by M. R. Joseph
“I need to tell you something Carter. I’ve been seeing someone and I think he may be the one.”
His heart sank in his chest and he felt like the air was sucked from his lungs. A lump in his throat formed and he swallowed hard. He squinted at her and shook his head.
“Excuse me? You met someone? Why didn’t you tell me? I talk to you everyday and you never thought to mention a boyfriend.”
“I know and I’m sorry, but I wanted to see where it was going before I told you and I wanted you two to meet. I need your approval, Carter. You’re my best friend and he is my boyfriend. I need the two most important men in my life to meet and get along. Your opinion matters so much Carter.”
Carter was speechless and he felt like his heart shattered. He pleaded in his brain. Oh please God, oh please, don’t make it too late for me. For us. Please. He looked at Casey and she was beaming. Too late.
“So what does this clown do? Bartender, shit shoveler, trash man?”
“Architect.”
“Architect? What kind of architect?”
“Boats.”
“ Oh, tugboats?”
“Not quite. Yachts and luxury liners mostly. He works for his family’s business.”
“Oh. Works under daddy. Blue collar guy.”
“Um, not exactly. He is partial owner in the company.”
“What’s his name?”
“Jordan. Jordan Reid. Of Reid Yachts?”
“That’s the one.”
CHAPTER 2
FreshmEN
Carter felt the chunks of his BLT rise up in his throat then back down to the pit of his stomach. She was in love with a millionaire. Jordan Reid’s family was very well known up and down both Florida Coasts. They designed for the rich and famous. They lived in Bel-Air and were a very affluential family. Did Casey fit into their social circle? Sure she did, Carter thought. She was beautiful, smart, educated, caring. Like all nurses should be. She was a class act.
“Car? Hello?” Casey waved her hand in front of his face to get his attention.
“I’m here. I’m sorry. Just shocked is all.”
“I’m just as shocked as you. I never expected it either.” She looked up towards the ceiling dreamily.
“So uh, how did you meet?” Carter guzzled the rest of his beer and went to the fridge for another. Wishing he had a joint to calm his nerves. He popped off the cap and returned to his seat at the table.
“Well, I was working in the ER the night we met. He was out fishing on his boat and he ripped his hand open with a fishing hook. It tore from his wrist to his thumb. Tendons and blood and all that good stuff.”
“You. Are. Gross.” Casey laughed at his reply.
“Oh hell Carter, you know I love that gory shit. That’s why I became a nurse.”
“Yea I do. I remember going to see Saw 1, 2, 3, 4, 10, whatever, and I covered my eyes while you yelled out More blood please, to the killer on the screen."
She laugh and patted his hand. He quivered at her touch. Hers stung but he felt the sensation linger which he enjoyed.
“And then what happened?” He really didn’t want to know but he wanted to appease her.
“Well, he came in for stitches and a tetanus shot. I was his nurse and he had passed out from looking at all the tendons hanging out. I had to revive him with smelling salts. It was cute.”
Carter chuckled. “ Cute! Ha. Sounds like a puss to me.” Casey smacked his arm and rolled her eyes.
“You are calling him a puss? Remember at my apartment junior year when we watched "Childs Play" and then the next day we went to the toy store to get your cousin a present for her Birthday and you refused to go down the doll isle. There is no bigger pussy than you, Carter London.” That was truer than true and not telling her his feeling was proof of that.
He smiled at her and rose out of his seat. He grabbed her from under her thighs and whisked her towards the living room a threw her on the sofa. He began to torture her with his fine tickling skills which led always to her peeing slightly in her pants.
“Do you want me to stop or do I have to make you pee your pants. Tell me I am not a pussy and I’ll stop.” He continued his game. “ Say it. Carter, you are not a pussy. You are a rock and roll sex God. Say it Casey Leigh or you will have to change your panties.”
She rolled back and forth and scrunched up her legs. His hand was on her bare belly and another near her inner thigh.She was laughing uncontrollably and his lust for her grew with every touch of his hand on her flesh.
