Drift (Guarding Her Book 2)

by Anna Brooks

  She pours some flour in a bowl, and when she sets the bag down, a white puff of dust coats her face. She giggles as she tries to wipe it off, and I grab a towel. “You missed a spot.” I gently dab it off and don’t miss the opportunity to kiss her again.

  “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  I watch in awe as she breaks down an entire chicken. “Are you just gonna stand there? Afraid I’m gonna kick your butt?”

  “Oh, honey, you have no idea.” I roll up my sleeves, and we cook next to each other. I love being in the kitchen; since I don’t hit the waves anymore, it’s what I do if I have any free time. It’s in my blood and something that brings me comfort at the absolute worst of times—when all I can think about is how much it fucked me up when Zoe died. Being in the gym helps to take aggression out, but being in the kitchen centers me.

  Not a lot of girls would like this sort of thing, but I knew she would. And it’s another reason I like her so damn much.

  She gets lost in what she’s doing, and I almost burn my chicken from being so mesmerized by her. We finish frying at the same time, and instead of plating, we just drop our finished meal into a basket.

  As it’s cooling, we clean up real quick, then I grab the baskets and lead her out into the empty dining room. “Wow, it’s really beautiful in here.” She looks around and twirls in a circle to get the full view.

  I walk behind the bar and grab a couple of glasses of water as she’s looking at the décor. My parents’ restaurant is beautiful. It’s classy without being pretentious. Welcoming without being too open.

  There are large slabs of wood in the center of the dining area to accommodate large parties and along the sides, the same type of timber only smaller. The chairs are black metal with the same color cushions and hanging above each table is a vintage chandelier.

  “Ready to have your mind blown?”

  “You’ve already done that, Carter.” She smiles shyly, and my heart skips a beat. “But I’m afraid this is one battle you won’t win.”

  I motion for her to go first, and she takes out a chicken leg that I fried. As she’s chewing, her eyes light up and she covers her mouth. “This is delicious.”

  I raise a brow, not surprised.

  “But not as good as mine.” She drops the bone and licks her fingers. “Go ahead… scared?”

  All I want to do right now is reach across this table and pull her onto my lap so she can ride me. But with everything she’s been through, I know that’d be fucked up on my part. Plus, the employees could walk in any minute and no way in hell do I want anyone seeing her like that. So I grab a leg of hers instead and salute her with it.

  When the juice of the chicken hits my tongue, I can’t hide the moan that tears through me. “Holy shit,” I mumble as I take another bite. “This is phenomenal.”

  “Thank you.”

  I immediately grab another piece as soon as I finish the first. She giggles as I go for a third, and that sound from her makes me hard.

  “Where did you learn to cook like this?”

  Melancholy sweeps through her as she sighs. “My mom.”

  My gut is telling me to leave it be for now since she never talks about family, so I simply smile, and say, “I can’t wait to meet her.”

  The sound of some pots and pans banging around makes her jump. “It’s okay. They’re just getting ready to prep for the night,” I reassure her. “Are you ready to go, or do you want dessert?”

  “I have the cookies I made. I was going to give them to Reginald, but I can always make more.”

  “Who the hell is Reginald?” The fact that I’m fucking jealous just because she mentioned another man’s name makes me realize how deep I already am with her.

  “He’s the bus driver I always see on my way home from the market. He’s very friendly and very old,” she emphasizes. “So I started bringing him cookies if I ever made them.”

  I lean back in the chair and look up just as Geoff comes out through the kitchen doors. “I thought that was your Jeep.” He sticks his hand out to me, and I shake it. “It is.”

  Billie catches her breath and smiles at Geoff. “Hi there.”

  “Geoff, this is my girl, Billie. Honey, this is Geoff. He’s the sous chef here.”

  The shock on Geoff’s face makes me smirk. Anyone who knows me knows that me being in a relationship is a huge deal. Calling someone mine… that’s life-altering.

