He climbs in the truck and turns the ignition on.
“So …” he says, meeting my eyes across the space between us. His eyes are dark and glittering with desire for me. “We have an hour before we told Sadie we’d be back. Do you want to do anything else? Or we can go home now? Whatever you want, Red.”
“There is one thing I’d really like to do,” I softly tell him, nerves creeping up my throat.
“Oh, yeah? What?”
I bite my lip, delaying, and then decide to just go for it. I take a breath and blow it out. “Go back to your house, River. That’s what I would really like to do right now.”
Carrie
River opens his front door, stepping aside to let me inside first. He follows me in and closes the door behind him. He takes me by the hand and leads me into the living room. He clicks on a lamp. He lets go of my hand, and I stand and watch as he walks over to a cabinet. He bends down and lifts up the lid. Flicks a switch on it. I hear a scratch, and then music starts to play—“The Power of Love” by Frankie Goes to Hollywood.
River turns to me. The look in his eye makes my insides tremble with anticipation and need.
He walks over to me. Stopping an inch from me, he stares down into my eyes. “Dance with me?”
“I’m not a good dancer,” I tell him.
“Me neither. We can be bad together.”
He takes hold of my right hand with his left. His other hand slides along my waist and around my back, his fingers pressing gently against me, urging me closer.
I settle into him.
And we start to move together.
Eyes on each other, we sway to the music.
I listen to the lyrics. They’re beautiful.
“I like this song,” I tell him.
He nods. “Me, too.” He leans his face down to mine, brushing his nose over my cheek, making me shiver. He says into my ear, “But I like you more.”
I turn my eyes to his. And then we’re kissing.
The soul-deep, toe-curling, drive-you-wild kind of kissing.
The kind of kissing that only leads to one thing—sex.
The feel of his lips on mine is like fireworks and symphonies. My skin buzzes with electricity. I can’t get enough of him. Feel enough of him.
His hand releases mine. I wrap my arms around his neck. Both his big hands slide down my back and curve over my butt.
He lifts me like I weigh nothing. I wrap my legs around his waist.
We’re still fused at the mouth, kissing like the world is about to be hit by an asteroid.
My fingers glide up into the hair at the back of his head, gripping.
He moans into my mouth.
I feel it low in my stomach.
“Take me to bed,” I whisper against his lips.
He doesn’t need telling twice.
He carries me through the living room and upstairs to his darkened bedroom.
He leaves the light off.
River lowers me to my feet. “Turn around,” he says in that sexy, low voice of his.
I turn with deliberate slowness, giving him my back.
His fingers find the zipper on the back of my dress. He drags it down. The sound tantalizingly loud in the silence.
His hands push the dress off my shoulders, down over my hips, letting it fall to the floor. Leaving me in my lacy black underwear and my red heels.
I turn to face him.
His eyes move down my body, the moonlight in the window casting light over us.
“You’re so fucking beautiful, Carrie,” he whispers roughly.
“And you’re still dressed.”
I reach out and unbutton his shirt with shaky fingers, taking my time, the way he did with my zipper. When the last button is undone, I slide my hands up his bare chest and push the shirt back off his shoulders.
He frees his arms from it and tosses it to the floor.
I lean forward and press a kiss to his bare chest, over his heart.
He shudders. His hand slides into my hair, gripping it, and he tilts my head back and covers my mouth with his.
He walks me backward, not breaking our kiss once, until the backs of my legs hit his bed.
I sit down on the edge of it. I unbutton the fastening on his pants and lower the zipper.
River kicks off his shoes and removes his pants. Then, he takes off his boxer shorts.
I suck in a breath.
He’s still as big and perfect as I remember him being.
The sight of his cock makes my mouth water. I’ve never had this reaction to a man’s penis before. But, with his, I definitely do.
He reaches down and fists his cock.
It’s so insanely erotic.
He’s so virile and just so goddamn male.
I want to know what he tastes like. How he will feel in my mouth.
I reach my hand out, covering his over his cock, bring my mouth to his dick, and press a kiss to the tip of it.
He sucks in a deep breath. The muscles in his stomach tightening.
I part my lips and slide the tip of him into my mouth.
He tastes salty and musky. I like it.
River leans over me and unsnaps my bra, removing it. I have to take my mouth and hand off him to let him do so.
I don’t get a chance to get my hand or mouth back on him because he lowers to his knees in front of me.
He removes my heels from my feet. Then, he hooks his fingers into the elastic of my panties. I lift my hips to give him purchase.
He slowly pulls them down my legs until they’re gone. And there’s nothing left to remove.
Just him and me, completely bare to each other.
“If there’s any hard limits for you … any triggers … tell me. I don’t want to fuck this up. You’re too important, and I’ve waited too long to mess it up now.”
I swallow back my emotions. I touch my hand to his cheek. “You won’t mess it up because I trust you.”
He turns his mouth into my palm and presses a kiss there.
“And the same with you, River … if there’s anything …”
He shakes his head. “There’s nothing I don’t want or won’t do with you. I want it all. I want all of you, Carrie.”
I bring my mouth to his and kiss him again.
