Chapter 30

California—the state of sunshine and beaches.

Abigail had a considerable amount of time daydreaming about getting fresh air compared to New York’s busyness. And more times than she’d liked, Theodore was present in those daydreams too, either holding her hand along the beach or kissing her under the open moonlight.

It was quite inappropriate to dream about, but she couldn’t help her wandering thoughts. Najay, having tried everything she could to stop Abigail from going, helped her pack and tried to shove the largest, most unattractive underwear in Abigail’s carry on. But Abigail noticed before Najay could close the zipper and packed some moderately decent underwear—not too sexy, but not too repulsive either. Not that it mattered. Theodore and Abigail wouldn’t even share a room. So that shouldn’t have been a concern.

Theodore.

Abigail hadn’t seen him since the day she went shopping, and they had talked but twice on the phone to arrange the time for pick up and departure. The way he left her hot and bothered on Tuesday surprisingly lingered for the rest of the week. Of course, she wasn’t aroused right through. Still, every time her thoughts lingered, they went straight to the memory of feeling Theodore’s eager member pressing against her thigh and seeing the intensity in his eyes.

Abigail had dreaded the plane ride to California, thinking it would be tense and awkward. It especially worried her when Theodore informed her that they’d be flying privately. Abigail had seen too many steamy movie scenes—all taking place in a wealthy man’s private jet.

But to her surprise (and, if she admitted it, disappointment), Theodore slept through the entire flight. After ensuring she was comfortable and well-fed, he dozed off not minutes later in his chair. Abigail had propped a pillow under his neck to brace it so he wouldn’t get an ache but spent the next couple of hours watching him sleep before she dozed off too.

She was shaken awake by the hostess after what felt like thirty seconds of sleep, and she noticed Theodore was just stretching awake too. His eyes trailed towards the pillow stuffed under his neck before a small smile grew on his lips.

After the jet landed, Theodore led her to the car, which was already waiting for them there.

It was late in the afternoon—almost five when they landed. Theodore’s family house was an hour away from the airport, so they’d arrive just in time for dinner. Knowing how tired and jet-lagged he’d be, Theodore had a driver waiting at the car, too, so he didn’t have to drive home.

He helped the driver pack Abigail’s bag in the trunk before joining her in the backseat, where she was already curled in a ball, dozing off.

“Tired?” Theodore asked with a chuckle.

His voice snapped her awake, and they both realised that this was the first thing he’d said to her in literally six hours.

Abigail nodded. “I had no idea flying was so exhausting.”

Theodore chuckled again. “You get used to it. But it’s okay, you can sleep.”

“What time is the wedding tomorrow?”

“Three-thirty,” he said. “Why?”

Abigail shuffled in her position until she fully faced him—her hands tucked between her cheek and the seat, and her feet hoisted against it. She watched him with big, brown eyes and a small smile on her face.

“Let’s talk then. I can sleep later.”

“Are you sure?”

“Unless you’re tired and want to sleep. Gosh, I was inconsiderate, wasn’t I?” Abigail frowned, almost moving from her position before Theodore spoke.

“No.” He replied a bit too quickly. “We can talk. I’m not tired anymore.”

Abigail tried to suppress a smile as she moved closer to him. He tried to mimic her position, but his feet were too long. So, he had to settle for simply folding his ankles on the ground as he stared at her.

“So, I finished grad school,” she said, unsure where to start. But Abigail only knew she wanted to talk to him about… well, anything.

His eyebrows shot up, realising that he didn’t even remember to ask. When they broke up, it was close to the end of the semester. Knowing she was away for two weeks worried him, but Theodore believed Abigail would do fine.

He believed in her.

“That’s great. I’m so proud of you,” Theodore said with a gentle smile, reaching forward to caress her cheek. The driver acted as if he wasn’t listening, but Theodore caught how he skillfully turned the radio down.

“Thank you.” She beamed. “Did you ever get that issue with your Italian vineyard under control?”

“Oh, yes. After my visit, everything was set in order. We’re now working on getting it to recover fully—thank goodness. I’d love to show you my vineyard here in California.”

“Oh? Will we have time?”

A teasing smile pulled on his lips, showing her that he knew something she didn’t. “We’ll have time.”

