After spending a luxurious hour wallowing in the shallow end of Adam's bathtub, Abby finally managed to drag herself out before she accidentally fell asleep and ended up drowning. For the first time since their encounter with Clara at the Kit Cat Club, she felt safe, relaxed and emotionally peaceful. The warm water had done its magic and managed to melt the last of her tension away, leaving her with a light and refreshed feeling. With a quick flick of her finger, she tugged the stopper out of the tub and watched as the water filled with all her stress and apprehensions swirled down the drain. Somehow, observing it disappear was almost as therapeutic as luxuriating in the steamy bubbles. It was a symbolic gesture of letting go of her worries, and allowing herself to rejoice in being cleansed, renewed and ready to take on the world.

As long as that world also included one Adam Steele, she added to herself. The thought brought a smile to her lips. Wrapping herself in a thick, soft bath towel, she headed for the bedroom. As soothing as the warm water had been, Abby had to give Adam credit for her sudden change of attitude. Him and perhaps...this place.

Looking around, she took her time to appreciate the simple but elegantly decorated room. It really was magnificent. The bed commanded the most attention, standing like a monolith in the middle. It was a sight to behold. The exceptional wood frame supporting the large mattress appeared to be centuries old, with carved elements of outstanding quality. The open worked pierced supports held a canopy with scroll work and pleats. The intricately carved headboard appeared to have some kind of insignia gracing the center, perhaps belonging to the Varela family. Running a hand along one of the vertical columns, Abby admired the majestic beauty of the piece. It seemed fitting such a beautiful work of craftsmanship should be sitting in the bedchambers of a castle. It added to the kingly atmosphere for a truly magnificent man.

With a little-awed shake of her head, she reached for one of the bags Jonathan had packed sitting on the floor and set it on the bed. Her imagination was getting the better of her, but, she supposed, it was bound to happen. Letting out a soft sigh, Abby's eyes skimmed around the room. It was easy to get lost in the fairytale this place embodied. And after learning more about Adam's capacity for compassion, it wasn't difficult to slip him into the role of Prince Charming.

A ridiculously giddy thrill rocketed up her spine at the thought of seeing him again, forcing a grin to bloom across her face. With eager fingers Abby unzipped the suitcase, ready to get dressed. After all, she couldn't very well meet her prince in nothing but a towel, now could she? She rolled her eyes. Knowing Adam...he wouldn't mind a bit, but parading around Stonebach in nothing but a terry cloth towel wouldn't be considered very practical even though he would probably enjoy it immensely.

The smile playing on her lips quickly evaporated when she got a look at exactly what Adam's brother had decided to pack for her. Holding up a black negligee that looked like it came straight from the Red-light District, her frown deepened. "You've got to be kidding me," she grumbled under her breath, tossing it on the bed so she could continue to ferret through the rest of the clothing. Or in this case...non-clothing. To her dismay, the suitcase was filled with nothing but scraps of lace and silk.

Thanks to Adam, she now owned more lingerie than Victoria had secrets, and, apparently, Jonathan deemed it necessary to dump the whole drawer of them into her luggage. Emptying it out on the bed, she finally discovered one rumpled dress. Plucking it out of the plethora of lingerie, she croaked out a disbelieving laugh.

The slinky number was a floor-length, sleeveless, A-line chiffon number in vibrant red with a sweetheart neckline. The dress was gorgeous with its intricate beading done in Swarovski crystals along one strap that continued to circle the skin revealing cutout along the waist. It was the perfect dress for some ritzy party or ball but hardly suited for tromping through the vineyards of Napa Valley.

"Lord, give me patience or an untraceable handgun," she muttered under her breath. Refolding the impractical dress, she stuffed it back into the suitcase. If she didn't know better, she'd have sworn Jonathan and Jo Jo had put their devious minds together to come up with the idea of packing nothing but brothel attire.

Secretly, Abby loved all the dainty, utterly feminine garments, but they were a waste of effort and money. Every time she put one on, Adam tore it off her body in a blink of an eye, and the beautiful lingerie ended up being expensive tattered bits of rags strewn about the bed. Abby bit her bottom lip as a delicious shiver made goosebumps race across her skin from the memory of Adam's fiery passion. She was hardly complaining, but...it did seem like such a waste.

Saving one pair of underwear, she stuffed the rest of it back in the suitcase and closed the lid with more force than what was necessary. With a disbelieving snort at her predicament, she picked up the lacy, black thong and shimmied them up over her hips. Clean underwear was better than none...even if there wasn't technically enough material to classify them as panties.

