“He’s gone,” she says, pulling back. “Tyler’s gone. He asked me to marry him again, and I said no. I told him I never wanted to see him again and my father threw him out of the house.”
I try not to smile and fail completely. “Kind of wish I had accepted your dad’s invitation to dinner. I would have liked to see that.”
“It was better you didn’t.” She leans her head on my chest. “It didn’t exactly go well. Mom was angry, but I put my foot down.”
“I’m proud of you.” I am. I knew she could do it if she decided. And it had to be her decision. I would never force her to love me.
“The thought of going back there with him…it made me sick. Like I was going to be more trapped than I would be here. He didn’t miss me, he missed what I was for him. And it’s not Elgin I hated, it’s people trying to control my life. But I’m not going to let them do that anymore.” She grins. “So if it’s okay with you, I’d love for you to be my date to the fireworks.”
“Yes. Absolutely. Yes.”
I kiss her, craving the taste after what feels like forever. How has it only been a day? A day is far too long for what I feel for her. I lift her into my arms, and this time she doesn’t protest that she’s too heavy. She just smiles and lets me carry her to the house—our house, if she wants it to be.
There’s nothing to stop for. We go straight to the bedroom. I’m sure there’s more we have to talk about, but we’re going to do it in my bed, and naked. It’s when Carley can finally let go, and right now, she needs to let go more than ever.
This time she doesn’t hesitate, shedding her clothes when I set her down. We’re both naked in seconds, falling onto the bed together. “I’m sorry,” she says.
“For what?”
“For leaving last night. I should have stayed.”
I kiss her softly. “You needed to hear what he had to say.”
“But I hurt you. I didn’t really mean it when I said it was just sex. I was just…scared of it.”
Running my hands down the side of her body, I note how I love her curves. The softness of her hips and ass. That are now mine. “It’s okay to be scared. And I would never force you. I want you to know that.”
“I do know. You’re not him. You’re…everything.”
I need more of her sweetness. The taste of her skin. I run my lips across her collar bone, turning her over so I can lick my way down her spine. “I do have one question.”
“I’ll try to answer, but you’re very distracting.”
“Are you still planning on going back to Chicago?”
Carley flips under me so she can meet my eyes. “No. I can’t imagine that now. I’ll have to go to get my things, but other than that…I want to be here.”
“That’s a good answer.” I grin.
She blushes pink, and I moan. “Fuck I love the way you blush. I want you this color all the time.”
Carley’s eyes darken. “Really?”
“Really. I could tell you every single thing I love about your body. But that would take some time. That doesn’t mean I can’t tell you a little bit along the way, though.”
“Along the way to what?”
I just smile and reach for her breasts. “I love the way these fit in my hands. They’re perfect to squeeze and let me tell you something, there’s nothing quite like that feeling.” Her nipples harden as I run my thumbs over them. “I love watching them do that.”
Slowly I lower my mouth until my lips are barely brushing one nipple. “I love the way your breath changes when I do this.” I suck it into my mouth rolling her nipple between my teeth and swirling my tongue over it.
Carley moans, reaching for me, but she can’t hold onto me for long. I tease her other nipple until she arches up, offering her breasts to me like a gift, and I consume them. One and then the other and back again, until there’s nothing but the sound of her enjoying herself.
“I’d like to fuck these sometime.”
Her eyes fly open. The words sink in and I see her process them. “Yes.”
I can’t hold back my smirk. “You’re far naughtier than anyone realized, Carley Farrell.”
“I’m far naughtier than I realized. I had no idea I’d like it when you hold me down.”
Pressing my lips into the valley between her breasts, I laugh against her skin. “I have plans for that.” She gasps when I bite her gently.
“Care to tell me what they are?”
“Nope.”
I move my mouth, following the line of her body to the side where her waist flares to her hips. “I love this part of you. You’re so fucking sexy.”