  Chapter 11

  Billie

  Carter takes a bite of the simple chocolate chip cookie and moans around it. “Fuck, honey. Is there anything you can’t cook? Christ, this is delicious. If acting doesn’t work out for you, you might want to be a chef.”

  After we had our fried chicken cook-off, that I proudly won, he brought us back to my place where we’re nibbling on cookies. Well, I’m nibbling. He’s devouring. “Not really, just a few recipes. I can manage my way around a kitchen pretty good, just don’t ask me to make anything with tofu or seaweed.”

  He laughs and then shoves the rest of it in his mouth before he carries the plate to the sink. “Wanna watch a movie? I don’t care as long as it doesn’t have Hunter Dean in it.”

  Carter sits next to me but doesn’t touch me. He seems more reserved than normal, and I hate it. I want to show him I’m not weak. That some assholes can’t control anything I do. I lived too long like that, and no matter how embarrassing it was, I won’t let it ruin what I have with Carter.

  I know he’s holding back because he thinks I’m affected by what happened at the audition. But I’m not. I feel weird about it, but whatever. It’s done. It was just like being in a swimsuit.

  I practically dive into Carter’s lap and attack his belt.

  “Whoa.” He grabs my hands, but I fight them out of his hold. “Honey, stop.”

  Ignoring him, I get the button undone and reach inside to pull out his cock.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Something that makes me happy.” I bend down and lick the crown of his beautiful dick, definitely fit for a king. “Something that makes me feel good.” Then I crawl to the floor and yank his jeans down. “Something that reminds me I’m not alone anymore, right?”

  His fingers trace my jaw. “Yeah.”

  At his answer, I suck him into my mouth as far as I can, and he tosses his head back on the couch.

  Something comes over me… a desire that I’ve never felt before, a need to please. I want him to want me. I want him to need me as much as I’ve come to need him. I want him to never let me go.

  My cheeks hollow, and I fist where my mouth can’t reach. He groans above me, and I work even harder. Spit dribbles out of the corner of my mouth, and I suck him hard. His hips shoot up, and he grabs my hair. “Fuck, honey. That mouth…”

  Knowing he’s close, I slow down and use my hand while I reach for my panties. Beneath my dress, I find them and pull them down my legs as I stand, then I turn around and flip my skirt up, looking over my shoulder to find hot eyes staring back at me.

  “You’re gonna make me come just looking at me like that. You’re so fuckin’ beautiful.”

  Reaching behind me, I position him at my entrance and push back, impaling myself on him. “Oh, Christ.” He reaches for my hips, but I shake my head.

  “No touching.”

  He smirks and places his hands behind his head. “Then get to work, honey. You need to move. Fuck me with that tight pussy and make me come.”

  Balancing myself on slightly bended knees, I bounce up and down slowly. Only the first few inches of him are inside me while I make him harder by the second. My core spasms, knowing I’m the one making him that way.

  “Fuck, fuck, fuck,” he mutters under his breath. “You’re goddamned perfect, Billie. So tight, so wet. Don’t stop, baby.”

  “I won’t,” I promise as I bounce faster, my thighs burning but the desire for him, to make him insane with the need for me, much hotter. “I’ll never stop.”

  “Fuck, you should
see yourself right now. Taking me inside and stretching you out… Shit, you’re makin’ me come already.”

  His filthy words spur me on, and when I feel him coat my walls, I fall over the edge with him, more satisfied that I brought him pleasure than anything. Another thing I’ve never wanted to do in my life.

  He pulls me back onto his lap, as I ride out the last waves, and turns my head so he can kiss me, leisurely licking my tongue as we both come down together. With him, though, I never make it to the bottom because I always feel like I’m floating.

  Carter

  She’s decimating me. Limb from limb, heart and soul, she is tearing me apart in every way humanly possible. She’s breaking down my walls, but a primal urge to protect her has me putting them back up. Only this time, they’re shielding us both.

