A Forever Kind of Love: A Billionaire Small Town Love Story (Kinds of Love Book 1)

by Krista Lakes

  “It means two million dollars?” Carter shrugged.

  She chuckled and settled back into her spot on his shoulder. “No, it means that these kids get some real opportunities. It's such a great place to start.”

  He gave her a gentle squeeze. “I'm so glad you're happy. It was a good fundraiser?”

  “Carter, it was perfect.” She sat up and kissed his cheek. “You truly outdid yourself. I don't know how you created such a perfect atmosphere and got all those people to come. It was more than I ever could have dreamed of. Thank you so much.”

  He smiled. “You're happy, so I'm happy. That's all I wanted.”

  “Deliriously happy,” she assured him with a yawn.

  “Here,” he said, patting the spot on his shoulder for her to place her head. “You rest. I'll make sure you make it home safe and sound.”

  “That sounds good,” Mia said, resting her head. Her eyelids were so heavy that she could barely keep them open. “Thank you so much for this, Carter. It gives me hope that maybe I can start my own non-profit.”

  “You would be amazing at that,” he told her, smoothing her hair against her temple. She sighed with contentment.

  “Someday,” she murmured, enjoying the idea. She had this beautiful idea of opening up a camp to help foster kids, but until today, it didn't seem feasible. After today, she felt like she could do anything.

  “You had a busy night,” Carter told her. “Close your eyes and rest.”

  “Okay,” she said with a jaw-cracking yawn. She nestled down into his shoulder. He pulled a jacket up over her shoulders to keep her warm. She didn't open her eyes, but the jacket was soft and smelled like him. He was so comfortable as a pillow that she was asleep before she knew it.

  She dreamed she was dancing with Carter at the fundraiser. She wore her beautiful dress, and he was in his ranch jeans and t-shirt, but everyone was clapping and cheering as they danced. All of her foster kids were there, dancing along with them. They all had new shoes and backpacks and smiles as big as the sky. It was a beautiful dream.

  As their dance ended, she woke up to him carrying her into her apartment. She stirred long enough to realize where she was before falling back asleep in his arms as he took care of her and put her into bed. He took off her shoes and carefully pulled off her dress before tucking her under the sheets with a gentle kiss on her forehead. She fell back asleep and continued to dance with him in her dreams, dancing the magical night away with her prince charming until morning.

  Chapter 25

  Carter

  The sun dipped behind the mountains, turning the world into dark shadows and twilight. A cold autumn wind rattled the trees, and in the distance, a coyote howled for a meal. Carter checked his watch for what must have been the fifth time in ten minutes. He looked out the window again, waiting for Mia's car to arrive, even though she wasn't supposed to be here for another five minutes.

  He just couldn't wait to see her again. It had been just over a month since their trip to Vegas, but he still felt just like he did that first night: giddy excited. Even after a month of regular dates, sleepovers, and fantastic sex, she still made him breathless and impatient to have her.

  No one had ever kept his interest for this long. He knew that meant something, but he tried not to think about it. He wasn't ready to confess his feelings for her or to tell her just how serious he wanted to get. The last thing he wanted to do was scare her off.

  Besides, once the death threats were over, he would leave the ranch and go back to his regular life. For not the first time since having that realization, he almost wished for more threats to come. He shook himself, telling him to snap out of it. Even if he wasn't at the ranch, he could still be with her. He did own a private jet.

  Still, he was keeping his feelings to himself for now. He was going to shower her with attention, but he didn't need to say the words. That wasn't his style anyway. He was much more about action than talking.

  Finally, he saw her headlights drive up the road. He tried to school his face into something suave and sexy, but a happy smile kept popping up and ruining it. As she opened the door, he stopped trying. She knew the real him anyway. He didn't need to impress her.

  She opened the door, and his jaw nearly dropped. He didn't know how she did it. She was stunning. She'd changed into a cute white sweater with a pair of dark jeans that made her curves look amazing. It didn't matter if she was wearing a ball gown or a t-shirt, she managed to make everything look sexy as hell. The only thing he liked better was seeing her in nothing at all.

