Ch 34: Tell me what?

CHAPTER 5

The next day she slept in after a restless night and before she knew it she had pulled on her clothes quickly and rushed down the stairs hoping to catch him before he left for work.

As luck would have it, she caught him as he was pulling on his overcoat. When he saw her a sinful smile brightened his expression. "You were just leaving." She said almost breathless.

"I didn't want to wake you." His eyes flicked to the rise and fall of her chest then back to her own eyes. It pleased him to know that she rushed down to see him off. "I—I didn't sleep well last night." She admitted.

"Bad dreams honey?" Honey? Lord that sounded wonderful! "I think so." Yet when he was next to her, she slept like a baby. His intelligent eyes studied her for a moment, "Come see me today for lunch."

"Really?" "Yes. There's a bistro down the street from my building, they have a great seafood salad." "My favorite." She grinned still a little breathless.

"I know." He mused while his eyes glittered. Suddenly she had the incredible urge to hug him but still held back. Thankfully he didn't. He placed two fingers under her chin, tilted her face up and placed a lingering kiss on her cheek just barely off the side of her mouth. "I'll see you later cheetah."

He said deeply locking his eyes on hers, "Okay?" She nodded too enamored to say a word. "I'll send the car." He said before he left. She stood there for a moment wishing like crazy that he'd made some more affectionate move toward her.

Of course, she loved that small show of affection, but she wanted more. If all of those things he said to her yesterday meant anything, wouldn't he? Except for that gorgeous smile it seemed as if nothing had changed and that confession about how much he meant to her was now vaporized. Feeling slightly crestfallen, she turned and went back to the dining room.

Alice was at the table yawning by the time she made it back there to eat her cold toast. She was already dressed and ready for school. Jumping up when she saw Abigail, she made her way around the table, "Abigail…I'm sorry about the day before yesterday."

She grabbed her and hugged her. "Oh sweetie, it wasn't you. Never think that." She hugged her back. Owen was right, I'm very upset over my loss, and you said the most wonderful thing to me yesterday."

By the time they had gotten back to the penthouse, Alice was in dance class and Abigail was still fighting a hangover so she went to bed early.

She never even thought that poor Alice would still be worried about how she reacted when she called her family.

It just showed Abigail that she had a lot of learning to do about family. She needed to be more aware of Alice's feelings. If she was, then she would have relieved her worry. She pulled back and looked at her, "Really, you're not upset with me."

Abigail smoothed the younger girls auburn curls back over her shoulder and gave her a reassuring smile, "No, never."

"Oh, did you tell her?" Miss Bennett said with modest excitement as she bustled back in the room and set a plate for Alice. Tell me what?" Alice looked back and forth between the two. Abigail did her best to dispel the worry that Alice wouldn't approve, 'Your Brother asked me to marry him. I said yes."

Alice screeched and hugged her again, "I was wondering when he'd spring that on you. I'll have a big sister Abigail. This is so great! We'll be a true family."