how quickly you got used to someone being there. The house felt empty, cold, and a little lifeless. Of course, Sasha was still being her usual self, causing a ruckus wherever she went, but something was missing – and I knew exactly what it was. Carson Matthews. I always felt bad when I didn’t see him on race weekends, but this was something more. I’d been used to seeing him around the house, sitting on the sofa, talking in that voice which made my insides tremble – or just in the kitchen, with his fine arse bent over as he looked into the fridge for something to snack on. It was the little things you got used to so quickly.
Sasha had been inconsolable. It seemed like once an hour she asked where Daddy was – Daddy dinner, Daddy play, Daddy bath, Daddy cuddle. It was cute, but heartrending at the same time. Maybe I wasn’t the only one who was going to be counting down the hours until I next saw him from now on.
Luckily, on Friday I had something to keep my mind off him. As promised, he’d texted me a list of day nurseries that came highly recommended by people he knew. I busied myself calling around them and explaining the situation about who we were and asked if they had places available for Sasha. Two of them actually sounded nice, so I’d arranged appointments to go and visit the following week with Sasha so we could see if she fitted in to one of them. The phone calls wasted a significant proportion of my day.
By Saturday, though, I was just wallowing around. Lucie had come over to visit after lunch, bringing her kids around for a play date, which kept Sasha happy for the whole afternoon and well into dinnertime. Of course, a little gossip with my best friend perked me up to no end.
However, by the time she left and I’d bathed Sasha and got her settled into bed, I was back to not knowing what to do with myself in the large house. Rory was out with friends, so I just rattled around the place on my own. I actually missed my poky little flat which didn’t echo when you walked or talked.
Not used to having my Saturday nights to myself because I would usually be working at the club, I didn’t actually know how to keep myself entertained. Saturday night TV was an extreme let-down, so after an hour of channel-surfing, my boredom got the better of me and I ended up in bed by half past nine.
Sunday passed much the same, although I busied myself by cooking up a storm in Carson’s luxurious kitchen, making a traditional roast dinner, followed by a homemade raspberry pavlova. That killed a few hours, and Sasha kept me busy for the rest of the day.
By the time she was in bed, though, I was counting down the hours until I would see his smile again. We’d exchanged a few texts over the weekend, but I hadn’t had any real contact with him since Thursday morning. It was almost as if I was still working at the club and wouldn’t have contact with him from one week to the next. I didn’t realise how quickly I’d come to rely on seeing him every day.
Once Sasha was tucked in bed and Rory was off watching TV in his room, I decided a long soak in my incredible en-suite was in order. The large, claw-footed bath was practically calling my name.
Just as the tub finished filling and I had removed my last piece of clothing, my phone rang. I pulled it out of my trouser pocket, answering it without looking at the screen, thinking it would be Lucie because not very many people actually had my new number. When Carson’s deep voice greeted me, I all but squealed and almost dropped my phone into the tub.
“Hey, are you busy?” he asked.
“Nope, not at all.” I dipped my hand into the water, swirling it around to create a few more bubbles before I stepped in and sighed inwardly as the warm water caressed my skin.
“Ah, okay, good. I was just, er, well, I just wanted to check how you were and if everything was all right. Obviously it is, because you haven’t called me to tell me otherwise, but, you know, just wanted to call and check.” He seemed nervous as he spoke, and I instantly wondered why.
“Everything’s fine. Is everything okay with you?” I asked curiously, sinking down into the warm, lavender-scented, bubbly water.
He sighed, not answering immediately, and my mind started to dream up things which could have possibly happened to make him call me and be all stuttery when he was usually so cool and collected. My mind jumped to one conclusion – he’d cheated and was now calling to ease whatever guilt he felt about it.
“Everything’s all right,” he answered.
My heart sank as I closed my eyes. The emotional pain was building like a storm in my chest, and soon it would burst from me in the form of hysterical sobs. I knew it would come at some point. I just prayed I could keep my sadness at bay until I got him off the phone.
“Actually, no, everything’s not all right,” he suddenly said. “I miss you. I’m lonely. The hotel room was too quiet all weekend. I’m just mooching around now waiting for the time when I can check out and go to the airport to come home. There’s no little person running around, no Rory to backchat me, and no you to talk to or laugh with. I don’t like going away. There, I said it. I miss you all, I miss home, and I just called to hear your voice. Make fun of me if you want.”
