Amusement glinted in his pewter eyes. Her body tensed, and her nails dug into his upper arms. Did he think that was funny? “Actually, she did. I told her I had a bachelorette party to take care of and wanted to dance with my sister.”
“I’m not your sister.”
He sucked in a breath and leaned in. Sexy stubble clung to his jaw and hugged his lips. “No, you’re not.” He paused. “You jealous?”
“No. I don’t care if she turns you on. Go sleep with her. Isn’t that exactly what you’re looking for? A bit of fun with no strings?”
His lips firmed. “Sweetheart, holding your hand gives me a hard-on. That woman could strip naked in front of me and I wouldn’t be interested.”
His words pummeled her defenses like rocks against glass. She didn’t speak, caught between the need to believe him and the awful ache tearing her apart that urged her to move in and claim him. Touch. Pleasure. Possess.
Love.
He lowered his head and spoke against her mouth. “I haven’t stopped thinking about you or what you said. And I need to figure this shit out soon because I need you too damn bad. Now, let me hold you for a little while, sweetheart. Dance with me.”
She shivered and moved closer, her body giving up the fight and melting against him.
He growled her name and pulled her in, his hips cradled against hers, his arms wrapped around her waist, palms on her ass. In the dark and the neon flashing lights, they were just blurry silhouettes, mashed into a crowd of strangers. His lips coasted over her cheek, his breath a warm rush of air, his lips inches away from hers. Surroundings drifted away until she was caught in a cocoon of warmth and want, his scent in her nostrils, her fingers in his hair, drowning in a wave of hunger she no longer wanted to fight.
When the song ended, it took a long time for them to break apart. The release of his hold pained her, until they stood staring at each other on the crazed dance floor.
Ally and Maddie danced in between them, grabbing her wrist, and she was pulled away to disappear back into the crowd.
But his words haunted her.
She didn’t know if it was one hour that had passed or three when she realized the group had reached its limit. Ally was slurring, Judith was screaming from being music deaf, and Maddie had a wasted smile on her face. Noelle was a happy drunk and kept hugging everyone. Avery was just about to go find Carter and let him know they were done, when he appeared with one of the smartly dressed VIPs who held chilled bottles of water.
“Drink up, ladies,” he said cheerfully. “We’ll get you to your suites so you can relax and get some sleep.”
Everyone nodded, hydrated, and headed up to the elevators. Carter tipped the guy and personally escorted each of them into their rooms, which were all right next to each other. Avery had stopped drinking champagne after the dance with Carter, so she was more tired than tipsy, but she helped him make sure the ladies were okay by themselves and weren’t about to be puking all night.
Finally, the last door was shut. Avery stopped in front of her own room and slid out her key card.
“You okay?”
She swallowed and tried not to look at him. “Yep. I switched to water a while ago, so I’m fine.”
“You think they had a good time?”
That made her swivel her head to meet his gaze. She smiled. “Yeah. They had a great time. It was the perfect evening. I can’t remember the last time I had so much fun dancing.”
“Me, either. Sometimes I get caught up in all the dos and don’ts and forget how to live.”
She stiffened. His words pummeled her like sharp, tiny stones, tearing at her defenses. “I do that, too,” she admitted. “I’m in my head a lot and like to plan things out so there are no surprises. It’s good in my career. But lately . . .” She trailed off, afraid to finish her statement.
He moved closer. The leashed heat and strength of his body pulled her in. “What?” he asked softly. The masculine scent of spice and whiskey surrounded her.
She swallowed. Poised on the edge, she uttered the truth. “Lately, I wonder if I’m missing out from all my self-inflicted rules. I haven’t allowed any space for mistakes. For stolen walks on the beach after hours, and magical adventures and passion.” All she could think of were Taylor’s words, urging her to take a chance, to grab the opportunity for pleasure even with an unknown future. Was she so scared of living she’d rather lock herself up into a safe relationship and miss out on being with a man who rocked her world? All this time, she’d hidden and been safe. Where had that gotten her? Content, but lonely. Satisfied with her career, but not her personal life. Was it finally time to stop doing the right thing and grab what she wanted?
