by Kim Linwood
He laughs as he shakes my hand. “Oh, you’re the one who prettied up Carter’s billboard. Brandon Graves. I’m a huge fan of your work.”
“How did you even…”
“The vandalism made the Wittville Warbler. Aunt Liz saw it and Grandma had her send the link to the rest of the family. Quality work. He’s never looked better.”
I start to laugh, but swallow it down and try to move the conversation along because Carter looks ready to commit murder. “Listen, I’m going to have to pass on the beer, but I do have a co-worker who’s a huge fan of yours. Maybe you could come over and say hi later.”
“Yeah? Is she cute?” He pauses. “Or is it a he? I’ll stop by either way, but I have to admit I might get there sooner if there are nice legs involved.”
“Oh, he has great legs,” I deadpan, then crack up laughing. “Sorry, she’s going to kill me for saying that. Zoe’s very cute and very much my friend. If you piss her off, you’ll be needing to keep that beer cold to nurse a lot more than just your boredom.”
He laughs. “Overprotective much? I promise I’ll be good and get your daughter home before curfew, ma’am.”
With a level gaze, I pin him. “Who said I was the one you needed to watch out for?”
His eyebrows go up nearly to his hairline. “Okay, now you’ve managed to use my curiosity against me. I’ll have to go say hello.”
I grin. Zoe’s either going to owe me big time or never let me forget this. Maybe both.
“And they wonder why I never bring the women I’m seeing around my family,” Carter whispers in my ear. “I wouldn’t blame you if you pull out of the negotiation and block my phone number after this.”
“I think they’re nice.”
“Nice? These monsters? You’ve got to be kidding me.” He glares at his siblings, Axton especially.
Is he… “Oh my God. You’re jealous, aren’t you?” I grin at him.
“Could you two speak up? We can barely hear you,” Brandon asks, standing side by side with Danielle and Axton.
Carter glares at them. “You know, I could do without comments from the peanut gallery.”
“Nuh uh.” Danielle shakes her head with a big smile on her face. “This is way too entertaining. I like Sadie. She’s seen all of us in one day and hasn’t run away yet. That’s an important first step.”
“Once. That happened once, Dani,” Carter grumbles.
“Seriously? You had a girlfriend bail just because she met your family?”
His face turns an amusing shade of red. “Technically she didn’t run. She drove, but the end result was the same.”
I cover my mouth to keep from laughing but it doesn’t hold in the snort.
Axton nods. “It’s true. I was on my best behavior, of course, but Dani put an actual frog in her wine glass and I believe Brandon… what was it you did, Bran? Oh right. He came to the dinner table in a mistletoe thong and then asked her what her stance was on holiday traditions.”
Brandon nods happily. “Oh yeah! I remember that. She wasn’t good enough for you, man.”
“And I was twelve!” Danielle interjects. “Besides, Mr. Hoppy was the class pet so it wasn’t like I found one in a pond or something. He was clean… more or less.”
Carter silently takes my hand and starts pulling me away from the group. “Come.”
I resist, both horrified and amused by what I’m hearing. “Where are we going?”
“Anywhere, as long as these clowns aren’t there.” He glowers at his brothers and sister in turn. Their smiles never falter.
“To talk about the Graham funeral?”
“Sure. We could do that.”
“Um, alright.” I give Carter’s family an apologetic wave. “It was nice meeting you, but I guess we have to—hey!”
Carter whisks me away like a modern day caveman but without the club. Except for the club in his… Stop it, brain! But once my thoughts go down the path of Carter’s “club”, I start wondering less where he’s taking me and more about how to keep from getting carried away with him in dark corners. Or if I even want to. I wet my lips and follow.
22
Sadie
“Where are we going?” I ask as Carter opens a door out of the convention center floor and into a narrow corridor running parallel to the main room. “Are we supposed to be in here? I’m pretty sure that sign said Staff Only.”
He looks back at me with a dangerous grin. “Probably not, but let’s see what we find.”
