by Tina Michele
“What? What’s wrong?” Jim asked, concerned.
Carson didn’t answer; she just reacted. She took off back toward the restaurant and hoped Bree was still in the hallway. At first, Carson didn’t see her, but once she was past the restaurant, she spotted Bree and Barbara as they approached the stairs. “Bree,” Carson yelled, a little louder than necessary, and Bree turned around. “Ms. Whitley,” she said a bit quieter the second time as Bree looked at her with surprise.
“Hi. Is everything okay?”
Carson slowed to a stop before her. “Yes. I was just wondering if you’d be interested in going out this weekend or sometime?” Carson asked.
“Oh. Well, I don’t know if that’s—”
“Just as friends. You know, because we have so much in common and all,” Carson offered to help in Bree’s decision.
“Friends? Really?” Bree asked.
“Absolutely. Here’s my number. Text me and we can figure out what we can do…as friends.”
“Oh. I guess…I think I can do that.” Bree smiled.
If not for her bones, she’d have melted at Bree’s feet. “Excellent. Soon then.” Carson watched Bree when she turned and walked away. It took every bit of reserve she had not to skip back down the hallway to where Jim leaned against the wall with crossed arms.
As Jim stared at her, she battled to keep the smile at bay. When she got to him she could no longer control it. She beamed and jabbed a few playful punches at him. “She said yes.” Carson said as she grabbed his shoulders. “Well, she took my number anyway.”
“Just like that?” Jim asked her. “She doesn’t even like you. How did you do that?”
“I have no idea. None whatsoever, Jimbo. But that doesn’t matter because she said yes.” Carson grinned and punched Jim on his arm.
“Unbelievable.”
Carson figured Jim would have been more pleased at the sudden turn of events. Yet Jim showed little sign of it as he walked ahead of her in silence. As long as he didn’t have a problem with it, which he most definitely would have mentioned, she would just wait for him to come around when he wanted to talk.
She and Jim went their separate ways when they got downstairs to the workspace. Carson had five hours of work to catch up on before she left for the weekend. A price she would be glad to pay again to spend more time with Bree. With the sharp memory of Bree’s stunning smile ingrained into her mind, Carson stuck in her headphones and settled in for a long night’s work.
Chapter Twelve
Carson lay on her back on top of a giant block of marble. She swung her legs as they hung off the end of the stone. Carson pressed a button on her phone and checked to see if she had any texts. It hadn’t rung or vibrated in the three minutes since she had last checked it, but she couldn’t help herself. It was the proverbial watched pot of the technology era. She resisted the urge to ask Kelli to send a test text. Carson pushed the phone into the front pocket of her jeans and then sat up. “Ugh,” she grunted.
“Still nothing?” Kelli said as she peeked out from behind an enormous glob of modeling clay.
“Nope. Nothing.”
“Well, I wouldn’t worry about it. She’s probably just busy. Not everybody has time to just sit around in a warehouse drinking beer.” Kelli looked around, having just realized she had misplaced her own beverage.
Carson spotted the bottle and picked it up. As she handed it to Kelli, her phone chimed. Before Kelli had gotten a firm grip on the bottle, Carson let go and scrambled for her phone. At the same moment that she stuck her hand into her pocket, the glass smashed onto the concrete floor. Carson looked at Kelli, whose hand was still positioned as if she held an invisible drink. “Oops.”
“Wow. You get that,” Kelli said as she gestured to Carson’s phone, “and I’ll get the broom.” She shook her head and wiped her hands on her apron.
Hey Carson, this is Bree. -B
Hey there. How are you?-C
Good. Thanks. :)-B
They continued to exchange a variety of pleasantries and standard inquiries until they both ran out of them. Carson had waited all morning for that moment and had thought even longer about how she would word it when she managed to ask Bree out for the first time. She had sort of already asked her out, so it was time for the details.