Abigail giggled. “You talk so passionately about your vineyards and your wine.”

“Vintage Wines is everything I am, after all.” He cleared his throat. “Well, I thought it was until…” He left the sentence hanging so Abigail could catch it. She understood but decided to leave it hanging.

They fell into a comfortable, casual conversation about Abigail’s graduation, Theodore’s new business partnership, and anything they could think of. There was even an argument about Theodore’s tie for the wedding being a shade lighter than Abigail’s dress. Abigail expressed that it’d ruin everything, and Theodore tried to assure her that it would be barely noticeable. It almost felt like old times, minus the sexual tension.

Before they knew it, the driver pulled onto a familiar road that led to the Adams Mansion. Theodore starched as the driver buzzed at the huge, white gates. They parted only seconds later, guiding them onto the long stretch of road that led to the house.

But as Abigail stared outside, she understood why Theodore said they’d have time to look at the vineyard. Because it was right outside.

“This is freaking huge,” Abigail mumbled, almost mesmerised as she stared at the open field of grapes along both sides of the road.

Theodore chuckled. “It is my largest, after all. This is where it all began.”

“It must’ve been so lovely growing up here.”

“It was.” Theodore smiled at the memories. “Jessica and I used to play in it all the time, stealing the grapes when our father was at work. Our mom knew, but she acted as if she didn’t for our sake.”

Abigail chuckled. “She sounds lovely.”

“She is.”

After two more minutes, the driver slowed as he drove around a large, white fountain, stopping at the steps that led to the front door.

Abigail’s mouth hung low as she alighted the car. She had to crane her neck high to see the house’s roof. It was beautiful—large but beautiful.

Golden lights beamed from each window, with delicate draperies behind each one. As far as Abigail could see, the roof almost appeared like bricks, in a soft orange colour, while the house was painted beige. It was at least three stories high, with somewhat an L shape. Abigail counted each step to the front door as Theodore trailed behind her with her bag.

As he reached to push the door open, it swung open for him, revealing his childhood butler, Jose. Jose tried not to smile wider than what was appropriate, but Theodore had always been like a son to him. But Jose couldn’t help himself as his eyes landed on Abigail.

“Mr Adams,” Jose greeted with a respectable nod, reaching to take the bags from Theodore.

“How are you, Jose?”

“I’m quite well, sir. Thank you. It’s good to see you home.”

Theodore chuckled, seeing that Jose was anxious for him to introduce Abigail. “It’s good to be home. This is Abigail. A friend of mine.”

Jose’s smile almost dropped as Theodore called Abigail his friend, but he quickly composed himself.

“Nice to meet you,” Abigail said, trying not to tremble as Jose took her hand. He didn’t seem intimidating, but Abigail has barely ever been met with such formality before. Jose was dressed in a three-piece tuxedo, crisp and sharp, with his silver hair combed back and his lazy eyes soft as they watched her.

But Theodore thought she was uncomfortable with him touching her, so he took Abigail’s hand from Jose’s before leading her inside. Little did he know that he helped Abigail with that issue, and she wasn’t so terrified of men anymore.

It was still a work in progress, but she could share a handshake.

“Your family is waiting in the family room. Dinner will be served in thirty minutes.”

“Thank you, Jose,” Theodore said, snaking his arm around Abigail’s waist to guide her.

Abigail gulped, suddenly realising that she was about to meet Theodore’s family. Even though they weren’t together, the thought terrified her. After meeting Jose and being in a shaking mess, imagine his parents!

“Are things always so formal here?” Abigail asked, her throat closing up.

Theodore chuckled. “The formality is only for the guests, trust me. We are just an average, informal and most times clumsy family.”

That reassured her, but nerves still racked Abigail’s body as Theodore twisted the knob to what she assumed was the family room.

“Just relax,” he mumbled in her ear, causing his breath to fan her ear. Except now, Abigail’s nerves were caused by something quite the opposite of anxiety. Theodore sometimes forgot the effect he had on her—intentionally or not.

But as they stepped inside the room, Abigail and Theodore froze as they beheld the scene before them. A woman, short and fair with golden blonde hair and eyes identical to Theodore’s, was slouched over an older man (who looked like a striking replica of Theodore), shining the flashlight from her phone on his back, while a much younger woman, looking much like Theodore’s mother, had her hand tucked deep down her father’s back. Abigail assumed they were trying to reach something, but she had to fold her lips to suppress her smile.