“I’m getting the feeling your family isn’t big on rules.”
Carter shrugs and picks a door, seemingly at random. “Most rules are there to keep the sheep out of trouble. If you want to be a wolf, you have to test the fence now and then.” The door opens into a small store room filled with caskets lined up on wheeled tables, presumably ready to go out on the floor for display.
“Wow, these are all Hoffmeisters. Top of the line. These things are expensive.”
“Are they? I really don’t get why people spend so much money on boxes that will just end up in the ground.” He closes the door behind us and leans up against the doorframe.
“Really? You wouldn’t want a fancy vehicle for your final send-off? I would’ve thought you’d be the type to go all out.”
He laughs dryly. “Me? Nah. I’ll probably end up in the family plot, but they could just toss me out with the cat litter for all I care. A party would be nice, though. Something with decent music and enough alcohol to keep my family from killing each other. It’s the worms that will do all the work in the end.”
“How… thoughtful. The funeral’s not really for you, you know. You’re right, the dead don’t really care what shade of varnish their casket has, but it means a lot to the people you left behind. Like Mr. Graham, for example. That huge, fancy funeral is for him, not for his wife. It makes him feel better to give that one last gift to her, and if she helped with the planning, it’s more special.” I run my finger over the smooth finish of the closest casket. Maybe we should get one of these for the showroom at the office. “It’s about closure.”
Carter nods, not looking overly convinced. “Speaking of closure, are we ever going to get some?”
“Excuse me?” I step back reflexively at the hungry look in his eyes. “Do you mean the sale, because—”
He closes the distance and drops his hands to my hips, as if he’s worried I’m going to run away. “No, I don’t mean the fucking sale. I mean you and me. I’m sick and tired of this dance we’re doing.”
I don’t pull away even though I probably should. Instead, I reach up and straighten that one lock of hair that’s been teasing me all day. “Has it really been that bad?”
“When we’re together, all I want to do is touch you, kiss you, but I know I’ll just end up burned if I do, and then I fucking do it anyway because I can’t stop myself. And you… you keep talking about business and staying professional, but the way you cling to me has nothing to do with the sale, does it?”
I wet my lips and swallow nervously, but I can’t look away, not with his eyes holding me more firmly in place than his hands on my hips ever could. “No,” I admit in a whisper, rewarded with the way his face softens just a touch.
“If you keep running away, there’s no way this will ever work. Maybe it won’t anyway, but I want to find out. Don’t you?” His right hand comes up to cup my chin as his thumb gently slides along my jawbone, sending a shiver rushing across my skin. “I wanted to take this at your pace and not force the issue in a—” He looks around in exasperation. “A coffin closet at a lame ass trade show, but here we are and I’m telling you that while this sale is important to me, I want it all, and that includes you. With or without the contract.”
“Oh,” I blurt out lamely, totally unprepared for any of what he just laid out for me. I’d expected a little flirting, maybe another hot and heavy make out session. Even another attempt to strong-arm me into finally signing the stupid contract.
Not this.
&nb
sp; “Oh? That’s it?” Carter’s lips pull into a frustrated line and he glances away for a moment. When he turns back, I’ve lost all of the softness he’d been giving me before. “If all of this is just ‘oh’ to you, maybe I’m barking up the wrong tree.”
“Wait, no.” I grab onto his suit jacket before he can leave. All of a sudden, the idea of him leaving is unthinkable. “You just—” I draw a breath for courage. “You just caught me off guard. I didn’t think you were going to—”
“Going to what?”
“Put it all out there? I don’t know. This has been hard for me too.” I fidget with the soft fabric, rubbing it between my fingers, keeping my eyes on that instead of meeting his. “You showed up at a point in my life where I was finally feeling settled, and then everything I knew about my future was tossed up in the air. Because of you. And, you’re… I don’t know. You.”
“Me?” he asks with an arched brow.
