CARSON
Palm trees zip past as I fly up the highway, heading for Santa Monica. After the last two weeks and all the time I spent waiting around on set, it feels really good to be free. It feels really fucking good to be heading home, and, if I’m being honest, I can’t deny that Aria is a big part of my desire to be back in Cali.
Our phone calls were the best part of each day. They were with me from the moment I woke up to the moment I’d hear her say ‘hello’ again. The first couple of nights, I lied to myself, reasoning that I was just checking in. But by the end of that first week, it already felt like more than that. Other than John, I don’t really have friends. I’ve never been good at seeing through bad intentions, and I’ve been burned more times than I care to admit.
But Aria is different. When she looks at me, even through a video chat, she’sreal.Everything about her is genuine and kind, and fuck, does she make me laugh. Every minute of every day is just leading up to the bit of time I get with her.
When I open the front door, the house is quiet except for the distant sound of vacuuming. Henrietta must be upstairs somewhere. I drop my bag and go looking for Bubbles and Aria. There’s no obvious trail of damage to follow, so things are already looking up. On the other hand, it would probably make it easier for me to track them down.
I search the house, the playroom, and the yard. Bupkis. Figuring they’ve gone for a walk, I head to the pool, stripping my shirt off as I go. After a day of traveling, I could definitely use a quick swim.
My feet falter as soon as I slide open the patio door. The hair at the back of my neck tingles, and it’s a familiar feeling. My skin hums as I look around the patio, my nerves jumping like live wires. On the far side of the cabana, I find her, and that humming grows into a drumbeat.
Aria is laying on one of the wide loungers, stomach down, head resting on her arms. Bubbles is laying by her side, tongue flopped out of her mouth and deep asleep. She looks freshly bathed, her coat silky and shining like spun gold in the sun. Aria even put little doggy sunglasses on her. I’m firmly in the camp of no clothes on pets, but even I can’t begrudge eye protection.
As cute as my dog is, I can’t keep my eyes away from her company. Aria’s head is turned toward me, and resting like that, she’s nothing short of angelic. From the gentle rise and fall of her ribs, it’s clear she’s asleep. Her silky brown hair is tied up in a messy ponytail. Her lashes brush the tops of her cheeks. Full, pink lips form a pout, and God help me, I catch myself wondering what she tastes like.
The only thing protecting Aria from the sun is a white bikini. Averysmallwhite bikini. It ties at the hips and back, and the butt has this gathered bit that runs up the center, making an ass that was already incredible look positively biteable. Her legs, long and tan, are stretched out, the pale soles of her feet turned toward the sun.
The sight of her is enough to pull a tortured groan from my lips.Turn around, idiot. That’s your employee. Go. In. Side.
Except I can’t. Her back is already getting pink, and if I leave her out here like this, she’s going to fry. Ihaveto wake her up, I reason. It’s the only decent thing to do. I do my best to keep my eyes focused on neutral objects, but they keep sliding back to Aria. Aria and that ass.
Bubbles doesn’t even stir as I approach the pair, but her hot breath tickles my shin, reassuring me that she’s alive and well, just completely wiped out. I get close enough to touch Aria but opt for whispering her name so I can avoid the temptation to run my knuckles down the curves of her body.
“Aria.” Nothing… she’s passed out cold. I try again, raising my voice a smidge. “Aria.” And now she’s snoring. I reach out with a single finger and tap her on the shoulder. “Aria, you’re getting a sunburn.” That does the trick, it just does it too well.
Aria starts, her hands flying at me in a protective reflex. And since I’m standing over her like a fucking creeper, one of them punches me straight in the nuts. Blinding, searing, aching pain roils through me, radiating from my abused testicles. I let out a strangled groan, double over and sink to my knees on the pool deck.
