Chapter 10

EJ sat alone enjoying a quiet cup of tea at Club TBD. It was a slow Friday afternoon. Only a handful of customers shared the chic and trendy space, most too absorbed in their smart phones to pay attention to the casually dressed man in the corner with his head in the Salem Spectator.

He wished he had the heart to actually read it.

It'd been a month since his latest, disastrous almost-wedding.

Samantha had moved out of the Dimera Mansion and taken their children and her mother on an extended holiday. Johnny had texted him a photo of the children at Disneyworld this morning. He said they were having a wonderful time.

"Wish you were here, daddy!"

The children didn't understand that Mommy and Daddy's separation was forever. They'd been back and forth so many times, it was just an unfortunate part of their reality.

EJ traced his finger over his son's excited face and smiled. He had always wanted to take the children places like that, but work and Salem drama had always interfered.

He was happy that Samantha was finally free to take the time and enjoy the children.

They hadn't spoken much since that morning when he'd walked out of her room beyond a few short text messages and a few phone calls. Surprisingly, as passionate as they'd both always been about each other, their break up had been very calm.

What could they say, actually?

EJ had feelings for someone else...as did Samantha.

He was falling for Abigail Deveraux.

"What the devil about I going to do about it?" he muttered to himself.

He'd chased Samantha for most of his adult life. He honestly did not know what to do next.

It was like Abigail had said that fateful night at the cabin... "there's no history here but the one we write for ourselves."

Did he want to try to start over again with Abigail? Was he ready to move on? How would that work in Salem?

Abigail had been avoiding him since the day of the wedding. She'd sent him a text asking for space. She wanted to give him time to decide if what they were feeling was real.

Chad had stayed on at the Dimera Mansion and was back to work at the club. Things were still tense between them, but EJ had actually enjoyed having his brother back in his life.

Chad wanted a second chance with Abigail. He'd made that perfectly clear. He firmly believed that Abigail would not risk her family's displeasure to be with a newly free EJ.

"Do you really think the Hortons are going to allow that to happen? Abigail is their princess. They will not accept EJ Dimera into the family fold."

Should EJ step back and allow his brother to try to make things work with Abigail? What did Abigail want?

She'd told him she loved him. Did she really mean it? Had she just been caught up in the emotion of their affair?

What did EJ want?

I want Abigail.

"Enjoying the news?"

EJ looked up at the sound of William's voice.

He smiled. The friendship he had developed with his former stepson had not diminished because of his breakup with Samantha. William knew both of them well. He was worried that his parents might try to rekindle their romance. He didn't want to see Arianna suffer because of potential issues between her grandparents.

How would William feel if he knew I was interested in his favorite cousin?

Did you seriously just ask yourself that question, EJ?

"William! Good to see you," he said, rising to shake the young man's hand. He motioned for William to take the chair across from him.

Will looked down at the photo of the children still showing on EJ's phone screen.

"Mom wanted Sonny, Arianna and I to meet them in Orlando. She said the kids and grandma are really enjoying themselves."

EJ sighed. "Johnny has always loved Lightning McQueen."

Will laughed.

"Yeah. I'm glad he's getting this experience. I've never been to Disney. Things were so unsteady when I was growing up. Mom and Dad were kind of all over the place."

William's childhood had been a mess. Samantha had spent the majority of his childhood going from man to man and revenge scheme to revenge scheme.

EJ certainly had not helped make it any easier for the boy.

"You should go, William," he said. "It would be good for all of you. I know your mother would enjoy it."

Will shook his head and laughed again. "I'd rather wait until Arianna is older. Besides, Mom needs this time alone. Grandma is helping with the kids a lot. Mom is getting some spa pampering and the chance to just relax."

"I'm happy for her, William. Honestly. I really man that," he said. "I want your mom to have whatever makes her happy."

EJ saw a sadness come over Will's face. William pitied EJ. William had found his soul mate in Sonny. They hadn't needed years of lies and manipulation to come together. They'd faced life's hurdles with class and dignity. EJ prayed that would continue.

They were good men.

EJ was not a good man.

He looked away from William. He did not deserve William's sympathy.

"I'm glad you're being so good about this, EJ," William said. "I'm proud of her for stepping back and trying to find what she needs for herself. I'm sorry if saying that hurts you. She's always been so impulsive and reckless. I hope this is a step in the right direction for her."

