She scooted forward and tilted her head a little to the left, desperate to get closer. A delicious rumbling growl vibrated up from his chest and suddenly he was kissing her harder, deeper. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her so tight, and ran his hands over her back in firm strokes.
She gave back as good as she got, throwing her all into the melding of their lips, and buried her fingers in the thick hair at the nape of his neck. The sudden urge to crawl into his lap assaulted her and…
A loud splash and squawk startled her and reminded her they were in a public place. She jerked away from Carter’s tempting lips and gazed around them in time to see an angry duck flapping its wings in the water and the backside of tall man as he hurried up the path away from them on the opposite side of the pond.
She narrowed her eyes, trying to figure out why the man seemed so familiar, but she couldn’t make out much more than a skinny man in a ball cap and casual clothes. He could have been anyone.
Paranoia was obviously getting the best of her.
Dismissing her suspicions, she returned her attention to Carter. “Leave it to a duck to ruin the best kiss I’ve had in ages.” Or ever, for that matter. Carter was one hell of a kisser.
“There’s no reason we can’t try again.” He leaned in and slanted his lips over hers once more.
* * * * *
Eliza was on cloud nine when she arrived home after her date with Carter. Things had gone so well. The taste of his kisses and the warmth of his arms around her lingered, making her feel safe and wish she was still with him.
Audrey did great with Trish and slept like a rock all the way home. The only thing Eliza had in mind while carrying her snuggly little girl into the apartment building was a hot bath and crawling into bed to replay her date a few dozen times before she went to sleep. At the last second, she decided to stop and check her mail. She hadn’t bothered with it for a few days, dreading the new round of first of the month bills that were coming up due soon, but she couldn’t avoid the inevitable.
Sure enough, there was a stack of envelopes two inches deep shoved into her small box, along with the usual junk mail and flyers. She grabbed the whole lot, shoved the bundle down into the top of the diaper bag sight unseen, and continued upstairs.
Audrey went down like a dream, barely stirring as Eliza did a diaper check and changed her into cute pink kitten pajamas. She took a minute to stand by the crib and stare down at her little girl, marveling at how much she’d grown compared to the tiny, wrinkly newborn Eliza had brought home from the hospital. Time moved so fast. She coasted a hand over Audrey’s downy soft hair, careful to keep her touch whisper light.
With a sigh, she turned away. She grabbed some nightclothes out of the dresser across from Audrey’s crib, and headed into the bathroom for a long, hot soak in the tub. When she finished, her mind was quieted and her muscles were relaxed into submission. She padded barefoot into the kitchen for a glass of water and caught sight of the diaper bag sitting on the table, with the mail she’d collected downstairs sticking up out of the top. After pouring herself a glass of water, she sat down at the table and leafed through the envelopes, separating out the bills from the junk mail. Halfway through the stack, she discovered a small sheet of thick stationery. Her blood turned to ice as she read over the words written in a dark, thick scrawl.
Get rid of the mutt before it’s too late.
Chapter Eight
Carter was useless at work on Monday. He couldn’t stop thinking about Eliza. Her sweet scent and the flavor of her lips blindsided him at the worst possible moments, leaving him hard and aching for another taste of her. Since he couldn’t have what he wanted, he threw himself into the project at hand, working alongside his men to demolish the kitchen in the house they were renovating, and poured all his longing into every swing of the sledgehammer. The drywall didn’t stand a chance.
During lunch, he checked his messages, hoping for one from Eliza. Instead, he noticed a text from the community center. Looked like they needed him to come in and fix a clogged drain in one of the bathrooms. Plumbing wasn’t his area of expertise, but it didn’t take a rocket scientist to use an auger, and he could save the center a nice chunk of change by solving the problem himself. Considering all the good things the center did for the community, offering everything from adult GED classes to yoga, he tried to pitch in when and where he could.
