaned to his touch and I could feel he was moving closer to me. I didn't take my eyes off of him. They were intense and gleam under the dim light of his room. I could feel my body was getting warm.

"Abby...you are so beautiful. Do you know that?" He said lovingly.

I smiled. "Well, you've told me that a couple of times."

He chuckled. "Hmm...I think I should have told you that you're beautiful more often."

He still stroking my face, my cheeks, my eyebrows, my jaw, my lips, my hair...it was like he was memorizing everything about me. The tugging feeling and the knot in my stomach intensified. Without thinking, I raised my hand and he caught it.

"Don't move," I whispered.

He looked deeply into my eyes and released my hand. It was my turn to stroke his face then; and he leaned into my touch. He let out a soft sigh when I traced his lips with my fingers and my palm felt warm.

I propped myself in one elbow and leaned closer to him. Joshua instinctively rolled over, so I was hovering above him. Under the dim light, I could see his eyes turned darker. My fingers traveled to his chest and his breath hitched. I put my hands back to his cheek; I didn't want to push him tonight.

I smiled and traced one finger to his lips. He was still looking at me lovingly. "Why are you choosing me, Joshua?" I asked him. Ryan's words replayed in my mind;
'He could have all the girls he wants and yet he chooses you.'

He blinked several times. "Pardon?"

I almost chuckled. He seemed in daze. Was it because of me? "I was asking you why you are choosing me."

He stayed silent and then sighed. He raised his hand to stroke my hair. "Because you're everything to me, Abby. I'm nothing without you."

"Do you...really...mean that?"

He narrowed his eyes. "What brought this on?"

Crap! I was never good in the lying business. I blushed and rolled over onto my back. "Nothing," I said shortly and looked over the ceiling.

Suddenly, my view was blocked by his face. I gasped when I realized Joshua was hovering above me. He trapped me under his body. I could feel his warmth and my body started tingling.

"I've told you before, Abby," He said in husky and playful tone. "You are a terrible liar."

I blinked several times; trying to process his words with our closeness.

He smiled and leaned down to give me a chaste kiss.

I smiled on his lips and played with the hair on the nape of his neck. "Do you know we can't do things like this in the 16th century?"

He arched his back a little and smirked. "Really?" He asked in disbelief.

"Uh-huh," I said to him, trying to remember one of romance stories which I edited months ago. "A man who has intention to court a lady will meet the lady's family to get to know each other. If the man told the lady's father his intention, he is allowed to spend the night in the lady's room. But, they were separated by a bundling board and the lady's ankles will be tied up with a fabric rope so they couldn't do anything inappropriate."

He raised his eyebrows. "How do you know all of this?"

I grinned. "I'm an editor, remember?"

He chuckled and looked over at the bed. He turned his head to me and smirked. "Well, I don't see any bundling board here so I assume we could do this." In one swift movement, he leaned down and captured my lips with his in a deep kiss.

His amazing scent engulfed me and made me dizzy. Our lips moved together. My heart was beating erratically, my mind was clouded. I pulled him down, desperate to get closer to him. Joshua sensed my eagerness and he leaned closer to my body. We didn't break the kiss until I was gasping for air. His lips didn't leave my skin and he was started to kiss my jaw, my neck and my collarbone. It felt so good and I could feel my blood rush in my veins.

Suddenly he pulled me up into sitting position. I wrapped my hands around his neck while his hand started to roam onto my back. I gulped and with shaking hands I sneaked my hand under his T-shirt. He hissed when my hand made contact to his skin. He's so warm and I could feel his muscles under my fingertips. I looked at him and his eyes turned dark again.

"Abby," He murmured. He was kissing my neck again. "So beautiful..."

I swallowed hard. Did I really want this to happen? Yes, I needed him...but, no, not yet! I was trying to stop him, but it was getting difficult when his kisses drugged me. I mustered all of my strength and said, "Joshua, stop!"

He didn't stop, but still continue to kiss me.

"Joshua, please," I begged him.

His kisses were getting frantic and I knew if I didn't stop him, we both won't be able to stop. I raised my hands and grabbed his face to look at my eyes. He was breathing so hard and his eyes were wild. My stomach clenched seeing the longing and passion in his eyes.

"Abby...I need you," He whispered desperately.

I shook my head to gain my focus. I clutched his face. "Listen to your heartbeat. Will you regret this later?"

I asked him softly.

His eyes searched mine and slowly it turned to his normal green while his face softened. He exhaled and fell onto the bed on his back. He looked at the ceiling. I fell on the bed on my back too.

"I'm sorry," We said in union and burst out laughing.

Joshua looked at me and smiled. "I'm really sorry, Abby."

I smiled grimly. "It's okay, really."

He nodded and turned his body to face me. "Will you please tell me what's bothering you?"

