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I followed him into a clean apartment building and got in the elevator. As soon as the doors closed, I leaned up against the wall, fighting to keep my eyes open. “Tired?”
“Hmmm...yes. I haven’t had much sleep in the past week.” I closed my eyes for a moment, and when I opened them, Carter was staring at me, a soft smile on his lips.
“What?” I murmured.
“You’re cute when you’re tired. You always were.” I couldn’t help but blush as his eyes locked with mine.
The elevator finally opened on his floor, and Carter tore his eyes away from mine. I trailed behind him as we headed down the hall toward his apartment. My eyes were firmly planted on his ass. He had always looked incredible in jeans. “Here we go.” My eyes flew from his ass, and I watched as he slipped his key into the lock.
He stepped aside and held the door open for me. “After you.” His voice was soft. As I walked by him, I accidentally brushed up against him, that touch sending a shiver through me.
Carter
She hadscooted past me and I took a quick second to check her out before I walked through the door, locking it behind me. She removed her shoes and slipped out of my coat, holding it in her hands. I took it from her and hung it up in the closet. “Let me give you a quick tour. The place isn’t very big, but it’s clean and safe.” I pointed out where my bedroom was and where she would be staying, the bathroom and the rest she could figure out. Just as I finished showing her around, something struck me: she was finally standing in the apartment I had originally rented for us. She looked up at me and smiled, and then a funny look came over her face. “What is it?”
“I just realized I don’t have anything to sleep in. All of my things are back in the hotel,” she said, looking at me with innocent eyes.
“It’s okay, I’ll grab you something.” I wandered into my room and sorted through my dresser, pulling out a T-shirt for her. I quickly took my clothes off and put on a pair of shorts. When I emerged from my room, I caught her eyes wandering over my bare chest. I had bulked up considerably since she had seen me last. She took the shirt from me, her hand shaking as she reached out. “Thanks, Carter. You’re sure it’s okay that I stay in here?”
“I’d rather you be here than there, so yes, I’m sure. Tomorrow we’ll head over to the hell hotel and get your stuff, and as I said, until you find something other than that shithole, you can stay here with me.”
“Thank you,” she whispered. Taking the shirt, she wandered into the bathroom, shutting the door behind her. I grabbed my keys from the counter and hung them on the hook by the door. Within minutes, the bathroom door opened, and I watched as she walked into Carson’s room and shut the door behind her.
Fuck, I wanted her. The want had never diminished even the slightest bit over three years, and tonight just proved exactly how much. I had just buried that want behind my studies and behind the wall that I had built over my heart. When I saw Pete touch her, I felt like I could have torn him from limb to limb. My overprotectiveness came out, and then when I found out where she was staying it was out in full force.
I went out to the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge. I looked at the time. It was almost four. I was going to be useless to take my exam in the morning. I lay down on the couch, after lighting a couple candles on the living room table, and closed my eyes. I turned the stereo on low and put on soft music; I needed to unwind. It had been a long day and I was exhausted. I lay with my arm over my eyes just listening to the light jazz pouring from the speakers. I found it almost impossible to relax knowing that she was only on the other side of a flimsy wooden door. All that kept running through my mind was that tight ass and how close to within reach she really was. Hunter had been right; she wasn’t healthy for me. It had taken me so long to get her out of my mind. For the first year, the few times I had gone home, I would find myself watching for her to come home from wherever she had gone, and almost every night it would end in anger, because I would find her with him.
I grabbed my cell and texted my brother. He was the only one with whom I could share this. My cell phone lit up almost right away.
HUNTER: PLEASE TELL ME YOU DIDN’T BRING HER HOME.
ME: WHY?
HUNTER: IS SHE AT YOUR APARTMENT RIGHT NOW?
ME: MAYBE.
HUNTER: GO TO BED, CARTER. YOU DON’T WANT TO GET YOURSELF INVOLVED WITH HER AGAIN.
I stared at my screen. He was right—what did I know about her? She had shown up out of the blue working at the bar I hung out at and living in some shithole. I knew nothing more. I didn’t know if she was single, married, pregnant—anything. The little I knew was that she had left home. But I did know that the feeling growing in me wasn’t good, because I had an overwhelming desire to take her and make her mine again.
HUNTER: PLEASE, CARTER. DON’T DO THIS TO YOURSELF AGAIN.
I threw my phone on the table. He was right. I couldn’t allow myself to get involved with her in any way whatsoever. I had come too far, and this summer was far too important to the rest of my life. I couldn’t throw it away over a girl; I couldn’t throw it away over her. I shut the stereo off and blew out the candles, took one last look at the door she was behind, and wandered into my room, shutting the door behind me.
Hope
I layin bed staring at the red numbers on the clock. It was almost five. I kicked the covers off, I was so hot. I got up, opened the bedroom door, and peered out into the darkness. Carter must be in bed; there was no light spilling from his bedroom. I took my chances, running in my T-shirt and panties to use the washroom and then returned to the safety of my room.
I crawled back into bed and lay there staring at the ceiling, thinking back to earlier tonight. The memory of him standing in front of me shirtless kept playing like a movie in my mind. I had wanted so badly to run my hands over his chest, to pull myself into him and nuzzle at his neck.
I hadn’t been touched by a real man since him, and I had forgotten how his large, strong hands felt as they ran over my body. I closed my eyes and tried to imagine them running up my bare leg, gripping my ass as he kissed my neck. I could feel myself starting to get wet from the thought of him. I had often felt this way when thinking of him, but I was afraid to quench that ache. Slowly, I slipped my hands inside my panties, gliding my fingers over my clit. The more I imagined his mouth licking and sucking on my nipples, kissing his way down my stomach and the feel of his strong hands slipping under my ass, gripping me tightly as he finally buried his face between my legs, the more the throbbing ache needed to be quenched. As I ran my fingers over my clit again, I was sure a moan escaped my lips.
I stilled when I heard the loud click of his door opening. I was suddenly pulled back into reality. Ripping my hand from my panties, I fought hard to calm my beating heart. I listened hard, hearing nothing. I decided to grab a bottle of cold water from the fridge. When I stepped out of my bedroom door, I was knocked to the side as Carter collided with me. He reached and grabbed me before I fell to the ground, wrapping me securely in his arms, his hand landing on my almost bare ass and my one hip. I gripped his shoulders as he steadied me on my feet.
“I wasn’t expecting you to be there. Are you okay?” he asked.
I couldn’t speak. All I could feel was the fire building in me again, this time at the feel of his hand on my ass. I looked into his eyes and slowly moved my hands from his shoulders, resting them on his chest, which was even more of a mistake. He felt more amazing than he looked. My eyes finally traveled from where my hands rested, taking in the contour of his neck to his lips, and finally meeting his beautiful blue eyes. He really was a stunning man. He looked down at me, his hands still firmly gripping me, not saying anything.
