Sam laughed out loud. Abby liked to read, all right. Abby liked to read erotica. It was her substantial collection that had brought them together in the first place. “I forgot. You’re an expert.”
Abby rested her chin in her hand and sighed. “He’s going to The Club without us.”
“We don’t know that.” Sam was pretty sure that was exactly what Jack had done, but he couldn’t bring himself to say it out loud.
“Why else would he leave with nothing but a note?” Her eyes were downcast. “I think he’s tired of me, Sam.”
Sam leaned forward. He caught her hand in his. His heart ached at the little catch in her voice. “That’s not true, Abby. He loves you.”
Her laugh was a hollow sound. “He doesn’t seem to want me the way he used to. I have got to face the fact that maybe Jack is one of those men who just loves the chase. Now that I’ve been caught, someone else will be more interesting to him.”
“No,” Sam said fervently. “I have known Jack Barnes my entire adult life. He’s never loved anyone the way he loves you, Abby. He would never have married you if he didn’t know he wanted to spend the rest of his life with you. Something’s wrong. We need to find out what it is. When he comes back, we need to confront him. We need to sit down as a family and figure out what’s wrong.”
Abby thought for a long moment. “I don’t think I can wait that long, Sam. I need to know if it’s time for me to walk away.”
“Don’t even talk like that.” Sam was shocked that she would suggest it. He couldn’t imagine his world without Abby in it. He also couldn’t imagine a world where he would have to choose between them.
“I’m going to Dallas.” Abby sat up straighter than she had before. “You still have a membership to that club, don’t you?”
There was a mixture of horror and excitement flowing through Sam’s veins at the thought of what Abby was saying. It was ninety-nine percent horror, though. He could just imagine what Jack would do if they showed up at The Club without his permission. This was a very, very bad idea. “I don’t think going to The Club without Jack is a sound plan, baby. The Club is very hardcore. It’s not a place for normal women.”
Her big hazel eyes rolled, and she did that cute little snort she used when he was acting like a dumbass. Sam thought she used it an awful lot. “Yes, I’m so normal, Sam. I’m married to two men. I think I can handle The Club.”
Sam wasn’t so sure. Abby’s only experience with the world of kink was through romance novels and two men who loved her enough to marry her. Sam knew that the men who inhabited The Club would eat up a sweet submissive like Abigail. She would be the softest thing any of them had seen, and he worried that without Jack, she would be unprotected. He doubted he could convincingly play the Dom. Sam was honest enough with himself to admit he was just as submissive as Abby, maybe more so. He tried for logic. “Besides, we don’t know for sure that Jack went to Dallas. He could be anywhere. We could go up there and be all on our own.”
“Then we’ll just view it as a vacation.” Abby picked up her fork again. She smiled, and it melted something in Sam. She seemed more animated than she had in weeks. “If Jack isn’t there and he’s off doing some sort of ranch work, then we just indulge in a little big-city vacation. Jack’s always telling me how I should enjoy my position as the wife of a very wealthy man.”
“I think he meant you should do more in the community,” Sam pointed out. “He was talking about taking on charity work. You know you’ve been talking about opening that clinic.”
“And I firmly intend to do that. If I’m still in a position to do so. In the meantime, I’m going to apply a very liberal meaning to Jack’s words. I’m going to Dallas, and I’m going shopping. Come on, Sam. I know what you want. You’ve always wanted a motorcycle. Let’s get a big, gorgeous Hog and drive to Dallas. We’ll get a room at The Club, preferably a suite, and tear up Neiman Marcus with Jack’s credit cards.”
Sam’s jaw dropped. “You know Jack won’t let me buy a bike. Do you have any idea how long I’ve been trying to convince him to let me get a motorcycle? He always tells me I’ll kill myself on it, and he won’t allow it. Besides, I don’t want a Harley, baby. I want one of those ninja bikes like Tom Cruise rides in Mission Impossible. It’s called a Ducati.”
“Well, as far as I can see, he’s not been in the mood to allow or disallow anything lately,” Abby said simply. “You know what they say. When the Dom’s away, the subs will play. What do you say we play a little, Sam?”
Sam sat back and thought for a moment. Since he’d been fifteen years old, his whole life had revolved around Jack Barnes. He’d never seriously thought about disobeying his friend. Jack always knew what was best, and he always looked out for Sam. In return, Sam did what Jack told him to do.
But Jack didn’t know what was best now. Jack was floundering, and Sam doubted that an intervention would help. Maybe Abby was right. Maybe the only thing that would get through to Jack was a little shock to his system. Jack believed in a well-run house. In Jack’s mind, a well-run house had one leader—him. What would happen if they questioned that right of his?
Sam pulled out his cell phone and called information. In the end it was easy. While Jack had all the ambition and power in the relationship, he’d given Sam half the money. Money, Sam rapidly discovered, was power all on its own. Twenty minutes later, he hung up with a smile on his face.
“They’re going to deliver the Ducati out at the house. Can you imagine? They’re going to bring it to us,” he said with a little thrill.
Abby’s smile was perfectly Cheshire Cat-like. “Yes, Sam, that’s what happens when you pay forty-thousand dollars in cash to a salesperson who lives off of commission. He’d probably kiss your feet if you asked him to.”
He could picture himself on the back of that sleek bike. Abby would be behind him with her arms wrapped tightly around his waist. He envisioned himself driving up to The Club with her and tossing the keys to the valet before leading his lady in. He then envisioned Jack taking him apart piece by piece for allowing their wife on a motorcycle.
“Don’t.” Abby snapped her fingers and pulled him out of it. “It’s going to be fine, Sam. We’ll have fun, just the two of us. If Jack wants his freedom, then we should definitely take ours.”
“He might kill me.” Sam picked up the burger again. If he was going to die, then it would be on a full stomach. It tasted better this time. Perhaps it was just the idea of doing something rather than sitting back and waiting.
Abby shrugged. “Then we’ll know he still cares.”
Sam nodded and decided to worry about Jack’s revenge later. For now, he would concentrate on the positive. He had Abby to himself, and he was taking her on a road trip. Where it would lead them, he couldn’t tell. He knew that with Abby, at least he would enjoy the ride.
Four hours later, Sam watched as Abby strapped on her big helmet. Sam stood back looking at his unbelievably cool new bike as Abby got prepared for the trip. Her hair was pulled back in a low ponytail, and she wore the leather jacket Sam had ordered her to wear. He wasn’t letting her on a bike without her skin being protected. She was dressed in a leather jacket, T-shirt, heavy denim jeans, gloves, and motorcycle boots.
“I feel like a biker mama.” She grinned as she settled on the back of the bike. She looked hot sitting on the back of his brand new Ducati Superbike R Corse Special Edition. She was so cute, he could just eat her up. He leaned over and kissed her. He slipped her just a bit of tongue before breaking off and sliding in front of her.
Sam smiled as she leaned against him. Why he hadn’t done this a long time ago, he had no idea. He could feel her pressed against his backside. He might never get in his car again.