My smiled disappeared. I knew he was not going to let it go. I sighed, hugging a pillow and turned to face him. "Promise me you're not going to get mad."

"I promise."

I looked into his eyes. "I met Ryan today."

He stiffened and narrowed his eyes. "What did he do to you? I swear if he hurt you, I'll-"

"He didn't do anything, Joshua," I cut him. "Well, at least not physically."

His face was hard now. Even under the lack of light, I could see his eyes glisten with anger. "What did he say to you, then?"

I frowned a little. "Nothing personal."

Joshua stroked my cheek. "Please, Abby, we've made a compromise to talk like two adults. Did you back out from your own words?"

Damn him!

I sighed. "He...was amazed that you chose me."

I paused while Joshua still staring at me.

"And?" He pressed me to continue.

I gulped and clutched my pillow tighter. "Apparently we were working at the same office."

"What?" He seethed.

I glanced at him and gave him a weak smile. "You promised that you're not going to get mad."

Joshua pinched the bridge of his nose and took deep breaths. After calming his breathing, he looked at me again. "But, he never took advantage of you at the office, right?"

I shook my head. "No. I've always found my way to escape. Today I was so caught up with my work I would have missed lunch if you haven't texted me." I winced internally, skipping the part when I spent my lunch with Ryan.

He frowned. "Abby..." His eyes narrowed. "What's with you skipping lunch and Ryan?"

Crap!

I grimaced. "I sort of spent my lunch with him."

He clenched his fist. "You what?"

"I know, I know," I raised my hands. "But, I didn't even eat. I've lost my appetite," I said to him.

He exhaled and rolled again to his back. "I never knew he was working in the same office as yours. How come I haven't seen him?"

I swallowed hard. All right, this was the tricky part. "He is working at the same company as mine, but, not in Seattle." My voice was faltered in the end.

Joshua turned his head to me sharply. "What?"

I gulped. "He was working at one of the company's offices in New York."

He narrowed his eyes again. "And what is his intention in Seattle?"

I clutched the pillow again. I knew I must tell him sooner or later. "My company is going to open new offices in New York and England. Ryan is here to help my bosses to choose the candidates," I bit my lip.

Silence.

"And...do you know who the candidates are?" He asked me cautiously without removing his gaze from me.

I nodded weakly. The sad feeling returned immediately.

He turned his body to face me again and scooted closer to me. He caressed my cheek while I stared at him with sad eyes. "Are you one of the candidates, Abby?"

My heart broke when he said that. I nodded again, fighting the tears not to fall from my eyes.

Joshua's face softened and he rested my head to his chest. I sobbed again into his embrace. "Shhh… it's all right, dear. Please, don't cry."

"I don't want us to be apart," I said to him.

He kissed my hair. "We'll never be apart."

I raised my head to look at him. "But, what about your job at the hospital? I can't make you risk everything for me."

He chuckled and kissed my forehead. "Abby, every hospital needs a doctor and my hours are qualified enough to apply to a bigger hospital." He cupped my face with his hand. "And you are wrong, my dear. I'll risk everything to be with you."

My heart swelled with hope. "Really?" I asked him in small voice.

He smiled. "Yes, really. Now, go back to sleep. You're tired, Abby."

I nodded and leaned again to his chest. Joshua hummed the same melody and I felt calm immediately. I was wondering if it was the melody his mother used to hum in his childhood. "Joshua?"

"Yes, dear?"

"The melody...it's beautiful."

He chuckled. "Thank you, love. It's a melody."

My eyes began to droop. "A melody?" I asked sleepily.

"Yes."

Before I fell asleep, somehow I heard he said, "It's Abby's melody."

~O~

My next day at work went uneventful. I successfully managed to avoid both Ryan and Camila. I had a meeting again with my author to discuss the final editing of her story. I couldn't believe I've worked with her for 1,5 months. Her book launching was scheduled in two week and she insisted that I must come. I agreed wholeheartedly.

I walked back to my office with a big smile. I flopped myself to my chair and decided to entertain myself by fiddling around in the internet. I didn't check my Facebook account for a while. I smiled to myself when I remembered Camila showed me Joshua's Facebook profile. I opened my account and read the status from my friends. Melinda was going to get married next month and she sent the invitation online. Stella was busy with work and I giggled to myself reading her status. I was typing my comment for Stella's status when my phone rang. Without removing my eyes from my computer, I picked up the phone.

"Abby Bennett. May I help you?"

"Are you sure this is Abby Bennett?" A familiar voice was heard from the line and my heart jumped a little. "Because your voice is way too much sexier than my fiancée."

I chuckled nervously. "Hi, Joshua."

"Hello, dear," I could sense he was smiling. "Busy?"

I exhaled and rubbed my temple. "Not really. I just had a meeting with my author to discuss the final draft. Finally I had some free time this weekend. Why are you calling me in my office?"