“Don’t act like you don’t know. I’m from Wittville, Pennsylvania, born and raised. Don’t get me wrong, there’re some good guys out here, but you play in a whole different league. Drop-dead handsome, wealthy, bossy as hell… Guys like you come into town for ski season, break a lot of hometown hearts and then take off with the snow. I’m not going to be your out of season snow-bunny, signing away my future and hoping for the best only to be left behind for the next big opportunity.”
“Out of season snow-bunny? Really?” He looks like he’s having a hard time holding onto the anger instead of laughing at my lame analogy. “That’s what you think I’m doing? Banging a local for a notch on my board? I’m not sure if I’m insulted or just intrigued at the idea of you in sexy ski gear.”
“See! That right there. I don’t have sexy ski gear. I have perfectly good second hand ski gear mixed with end of season sales-bin finds. Not a single fleece lined bikini in sight.”
“Do you want one? Because I could change that.” He takes one look at my face and holds up his hands in surrender. “Sorry. But I could. Not that I would. No.”
I take a deep breath, letting it out slowly enough to dampen the urge to slam his fingers in a casket lid. “Do you blame me for being cautious? You sweep in here expecting me to sign over my life because of a few flowers and a nice dinner. Then you try to move into my office and there’s a ten foot sign with your face on it greeting everyone on their way into town. You’ve made it perfectly clear that my resistance is the only thing still in the way.” And I’m not even doing a very good job of that.
He laughs. “Sadie, please don’t take this the wrong way, but we could’ve gone over your head right from the start. Your parents agreed to the sale originally. They’re the owners, not you. The only reason we haven’t pushed the issue is because I advised my father to wait. I like you, your employees like you, and your clients like you. I want you to be on board with the direction we’re going, but make no mistake. We don’t need it.”
Was that supposed to make me feel better? “So, considering how difficult I’ve been for you, why don’t you? What’s stopping you?”
Carter’s expression sobers, looking scarily earnest compared to his usual too cool to care demeanor. “Because if I did that, you’d leave. For some reason, you’re taking an unusually long time to realize you’re actually madly in love with me.” He grins at my eye roll, while I try to hide the spike of heat those words drive into me. “So until that happens, I’m taking my time and letting you get used to the idea. My father’s seriously pissed at how long it’s taking, trust me, but so far I’ve managed to convince him it’s the right call.”
“Madly in love with you?” My voice falters, just a hair. That never really occurred to me, right? Doing my best to recover, I throw it back at him. “That’s about as likely as you seeing me in that fleece bikini.” I glare, but I’m still thrown by the idea of being in love with Carter. From the quirking of his lips, I can tell he doesn’t believe my heart is quite into it so I try sensible instead. “Listen, as much as it kills me to say this, I do appreciate you taking your time with what must seem like my ridiculous hangups.”
The hand on my hip slides down to rest on the small of my back and he leans closer. “Oh, Sadie. You have no idea how much I want to take my time with you. Just give me the word and you’ll have my undivided attention until you can’t take it anymore.”
So much for sensible.
My knees go a little wobbly and I lean back against the display table. “Until I can’t take it anymore?”
“Whatever you want and as many ways as you want it. Standing up or on all fours. You can be on top. Really, I’m open to anything, so long as it involves you, me and as much dirty, filthy, time as you’ll give me.” He enunciates each word dramatically, leaving no question as to his intentions when he pulls closer until we’re plastered against each other and our lips are hardly an inch apart.
Well, there’s certainly no question about how interested he is either.
My mouth goes dry and my heart rate revs like Zoe’s hearse at a red light, while my eyes flicker from side to side. Just the two of us. “Someone might come for these caskets.”
He smiles sexily. “Or they might not.” Then he presses his full lips against mine, teasing me with his kiss until I open to him and the electricity of our connection heats me from the inside out.
I bring up my hands to push him away, but instead find myself holding him even closer. His hand finishes its trip, gripping my ass tightly. My legs part in instinctive invitation and his thigh slides between them, providing a delicious sort of pressure.
