by Nikki Bloom
“You’re pretty hot when you complain because you’re not whining about it. I like it.” A sharp laugh escaped me, and Carter grabbed my hand to pull me to his chest. The sudden tug knocked the air from my lungs, and heat slithered up my neck. His eyes glittered with desire he made no attempt to hide. “I like you, Madeline.”
“You’re pretty hot, too, Carter.” I reached to grab his ass, and Carter’s smirk widened as he slung his arms over my shoulders. Hard muscles played against my chest, and I tilted my head up as he ducked down. His lips were feather soft, tentative against mine, and my breath hitched as desire warmed my face. Wrapping his arm around my head, his free hand glided down my back sensually, and goosebumps blanketed my skin under my shorts and tank top.
Pressing against him, I opened my mouth for Carter’s tongue as he grabbed my ass and squeezed, and a little moan escaped me. Desire knotted my abdomen, and excitement flooded my veins when he hoisted me off the polished hardwood. Kissing down his jaw and neck, I took a deep breath of his aroma and ground against his hardening bulge shamelessly. Even through both our pairs of jeans, he was obviously well-endowed, and I closed my eyes to savor the feeling.
“Are you on birth control?” Humming softly in acknowledgment, I pulled my wallet out of my back pocket as Carter pushed open his bedroom door. Kicking the barrier shut with a damning click, he set me down as I pulled out the implant medication slip my doctor had given me.
“I had just gotten it replaced before my life went to Hell.” Satisfaction wormed onto Carter’s expression as he peeked at the card, and I turned around to grind my ass against him. Greedy hands squeezed my hips and dragged up my shirt before I tossed my wallet and keys onto the dresser. Arching into dry, hot palms, a gasp wrenched from my chest when he pinched my nipples.
Carter tugged my shirt over my head, and a shiver slid down my spine before he squeezed my breasts together. Shuffling forward, he kissed down my neck, and I basked in his attentions as I bent over the foot of his bed. Rolling my hips to grind against him, I spread my thighs a little as the heat became unbearable. Caressing down my back, his little grunt of satisfaction barely rose above the blood drumming in my ears.
He dropped to his knees to roll down my shorts, and Carter’s husky chuckle rippled up my back. I closed my eyes when he placed a sloppy, wet kiss on my ass cheek. Through my panties, he thumbed my clit and jiggled my ass, his lips trailing up my body to my shoulder. Carnal delight sent shivers through my thighs, and I kicked off my sneakers hastily.
“Ah—” Gripping my hip, he ground against me, and I buried my moan in the bed. Hot, taut skin threatened to burn my back as I arched into him, and Carter fumbled with his pants fastening before straightening.
“Turn over and spread your legs. Show me that sexy body, Madeline.” Eagerness gripped my muscles in a vice as I scrambled up higher. The bed creaked slightly, and Carter smacked my ass lightly before I flipped onto my back. Need flushed my face, and he kicked off his own shoes and jeans to rub himself outside his boxers. My mouth watered, and he draped himself over me to nestle between my open thighs.
Capturing my lips with a ferociousness I wasn’t expecting, Carter grabbed my hands and raised them above my head, tangling our fingers together. Slipping his tongue past my teeth, his hot kiss dissolved some of the tension in me, and my knees clung to his hips. The taste of him coated my mouth, his eagerness pressing against my panties as I tilted my hips.
“Oh-h, fuck...” Tearing his mouth from mine, Carter growled against my chin on his way down. Caressing my arms, his fingernails grazed my sensitive skin, and my chest tightened under the weight of his mouth. Sucking my nipple between his teeth, he nibbled and tugged as he squeezed my breasts together. The thin fabric between us were no barrier to the heat of his cock, and my core clenched as pleasure swarmed just under my skin.
Soft moans wrenched from my throat as Carter worshipped my breasts, and I sucked in a sharp breath when he reached down to circle my clit. Hot, wet kisses left a trail down my abdomen, and Carter’s eyes met mine when I glanced down. Lifting my hips, I bit my bottom lip hard as he peeled my underwear from my throbbing folds.
