by Tina Michele
Bree slipped out from beneath her just as Carson crumpled to her back in a heap of exhaustion and satisfaction. Bree kissed her way inch by delicious inch up Carson’s slick body and wrapped her arms and legs around her. Bree laid her head on Carson’s chest and listened as the pounding rhythm slowed to a steady beat until they were both fast asleep.
Chapter Twenty-four
From the moment they returned from their weekend away, Carson had been inundated with work. Most nights she hadn’t gotten out of the building until close to midnight, which meant she and Bree had seen very little of each other, the few exceptions being the moments they were able to sneak off into a stairwell or vacant room.
“Have I ever told you how much I enjoy doing this?” Carson kissed Bree’s neck. “And this,” she said when she got to her ear.
Bree knew how much, but she wanted to hear Carson say it. She tilted her head and offered more skin for Carson to do with as she wished. “No, how much?”
Carson groaned and pulled Bree in tight against her body. “So much that I wish we didn’t have clothes on right now.”
“Believe me, having you naked on top of me has been all I’ve been able to think about all week.”
Carson grunted and slumped onto Bree’s shoulder. “Oh God. Not helping, babe.”
“Oh no? So sorry about that.” Bree ran her hands down the length of Carson’s back and into her back pockets, giving a gentle squeeze.
Carson groaned. “Sorry? Really? Just for that…” With Bree’s hands deep in her pockets, Carson took advantage of her restriction and untucked Bree’s shirt in one swift pull. Bree sucked a breath in through her teeth as Carson slipped her hand underneath her shirt and cupped her breast before she lightly pinched her nipple through the fabric.
“Oh my, mmm.” Bree closed her eyes and licked her lips. Carson pushed Bree back against the wall and pressed her thigh between Bree’s legs. A loud slam boomed from the landing above. “Shit.” Bree pushed Carson backward and fumbled with her shirt. As she thrashed and whirled, Carson leaned back and watched Bree struggle to compose herself. Bree’s heart pounded in her ears.
Carson chuckled, and Bree looked up at her. She raised an eyebrow and peered up the steps to the floor above. There was no one coming. “What? Who…What was that?”
Carson snickered. “It’s your uncle. I told him where I would be and to come get us in ten minutes.”
“Are you freaking kidding me?” Bree swatted at Carson. “That nearly gave me a damn heart attack.”
Carson pulled Bree to her amorously. “Don’t worry. I know CPR.” Carson winked before she placed a soft kiss on Bree’s lips. “Let’s go. It’s lunchtime.” Carson entwined her fingers with Bree’s and led her up the stairs.
Bree followed behind Carson. She couldn’t help but stare at the perfect way Carson’s jeans fit her. Bree let herself imagine all the different ways she would get them off. She wanted Carson in every way possible, and if she didn’t get more of her soon, she was going to go crazy. “Damn.”
“What?”
Bree looked up. Carson held open the door but blocked Bree from passing. “Did you just say ‘damn’?”
“I, uh, no.” Bree’s face blushed red. “That wasn’t supposed to be out loud.”
“But I like it.” Carson tugged Bree’s arm toward her. She gave her a quick peck before heading into the room.
Jim and Barbara stood at the opposite side of the large room. To anyone else they appeared to be nothing more than two innocent people observing and discussing the details of the restoration work being done. However, it was clear to Bree that the two lovebirds were oblivious of everything except each other. Bree wondered if it was how she and Carson looked when they were in a room together. She hoped so. “Hey, guys.”
“Hi,” Barbara said. She was in a delightful mood, and it looked wonderful on her.
“Ready for lunch?” Jim asked as he wrapped his arm around Bree’s shoulders and pulled her close.
“Ready when you are.”
The four of them walked into the hall and out toward the conservatory. Jim and Carson’s cadence synced up in the lead as Bree and Barbara chitchatted and followed along behind. The sudden silence of the ladies caused Jim and Carson to stop and turn around. Bree and Barbara had halted at the edge of the terrace and looked back toward the front lawn. They backtracked their steps to see what had the women so mesmerized. Neither Jim nor Carson said a word as they witnessed Bree’s and Barbara’s whimpers and sighs over the wedding being conducted below.