My eyes flew open. “What?” I croaked. “What brought that on?”
He sighed deeply. “I’m just laying here on my bed and staring at the ceiling, thinking about how I’d much rather be home with you. I’m officially homesick.”
I fought the smile trying to break free. He missed me. He would rather be here with me than in Italy surrounded by gorgeous models and dancers. My sadness was quashed immediately. “Well, would it help you to know that Sasha is asking for you all the time?” I asked. “Or that Rory said it was weird you not being at the dinner table to talk sports with?”
He laughed. “Runt’s missing me, huh? I knew I’d grow on him,” he joked. “Anyone else missing me?”
I smiled, laying back, letting the water lap around my shoulders. “I don’t think so. Oh, Gloria said she missed your face,” I joked.
“She did? Anyone else? No one you can think of who is remotely missing me and wishing I was there?” he prompted.
“Is there anyone else?” I teased.
“What about you?”
I smiled. “Me? I’m too busy in the bath to miss you, baby.”
My answer was met by silence for a few seconds. “Bath? Like, right now?” he finally replied.
I grinned and purposefully let the water splash so he’d hear it. “Yep.” I sank further into the hot water and closed my eyes.
“Naked?” he questioned.
“Obviously!” I chuckled.
He groaned loudly. “Now I’m even more homesick,” he whined. “I have all sorts of things running through my mind right now.”
I got his drift immediately. I gulped as the same thoughts started running through my head. I could just imagine him, lying on his back in bed, shirtless with those mouth-watering V lines. I could picture his tattoos and the warmth of his body and the glint to his eye, and those dimples in his cheeks…
“Emma, I should probably go before I start asking you to touch yourself. I’m getting dangerously close to that point right now, and if you do it then I’m gonna be even more desperate to come home so I can watch.”
I giggled at his dirty words, clenching my thighs together tightly because my sex was starting to ache uncomfortably. “You’re filthy,” I scolded playfully.
He blew out a big breath. “Yeah, I know. Sorry. I’m gonna go. I have a monster hard-on now, and I need to get rid of it,” he replied. “Don’t suppose you want to send me a naked bath picture to help me along?”
I grinned, chewing on my lip as I thought about it. “Go get off the phone, you pervert,” I joked.
“Okay, okay, I’m going,” he grumbled. “I’ll be leaving here in a couple of hours, and should be home just after two, so I guess I’ll see you in the morning.”
My heart leapt. My Carson-less weekend was almost over. He would be here by the time I woke up. I couldn’t wait. “All right. Bye, baby. Safe trip home and I’ll see you soon.” I smiled, knowing I needed to give him a little something before I ended the call. “And, by the way, Carson, yes, I’m missing you, too. And yes, I’m going to touch myself tonight. And yes, I will be thinking of you when I do it.”
He groaned. “Fuck, Emma, now I don’t want to hang up!”
I giggled wickedly. “Goodbye, Carson.” I disconnected the call without waiting for a reply and felt a blush creep up on my cheeks at my admission. I didn’t feel bad about it, though. Knowing he was excited by my body made a little proud feeling bubble up inside me. Carson had always been attracted to my body; it was just a shame the rest of me didn’t do anything for him.
As my hand touched my stomach, something sparked inside me. My eyes fluttered closed as I let my mind wander to Carson and what he would be doing right now. Memories of the kiss washed over me, how hot it had been and how my body had ached with need. As my mind wandered to his body, my hand wandered mine. Pretty soon, I was lost within the bliss of Carson, just minus the actual Carson.
After spending an hour in the bath, my fantasy and little party for one had only served to make me miss him more. I hadn’t had that intimacy with him for weeks now, and my body was highly unsatisfied and needy even though I’d tried to alleviate that tension myself. It was only just after eight as I padded into my bedroom and looked through my drawer, trying to find some clean pyjamas to change into. Still only having limited clothes from what I packed the other day, though, I didn’t see any. I frowned, wondering when Carson was going to arrange for the rest of my stuff to be shipped here, or if he was waiting for me to just buy new stuff like he’d instructed when he handed me his credit card on Thursday morning.