“Oh, my god. Carson! I’m so sorry! I—I didn’t—I wasn’t thinking!” Aria scrambles upright, but I’m in too much pain to look up. A soft hand strokes my back, tentative and comforting. The commotion jolts Bubbles out of her nap, and as soon as she realizes I’m back, she jumps on me, her paws perched on my shoulders. She bathes my face with her tongue, letting out excited yips and whines.
“’S okay,” I wheeze. Lights are still flashing behind my eyelids and I’m seriously wondering if I’ll be able to father children after this, but my skin is electric where she’s touching me, and fuck does it feel amazing. Almost worth the price of admission. “Those are some serious fight or flight reflexes you’ve got there.”
“I know. I’m so sorry. I usually warn people if they sleep with me, but you weren’t—we’re not—Jesus, you know what I mean.” I sure as hell know what I’mhearing. Maybe it’s the post nut-shot chaser of adrenaline, but the idea of another man being warned, another man sleeping next to her, makes my blood boil.
I blink up at her and my brain turns to static. Pain gone. Only static. In her haste to get up, Aria’s top has shifted. Her breasts are barely contained in that tiny white bikini. From where I’m kneeling on the ground, I am face first. Mere inches away. And if that wasn’t torture enough, a little crescent of rosy areola peeks out; calling out to be licked. Worshiped.
The coconut scent of her sunscreen teases my nostrils. Christ, I bet she tastes like a fucking vacation in the sun. My dick twitches, making a valiant effort to come to life. But the renewed throbbing puts that to bedreal quick.I grab my shirt from where I dropped it on the ground and look away as I hold it out to her.
“Oh… OH!” Aria’s voice rises, no doubt discovering what I already saw. “I’m so sorry!” Voluntarily tearing my eyes away from the sight of her has to rank in the top ten hardest things I’ve ever done. My stylist must have a cruel-ass sense of humor if he’s the one who sent her that swimsuit.
“Why are you apologizing?” I ask, forcing out a laugh. She wasn’t the one gawking at an employee. We may have struck up a friendship with our cozy evening chats, but I’m pretty sure that fantasizing about licking my employee would be frowned upon. I chance a glance back up at her.
She’s buttoning my shirt over her bikini, and I realize that the sight of her bare legs peeking out from under my shirt is actually more tortuous than all of the skin. At least before it was just a very sexy Aria hanging by the pool. Now, the visual of Aria slipping into my shirt with messy hair, has me thinking of all kinds of ways I could get her in that state again.
“I—I dunno…” She exhales hard as if to restart the conversation. “You’re back! As you can see, Bubbles really missed you.” That’s the understatement of the year. Bubbles is desperately trying to be on top of me, and whether that’s in my lap or on my back doesn’t seem to really matter.
What about you?I want to ask. Is it possible to miss someone you barely know? Because I sure as fuck missed her.
Aria snaps her fingers. “Bubbles, down.” Instantly, my furry assaulter lets up. “Sit.” I glance at the Afghan Hound-Golden retriever mix with astonishment. Not only is she sitting obediently, but her eyes, no, her entire body is focused on Aria with laser precision. “Good girl!” Aria heaps praise on her, petting and rubbing Bubbles’ sweet face.
“Bubbles, high-five.” She raises a front paw, and I stare at her. I stare for way too long. “Carson,” Aria whispers out of the corner of her mouth. “Don’t leave her hanging.” Bubbles whines in agreement. Lifting my hand, I tap my palm against her toe beans. Bubbles wiggles excitedly, and Aria beams at me.
“That is… seriously amazing,” I tell her, getting to my feet. Very carefully.
“Psh! That’s nothing. I’ll go get dressed and whenever you’d like to see her progress, we’ll be ready.” Aria stands, but winces, pressing a palm to her upper back. “Crap,” she mutters softly. “Thanks for waking me up. I really am sorry about… you know.” She gestures toward my crotch, her cheeks flushing.
“Nah, it’s all good.” I give her my best reassuring smile. One that hopefully implies that my nutsaren’tkilling me.