Placing her hands on her hips, she contemplated what she should do. There had only been four bags altogether. One for her, one for Adam and two that contained separate toiletries for each of them. Spotting the beautiful armoire across the room, she made a beeline for it and jerked it open in hopes of finding some spare clothing. At this point, she was desperate enough to settle for anything. But, the only things she discovered were a few extra blankets and some spare pillows. Abby had the same bad luck when she searched through the dressers and came up empty.

Sighing dejectedly, she made her way back to the bed. She couldn't very well walk around naked for however long they were here. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Adam's suitcase and reached for it hoping Jonathan had packed him something more practical she could borrow. Taking a deep breath, she unzipped it and closed her eyes as she threw open the lid.

Carefully peeking one eye open, she blew out a relieved breath at seeing neatly folded piles of slacks and buttoned down shirts. She had an absurd urge to do a double-fist pump in the air at finally finding something to wear and punctuate it with a whoop.

Not wanting to be caught snooping and digging through his things, Abby snatched the first shirt on top. The long-sleeved, gray, plaid fell to just above her knees, and she was pleased to see the tails of the shirt were long enough to cover her bared butt, thanks to the G-string. The sleeves were miles too long, so Abby hurriedly rolled them up and pulled her damp hair out of the collar. Catching a glimpse of herself in the vanity mirror, she gave her reflection a critical once over. All in all, it wasn't bad, she thought. It would have been nicer actually to have her own clothes to wear, but at least she was decent.

Though she was wearing something, Abby didn't feel it was appropriate enough to be walking around Stonebach looking for Adam, so she would just have to wait until he returned. Heading to one of the many high-arched windows overlooking the rolling hills of the vineyards, she gazed out and took it all in. Outside the sounds of nature filled the air, but despite the cadence of birds, everything here seemed so quiet...peaceful. In the city, there was always the noise of people, traffic, sirens, and alarms, and usually, she like the sounds of New York. It drowned out the deafening silence and kept her from being able to think. But this quiet...she could listen to forever. She didn't fear the silence anymore. Things had changed...she had changed.

Abby smile grew rueful. She really shouldn't have gotten so out of sorts about her clothing, or lack thereof. There had been too many times when she had nothing at all. No food to calm the hunger. No proper shoes to keep her feet dry or from freezing in bad weather. No decent clothes on her back. No nice, soft, warm bed to lay her head down at night. Those were all luxuries she couldn't afford, including sleep. Many times Abby would be lucky to catch short catnaps on a park bench or curled up in a box under a bridge somewhere. The nights were the worst. The fear of being captured by Dean or assaulted by the other homeless people kept her wide awake till early morning.

It was truly a far cry from where she found herself standing now. Abby's gaze swept the astonishing beauty surrounding Stonebach. She felt like one of those fairytale princesses, who had been rescued and brought to the prince's castle. A slight grin twitched the corner of her mouth. That is if the Big Bad Wolf wore a royal crown.

Picking up the edge of Adam's shirt, she buried her nose into the fabric and inhaled Adam's distinct wicked scent. The smell surrounded her. Not only from the shirt, but from everywhere. In the fabric...the room...all around. Just like the man, wherever she turned...he was there. She'd never had anyone who worried about her the way he did. Not even her own mother had been as concerned about her welfare, especially after she married Dean.

Leaning against the cold stone of the window frame, she continued to stare unseeing out into the growing dusk. She'd been a nobody for so long; she had forgotten who she was...but the more time she spent with Adam, the more he was making her remember. During her mother's marriage, she'd been invisible, keeping to herself and out of their way. And, for the last seven years of her life, no one even knew she was alive. Not her old neighbors...friends...nobody except the man who hunted her.

One of her most forbidden fantasies during that time was to be seen. To be real once more. During a short stint in one of the many shelters she'd stayed in, she'd found a tattered copy of The Velveteen Rabbit, and Abby couldn't help but compare herself to the little-stuffed toy. She too no longer wanted to be make-believe. Abby detested wearing those wigs, pretending to be something she wasn't and hiding under baggie clothes. She was sick of not being able to sign her name to anything...not being able to do the usual things most people took for granted in their everyday life.

Emotions welled in Abby's chest, and she squeezed her eyes shut to keep them from spilling out. No more. No longer did she want to settle for being a nobody. She wasn't going to let fears of the unknown haunt her and keep her from living her life. From now on, she was going to grasp the love she had found in Adam with both hands and not let go. He made her want to believe if fairytales...and in him. Opening her eyes, she looked out from the castle-like window. Like the stuffed rabbit, she desperately wanted to be real, and there was no one more capable of helping her make that happen than Adam Steele. She only had to trust him and trust in herself that together, they could succeed in beating Dean at his own sick game.

