Chapter 25

The guys were back on the road again and Abigail after being coerced into a game of Play Station with Rick, found herself on the floor next to him in the back of the tour bus, remote in hand and eyes glued to the television screen.

About half an hour of Rick showing her how to play the game did they start playing against each other. Abigail won the two straight games after that. Rick conceded defeat and put his remote down and turned to face her.

“How about we make this game a little more interesting?” he asked her with a devious smile.

“Meaning?” Abigail asked wanting to know what this boy was up to.

“If I win, you go out to dinner with me. Just the two of us.”

“Rick-“

“Don’t you wanna know what you get if you win?” he raised an eyebrow at her.

“Do you promise never to ask me out again or try to kiss me?” she countered.

He let out a short laugh.

“Abby, you know I can’t promise that.”

“And I can’t promise that I’ll go out with you.” She returned.

He hesitated.

“Are you scared you’re gonna lose, Camden?” she teased with a smile.

“Of course not!” he told her, “Fine! You’re on!” picking up his remote, he faced the television again.

The game started up and they both started pushing buttons furiously. No one saying a word as their concentration was focused on the screen.

“Kill the green guy! Kill the green guy!” Rick told her pointing to the screen.

Since he’d been helping her before, Abigail did as instructed, only to realize a little too late, that she’d been tricked. She watched the little green guy , who was supposed to help her get to the next round, fall to the floor while Rick’s character made it through onto the next round.

Abigail dropped her remote and faced him, her mouth open in surprise.

“You tricked me!” she told him aghast.

Rick raised his arms in victory and turned to her a huge smile plastered on his face.

“Baby, I never said this was going to be a fair game.”

“You never said we could cheat either!”

He shook his head at her and shrugged.

“Next time, we should make the rules a little bit clearer then.” His smile widened.

She lunged for him then and he grabbed her hands trying to push her back as he started laughing. For a small person, she was really quite strong, he noted as they rolled on the floor before stopping with Abigail pinned beneath him, both her hands held firmly in one of his while the other pushed her hair out of her face so he could see her glaring so prettily up at him.

“Get off of me, Rick.” She said, trying to free her wrists but he added his other hand to the bondage and she knew it was no use. He was much stronger than she was. She could feel their hips pressed firmly against each other and knew immediately that he was turned on. As was she, but she couldn’t let him know that.

“Am I too heavy for you?” he asked, his face close to hers.

“It’s not that.”

“Then why?” he asked again.

She shifted beneath him and their hips rubbed against each other. Rick groaned.

“That’s why.”

“So? I want you.” He stated, “But you already know that.”

“Rick-“

“I’ll tell you something else, Abby.” He bent his head until his lips were barely touching her ear. “I know.”

Her eyebrows crinkled in confusion.

“Know what?”

“How you really feel about me.” He said simply.

“What are you talking about?” she asked him, her heart skipping a beat.

“It’s your eyes. They can’t lie. They can’t hide the truth from me either.” He told her. He turned his head and looked deeply into her eyes. “I wish you could see the way you look at me.”

“How do I look at you?”

“You know.” He said with a chuckle.

She sighed.

“What do you want me to do Rick? You’re incredibly gorgeous, there I admit it! Hell, you know the effect you have on women. I’m not going to deny that I find you attractive. But you can have any woman in the world, just not me.” She stated.

“Why not?”

“It won’t work out!” she protested, growing tired of being thrown back into this conversation with him.

“You’re always saying that but you’re never telling me why?” he demanded.

“It’s unprofessional for one.” She told him, “I’m here to do a job Rick. I don’t want to get emotionally involved. I can’t. It’s going to make it harder for me to leave when the time comes.”

“Then don’t leave.” He suggested, “I don’t want you to.”

“Rick, you don’t know what you’re saying. We’re two different people on two completely different paths in life. It can’t work.” She explained her eyes misty.

His voice grew softer as he spoke again.

“Aren’t you even willing to give us a try?”

She hesitated then as she looked into those blue eyes and knew she was in love. How could she not be?

She opened her mouth to reply when he covered it with his own, his tongue sweeping inside to meet hers.

Abigail felt like she was dying. She had to be. Only heaven could compare to this. His lips were oh-so-soft and the way his tongue danced with hers made her shiver uncontrollably.

When he pulled away, they were both panting.

“If I knew kissing you was going to be so good, I’d have done it sooner.” He said into her flushed face.

“Why didn’t you?” she asked when curiosity got the best of her.

He smiled.

“Because you didn’t want me to.”

“I didn’t want you to just now.” Abby countered.

“Liar.”

She gasped.

“It’s the eyes. I told you. They speak for themselves.”

“Rick, you have to understand,” Abigail began, “This can’t happen again.”

“Abby,” he said releasing her wrists and cupping her face in the palms of his hands, “If you give me one solid reason why I should leave you alone, I will. I promise.”

“Well,” Abigail’s mind started racing and she wanted to kick herself for the answer she came up with. But it would definitely keep Rick away. She thought it over and couldn’t do it.

“Do you have a reason?” Rick prompted.

“No.”

“Good.

He said bending closer again, “Then stop fighting me.”