I’m going to strangle Kassidy when I find him, I swear to god, I’m going to do it this time. He always goads me into stupid shit and I fall for it every damn time, not wanting to be outdone by my nephew.
I stew on my stupidity all through the day. What was I thinking going in there? And what’s more, what the hell happened? I’m beginning to think I hallucinated the whole event, because there is no way on earth that Carter is remotely interested in me, let alone that he wants to fuck me.
Now that I’ve seen everything he has to offer under those uptight rich boy clothes of his, I understand the fascination the entire female population has with him. And hell, even if it was a hallucination, I’m going to be replaying that baby over and over again.
Kassidy wisely caught a ride home with one of his friends, so I decided to use my free time to develop a roll of film from a shoot I did last weekend in the photo lab on campus. Mrs. Keating gave me a key so I can use it after hours.
I’ve been in here for about an hour, and I’ve kicked my boots off so I can feel the cold concrete under my feet. The lab is hot, so feeling the cool floor helps keep me from overheating. I’ve got my earbuds in, singing along with my favourite ginger, Ed Sheeran.
My hips roll in a figure eight as I sing loudly and off key but I don’t care, “Boy, let’s not talk too much, grab on my waist and put that body on me, come on now follow my lead, said come on now follow my lead . . .” Then I feel two big strong hands wrap around my hips and squeeze, startling a shrill scream from my throat.
One of those hands moves to cover my mouth, the other tugs one of my earphones out. “Shhh,” a husky voice croons against my ear.
My heart is beating a million miles a minute, I’m so confused. Wrapping my fingers around the wrist, I pull the hand away from my mouth, “Carter?” I ask quietly.
His teeth graze my earlobe, “Who were you expecting?”
I sag with relief. “Nobody, you asshat! Thus, the scream,” I exclaim, as I spin around to glare at him, “What are you doing here?”
He still has one hand on my hip, and he uses it to pull me into his body. “I came to finish what we started this morning.”
My eyes widen, “You’re kidding, right? Because that didn’t really happen.”
“You bet your sweet arse it did. And it’s going to happen again, Chance, and again, and again,” his lips are just a hairs width away from mine, I feel every word that passes them against my own. “And that’s only the beginning,” he whispers, then I feel the tip of his hot tongue sliding against my lips, pushing inside my mouth.
My breath catches in my throat, and I allow myself to enjoy his kiss for a split second before shoving him away with both my hands. “What the hell? Does that shit usually work for you?”
He’s gaping at me and I realise that yes, this shit really does work on other girls. I mean, yeah, it was hot and all, but seriously? I’m not a prude or anything, but I at least like to know more than the person’s name before I stick my tongue down their throat.
Carter tilts his head to the side, examining me. “You really don’t want to hook up with me?”
I release a whoosh of air, blowing my fringe out of my eyes. “Not that it wasn’t enjoyable, but, no. Why would you think that?”
He frowns, “Because you barged in on me in the shower this morning and stared at me like I was your next meal. Then proceeded to tell me my arse was not only amazing, but spectacular,” he steps forward, taking back the space I had just put between us, “You let me grind my hard cock into you with nothing more than a towel covering it, and I’m pretty fucking sure you liked it. That’s what makes me think you want me.”
My foot slides back, attempting to gain some space, but he closes it just as quickly. I’m not afraid of him. I don’t think he’d rape me or anything, but I’m finding it harder and harder to remember why I’m opposed to him pushing me up against the wall and filling me with what I know is an impressive appendage.
When my butt bumps into one of the work benches, I let out a surprised squeak and Carter takes advantage, using his body to block me in, then his hands shoot out and hold the bench top either side of my hips, preventing me from escaping.
I have to tip my head back to look up at him, “Okay,” I concede, “I can see why you may have gotten that impression. But honestly, I wasn’t trying to get in your pants. Or towel.” He’s so close, I can feel his chest filling every time he inhales.
His eyes are unreadable as they flick back and forth between mine, “You don’t want to fuck me?”
Nervous laughter bubbles up from deep within me, “I’m sure it would be lovely, but I’m good. Thanks,” I say, giving him a patronizing pat on the chest.