“I’m gonna save my best tricks for when we’ve got more time.” My eyes rolled back when Carter licked my pussy with all of his tongue, the tip slipping between my lower lips. Shuddering in pleasure, my toes curled as he crawled up to kiss me hard. The taste of myself and him mingled on my tongue, and he pulled his cock out of his boxers to pump firmly. The hairs on the back of his hand tickled my clit, and I wriggled with excitement when he sat up on his knees to yank off his shirt.
God, he was built, but not disgustingly so. There was just enough definition to make my wetness seep out of me, and Carter’s smirk shot straight between my legs. Gripping the pillow far above my head, I panted with need as his face flushed slightly. His eyes fluttered when he swiped the bulbous head of his cock between my folds, and I spread my legs as wide as I could.
“Fuck me hard, Carter.” My voice broke under the intense need that bashed against my eye sockets, and he threw my legs over his shoulders to climb on top of me. My ass lifted off the bed, and Carter balanced on one knee and braced his foot on the mattress. I trembled with expectation, tiny tears welling in my eyes, and he buried his hands in my hair to bunch up my body like a pretzel.
Thrusting experimentally, Carter’s gasp sucked the heat from my face as his cock stretched my entrance. He pulled back, and I ground my teeth hard and held my breath as pleasure cramped my foot. Again, he thrust tentatively, pulling back before the friction became painful. Adjusting himself, his hands tightly in my hair in preparation, and glittering, brown eyes met mine under heavy lids.
Snapping his hips against mine, Carter shoved his cock as deep into my channel as he could in one powerful thrust. His pelvis ground against my thighs, the intense wave of frigid pleasure that swept up my sternum forcing the air from my lungs, and I arched as tremors danced down my spine.
Intent eyes bored holes into my face, and colorful spots assaulted the edge of my vision when Carter pulled back. The thick ridge of his cock caressed my walls, and I managed a shallow breath before he set a hard, rough pace. Clamping down on his shaft as he jammed my cervix, his thrusts would’ve been painful if they weren’t so euphoric.
My pussy tightened as moans crept up my dried throat, and Carter grunted with the effort he put into doing exactly what I wanted. His shoulders rippled with power against my calves, and he reached down to push on my abdomen. The slap of skin on skin was muffled in my ears, and my face grew hot as I came closer and closer to the edge.
“I’m gon— cum— right there! There!” He ground his hips against mine as I clamped down and spasmed wildly, and Carter growled as he rode my orgasm. Squeezing my eyes closed, I craned my neck against the pressure, and pleasure sent shivers all the way to my toenails. Undulating around his hard cock, I cried out hoarsely, and Carter thrust short, sharp jerks of his hips.
“Fuck.” My legs fell from his shoulders, and I gasped when Carter braced his forearms on either side of my head to fuck me slow and deep. The hairs on his chest rubbed my nipples raw, and sweat pooled between my breasts and dribbled down my neck. He lapped it up hungrily before capturing my lips, and I somehow managed to wrap my legs around his waist.
“You wanna keep goin’?” Rough and deep, his question stunned me, and my brows rose as Carter ducked into my neck. Suddenly, a tension slithered between my ribs, but he was quick to murmur softly in my ear. “I just wanted to make you cum, baby. Relax for a while.”
“Did you?” Rasping my question, I sucked in a sharp wheeze of a breath when Carter nodded slightly. “You were for real?”
“I nut quick but stay hard. Plus, I was prepared for this to be fast.” To say I was curious wasn’t right, but I had never been with a guy that didn’t stop after getting his. Pushing himself onto his elbows, Carter grinned down at me unabashed and pushed a stray strand of hair from my forehead. “I told you, 45 seconds is impress
ive, isn’t it?”
“You didn’t even try to last?” I was baffled when Carter shook his head, and a dry, small laugh escaped me. “I—I don’t know whether that’s a compliment or not.”
“It’s not anything. This is a quickie, so, you know, it’s supposed to be quick.” He turned my face with a finger against my chin, licking up the sweat that slicked my skin. Shivering, I tightened around his cock, and true to his word, he was still rock hard. “You want to stop?”