Grab who she wanted?
As if sensing her inner struggle, his breath rushed out, and he laid his hands on the door beside her, trapping her in but not touching. “Avery.” Her name was a whisper and a shout, a mixture of longing and need and hunger that called to her, promising her endless ecstasy. “If I step in that room with you, I’ll be in your bed. I won’t be able to stop myself. But you need to be sure. I can promise you till Labor Day. I can promise to open myself up to you and see what happens between us. It needs to be enough. And it needs to be your choice.”
She bowed her head and shuddered, her mind and body engaged in a bloody, silent war of long-term habits versus the awakening of feelings she’d never experienced before. It didn’t take long to make her decision.
She slid in the key card, and the door clicked. He removed his hands and stepped back. Avery opened the door, turned, and reached out her hand.
Their gazes locked, and sexual energy crackled and seethed between them, a warning of what was to come.
Carter took her hand and walked inside, kicking the door closed behind him. For a few endless, aching seconds, he stared into her face as if needing assurance this was what she really wanted. And then, a tiny smile touched his lips. Without another word, he scooped her up into his arms and carried her to the bed.
Chapter Seventeen
Carter’s hands shook as he laid her gently on the king-size bed. The moment she outstretched her hand, a deep sense of fated purpose rose up inside him, as if all his endless moments had led up to this.
Ridiculous. He didn’t believe in poetry or cheesy admissions of finding the one, but right now, he was helpless to fight the voice. So he pushed it aside and concentrated on the woman lying on the bed, waiting for him.
Deliberately, not breaking eye contact, he reached in the pocket of his jeans, slid out a condom, and placed it on the bedside table. He noticed the tiny shiver that shook through her, the lust shining in those gorgeous hazel eyes. Oh yeah, that turned her on. He couldn’t wait to find out how many ways he could make her come in one night, and what other things brought her pleasure.
His dick was already painfully hard. He deepened his voice and reached out to touch her hot cheek. “Do you know how long I’ve fantasized about you laid out for me?”
“As long as I’ve fantasized about you,” she said simply, shivering.
Not wanting to scare her or lose control, he moved slowly, sitting on the edge of the bed to look down at her. He pressed kisses over her face, arranging her hair so it fanned out over the pillow. She lifted her head, searching for more, but he kept up the easy pace, his lips sipping at hers like a fine wine he wasn’t ready to drink yet. “You taste so sweet.”
She made a needy sound. “Give me more,” she demanded, her fingers twining around his neck.
“Want to be sure I go slow,” he said. His mouth slid over hers with deliberate motions. “Not rush you.”
“You scared of me, robot man?” she teased, her teeth nipping at his lower lip. The quick bite of pain made arousal roar in his blood. “Am I too much to handle?”
Oh yeah. This woman wouldn’t break easily. She could take his rough, almost-primitive hunger burning to get out and devour her whole. The thrill of the hunt shot through him.
He thrust his tongue deep in her m
outh, holding her head still as he ravished her with all the raw hunger he’d been fighting to tame. When she lay boneless underneath him, clinging to him while her hips arched for more, he slowly pulled back and gave a slow grin. “Funny, I always fantasized about you begging me. Especially after all the insults and trouble you put me through.”
Her snort was delectable. “You wish.”
His dick hardened at the unspoken challenge. “Care to bet?”
Cheeks flushed, lips already slightly swollen, she wrinkled her pert nose. “Thought we’d left bets behind us.”
His hands tugged off her skimpy top, baring her lace-covered breasts to his eyes. “This one could be a win-win for both of us. I make you beg, and you give me an entire free day of your time to do as I wish.”
Her hazel eyes widened. “Like I’m your slave?”
“Exactly.” His gaze raked over her half-naked body. “Always wondered what you’d look like in a French maid costume.”
An outraged gasp escaped her lips. “Hell no. That’s never gonna happen.”