By the time we come up for air, there’s no protest left in me. Carter looks as hungry as the wolf he compared himself to earlier, and right now I feel like the sheep that’s on the menu. This is happening. It’s really happening and I’m as sick of the pointless delay as he is. I tried to be professional, but the draw is too strong.
He closes back in, his hands sliding under my shirt and pushing up, dragging it with them. I grab his arms and hold them in place. “Wait. What if someone comes looking for us, or the Hoffmeister reps come to check on their stuff.”
“I don’t care,” he says with a breathless laugh. “I know you, Sadie Williams, and I’m not giving you time to change your mind.” He runs his hands around my back instead of up, his soft palms sliding over my skin. And then my bra pops loose as he expertly undoes the hooks.
“Hey!”
“Shh, we don’t want anyone to hear us, right?”
“Hey,” I whisper. “You seriously want our first time to be here?”
He glances around at the caskets, looking thoughtful.
My eyes widen. “Don’t even think about it.”
“I’ve thought about it. I’ve thought about it so much I’ve decided I don’t much care where it happens so long as it happens.” Then he tries for a move that would probably be smooth in the movies, taking the hem of my shirt and pulling it right off over my head.
In reality, it catches on my boobs, half carries my bra with it and then gets stuck on my head with both of my arms straight up in the air. I can’t see a thing, but I’m pretty sure what there is to see makes me look like kid caught in their own clothes.
“Carter!” I hiss through my teeth, stomping my foot and wiggling my hands in the air.
He snickers, and then his hands push my bra out of the way and take its place. Warm palms cup me while his thumbs and index fingers capture my nipples between them. I make a nervous little moaning noise, feeling both completely stupid and very much turned on.
“I’ll get you out of that in a sec, just let me…” He doesn’t finish his thought with words. Instead, his mouth trails kisses up and down the sides of my breast, making me tingle.
“Carter.” I moan, wanting him to keep going, but also to stop so he can get me out of my button-down bondage predicament. “If someone comes in, I’d like to at least be able to run out the door and not just into the wall.” My words come out muffled through my blouse.
“Alright, I’m
working on it.” He starts at the buttons, though it’s difficult inside out. There’s a soft rattle on the floor when one of them pops off. “Sorry. I think I might owe you a shirt.” It does the trick, though, and both my shirt and bra are gone a moment later.
I gasp and cross my arms over my chest, even though a second ago everything was on display.
“Don’t do that,” he says as he takes my wrists and pull my arms to the sides. “Never fucking cover up. You’re so beautiful. There’s no part of you I don’t think is sexy, and especially not these.” His fingertips tease the curve of my breasts.
I’m flushing. I know it. The convention center has the AC on full blast, yet my skin is so warm I’m surprised there’s no steam from all the blood rushing to the surface. It’s not all embarrassment, either. The way he looks at me when he says that, the intensity in his eyes and the way his hands glide over my body like he’s handling something fragile and valuable all combine to ramp up my excitement.
I push his suit jacket off his shoulders, giving him a smug grin when I manage to do it without mishap. He laughs and waits patiently as I go to work on his cufflinks and buttons. It’s captivating to unwrap him slowly like a big, sexy present just for me. I pull my lip in between my teeth and grin as his skin is exposed.
It’s not just skin that comes to light. I get my first real look at his tattoos, running my fingers lightly over some of them. I trace the ink that runs across his chest, then down his ribs and up to his shoulder. There’s a lot of black with a few splashes of vibrant color cutting through. The outside of his upper arm, just below his shoulder, though, is covered by a single, leafy green stem emerging from a crack in the black around it, like a weed struggling up through asphalt. There must be a story there, but he doesn’t give me time to ask about it.
“Come here,” he commands in a husky voice, putting an arm around me and pulling me closer. Our bodies connect, and then his hands and mouth are everywhere, touching, stroking, kissing. His mouth is burning heat against my neck, my collarbone and then finally my breasts. I let out a sigh when he captures my nipple in his teeth and gives it a soft tug.