“Oh. It’s so beautiful. I remember when I was a little girl how I’d love to come out here and watch the weddings on the lawn,” Bree reminisced.
“I remember the first time I saw a wedding here, I thought ‘That’s it. That’s my dream wedding,’” Barbara said.
“I know. I don’t think I’ve ever had any other idea or fantasy about where I’d get married. Oh. Look at her dress.” Bree and Barbara sighed in unison while Jim and Carson glanced at each other with wide eyes.
“My favorites were the ones over there.” Bree pointed in the direction of the wisteria arbors. “In the spring when the wisteria blooms, with the spirals of rose petals on the grass down the aisle. Oh, could you imagine?” Bree’s voice was wistful as she laid her head on Barbara’s shoulder.
“One day, my dear,” Barbara whispered as she took Bree’s hand in hers and patted it.
Jim and Carson cleared their throats and brought Bree and Barbara out of their joint daydream. They turned around as Carson and Jim kicked the ground and shuffled. Both of them had their hands clasped at their backs, and Bree laughed at their childish mannerisms. “Very subtle. Come on, Barbara. The boys are bored and hungry.” Bree linked her arm with Carson’s and headed off toward the café.
Chapter Twenty-five
Carson hunched over her desk and stared at the revised restoration schedule. With her headphones in she couldn’t hear a thing around her, and that included whoever had come up behind her to cup their hands over her eyes. Carson shrieked and ripped her ear buds out of her head. “What the f—”
“Guess who?” a woman’s voice whispered as she pressed her weight into Carson’s back to keep her from turning around.
“Well, anyone daring enough to sneak up on me better be prepared for the consequences, no matter who they are.” Carson hated being scared or startled, and everyone knew it. Carson brushed her fingers over the hands that still covered her eyes.
“And what would the punishment be for my actions?” she whispered to Carson before running her tongue along her ear.
“Oh, it’s changing by the second.”
“Well, that’s not exactly a compelling reason not to do it, now is it?” the woman said before she kissed the nape of Carson’s neck.
Carson enjoyed every bit of the unexpected seduction. It was a new move for Bree, and Carson took great pleasure in it. Carson grabbed the hands and pulled them down in front of her and held them still as her eyes adjusted to the light. When her vision cleared, she looked at the hands she held. She would recognize those beautiful hands anywhere. She spun around in her chair and looked at Bree. Bree’s eyes were dark with lust, and it sent a shiver through Carson’s body. “Dammit, Bree, you take my breath away every time I look at you.”
Bree leaned in. She hung just a breath away from Carson’s lips and whispered, “I’ll give you all of mine in return.” Bree’s kiss sealed the promise.
Carson’s heart fluttered and her soul melted. Everything she had was Bree’s. There was no doubt.
Bree’s arms rested over Carson’s shoulders as she wedged her hips between Carson’s legs. “Tell me you don’t have to work late tonight.”
“Well, I…”
“Pleeeease?”
Carson’s stomach flipped hearing Bree almost beg. “No, sweetheart. I’m not working late tonight. I was just finishing things up when you interrupted me with this visit.” Carson slipped her hands into the back pockets of Bree’s slacks.
“Yay. So, do you want to stay with me tonight? We can make dinner, watch a movie, or we could just go to bed.” Bree winked. She slipped her fingers between the buttons of Carson’s shirt and stroked the underside of her breast.
“Mmm, yes, but I can’t guarantee that we’ll make it to your bed. Hell, baby, if you don’t stop that we won’t even make it out of this office.”
She pinched Carson’s nipple, drawing a sharp hiss. She kept the tightened nipple between her fingers. “Again, I’m not seeing the compelling reason.”
When Bree twisted a little harder and bit her bottom lip, Carson gripped Bree’s hands in hers. She was two seconds away from taking Bree right there on the desk in her office if Carson didn’t restrain herself and Bree’s wandering hands. “Give me thirty minutes. You can ride with me to my place so I can get some clothes and such. Then we can head over to your place, okay?”
