by Dawn Brower
He hoped he had not played that last part too heavily. If she came back to his place, he would rest easier. There was a reason someone had broken into her condominium and until they knew what that was, she should not stay there.
“Fine,” she said. “I wasn’t actually looking forward to picking up this mess by myself. If it makes you feel better Spike and I will stay the night with you.”
Words he never thought he would hear from her. If only it was something more like: I love you and want to be with you forever. Maybe one day he would hear them, but for now he’d take what he could get.
CHAPTER THREE
Phil pushed opened the front door to his apartment and gestured for Carly to enter. She strolled inside with Spike trailing behind her. It seemed perfectly natural for her to be inside his home. He allowed himself a moment to stare at her and take everything in. Her simple black dress hugged her at her waist and accentuated her breasts perfectly. She glanced back at him, her violet-blue eyes filled with what he interpreted as desire, and it was like a sucker punch to his gut. He wanted to cross over to her, unbind her dark black hair, and watch it fall down her back in waves. That couldn’t be right—Carly would never look at him in that way.
He stepped inside carrying Carly’s bag. The local police wanted to have longer than a day to examine her condo and allowed Carly to pack up some of her things for an extended stay at Phil’s apartment. Spike stayed with him from time to time so he already had food and supplies for the dog. Carly had not been to his apartment though. It was invigorating to have her so close, and yet in contrast, an untenable distance bridged a wide gap between them.
“You can have the bedroom while you’re here,” he said. “I’ll put this in there.”
Sleeping on the couch would be uncomfortable at best, but he’d do anything for her. He wanted her to have a good night’s rest. There wasn’t a chance in hell he’d manage any sleep with her slumbering in his bed. So it didn’t matter to him where he ended up. The more time he spent in her company the harder it was to hold his feelings in.
“Don’t be silly,” Carly called out. “You’ll be miserable out here.”
Phil paused at the entrance to his bedroom and glanced back at her. “Don’t argue with me. I’m not in the mood.”
He went inside and set her bag down against the wall. Carly wasn’t going to make any of it easy and he was at a loss on how to handle it. Everything inside of him screamed to pull her in his arms and kiss her the way he’d been imagining for so long. There wasn’t anything except his own sense of decency holding him back. Freedom was finally his and he wanted to embrace it fully. Soon he’d do that, but he wasn’t an asshole. Carly deserved better than to have him leap at her like a dog in heat.
“Phil,” Carly said bringing her hand up against his back. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He loved having her hand on him but she didn’t realize she was poking the beast. “Look at me.”
“There are towels in the closet outside the bathroom if you want to take a shower,” he said instead. He hadn’t managed to rein in his desire enough to look at her yet. “If you’re hungry I can order a pizza. I’m afraid rations are a tad low as I don’t often eat here.”
“I don’t care about food,” she said exasperated. “Why won’t you look at me?”
He clenched his hands into fists at his side. She didn’t understand and he couldn’t explain it to her. His desire licked at him like a fire on the edge of exploding. She was what fueled it and the closer she was the hotter it burned. There wasn’t much breathing room between his desire and good intentions. It wouldn’t be long before the flames burned through his resolve and he gave in.
Slowly he turned and glanced down at her. Immediately his focus went to her full lips. The need to taste them ignited sending a new wave of heat flaring through him. Carly opened her mouth and swiped her tongue across her lips. Phil barely restrained a groan. He had to put himself out of his misery. Maybe a cold shower would help...
“If you’re not going to use the shower, I’m going to.” Phil stepped past her and headed toward the closet to grab a towel. He whipped open the door and grabbed the first one his hand landed on, then stepped into the bathroom. Just as he was about to shut the door Carly lifted her hand to stop him.
“What is going on with you?” She tilted her head and studied him.
He didn’t want her too close to him or he might do something foolish. A cold shower would help him gain control of his need for her. At least he hoped so. The idea of her being hurt put him on edge and it was harder for him to control what he wanted. She was all he thought about every second of the day. When he looked into her eyes he saw his future and the hope for happiness. He didn’t want to use her body to sate his needs—he wanted it all with her—love, family, and the promise of forever.
“I’m fine,” he said as reassuringly as he could muster. “It’s been a long day.”
Fuck. That was an understatement. It was possibly the longest day of his entire life. When it started he’d never imagined it would end as it had. Would it be so much to ask that it didn’t cave in completely before it was fully done? At least everything had gone as planned in court. Everything else had been chaos he couldn’t control.
“I’m sorry,” she said and glanced down. “I shouldn’t be bothering you. But Phil...” She looked back up at him. “I can’t take your bedroom.”
Why did she have to be so difficult? “Carly you’re driving my patience down a very thin line. I’ll discuss this with you after my shower.” He pushed her lightly out of the room and shut the door with a soft click, then rested his forehead against it. After several slow breaths he started the shower, stepped inside, and let the frigid water cool his heated skin. It was agonizing and exactly what he needed. Maybe, just maybe, he’d be able to spend an evening with Carly without giving into his need to kiss her, touch her, and show her how much he loved her.
