Stripped by Brenda Rothert Page A

wrong. The chasm between him and Abby was troubling him, because
though he had been trying to avoid hurting her, that was exactly what he’d
done.
     
    Abby was sullen as she got into Chris’ car.
    “I’ve  missed you,” he said as he pulled away from
her office.
    “I’ve missed you, too,” she admitted.
    “I picked up some lunch and I thought we could just
park and eat, because we need to talk.”
    “I’d really prefer not to dwell on it, Chris. I
wanted to have sex, and you didn’t. It’s embarrassing. Let’s just move on.”
    “Of course I wanted to,” he said, exasperated, as he
parked in the back of the Case Publications lot. “But you’re my friend, Abby. I
don’t want us to have casual sex and ruin things.”
    Abby sighed deeply.
    “You’re right,” she said. “I just got carried away.
The truth is I don’t want that with anyone. I need to keep my priorities
straight.”
    “I know I send mixed signals. I don’t want a
relationship, but it’s hard to be around you and ignore how attractive you
are.”
    “Maybe we should stop spending time together,” she
suggested.
    “Is that what you want?” he asked, his brows knitted
together with concern.
    “No. I like being with you. I hardly have any
friends, and it’s nice to be around someone I can be myself with. We just need some
firm ground rules, like no kissing.”
    “Or lap dancing,” Chris said, smiling.
    “Right. I won’t do that anymore.”
    “Could you also avoid wearing those black stockings
and heels you had on the other day?”
    “Which ones? The lacy thigh-high ones?”
    “We should avoid talking about them, too. Just try
to wear long, baggy pants if possible.”
    “Okay. And no baseball hats for you. It would also
help if you could avoid wearing that cologne you always have on.”
    “You like that?” he grinned.
    “Stay focused. Ground rules.”
    “I am. Let’s just keep an honest dialogue open about
the things the other does that create…unwanted arousal.”
    “Yes, good. Let’s do that.”
    “So we’re okay? Still friends?” Chris asked.
    “We’re okay. You still want to go bowling with me
and the girls this weekend?”
    “Of course.”
     
     
    Abby smiled as she watched Audrey and Sara playing
pinball in the back of the pizza parlor. Audrey had a look of deep
concentration, and Sara was smiling jubilantly.
    “We may have to bring Justin next time so I have
some bowling competition,” Chris said, grinning. He and Abby sat at a table,
talking as the girls played.
    “He’s worse than I am,” she said, laughing. “Are you
in some doctor bowling league I don’t know about?”
    “We did do that one year,” Chris admitted. “And can
I ask, now that the girls are out of earshot, if you wore those jeans to
distract me?”
    “These old jeans?”
    “Those old jeans,” he said with a knowing look.
“Your ass looks incredible when you’re throwing the ball in those.”
    “Well, thanks. I’ve had these jeans for a couple years.”
    “I’ll need to add them to the list of things you
can’t wear when we’re together.”
    “Noted.”
    “You’re really doing well with Audrey and Sara,
Abby. They’re great kids.”
    “That’s nice of you. I do my best, but they still
don’t have what kids should.”
    “You love them and take care of them. It doesn’t
matter if you’re their Mom or not.”
    Abby smiled, embarrassed by the tears welling in her
eyes.
    “I’m sorry,” she said, wiping her face
self-consciously. “No one’s ever said anything like that to me. It just got
me.”
    “Let’s go get ice cream,” Chris said as they got up
from the table.
    “I already ate a piece of pizza, I can’t have ice
cream, too.”
    “We’ll share one.”
    Abby marveled at the sense of contentment she felt
with Chris. She’d never felt lonely before, but being with him gave her a sense
of happiness she’d never had. Was this what she had been missing by never
having close friends? They had only known