  “Hey,” she said, closing the door behind her. Her cheeks were flushed with the cold, and the wind had blown her hair into her eyes. She smiled at him, and he felt his blood speed up.

  He kissed her, tasting the cold on her skin and the heat in her body. She moaned softly as he dipped his tongue into her mouth. His hand curled around the back of her neck, pulling her into him as he tasted her sweetness. She tasted like heaven.

  He had planned to wait until after dinner. He had planned to romance her. He had a fantastic meal ready to go, and candles and flowers, but as he kissed her, he knew he didn't want to wait. That he couldn't wait. She was just too irresistible to him.

  He pulled back, crossing his arms and grabbing the hem of his shirt to pull it off over his head. He loved the way her eyes traveled his body like she was hungry and he was an all-you-can-eat buffet. He pulled at his zipper and hooked his thumbs in his pants. She licked her lips as he pulled them down.

  “This wasn't quite the meal I was expecting, but I'll take it,” she commented, her eyes dark with desire. She dropped to her knees in front of him.

  “You sure?” he asked. His plan was to get her naked, but when she looked up at him from her knees, all coherent thought vanished. She was so damn beautiful and good. He didn't deserve to have her subservient before him.

  She reached out and stroked the growing bulge in his boxers. “I want to,” she told him, her voice husky with desire. “Please.”

  Carter wasn't one to say no to a lady, so he just nodded.

  She reached out and touched him again, finally hooking her fingers into the waistband and tugging the fabric down. The air was cool against his skin, but everything else in his world was hot. She looked up at him again, leaning forward to give him one long lick from stem to stern.

  He nearly lost it right there.

  To have the most beautiful woman in the world pleasuring him simply because she wanted to was enough to make any man's dreams come true. That she was damn good at it had him convinced he had died and gone to heaven. Or that he was dreaming.

  She looked up at him through her eyelashes as she guided him into her mouth. The heat and the pressure of her tongue drove him wild. Heat raced up his spine, and his thoughts turned to mush. He groaned, tangling his fingers in her soft hair as she worked her tongue along his length.

  He pulled her hair gently away. He'd planned tonight as a way to spoil her, not to be spoiled. She pouted as he stepped back, her perfect lips in a downturn. All he could think about was having them wrapped around him again, but he shook his head.

  “You have far too many clothes on,” he told her. Her frown gave way to a small smile. He helped her stand, catching the hem of her sweater as she rose. With a smooth motion, he lifted it up and over her head, tossing the soft fabric to the side. She wore only a lacy bra underneath, and it had him panting as soon as he saw it.

  He gently caressed the soft swells of her breasts, forcing himself to take his time. All he really wanted to do was pick her up and carry her caveman style into the bedroom and have his way with her. Hell, he didn't even need to go to the bedroom. All he wanted to was to fill her and hear her voice cry out his name.

  His hands went to her hips. She'd already undone the button to her dark jeans and was inching them off. Inch by inch, smooth skin on long legs appeared. He stared, loving every centimeter of her being. She kicked off her jeans to join her sweater, standing before him in nothing but a
matching lacy set of bra and panties.

  “I thought you might like these,” she said, tossing her hair behind her shoulder and watching his reaction. He felt his whole body twitch with desire and she grinned.

  “I do,” he promised. “But, I need to see what they look like on the floor, too.”

  She chuckled, low and deep. The sound went straight into his core, filling him with lust. He wanted to be a part of that chuckle, to feel it from the inside. He fought himself for patience, knowing it would only get better if he waited.

  He put his mouth on her shoulder, gently sucking and moving his teeth against the smoothness of her. She tasted delicious. Salty and clean, with the scent of rose. “You are so beautiful, Mia,” he murmured huskily.

  From her shoulder, he moved down to her collarbone, to her breast. He teased her nipples for a moment before sliding down further, dropping to his knees to kiss her belly. He found her hipbone and pressed his mouth against it.

