Going into this, Carrie hoped this wouldn’t change things. That their actions wouldn’t ruin years of friendship. She hoped that now she could move on and forget her schoolgirl crush. Yet, having sex with Aleks confirmed he was just as beautiful and even more haunted than she realized. There was no way she was going to get over this.
* * * *
Aleks climbed into his car and closed the door, locking himself inside the black leather interior.
Sweet Lord in heaven. Did that just actually happen? When did Carrie turn into such a vixen? Even though it was exactly what he’d wanted, Aleks had made a promise to himself. For the sake of friendship, he would push aside his need. What a heroic show of restraint.
Grabbing the steering wheel, Aleks twisted his hands around the leather. He’d left her there. He’d left her naked, practically still bent over the couch, dazed and confused about what had just transpired.
He couldn’t deny his need to be with her, but not like this. Not just to have sex for sex’s sake. Disappointment weighed heavy on his shoulders. What made him think he could have Carrie for more than one night? Carrie obviously knew it was the only way for them to be together. She was ready for a one-night stand, and before he could object his cock was already free from his pants. It had been hard since the moment she uttered ‘monkey sex.’ She played dirty. Oh, but he liked dirty.
Staring across the street at the store window, Aleks looked for any sign of movement. He should tell her how he felt. How do you feel? He didn’t even know himself, but he did know her tongue felt like velvet when she swirled it around the head of his cock. She sucked him hard. She sucked him long. Who would have thought his innocent little Carrie knew her way around a cock?
There was a dark side to her, a side that had never reared its naughty head until now. Maybe the one-night stand wasn’t new to her. It was that exact thought that set him off. Or set him to deflate. He remembered the sight of his flaccid failure and her face, the look of humiliation that settled in the moment she felt him shrink inside her mouth. He could have kicked himself for being responsible for her look of horror. Aleks had tried to make it right. He’d tried to wash away all of her shame with a kiss. But had it worked?
All it took was a trip down memory lane to get his blood pumping again. A sudden flash of Carrie standing in her bedroom wearing that black lingerie shot straight to his groin.
If Aleks thought the two of them getting together was a bad idea before, he was now even more convinced. The rage that bubbled up inside him at the thought of her with other men made his ache for her all the more intense. The intensity wasn’t a good thing. He never was one to hold back when it came to sex. Always going for what he wanted and never thinking about the consequences or the feelings of others. It was all about his pleasure, his release. He called the shots. But not with Carrie. Aleks had to rein himself in. Not only in the physical sense. He couldn’t risk giving himself away emotionally. One look in his eyes and she would know the truth.
Aleks had second thoughts about proceeding with their encounter. Especially after seeing her second guess herself. He could see the torment on her face as she lay on the couch deciding whether or not to make a move. She wanted to enjoy the pleasure, channel her inner bad girl and ride him wild, but the ever-together Carrie couldn’t seem to concede.
There was still no movement in the store. What was she doing? She had to go home eventually. The harsh glare from the lights above illuminated the deserted street. The wind gently blew, creating shadows against the stone and brick buildings. Aleks hadn’t locked the door to the store behind him. It wasn’t safe for her to be by herself inside. Unprotected. He would wait until Carrie left. Make sure she got safely into her car. Aleks could see it parked down the street. Then he would leave and try to make things as normal as possible. Before he could do that, he needed to get a handle on these strange feelings that seemed to grow more intense as the days progressed.
The lights dimmed in the store, and Carrie emerged from the darkness into the well lit street. She locked the door behind her and headed to her car. He could see the bag with her computer in one hand, the other carrying her purse.
Carrie had buttoned up her blouse and threw on her suit jacket. Despite her painstaking effort to cover herself, Aleks still couldn’t tamp down his desire for her. The need to taste her was overwhelming. Now that he had a visual of the treasures that lie beneath her clothing it was going to be impossible for him to think of anything else. When he eyed the tiny glimpse of her flesh above the stocking his motivation was solidified. He wouldn’t have been able to hold back if his life depended on it.
Aleks watched and made sure she got into her car and drove off in the opposite direction. Now that he had tasted, now that he had experienced the woman, what did his life depend on? He could see no silver lining to the events that just took place. On the one hand, their actions could be too much to handle and he would lose his best friend. Not to mention the surrogate family he had come to depend on. On the other hand, he could back away and spend the rest of his life watching the woman he didn’t deserve find happiness in the arms of another man. Either way, life as Aleks knew it would never be the same.
Chapter 9
The next day, Martina and Carrie had called a truce. The situation with Aleks had been put aside and they continued to be as close as they ever were. It was a good thing, especially sinc
e Carrie had every hope that Martina would soon be her sister.
Carrie had spilled the beans to Martina about her encounter with Aleks. How she finally made her move. How Aleks lost interest but seemed to regain it when he realized she was upset. Carrie told her about the look in his eyes. Or at least the look that wasn’t in his eyes, his blank, vacant stare. Every once in while she would get a tiny glimpse of what he was feeling, but he was either too quick or too good at hiding his face. When they were done he’d left, but not before placing a slow, intimate kiss to her lips. The thought of that kiss heated her body, the ache for his touch returning. Before he’d left, she thanked him for her present and that was the last Carrie had seen of him.
Martina confirmed the look. Apparently, despite being actively involved, Aleks kept himself at a distance. She hadn’t felt the closeness or intimacy with him that she had felt with Rob. It made Carrie all the more curious as to why he felt the need to hide, with her, with anyone.
It was now Monday morning and Carrie was at the store, fitting a bride-to-be.
“I look smokin’ hot!” Janet Mead stood atop the small circular stand admiring herself in the three-way mirror. Carrie was putting the finishing touches on her bridal lingerie. “Carrie, you are a magician with a needle.”
“Thank you. Your man will certainly love this outfit on your wedding night.”
“And thanks for doing it on such short notice.”
“Not a problem. Just don’t forget to recommend me to your friends.”
“Oh, I will. You’ve managed to give me a waist.” Janet Mead was an acquaintance from high school. They were never classified as friends, but they weren’t strangers either.
“How’s it going ladies?” Amie entered the dressing room, her platinum hair half falling out of a clip.
“We’re just about done.” Carrie took the needle from between her teeth and sewed the white lace fabric, reinforcing the zipper.
“Care, your brother just called and said he and Martina can’t make it tonight but will stop by tomorrow night to discuss the party.”
The party was this weekend and they were nowhere near ready.