So, I was thinking about heading down to Lake Lure tomorrow. Maybe do Chimney Rock Park? Would you be interested in joining me?-C
I haven’t been there in years. I think that would be wonderful. -B
Great! I will pick you up around 8, if that’s good for you?-C
That sounds perfect. :) -B
:) I look forward to it very much. See you then.-C
Carson waited. She hoped there would have been another text, but there wasn’t. She was disappointed that her last statement had pretty much closed the door for any continued conversation. She smacked her forehead with her phone.
“Not good?” Kelli asked from atop the workbench where she had perched herself.
“What? Oh, no. I mean, yes. Good.”
“So why the forehead abuse?”
“Because I just feel like I’m in junior high and just giggled and hung up on my first crush all over again.”
“So this is what it looks like when Ms. Carson Harper has a crush? Squeeee. It’s adorable.”
“Shut up, asshole,” Carson said as she felt her face set fire. “I’m going upstairs.”
*
Bree paced around her living room. “Friends. Just friends. Friends go hiking and shopping. Ugh.” She flopped herself onto the couch and smooshed her face into a pillow.
She knew there was nothing platonic about how or why Carson had asked her out. The “friends” tactic was a dirty one, and Bree had fallen for it hook, line, and sinker. How could she say no to an offer of friendship? Carson wasn’t the jerk she had expected her to be, after all. She slammed the pillow down.
“Who am I kidding? This is SO a date.” Bree didn’t want it to be a date. There was nowhere their relationship could or would go beyond friends. But in a defiant contradiction to her physical tantrum, Bree couldn’t hold back the excitement that built within her when she thought about it. She very much looked forward to spending a day with Carson out in the fresh air. An intoxicating combination.
Bree glanced out the window and saw that the kitchen light in the main house was on, which meant that her uncle was finally awake. She needed to spend the rest of her time with an actual person instead of just the voices in her head. She let herself into the kitchen and poured two cups of the coffee from the fresh brewed pot. Jim knew her so well that she was certain he’d made the extra in anticipation of her and her bundled nerves. She set the cups on the table and slid into the chair. She stared down into her mug and watched the coffee and cream swirl into a delicious caramel color.
“Good morning, sweetheart. Did you even put any coffee in that cup?” he asked as he squeezed her shoulder.
“Just whatever dripped off the spoon after I stirred the half pound of sugar into yours.” Bree grinned at him.
“Oooh, brat!”
She stuck her tongue out at him as he sat at the table across from her.
“Are you ready for your da—uh, day at the lake?”
“My date?” His eyes bulged out at her, and he clinched his lips together. “Yeah, I know. I said it wasn’t a date, but by definition, it is. A date. Let’s not make a big deal about it.”
“Oh. Okay. So are you ready for your, uh, for today then?” he asked as he looked around the table at her clothing selection. “Is that what you’re wearing?”
“What? Seriously?” Bree stood and spun around. “What’s wrong with this? Is there something wrong with this?” Bree tugged at her fitted and worn Superman T-shirt. “I have a zippered hoodie thingy that I’m wearing over it. And these are cargo pants. There’re made for hiking. And for hauling snacks.” She pulled open the pockets and made a show of their expansive transport potential.
“Whoa, kiddo. Calm do
wn. You look fine, great in fact. I meant because you guys are taking her b—” Before he finished his sentence, they were interrupted by a loud rumble outside in the driveway.
Bree’s eyes flew open in surprise as she stared at him. “Her what?” Her stomach flopped, and the handful of nervous butterflies she’d had turned into a hundred fluttering ones. “Is that…her? She…we…a motorcycle?” Bree couldn’t bring herself to look out the window. She clutched the back of the chair and hoped it would steady her legs. She was getting tired of being knocked off her feet every time Carson came around. The rumble stopped and Bree stared as a shadow appeared through the shaded window of the kitchen door. Her heart pounded in her ears. When she heard the knock, she gasped. “Oh, God.”
Her uncle moved toward the door, but before he reached it, Carson let herself in. Bree was frozen and clutched the chair with such a tight grip she thought the back would snap in her hands. Carson’s helmet was tucked beneath her arm when she entered, and Bree’s breath caught in her throat. When she tousled her hair with a rough hand, Bree thought her knees would give out.