CARLY WASN’T SURE WHAT was going on with Phil. He was acting rather strange and she didn’t have a clue how to approach him. Ever since he’d come to her condo to check on her it had been as if he’d become a different person entirely. No, that wasn’t exactly true. He was the same person he always was, but the way he looked at her. That was what was different. There was something there she couldn’t identify and wasn’t sure what to make of it. Had she done something he didn’t approve of, or was it something else entirely?
Spike came up to her side and rubbed his head on her leg. She laughed and patted him on the head. “What do you need?” He barked in response as if she understood dog speak. “Are you hungry? Do you need some doggy food?” He barked two more times and his tail started to wag rapidly. “All right, let’s see what Phil has stashed here for you.”
Carly wandered into the kitchen with Spike trailing behind her. She started opening cupboards and frowned. “He wasn’t lying, was he? There isn’t much of anything in here.” Finally she opened a cupboard and found a stash of dog food. “At least he has provisions for you,” she said glancing down at Spike. “The man has strange priorities.”
He may not have been living in the apartment long enough to fully stock it. The house he’d shared with Addison probably had more stuff in it than anyone could use in a lifetime. His now ex-wife seemed like the type to go overboard. Carly had only been to his house once and it was enough for her to never go back. It was pristine and unwelcoming. There wasn’t a thing out of place and it didn’t have that lived-in feel to it. She didn’t understand how anyone could live like that. When he wasn’t so crabby she’d have to ask him how long he’d been living in this apartment. In some ways it suited him more. It was—comfortable. He might be lacking such amenities as food, but there was a homier feel to the place.
Carly opened up a can of dog food and dumped it into a bowl, then placed it on the floor for Spike. He dove in immediately and ate with gusto. At least she was able to please one of the males in her life. Spike was easier to understand than Phil was. Why was he in
sisting she take the bed anyway? He had to realize he’d be uncomfortable on the couch. He was huge and that couch would barely be big enough for her small frame.
She left Spike to enjoy his food and headed back to the living room to wait for Phil to finish his shower. It turned out to be a short wait. He entered the hallway joining the rooms the same time she did wearing only a towel wrapped around his waist. Small drops of water trailed down his broad chest down to his belly. Carly couldn’t help herself—her gaze followed one as it made a path toward the towel. She glanced back up and sucked in a breath when saw the look in Phil’s eyes. There was definitely heat reflecting back at her. He wanted her.
She stepped forward not able to stop herself from closing the gap between them. If he desired her even a small amount she wanted to explore it. To finally know what it was like to kiss him, touch him, have him for herself as she’d always imagined. Perhaps it was wrong—no, it was definitely wrong. His divorce was only finalized earlier that day. He was probably vulnerable and going to him in that kind of state was taking advantage of his emotional chaos. Carly stopped in front of him and looked up at him. He was staring down at her intently.
“What are you doing?” he asked hoarsely.
She didn’t say a word, not trusting herself to speak. It was almost magical, this pull she felt toward him. In response to his question she lifted her hand and skimmed it across his bare chest. He sucked in a breath with each stroke of her fingers across his skin.
“Carly?” He groaned. “If you keep doing that I’ll lose control.”
“Sounds promising,” she retorted. “Why don’t we find out how wild you can be?”
Who was this person talking to him that way? Carly didn’t recognize her, but she wanted to let her out to play. It was everything she’d held inside for too long, and finally allowed the freedom of her darkest desires.
The muscles in Phil’s cheeks twitched. He was still fighting to remain in control. He needed more incentive to lose it and, lucky for him, Carly was willing to step things up enough to help him fall over the edge. It didn’t matter what was right or wrong anymore. All that mattered was him, and her, and what they could do for each other—there was no room for possible regrets. She took a step closer and pressed her lips to his chest, then licked one of the drops of water. Phil hissed and wrapped his arms around her holding her against his tightness. His hard cock pressed into her belly through the towel. That was all that stood between him and total nakedness. Carly couldn’t wait for it to fall to the floor and give her the one view she’d been craving for so long.
She glanced up at him and demanded, “Kiss me.”
Phil didn’t need any more encouragement. He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers. The kiss was everything she’d ever imagined it could be—wild, passionate, and demanding. His kiss didn’t stop at her lips ether. He trailed his lips over her cheeks, down her neck, and across the top of her breasts. She wanted to feel his hot mouth over her nipples, but the dress she was wearing prevented it. The darn thing had to go. Carly had a need to feel his skin against hers.
“Unzip my dress,” she ordered.
“Not yet,” he said.
Damn him. She had needs. Carly tried to spin out of his arms to remove it herself but he held her in place. “So bossy,” he said. “God I love that about you. But tonight I’m in control.”
“No,” she said. “I...” She didn’t get a chance to say anything other than that as his mouth crashed down on hers again. It was a different kind of kiss than the first one. This one was a battle of wills and the winner would steer the rest of their night. In the end they’d both win though. Phil pushed her against the wall and held her hands in place as he ravished her mouth. Carly whimpered with each thrust of his tongue against hers. She was a quivering mess of need. After several moments he lifted his mouth and stared down at her. “Are you ready?”