  It has nothing to do with the way she just fucked me like a porn star and everything to do with how my chest felt like it was going to explode. How nothing has ever felt better than just having her in my arms.

  It’s like I want to throw her over my shoulder and lock her away so I can have her all to myself.

  “Are you okay?” I whisper against her lips.

  “Never better.”

  “You do realize that I just handed you my balls, right?”

  She smiles and stands, my softening cock sliding out of her and making us both groan. The best thing she ever did was get on birth control last week. I couldn’t stand something between us and had to fight to pay for her pills but eventually won. She bends over to pull her panties back up, and my cum drips out of her and slides down her thigh. “Don’t move,” I command.

  She freezes and looks over her shoulder.

  “I swear to you, right now, you bent over, pussy on full display, my cum dripping down your leg… honey, that is the hottest thing I have ever seen in my life. I want to memorize it. Want the way you’re looking at me like you’ve just tasted heaven to be burned into my brain.”

  She rubs her thighs together.

  “I want to remember this exact moment, and I want you to do the same because it’s when I tell you that I’m falling in love with you. I have never… in my life, felt like this. Ever.” I felt guilty for how strong things were with Billie and me at first, but there just isn’t any denying our connection. It doesn’t take away the love that I had for Zoe, but what I feel for Billie is so different. Deeper. It’s just… more. “And I’m never letting you go.”

  Her face scrunches up, and I pull her to me where she buries her head against my chest and sobs. Something tells me I’m not the only one who’s feeling more than they ever have before.

  “Do you have any idea how beautiful you are? It’s a miracle someone hasn’t already claimed you. Married you. Locked you away so nobody else could see how utterly breathtaking you are.”

  “Carter, what—”

  Placing my finger over her mouth, I shake my head. “You are the only woman in years, and I mean years, who’s had any part of me. And no matter how fast this is, I know beyond a shadow of a doubt it’s right.

  “I’m going to enjoy the rest of the day with you, and then tonight, I’m gonna lay you out on my bed and kiss every single inch of your skin. After that, I’m going to take a long time loving on you until you’re so worn out you won’t be able to think of anything but me.”

  Chapter 12

  Billie

  “It smells great in here.” He comes up behind me, pulls my hair over to one shoulder, then kisses my neck. “You smell great.”

  I swipe my finger through the bowl I mixed the pudding in and raise it up for him to lick off. “Delicious.” I had a craving, so I made banana pudding. We went back to his place since he has cable and a brand-new TV and have been vegging out. It’s awesome.

  “Mmm. I’m glad you think so. Now move so I can get this in the fridge.”

  “I like you here.”

  “Where, in front of the stove?”

  He chuckles. “If I say yes, does that make me an asshole?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then no. I meant I like you in my space, my kitchen, my arms.”

  I lean my head back. “I do, too.”

  His lips almost touch mine when there’s a knock on my door. I jolt in surprise, and Carter walks over to look out the peephole. “Shit.”

  “What? Who is it?”

  “My parents.”

  “What?”

  He opens the door before I can even run away to fix my hair.

  “Carter.”

  “Pop. Hi, Mom.”

  An older version of Carter steps in first and then his mom. As they get closer, I realize Carter got the green in his eyes from his mom because his father’s are blue.

  “Hi.” I wave awkwardly, and Carter rescues me by coming over and putting an arm around my waist.

  “This is Billie. Billie, these are my parents, Clark and Sally.”

  “It’s so nice to meet you.” Sally pulls me in for a hug, and I smile as I step back and shake Clark’s hand.

  “Nice to meet you, too.”

  There’s a weird tension flowing through Carter’s space, but I can’t put my finger on what it is.

  “Is there a reason for this impromptu visit?”

  “Nope. Just being nosy since Geoff told us you brought a girl in today.”

  His shoulders shake when he laughs. “Of course.”

  “It’s a big deal, Carter,” his mom says sympathetically.

  “I know.”

  I feel like there’s some sort of inside joke except it’s not funny.

