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I smile, kick the door shut, and carry the tray over to the desk. There, I push a few things aside, then sit down and pick up my bowl. Halfway through my meal, Isabella stirs awake and blinks sleepily at me. I beckon her forward, and she stumbles, buck naked out of bed.
The sight of her glistening skin is almost enough to make me drag her back into bed.
But she swats my hand away, pulls on my shirt that falls just above her knees, and settles down on my lap. In silence, I feed her bites of soup and pasta. Isabella nuzzles against my neck when she’s done and drifts off again. Slowly, I carry her back to the bed and tuck her in. After taking the dishes back downstairs, I’m suddenly exhausted.
And when I climb back into bed next to Isabella, I realize I’m no closer to figuring out what to do.
Chapter Eleven
Isabella
I feel something on the back of my neck.
Stirring, I flip onto my back, and both of my eyes fly open. The cream-colored ceiling swims into focus, and I realize two things at the same time. The first is that I’m still wearing Carter’s shirt from last night, leaving Carter’s deep, musky scent all over my skin. The second is that Carter has a hand draped over my stomach and is rubbing himself against me.
“Fucking finally.” Carter breathes before withdrawing his hand. He throws one leg up on either side of me and lowers his head to kiss me. “I’ve been waiting for you to wake up for a while.”
I stifle a yawn. “What time is it?”
Carter pins my arms up over my head. “It doesn’t matter.”
I wriggle and tilt my head to the side. “At least let me brush my teeth first.”
Carter helps me stand up and slaps my ass on the way past. “Hurry the fuck up, dove. You fell asleep before I came back, and we have a lot to make up for.”
My pulse quickens as I stagger into the bathroom and stop at the sink. I squeeze some toothpaste, lift the toothbrush up, and eye Carter in the large mirror. In broad daylight, I notice the stubble peppered across his jaw and the relaxed set of his shoulders. Although I can’t quite put my finger on it, I know something is different.
Especially when he steps forward and wraps both arms around my waist.
He pushes my hair forward and presses a kiss to the back of my neck. When I bend over to spit out the toothpaste, Carter toys with the hem of my shirt. He waits until I’ve gargled to lift the shirt up over my head and toss it onto the floor. Then he pushes me forward so I’m bent over the sink.
Carter is peppering my neck with hot, open-mouthed kisses now. “You have no idea how sexy you are right now.”
I grip the sink and glance at him over the shoulder. “Am I?”
Carter spins me around and crushes his lips to mine.
He tastes like spearmint and whiskey, and it’s a heady combination I can’t get enough of. Carter keeps one hand on the small of my back, and the other pushes the glass door open. Without missing a beat, Carter hoists me into the shower, and he draws back to switch the knob on. In one quick move, he steps out of his shorts and kicks them away.
This time, when he kisses me, I kiss him with just as much fervor and passion. I’m all too eager to lose myself in him. To let his kisses and his touch chase away my shadows and demons.
Carter pushes me against the wall and lifts one leg up, bringing it to rest against the shower bench. Then he nudges my other leg apart and settles against me. He cups my face in his hands and stares at me for so long that I feel like I’m going to melt at his feet. When one hand moves to the back of my neck, a shiver races up my spine, and I collapse against Carter’s chest.
His chest vibrates with laughter. “I haven’t even started yet, dove.”
I link my fingers over his neck and sigh. “You don’t need to. This is the kind of effect you have on me most of the time.”
Carter leans back to look at me and hoists me up so I’m at eye level with him. He kisses me again, but his mouth is gentle this time, like I’m the most precious thing in the world. When he sets me down on my feet, it feels like I’m still flying.
Like nothing in the world can bring me down.
One hand stays on my shoulder, and the other moves between us. His finger darts between my wet folds, and I call out his name. Another finger darts in, and my head falls backward. Carter sinks his teeth into my neck, sucking and biting on the skin there. I grip his shoulders, but it’s not enough to keep me propped up. My legs feel like jelly, and my chest feels tight.
Carter stops biting my neck and flicks his hair out of his eyes. He hoists me up, and I wrap my legs around his waist. Then he holds my gaze as he thrusts into me. I grow still as I adjust to the feel of him around me, invading every last inch of me. Unable to hold our gaze any longer, I let my head fall to the side.
He eases out and slams back into me, with practiced ease, with purpose.
I buck against him, but he has me pinned to the wall, and when he laces my fingers through his, I realize I’m completely at his mercy. Hot water cascades down my back and swirls at our feet, filling the bathroom with a thin steam. His mouth finds mine, and I cling to him, wave after wave of desire still building within me.
