"What the hell was that, Abs?"  Daniel shouted.

"What was what?" Abbie asked. She raised her eyes to her brother.

"That. In his office! You kissing Crane!" Daniel yelled.

"Oh, that. That was nothing. Just a peck,"  Abbie waved her hand at him and chuckled.

"Didn't look like a peck. It looked like you were kissing him, Abs," Daniel fumed"

"It was a peck, Daniel. That's all,"  Abbie sighed.

"Well it damn well looked like you both were enjoying it," Daniel  shouted. "Especially, Crane. But I'll deal with him later."

Abbie stopped and stood in the middle of the hallway. She stared at her brother.

"Did it. Really?" Abbie asked. Her face brightened. A huge smile on her lips. Her brown eyes sparkled and shone through in the sunlight.

"Abbie!" Daniel growled. His jaw clenched.

What? I was kidding. Come on Daniel, icky has no interest in me whatsoever. He's wants to reconcile with Katrina, remember?" Abbie laughed.

"And you have Luke,"Daniel answered. Abbie swallowed hard.

Daniel glared at Abbie. She sighed and rolled her eyes.

"It wasn't a kiss. It was a peck," Abbie corrected. "I felt sorry for him that's all. I hit him in the eye, remember." 

Abbie shrugged and began to walk down the hallway her chin held high. She looked straight ahead. A small smirk played at the corner of her lips. She licked her lips and tasted the bittersweet chocolate taste of Ichabod's coffee from his lips. Black one sugar. Delicious.

Daniel stared and frowned.                                    

"Is that still a reason to tongue him on the floor of his office, Abbie?" Daniel asked. 

Abbie stopped and then turned to her brother. She frowned at Daniel as  she waited for him at the foot of the down staircase. Abbie gazed up at him. Her eyes cold.

"I wasn't tonguing Ichabod Crane on the rug, Daniel. It was a peck him at the corner of his lips. That is all," she said.

Her voice cold and stern. It rose echoing in the staircase. Abbie was glad it was close to the end of the semester. Some students still meandered outside or sat outside on the lawn studying for finals.

"Didn't seem like that to me, Abbie,"Daniel answered.

"Well I can't help what you think you saw, Daniel?" Abbie sighed. Her voice clipped and angry.

"What I saw was you still crushing over Crane!" Daniel spit out. "Are you still in love with Ichabod, Abbie?"

Abbie glared back up at him. She sucked in her lips and pressed them together.

Daniel's eye widened. He nodded his head.

"Oh, Yes. I know about it. I've known ever since I brought Ichabod home for Christmas my senior year in High School. You were so doe- eyed and you kept blushing whenever he talked to you. It was obvious to me you had a crush. And I think Ichabod knew it too," Daniel said.

Abbie sucked in a breath and let it out slowly. She closed her eyes. Her heart beat heavy against her chest. Daniel smiled.

"I used to tease him relentlessly about you, Abs about you being so in love with him. And you guys marrying when you got older. Ichabod hated me when I did it and would tell me you were just a baby to him and nothing more," Daniel said.

A small gasp escaped from Abbie's lips and then she chuckled.

"See then, there's nothing to get so get worked up about. No. I am not still in love with Ichabod Crane," Abbie laughed. That is over. Has been over since I met Luke."

She then swung around quickly and continued to walk down the stairs.

"You've said that before, Abs, remember?" Daniel said. He followed behind her.

"Yes. I do remember and I said it was only a peck, Daniel. So get over it," Abbie said over her shoulder.

She went down the stairs.  She knew she lied to Daniel.  She was still in love with Ichabod Crane and all she was to him was a baby? Daniel's kid sister?

      She raised her hand. Her long fingers lightly brushed her bottom lip and then rested on the stair railing. She slowed her descent. Her thoughts went back to the kiss. Abbie admitted it to herself. Her first intention was just a sympathetic peck on his lips. The peck turned quickly into a full blown kiss as Abbie felt Dean Crane's lips move under hers.  His lips  so soft and moist. He kissed her back.  It couldn't have just been reflex. Ichabod didn't put his hands back on her waist but she did feel both his hands twitch beside her thighs as he nibbled. Abbie did feel his arousal. He didn't flinch and pull his head back or tell her he only thought of her as Daniel's little sister. Is that what was going to tell her when she returned to his office?

"So, what happens now?" Abbie whispered, to no one but herself.

"You say something, Abs?" Daniel asked.

"No, Danny," she answered.  Abbie shook her head and went down the last two steps.

  Abbie was still attracted to Ichabod Crane. Whether she was in love with him still remained to be seen. His kiss didn't seem like she was the only one who had feelings for the other. She wasn't sure. Abbie had to find out the truth.  Get it out in the open. She had to ask him straight out. Only privately though without Daniel close by.