“So no bet?”
He loved the fire that lit up her eyes with the prospect of a good challenge. “Fine. But if I don’t beg, you’re on call for me. You either babysit Zoe or serve drinks shirtless at one of my bachelorette parties.” An evil glint in her eyes flashed. “My choice.”
Damn, she was ruthless. God, he loved it. He lowered his mouth to hers and growled. “Done.”
Then he kissed her hard.
She gave it all back, opening her mouth to his and wrapping her legs tight around his hips.
He slowly broke the kiss and peeled her skirt up so it bunched around her hips, then stared at the tiny scrap covering her sweet pussy, sucking in a hard breath. “God, you’re so damn beautiful.” His finger traced the sensitive crease of her thighs, running a teasing path over her shivering skin. “The things I want to do may shock you, sweetheart.”
She wriggled her hips and began unbuttoning his shirt. “You don’t scare me.” Her bravado contradicted her trembling fingers as she ripped the fabric open, then dug her nails into his chest. He hissed in reaction, and it made her feel bolder. “I didn’t wait this long to be safe now,” she challenged.
In one swift movement, he dragged her panties down her legs and threw them on the floor. Slowly, he parted her thighs wide, opening her up to his hungry gaze. He took a while to stare at her, arousal squeezing his dick at her gorgeous swollen, pink lips, already wet for him.
“Carter.” Her voice tore at him, slightly ragged, slightly nervous.
He grinned, and lowered himself down to the bed, his shoulders braced between her legs. “I can’t wait to hear you beg,” he whispered.
“You bastard. I—oh God!”
He licked her, gathering her spicy essence and exploring every slick, satisfying inch. Ignoring the bundle of nerves throbbing for attention, he took his time, savoring every cry and wriggle as he pleasured her. Curving two fingers, he pushed inside her tight channel, experimenting until he hit the spot that made her heels arch into the bed and her body tighten.
Yes, right there.
With a low murmur of satisfaction, he kept up the steady rhythm while he teased her clit, pressing light kisses that never satisfied, until he felt her entire body poised on the edge, his name chanting from her lips. Then he closed his lips over the nub and sucked hard.
She came, twisting in his grasp, but he held her down and never let up the pressure, extending her orgasm. Drunk on her taste and open, heated response, he waited until she’d collapsed onto the mattress, panting for breath, her muscles limp and useless. Then he slid back up, cupped her cheeks, and took her mouth in a deep kiss.
When he finally released her lips, she stared at him with dazed hazel eyes. “I didn’t beg,” she managed drunkenly.
He laughed, unclasping her bra and pulling it off so she lay gloriously naked underneath. “That was just a warm-up, baby. Now I’m ready to get serious.”
He’d wrecked her, and he was just getting started.
Avery lay helplessly beneath his hard-muscled body as she tried to recover from the intense, mind-blowing orgasm. Oh, that mouth was skilled. She should have known he’d bring the same ruthless attention to detail in seducing a woman as hacking a computer program.
Even now, he was revving her back up. Plumping both breasts with his hands, he scraped his teeth against her tight nipple, then laved it with his tongue, bringing the peaks to such sensitivity, a sob caught in her throat.
Dear God, she didn’t stand a chance. She’d be begging in another three seconds, just to feel the exquisite sensation of him sucking hard on her nipple.
Fighting the drugging lethargy, she knew there was only one thing left to do.
Rally.
“Carter?”
He looked up, his lips damp, pure male satisfaction glinting from his eyes. “Yeah, baby?”
“My turn.”
Without warning, she hooked her ankle over his leg, mustered her strength, and flipped him over. Crawling on top of his body, she braced both legs around his hips and arched her back, displaying her naked body for his pleasure. Pride coursed through her at the raw hunger and lust in his gaze while he studied her, surrendering to her dominant position. Avery was amazed by how natural and free she felt in her sexuality with him. She’d never been a prude, but struggled with displaying her most erotic side to men, always a bit shy with her naked body and its curviness, wondering if they thought she was fat. But not with Carter. Every look and touch reminded her he wanted her.
