The kiss went from zero to a hundred in the space of about two seconds. Eventually I tore myself away, breathing shakily, my lips swollen. He stared at me, his eyes black, then lunged forwards again.
“Wait.” With an effort, I held a hand up, pushing at his chest. A frown appeared on his face, and I rushed to continue. “I haven’t forgiven you for the way you treated me.” He tried to shut me up with a kiss, but I ducked away, fumbling behind me. My hand closed over the water balloon. “Show me your body.”
“That’s supposed to be a punishment, is it?” Without any hesitation, he pulled off his T-shirt in one swift movement, and my breath caught in my throat as I raked my gaze over his hard lines. “Like what you see?” A smirk tugged at his lips.
Before I could second-guess myself, I slammed the paint-filled balloon onto his chest. It burst on impact, spraying us both with bright blue paint.
His mouth fell open in shock, and I couldn’t help the laughter that poured out of me, even as I was wiping the paint splats from my face. “Oh, you’re going to pay for that,” he warned in a dark tone, lunging for the remaining balloons. I scrambled for them, but he managed to grab one. Taking my T-shirt in his hand, he ripped it down the middle at the point I’d placed my strategic rip earlier and retaliated by marking me in the same place. I gasped as deep purple paint ran down over my breasts, soaking into the black fabric of my bra. It took me a moment to register that he’d ripped my top in half.
He stilled, tracking the paint as it trickled downwards with his hot, hungry gaze. I took advantage of his momentary distraction to reach up and slam the remaining paint bomb on top of his head.
The rich brown of his hair disappeared under the burst of lime-green paint that ran down the sides of his face and dripped to the floor. I grimaced, looking at the mess I’d made, torn between laughter and fear of his reaction. He stared at me, and then a tiny smile appeared on his lips. In one swift move, he picked me up and pushed me backwards on the desk, dragging his paint-covered head across my stomach and making my cry out with laughter.
Then his head went lower, and all laughter stopped.
“I want you, Raine.” He raised his head to meet my eyes. “Will you let me touch you?”
He must’ve read the hesitation in my eyes, because he straightened up, pulling me upright. “I’m sorry for…” His hand scrubbed across his face, smearing paint everywhere. “Fuck. Sorry for everything. Does that cover it?”
Our eyes met, and unexpectedly, I saw a tiny hint of vulnerability in his gaze that completely threw me. Instead of replying, I wound my arms around his neck and pressed my lips to his. He growled, biting at my bottom lip and tugging me closer. Our paint-slicked torsos slipped against each other, and I laughed as he pulled away. He looked at me from under his lashes. “Fuck. Do you want to get out of here? Clean up a bit?”
I stared at him for a moment, then made up my mind. “My aunt’s working an overnight shift.”
He reached down, swiping his T-shirt from the floor and tugging it over my head. After picking up my keys and phone, he grabbed my hand, pulling me towards the door. “My truck’s outside.”
25
Carter had given me space. We’d showered all the paint off separately, and he’d told me to wait for him on my bed. Naked. Apprehension flooded me as I heard the shower turn off, and I huddled under the covers. What was he going to think of me? He was so experienced, and I was…the opposite. Should I even be doing this after everything? I growled with frustration, burrowing into my pillows, trying to silence the voices inside my head. Of course, he had to walk out of my bathroom at that point, rubbing his damp hair with a towel, his paint-splattered T-shirt covering his torso and his jeans slung low on his hips. For a moment I forgot everything, just drinking the sight of Carter Blackthorne, the football god and king of Alstone High, in my bedroom, looking at me like he wanted me.
He stopped at the foot of my bed and gently tugged at the sheets covering my body. “You don’t have to hide from me.”
Swallowing nervously, my cheeks hot, I closed my eyes and let him pull the sheets away from my body. There was complete silence in the room, and my breathing sounded loud in my ears.
“Open your eyes, Raine.”
With a groan, I cracked one eye open.
“Look at what you do to me.” He palmed his erection through his jeans, and I whimpered.
“Wh-why are you wearing clothes?” My voice came out much shakier than I wanted, and he smiled.
“Because I want to focus on you first.”
Oh.
He settled himself over my body, supporting himself on his elbows, and stared down at me. “So fucking beautiful.” I could barely get my head around the fact that Carter was seeing me naked—as dimly lit as the room was, he could see me clearly—and he’d just said I was beautiful? The person he’d called Plain Raine?
As if he could hear my thoughts, he lowered himself, positioning his head above my breasts. “There’s nothing plain about you, is there, Raine?” With those soft words, he took my nipple into his mouth, sucking and flicking his tongue over it while his hand went to my other breast, teasing and caressing. My body’s reaction was instantaneous. My nipples hardened, and I could feel the wetness between my thigh as he moved over my body.
Letting go of everything else, I silenced my thoughts, concentrating on the feel of his mouth and hands on my skin, sending shock waves through my whole body as he moved lower. I stiffened as he dipped below my belly button, his mouth dangerously close to the apex of my thighs.
“Don’t worry, baby. I’ll make it feel good.” He spoke against my skin, pressing soft kisses just below my belly button. “Has anyone else ever done this to you?”
I shook my head, and he smiled, wide and satisfied. “Good. I like knowing I’m your first.” He moved so suddenly I wasn’t prepared, sliding back up my body so that his face was in front of mine. Gripping my jaw, he tilted my head to the side, then ran his teeth over the shell of my ear. “I haven’t been able to stop thinking about Fright Night. The way you responded to me, how your little pussy gripped my fingers so fucking tightly.”
A shiver ran through my body at his low rasp.
He dipped a hand between my legs, and I immediately stiffened. “I’m not gonna be rough with you tonight.” Placing a reassuring kiss to the side of my face, he ran his finger through my wetness, rubbing over my clit.