  “Why don’t you guys go to the living room? We’ll bring some beers in a minute.”

  “Sure, son.” His dad pats him on the shoulder as he passes, and I’m pretty sure his mom wipes away a tear.

  Once they’re out of earshot, he turns me around and pulls me back a step. “Are you okay with them here?”

  “Of course, I am. I just feel like there’s something going on that I don’t know about.”

  “There’s not. It’s just that I haven’t been in a relationship for a long time, and they’re nosy. They’re really cool once this weird introduction period is over.”

  “Okay.” I’m actually kind of excited. I want to know everything about Carter and that means his parents too. I’ve never been with anyone who would think to introduce me to their parents. It’s pretty cool, to be honest. No matter how weird it might sound.

  He kisses the top of my head before he gestures for me to go ahead of him to the living room. We sit on the couch while his parents have taken up residence on the chairs on either side of the room. “I heard you kicked Carter’s ass today.” His dad states.

  That breaks the tension, and I agree with a nod. “Yes, I did.”

  “I might have to add that to my menu if it was that good.”

  “Your menu?” I ask with confusion.

  “You were at one of my restaurants. He didn’t tell you that?”

  I narrow my eyes at Carter who conveniently has a beer bottle covering his lips. “I guess I forgot.”

  “Why wouldn’t you say something?” I ask.

  “There was just so much other stuff going on that I didn’t mention it yet. I would have eventually.”

  I’m not quite sure I believe that answer, but I’m not gonna sit here and get into it with his parents present.

  And apparently, his mom feels the same way. “So tell me about yourself, Billie. Where are you from?”

  “A little town in northern Wisconsin, almost in the UP.”

  “Oh, it’s beautiful there. We went on a vacation once in the Upper Peninsula. Lots of snow but it was great skiing.”

  We continue talking, and every once in a while, I notice a look exchanged between them, but I choose to ignore it.

  Carter

  I knew my parents would love her. I hear them laughing in the living room now as I grab the bowls for the pudding Billie made. I feel like the other shoe is about to drop or something because it shouldn’t be this fuckin’ easy
. It has me on guard and almost paranoid.

  “She’s great,” Dad says as he walks in to grab another beer.

  “I know.”

  “Does she know?”

  Grabbing a plate, I stay leaned down a second longer than necessary to take an extra breath. “No.” I slam the door shut. “And she’s not going to find out.”

  “Son, that’s ludicrous.”

  “Why the hell would I tell her, Pops?”

  He opens the cap on his beer and takes a small swallow. “For one, she’ll eventually see it online somewhere, I’m sure… Don’t know how she doesn’t know already. But also because it fucks with you. It’s something that your girl should know so she can handle you—”

  “Don’t finish that sentence. It is not her job to handle me in any way. I don’t want her treating me any differently or thinking I won’t be able to protect her if—”

  “That’s not what this is about, and you know it. Everyone knows it was an accident, Car. It wasn’t your fault. There isn’t anything anybody could have done differently in that situation, and it has zilch to do with you being able to protect someone.”

  “Dammit,” I whisper harshly. It’s going to happen again.

  Her screaming.

  Begging me to help her.

  Blood. So much blood.

  Not being able to reach her.

  My dreams shattered right along with the bone sticking out of my leg.

  “Hey.” Billie’s voice registers, but it doesn’t break through the suffocating memory.

  Help me, help me, help me. Over and over until she whispered the words as blood dripped out of her mouth and then it just stopped. Everything stood still, and there was not a damn thing I could have done.

  “Are you okay?” Billie’s hand rests on my chest, and I shake my head to rid it of the memory. “Carter, everything okay?”

  I link my pinky with hers and give her a tug. Her pretty blue eyes, the color of the ocean I love to hate for stupid fucking reasons, blink up at me, and just like that, the pain of that living nightmare vanishes. “Yeah, honey. Everything’s fine now.” She makes everything okay.