He frowns again, “It wouldn’t be lovely. It would be earth shattering, mind blowing, out of this fucking world.”
I smirk, “I’m sure it would be.”
Finally, his shoulders sag in defeat, “So, what you’re saying is, I made a complete dick out of myself telling you just how much I’d like to sink inside you? Well that’s fantastic, just fan-fucking-tastic,” he sighs, his eyes close and his head drops down.
Pushing up on my tippy toes, I quickly press my lips to his in a brief little kiss, then drop back down to the soles of my feet. I don’t know why I feel the need to make him feel better but I do. When his eyes meet mine I say, “Nah, I was surprisingly into it. But it’s going to take more than that to get under this tutu.”
His eyes move to my black tutu and he grins, “I do like those skirts you wear, they’re fucking adorable.”
I grin, “Why thank you.”
Carter’s arms are still caging me in, and I’m not sure where to go from here. I figure I may as well tell him about my assignment. “So, the reason I came to see you this morning was because Cole wants shots of you for the paper. And seeing as I’m the senior photographer, it’s my job.”
“Why me?”
I shrug, “Football captain, big things coming for you in the future, that sort of thing, I guess.”
“So, you didn’t ask to be the photographer?” he questions, bringing his eyes back to mine.
This time I shake my head, “Nope, sorry to burst your bubble, but I was planning on seeing out the year with zero interactions with any and all of the ballers,” I shrug, “Not really my crowd, you know?”
He sighs, “Trust me, I know. Would you believe me if I told you it’s not really mine either?”
I raise a sceptical brow, and shake my head again, “Nope.”
Moving his face down in front of mine he looks me right in the eyes, “It’s not, Chance, football isn’t my life like it is for most of the guys. I have,” he pauses, deciding how he should finish his sentence, “other interests, too.”
Looking away from his mesmerising whiskey coloured eyes isn’t even an option. I can see the truth of his words in them, but that’s not all I see. He really is attracted to me. I mean, I’m not ugly or anything, but we don’t run in the same circles. I’m vintage, retro, alternative, and he’s preppy, superior, elite.
When I don’t say anything, he continues, “You’ve been one of those interests for a while now,” he breathes against my parted lips, “When I saw you this morning I couldn’t believe my luck.”
I swallow, “I’m not really sure what to say to that,” I tell him honestly. I’m flattered and all, but what the hell is happening right now? It doesn’t make any sense.
“Say you won’t pull away when I kiss you this time,” he says softly.
My pulse is beating out of control, and my body is humming with need, “Okay,” I agree.
No sooner has the word left my mouth and he’s pressing his soft lips against mine, swiping my bottom lip with his tongue and my hands are clinging to his neck, pulling him closer. Carter takes my hips and lifts me, putting my butt on the edge of the bench I was backed against, then he’s stepping between my parted thighs.
It’s different from this morning, he’s not trying to devour me. He’s taking his time, his tongue sliding against mine in slow, sensual glides. When he slowly pulls back, his teeth catch my bottom lip and he gently sucks before releasing it.
I’m a panting, turned on mess, trying to catch my breath after the hottest kiss of my life. And Carter is his usual composed self, grinning at me.
All of a sudden, and totally out of my control, I reach for him and pull him back into me, my legs wrapping around his waist to keep him in place. His big hands squeeze my fleshy hips and pull me into the growing bulge in his jeans. I moan and he catches my sounds with his mouth.
“Carter,” I breathe, “I swear, I’m not normally this slutty.”
He freezes, moving his face back so he can look at me, “Have I made you feel like a slut?” he asks.
My mind is swirling with so many thoughts right now, I’m not sure how I feel, except turned on. I close my eyes, looking at his beautiful face isn’t helping me figure my shit out. Then I feel his fingertips caressing the side of my cheek, and I open my eyes for him.
He’s frowning, “I’m not going to lie to you, Chance. I like to fuck. I don’t call. I don’t text. I don’t meet the family. I don’t do relationships.”
All of this I know, which is why I can’t wrap my head around why I’m not only letting this happen, but encouraging it. It’s not me. It’s not how I operate. I at least like to know the person I’m getting down with. But I don’t really know anything about Carter that any other random student doesn’t know.
