Abel

Chapter 11- Part 1

Walking out into the night's cool fresh air, Nellie prayed Abel wouldn't follow her, but her heart yearned to hear the door behind her open. As she made her way down Noah and Roni's driveway, she thought of the way Abel's eyes had pierced through her all night and the gentle smiles he offered when their eyes would meet. Each time her heart had fluttered like a butterfly on crack. She was beyond over her head now.

After Roni had let her in on Abel's reconfirmation that this was nothing more than what they'd agreed it would be from the very beginning, she sat there drowning her sorrows in cheesecake. She'd eaten nearly three full slices. Knowing that soon she'd be dealing with a pain she swore she'd never allow herself to get caught up in again, she wasn't even worried about the astronomical amounts of calories she'd inhaled tonight. She was certain that, like every time she'd had to deal with a dark moment in her life, she'd lose weight without even trying.

This shouldn't be so dark. Their relationship was very much physical. It should be easy to move past it soon, but her head reminded her she'd known Abel for a while now. Her attraction to him, not just his body and good looks but him, had been growing for some time: The noble and loyal friend he was to Noah and Gio. The overprotective brother he was to Hector and now even Charlee. The way he didn't care that the guys busted his balls for being a momma's boy. The man bowed down to the woman and had no qualms about admitting it. Even being the celebrity he was now, he'd still run over in a heartbeat to help fix your car. She'd seen and heard about him doing just that from Roni so many times. He said he loved working on engines and insisted that taking it to a mechanic was always a rip off.

Add to all that the intensity Charlee talked about in Hector's eyes. Nellie knew exactly what Charlee was talking about because she'd seen the very thing in Abel—felt it in his kisses. It must be an Ayala thing. She was now beginning to understand that utterly mesmerized thing she so often saw on Charlee's face. Charlee admitted it openly and as unabashedly as Hector did. She was madly in love with the guy. If Nellie didn't put an end to this now, she too would be doomed to fall hopelessly in love with Abel, and that could ruin everything because this relationship was completely different than his brother and his girlfriend's exclusive one.

Even now, she felt the boulder in her throat just thinking about the possibility of having to be around him with other women. It would kill her. The tightness she felt in her chest all night after Roni had informed her of what Abel had told Noah went even tighter now, and she could feel herself starting to wheeze again. What in the world was she thinking when she started this?

"Nellie?"

Startled, she turned to see Abel walking toward her. She'd been staring into the trunk of her SUV where she'd set her tray down. "You okay? I called your name out twice."

Nodding, she tried blinking away the warm tears that she hadn't even noticed had filled her eyes. "I'm good," she said, leaning into the back of SUV, moving imaginary things around as she blinked wildly in the hopes that the tears would be gone by the time he reached her.

When they weren't, she yawned a bit exaggeratedly in desperation and turned, smiling at him. "I'm sorry. I was lost in thought, I guess."

His smiled waned with that comment. "Did your long night last night wear you out?"

Surprised by his question, she continued to smile even as her insides roiled. The way he was staring at her now only confused her already aching heart. "Yeah, the concert was over pretty late, and then we had some drinks after, so it was a longish night."

While his eyes searched hers, he didn't say anything. Instead, he took another step further and kissed her, softly, sweetly, the way that melted her heart every single time. As usual, she couldn't summon even an ounce of resistance. Her previously roiling insides were now doing summersaults. With his big hands cradling her face, he pulled away but still sprinkled kisses around her lips. Closing her eyes, she sighed, giving into him once again. This is where she wanted to be forever. Even as her head screamed at her to jump ship and do it now, her heart clung to the unspoken emotion she felt from him.