The Price of Love Read online

  He picked his phone again uttering “Yeah, what’s up?” into it, and effectively dismissing Abby.

  Flushed and flustered, Abby brought her hand to her swollen lips and fled from the office back to the safety of her desk. She paused only to grab her purse, before running from the chaos that had become her life.

  Chapter 8

  The next morning, Abby woke feeling fresh and excited. She was still nervous about seeing Carter again, but after that kiss (Oh my god, that kiss!) she couldn’t wait to see him again. Her lips tingled with the memory, and she couldn’t hold in a grin. She even sang in the shower. Her whole body thrummed with anticipation as she walked into work. She was hyper aware of the sexy purple bra and matching panties that she’d put on that morning, just in case. If nothing else, they made her feel like she had a daring secret on under her clothes.

  Unfortunately for Abby and her lingerie, Carter was not waiting for her at her desk that morning. Instead, she found a pile of messages burying a thick envelope on her desk, and a line of people waiting for her to give or do or otherwise help them. Yesterday’s tension and silence when she had walked into office was replaced today by a barely contained frenzy. People were whispering and gossiping and-- amazingly-- still focusing on doing actual work. In Depth News still had one issue left to publish, and that meant buckling down and getting to work to make it worthy of being the final one. With a wistful glance towards the door hoping that Carter might magically materialize in front of it, Abby surrendered to the demands of the day. She directed the staff who needed her input and sent them back off with instructions on what to do next, then dealt with the pile of phone messages, even if that meant throwing half of them away.

  Once all that was done, she took a deep breath and opened the package in front of her. Though she didn’t understand all the technical terms, she got the gist. As Carter had promised, Max had, in fact, split the profits with her. Scanning though the documents, Abby’s eyes finally settled on the sum at the bottom of the last page, sucking in a deep breath in shock. She’d never seen that amount of money written anywhere on anything to do with her before. It wasn’t an obscene amount. She wasn’t going to be filthy rich. But with careful planning, she could stretch it out and make it work for her in a way that would leave her free to follow whatever career path she wanted, without the financial burden of worrying about bills and debt to rein in her dreams.

  Max had really come through for her. Her cheeks flushed with shame at the memory of the way she’d talked to him yesterday, and the accusations she’d hurled. Unfounded accusations, as it turned out.

  She still smarted from his secrecy, and his belief that he knew what was best for her and would make such a huge decision without consulting her. At the same time, though, she also admitted that this was his business, and however hard she had worked for him, she was still only an employee. He’d never made her a partner in the business officially. If he had, she would have been more formally tied to the paper. He would have had to involve her in the decision, and she likely would have fought him on the sale. Instead, he’d split the money with her, 50/50, signifying that he did value her efforts and appreciated her contributions to keeping the business running. Her emotions were still tangled up and confused. She wasn’t quite ready to make the apology she knew he deserved. Delaying the conversation she knew they’d have to have, and also embarrassed about the way she’d insulted him, she took a few minutes to compose an email to him.

  Max,

  I’m sorry about yesterday. Could we find a time to talk, perhaps over dinner? Maybe that new Thai place you mentioned on 3rd? I’ll buy.

  Abby

  Five minutes later, her email pinged back with a reply from Max. He kept it brief.

  I’m sorry too. Dinner would be wonderful, but it’s on us. Thursday night at our house? 7pm? Sheila’s put me in the doghouse until I make this right with you.

  Max

  Abby smiled slightly at the thought of petite Sheila bossing Max around, though she knew that was exactly how it was with them. Despite her lingering anger, she still loved them. She typed back quickly.

  Thursday it is. You can cook, but I’ll bring dessert.

  A

  They both needed space from each other, but she felt optimistic that they could work past this. With the air somewhat cleared between Max and her, Abby stole a glance at the clock for what had to be the millionth time already that day. Where the hell was Carter? Didn’t he know that he was driving her crazy making her wait?

  A couple tasks later, a few more emails answered, and there was still no sign of Carter. Abby couldn’t stand it anymore. She headed over to Lorraine’s desk.

  “Hey Lorraine, I had a couple things in the Price Publishing package,” internal giggle at the word package, “that I wanted to go over with Carter. Is he around, do you know?”

  “Oh no, Abby, weren’t you here this morning for the announcement? Carter had to travel back to New York on business, but he should be back soon. Maybe in a week or two?” Lorraine replied.

  “No,” Abby answered. “I guess I missed it. Ok, thanks.”

  Not a word from Carter himself, Abby grumbled to herself. A simple email or message would have been nice. Except that he’s not obligated to tell me his whereabouts and his plans. We’re not even friends. Two hot make-out sessions doesn’t count as a relationship.

  Abby tried to talk herself out of feeling disappointed that he had left without telling her. Of course, their first encounter, the one in the bathroom was more than a simple make-out session. She had been spread open naked before him. And that kiss the day before…there had been something in that kiss. Something that said Carter was looking for more than a quick fuck. He’d had her with the rough and demanding. He didn’t need to go all caressing on her, unless he meant it. Abby grasped at that hope, and tried to lose herself in her work for the rest of the afternoon.