“OK. OK.” She cried out. "Carter London you are not a pussy.”
“ And?” he continued the torture.
“ And you are a rock and roll sex God.”
He stopped tickling her and he found himself laying on top of the object of his desire and drinking in her smile. Their lips only inches apart. He could feel her breath on his lips and he could smell her same floral scent in his proximity to her. He stopped smiling and looked into her eyes. She stopped and did the same. Their hearts were beating rapidly and they couldn’t figure out which one was beating the strongest.
“Oh my God Carter, get off!”
She pushed him off of her as she felt the bulge in his pants expand. He sat back on the sofa and played it off by laughing.
“Oh please, Case. That hard on was left over from the flight attendant from Vegas that gave me a hand job in the bathroom. Don’t think too much into it sweetheart.” It was a lie. It never happened. Truth was, it was from her. His hands on her tiny body. Soft supple skin. Her Magnolia scent was intoxicating. He ached for her. Needed to be with her, not for sex but for love, and marriage, and babies. He wanted it all and he wanted it with Casey. She straightened her shirt and smoothed her hair with her hands. Carter sat back on the couch after fetching his beer off the table. Casey eyed him cautiously.
“So what are your plans going to be for the next month?” She said as she made her way back into the kitchen to clear the table.
“Well, I plan on sleeping, eating, vegging, and possibly writing some original stuff. Visiting with my mom and my brother. I’m taking Haley to the Clearwater Aquarium next week. You want to go with us? What is your schedule?”
“I’d love to go with you guys. I work three twelve hour shifts. Seven A.M. till seven P.M. I have off this Sunday and then all of the following weekend for the reunion. You just make yourself at home. For the next month, this is your home too.”
“Thanks, Case. I always feel at home when I’m here.” What Carter meant was that Casey was his home. Anywhere she was, it was home.
“Tommy and Jake are going to drop off my keyboard and guitar tomorrow if that’s ok.”
“Of course. I’d love to watch you write and create. You can set it up in the office where I keep my computer.”
“Perfect. So what’s on your schedule for tonight?”
“ Well, Jordan won’t be back from France until late tonight so I thought I’d hang with my BFF and watch a movie and order Thai food. How does that sound?”
“Oh, so now I’m a consolation prize cause your boyfriend is away. I get it.” Carter took off his shoes and criss crossed his legs onto the coffee table.
“Don’t be an ass. You will meet him tomorrow night. Everyone is going to Beach Bums so you better warm up that voice cause you know they are going to make you perform something.”
Oh great. Just what he wanted. To meet the love of his life’s boyfriend. A filthy rich one too. He rolled his eyes and let out a groan.
“I knew it. One day off in 3 weeks and I get to play at my old stomping ground. Does Tommy and Jake know about this?”
“Yep. I called Tommy last week and he said he was up for it and don’t give me that sour puss face. You know you want to and you know it’s going to lead to a harem of woman begging for it from you.”
The only thought in Carter’s over sexed mind was that there was only one girl he wanted to beg for it. He didn’t really mean beg. He never had the intention of fucking Casey and le
aving her like all the others. She was special to him. She needed love and affection. He would make passionate love to her. Soft and slow and connected. The others who so called begged for it, got a hard dicking and a quick ushering out the door as soon as it was through. No one compared to Casey no matter how many girls he slept with. It was just to get off. Nothing more. He always thought about her and fantasied that it was her calling his name out as he took Randy, Robin, Rachel, whomever. It was always Casey’s face he saw.
“Case, promise me I don’t have to play all night. Maybe just a song or two. I’d like to enjoy my time off and besides, we will be playing at the reunion too.”
“OK I promise, now let’s look on the T.V. and see what movie to rent and I promise no scary stuff.”
They decided to watch a buddy cop movie that neither one of them had seen. They ordered their Thai food and sat on the floor in front of the coffee table with all the take out spread across it. When the movie was through Casey was tired. She had worked three twelve hour shifts in a row that week and was ready for bed.
