by Ronna Gage
He shifted his position. “I wish a lot of things. Are you some kind of genie? I just rub your tummy, and my wishes come true? ”
“No, I’m just a simple woman, not a genie. If you rub me the right way, I can make a few wishes come true.”
Carter smiled and lowered his voice so only she heard him, and then he leaned in and whispered, “I’m counting on it.”
Kelli stopped and gave him a sidelong glance but didn’t comment on the innuendo. “I’ll see you at five.” She wasn’t equipped for this game. No matter what she said, he would retort with something that implied sex.
“See you then.”
She walked back to where her cousin sat waiting for her. The thrill of excitement bubbled under the surface of her skin.
“So, how did it go?” Tonya asked.
“We have a date this evening. He’s picking me up at five.”
Tonya looked down at her watch. “That’s doesn’t leave us much time.”
“Nope, not too long.”
“We’ll hang out here for another hour and then go up.”
Kelli nodded. She caught herself watching Carter across the pool. She smiled at the flirtatious, yet annoying, glances he sent her. He even vainly rubbed his stomach like a genie and smirked that wickedly charming grin. Kelli couldn’t wait to meet Carter at five o’clock. What will our first date be like? Would he be gallant? Would he be more compulsive to make her comfortable and forget he was poor?
“Let’s go on up now.”
Tonya and Kelli walked to the pool entrance. She looked at Carter and sent him a small wave. He gave her a nod. Excitement shot through her body. Inside the apartment, the clock on the mantle showed the time.
“Three o’clock. Just enough time to get ready.”
Chapter Three
The clicking sound of a doorknob announced the arrival of an occupant in the building. Each passing moment spiked Carter’s level of impatience. He paced the length of the lobby several times while he waited for Kelli to come down from the sixth floor. He froze in spot and waited. Every slight sound in the lobby added to the mounting tension.
To his disappointment, the female security guard strolled by while on her rounds. She smiled, and then exited through the door marked “private.” Several minutes later, a door squeaked in the silent foyer. He stopped in his tracks and turned toward it just in case she arrived. The door marked “Fire Exit” opened. Carter’s anxiety level hit an all-time high. His throat suddenly became too small for his neck; jitters filled his stomach, all anticipation worked overtime, and then two cheerleaders entered the room, possibly taking a shortcut to the main clubhouse.
“Hey, Carter!” one of them greeted.
The other winked.
Conditioned to be cool in any situation and out of courtesy, Carter nodded to them in a silent greeting as they walked past. He breathed a sigh of relief when the two women didn’t stop to make small talk. The last thing he wanted was to have Kelli find him talking to other females. How would she react? The idea did make him wonder, but tonight wasn’t the night he wanted to find out. Everything had to be perfect.
Why am I so nervous?
Nervous didn’t cover the hell his stomach was going through. To say why he felt edgy he didn’t comprehend, still, every time he thought about Kelli, he wanted her. He’d desired other women, but in his gut, he knew she would be different.
Finally, a loud ding from the elevator echoed in the room and caught his attention. He stood still and watched the numbers creep down at a sloth’s pace to the lobby. Four…three…two…one…at the bottom floor, the elevator doors opened. Carter held his breath, keenly aware of the anticipation building up within him. The second Kelli came off the elevator, he froze in place. Her feet padded softly on the marble floor. He chanced a step toward her, but his stiff cock made walking uncomfortable.
I’m so glad I wore loose-fitting jeans.
The peach lace tank dress scooped low enough to reveal her ample, golden, glitter-dusted cleavage. Her legs shone with moisturizer, and the firm, feminine shape of her body showed no flaws. His imagination went wild with visions of those silky legs wrapped around his waist, him rocking strong, steady thrusts into her, filling her with his cock.
She ambled toward him, and his breath caught in his chest for the second time that day. Her sun-kissed, bronzed cheeks glowed. A woman after satisfied sex couldn’t look any better.
“Wow!” Carter whispered.
