Encounters With Abigail

Chapter Sixteen

  The joy I feel leaving work at one o'clock with a clear desk is indescribable. I send Abi a quick text to let her know that I'm finished for the day but when she responds that they need to do a stock take so she will be working late, as much as I really wanted to take her out, I do feel slightly relieved. Knowing that I wouldn't be much fun tonight since I'm completely shattered.

  She asks me to get her a sandwich and "literally any energy drink" for dinner and since I pass that way on my way home, I'm more than happy to help. It takes me ages in the shop, quickly it occurs to me that I really don't know much about the likes of the illusive Abigail, what she prefers to eat or drink, what's her favourite chocolate? I know nothing –this is where a date would probably have helped- I grab a couple drinks, sandwiches and snacks.

     Getting to the check out when it hits me, what if she is vegan or something, Wracking my brain trying to remember everything I have seen her eating. Finally, I remember Abi ate Anna's spaghetti bolognaise so not vegan, hopefully she just isn't too picky with food.

  It is only a few minutes' walk to the shop; Abigail is kneeling on the floor clearly in deep thought ruffling through some papers when I open the heavy wooden door a bell rings above me, her eyes dart up and the most breath taking smile beams across her face. Fuck sake how is it possible for another person to took that unbelievably beautiful.

  Bouncing toward me giving a quick hug before prying the bag from my fingers. She opens a bottle taking a long drink, "I think I need about ten of these to keep me going today" Abi sounds so exhausted, and it makes me wonder if that's what everyone else hears with me.

  Leaning into her ear and whispering "so about this back room" she flushes red from her neck to her cheeks and I just chuckle "do you want to stay at mine or yours tonight?"

"Mine is closer and I'm sure Anna would appreciate seeing you" I guess Anna has been complaining to Abigail about my family dinner dodging recently.

"Yeah, that works for me" spotting two of her co-workers intently watching us "anyway I should probably let you get back to work" I lean in for a kiss only to have her hands slam over my mouth, I pull back confused.

She whispers "I'm at work" and out of the corner of my eye I'm certain that I see both of the ladies looking legitimately disappointed our lack of PDA, so I wink at them and swing the shop door open. Dragging Abi through behind me I push her back against the wall outside the doorway, she takes in a quick breath while I hover over her lips.

"What about now?" I ask

"Technically, I guess... I'm not now" then she flashes that sexy smile at me that makes my heart melt. Softly bring our lips together once then twice, she releases a soft moan onto my lips before I let her go.

"See you later, baby" grinning at her before dropping Abi another light kiss. Walking away from her feeling like I'm floating on air. I'm certain that I hear her say "holy shit." 

  It feels amazing that she is impressed because I never normally behave this bold but for some reason being with her has given me a surge of determination to fight for love. Abigail has awakened a part of my soul I thought had died long ago. I am honestly in complete disbelief that one woman could change me so dramatically in such a short space of time but somehow, Abi has managed to crawl into my heart making a home there.

  When I chap Anna's door Thomas informs me that she is out at a spa for the day and won't be back until tomorrow morning. He invites me in for a drink but in a rare show of honesty I tell him that I'm shattered and going for a nap. 

  Thomas brightens with this and wishes me a peaceful sleep. It makes me more relieved than I care to admit that Anna is busy, so I just go into Abigail's and change out of my suit into some shorts and a top I brought with me.

  I turn on the small T.V sitting on a chest of drawers at the bottom of her bed and lay down on possibly the softest duvet known to man. I'm guilty that Abigail is still at work for about ten seconds before the comfort overtakes me and I quickly pass out surrounded by that honey scent she always has.

  When I wake the room is in darkness and the sound of someone sluggishly thudding up the stairs fills my ears, the door slowly opens and Abigail creeps in when our eyes meet she collapses into my arms. "I'm so fucking tired" she grumbles. I keep her secured to me with one arm while wrestling off her boot with the other.

"Why didn't you phone me I would have picked you up"

"My boss Trisha insisted on giving me a lift..." Abi looks at me mischievously "she was interested in you and wanted all the gossip" she teases failing to hide her amusement at the situation.

"I hope you told her how comfortable my bed is" I catch her eye and be both crack up.

"Fuck up you know for a fact that my bed is better" Abi drops her lips to mine slowly wrapping her hands around the back of my neck fingers linking at the base of my hairline lightly massaging the tension out of me. Abi's hands drift to my shoulders repeating the hard circular motions until the tight knots loosen and a reluctant moan leaves my lips.

"Yeah, you know what I think you might be right" She smiles triumphantly at me.

   Finally wrangling off her other boot I shuffle us back until we are laying flat on the bed. "How do you function like this?" She yawns into my shoulder.

I snort "Not very well if you couldn't tell" my fingers absently glide in circles along her lower back "What time is it?" I try to stifle a yawn and fail

"Just after nine" she sounds exhausted while shimmying out of her skirt and kicking it off the bottom of the bed revealing little black shorts the curve of her cheeks peeking out from below, she catches me staring adding playfully "whatever you are thinking about doing will have to wait till tomorrow I'm entirely too tired now."

"I can wait but before you pass out on me can I ask you a question?"

Worry flashes across her face when she answers "sure..."

"What's your favourite food?" the cackle that erupts from Abigail has me quickly joining her.

  After calming down she responds warmly "when I was sixteen my parents and I had a holiday in Valencia and we ate amazing food all week but on the last night we went to this tiny restaurant, it only had about eight tables. I always tried to order something new when we ate out so this time, I decided to order Paella and I shit you not it was the best damn thing I have eaten to this day."

  "When we got home, I forced my poor mum to make it for me, I think I lived off it for about a month before I requested any other meals" we both laugh "I often wonder if the restaurant still exists or if the owners would be willing to give up the recipe because no matter what I do it's impossible to get it as good at it was that day." Her hands are cold so I pull the duvet over us "what about you?"

  The memories float back to me with a warm glow and I smile at the ceiling "My mum could cook a grand total of one thing and that was steak pie so every Sunday we would always have that. I never got tired of it she would always add garlic butter to the veg and her roast potatoes were to die for. Mum always insisted that we all be at dinner on Sunday as our schedules rarely matched up during the week so it was a good time for us all to catch up and eat some good food together" I let out a long breath fuck I miss that so much.

"Is your mother not around anymore?" Abigail asks quietly

 "No, she died but it was years ago so please don't pity me" I hate when people do that so I roll over wrapping her in my arms, confiding "I wish she could have met you" we lay in silence as Abi slides her thumb back and forth on my shoulder blade lulling me back to sleep.