“I’m beat so I’m going to take a shower and hit the sack. You going up?” She turned to him to ask as she yawned and stretched.
“In a bit. I’m going to flip through the channels and catch tonight’s sports scores. Will I see you in the morning?”
“Yes. I don’t work again till Sunday morning so it’s good we are going out on a Friday night so I can have Saturday to recover.”
Casey walked over to him and he stood up to give her a hug goodnight. She wrapped her tiny arms around his neck and kissed his cheek. He buried his nose in the crook of her neck and of course inhaled her scent.
“I’m so glad your home Car. It hasn’t been the same since you left. I really missed you.”
“I missed you too Case and thanks for letting me crash. I’ll be gone for three months next time, so hopefully I’ll have a chance to maybe find a house so I don’t have to impose on you every time.”
She touched his cheek with her hands and rubbed it with her thumb. Carter you always impose. That’s what you do.” She laughed and walked away. He called to her as she made her way up the stairs.
“Smart ass.” She pushed her hip out and smacked one of her own ass cheeks. That image was going to stick in his mind for the rest of the night.
He heard the shower turn on and he grabbed his cell and dialed Tommy’s number.
“Dude.” He heard Tommy say. “ Did you finally bang Casey? Is that why your calling, to brag?”
“Fuck off dude, and no. That’s not what I had in mind.”
“Oh yeah then what did you have in mind? Act like Puritans and go milk a cow or something together?”
“It’s not like that and you know it. I came here to tell her I loved her and that I want to marry her, but before I got a chance she tells me she’s got a fucking boyfriend and that she thinks she’s in love with him.”
He took a very long pull of his beer.
“Aw man that sucks. I guess it’s the old saying you snooze you lose. You should have told her 9 years ago when you fucking met her man.”
Carter rolled his eyes and rubbed his forehead with his hand.
“Don’t you think I know that? I think it may be too late. Maybe I should just keep it the way it is. Friends.”
“ Dude you have it so bad for her that I’ve seen you act like a kid on Christmas morning when you would see that it was her on that fucking video chat do hickey thingy. You are such a whipped pussy. It's almost too sickening to watch. Just fuck her brains out and get it out of your system. Don't you look around and see all that fresh muff that's around us. Why even be stuck on one fucking chick. I mean I love Casey. She's a doll but come on Lond. You could fuck anything that rubs her tits against you."
“Thanks douche bag. I appreciate it. So I guess you and Case cooked up a little scheme for us to play at Beach Bums tomorrow night?”
“Well, she called and asked. It’s no big deal. We can just do a few songs then call it a night. You know that we would have gotten hounded regardless. We haven’t been home in six months. There may be fresh, new pussy for us to get our hands on.”
“You go right ahead man. I’m keeping it in my pants. That’s how I lost her in the first place nine years ago.”
Tommy told Carter that him and Jake, the drummer from Luminosity would drop off his keyboard and guitar to him at Casey’s sometime tomorrow. After he hung up he shut the T.V. off, threw away his empty beer bottle and grabbed a bottle of water. He made his way up the steps to the guest room. He saw that Casey’s door was slightly open and he peeked in to find her cuddled up amongst a sea of pillows and a fluffy down blanket. Her face was turned to the door and the light from her T.V. cast a glow on her beautiful face. Carter just rested his head on the frame of the door and looked at her angelic features. He thought that there was no other resplendent specimen of a woman in the world for him. What he wouldn’t give to be next to her in that bed. Holding her and kissing her neck. Whispering words of love and devotion to her, exploring every inch of her body until she cried out his name in pleasure. If she belonged to him, he would never grow tired of telling her how much he loved her. He needed to make her see that he wasn’t like his rock and roll persona. He wanted no other women. He just wanted her. Carter made his way to the bathroom and brushed his teeth and took much needed cold shower. The sight of her in her tank top laying there sleeping stirred something in him and he needed to calm himself down so he took matters into his own hands so to speak. Afterwards he went in his room and climbed under the soft covers and blanket. He put his arms behind his head, looked to the ceiling and took a deep breath in through his nose. He could have sworn he smelled Casey’s scent all around him. He wished she were beside him but he had his chance nine years ago and he blew it. He closed his eyes as he thought back to that night.