"If they refused our offer, then submit another proposal with one they can't resist."

Abby started at the sharp sound of his voice causing her to jump and whirl around. Adam stalked towards her. His cell phone pressed firmly to his ear. His face pulling into an irritated scowl as he listened to whoever was on the other end, but that wasn't what had her breath catching in her throat. It was how he was dressed, and she felt her mouth drop open.

He wore jeans, boots and a denim button down shirt. Abby hadn't seen him in anything other than impeccably tailored suits or perfectly pressed slacks combined with designer shirts and sweaters. But this...this was...she gulped, struggling to find the words that suited the vision standing in front of her. The clothes accentuated his height, and his powerful strength was on clear display as the denim molded to his body like a long lost lover. It cupped each muscular dip, crevice, and ripple to perfection. Abby's pulse sped up. He looked hard...rough...a flawless picture of manly beauty.

"I don't care if you don't think it's worth the money," he growled into the phone, bringing her gawking stare back to his face. Their eyes locked across the room. "I want it purchased. I want it dismantled and relocated per my instructions, and I don't care if I have to buy the whole damn property to do it. Just get it done."

Even though he was in discussion with someone else, Abby couldn't miss the intensity of Adam's stare he gave only to her. For a long moment, she simply basked in the heat that pulsated between them. Somehow, she thought the power of that magnetism would fade after time, but it remained just as appealing and strong as the day she met him standing at Hanover's table. Nothing about Adam ever weakened, because he was never completely tame. He was as delectably dangerous now, as he was then, and she loved that about him. Adam could be gentle, but the Big Bad Wolf always lingered just below the surface, ready to come out and pounce at a moment's notice.

"For someone who claims to be concerned about the useless squandering of my finances, you are doing a remarkable job of wasting my time and money. Either do as I ask, or I will find someone who will, and you can start looking for a new employer who will appreciate your vast and countless opinions," he said with a silky menace before disconnecting the call.

"Troubles ruling your kingdom, dear? Are your subjects misbehaving?" Abby teased lightly, trying to lighten the stubborn lines on his gorgeous face.

"You have a smart mouth, Abigail." Adam tossed his phone on the dresser before turning back to her. "Haven't you ever been warned to not play with fire," he said quietly, moving towards her with a predatory grace. "How about not poking a sleeping bear?" He took two more steps, arching his brow. "Surely you've been told not to take candy from perfect strangers?"

Abby watched with breathless anticipation as he came to stand before her, shifting his weight just enough and pulling his shoulders back, so he loomed over her. He was in full intimidation mode. His eyes zeroing in on her face with laser precision that reminded her of hot, swirling caramel. Even with his serious tone and behavior, her lips twitched as she fought the smile teasing the corners of her mouth.

"As you can plainly see, there is no fire in the fireplace for me to play with. Though you are as growly as a bear, you're standing upright, talking and hardly sleeping, so that makes that argument null and void unless you know of an actual bear around here I could poke." She crossed her arms over her chest and gave her hair a saucy toss over her shoulder. "You're more than welcome to offer me candy, though. I have found I have a sudden desire for anything drenched in caramel."

Adam's eyes burned hot as he did nothing but stare at her, then...he shifted closer. His expression turned hard, making her momentarily regret her attempt at humor. She tried to take a few steps back from his hulking presence, but soon realized he had her backed against the wall. She could feel each smooth stone molding into her back as he pressed in nearer.

"So much sass." He leaned in, not touching, but making Abby feel as if his hands were all over her body. He didn't lay a finger on her, yet every nerve danced and tingled from the expectation of his touch.

Abby's heart raced in her chest, and she fairly vibrated in her skin. Her body went liquid, needy...and wanting.

"What are you wearing?" He pulled back only a fraction, his expression turning into a deep frown as his fingers plucked at the collar of the shirt.

"Does it matter?" she whispered, tilting her body up into his. Arching up on her toes, she reached the mouth that had been tempting her since the moment he stepped into the room.

His hard frown didn't apply to his lips, they were soft and welcoming beneath hers. Abby's head spun from the slow and intoxicating way he allowed her to control the kiss. Brushing her mouth lightly against his, she stroked her tongue over his bottom lip, asking permission to enter. When he refused, she let out a frustrated sound and glanced up. His eyes held hers, a crackle of danger flicking in the chocolate depths just before his domination took over.