Kelli stopped. “What?” Her smile slipped to a partial frown.
“You look beautiful.”
She blushed. Relief relaxed her features. His compliment meant something to her.
“Thank you. I hope I’m dressed appropriately. We are going somewhere casual, I hope.”
He nodded. “Yes.”
Carter hoped the façade of a cool and collected person remained intact, but deep down his reaction to her awed him and shook him to his core. His mind kept picturing all the ways he wanted to fuck her and leave her with that look of glowing satisfaction caused by him.
“How’s your hand?” She looked down at the bandage. “I see you’re no longer using the hand towel.”
Carter looked down at his hand. He’d forgotten he wrapped it with gauze and tape. “Oh, it’s all right. It’s nothing serious. I got some wonderful emergency care on scene.” He smiled.
The rose tint on her already flushed cheeks spread to cover the rest of her face. She lowered her head a fraction before she spoke. “I’m glad to help, but to be honest, I didn’t do much.”
With gentle hands, he took Kelli’s and lifted it to his lips. “Your tender touch kept the pain away.” He saw the effect his second compliment had on her. It struck a pleasurable nerve. She looked at him with uncertainty. Yet, buried deep in her eyes, he saw lust.
Carter liked her shyness, loved the fact that she blushed at the mere mention of something sexually overt. He wondered a lot about her. Maybe she’s a virgin or inexperienced at dating. Her bashful demeanor didn’t reflect that of a woman who fucked around. The notion turned him on. He took Kelli’s elbow in his uninjured hand and guided her to the revolving door.
“Where are we going?” she asked when he opened the door.
Outside, a light haze settled in the air. Unlike the unbearable heat from the afternoon sun, the moon-brightened sky marked a considerable coolness in the atmosphere.
“We’re going gambling.”
Kelli stopped in her tracks and glanced at him. “There isn’t gambling in Texas unless you count…Bingo?”
He chuckled, placed an arm around her waist, and led her to the waiting Corvette. “No, not bingo.”
“But gambling is illegal in Texas,” she stated with conviction. “Isn’t it?”
“What do you think the lottery is?”
“The lottery is for non-cash prizes or private casino parties.”
Carter opened her door and then looked down at her. “You know, I think you’re right.” He waited for her to take her seat. “The lottery is one big state fundraiser.”
Kelli cocked an eyebrow.
He stifled a laugh at her obvious skepticism.
She looked at the black sports car. “Whose car is this?”
“Dex let me borrow it for the night.” Glad he gave her an honest answer and not some put-on short lie.
Without looking, she stepped into the Corvette with her left foot, leaned into the car, and fell into the Corvette’s seat with a shriek.
Carter bit his tongue to keep from laughing at the blunder, but her wide eyes made it almost impossible.
“I’ve heard of falling out of a car, but never have I heard of falling into one,” Kelli murmured.
Carter couldn’t hold back the laughter anymore. It rumbled out before he gained control of it. “Nice trip?”
“You’re not helping!” She giggled a second later.
“How’s charm school, Grace?”
“I’ve heard that joke. Grace is supposed to be full of poise.
Well, fall on your ass and see how graceful you are.”
Carter roared. By the way she looked at him, he didn’t figure her to have a mean bone in her body. It felt good to laugh. He hadn’t done that in awhile. To let his guard down and enjoy the company of someone that wanted nothing from him. The idea gave him hope. He found himself mesmerized by her green eyes. He inched his way closer until her hands moved and distracted his gaze. She hurried to push the hem of her dress into place but not before he glimpsed the peach-clothed thatch of heat he most wanted. Slowly, he leaned closer to her and took in her scent. The smell of fruit and flowers tantalized his senses. They screamed to breathe in more of her, but her unease was detectable. Her hands clutched the material of her dress close to her thighs. He found her reaction disconcerting. Especially when he looked into her eyes and saw a tiny flash of trepidation. Does she think I would harm her? He didn’t know how to react to her hold. The women he usually dated had no problem showing off their bodies to him. They were amateur exhibitionists with enough liquor.
