Gage, Ronna - Send Her To Me (Siren Publishing Classic)

by Ronna Gage

  “I have to see him.” Her lips trembled. “Don’t say no.”

  “I don’t intend to stop you,” he whispered softly. “You may manhandle me again. And that’s no fun when I don’t get the pleasure of being bound.”

  Kelli laughed through her tears. “Dex, you’re a good friend for Carter, thank you.”

  He grabbed her purse off the hood of the car and dug around in it.

  ”Get out of my bag.”

  “Wait a minute. I’m looking for a handkerchief.” He pulled it out of her bag and used it to dab the tears away from her face.

  “We don’t want to upset him with your tears.”

  She grabbed her purse and took a step toward the door. Before she had a chance to enter the house, his hand stopped her.

  “I know I don’t have to say this, but I will anyway.”

  Kelli braced herself. “What?” She saw a serious glint in Dex’s eyes then in a snap, it was gone.

  “Don’t make any specific plans during basketball season.”

  Kelli laughed. “Dex, are you making plans for mine and Carter’s future?”

  “Someone has to.” He walked away, griping about the ordeal he’d witnessed. “With the way you two play games and shit, it’s a wonder anything gets done. Hell’s fire! Drama, fights, tears!”

  I hope you’re right about your insinuation about our future plans.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Carter blinked his eyes open. A splitting headache forced them to close immediately. His mouth felt dry. . I feel like shit! He sat up, and the room spun. Placing his feet on the side of the bed, he waited to gather his strength. He rubbed his hands down his face. “How in the hell did I get home last night?” Furthermore, how did I get up into my room…and into bed?

  A sudden shift of his mattress caught his attention. His mind searched the broken memories of the previous night. Who did I come home with last night? Confused and a little worried, he looked over his shoulder at the sleeping body. Kelli lay next to him. His gaze took her in. She’d slept wearing his old gray dress shirt. Just looking at her now reminded him of how much he loved her. Immediately the realization of her absence returned. What I wouldn’t give to get you back into my life. But he let her go last night. Then why is she here in my bed? It doesn’t matter. I will make everything all right. What about Paul? But Paul has a wife who’s pregnant.

  Carter straightened. “Paul is a fucking philanderer.” Screwing his wife over and knocking her up was one thing, but to drag Kelli into it is another matter. I won’t stand idly by and let Kelli ruin her life for that jerk. In his torment, the pessimistic side of his nature made its view. What’s the use, Carter? Maybe she wants to be there. Could she be trapped in a relationship she didn’t want? Theorizing what Kelli had or hadn’t done with Paul literally made him sick. His stomach rolled, and he belched and tasted the remnants of last night’s tequila shots and beer. The pounding headache worsened. With extra slow efforts, he placed his weight onto his feet and stood up. The room spun faster this time. He sat down and set his aching head in his hands.

  “I will never drink again.”

  Kelli sighed.

  He turned and looked at her. “God, Kelli. What have you gotten yourself into?” he whispered in anguish.

  “I wonder that a hundred times a day,” her sleep-husky voice answered him.

  Carter couldn’t take his eyes off her. “I didn’t mean to wake you.” Even knowing she saw a married man, he still wanted her.

  “You didn’t. I’ve been napping off and on all night.” She pulled herself up in a sitting position. “I wanted to stay with you and make sure you were all right. I hope you don’t mind.”

  At her words, he smiled. “No, I don’t mind.” She does care. He eased himself closer to her, laid across the bed, and rested his head on her folded legs. Reaching for her, he softly stroked her cheek.

  Her gaze panned his bedroom. “When did you move in here?”

  He picked a strand of her hair and played with it. “I moved in a week after you and I broke up.” Watching for a sign of turbulent emotions, he lay still and braced himself for another argument. When nothing happened, Carter inwardly admitted surprise. She didn’t make a big case out of the suspicion that he kept this from her as well.

  “I didn’t know you could have a house built this quick.”

  “I told you I was having my house built while we were dating. I liked the location, so I settled here.”