But just as I open my mouth to speak, he beats me to it, “I want to fuck you, but I want more than that. I think?” he shakes his head, looking down at the layers of my tulle skirt bunched up between us. “I know you’re different. I want to treat you different. But I don’t know how exactly.”
My heart begins to beat faster in my chest, did he really just say that? Carter Cross, football dick, wants to . . . ? I’m not entirely sure what he wants, but the way my body has come alive for him, not once, but twice today tells me I want it to. “What are you saying?”
He lifts his eyes, and they’re filled with determination, “I won’t fuck anyone else as long as we’re, I don’t know, this?” he says, gesturing between our bodies with his hand.
“What is this? Are you asking me to be your fuck buddy? Your girlfriend? Your relationship guru? Your Mr. Miagi when it comes to dating? ‘Cause let me stop you right there,” I say, holding my hand up, then point to myself, “I don’t know how to be a girlfriend. The best seduction technique I have at my disposal is my extreme awkwardness. Who needs flirty when you’ve got awkward, right?” I sound crazy, even to my own ears.
Carter is smiling at me. Why is he smiling at me?
I shush him when he tries to speak, placing my index finger over his lips, “I’m the girl that is quirky and a bit weird, I’m okay with that, I own it. And you’re the guy that every female in a hundred mile radius has rubbed one out to at least once in their lives. See how those two things don’t quite mesh?”
He’s fighting his laughter, I can tell. His face has gone red and his cheeks are pulled tight while his eyes water. I huff, “Spit it out.”
And he does. He erupts in laughter, his hands moving to my waist, clutching me tight as he drops his head to my shoulder and continues to laugh. When he finally calms himself, his eyes are glazed over and full of amusement. The smile on his face is crazy beautiful.
“It’s all the shit that just came out of your mouth that makes me want to spend time with you, Chance. You are weird, you are quirky, and you are definitely awkward. Every time you speak, it makes me feel lighter. You make me laugh, and that’s not easy these days,” he says with a smile, and if I’m not mistaken, a wee bit of apprehension.
Keeping one hand on my waist, he rubs the back of his neck with the other, “Okay, how’s this? I won’t fuck around, if you agree to hang out with me and let me kiss you whenever I want,” he nods to himself like he’s happy with his proposal.
“Just kiss me?” I ask with a raised brow.
Carter grins, “For now,” then he winks.
I roll my eyes, “Okay, hotshot, let me get this straight. You have never spoken to me before today, yet you all of a sudden want to fuck me and spend time with me,” I arch a brow, “That makes zero sense. We have nothing in common and, to be honest, I’m not even sure I like you because I don’t know anything about you. I mean, other than the basic crap that everyone knows. So why would I agree to this little proposition of yours?”
His chest deflates, like he was sure I’d just go along and not question any of it. He looks at his feet, one big hand massaging the straining muscles in his neck when he speaks, “I’ve been bored with the easy lays for a while now,” he squeezes his eyes shut, “I know how that sounds, but I, fuck,” he mutters, then his whiskey eyes are burning into mine.
“Carter,” I whisper, reaching one hand out to cup his cheek. It’s rough against my soft palm, and he leans into it slightly. I tilt my head, searching his eyes, there’s something going on in them that I don’t understand.
He releases a deep breath and pulls away from my touch, “You’re completely right, this makes no sense, but I want it. And I always get what I want, Chance. I’m not afraid to put in the work, so just tell me what you need from me to make this happen.”
My eyes go wide, “I don’t understand.”
Carter shakes his head and steps back up between my legs again, “You don’t have to. I don’t fucking understand it, but I’m here trying to figure it out, aren’t I? So, what’s it going to take?”
I swallow, forcing down the lump in my throat, “Uh,” I drop my eyes away from his intense stare, “For starters, I’m going to need some time to wrap my head around all this.” I can tell he’s nodding without having to look up at him.
“Done. When you’re ready to talk about it, just come find me,” he drops a kiss to my temple, his lips lingering just a few beats, then he whispers, “I’m not backing down, just giving you space. Find me, or I’ll find you.”
Then he’s walking away, and I’m staring at that spectacular behind of his, wondering what the hell is happening to my power of invisibility. It must be on the fritz.