Carter couldn’t stand to see her discomfort. The need to set her mind at ease overcame him. He set his right hand over hers and silently groaned at the heat radiating between her thighs.
“It’s okay, sweetie. I’m not sure I want you showing off what I want to indulge in myself.”
Kelli looked at him for long seconds, curiosity glistening in her eyes. At last, her lips broke into a shaky smile. The expression changed from curiousness to understanding, and then to bashful realization. The semi-silent rumbling in her throat turned into a bout of nervous giggles.
Carter took her seat belt and buckled her in with great care. He noticed how she watched him.
“I can buckle my own seat belt,” she whispered in his ear.
When he looked up into her eyes, the desire reflecting in them was undeniable. Excitement coursed up his arms. “Yeah, but where’s the fun for me?”
The silence between them filled with the sounds of music from one of the nearby apartments. The indefinable lyrics didn’t deter his involuntary reaction to take her right hand and kiss her palm, and then down her wrist. Her breathing stilled for a fraction of a second, the pulse rate in her wrist jumped a notch and tapped his lips. Her attempts to swallow the lump in her throat echoed in the darkness. His gaze captured hers again. Her buckle fastened, he couldn’t find one particular reason to leave her, not even the urge to take the few seconds to go around the car. “If we’re going, we’d better leave,” he stated a few seconds later when awareness refocused his mind on the evening plans.
She cleared her throat. “Is there anywhere special planned for tonight?”
“Heaven,” he answered without missing a beat, and then shut the door.
* * * *
“Carter Banks is the most beautiful man I’ve ever seen,” Kelli whispered to herself in the quiet confines of the car. The second she saw him across the pool had piqued that interest. Now, watching him walk around the car, she admired the sight of round, taut ass cheeks in loose-fitted jeans. The mint green polo-style shirt enhanced his handsome features and highlighted his spectacular body for her hungry gaze. His soft brown eyes reminded her of chocolate, the same rich, decadent color of European chocolate. She longed to feel his strong, corded arms around her.
“Thank you, God, for creating such a fine specimen of a man,” she whispered a split second before he opened the door and got inside with her.
The enclosed space of the car filled with his tantalizing scent. Woods, clean soap, and spice aroused her senses. Her mouth watered with hunger. Play it safe, she told herself. Staring at her, he conveyed his desire for her. A blind person couldn’t have missed it. She wanted to lean forward and sample the taste of his lips.
“How is your butt?” Carter asked, breaking the erotic spell she was under.
She laughed. A floodgate of nerves released and flooded her with warm emotions. She didn’t know if it was the endorphins releasing their magical hormonal balance to the somewhat stressful situation or if it was Carter’s playful teasing. Either way, the ice was broken. In reality, there was nothing more embarrassing than falling into a car on her ass.
“I’m fine. Thanks for asking.”
Carter looked at her with a wicked wolfish smile. “Yes, you are.” He started the Corvette and pulled out of the parking lot.
Kelli sat in the quiet of the car. She and Carter passed the better part of an hour with small talk. Simple things—favorite colors, he liked blue. Their mothers’ maiden names, family goals, and of course career goals they planned. He earned an MBA, and she had a Bachelor in Education.
She didn’t mind the quiet background music on the stereo or the lulls in conversation. This was a first date and lulls in conversation were normal, but the long drive it took to get to their destination did have her at odds. Looking around, she asked the inevitable question.
Where are we going?
Kelli felt him take her hand and give it a little squeeze. She looked at him. “That’s comforting.” The heat of his hand felt good on hers, so good, in fact, that the comment slipped out of her mouth.
He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it.
Her stomach fluttered. She’d never had this kind of date before, and she adored him for being such a gentleman. The sight of him grazed over tight heartstrings and strummed a wonderful melody chord. She looked out the window to avoid any further music analogies and getting more tongue-tied. This night was the luckiest one of her life. Here she was on a date with this gorgeous man going God knows where. She wanted to pinch herself and make sure she wasn’t dreaming. Out of the window, her eyes caught the words on the sign as the car passed it.