She wasn’t sure if she’d ever be fully prepared for the onslaught of desire he brought out of her. The raging emotions rolling through her body was almost too much to bear. Carly didn’t respond verbally, instead she met his gaze as boldly as possible and licked her lips.
Phil picked her up and carried her into the bedroom. He set her down and spun her around to slowly unzip her dress. It fell to the floor in a pool around her feet. He brought his hands up to cup her breasts through the lace of her bra, slid them around and swiftly unlatched it letting it join her dress on the floor. Wetness pooled between her thighs, dampening her panties even more.
“I’ve been waiting so long to touch you,” he breathed. “It’s so much more than I could’ve imagined.”
Wait... He’d what? Later she’d make him tell her what he meant by that statement. For now she had bigger demands. “Fuck me,” she ordered.
“Patience,” he said softly. “There is so much I want to do to you first.”
She’d never survive it. “Please,” she begged.
Phil picked her up and set her on the bed, then slid her panties down her legs. He let the towel fall to the floor giving her the view she’d wanted the moment he’d stepped out of the bathroom. She reached up and wrapped one of her hands around his thick length. He moaned deeply as she stroked him with her fingers.
“Stop,” he groaned out. “or this will be over before it starts.”
“Never,” she said. She loved having control.
Phil brought his hand up and wrapped it around her wrist again and pinned it together with her other one. He held both together above her head as he stared down at her. “So beautiful,” he said. “Need you.” He brought his free hand up to his dick and stroked it.
Carly groaned and lifted her legs to wrap them around his waist. “Please now.”
He pressed his cock against her wetness. She moaned in anticipation. Phil didn’t push into her as she’d hoped, but did something even better. He rubbed himself against her clit until she was squirming against him. She was so close to climax. It didn’t take long for her screams to fill the room. As the waves of her release started to ebb, he pushed himself into her. Each stroke was an intense pleasure that bordered on pain.
“More,” Carly said. “Faster.”
After she muttered those words he lost all control and rocked into her hard and swift. Stars exploded behind her eyelids as she hit her second release, and Phil followed shortly after. It was even more amazing then she’d dreamed it could be. It was perfect because it was real.
Phil rolled off of her and pulled the covers down on the bed. He tucked her underneath them and then joined her pulling her into his arms. They would have to talk about it, but she wasn’t ready for that. Thank God he didn’t push.
“Sleep,” he said. “Tomorrow will be here soon enough.”
Carly did as he suggested and let herself fall into oblivion.
CHAPTER FOUR
Phil rolled over and found the bed beside him empty. Had last night actually happened? In some ways, it seemed like a dream—one he never wanted to wake up from. After his shower, he had realized he hadn’t brought anything with him to change into, but figured it was not a big deal. He could walk across to his bedroom quick and dress. When he spotted Carly as he walked out his whole body had hardened in response—so much for a cold shower to cool his desire. One glance from her and he was a goner.
Where was she?
He rolled out of bed and threw on some clothes to go search for her. First he checked the kitchen, and then the living room. After a quick perusal through the entire apartment, he had to accept she was gone. Had he scared her away last night? Did he read it wrong? No, if she hadn’t wanted him she’d have kneed him in the balls. Carly didn’t do anything she didn’t want to do. However, it might not have meant the same to her as it did to him. For Phil it had been making love to the woman he had loved silently for months. Carly might have just needed someone and he was readily available.
The previous night had been amazing. Loving her had been something he had hoped to have, and had not expected it
to happen so soon. What if he’d made a mistake by falling into bed with her the very day of his divorce? What must she think of him? Phil wandered over to the couch and fell into it. Despair filled him at the idea he could have ruined any chance he had with her. When she returned, he would have a long talk with her and explain how he felt. It was the only option he had if he wanted a chance at a real relationship with her. It was time for him to take a risk and put it all on the line. If he loved her, he had to fight for her.
She’d probably taken Spike for a walk. The dog needed regular exercise and he’d pointed out a park near his apartment when he’d driven them over the night before. That had to be where she’d gone, and perhaps instead of sitting in his apartment thinking the worst he should go looking for her.
Phil grinned like an idiot at the idea of seeing her again. God he loved her and he even liked Spike. They could be together and he’d do whatever it took to convince her of it. He wasn’t sure what was going through her mind, but he knew what he wanted and there wasn’t a thing he’d not do to keep her in his life.
Resolved, he stood up and headed to his bedroom to make himself more presentable to the world because once he located her he planned on making a play at forever. He should try to look his best if he wanted to convince her that was a good idea. It wouldn’t hurt to make himself more appealing when laying his heart at the feet of the woman who owned it.
CARLY WALKED SPIKE through the park and thought about the night before. She had made a complete fool of herself and she could not bring herself to care. That wasn’t entirely true. She cared way too much. What must he think of her? When he stepped out of the bathroom wearing only a towel... She’d lost her damned mind and practically threw herself at him. The pleasure of being in his arms had undone her. If she had her way, she would be in his bed holding him close every night.