  Chapter 9

  That evening, armed with a bowl of ice cream in one hand and a generous glass of wine in the other, Abby prepared to settle on the couch for a quiet, self-indulgent night. Freshly showered, and wearing a tank top and soft cotton boy shorts, Abby curled into a corner of the couch and considered which to have first: the ice cream or the wine. On the coffee table in front of her was a new bottle of nail polish for her toes, a bold shimmery red color that was the nail polish equivalent of fuck-me heels. I need to get some of those, Abby thought to herself, before wondering if you could type ‘fuck-me heels’ into Amazon and get any results. Smiling to herself, Abby picked up the remote to flick on the TV. Just then her phone rang, an unfamiliar number popping up on the screen. She debated whether or not to answer it for a second, figuring it to be a telemarketer, but gave up in the end. She never could resist picking up a ringing phone.

  “Hello?”

  “I can’t stop thinking about how wet you were that night in the club. How slick and smooth you felt around my fingers.” A voice growled from the other end.

  Carter.

  Abby bolted upright on the couch, the zap of sensation on her clit was instantaneous when she heard his voice, and the words he said.

  “How your body didn’t want to let my fingers go,” he went on.

  Abby was speechless, not even beginning to know what to say.

  Carter chuckled on the other end of the phone.

  “So Abby, did you miss me today?”

  Suddenly Abby felt a surge of daring wash over her. Her state of arousal hadn’t waned since she’d first seen Carter, and she hadn’t received any release after the night in the club. She’d only succeeded in becoming more sexually frustrated. Now she had the anonymity afforded by being on one end of the phone, in one state, while Carter was on the other end, hundreds of miles away. It sparked in her a boldness she’d never experienced before.

  “My pussy missed you terribly, Carter,” Abby purred into the phone. “It’s already wet, thinking about how your fingers felt inside it.”

  Carter loosed a low growl i
nto the phone. “I think we need to take care of that, then,” he replied.

  “But it’s here, and you’re somewhere else. So how’s it going to get taken care of?” Abby saucily played back.

  “I’m going to tell you what to do,” she heard back, “and you’re going to follow my instructions and imagine that I’m there doing these things to you. Touching you.” A pause. “You in?”

  “I’m in,” Abby replied, her breath already quickening in anticipation.

  “Tell me what you’re wearing, first.”

  “Umm…a tank top. It’s white. Boy shorts underwear. They have, uh, SpongeBob on them.”

  “Mmmm…are your nipples hard yet? Can you see them through your shirt?”

  “Yes…they’re so hard and they’re tingling thinking about you touching them.”

  “I want you to touch them, through your shirt. Tell me how they feel…tell me what you imagine me doing to you.”

  Abby touched the hardened tips of her breasts, and rolled her nipples between her fingers, giving attention to first one, then the other, breast. Her breath was coming fast now.

  “Oh, Carter, they’re so hard. I wish it was you touching me, licking my tits, biting my nipples. And I’m so wet already.” Abby gasped.

  Abby could sense the satisfied smile through the phone.

  “Good,” he said, “Now pull down your shirt. I want your breasts to be free.” Abby hesitated just a second, feeling suddenly shy, before complying. Why not? she shrugged to herself. It feels good, and I SO need this right now. Her boldness continued to surprise her, please her.

  “Okay, my shirt’s down, and my nipples are even harder now. Harder than I thought they could get. Even the movement of air across them feels like a caress, feels like your breath against them as you get ready to kiss them,” Abby purred into the phone. Good Lord, was that really her voice, sounding so sultry, and well, slutty?

  Carter’s sharp intake of breath now brought a satisfied smile to her own face.

  “Now I’m imagining you pinching my nipples, twisting them…biting them…not too hard, just enough to make it a little naughty.”

  All she could hear from Carter was his ragged breath through the phone. Knowing her effect on him, knowing that she could turn him on just by talking, made her confidence swell.

  “But it’s not enough…” she murmured now. “I need your touch somewhere else. My pussy is swollen and dripping for you. I can see the wetness on the outside of my panties. Maybe I should just take them off…”

  “I think you should do that, Abby. Take them off.” Carter growled roughly.

  Abby slid her panties down her legs.

  “I’m doing it,” she said. “I’m sliding them down, slowly. And now they’re off.”

  “Good girl. Now I want you to spread your legs. I want you to open yourself to me.”

  Abby did it, and couldn’t quite believe she was so turned on by someone who wasn’t even in the room with her. She’d had actual sex with guys that didn’t get her as hot as Carter’s voice did from over the phone.

  “God, Abby, I remember what you look like. So slick, so wet. You were so gorgeous and sexy that night in the bar. So beautiful. Are you touching yourself? Are you remembering how it felt when I touched you? When my fingers claimed you? They did, you know, claim you. Imagine my fingers sliding around your lips now, Abby. Circling your clit, but not touching it, not yet. Just teasing for now.”

  “Please, Carter…” Abby gasped. She absolutely was going to come at any second, and she needed him with her.