“Hey, old man,” Carson said to Jim as she set her helmet on the counter and grabbed a cup from the cabinet above the coffee maker. Bree couldn’t help but notice how at ease she was in her uncle’s home. She moved with purpose and smooth confidence. As Carson poured her coffee, Bree just stared. She wore a slim pair of the world’s luckiest Levi’s, a cobalt blue T-shirt, and a black leather jacket that looked like it was made just for her. “Damn.” Bree gasped as soon as she realized she had spoken aloud. She prayed it was the gasp and not the exclamation that caused Carson to look over at her. The look on Carson’s face made Bree’s insides melt. She felt a flush of heat start in her belly and spread fast and low between her legs. Carson flashed a cocky grin that said she knew exactly what she’d done to Bree.
“Hey.”
“Hey…hi.” Bree giggled and twirled her hair. Carson laughed. Bree was surprised at just how sexy her laugh was, even though it was clearly directed at her. “Oh geez. I just did that, didn’t I?” Bree felt her cheeks turn red and buried her face in her hands. For an instant, she wished she were invisible until she felt the two strong hands on her wrists that pulled her hands down between them. Bree looked up into Carson’s eyes and held her breath.
“It’s okay. I thought it was cute,” Carson said as she maintained her grip on Bree’s hands.
Bree could’ve stood that way forever if Carson had promised never to look away. Against her will, Bree’s attention was drawn to her uncle, who clanked his spoon in his mug. It was his obvious attempt to break both the awkward silence and sizzling energy that had filled the room. It worked. Bree pried her hands from Carson’s grip. The result was an instant sting of loss. She hadn’t noticed, but she must have shivered because Carson suggested a heavier jacket for the ride.
Bree looked down at her arms and the goose bumps that rose on her skin. “Oh, okay. Good idea. I have a leather one next door. I’ll go get it and be right back.” Bree excused herself and made a quick turn toward her house. It took everything she had to keep her pace slow and calm. The last thing she needed was to trip and fall on her face in the yard.
While she was in her closet, she took the opportunity to change out of her cargos into a pair of jeans. “Friends. Just friends,” Bree chanted as she slipped into her black and red leather jacket and pulled her hair back into a neat ponytail. She wouldn’t be able to hike the trails in leather, so she folded her hoodie around her arm and headed back down to the main house.
Jim and Carson waited outside next to the bike, a gorgeous black custom cruiser. Bree didn’t know a thing about motorcycles except that they were sexy as hell, and a gorgeous woman on one was twice that. Bree guaranteed that her uncle was reviewing his mental safety checklist before he allowed Bree to leave on Carson’s motorcycle.
As Bree watched Jim and Carson chat next to the bike, Bree thought about Marion. She pondered how she would have looked in a black leather jacket. She didn’t know because that wasn’t something Marion would have ever worn even though she knew Bree’s penchant for the sexy biker look. Marion had a significant fear of motorcycles for herself and for those around her. It was a protective concern that Bree had loved about her, even if it kept her from doing something she enjoyed.
It was always at the most inopportune moments that Marion popped into Bree’s mind. The smallest things always brought back various thoughts of her and their life together. She wondered if an entire day would ever pass where she didn’t think of Marion at least once. Thankfully, the memories of Marion were blown away once Carson’s eyes met hers. Bree was excited and couldn’t wait to feel what it was like to pull herself tight against Carson and wrap her arms around her. She wondered how well they would fit.
“That jacket…wow. It’s, uh, it looks good on you,” Carson said.
“Thanks. I’m excited that I get to use it for its intended purpose, and not just because it’s smokin’ hot.” Bree blushed and laughed at her own wit.
“Oh, it’s definitely that. Are you ready?”
“I am.”
*
Carson didn’t know what she expected when she had arrived to pick up Bree, but she’d been pleasantly surprised and aroused when she saw Bree in the kitchen. She didn’t think it was possible for Bree to be more beautiful than she was in that moment. That was until Carson watched Bree come from across the yard in fitted denim jeans and a sexy as hell red and black leather jacket. Carson felt herself burn with desire at the thought of Bree’s soft full breasts pushed against her back. The bike may have been the best idea Carson had ever had, and from the look on Bree’s face, she thought so as well. Point one for me.