  Kelli eyed him for a moment. She laid her hand on his chest. “Carter, did you mean what you said to Paul last night?”

  What did I say to Paul last night? Hopefully, I professed my love for her. He had to be very careful with what he said. “Every word. Kelli, I haven’t stopped loving you. Just because…”

  She placed a finger over his lips. “Carter, ever since Larry hurt me, I became distrustful of men and used that as an armor to keep you at arm’s length. I told myself that I wouldn’t get hurt if I didn’t allow another man to get too close.”

  Carter thought about it and took a deep breath. He kissed her finger and removed it from his lips. “Yeah, I guess you can say I did the same.”

  “It wasn’t until I let my guard down that I met you. Out of nowhere, you came into my life and resided in my heart. Taking a chance and being hurt was worth it for you.”

  “What did we learn? How can we go from here?”

  He took her hand and held it. “Kelli, I’ve never had a relationship that I would say was honest. Unless, you count the one woman who told me she was interested in me only because I was capable of providing her with a life of leisure and comfort.” Carter smiled at the memory. It hadn’t been funny back then. The woman had balls. “That was the last time I recall any woman being straight up with me.”

  Kelli laughed. “In other words, she wanted a hefty sum for a divorce settlement.”

  Carter nodded. He didn’t like going into details about his failed relationships. He was more interested in his current one. “Kelli, what is Paul to you, and how does his wife fit into this affair you’re having with him?”

  * * * *

  “Paul and Jennifer are friends of mine.” Softly, she fingered his hair. “I work with Paul. Jennifer and I get along really well. They invited me out to dinner with them last night knowing I would be alone this weekend.” She smiled. “Since Jennifer became pregnant, Paul said she’s been mothering everyone. He and I were meeting Jennifer at the bar. They also helped me to find out what was most important. You loved me for real, and you were trustworthy.”

  Carter looked confused. “Paul told me he and his wife were separated. Are he and Jennifer not separated?”

  “No, they’re not,” Kelli admitted with a grin. “Jennifer was in Tennessee that day you met Paul. He used a technicality to get to you. He implied a separation, which you assumed meant his marriage was falling apart, when, in fact they are very much in love. Jennifer is carrying twins. If you had stayed around for five minutes that night, you would have met her.” She emphasized the last part with a soft poke to his chest.

  He hesitated. “So, there is nothing going on with you two?”

  She laid her hand on his chest again. “No. We just happen to work in the same place.” His heart beat a slow, steady tempo under her hand. Her steady gaze raised the tempo another notch and then another. “Besides, I can’t see another man right now.”

  “Why?”

  Kelli smoothed her thumb over Carter’s bottom lip. “I’m still in love with you.”

  Neither one glanced away from the other. His quick heartbeat was the only indication that her statement fazed him.

  “Why did we have to go through six months of hell?”

  Kelli sensed anger mixed with his confusion. “Because you had to prove you loved me. Not buying my love but proving yours was real. And I was scared.”

  “You don’t ever have to be afraid.”

  “I needed to know that you could be trusted. And you needed to sacrifice your ha
ppiness to prove it to yourself.”

  “How did I prove that?”

  “You let me go to find my happiness, even if it meant losing me to another man. My happiness was all that mattered to you.”

  “If you love someone, set them free,” he whispered.

  Silence filled the air.

  “What do we do now?” Kelli wondered aloud.

  “I think we should never let the other go.” He dipped his head and lightly kissed her lips. “I also think we should just love one another.”

  “I like it so far.” Kelli liked it when he took control. He was such a giving and caring person and lover. “What else?”

  Carter pulled the covers back. He settled himself between her legs. Slowly, he pulled at the three remaining buttons of the gray shirt. Once he had the last one undone, the shirt parted to reveal her breasts. The pink tips perked to buds. His cock sprang to life. Putting one arm under each knee, he scooted her down to a lying position. His eyes roamed over her body. “I have craved this body for months.” His thumbs hitched under the strings of her bikini panties. He smoothed his hands down her legs, pulled the panties past her feet, and tossed them on the other side of the room. “I also think that we should make love to one another often.”