As an added bonus, he’d have a reason to hang around there until Eliza arrived to pick up Audrey from daycare. His animal nature stirred inside him, the bear anxious to be near their mate. His basic shifter instincts warred with his humanity, unable to understand why he hadn’t claimed Eliza yet. The untamed wildness inside him couldn’t fathom human sensibilities, like getting to know someone before you made a commitment. All the bear wanted was to sink its teeth into Eliza and cement the bond between them. Waiting for any reason was inconceivable. The separation clawed at him day and night, like an incurable case of heartburn. He tolerated the discomfort for Eliza, to give her a chance to get to know him on her terms and grow to trust him. For him, there wasn’t a shadow of doubt; she was the only woman for him. He’d waited thirty years to find her. He could wait a little longer. She was worth it.
He worked his ass off for the next four hours and then raced home to shower and change. He arrived at the community center with little time to spare. Thankfully, unclogging the drain was no sweat. Clean up, on the hand, was nasty and took a little longer than anticipated. By the time he finished, he was afraid he might have missed his chance to see Eliza. He hurried toward the daycare, hoping he was wrong. Halfway there, he ran into her walking out with Audrey.
“Hey,” he called out, a smile spreading across his face. Happiness bubbled up inside him at the sight of her and the baby. “I was really hoping I’d run into you today.”
“Hey Carter.” Eliza’s smile was slow and didn’t quite reach her eyes. “I’m glad to see you too. How’re you doing today?”
“I’m good. Better now.” He cocked his head, confused by the smell of anxiety rolling off her. He examined her a little closer and noticed how dark the circles under her eyes appeared. “How about you? Are you all right?”
She nodded. “Just tired. You know how it goes.”
She was lying. He could tell by the way she looked away right before answering, but pointing out the deception wouldn’t do any good. All he could do was hope she’d open up to him about whatever was bothering her as soon as she felt comfortable doing so. “I do. You work too hard.”
She shrugged. “So do you.”
“You make me look lazy.” His mind whirled, trying to come up with a way to help her out and spend a little extra time with her. “So, as it turns out, I need do something in the city tonight. Since I’ll already be in your neck of the woods, how would you feel about letting me take you and Audrey out to dinner?” Not exactly a lie. He did need to do something. He had to find out what was bothering her. Not knowing would slowly drive him insane. He couldn’t stomach the thought of her going through anything stressful alone.
“Yeah. Okay. That would be nice.”
“Great. I’ll walk out with you.” He glanced down at Audrey. “Hello beautiful. You’re getting so big. You’re going to break your poor mama’s arms. Want to come to me?”
Audrey stared up at him with big brown eyes and clung to her mom.
“I guess not.” He smiled at Eliza. “Looks like Audrey wants to stay with you, but I can carry your bags.”
“All right.” She handed them over. “Thanks.”
“You put rocks in these things?” Carter wasn’t sure which was heavier, Eliza’s purse or the diaper bag.
Eliza laughed, just as he’d intended. “Rocks would probably weigh less.”
They left the building and approached Eliza’s car. “So,” he asked. “Where’s a good place for us to eat?”
“There’s a pretty good diner a block or so from my apartment if you don’t mind a little grease.”
&nbs
p; “I love it. Grease should be its own food group.”
“All right. The diner it is then. Do you want to follow me, or do you need to run errands or whatever first?”
“I’m starving. I’ll just follow you, if you want to go ahead and grab something to eat.”
“Sounds good to me.” Eliza unlocked the car and put the baby in her car seat. She shut the door and turned back to Carter with a twinkle in her eyes. “I promise to drive slow so you can keep up with me.”
“You do that.” He chuckled and brushed back a stray lock of hair that had escaped from her ponytail. “I’ll do my best not to let you out of my sight.”
She tilted her chin up and licked her lips. He tracked the progress of her slick pink tongue across her mouth and felt his groin tighten with need. Acting on impulse, he leaned in and covered her mouth with his own. She gasped, parting her lips, and he took advantage of the opening to lick his way inside and get the taste of her he’d been craving since their date.