Carson grabbed the extra helmet that sat on the seat and handed it to Bree. Bree slipped on the helmet as Jim watched like a nervous mother hen. Carson checked the fit and tightened the strap under Bree’s chin. “Looks good,” she said to both Bree and Jim. Carson slipped her leg over the bike and kicked it to life. Once she was settled, she motioned for Bree to get on.
Carson felt a sharp jolt of electricity surge through her when Bree slipped onto the seat and wrapped her legs around Carson’s hips. She began to think that having Bree so intimately pressed against her for the forty-minute ride wasn’t such a wise idea after all. When Bree slipped her arms around Carson’s waist and pulled her close, Carson closed her eyes. She reveled in the perfect feel of Bree’s body on hers. Carson thought that even if Bree changed her mind that second she’d have been blessed for those few flawless moments. She was thankful that Bree didn’t change her mind, and at that moment the day had become the best one Carson ever remembered having.
Carson was delighted by how Bree’s body moved in sync with hers as they rode along the winding roads and switchbacks of the beautiful North Carolina mountains. She enjoyed the ride so much that she found herself disappointed once they reached Chimney Rock Village. She drove the remaining two miles into the park well under the speed limit and savored the last moments of their intimate connection.
When they parked and Bree slid off the bike, Carson felt the cool air touch her back. She felt the shiver of the loss of Bree’s warmth inside and out. She almost made up an excuse to get Bree back on the bike, but she didn’t. They would always have the ride back home, and Carson looked forward to walking and talking with Bree. She was excited to enjoy the beauty of the park and Bree.
They browsed the map and picked the Skyline Trail. It was a moderate hike that hit many of the park’s popular sites including the beautiful pool formation at the top of the falls. Carson stowed their jackets and helmets before they headed toward their adventure. They strolled into the dim cave that led to the fastest and easiest way up the twenty-six stories of solid mountain rock—an elevator. While Carson wasn’t fond of the potential for being trapped in a steel box 250 feet underground, she preferred the easy thirty-five-second ride versus the twenty-five-minute thigh-torturing trek.
Chapter Thirt
een
Carson’s uneasiness was palpable as they waited at the end of the cool tunnel with the dozen other guests who crowded together. From what Bree could remember from her childhood, the elevator operator would attempt to pack the entire group into the metal box like sardines. Bree watched Carson as she nervously surveyed the people around them. She had an overwhelming need to comfort Carson. “You know, we don’t have to take the elevator.” Bree stroked Carson’s forearm.
Carson glanced down at the hand on her arm and placed her own on top of it. “It’s okay. It’s faster this way.” She smiled at Bree and rubbed her thumb over Bree’s wrist.
“If you’re sure,” Bree said as she smiled back. She made no attempt to take her hand back. “It’s quite cool in here, isn’t it?” Bree used it as an excuse to move in closer to Carson. She closed her eyes as her other senses went into overdrive. She was intoxicated by the subtle scent of Carson’s cologne.
“It feels perfect to me.”
When the elevator arrived, the doors opened and the crowd pushed their way inside. They waited until everyone else had boarded before the operator motioned for them to enter. “Last on, first off.” Bree winked up at Carson. As the door closed them in, Bree pulled Carson in tighter. She wanted Carson to know she was there if she needed her. At least, that’s what she told herself.
The thirty-second ride seemed more like three seconds because when the doors opened, Bree wasn’t ready to let go. She looked up at Carson, gave a little squeeze, and smiled. “That wasn’t so bad, huh?”
“Wanna go again?” Carson joked.
The thought of saying yes flittered through her mind when someone behind them cleared their throat. “Maybe later.” Bree laughed as she let go of Carson’s arm and exited the elevator. They moved just fast enough to avoid being trampled by the other riders.
“That was a close one,” Carson said. “I’m going to get some water. Would you like anything?”