                  Ichabod raised his hand and felt his bruised eye gingerly with the tips of his fingers.

"Jesus," he winced at his reflection in his bathroom mirror.  He looked like he was hit straight on by a Mack Truck. The huge red circle around his right eye was now a puffed out huge black and blue mouse. Ichabod glared at his reflection.

"You stupid fool,"  he growled. "Whatever possessed you to stand so damn close to her? And to kiss her?"

No answer came from Ichabod in the mirror. Ichabod sighed. He lowered his head and stared into his bathroom sink. His hands braced on either side of it. Ichabod closed his eyes tight. He can still feel Abbie's warm, soft curves straddled on his lap. Her large chest pressed against him.

   Abbie gasped when she moved back over his arousal. She had thought she'd  hurt him or maybe offended him. Ichabod chuckled and shook his head. She just made his penis grow even bigger and harder against her bum.

Ichabod felt the tension between he and Abbie when she first entered his office. It was thick and heavy. Grace Abigail Mills no longer looked like a little girl. Ichabod was immediately attracted to her and thought it only one-sided until she began to peck at his lips. The peck became an opened mouthed kiss.  Abbie's tongue licked at his lips asking to enter.

Ichabod couldn't resist her. Her vanilla coconut scent lured him like a battle cry to advance. He nibbled at her full lips as Abbie kissed and sucked on his. Ichabod wanted to taste her but he didn't dare open his lips much wider. He knew if he did he would have lost control and taken Abbie right on his office rug with Daniel watching. Ichabod opened his eyes and stared at his mirrored image again.

"You disgusting, lecherous old man. You know damn well you have no business wanting her. Or kissing her. Remember Katerina? You are still married to her. What in God's name is wrong with you?"  Ichabod growled.

He sighed and turned his head away from the mirror disgusted with himself. He lifted his hand and raked his fingers through his messy short Reddish blonde hair. He leaned his thin, slender body against the sink and stared down at his hands. She kissed him and he kissed her back. Or least nibbled back. Ichabod shrugged. He tasted Abbie's lips and wanted more. 

"Abbie. What have you've done?" Ichabod whispered.

They have to admit the truth. The attraction must be discussed for the good of their working relationship as associates in this University. And their personal relationship.  He must talk to Abbie preferably without Daniel in the room.

"This must be addressed," he said. His voice rose.

"What must be addressed?"

Ichabod looked up to see Abbie standing in the middle of his office. She smiled at him and held up a large white package in her right hand. She was alone. His hands held on to the counter behind him and then let them fall beside him.

"Where's Daniel?" Ichabod asked.

He lifted his eyes to look over Abbie's head. He expected to see Daniel walk up behind her.

"He said he had an errand to finish,"  Abbie answered. 

"Oh?" Ichabod walked out of the bathroom and joined her in the middle of the room.  He towered over her. Abbie raised her eyes to look at him.

"Yes. He said he will call or text you tonight," Abbie's whispered.

Ichabod nodded. They stared into each other eyes. Ichabod lowered his eyes.

"Is that for me?" Ichabod looked at the large white package of crinkle cut French fries clenched in Abbie's hand. The package dripped on his rug.

Abbie nodded.

"It's a cold compress. The cafeteria lady said its good for bringing down the swelling. She told me to tell you you to take an aspirin and you should go see a doctor come Monday," Abbie said.

She raised her hand to give to him. Ichabod brushed his long fingers softly over her now cold fingers, deliberately. They stared at each other. Ichabod smiled.

"Did you also tell her how I come to have the black eye?"

He quickly put the icy package on his right eye. Ichabod winced at the icy cold chill on his hot skin.

"Dear Lord! That's cold," he cursed and then turned away.

Abbie watched him walk away and perch himself back on the edge of his desk. Abbie chuckled.

"I told her it was an accident. My stupid fault. I hit you with my elbow. She laughed and told us to be careful next time." She took a step closer to Ichabod.

"Yes, but Did you also tell her how I was the fool to stand so near to you. Invading your personal space. So tell the cafeteria lady thanks and it was both our fault, he laughed.

He straightened and tilted his head back to keep the large ice package from slipping off his eye. His left eye slid down to look at her.

Silence.

"Does that feel better?" Abbie asked. She winced. A worried frown pulled her eyebrows together.

"Yes a little," he nodded.

Ichabod then took the package off his eye and lowered is head. He looked at Abbie. An eyebrow lifted.

"We need to talk, Abigail," Ichabod's  voice was low and stern.

"Yes, Ichabod we do," Abbie answered.

To be continued......