  “I wish I was with you right now. I wish my dick was buried deep inside you. I wish my fingers could feel you, and I had your taste on my lips, on my tongue. You’d be so sweet, Abby. I want you to come for me now. I want you to put your fingers up your pussy, and remember what it felt like when it was my fingers in you. ‘Cause I remember it, Abby. You were so hot, and so soft, and the look on your face when I was touching you…I’m picturing that look on your face right now, just like I’m imagining your hands on me. I’m so hard for you. My balls have been aching since I first saw you. Now slide your fingers in and out, and imagine it’s me. I want you to go deeper each time, because that’s what I would do. I’d push as hard and as deep as I could, because nothing feels as good as being inside you.”

  Abby couldn’t speak anymore. All she could do was obey, her breathing ragged and her body arching into her fingers, begging for release.

  Carter’s voice kept coming. “I want you to pinch your clit, and imagine it’s my lips. I want you to scrape a fingernail along its length and think of my teeth. And I want you to come, and when you do, I want you to see my face. Nothing else. Just me.”

  Abby was practically sobbing now, as she pumped two of her fingers in and out of her pussy, furiously rubbing her clit, feeling the tension building, building….and…

  “Oh my God, oh my God, Carter….Oh, aahhhh….oh, God…” The explosion of orgasm rocked Abby. She actually could see Carter’s face above her in the instant, and really felt that it was him touching her. Her pussy clenched around her fingers, and she wished it was him she was holding inside.

  As tremors still rocked her body, she heard a stifled gasp and a muffled grunt that told her Carter had come too. It was amazing that even separated by hundreds of miles they could synchronize their orgasms.

  “You are so fucking hot.” Carter breathed into the phone.

  Abby smiled, feeling satisfied and powerful. “I kind of feel the same about you.”

  For a few moments, both Abby and Carter didn’t speak. Abby could hear his breathing returning to normal as they both came down from their high. Finally, just as the silence had the potential to shift from comfortable to awkward, Carter spoke with a grin in his voice.

  “Well, ‘hello’ to you too.”

  A laugh escaped from Abby, who felt she might burst from the thrill of what she had just done with Carter, and the recklessness he brought out in her. If someone had asked her a week ago if she’d ever consider having phone sex, she’d have laughed and said no. It would be too weird, and she’d feel creepy doing something like that. But that was before Carter, and the way he made her feel that she could do things that she would never have imagined possible before.

  “I missed seeing you today.” Carter said now. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there. You can’t imagine how shocked I was when I walked out of Max’s office yesterday and saw you sitting there across the room. I thought I was imagining things. You’d been on my mind all weekend, but I didn’t think I’d ever see you again. I was beginning to think you were just a dream. And then, there you were, all prim and stern-looking. Like a sexy librarian.”

  “What!” Abby exploded. “I was not ‘prim-looking’. And I am nothing like a librarian, sexy or otherwise. Although…if that’s a fantasy of yours, I could maybe slap your ass with a ruler or something.”

  “Is that what your librarians did to you?” Carter asked. “Funny, mine only ever found books for us. I guess I’ve been visiting the wrong libraries.”

  Abby laughed. She felt an immense amount of pleasure, and relief, that their conversation was coming so easily. After what had happened, it could have gone south quickly. Although, now that she thought of it, going south wouldn’t be so bad, as long as it was Carter going south on her.

  “I missed you, too,” she admitted. “I didn’t hear the announcement that you were out of town. Why did you have to leave, anyway, after just getting here? You drop your announcement and then bolt. Everyone’s in a flurry trying to figure out what’s going on.”

  Her voice telegraphed curiosity, not criticism.

  “I didn’t want to leave. I didn’t plan to leave. But something…personal…came up that I had to see to. I hope to return soon, but I may be tied up here in New York for a bit.”

  “Tied up, hmmm…” Abby said. “I’m sure we could find a way to keep you ‘tied up’ here too.”

  Carter laughed. “I like the idea of being under your control
. Even more, I like the thought of having you under mine. But unfortunately, both will have to wait. I’m sending down a representative from the company to help oversee the transition until I can make it back, Simon Chooch. He’s great, one of my best. He’ll be able to help everyone figure out if they want to stay or move on. How is everyone in the office taking the news?”

  Abby was flattered that Carter was asking her opinion about the staff, signifying that he valued what she thought on the matter.

  “They’re confused, certainly. And worried. This all came out of nowhere, and some of them--okay, that includes me--were angry. Some still are. But we all knew that the end was coming. We tried to pretend it wasn’t, but the writing had been on the wall for a while. Like Max said, we could have limped along for another few years, but with the severance packages you offered, I think everyone realizes that they’re better off with this than they would have been without you.” She continued quietly. “Or they will soon, once they really calm down and think it over.”

  “I’m glad you feel that way, Abby.” Carter said in a low voice. God, how could just his voice uttering her name get her heart racing?

  “Well, you seem to have a way of swooping in and taking care of things,” Abby replied. Like taking care of me. Twice now. And we haven’t even had sex!