Grabbing her waist, Adam dug his hands hard into her hips as he lifted her higher against the wall until her toes barely brushed the floor. His mouth crashed down onto hers, taking...owning...proving once and for all who owned her. His tongue plunged, dark and demanding past her lips and deep into her mouth. With a small moan, Abby gave him total control. His kiss was so intoxicating; she would allow him to lay claim to anything he wanted.

Pushing her hard against the wall, he plastered his body against hers, freeing his hands to roam. His tongue slid along hers, teasing and coaxing while his fingers began to work the buttons of her borrowed shirt. But, true to his nature, he lost patience and simply ripped it from her body. Exposing her breasts and sending buttons scattering across the room.

"That was your shirt," she said breathlessly against his relentless lips.

His jaw tightened, his fiery gaze taking in the tattered remnants of the shirt hanging off her shoulders. "It's a good thing I canceled plans for you to join us downstairs for dinner. You're a bit underdressed." With slow precision, he dragged the back of his knuckles down the exposed side of one breast.

"You can thank Jonathan for my lack of clothing." Her voice was coming out a low, husky moan as shivers sprinted across her skin from the feather-light touch.

Adam growled softly. "Another lesson you need to learn."

"What is that?"

With unexpected speed, he gripped her by the waist and lifted her away from the wall. Before she could protest, he tossed her onto the bed, her butt bouncing softly on the mattress when she landed.

"Never mention my brother when I am about to fuck you."

Abby couldn't respond, his gruff words effectively silencing her with their wicked intent. Without another word to her, he turned and strode to the bedroom door, and she could hear the slight snick of the lock. The intensity built, the want increasing as she waited to see what he would do next. The soft friction of the bed linens on her skin was only adding fuel to the fire burning inside her, knowing it would soon be the friction of his hands she would be feeling.

Slowly, he made his way back to the foot of the bed. A seductive smile tilted his lips up at the corner as his hands began to unbutton his shirt. There was no other sexier sight on earth than watching a gorgeous man like Adam Steele with molten desire in his eyes take off his clothes, and Abby's mouth went dry. Every move was meticulous and unhurried, building the tension and the yearning.

"Hurry," she whispered, shifting impatiently on the bed. Abby wanted his lean hips between her thighs. She wanted to feel his heavy chest against hers. She needed to feel his tongue's silken caress against her skin, easing the ache growing inside her.

Adam's eyes flared with something dark and aware, but he said nothing. He continued to unbutton his shirt, removing it from his shoulders to reveal his broad, muscled chest. Abby stared at the strips of muscles across his taunt abdomen, her eyes following the thin line of sexy dark hair disappearing under the waistband of his jeans. Jeans, though hot as hell falling low on his hips like that, were still much too slow in coming off. The prevailing bulge behind the zipper called to her, and she itched to touch it...free it from the confines of the denim.

Not wanting to wait any longer, Abby jumped to her knees and scrambled across the bed to help him, but when she lifted her hands to undo his pants, his hands brushed them away.

"Easy, baby," he warned huskily, dropping a light kiss on the tip of her nose. "I've waited far too long for this to be done in a hurry now." Gently, but firmly, he pushed her back to the middle of the bed.

"You're killing me," she whined on a groan.

"Undoubtedly, but I am positive you shall survive."

"When did the Big Bad Wolf become such a tease?"

"I'm only giving you a little payback for your behavior on the plane." He cocked his head and smiled down at her, mischief mixing within the sultry auburn gaze. "Besides, Abigail, patience is a virtue."

Hello my darlings!

Sorry about the long delay, I had some things I needed to outline for this book now that we are creeping ever closer to the end, and of course then I had to do some research to back it up. It took a while to get all that done, in between everything else that was happening. I hope you take into consideration that some of these delays are because I truly want to give you the best and most satisfying story I am capable of delivering.

Also, I know you are going to be a bit pissy with me about the chapter cut off, but...trust me. It was much better to end it here than try to do a wham-bam-thank-you-ma'am. And, as Adam says, patience is a virtue. *dodges thrown objects.

Don't be too mad, thanks to the barometric pressure, my head feels like it's about to explode, and even though I can feel each beat of my heart in my skull, I still managed to get an update done. Though, you will probably catch more errors than usual. LOL!

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this latest installment of Bending Steele, and if you liked it, you will consider giving it a vote. I do enjoy your comments, so keep them coming. They always manage to bring a smile to my face.

Sincerely,

K