Theodore, on the other hand, wasn’t so subtle with his humour. His thunderous laugh sent the three of them flinching away from one another, and Jessica’s bottom bounced a wine glass from the sitting table, sending it shattering against the ground. This—of course—only caused Theodore to laugh even harder.

They all burnt pink as their eyes focused on Abigail. Abigail dropped her gaze from the sudden attention, waiting for Theodore to stop laughing.

Jessica discreetly tried to sweep the broken glass under the rug with her feet, but her mother pinched her thigh after catching the movement. Abigail couldn’t hide her smile this time.

“Theodore, you’re early,” his mother said, crossing the room towards them before kissing his cheeks.

“Actually,” Theodore said through short breaths as his laughter died down. “We’re five minutes late.”

“Oh, hush.” His mother swatted his arm before taking Abigail’s hand in hers. “You must be Abigail. We’ve heard so much about you.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Mrs Adams,” Abigail said, her nerves not so much as she thought.

“Oh, please call me Penny.” She blushed, flattered at how well Abigail addressed her. “And this is my husband, Brad, and our youngest, Jes—” Penny’s sentence was cut short when she swerved around and saw Jessica’s hand stuffed down her father’s shirt again. Jessica jumped away from him when she noticed that her mother’s introduction had been shorter than she and her dad anticipated.

“Bradley and Jessica Adams! I swear to God…”

“I told you there was nothing formal about my family,” Theodore mumbled against Abigail’s ear.

“I’m sorry, mom. But dad was persistent!” Jessica wailed, flashing Abigail an apologetic smile.

Brad, seeming terribly uncomfortable, wiggled in his chair. “This darn tag is driving me crazy! Who puts a tag at the bottom of a shirt?”

“Your tailor,” Theodore mumbled with an eye roll, closing the distance between them and snapping the tag from his father’s shirt with a single yank. The tiny fabric tumbled to the ground as Brad stood triumphantly.

“Much better.” He beamed, finally meeting Abigail’s gaze. “Hi, Miss Abigail.” He held her hand, leaving a long kiss against her knuckles that had both Theodore and Penny uncomfortable.

“Just Abigail, please. It’s nice to meet you.”

She’s as perfect as ever, Theodore thought, watching the woman he loved swoon his family over.

“I’m Jessica,” Jessica said, offering her hand too. Her smile was identical to Theodore’s, and so were her eyes. However, unlike Theodore’s dark hair like his father’s, Jessica sported blonde curls like their mother. “I’d been dying to meet you. You have no idea.”

Jessica seemed nice enough, and this relieved Abigail. She had been worried that Jessica would come off as a rich, spoiled brat. She wasn’t trying to be mean, but that’s how Theodore described her. Literally. However, the admiration behind his voice was always evident.

“I’m Abigail. I’ve heard so much about you,” Abigail said, grateful that she had more to say than just “Nice to meet you.”

“Oh, have you?” Jessica asked, but her eyes were focused on Theodore. They shared a teasing stare that had Abigail almost wishing she had siblings. Then, they laughed, and Jessica sprinted in his arms. Abigail couldn’t contain her smile.

“Are they always like this?” she found herself asking Penny.

Penny nodded. “Since they were kids.

Oddly, knowing that Theodore was a family man somehow made him more… attractive. He kissed Jessica’s cheek, and she playfully wiped it away with the back of her hand but did the same with him.

“I can’t believe I’ll be giving you away tomorrow,” Theodore said as their embrace broke.

“A matter of fact, that would be me,” Brad said, standing between Theodore and Jessica.

“Oh, we’ll see about that.”

“You two are unbelievable. And that is exactly why mom will give me away,” Jessica said, causing Penny to beam. Abigail watched in bewilderment and interest.

“That’s not happening—”

“Not a chance,” Theodore and his dad said simultaneously.

Jessica rolled her eyes and joined Abigail at her side. “You see what I have to deal with?”

“You must be happy,” Abigail said, still stunned as she watched Theodore and his father’s playful bickering.