  He looked up just in time to see her mouth open in surprise. He liked her mouth open like that, so he went back to kissing her hips.

  “So beautiful,” he whispered, spreading his hand against her low belly. He lowered his hand, tracing a squiggling line from her belly button south to the core of her.

  She bucked against his hand, wanting more pressure. He made the light motion again, only giving her a teasing taste of what was to come. She whined, and he pressed his head against her thigh, watching what he was about to do.

  With the softest of touches, he rubbed the pad of his thumb right where he knew she wanted it most. She cried out, arching her back and grabbing at his shoulders as he knelt before her. He slowly repeated the motion, barely flicking his thumb against her, knowing each stroke was beautiful torture.

  “Carter,” she gasped, her hips shaking in his hands.

  “More?” he asked politely, looking up and waiting for a response.

  “Hell yes!”

  He slid a finger between her thighs, keeping his thumb on her pleasure center. She was already wet for him, and it took everything he had not to push her to the ground and take her right there. He wanted to pleasure her. He wanted to make her come with his fingers first, and then he could make her come on him.

  He pumped his fingers up and down, working his thumb in quick circles. Her entire body vibrated with energy waiting to be released in the form of pleasure. He wanted to be the cause of that pleasure. He went faster, working his fingers to make her come undone.

  Her hands went to his head, her fingers tangled in his hair so that he had to look up at her.

  “Carter, I want you in me,” she whispered. “I want you to feel me explode around you.”

  There was no way he could say no to that. She dropped to her knees before laying back on the carpeted floor. He didn't hesitate, moving to place himself at her entrance.

  They both gasped as he slid deep into her. She came undone.

  Carter held his breath as sensation overwhelmed him. He thought about letting himself go and coming with her, but he wasn't ready for this to be over that quickly. He focused on her, watching her writhe beneath him as she lost herself to sensation.

  She was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen. How had he gotten so lucky?

  Carter braced himself with his forearms on either side of her face. Her eyes slowly flickered open as she came down off her orgasm. Warm, chocolate brown eyes enveloped him as he began to rock his hips back and forth. She moved in tandem with him, meeting him stroke for stroke like the perfect partner she was.

  He loved the way she moved beneath him, rolling her hips to meet him. She cried out with every thrust, begging for more. His body responded, pushing harder and deeper and the fire inside of him rising to a fever pitch.

  His body started to shake. There was no stopping him now. He reached down, cupping her chin in his hand as he lost himself to the pleasure of her body. Her eyes opened wide, finding his as she followed him into bliss. Together, they rocked and cried out, passion and euphoria washing over them in uncountable waves.

  They were both breathing hard as he braced his weight on his forearms above her. She smiled up at him with stars in her eyes, and he leaned down to tenderly kiss her. Lust was replaced with something much calmer, but far more powerful.

  Mia reached up and stroked his cheek with her hand, her eyes gazing up at him with love. “That was pretty awesome,” she murmured.

  “I thought so too,” he agreed, making her chuckle. “Are you ready for the main course?”

  “If that was appetizers, I can't wait to see what dessert is,” she replied. She looked up at him, and her pupils dilated.

  “Just wait until you see the main course,” he teased, dipping his head to kiss her nose. She chuckled, and he loved how he could feel the vibrations of her laugh ripple through him.

  “I can't wait,” she replied. Her beautiful face twisted into a frown. “Is something burning?”

  “Dinner,” he said, quickly untangling himself from her body. The loss of her around him was worse than being punched in the gut, yet he knew he had to save their meal.

  Running naked into the kitchen, he quickly pulled out the chicken breasts he'd put in to warm. He set them on the stove top, checking them to make sure they weren't too badly cooked.

  “I was always told it was a bad idea to cook naked,” Mia remarked, following him in. She didn't put on any clothes and the urge to take her again, this time on the kitchen table was strong.

  “But I did save dinner,” he said, pointing to his almost perfect chicken breast meal.