You are now entering Oklahoma.
Surprised, she looked at Carter. “Where are we going again?”
“To Heaven.”
A nervous pang formed in Kelli’s stomach again.
This was no ordinary date.
Chapter Four
Kelli never suspected Carter would take her to Heaven, Oklahoma on their first date. Nevertheless, true to his word, they were going gambling.
The tiny casino town on the state line had nothing more than a large gaming hotel, a gas station, bank, and a small police station. Various cars, from small, compact Toyotas to a massive Hummer, crowded the casino parking lot. Carter pulled the Corvette into the spot between the Hummer and a Lexus. The second he turned off the engine, Kelli heard the dinging sounds of bells and the hoots of whistles in the distance.
“It sounds like someone is winning inside.”
“Yep.”
She doubted it was a good idea to waste money on a luxurious game of chance.
He wasn’t a rich man. His investment business was just starting to make a profit, so he said on the drive up. She felt guilty that he considered spending money on her. However, to lose it to gambling bothered her even more. She looked at him. “Carter, can you afford this?” Kelli asked without thinking. She did that a lot lately, speaking without processing it in her mind first. It became a habit she knew she should break. The intention wasn’t to make him angry about her concerns or to impugn his spending habits. She didn’t want to be the blame for his bankruptcy.
“What?” Carter didn’t seem upset. He seemed curious that she would inquire at all.
“Please forgive me, it’s just...” She fiddled with the hem of her dress and wished she could let the subject drop before it came up. She shouldn’t have put him on the spot like that. “I know you’re still trying to get your business off the ground. If this is too much of an expense for you, we don’t have to gamble.”
Carter smiled. “Don’t worry about it.” He raised his fingers to her cheek and stroked it. “Dex gave me a comp card. He said to enjoy and play as long as we want.”
Kelli sighed with relief. “Let’s not disappoint him then and enjoy his hospitality.”
Carter got out of the car, walked around to her side, and then opened the door. He offered Kelli his hand, which she happily
took.
He hoisted her out of the seat and into his hard chest. The feel of his heated breath on her ear and his strong arms around her waist drove the reckless urges of desire to race her heart. Unsure of herself, she slowly lifted her gaze to his. He looked at her with a pleasure that mirrored the need and desire her body vibrated with deep inside.
Her throat became thick. “I’m beginning to hate that seat,” she murmured for lack of a better comment.
Carter laughed. “Yeah? I kind of like it myself.” He lowered his head to hers.
She wanted to kiss him, or better yet, wanted him to want to kiss her. Don’t ask, just do it and be done with it. To her disappointment, he didn’t kiss her. He brushed his lips along her cheek to her ear.
The warmth of his body gave her a feeling of security and safety, cocooning her in more tingly feelings. She never felt that before. It both scared and delighted her.
“Why do you like the car?” she asked.
Why did I ask such a question at a moment like this? So close. Damn.
“So I can do this.”
He lifted her off the ground. Kelli lightly punched him on the shoulder. His lips pressed on hers. Her fist hung in midair for a second before coming down to grab his shoulders where her other hand already attached itself. He lowered her to the ground. Her fingers splayed, and then smoothed over his pecs. Under her examining palms, his muscles trembled. Slowly, he stopped the kiss.
Still enthralled by the moment, Kelli asked, “I…what…do you like about the seats again?” His hold tightened a bit around her waist.
“I like having you close to me.” He loosened his arms and sniffed the air around them. “I like smelling your scent as it fills the car’s interior. Hearing you breathe next to me.” His tongue licked her earlobe. Her breath caught. “Yes, precisely like that.”
Her body begged to give in to desire and brushed up against his. The reaction alarmed her. She wasn’t ready for this step. This whirlwind of emotions in her head must stop before it got out of hand. “Carter.” She knew her reply sounded desperate. “We…”