"So what did you see today?"
For something like the hundredth time since she's been in Dublin, Abby finds herself grateful for the time difference between the city and LA. The seven hours assures that she has at least a whole day's worth of activities to discuss with him when he calls. He usually does so on his days off in the late afternoon, catching her just as she's getting ready for bed.
"Well, today I went to the city zoo, which is in this gorgeous public park. It's huge, so I pretty much just wandered around all day." Already wearing her pajamas, she throws back the blankets on the bed and climbs in.
"Yeah? What was your favorite exhibit?"
She shifts the phone to a position between her shoulder and her ear so she can use both hands to pull the covers up around herself.
"Hmmmm," she considers. "Probably the meerkats. Or the penguins. Actually, the gorillas were pretty amazing."
"Can't pick just one, huh?"
The warm affection in his voice makes her ache a little bit, and there's a part of her that wishes he were right here next to her in bed.
"Do they have polar bears? I saw them at the San Diego Zoo playing in the water and passing a ball back and forth once. They're pretty cool too."
"They did have polar bears," she tells him, "but they were asleep on their piles of snow. Not very entertaining."
Buck laughs. "Not a great way to earn their keep," he agrees.
"What about you?" Abby asks "Tell me all about the crazy calls I'm missing."
"I've got nothing," he tells her, "everything has been routine lately. It's all car crashes and kitchen fires."
"Jeez, we're boring." Abby sighs. "I don't want to hang up, though."
"We don't have to. I've got an idea." he suggests slyly. "What are you wearing right now?"
"A giant flannel nightgown," she lies, knowing exactly where this conversation is headed if she lets it.
"Abs," he complains good-naturedly, "I miss you."
She can't help it when her heart swells a little at that, but she tries to stay strong anyway. "I miss you too."
"So, then," Buck lets the statement hang for a moment, "what's the problem?"
She can picture him exactly how he must look right now, stretched out on her bed with his phone pressed to his ear and wearing the self-assured expression he gets when he knows he's driving her crazy.
"Buck, this place has paper-thin walls. I'm pretty sure I heard one of my neighbors snoring last night."
"Well," he teases, "you don't have to be so loud about it."
Since he can't see her mock insulted expression, she injects her response with a petulant whine. "Hey, that's not my fault!"
He chuckles and agrees. "You're right, it's mine. You're welcome." His tone is pure arrogance in a way that makes her weak, damn him, so she switches gears and plays along.
"Black lace panties," Abby says next without preamble.
"What?"
"You heard me," she replies, looking down at her worn out t-shirt and pajama pants. "And not a stitch more."
"Mmmmm," he says, sounding pleased with this turn of events, "are you in bed?"
"Mmm-hmm," she confirms for him. She snuggles down into the covers, feeling lightheaded with anticipation already.
His voice drops an octave or so. "Can you feel me there beside you, Abby?"
She doesn't answer, her eyes closing as she loses herself in the moment.
"Abs," he tries again softly, "can you feel me against your neck, kissing my way down your throat slowly to your collarbone? Your skin smells so good, Abs. Just like that lotion you use all the time. What's the scent again?"
"Vanilla," she answers him, her voice breathy. She licks her lips, "and coconut."
Yeah," he confirms, "just like that. I find your breasts and tease one of your nipples, drawing circles on the soft skin around it, then roll it gently between my fingers. The other one is between my teeth. I'm sucking on it, Abby. Can you feel it?"
"Mmm-hmm," is the extent of her response. She feels her cheeks flush as her hand makes its way under her shirt, exploring.
"My tongue curls around your nipple and I run my fingertips down your stomach to your thighs. I can feel your heat as I nudge them apart. You open up so easily for me, Abby. Can you feel how wet you are?"
Her hand ventures downward and she shivers from the light touch of her fingers against the skin of her abdomen. She dips a hand into her panties. "God," she swallows hard, "yes."
"My thumb is rubbing in slow circles against your clit and I find my favorite patch of skin right there, at the top of your thigh, on the inside of your leg where it's so soft and sensitive. I kiss you there, softly at first, and then bite down just hard enough to sting."
Abby's breathing is labored now. She moans his name and she swears she can hear the possessive smile in his voice.
"You like that, do you?"
She moans out loud again as he continues.
"I slip my fingers inside you. I'm speeding up the momentum, hard and fast. Your scent changes, Abs. It's musky, and it tells me how close you are."
Dizzy with arousal, she can feel her hips lift off the bed as if she's pushing herself into his hand.
"My tongue flicks against your clit," he adds next, his voice rough. She thinks he's probably as close as she is at this point. "You taste so good, Abby." Her breathing kicks up another notch and she makes a frustrated gasping sound in the back of her throat. She needs just a little more. "Buck!" comes out all strangled, but she doesn't care. She's not above begging at this point. "Please!"
"Abigail Clark," he drawls out her name, lingering on each individual syllable. His tone is firm, bordering on demanding, and it does the trick when he finishes with, "why haven't you come for me yet?"
She does then, turning her face into the pillow to keep from crying out. She still manages to make enough noise into the phone to make Buck chuckle. "Good girl," he says smugly.
"God, I hate you," she tells him breathlessly, not meaning a word of it. She lies completely spent, her skin dewy and flushed.
"You love me," he says confidently.
She does, damn it, hasn't felt this strongly about anyone in years in fact, and there's something infuriatingly comforting about his certainty of it. She lets him gloat unchallenged, because god knows he deserves it, and simply says with a satiated smile, "goodnight, Buck."
"Night, Abs," he replies affectionately, "sweet dreams."