Bree looked at her imprisoned hands and made a childlike frown before she looked up and smiled widely. “I think that’s a wonderful idea. I can’t wait to see your place, from the inside, of course. Not from the flat of my back on the sidewalk.” Bree laughed out loud.
Carson laughed and then feigned seriousness. “Funny.”
Bree still chuckled. “Okay, babe. You finish your stuff and I’ll meet you in the parking lot in a little bit.” She gave Carson a quick peck and left.
“Yep. I’m officially hopeless.” Carson grinned and turned around to finish her work.
*
Bree walked to the staff parking lot with Jim and Barbara to wait for Carson. Bree was excited to see that Carson had ridden her bike to work that day. She hadn’t been on it since their first date to Lake Lure. Just when she thought she couldn’t be any more excited she spotted Carson, and her heart skipped. Carson had on her tailored leather jacket and a pair of snug-fitting jeans. Bree was transfixed by her cool blue eyes. Damn, she’s hot.
“Hey, babe,” Carson said when she stopped in front of Bree.
“Uh, I, um…hi.” She couldn’t have made a complete word if her life had depended on it. She welcomed the kiss that saved her from any further embarrassment.
“Ready?” Carson asked as she walked toward her bike.
Again, real words eluded Bree, so she just nodded. She heard Jim and Barbara laugh. She shot them a look and stuck out her tongue. It was a childish gesture, but as long as Carson didn’t see it she didn’t care. To make sure she hadn’t seen, she looked over where Carson stood next to her bike and winked back at her. “Oh. For goodness sake.” Bree’s cheeks set fire, and she wanted to bury herself right there in the dirt.
“Babe. Get over here, and get on the bike.”
Bree gave Jim a quick hug before she mounted the bike behind Carson. “Dinner and a movie tonight, right?” Jim and Barbara both nodded. Bree slipped on her helmet and wrapped her arms around Carson before they rumbled out of the parking lot.
*
It hadn’t taken more than five minutes to get from the lot to Carson’s building in the arts district. Carson pulled onto the sidewalk and then into the large bay that was open to the street. She parked off to the side and cut the engine. She slid off first and then helped Bree. Bree looked around at the enormous stone blocks scattered about the room in their various stages of completion. She admired anyone who had such a wonderful talent and gift.
Carson weaved through the maze of sculptures toward the back of the warehouse. “Kelli should be here somewhere,” she said.
A fire-red-haired woman appeared from behind a boulder. She stared down at the hand she had shoved into the neckline of her low-cut tank top. “I’m here. Ouch.”
“What the hell are you doing?” Carson asked while they watched Kelli fondle her left breast.
“I’m putting Vaseline on my nipples,” she said nonchalantly. Kelli was focused on her chest and still hadn’t looked up. She plucked open the other side of her shirt and shifted her hand and attention to the other breast. She grimaced and whimpered in pain.
“Uh, why in the world are you doing that?” Carson asked, and Bree was so glad she had. She found that she both wanted and needed to know with a disturbing curiosity.
“Kim was way rough with my nips last night, so they’re a little raw. I can’t wear a bra because it rubs like a bitch. And the Vaseline seems to help with the tenderness.”
Bree was surprised but pleased to know that new tidbit of information. “Good to know.”
Kelli looked up as she adjusted her freshly moistened nipple and squeaked. “Oh shit, Bree! How are you?” Kelli held out her hand for Bree’s. They all looked at Kelli’s greasy hand before she withdrew her offer and smiled. “If it was just Carson here I’d wipe this on her shirt. But I’ll behave,” she said as she wiped the residue onto her own shorts instead.
They all laughed. “Thanks for that,” Carson said. “We’re here to pick up a couple of things. I’m staying at Bree’s tonight, and I need my piggy pajamas.”
Kelli made a disgusted face. “You better be kidding. Those things are hideous.”
“You really do have piggy pajamas?” Bree didn’t think Carson could be cuter than she was at that moment.
Carson blushed and looked back and forth between them. “Yes, I do, and no, they aren’t.”