The kiss turns molten in seconds.
River’s pushing me back onto the bed. I’m scooting back to make room for him.
He lies over me, propped up on one hand. The other slips between my legs.
“Fuck, Carrie, you’re so wet.”
He runs his finger between my lips. Then, he slides his finger inside me.
I groan at the sensation.
He brings his mouth to my breast and runs his tongue over my nipple, licking it.
His thumb starts to rub against my clit. He sucks my nipple into his mouth. I feel the graze of his teeth over it.
My hands clutch his hair, as I’m overwhelmed with all the sensations flowing through me.
“I won’t last,” I tell him, knowing I’ve wanted him so badly for so long. I can feel my body priming to go off like a rocket.
“I need to taste you,” he growls. Then, he’s moving down my body and covering my pussy with his mouth.
The orgasm hits me with the power of a freight train.
I scream out his name. Body writhing with the power of the orgasm.
I’m still shaking when he lifts his head and moves back up my body.
He takes my mouth with his. I can taste myself on him. I’ve never done that with a man before—tasted myself on his lips. It’s maddeningly erotic. I feel like I could come again. Or maybe it’s just him that makes me feel this way.
“I need you,” I tell him.
Something virile and wholly male flashes in his eyes, making me shiver with need.
His voice is as dark as his eyes when he says, “You’ve got me, Carrie. Always.”
I reach down and take him in my hand. His muscles ripple from the hard shudder in his body.
> “I need to fuck you,” he rasps, deep and sexy. “No condom. I want you bare.”
I’m on the pill; he knows this. And I trust him. Like I’ve never trusted anyone before.
“Please,” is all I can manage. I want this man more than the next breath in my lungs. I’m starved for him.
Lining his cock with my entrance, he plunges deep inside me, making me cry out.
“Fuck, Carrie,” he grits out. “You shouldn’t be this tight after having a baby two months ago.”
A laugh flies out of me. “Maybe I’m not tight, and it’s just that your dick is ridiculously big.”
“Say that again.”
“I’m not tight,” I tease, knowing what he wants me to say.
“Red …”
“Dick, River. Is that what you want me to say?”
“Fuck yeah,” he groans. Pulling out of me, he slams back in.
I wrap my arms around his neck, bringing his mouth to mine. He kisses me deep and wet and dirty.
His hand grips hold of my hip, holding me in place.
His fingers are digging hard into my skin, but that only seems to turn me on even more. Knowing how badly he wants me from the strength of his grip and the hardness of his cock.
His hip bone is rubbing against my clit with every move he makes against me. His cock strokes a delicious spot deep inside me.
It’s like sensory overload.
“Tell me you’re close, Carrie. Because I’m not gonna last much longer. You feel too fucking good.”
“I’m close,” I pant. “Just keep doing … that … right … there. Yes, oh, yes … please!” I’m hit with an orgasm stronger than the first.
My inner muscles contract around him, squeezing him.
“Fuck, Carrie. You’re making me come … so … hard.” His hips jerk against mine as he pours himself inside me.
We’re sweet kisses against fevered skin. Neither ready to let this moment end.
River takes my face in his hands, framing it. He brushes my hair from my forehead with his thumbs. Staring down at me in the dark.
I smile up at him. “What?” I whisper.
“I love you,” he says. The words spoken so simply … easily but with so much meaning.
My heart stutters in my chest. Then, sheer delight ripples through me, blanketing every inch of my skin.
I cover one of his hands with mine. “I love you, too,” I tell him.
His lips lift into a beautiful smile, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “I want us to be together. You, me, and Hope. I want us to be a family.”
“I want that, too. So much.”
God, my heart feels like it might burst. I never believed that I could have something so good, so pure. But I do. I’ve got it here, right now, in my arms.
River drags his thumb over my lips, presses a kiss there, and then buries his face into my neck, tightly holding me. And I hold him back equally as tight.
Carrie
I finish up in River’s shower and wrap a towel around myself. I decided to get a quick one while I was here because no-condom sex can be a bit messy.
I left him lying in bed.
I can’t believe that he told me that he loves me.
It’s all just so perfect. He’s perfect.
And I’m sickeningly happy. Like tooth-achingly happy. I’m like a Hallmark movie.
And you know what? I’m glad.
Because happiness doesn’t come around often for people like me. So, I’m going to grab it with both hands when it does.
And it has. With River. And Hope.
I’m so lucky to have them both.
I dry my body with the towel and put my clothes back on, which I gathered up from the floor and brought in with me.
I let my hair down from the band that I tied it up with. And I go back into the bedroom.
River’s still in bed. Arms behind his head, he smiles at me.
“You sure I can’t tempt you back in?” He gives me a sexy grin, pulling back the cover to show me his impressive and ridiculously hot body.
And it is seriously tempting, but …
“I need to get back to Hope. I’m already ten minutes past the time I told Sadie that I would be back, and I hate to be late.”
River slides out of bed and pulls his boxer shorts on.
“You go back home to our girl. I’ll grab a quick shower here, and then I’ll come straight on over.”
