Chapter 43：Ch 43: Oh Lord, I’m sorry

Shaking his head he finally turned away and went to his room. Lord, he wanted her! He had a permanent ache for that woman for years. Oh, he tried to dispel it by being with other women, but nothing worked. It was a hard conclusion to come to for a confirmed bachelor, but she was going to be his.

He stripped off his clothes after washing up and got into bed stacking his hands behind his head still deep in thought about this whole situation. It may have seemed like he had her where he wanted her, but there was still a chance that she would run. The truth of the matter was, he was insanely possessive of her even though he didn't show it as he wanted.

Until he got that ring on her finger and she said 'I do', he wasn't taking it for granted that she said yes to his proposal. Abigail was different from other women. She wasn't dependant on a man to make her happy. She was vibrant and outgoing and filled with humility. He admired her.

He loved her.

***

She was suffocating. Reaching out she realized she was in a confined space and it was dark black dark. She struggled for breath, but there was no air. Then she heard screaming, panicked, horrified screaming. Turning her head a dim light suddenly shone and Joseph was staring back at her with dead eyes. Then a voice.

"Abigail! Abigail! Wake up, you're having a nightmare." It was from Owen. Her eyes shot open seeing him hovering above her. She released a sob and immediately threw her arms around his neck and clung to him. "Shh, it's alright baby, you're safe."

He soothed tightening his arms around her. "You're trembling, poor cheetah." He buried his face in her hair and breathed deeply. She smelled like lavender and citrus. It was an amazing scent for a woman. It was amazing for her. "It was just a dream, honey."

He added feeling her tremble again. "It was horrible." She choked out. "I was in Joseph's coffin." She shut her eyes and buried her face in his neck. "Is she all right Owen?" "She's fine Alice, go back to bed…wait, get her a glass of water first all right?" "Sure." Abigail vaguely heard footsteps recede down the hall. "I'm sorry. You will never get a decent night's sleep." She muttered against his skin now wet with her tears.

"It doesn't matter. You should quit worrying about everyone else. Things like this don't go away just because you want them to, and it's too soon to let go.

Did you want me to stay?" She didn't hesitate and nodded against him. Whenever he spoke, she could feel the vibration from him to her body. As for his words, he probably knew that well. He'd lost his mother before she and Joseph lost their parents.

Owen wasn't a stranger to grief either. "Okay. But I need to go put some clothes on, I'm in my underwear. Are you going to be okay for a moment?" Suddenly she released him as his words sunk in and she immediately became aware of the warmth from his naked upper half that soaked through her thin tank top, "Oh Lord, I'm sorry."

She was sure she blushed clear to her toes. He smoothed the hair out of her face, smiling, "It's all right Abigail, we'll be sleeping together soon, I'm sure you can handle me in my shorts. I'll be right back." He got up and left the room, not the slightest bit bashful at his near nakedness. Sleeping together?

Oh my Lord, that sounded so wonderful. A thrill shot through her. She tried not to look, but she couldn't help herself. His powerful torso was a sight to behold. He wore jockey shorts, not briefs and they encircled his thighs like a second skin. She bit her lip to keep from groaning at the sight, then Alice entered with a glass of water.

She was thankful for the quick distraction. "Here is," she said endearingly near making her weep again, "I got you some Tylenol too." Abigail reached out and touched her cheek, "You are a real sweetheart. How did I get along without you?" Alice gave her a brilliant smile. She took the Tylenol and followed it with a drink of water. "

It was a bad dream wasn't it?" Abigail took another swallow, "It was horrible." She turned on her side and set the glass on her bedside table. She didn't want to tell her what it was about. It was something that you didn't relay to a teenager.

"Owen, just because you get to marry her doesn't mean I can't pamper her too." She said defensively. He was wearing a dark pair of pajama bottoms and a white undershirt but Abigail still couldn't get the image of his half-naked form out of her head. Ruffling his sister's hair he inclined his head toward the door causing her to sigh overdramatically.

Mumbling her disagreement, she gave Abigail a brief hug and left, shutting the door behind her. He waited until the door shut, "Are you sure about this?" She moved over in the bed. Lord was she ever. "Yes."

The bed shifted with his weight and within seconds he had her pulled next to him. "It must've been a horrible nightmare, you're still trembling." "It's fading." If only he knew that she'd quit shaking from the dream when she saw him in his underwear. It was him she was trembling over now.