Kelli and Bree both cooed and giggled at Carson. “Aww…”
“Oh no. This is not happening.” Carson grabbed Bree’s hand and pulled her to the staircase.
“But I want to talk more about your jammies…” Bree chortled as she stumbled behind Carson as she reached out for Kelli.
“Nope. Not happening.”
“Call me. We’ll talk.” Kelli hollered after them as they climbed the steps.
Bree was impressed by Carson’s apartment. Of course, from what she knew of Carson’s work, she was correct in her assumption that it would be both pristine and tasteful. She had a fine eye for decorating. It was a large industrial and lofty space. Bree guessed that it was once a well-used office space for a large manufacturing warehouse below. Carson had the space filled with beautiful antiques and exceptional historic restorations. It was a wonderful combination of old and new, and it was 100 percent Carson. It was a space that anyone would be out of their mind not to fall in love with.
“Make yourself at home. I’ll just be a minute.” Carson kissed Bree on the forehead and disappeared down the hallway.
“Take your time.” Bree explored the space and its furniture and artwork. She was in heaven. The west-facing wall of the large open great room was made entirely of glass and wood. Each six-foot section of crystal-clear pane glass was separated by a sixteen-foot-tall, hand-hewn barn wood beam. Bree stroked the beautiful wood worn and aged from time. The massive beams still contained the original tenon and mortise joints used during construction. A flash of light caught her eye, and she noticed the river below as the setting sun glinted off its surface.
Bree heard Carson come up behind her but didn’t turn around. Carson slipped her arms around her waist and rested her chin on Bree’s shoulder. “Ready when you are, sweetheart.”
“This place is amazing, Carson. And this…” Bree touched the wooden divider again.
“A-hundred-and-fifty-year-old white oak timbers. They were given to me years ago by a good friend of mine, a vintage timber collector. I had them for a long time before I knew what I was going to do with them. When I bought this place I had somewhere to put everything I love and worked so hard on.”
Bree turned around in Carson’s arms. “Amazing. Just like you.”
“You haven’t seen the rest of it. Come.” Carson clasped Bree’s hand and led her on a tour of the apartment.
Every room was furnished with the same precision and distinctiveness as the living room, but it was the master bedroom that took Bree’s breath away. The bedroom was a vast space with the same floor-to-ceiling glass and timber wall. It was a perfect space for the breathtaking eighteenth-century tester bed that dominated the room. The ornately carved bed was uphol
stered in a lapis blue silk damask fabric and accented with gold braided trim and delicate fringe. It was exquisite, and Bree just had to touch it. She caressed the smooth carved post and luxurious fabric. She had never seen such a phenomenal restoration that wasn’t in a museum.
“You sleep in this?” Bree was awestruck. “Can I…just see what it’s like?” When Bree was younger she remembered wishing she could sneak a nap in one of the beds in the Biltmore. Just so she could see what it was like to live and sleep like a Vanderbilt.
“Absolutely.”
She hesitated, as if she were about to break a cardinal rule, before she eased herself up into the bed. She lay on her back and stared up into the canopy. Its tight, flawless pleats emphasized the sharp contours of the canted sides. She imagined the spectacular feeling of running her fingers over the pristine folds. Carson slipped in to the bed beside her. “Carson, this is…I’m speechless.”
“Took me years to get it right. At first I thought I was out of my mind for using it, but then I thought, what good is a bed if you can’t sleep in it?” Carson rolled over, propped herself up on her elbow, and looked down at Bree. “Or make love in it.”
Bree’s stomach fluttered and her body burned to life. She stared into Carson’s crystal blue eyes and watched them turn steely with desire. When Carson kissed her, the whole world disappeared. They kissed with fervid hunger, and Bree’s entire body burned with need. She needed Carson. She needed to feel the searing heat of her skin pressed into hers. Bree rolled Carson to her back and with one hand flicked open each button of her shirt until it fell open at her sides. Bree loved that Carson never wore a bra, as her breasts were small and perfect. She twisted each nipple between her thumb and forefinger until they tightened. Carson’s breath hissed through her teeth, and the sound sent a rush of warmth between Bree’s legs. She wanted more.