After roughly drying my hair, I dragged a comb through it and decided to let it dry naturally. Tomorrow, I’ll just tie it up if it looks like a bird’s nest. Wrapping my big, fluffy towel around my body securely, I stalked out of my room and into Carson’s next door, hesitantly opening his drawers until I found what I was looking for – one of his T-shirts. I smiled, slipping it over my head and pulling it down over my body, silently wishing it was a dirty one so his scent would surround me. After pulling on a pair of his boxer shorts and folding them over at the waist so they’d stay up, I headed out of his room.
As I walked past Rory’s room, I could hear the distinct sounds of the PlayStation so I didn’t bother to interrupt. Once downstairs in the living room, I turned up the under-floor heating controls and snuggled onto the sofa, pulling my schoolbag onto my lap so I could finish off my assignments for university. If, by some miracle, they didn’t kick me out after it being splashed all over the papers that I was a lap dancer, I would need to hand in my five thousand word essay on Friday. I sighed deeply, setting my head back and opening my textbook to the right place, preparing myself for some hard work and hand cramps.
“EMMA?”
I groaned, squeezing my eyes shut as a sleepy fog muffled my ears. My mouth was dry as I tried to lick my lips, not yet ready to wake.
“Come on, you. Let’s get you to bed.”
I swatted the hand away as it tried to take my books from my lap. “Rory, just leave me be. I’ll just have five minutes,” I muttered, turning my head and pressing my face into the back of the sofa.
My rejection was met with a throaty chuckle. Something solid slid under my thighs and around my back. I was jostled slightly, but my eyes stung when I tried to open them, so I just left them closed. “Rory, leave me,” I protested weakly as I was lifted effortlessly from the sofa and pulled against a warm, hard body.
“Emma, it’s Carson.”
Carson? I forced my eyes open, looking up into the face of the love of my life. An involuntary smile stretched across my lips as I reached out, cupping his cheek just to see if I was still dreaming. When my hand touched his cheek, the slight stubble gently scratched against my fingertips, and my stomach fluttered knowing he really was home.
“Hi,” I whispered, grinning now as I slipped my other arm up and looped it around his neck, pressing myself tighter to him.
“Hi,” he whispered back. The sound of his voice and the delicious smell of his skin made my whole body ache. “I thought I told you not to wait up for me,” he scolded playfully.
I grinned tiredly, pressing my face into the side of his neck, as my muscles all seemed to relax as one in his arms. “I didn’t. I was working on my assignment. Is it after two already?” I asked, yawning against his neck.
“Yeah, it’s almost three. Come on, let’s get you to bed.” I smiled to myself, loving that Carson Matthews was carrying me to bed. This was another fantasy of mine I’d had over the years I never thought would come true. As he carried me effortlessly up the stairs and toward my bedroom, he chuckled. “How come you’re wearing my T-shirt and pants?”
I was too tired to feel embarrassed at being caught, so I just shrugged. “I didn’t have any clean pyjamas. I only brought two pairs,” I answered sleepily.
“Well, usually, I would offer to buy you some, but in this case, I think I won’t just because I actually like the idea of you sleeping in my clothes,” he teased.
He fumbled with the door to my bedroom and after another few steps, bent and gently placed me on the soft bed. I tried to open my eyes but failed miserably as the deep sleep pulled at the edges of my subconscious. Carson groaned, pressing his lips against my cheek and brushing my hair away from my face.
“Don’t suppose you’ve missed me enough that you want me to sleep in here with you tonight, have you?” he whispered, gently pulling the quilt cover up to my shoulders.
I smiled at the thought. Carson in bed with me. Hell yeah, I want that! “If you want,” I muttered, turning to my side and snuggling under the cover, pulling it up so it covered my chin and my ear.
“Yeah? Seriously?”
“Mmm hmm.”
Clearly not needing to be told twice, the bed dipped a moment later, and the cover raised as a warm body slid up close to me. A contented sigh left my lips as his chest pressed against my back and his legs tangled with mine. Being in the bed with him was something I’d fantasised about since I first met him. His body wrapped around mine and it was like some kind of magic wove over me, lulling me into a safe, contented, peaceful stupor. It almost felt like a dream. If I weren’t as tired, I certainly would have instigated a little sexy time, but I couldn’t even keep my eyes open so, unfortunately, that wasn’t something that was going to happen.
“Oh, yeah, this is much better. I’m not going away on my own again; you’re going to have to come with me from now on,” he whispered, pressing a soft kiss against my temple as I drifted off to sleep in his arms.