She ran her hands up his chest and grabbed onto his shoulders, her nails digging into his skin. The feel of her hands on him only intensified his desire for her. The beast within him roused, eager to claim Eliza regardless of their surroundings. He moved forward, backing her up against the car, and kissed her harder.
Before he could get too carried away, Eliza eased back and dropped her arms to her sides. “Wow. We should, um… We should probably take this somewhere other than the parking lot.”
“Yeah.” He took a deep breath, willing his bear into submission, and took a step back. “You’re right. Now’s not the time or the place.” He’d never come so close to losing control before. “How about we go grab that dinner now?” He could use the travel time to cool off.
“Okay.” She glanced over her shoulder through the window at the baby, who was waving around a rubber giraffe. “Just follow behind me then.”
“I will.” He reached out and ran the back of his knuckled over her bicep. “Drive safe.”
She smiled. “Always.”
Chapter Nine
Dinner went well. The food and service were stellar, as she’d come to expect, and the company couldn’t be beat. She even managed to eat her own meal before it grew cold, thanks to Carter’s offer to help feed Audrey. Watching Carter interact with the baby melted her heart faster than any romance novel she’d ever read. He was so patient and caring. She really didn’t know how she’d gotten lucky enough to find someone like Carter.
Once they finished, Carter insisted on paying and they walked out together. Upon reaching their vehicles, she secured Audrey in the backseat and closed the door. She turned to find Carter gazing down at her and realized she didn’t want the evening to end. She wasn’t ready to return to her cold and lonely apartment. She opened her mouth and blurted out the first thing that came to mind. “Do you want to come back to my place?”
Carter’s reply was instant. “Yeah. I’d love to.”
“Okay then.” She gave a firm nod. “Just follow behind me again. We’re only a few blocks from my building.”
He kissed her softly. “Wild horses couldn’t keep me away.”
She climbed into her vehicle and waited until Carter had done the same before she pulled out of the parking lot and headed home. With her tummy full and the soothing vibration of the vehicle, Audrey conked during the short ride.
Within a matter of minutes, they’d arrived and Eliza was carrying a sleeping baby and leading Carter into the building. With a strong man by her side, she didn’t feel quite so nervous about their surroundings. She knew he’d never let anything bad happen to them. Even so, she held Audrey tight and stayed on guard until they’d made it upstairs and behind closed doors. If Carter noticed her cautious behavior, he didn’t say anything.
Once they’d made it inside, she breathed a sigh of relief. “So…” She flipped on the lamp by the sofa. “This is my apartment. It isn’t much, but it’s home.”
Carter glanced around the small living room and kitchen combo. “It’s fine. Believe me, my house would be bare if Mom hadn’t decorated for me.”
She tried to envision the secondhand furniture and worn carpet through new eyes and found the apartment lacking. However, she comforted herself with the knowledge that although she might not have the best or fanciest possessions, her home was clean and tidy. She turned her attention to Carter. “Have a seat and make yourself at home. I’m going to lay Audrey down and then I’ll be right back.” She hurried into the bedroom she and Audrey shared and laid the baby down in her crib. Almost immediately, she realized she hadn’t thought things through. She’d invited Carter home without considering where they would sleep. They couldn’t be intimate while Audrey slept in the same room. That wouldn’t work.
Unable to think of a satisfying solution, she covered Audrey with a light blanket and left the room. She joined Carter on the sofa, sitting close enough for their thighs to brush. Heat poured off him, warming her side.
He put his arm around her. “Everything all right?”
“Yeah.” She leaned into him, relishing his strength. “Everything’s fine. Audrey’s sleeping like a champ and you’re here with me. I’d say things are pretty great.” She smiled up at him and got caught in the intensity of his gaze.