I walk up to him, laying my hand against his chest. “You’re going to spend the night?”
“Don’t I every night?”
“Not in my bed.”
“You want me in your bed?”
I tip my head to the side and let a slow smile on my lips. “What do you think?”
“I think I’m getting lucky again tonight.”
Laughing, I press a quick kiss to his lips and turn for the door. He swats my ass with his hand, making me laugh even harder.
We head downstairs. River opens the front door, letting me out. I step onto the porch.
He tucks my hair behind my ear. “I’ll watch you walk over.”
“It’s like twenty steps to my house,” I tell him.
“More like fifty. And you think bad things don’t happen to people—”
“Even in the shortest of distances,” I finish for him. “I know.”
I kiss him again because I can. One last lingering kiss to keep me going until he comes over.
“I’ll be over in fifteen,” he tells me as I start to walk away.
Turning, I walk backward and smile at him. “How about ten?”
He smiles. “Ten it is.”
I blow him a kiss and then face forward, so I don’t fall over on my ass in those heels.
I reach my front garden and walk up the path.
Out of nowhere, I feel a chill on the back of my neck. I glance around, only to see darkness.
I look back, and River is still standing at his door. Watching and waiting.
I get my front door key from my clutch and push it in the lock, turning. I lift my hand in a wave to let River know I’m going in.
He lifts his hand back in return.
I push open the door and let myself inside the warmth and brightness of my house.
“Hey. Sorry I’m late,” I say to Sadie as I enter, closing the door behind me.
She’s sitting on the sofa, watching some medical drama on TV. Buddy is curled up beside her.
He clambers down at seeing me and wanders over. I pick him up and kiss his head.
“You’re hardly late.” Sadie chuckles. “And you could’ve stayed out longer. It’s not exactly a hardship, being here with the cutest and world’s best-behaved baby and my little Buddy here. And then there are the cupcakes.”
“Can’t forget those.”
“Did you make them?” she asks, getting to her feet.
I nod, suddenly feeling shy.
“They’re really good, Carrie. You’ll have to make them for the diner sometime.”
“I’d like that. How was Hope?” I change the subject. Not because I don’t want to bake food for the diner, but it’s still hard for me to receive compliments. Seven years of being told I was useless made sure of that.
But I’m learning slowly.
“She was perfect, of course. She had a bottle and then passed right out. I put her down in her room and brought the monitor in with me.” She gestures to the baby monitor sitting on the coffee table. “I checked in on her about thirty minutes ago, and she was fast asleep. Haven’t heard a peep from her.” Sadie slips her shoes onto her feet and picks up her car keys from the coffee table. “So … how was the date?” Her eyes gleam at me.
I bite the corner of my lip. “Good.” I nod, feeling a blush creep up my neck. “Really good.”
She smiles widely. “I’ll ask no more.” She winks. “I’m just glad you and River are together. You two both deserve happiness.”
“As do you,” I remind her.
I’m not the only one with a bad pas
t. Sadie had her very own Neil, too. She deserves all the good the world has to give her.
She shrugs, pulling her jacket on. “My time will come.”
I put Buddy down to the floor and walk Sadie to the door. Giving her a hug and kiss on the cheek, I thank her again for watching Hope.
Buddy and I stand in the doorway and watch Sadie walk the short distance to her car. She gets in and turns on the engine. She gives me a wave before pulling away.
I glance over at River’s house, seeing it all lit up. Knowing that, right now, he’s in the shower, all soapy and wet.
Sweet Lord. I’m getting hot, just thinking about it.
“Come on, Budster.”
I step back inside, and Buddy follows me. I shut the door behind us. I go to lock it and then stop because River is coming over. I might as well leave it unlocked, so he can just come straight on in.
I take my heels off and carry them with me down the hall, dropping them just inside my door. I go straight into Hope’s room with Buddy at my heels.
Hope’s bedroom door is ajar, leaving a glow of light inside.
I tread softly across the floor. Reaching her crib, I stare down at my sleeping daughter. I lean down and press a light kiss to her soft cheek.
“Mama loves you,” I whisper, lightly smoothing my hand over her hair. “Sleep well, baby girl.”
As I leave her room, keeping the door open, Buddy settles down on the rug in Hope’s room.
“Toilet time soon, Buddy boy. But you can chill for now.”
I walk into my bedroom and take off my dress and underwear, tossing them into the laundry basket in my bathroom. I grab some clean panties and pull them on, followed by my plain white pajama top and baby-blue shorts. I don’t need to stay dressed up for River. He’s seen me at my worst when I was giving birth. If that didn’t put him off me, then nothing will.
I go in my bathroom and brush my teeth. When I’m finished, I look at myself in the mirror.
My eyes are bright. My cheeks flushed.
I look happy.
When I think back to the person I was not even a year ago, it’s hard to reconcile that with the woman I am now. It’s crazy to believe that it’s not even been a year.
“You did it, girl,” I whisper to the mirror.
Switching off the bathroom light, I walk back through my bedroom. I glance at my bed, knowing I’m going to be sharing it with River for the first time tonight.
River Wild Page 21