2003
Casey and her friends Lyla, Nikki, and Noel were going to try to sneak in a bar called Beach Bums. They knew one of the bartenders from school knew sometimes if you flirt with the bouncer at the front door he may let them in. They all looked hot that night and they were anxious to see the new band Dare that was playing that night. The band was made up of three guys from Clearwater who went to Bayshore College and apparently they were super talented and hot as holy hell.
The girls did exactly what they were supposed to do. Lyla and her double D cups strolled up first. She flashed her fake I.D. to the bouncer and her studied her. She unzipped her purse and purposely spilled the contents of it onto the bouncers lap as he sat on a stool outside the entrance. She looked down and made a tisk tisk noise.
“Oh my, how clumsy of me. Here just let me pick everything up.” Lyla bent over as her breasts practically came spilling out of her tube top. She began picking up the contents all the while grazing his crotch with every pluck of an item she was placing back into her purse. The bouncer stared at her with his mouth agape. He was basically drooling and speechless. All 6 foot 5 of him. After she was done she slipped him her number and whispered in his ear “ Why don’t you call me when you get done tonight. I’m sure me and my friends will still be here then we can let the real fun begin.” She winked at him.
The poor guy just shook his head yes and held the door for the girls. He was still in a daze from her grandious display of sluttiness. She was a pro.
The girls walked through the doors and straight to the outdoor bar area that was near the stage decking where the bands played at Beach Bums. It was right on the water in a town called Madeira. It was only a few miles from Bayshore College. They cabbed it there so if they drank there would be no worries on how they would get home. The girls made their way to one of the bars and ordered drinks. They found a small table on the side of the stage and saw a few other friends from their dorm. Soon a man came onto the stage and took the microphone and began to speak. The girls made their way towards the front of the stage in anticipation of the band to go on.
“Hey everyone. Thanks for coming out toni
ght. Tonight’s entertainment is sure to please everyone. This is their second week here and we hope this week is just a great as the last. Ladies and gentlemen, Dare.”
The lights went low. Almost dark and there was movement on the stage. The first lights came on and went right to the drummer, Jake Holcroft. He began beating out a rhythm.The second set of lights went to the base guitar player Tommy Lingetti. The third set of lights cast a glow upon a tall, black haired, tight as titans T-shirt wearing God of a man this South of the Border. The girls all looked at each other with gaping mouths. The lead singer grabbed the microphone still in the holder and wrapped both hands around it while his guitar hung off his chest. He began belting out Last Night by The Strokes. They were seriously good. More than good actually. The girls began jumping around and dancing among the others on the dance floor. The band members were all on the verge of turning 20 but they sounded like they had been playing since birth. Casey tried her damnedest not to stare at the lead singer. It was kind of impossible. The band played 4 more songs before the lead singer spoke to the crowd.
“Hey, I see a lot of happy people out here tonight. Thank you all so much for coming out and listening. Is everyone having fun?” The crowd yelled back an enthusiastic "yes."
“Good. That’s what I like to hear. I want to introduce us to you all. Behind me is our drummer Jake Holcroft, our bass player is Tommy Lingetti, and I’m Carter London. We’ve been playing together since high school and we all attend Bayshore College. How many Bayshore-ers are out here tonight?”
The crowd seemed to go berserk. Especially the gang right in front of the stage. Casey and her friends were screaming and raising their drinks in the air and that’s when Carter London first spotted Casey Colbert. His mouth went dry, his pulse raced and his next sentence, well he just couldn’t get it out of his mouth. Casey whispered to Lyla that she needed to use the bathroom and began to walk away. When she was out of his sights, Carter began to speak again.