“I can’t get enough of you,” he murmured, reaching up to cup her breasts as she undulated and shook out her hair. “You’re so fucking beautiful.”
“And you’re overdressed,” she said with a wicked grin. “Let me take care of that.”
She unsnapped his jeans and tugged them down his legs. She took in the black briefs and the impressive erection that pressed against the soft fabric. Oh, he was so ready. She finished parting the folds of his shirt, and he lifted up to help her shrug it off his body. Her mouth watered, and she ran her fingers down his chest, exploring every carved muscle, loving the feel of his crisp hair tickling her palms. “How are you so fit for a computer guy?” she asked, stroking along the waistband of his underwear.
His stomach muscles tightened. “I work out an hour a day. Weights and cardio. It’s in my schedule to avoid back and muscle issues from a repetitive-motion career.”
God, he was nerdy. Adorable. And sexy as hell.
“That’s hot,” she breathed out, running her tongue over the same intriguing line she’d traced with her fingers. She cupped his hard length, squeezing him with the fabric barrier, and only when he groaned and thrust into her hands did she begin to peel off his underwear.
It was time to make him beg.
She lowered her head and took him into her mouth. He hissed her name into the air, and his fingers tangled into her curls. She used her hands to stroke while she sucked him hard, her tongue running up and down the underside of his swollen shaft, relishing the power of his need and the musky taste of him. She hummed low to give him the slight vibration of her throat, and with a vicious curse, he suddenly loomed up, grasped her hips, and flipped her back over on the mattress. His face reflected the primitive aura of a man pushed to the edge, and she panted for breath as he grabbed the condom from the side table, tore the package open, and sheathed himself.
She parted her legs wide, half-crazed with the need to feel him inside her. Dropping a kiss to her inner thigh, he lined his shaft up, his gaze hot on hers. He lifted his hips and pushed inside her. Inch by slow inch, the sweet invasion stole her breath, filling every part of empty space in her body and her heart. When he was buried to the hilt, he lifted her legs onto his shoulders. Silver-blue eyes glinted with satisfaction.
“Hold on, sweetheart.”
In one swift motion, he pulled out and slammed back into her. She gasped, and her fingers clawed for purchase, caught between pushing him a
way and pulling him close. Buried deep, he paused to allow her to adjust to his size and girth, her breath coming out in choppy pants.
And with a slow smile, he did it again. And again.
Avery arched her head into the pillow as her body tightened and pulsed, all her focus sharpened on the empty, hungry ache that rose up in torturous waves. Her toes curled, and he kept hitting some magic spot that shot sensation straight to her clit and heated the blood in her veins to lava. His fingers began to pluck and play, and his hips rolled with each thrust, harder and harder. Squirming helplessly beneath him, she called out his name, the blistering need for release twisting through her.
“So good,” he murmured, watching her face as he rubbed the throbbing bundle of nerves in too-light strokes. “God, I can’t get enough of you.”
Another deep plunge, scraping her clit just right and pulling a scream from her lips. “Carter. Please!”
His face tightened, as if he were struggling to hold his control. “More, sweetheart? Tell me.”
“Yes, I need you. Please—”
With a roar of satisfaction, he lifted her higher and thrust inside her one last time. Then rubbed her clit.
The climax rolled over her and bit deep, throwing her muscles into mini-convulsions as the sheer pleasure exploded and burned through her entire body. Practically sobbing his name, she heard his low shout as he followed her over, his hips jerking helplessly.
Dazed and feeling half-drunk, she collapsed underneath him, and he rolled off her body. “Be right back,” he whispered.
She heard him in the bathroom, and then he returned, slipping under the covers and pulling her tight against him. She cuddled into his chest, enjoying the feel of his sleek, damp skin, the scent of spice and sex lingering in the air, the heated cord of muscles tangled with her softness.
Love on Beach Avenue Page 23