EJ was truly impressed with William's maturity. He was such a young man and he had so much riding on his shoulders already. Married at a young age and raising his daughter whose mother was facing 10-20 years in prison, Will could not afford to make impulsive decisions.

He'd made his daughter the center of his life. Sonny had done the same.

"I am too, actually," EJ said. "Even though we are no longer together, I will always love your mother, William. She's the mother of my children and we've had a lot of happy memories."

"You're a good father, EJ," William said. "You've been a second father to me. I've learned a lot from you."

Abigail walked into Club TBD and immediately spotted EJ and Will.

She'd deliberately avoided EJ for the last month.

She'd been so confused and tormented by what they'd done and the feelings she'd allowed herself to develop. The guilt she felt for her part in ruining EJ's relationship had been overwhelming.

She wanted time for both of them to decide where they stood in their relationship. Was there an actual relationship that both wanted to pursue?

She walked over to EJ's table and put her arm around Will.

"I haven't seen you in ages," she smiled warmly at Will, but her eyes never left EJ's beautiful face.

Oh my God, he looks good.

He was just as potent after a month's separation.

"Abigail! Where have you been? Chad has been hanging around the apartment hoping you'll stop by to see Arianna so he can talk to you."

She rolled her eyes.

"I don't want to talk about Chad," she said firmly.

"So are you still seeing Ben, then?" Will asked. "I know you were spending some time together. Has he been keeping you all to himself?"

Abigail looked over her shoulder at Ben as he worked behind the bar. He was such a nice guy. She'd really enjoyed being with him. But he wasn't EJ...

Would any man ever top EJ Dimera?

"You've been dating Ben, Abigail?" EJ asked, his eyes dark.

She raised a brow. Was he jealous?

"Not really," she said. "We've seen each other a few times socially. I haven't been out at all over the last month or so, though. Work has been way too busy."

He shoulders visibly relaxed. She smiled inwardly. He had been jealous.

"How are you, EJ? I was sorry about the wedding," she said softly.

Their eyes met and a rush of heat washed over her.

There it was. That spark.

God. She still wanted him.

She still loved him.

"Thank you. I appreciate that," he said. "I'm well. I think things happen for a reason sometimes, don't you?"

She nodded.

"I agree. Fate is an interesting thing," she said. She looked down at Will who was observing the interaction between them with interest.

"I just hope we all find the love that Will and Sonny share," she said with a bright smile. "The two of you are an inspiration of what true love should be."

Will grinned. "I'm a lucky man."

"How have you been Abigail?" EJ asked.

Abigail shrugged at EJ and sat in the chair next to Will.

"I'm exhausted from all of this work at the hospital. Mom is a task master. Luckily, she's giving me the weekend off. I'm trying to decide on a quick getaway. I'd love to get out of Salem for a few days," she said.

"You should take the ferry out to the cabin, Abby," Will said. "I know you've always loved it there."

Abigail felt her cheeks heat and she pretended to dig through her purse so Will wouldn't see her blush.

"Oh yeah," she said quickly. "I've always loved my time at the cabin."

She pulled her cell phone from her purse, making a fake gesture of checking the time.

"Would you like your usual, Abigail?"

She looked up at Ben and blushed again.

Ben and EJ at the same table... somehow she'd managed to avoid the two men meeting.

"Honestly, I'd love to, but I really can't stay," she said with a fake smile. "I need to tie up some loose ends at the hospital before I take off."

Ben walked over to her and smiled. "No problem. I'll text you. We should get together sometime. I'm missed you."

Abigail tilted her head. "Sure..."

EJ folded his newspaper and watched Abigail's painfully uncomfortable reaction to Ben's question. Abigail was a beautiful woman. He knew other men would want to be with her. His brother Chad was openly trying to court her. And now this Ben chap was in the picture... He made a mental note to have his men look into Ben's background. If he was going to have competition for Abigail's affections, he wanted to know everything about him.

"EJ, I really need to talk to you about that fundraiser that Dimera Enterprises is sponsoring for the children's unit at the hospital. Do you think you could pencil me in for an appointment sometime next week?"

