“Come on Abby….” Jimmy Hickok said going around the tree after Abby Shannon as she laughed and moved away from him every time he got close to her. Feeling frustrated he stopped and glared at her. “I don't see why you won't let me kiss you…we’ve been seeing each other for several weeks now,” he grumbled as she finally came around the tree and stood next to him. “Why James Hickok, is that all you think about?” she teased, loving the dark look he gave her. Throwing himself on the blanket they’d had a picnic on earlier, a wicked grin covered his face. “No, that is not all I think about. There’s a whole lot more I think about doing to you,” he stated matter of fact. Abby’s eyebrows went up. “Oh, really? Do tell,” she said sitting down next to him taking satisfaction in knowing that she was getting under his skin and it was driving him nuts. Snorting he looked at her. “Yeah, right. You’re trying to get me all worked up aren’t you? No way am I telling you what I think about doing to you. If you want to know, you’re going to have to find out first hand….by my hand.” Leaning close to him she smiled a soft, seductive smile. “Mmmm, I like the sound of that.” When he turned, ready to kiss her, she pulled back. “But not just yet. Haven’t you ever been told that Chastity is one of the 7 Holy Virtues? Seeing how I’m Catholic, I must obey the church you know…the whole unsoiled thing when I go to the marriage bed and all…” the grin on her face would have been laughable if he knew she was kidding but he wasn’t sure. Throwing her back on the blanket, Jimmy stared down into her laughing blue eyes. “Since when did you ever obey anything you were told Abby Shannon?” His serious tone amused her immensely. “You do have a point there….but then again, it was never about something like this.” She pushed him off her and rolled away from him. Walking over towards the stream, she kept looking over her shoulder at him. “The physical relationship between a man and a woman is a lot different then sneaking out of the house to run around with you after dark….there are more consequences to be considered then my dear sister chastising both of us like school children. It’s not something I take lightly you know.” Her tone had him perplexed. He just wasn’t sure if she meant it or not. That was one of the things that attracted him to Abby and kept him coming back for more. He never knew what she would or would not say or do next. Jimmy stood and followed her to the waters edge. Putting an arm around her waist, he pulled her back against him. Resting his chin on her shoulder he said softly into her ear, “Are you telling me that you don’t want to ‘dance’ with me? Or that you won’t unless it’s sanctified by the church?” Turning her head slightly, her eyes danced merrily as she looked into his brown ones. “Maybe….to the last question and I want to very much to the first…” She sucked in her breath as he spun her in his arms, a very serious look upon his face. She liked this side of him, the dark and slightly dangerous man that he could be that was always just below the surface. “God, you drive me insane woman!” he declared. All her little caresses and smiles were really getting to him and the frustration that had been building over her keeping him at bay was beginning to wear thin on his nerves not to mention the discomfort to another part of his body that seemed to be constant these days. Holding her tightly against him, Jimmy asked, “So, you really want to?” It made him feel smug knowing that she wanted him too. At her nod, he said in wonder, “How do you keep saying no or stopping then?” “Good things come to those who wait Jimmy and you are certainly worth waiting for….I just wonder how long you are going to keep me waiting.” With a low growl, he nuzzled her neck, glad that she didn’t push him away again. Maybe she had been teasing him all along. “Well?” she said as he lifted his head. “Well what? He asked, moving back from her. “You mean how long are you going to be waiting? I can’t rightly say…never been one much for commitments.” The smile on her face slipped and she turned from him. As she walked away from the water he called after her, “But then again I’d never met anyone like you…” With a coy little smile, Abby was satisfied with his answer, for now. Drop me a note and let me know what you thought!