  She grinned and took a deep inhale in. “It smells amazing,” she said. “Did you make it yourself?”

  “Of course I did,” he said. Her eyebrows raised and he shrugged. “Okay, I didn't. I just heated it up. But, it should be delicious. I may not cook, but I can reheat like a total pro.”

  “I can't wait,” she said, leaning up against one of the counters. His eyes followed her curves, his mouth craving her again already.

  “It should cool a minute,” he said, his eyes going to the soft curve of her hip and the swell of her breast. He could feel himself stirring again already.

  She bit her lip and grinned. “Like I said, if that was appetizers...” She licked her top lip, the pink of her tongue driving him wild. “I could go for the main course. You did promise something amazing.”

  He grinned. He made sure the oven was off and kissed her, pressing her naked skin into his right there in the kitchen. He wasn't about to tell her no, not when she looked absolutely edible. The chicken would taste just fine cold.

  Chapter 26

  Mia

  Mia sat at the kitchen table of the ranch house, sipping hot chocolate and watching the clouds dance across the mountains. It was a cold, gray late October day where the sky kept threatening rain or snow but never delivering. She didn't feel well, so she was taking it easy while the kids worked in the barn. She hoped she wasn't coming down with a cold or the flu, but she'd never felt this tired in her life. She had never realized just how much energy it took to breathe before.

  Carter waved to her from the front yard as he came in from the garage. She smiled and felt her heart warm. She still couldn't believe how successful the fundraiser he'd given her was. They'd raised more than she'd ever dreamed possible and it was making her rethink her dream of starting a foundation. If she could plan another fundraiser like that one, her own foundation to help foster kids wasn't such a pipe dream.

  The door to the kitchen opened with a blast of frigid air. Carter stomped his feet outside and came in out of the cold. His cheeks were rosy with the cold, and his eyes sparkled. He came over and kissed the top of her head.

  “You feeling okay? Laura was wondering where you were today,” he asked, going to the kitchen and getting a glass of water.

  Mia shrugged. “I'll live,” she replied. She could see Laura running in and out of the barn as hay bales were brought in for the horses. There was a lot of hay. “How's Laura doi
ng today? I know she had a rough night with her siblings the other day.”

  Carter took a sip of coffee and followed her gaze out the window.

  “Better. She's still adjusting to becoming a parent,” he replied. “She went from being a sister to a parent overnight, and none of them are used to it yet. I'm just glad she's back.”

  “Having something to do always helps,” Mia agreed. She made a mental note to check in with Laura more. Suddenly becoming the legal guardian to her two younger siblings wasn't an easy thing. She could probably use a friend.

  “She says that Lily's been amazing, though.” Carter took another sip of water, finishing off his glass.

  “Yeah?” Mia smiled.

  “Laura told me she came back to find everything exactly how she wanted it. All she had to do was the things she hadn't taught Lily how to do yet,” Carter told her, coming to stand next to her chair. “She can't say enough good things about Lily.”

  “I'm so glad,” Mia said. “Lily has been working so hard to make sure everything's perfect. I'm glad she can go back to focusing on school again. Her teachers were starting to complain that all she wrote for her essays was horse related.”

  Carter nodded and stared at the window at the gray afternoon.

  “I never want kids,” he said out of nowhere.

  Mia spun in her chair to look at him.

  “What makes you say that?” she asked.

  “I don't think I could handle the responsibility,” he said quietly. His blue eyes kept looking out the window, his face drawn and serious as he watched Laura struggle with an unruly bale of hay.

  Mia snorted and gave his hip a gentle push. “You can handle a billion-dollar company, thousands of jobs, and you run a ranch. You literally can snap your fingers and completely change someone's life, but kids are too big a responsibility?”

  “I don’t actually handle my company, Ethan does. But, well, when you say it that way, it sounds silly,” he acknowledged. He looked at her. “But, look at Laura. Anything can happen, and kids complicate things. They make every decision different.”