EJ nodded, all business. "Why don't I just follow you back in now? I'm free today. I am very excited about working with the children's wing. The work that your doctors did on Johnny's eye saved my son's sight. It's my pleasure to help out whenever I can."

Abigail smiled. "That's great. I really appreciate everything you've done for the hospital."

Will laughed. "Yeah...underneath the criminal exterior, the Dimeras are all fluffy teddy bears!"

EJ laughed along with William.

"I'm going to pretend you didn't say that, William."

They excused themselves from Will and walked out of the club, staying silent as they walked through the Horton Town Square.

How would this conversation go, Abigail wondered? There was so much to say.

They walked to the gardens. EJ sat on a bench and motioned for Abigail to join him.

She shook her head.

"I think I'll stand," she said. Standing gave her a little power. She'd need all of the power she could get when dealing with this man.

EJ drank in the sight of her. She looked lovely as always. She wore a long, black and white chevron printed skirt with a black tank top. She'd changed her hair, he noted. She'd added some darker pieces that brought out the richness of her chocolate eyes. She wore her hair braided loosely over one shoulder.

"I'm happy to see you, Abigail," he said softly. "I've worried about you."

She turned her back to him and scanned the area to make sure they were alone.

"You needn't worry about me," she said. "I'm fine...just really busy like I said earlier. I just needed some time away from you to get my head straight."

He noted the stiffness of her shoulders. This conversation was awkward for both of them.

"I appreciate that, Abigail. It's been an enlightening month for me as well."

"Where do things stand between you and Sami?"

She hadn't meant to blurt out the question quite like that, but her nerves got the better of her.

Damn that nervous, verbal diarrhea.

EJ grabbed her arm and turned her to face him. He needed to see her eyes.

Her eyes were filled with worry and she was nibbling on her lower lip. She pulled away from him.

She couldn't think with him touching her.

"We are finished," he said simply.

She arched a brow. "You're sure?"

He nodded.

"We've only talked on the phone, but I know that I no longer feel for Samantha what I once did," he admitted. "We both agree that it is best to end things."

Abigail could see the truth on his face. He was sincere. He was finished with Sami.

"What do you feel for her?"

EJ was constantly surprised by Abigail's frankness. She didn't believe in dancing around a subject.

"I love her, Abigail. I will always love her on some level," he said. "I am not in love with Samantha. I was obsessed with her for eight years for a variety of reasons. Most of them terrible. I nearly destroyed everything and everyone because of that obsession."

Abigail understood obsession. She'd experienced a bit of that with Austin. She could only imagine what eight years of that would've felt like.

"Do you really want to know how I feel about Samantha...or how I feel about you?"

She frowned. Of course she wanted to know how he felt about her. She'd always wanted to know how he felt about her. She just wasn't certain she would like his answer.

What if he said their affair was a mistake and he had no interest in pursuing a relationship with her now that he was free? What if he said he was no longer attracted to her?

Did she really want to know?

"If you'd like to tell," she answered.

He laughed. He hadn't expected that answer.

"I find you captivating, Abigail Deveraux," he said. "I can't get you out of my mind. Your eyes haunt my waking moments and your lips tease my dreams. They way you make me feel terrifies and excites me. I'm not accustomed to not controlling my life. With you Abigail, I have no control."

Abigail smiled.

Wow.

She walked up to him and cupped his cheek with the palm of her hand.

"I think control is overrated, Mr. Dimera," she laughed and brushed his lips with hers.

It was a slight touch, but after a month apart, that slight touch was enough to send a surge of desire through EJ. He pulled her closer, crushing her against his chest and wrapping his arms around her tiny waist.

"I am beginning to agree, Miss Deveraux." He pulled her down for a deeper kiss, his tongue meeting hers and exploring her mouth.

She moaned and ran her fingers through his hair.

This is going to get crazy in a hurry if we don't stop.

We are in public.

They broke apart like nervous teenagers at the sound of a bicycle whizzing by on the nearby path.

Abigail was flushed with excitement. EJ was breathing heavily. The passion in his eyes was enough to make her go weak in the knees.

"Do you have to go back to work today?" he asked with a wicked grin.

She shrugged.

"Dimera Enterprises is the hospital's biggest donor. I guess I could spare some time for the man in charge. What exactly did you have in mind, Mr. Dimera?"