Jessica picked up on the sadness in Abigail’s voice despite the smile on her face. Theodore hadn’t disclosed much about Abigail other than she can be shy at times, but it’s because she’d had things a bit hard in the past. Jessica didn’t want to pity her—Jessica hated pity. But she wanted to make Abigail feel better.

“They’re only like this when we’re all together,” Jessica whispered like a gossipy teenager. “When they are discussing business, they’re… scary.” She shivered, and Abigail laughed.

“I can’t imagine Theodore being anything close to scary.”

“That’s because you haven’t seen them together,” Jessica insisted, eyes wide and earnest. “And when Uncle Parker and Cousin Steve join them… Gosh, I had to run away once.”

Abigail threw her hand over her mouth to stifle a laugh. “I like you.”

“Lucky thing we’re going to be sisters then. I never liked Cleo.” Abigail didn’t know what made her tense—the fact that Jessica didn’t know about the break-up or mentioning Cleo.

But Cleo’s name drew everyone else’s attention, too.

“Where is Cleo, anyway?” Penny asked, and Brad hummed in agreement, staring at Theodore.

Theodore’s smile had disappeared entirely as if it weren’t there in the first place.

“I have no idea. And I don’t care.”

“Oh,” Penny simply said, realising she had upset both Theodore and Abigail. “I didn’t… Not that I care. I didn’t much like her anyways.”

“Mother, you loved Cleo,” Theodore said, calling her out. Penny seemed uncomfortable.

“I did when she was younger. But I don’t quite think she was right for you. I just thought that when the break-up happens, you’d just remain friends.”

Brad, evidently seeing Abigail’s discomfort, changed the topic. “Abigail, I hope you like lasagne.”

“I love it,” Abigail said, forcing a smile.

“Great!”

Jessica gripped Abigail’s wrist and pulled her to the other side of the room, seeing that Penny was trying to apologise to Theodore for bluntly bringing up Cleo’s whereabouts.

“You must come to my bachelorette party,” Jessica said, curling her palms under her neck with a huge smile.

Abigail—who had initially planned to go to bed—stumbled over her words.

“Are you sure… I mean, I wouldn’t know anyone and—”

“Nonsense. You’ll know me. I hate that Theodore didn’t take you home sooner. Since he refused to be on my bridal party—”

“What?” Abigail snorted through a laugh.

“—I wanted to know you sooner so you could take his spot. But he was selfish with you, so now that you’re here, you simply have to come!”

“I don’t know…” Abigail snapped her eyes in Theodore’s direction before focusing on the blonde female version of him.

“Please? We’ll have dinner then my limo is coming at eight-thirty. I know you probably want to stay with Theodore, but what kind of bride would I be if I didn’t take you to my bachelorette party?”

Despite Abigail’s better judgement, she gave in. “Okay,” she said through a quick breath.

Jessica squealed, catching the others’ attention.

“Great!”

Theodore joined them not seconds later and wrapped his arm around Abigail’s shoulder.

“We’ll be back soon,” he said loud enough for his parents to hear. Abigail didn’t bother asking where he had planned to take her so soon before dinner; she simply walked with him.

He led her through a sliding door, which led to a cosy-looking patio at the side of the house. But when Abigail thought he’d lead her to one of the chairs, he continued guiding her to the back of the house until their feet were on the lush grass. They could see the vast land of the vineyard extending for what looked like miles.

“This really is beautiful,” Abigail said, sensing Theodore’s tension.

He simply hummed and kept his eyes ahead.

Abigail cleared her throat before adding, “Your family is great. Thank you for making me meet them.”

Again, a grunt.

Silence reigned for a stifling thirty seconds before Abigail spoke again.

“Is there a winery here?”

Theodore nodded.

“Could you show me?” Abigail asked, reaching over to hold his hand.

Theodore stared at their intertwined fingers before he started pulling her towards the opposite side of the house.

Abigail saw the building in the distance, but it wasn’t too far away. Still, she would rather not walk all this way in utter silence.

“So, you didn’t tell them about the break-up, huh?” Abigail asked, trying to sense what had really upset him.

Theodore shrugged. “I guess I didn’t get around to it.”

“Is that the only reason?” she asked, sensing the lie in his voice, but again, he stayed silent. Abigail sighed and decided to find peace in the silence as he took her to the winery.