“Um, sorta.” The strangest sensation that I was doing something wrong gripped my heart in a vice, but Carter didn’t protest. Surprise stole my breath when he pulled out of my pussy, but he was quick to reach down. Lazily thumbing my clit, he pulled my leg over his to spoon me, and his hard cock curved against my pussy lips. “I’ve never had someone stop. This is weird.”
“You’re making it weird. Taking a nap together is scientifically good for you.” He cupped my breast with his hand and snuggled against my back to prove his point. “I read it on the internet, so it’s the truth. Now shut up and close your eyes.”
10
Madeline
“—eline... Madeline... hey—” My eyelids fluttered open, and I gasped as alarm bells instantly rang in my head, but Carter squeezed my shoulder lightly. Blinking hard as grogginess clung to the edges of my mind, I rolled over onto my belly to bury my groan of protest in the pillow. “It’s almost 11, baby.”
“Just a few more minutes...” Carter chuffed a soundless laugh at my mumble, and I took a deep breath of pure bliss. He was right. Napping was a better idea than a long sex session. “Are you good?”
“I’m good, yeah. I drew you. I hope that doesn’t make me creepy as fuck, but...” My eyes popped open again at that, and I rolled over heavily as Carter frowned under loosely knit brows. “That sounds terrible, actually. I only drew your face.”
“Why?” Sitting up to rub the sleep from my eyes, I stretched my arms taut above my head, and Carter leaned over the side of the bed to grab a sketch pad. “Did you capture the dark circles under my eyes?”
“I hope I did your existential exhaustion justice.” Rolling my eyes, I rocked forward as Carter turned the pad around, an almost sheepish smile stretching his lips. True to his word, he’d only drawn my face, but butterflies fluttered in my belly as I took the pad. I didn’t look as tired as I expected. In fact, I looked...peaceful.
Looking at myself on paper was different than a picture, and I smiled a little as my heart thudded hard against my ribs. Carter was obviously a wonderful artist. The way he angled it made my parted lips and my nose seemed delicate when I was seventy percent sure I’d drooled a little.
“I love it. Yeah. It’s beautiful.” Carter practically preened at my praise, and I giggled a little as I handed him back his pad. “You’re really talented.”
“I’m a lot better with buildings.” He blushed as he flipped the pad pages, and my smile widened as I scooted closer to him. “I’m glad I’m able to incorporate art into my life as much as I am. It’s really important to me. If I couldn’t have been successful with the hotel business, I would live a bohemian artist’s life off what my dad left me.”
“It must be nice to do what you love. I went from partying and doing normal 22-year-old stuff to basically becoming a workaholic. I remember when I was still in high school, I always told myself I’d have time to figure out what to do with my life.” My cheeks twitched in a sad smile, and Carter wrapped an arm around me to kiss my temple. Our small, intimate moment didn’t last long, and a sigh escaped me when he pulled back. “It must be a bitch to hear that considering all the work you did to get to where you are.”
“Nah—working for hotels, I know firsthand that people need time for themselves. Shouldering the world gets heavier and harder to manage the longer you do it. Being a parent when you don’t want to be is even worse.” I couldn’t help but frown at that, and I twisted around to grab my shirt off the floor. “Are you passing by downtown on your way home?”
“Yeah. You want a ride to the House?” Glancing over as he nodded, I pulled my shirt down over myself to run my hands through my hair. I need a shower. Had it really been so long that this sticky sensation was almost unpleasant? “What’s it like being a rich guy at restaurants? Do you usually get your own dedicated waitress and stuff?”
“Usually, yeah. I try not to eat out a lot because I may be ‘rich’ in the sense that I own hotels all over the world, but I don’t pay myself a lot. Evan’s a firm believer that obscene amounts of money is a stupid concept. He’s pretty strict on what can and can’t be charged to the company. Like, Friday night’s dinner, for example. I left you a cash tip because it was a business meeting, but tipping is separate and generally, Evan gives me shit for it. He really tries to keep the spending in check.” I snatched my shorts as Carter sort of rambled, but I enjoyed listening to him talk. He had a beautiful, deep, smooth voice that was almost as beautiful as his laugh. “We definitely don’t struggle, and since we travel so much, my bank’s pretty padded.”