They gravitated toward each other until their lips connected and lingered. The kiss started slow and soft, but quickly grew heated and passionate. Unlike the other times they’d kissed, this one was full of intention. She didn’t need to ask if he wanted to stay the night, she could taste the answer on his lips. His need echoed the desperate yearning coursing through her veins.
She wrapped her arms around his neck and held onto him while he plundered her mouth and kissed her senseless. She buried her fingers in his short hair and put her all into showing him how much she desired him and how badly she needed the comfort only he could provide. In his arms, she could finally let go and trust someone else to take care of her for a change. She had no doubt he would be a generous lover, but she couldn’t wait to get firsthand knowledge.
He eased her backward until she was lying on the couch beneath him and pressed hot, moist kisses down her throat, nipping and sucking as he went. When his mouth reached the collar of her shirt, impatience blasted through her. She yanked the offending garment off over her head and kick-started a chain reaction that led to them tearing at each other’s clothes, desperate to reach skin. In a matter of seconds, they were naked and back in each other’s arms, kissing as if their lives depended on sharing oxygen. When the need for a deep breath became too strong to resist, she tilted her face up and sucked in much needed air.
Carter turned his attention to her throat, running his mouth down her neck and through the valley between her breasts. He palmed her chest in his large hands and circled her taut nipples with his thumbs. "I want to take my time with you," he said, kissing down her stomach. "I want to taste every inch of your body and make you feel so good, but I don’t think I can wait. I want you too much.”
“Later,” Eliza said. “We can do all those things later.” She wasn’t patient enough for all the bells and whistles either. She yearned to wrap her legs around him and feel him thrusting inside her with all his might, scratching the itch he’d sparked months earlier. She’d been alone for so long, and was so attracted him, it wouldn’t take much to drive her up and over the edge of bliss.
A brief moment of self-consciousness struck her as his mouth lingered over the swell of her lower stomach and the stretch marks that had never quite faded after her pregnancy, but all negative thoughts about her post-baby body vanished the second he moved lower and licked a hot, wet stripe up the center of her sex.
The first touch of his tongue to her clit stole her breath and made her muscles tighten in anticipation. He played her body like a piano, pushing all her keys until her back bowed and her channel spasmed in pleasure. She shivered and moaned, shocked and awed at how fast he’d worked his magic on her.
Once she stopped trembling, he prowled b
ack up her body. He paused at her chest and took one of her nipples into his mouth. The heat and slick glide of his tongue teasing over and around her sensitive flesh kicked her libido into overdrive. Her body tensed once more, her muscles tightening, and her core quickened in response to the new stimulation. Her breasts had always been one of her hot spots and that had only gotten stronger after having a child.
She clutched his head in one hand and his shoulder with the other, and closed her eyes, letting the sweet sensation roll through her. After only a moment, Carter pulled back and blew of a stream of cool air over her damp nipple. The contrast between hot and cold made her shiver. She opened her mouth, ready to demand he have mercy on her and give her what they both wanted. Before she could get the words out, he switched sides and gave her other breast the same treatment.
By the time he released her nipple with a wet pop, she was all but drowning in desire. She tugged at his hair, demanding his attention. “Come up here.”
He obeyed her request without question, moving over her and claimed her mouth once again. She wrapped her legs around his lean hips and rocked against him, trying to get his hard, thick length where she needed it most.
Carter groaned into her mouth. He reached between them, took himself in hand, and guided his swollen crown through her slick folds until he found her entrance, and sank inside her with one long, slow glide. They moaned in unison and stared into each other’s eyes as he started to move, rocking back and forth. His dick dragged against her sensitive inner walls, teasing her G-spot with nearly every thrust. Although tempted to close her eyes and let the pleasure wash over her, she couldn’t take her gaze off him, his face screwed up in concentration, brows drawn low over his heavily-lidded eyes. She wanted to see him lost in pleasure and know she was the cause.
Dangerous Mating (Haven Hollow Book 1) Page 6