As they arrived, he released her hand to open the large wooden door. Abigail gasped as she stepped inside, and Theodore flickered the lights on. It was humongous. Rows upon rows of barrels filled with wines stretched through the room, seeming as if it had no end.

The scent of grapes, wine and earth, was almost mesmerising. Abigail almost felt drunk from the very smell alone.

Theodore watched her in amazement. He could see that Abigail was genuinely interested and fascinated by what he did. Cleo only pretended to care about the entire process of making wine. She was only concerned with the end product.

But now, watching Abigail roam around, fiddling with the tap of the barrels as if she was tempted to open it, running her hands over them and reading every little scribble—he knew he’d never find another like her.

Then why are you allowing her to slip away? a voice in his head said. However, he tried to avoid it as he watched Abigail wander around, following closely behind her, so she didn’t lose her way.

She stopped in front of the door that led to the cellar, and her eager and curious eyes almost made him smile as she pointed at it.

“What’s in there?” Abigail asked, her brown eyes glistening under the golden bulbs.

Theodore’s lips twitched. “Open it and see.”

With an eager nod, Abigail twisted the knob and pushed the door, almost stumbling when it opened with ease. She didn’t expect it to be so lightweight, but she recovered with a gasp.

It was a wine cellar. Bottles upon bottles lined the walls in bases and behind glass, while some were stacked on racks, facing down.

She ran her finger over the bottles closest to her, avoiding the tiny dust particles as Theodore closed the door behind him.

“Can I spin them?” Abigail asked, turning to Theodore with eager eyes. He nodded with a ghost smile, and Abigail wasted no time spinning the bottle down the rack, trying desperately to do it fast.

Theodore chuckled, realising that he couldn’t be upset while Abigail was around.

“I’m horrible at this,” she laughed but continued to spin the bottles.

“Yes, you are.”

She threw him a glare. “Let me see you do it better,” Abigail challenged. But Theodore’s confident smirk showed her she had already lost.

As if it was nothing, Theodore’s hands moved like lightning as he spun each bottle until he was to the bottom. Abigail stood with her mouth ajar.

“You cheated,” she simply stated, turning her nose away from him.

Theodore couldn’t help it. His laugh came booming through the room as Abigail stood with her arms crossed.

“It’s hardly cheating if I know how to do it well,” he said, and slowly his laugh became contagious.

“Whatever,” Abigail mumbled through a chuckle. “We should get back for dinner now that you’re in a better mood.”

But she regretted her words instantly as Theodore’s face fell again. His eyes watched her every move, almost daring her to step past him towards the exit.

Abigail sighed. “Theodore, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” he mumbled, looking away from her. She sighed and closed the distance between them, then cupped his cheek. It was a habit he always did, so she thought it was her time to return the gesture.

“You can talk to me. Is it about Cleo?” Abigail asked. For a second, Theodore seemed confused, as if he had forgotten about the conversation about Cleo. He then shook his head.

“No. It’s…”

“Yes?” Abigail urged. “It’s what?”

He sighed. “You’re going to Jessica’s bachelorette party.”

Abigail cocked her head to the side, dropping her hand from his cheek as she stepped away. He had almost offended her, but she decided to ask him to explain himself before she chose what to decipher.

“I don’t understand.”

“No, Abigail.” He sighed. “I… It’s not that I don’t want you to be with my sister. You are two of my favourite people in the world. It’s just that…” He looked away, his cheeks burning in embarrassment under the dim cellar light.

“That…?”

“Fuck it,” he grumbled. “You’re single.”

Abigail shuffled. “We both are.”

“Right, and you’re not tied to me. At a bachelorette party, there’s liquor and… men,” he mumbled, and Abigail almost didn’t hear the last word.

Her mouth hung even wider, unsure what to say.

“Are you worried I’ll pick up a one-night stand?” The very thought of it made Abigail shiver. She didn’t know if she should swoon or gag. Theodore knew Abigail wasn’t the type to sleep with just anyone. She feared a man’s touch for crying out loud. But Theodore knew his sister and her friends. No doubt, there will be a lot of liquor and female influence.