“We get tourists all year round, so I wouldn’t say I’m struggling either. Sundays are really important to me because I work every day. I always feel like I’m leaving Michael and Sophia to grow up by themselves.” I puffed out my lips sourly, and Carter stood up to slip back into his jeans as I pulled my hair into a high ponytail. “It’s really stupid because it’s not supposed to be my job to raise them. I feel stupid for feeling guilty for working my ass off.”
“...Do you mind my asking what happened with your parents? You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to, Madeline.” I grabbed one of my shoes and pointed at the other in the middle of the room, and the hairs on the back of my neck bristled slightly.
“My mom decided to have another baby at damn near 48 years old.” He choked on his own spit in surprise, and I nodded in understanding as I shoved my feet into my shoes. “Yeah, exactly. Not surprisingly, a geriatric pregnancy is really dangerous, and my mom lost it at about five months. She went off the deep end. My dad ended up going back to work early because she was just so unbearable. I get that it hurt, but everyone warned her not to get pregnant again, so...”
“Your dad just went along with that shit? Seriously? Why?” The sourness on my tongue intensified, and I stood up to stretch tall with an unhappy grunt. Carter’s shock mirrored mine when I mentioned posing the very same question to my dad.
“He didn’t. She did it ‘on her own.’ They dragged me into their argument. They were both mid-twenties when I was born, by the way, even though I already knew I wasn’t planned. That didn’t necessarily bother me because I knew about it, but my mom really attacked me and my dad.” Thinking about that argument still made me angry, and I shook my head as Carter covered his mouth in horror. “My mom was devastated when she miscarried, and after it became obvious she couldn’t cope, my dad took her to this institution in Massachusetts...and I never heard from either of them again.”
“That’s...that’s unfathomably fucked up, Madeline.” Inhaling sharply, I only nodded at that, and Carter walked over to fling his arms around me and jerk me side to side. “Ugh! That’s insanity! How does that even happen?”
“She was always over-dramatic and selfish. Her just demanding a kid, and she needed to complete her family... not the first time it happened. Michael’s a product of her just deciding to have a baby out of the blue. Sophia, too. And then she’d complain about being so busy and she never has time for herself, how amazing she thinks she is for being 40 with an infant, and she’s so great... blah—blah—blah. We used to fight all the time because she wanted me to take care of them and I wouldn’t. So, it’s the ultimate irony that now...” Trailing off as Carter’s chest muscles flexed against my face, I shrugged under his grip. “My dad wasn’t a saint either. I’m pretty sure he was abusing his pain meds. But the point is I can’t stop now, and it’s not like I’m starting from scratch. Michael’s gonna be 13 next month, and they’re good kids.”
“You’re awe
-inspiring, Madeline.” Blushing at the open admiration, I shook my head and stepped back to exhale a stabilizing breath. My heart grew full that someone, anyone, acknowledged that I was working hard. Blinking back the sting in my eyes, I smiled when Carter cupped my cheeks tenderly, his eyes glittering with esteem. “Seriously. You’re amazing.”
“Thanks. It’s not so bad, I guess, because I wasn’t giving up a life I was dead set on. When I’m with them, I actually really like being their ‘pseudo-parent.’ I just...am barely with them, so it feels like all I do is work myself to the bone for nothing.”
“Well, I know it wouldn’t matter much coming from me, but it’s nothing to be ashamed of— not knowing what you want to do in life, and not having a plan. Some people spend their later lives retired and relaxing, and some people spend their early lives partying and living.” Smiling wider, I offered a slight nod, and Carter squeezed my face gingerly before stepping back. “Maybe, you can sleep over Sunday night? And it won’t be disappointingly short.”
“I’ll think about it. Like I said, Sundays are important to me. If I came over, it wouldn’t be until after Mikey and Sophia go to sleep.” Carter didn’t push it as he shoved his legs into his jeans, and I reached to push him playfully. “The nap was better because of the quick sex.”
“Exactly like I planned!” Snorting a laugh, I shook my head as Carter fastened his jeans around his waist. He laughed, and I felt light in a way I hadn’t for a long time.
11
Carter
“Hungry?” Glancing up, surprise twitched my cheek when Evan slid into the chair across from me. “I had a strange phone call from Irene. She asked me if you were really able to fire her.”