  “I agree to all that you have suggested.”

  “I can’t believe you’re here,” Carter said, “in my bed, naked. And do you know what the thrilling part is?”

  Carter smoothed his tongue over her right nipple. “N-no, what?” Her voice hitched.

  “We can be more than friends.”

  Kelli smiled and watched him take his pajama bottoms off. “So much more.” She reached out to him.

  With slow, careful, caressing kisses, he edged his way up every inch of her body until his lips were a breath’s beat from hers. “I have another secret.”

  “Yeah, what’s that?” She panted to control the spasms that had already built up inside.

  “I’m rich, and I think you should start getting used to having money.”

  Kelli laughed aloud. Joy filled her heart. Carter was trying to start over. “Deal, only if you get used to having someone who loves you for you.”

  He bent his head and kissed her hungry lips.

  She moaned. The pleasure Carter invoked became evident by the heated, slick desire from her pussy that ran down to the sheets.

  Carter eased himself from the kiss and looked into her eyes. “Will you marry me?”

  The atmosphere suddenly changed from hot passion to pure love. “I thought you would never ask. By the way, we can’t make definite plans during basketball season.”

  “Who said?”

  “Dex told me that last night.” She giggled when Carter nipped her neck.

  “I have one more question.”

  “Aren’t you a nosey one today.” She laughed, and then cupped his cock.

  He looked around the room. “How the fuck did I get into bed last night?”

  Kelli laughed. “I fucking put you in bed.”

  “That’s what I love about you, Kelli. Your mouth is so ladylike.”

  “You don’t like my mouth? I didn’t hear you complaining about the unladylike mannerisms any other time.” Kelli licked her top lip seductively. “In fact, as I recall you said it was thrilling.”

  “Thrill me,” he challenged with a smirk of confidence.

  Kelli eased her way down to Carter’s engorged cock. Her fingertips fanned the head. A small drop of fluid oozed. She viewed it as a tear of joy.

  “Hello, Cocky. Do you remember me?” Kelli soothed.

  Carter laughed. “Cocky is painfully aware of who you are.”

  She looked up into his eyes. Her heart beat wildly against her ribs. “Who am I?” she asked, her throat husky with passion.

  “You are the reason for his very existence.” His finger traced a heart over her left breast. “The woman I love. The one who loved me for me all along.” He lifted up her left hand and kissed it. “And the one I intend to marry very soon. But, first things first.”

  He rolled her over and eased himself between her legs. “I’m staking my claim.”

  “Your claim?”

  He smiled. “Now that I know Paul didn’t have a chance with you, you’re mine.”

  “Even if he was free, he would never have a chance with me. I have always been yours.”

  He entered her slowly, and the broad tip of his cock stretched the tender membranes of her canal. “Are you all right?”

  “Yes,” she hissed.

  He eased in further. She hiccupped on a gasp and inhale of pain. The lack of intimate contact between them had been so long the adjustment burned, but she held on to his hips, digging her fingers into his flesh. He stopped. “Kelli, I can…”

  “No!” came the throaty growl of the inner tigress. “Don’t stop.”As he pushed deeper inside her, Kelli’s heart almost burst with pent-up emotions that she thought she buried deep inside. Trust, love, pride, and a small dot of pain soon surfaced and then disappeared within seconds. Tears welled up in her eyes and fell. Carter licked the tear away.

  “The way your pussy surrounds me is like a reassurance of something stronger to come.” He whispered in her ear.

  “What’s that? Children?

  “Well, that too, but more like I know that there will never be anything to come between us ever!”

  THE END

  WWW.RONNAGAGE.WEBS.COM

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Ronna Gage lives in Texas with her husband, son, dog and cat. When she is not writing romance novels she teaches at the local school district or watches her son and husband race motorcross.

  Also by Ronna Gage

  Paradise Mine

  Available at

  BOOKSTRAND.COM

  Siren Publishing, Inc.

  www.SirenPublishing.com