Theodore hoped that Jessica would discourage her friends from pushing men in Abigail’s direction for his sake. But he knew Jessica when she was drunk. She had no sense of… well, no sense of nothing when she was drunk.

“Theodore.” Abigail sighed when he didn’t respond. “Do you really think I’d come this far with you only to sleep with someone else? And you know me. I—”

“I know,” he said. “It’s not your character I’m worried about. It’s stupid. I shouldn’t even feel jealous. Like I said, you’re single. You should have fun.”

Abigail couldn’t help the smile that threatened her lips. She didn’t even know where the boldness came from as she wrapped her arms around his waist. Theodore’s back stiffened as he gazed at her.

“I was having fun here… with you,” she said, and that did it. Every self-control he had held onto since the day he saw her at Vanx Club crumbled right there as he pressed her body to him even more, holding her still against him.

Abigail gasped, relishing in the feeling of having his arm around her like this. It had been too long.

Testing the waters, she trailed her arm up to his back to his shoulder, pulling him even closer.

“Abigail,” Theodore growled, trying to keep his will at bay. He didn’t want to do anything unless she said so.

“Yes?” Abigail trailed her other hand up to his back, leaving a fiery line until she clasped his left shoulder, then snaked her arms around his neck.

Theodore closed his eyes, trying to level his breathing. But it all went haywire when he felt Abigail’s soft, sweet lips against his cheeks.

And then, he was undone.

He hoisted her from the ground and swung her legs around his waist, swerving around to hold her against a glass case. His fingers dug the tender flesh of her ass, kneading it slowly as he buried his nose in her neck.

Abigail threw her head back and arched her back as his tongue darted out and swept across the base of her neck. She buried her fingers in his thick, soft hair as a moan slipped from her lips.

Theodore’s hand roamed her body, gripping her breast, squeezing her thighs, twisting her nipples and digging his fingers in her waist as he found her lips in a kiss he’d been dreaming about for two months.

His lips stifled her moans as her grip loosened and her thighs tightened around him. She grounded herself against him as he thrust his tongue into her mouth.

With one hand, he held her up, using the other to undo his button. Abigail gasped as she felt him protruding through his underwear, rubbing against the moisture between her legs.

Praising her for wearing a skirt today, Theodore slipped his hand up her thigh and slid his finger past her panties to tease the wetness of her femininity.

Abigail panted, breaking the kiss swiftly to catch air, just as Theodore removed his hand. But she quickly grabbed it, halting him from moving farther.

“No,” she whispered, her voice barely audible. “Don’t stop.”

Not once taking his eyes from her, Theodore smiled as he pushed his underwear away. “I’m not stopping.”

He caught her lips again as he positioned himself at her entrance. Abigail slipped her underwear aside, allowing him easy access to enter her.

Her body stiffened as Theodore plunged into her. He hissed, holding himself up as his knees went weak.

“I missed you so much,” he mumbled as he moved in slow rhythms. Abigail wanted to tell him that she missed him too. She wanted to tell him how her life had been dull and miserable, and being here with him was the best moment she’d had in two months.

But instead, every time she opened her mouth, his name slipped from her tongue through a moan. It willed him to go faster—to consume every inch of her because he knew this moment wouldn’t last.

So, he slipped from her, dropped her and spun her around. Then, Theodore bent her over and wasted no time in filling her again. Abigail screamed his name, grateful that the house was far away enough.

But Theodore had no mercy; his thrusts were hard, deep and fast each time until she clenched around him and her knees bent, causing him to slip from her as she rode her climax. But Theodore wasn’t quite through with her yet. He carried her towards an old table, leaned her against it and dipped himself into her moisture, cursing at the warm and tender feeling of having her again. Her feet curved around him to pull him closer as he moved in quick, deep thrusts again. He closed his eyes, telling himself that he’d have her tomorrow, the day after that, and the day after that and—hell, forever. He’ll have her forever, and he would make sure of it.

His muscles stiffened, and he gripped the table as he pulled from her and emptied himself all over the table.

Abigail sat up, both of them in a panting mess as she gazed at him and he at her. His first fear was to hear her say that she regretted what they had just shared.

But as if Abigail could hear his thoughts, she yanked him to her and connected their lips again.

And Theodore had hope—hope that his forever with her didn’t seem so far-fetched after all