Right in Front of You: (A Friends to Lovers Contemporary Romance)

by Lacey Silks

  I didn’t tell Carter about my run-in with Father. He would have lost it. Tomorrow, I would go to the police to file an official restraining order, although I doubted that would stop him. I doubted that anything would ever stop him from getting to me. Deep inside, I had a petrified feeling that he was hiding out, waiting for that perfect moment to strike.

  CARTER

  I gripped the steering wheel for the first time since the accident. My fingers wrapped around the smooth leather as I remembered the joy of freedom. Finally, capable of being more self-sufficient each day, I was beginning to feel like a man again.

  “Are you sure you’re all right?” I asked Molly, as we stepped out of my brother’s car. He had lent it to us for the weekend so we could drive to Hope Bay to celebrate our mother’s birthday. While I thought Molly would object to returning to Hope Bay, she didn’t even say a word. For the past few days, it was as if she were somewhere else, lost in her thoughts.

  “Yeah, I’m fine. It’s just been a stressful week at work.”

  “I’m sorry. Lots of patients?”

  “More like, difficult cases, ya know.”

  Far in the distance, dark clouds closed in on our town. Molly jumped out of the car as soon as I parked it in front of my parent’s house.

  “Something’s the matter and you’re not telling me what it is.” I stopped her before we entered the house. “Molly, look at me.” I held her by her shoulders, forcing her gaze to connect with mine.

  “I’m fine.”

  “Translation: I don’t want to tell you what’s wrong.”

  “I don’t want to ruin the dinner, but if you do insist on the details, I promise to tell you everything after dinner. I promise,” she added.

  “Hmm, I think that’s the best deal I’m gonna get, so I’ll take it. As long as you’re okay.”

  “Yes, I’m fine.”

  I shook my head, then kissed the top of her head before guiding us both inside, the ‘I’m fine’ response not sitting well in my stomach. The smell of baked rhubarb and strawberry pie hit me first, causing my mouth to instantly water. It was my mother’s best recipe. If I had to bet, I’d say that she wanted to impress Molly.

  “Hi, Molly. Welcome.” My mother dove in first for the loving embrace and squeezed Molly as if she were her own daughter. The smile on Molly’s face made my mouth curve as well.

  “Thank you.” She handed a bunch of wildflowers to my mother. “These are for you.”

  “Thank you so much. That’s very sweet of you.”

  “Can I help with anything?”

  “No, you’re the guest today, so take a seat and relax. From what I hear, you’ve had quite a week.”

  My ears perked up at my mother’s comment. From the corner of my eye I saw Molly’s smile fade. My father walked into the room. We shook hands, and he greeted Molly with a kiss on each cheek.

  “How are you holding up, Molly? The chief tells me that you’ve filed a restraining order against your father.”

  “What?” I asked. “When did this happen? Not that I’m against it.”

  “It’s just precautionary,” she said, taking a seat at the table.

  “I hope you two are taking his threats seriously,” my father added.

  “What threats?”

  Silence buzzed in my ears. I felt my parent’s eyes on me and Molly, who lowered her head.

  “John, why don’t we give them a moment to talk before dinner?”

  Instead of answering me, Molly stared at the center vase full of wild flowers. I turned my chair toward her, then pulled on hers, twisting it so that she would face me. I had to see her eyes. I had to know how bad it had gotten during the week and if it had, then why didn’t she tell me earlier? The chair legs scraped against the wooden floor, startling Molly. I sighed and gently lifted her chin with my finger to meet my gaze. “What happened?”

  “On Wednesday, he came to the hospital, drunk.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “I didn’t want to worry you.”

  “And he threatened you?”

  “A little more than threatened, but I handled it. I got a restraining order, and I have pepper spray in my purse.”

  “What did he do, Molly? Please don’t spare me any details.”

  And she didn’t. She told me how rude he had been when she treated him and how he had pulled her into the storage closet. I cringed listening to her. My pulse raced, and at one point I had to hold onto my neck because my jugular vein was on the verge of popping. Maybe I shouldn’t have asked her for all the gruesome details.

  “I’m going to kill him.” I pushed the chair back as I stood up and it crashed to the floor. My father briefly peeked inside the room to check what was going on and then left.

  “Carter, please. Just let it be. Leave it alone. I’ve handled it.”

  “A restraining order won’t stop him, and you know it.”

  I took the car keys off a hook and headed for the door. Molly followed me outside. “Carter, you can’t. Not today. What are you going to do?”

  “I’m going to make sure that he never comes near you again.” I opened the car door and turned around to see her fear-stricken face. When I woke up this morning, I hadn’t expected this day to turn for the worse this quickly. A stronger gust of wind blew the dark clouds closer to town, along with the first few raindrops.

  “Why can’t you just leave it alone, Carter? Just forget him and let me be. Let us be. Look at what’s right in front of you, not to the past or behind you. If I’d let the past guide me, I wouldn’t have become a doctor. I wouldn’t have had the balls to move away from Hope Bay. Look at where we’re at now. Just you and me, Carter. It’s so perfect. Please. Look at us and only us. No one else.”

  The plea in her voice was breaking my heart.

  “Please don’t ruin your mother’s birthday,” she begged. “Please don’t go. Not today and not tomorrow. I already pressed charges and the police told me they’ll let me know as soon as they find him.”

  “He’s in hiding?”

  “I think so.”

  I sighed. The man part of me wanted to drive straight back to the city, stampede into the restaurant where Ron Fowler worked, and strangle him to death. I wanted to do anything to make that ache that filled Molly’s life each day go away. But if he was in hiding and the police were looking for him, I wouldn’t have known where to start.

  “I’m sorry, Molly. I just wish I could do something more.”

  “I know. Me too.”

  She slid her hand down my arm and intertwined her fingers with mine. Hand in hand, we went back inside and joined my parents for dinner. Hoping to have another talk with Molly, I hurried through dinner, dessert, and the additional cake. We helped my mother clean up afterward. I made a cup of tea for us and asked Molly to join me on the back porch. Heavy raindrops splattered against the windows and a forceful wind swayed the trees back and forth.

  I looked to Molly, who seemed to be lost in thought. That glow of happiness on her face I was used to seeing was gone. I wanted to ask her about additional locks for her apartment door, but she already looked so sad that I had a difficult time bringing it up. I hadn’t meant to ruin her day today by mentioning her father. I just wanted her safe and happy. I finally set the mug aside and took hers away as well.

  “What are you doing?” she asked.

  “We’re going to skip in the puddles.” I took her hand and pulled her out from underneath the rooftop and out into the rain. Immediately she lifted her face up to the sky and let the water flow down her cheeks. It was pouring, and Molly looked like she was in heaven. She transformed into a different person the minute the first drops touched her face.

  “You’re crazy!” I called out over the hum, which now seemed to be a torrential downpour. I’d never seen this much rain fall, but it didn’t matter. With Molly beside me, it felt like it was the sunniest and warmest day of the year.

  “I know!” she shrieked with happiness.

 
The drops fell on us as if each one was a bucket, soaking us. I found the first puddle, took her hand, and we jumped in at the same time, splashing the rainwater over our jeans. She of course laughed.

  “I’m crazy about you!”

  “And I’m crazy about you!” she called back.

  We hopped from one round wet patch to another, holding hands the way we had when we were little. I finally stopped and turned toward her. She was out of breath. Her chest was rising and falling, and her shirt was drenched and stuck to her body, outlining her beautiful silhouette. She looked stunning. I took her by the hips and pulled her in closer, slowly following an upward path of her curves. We had wandered so far away from the house that we could barely see its outline through the thick rain.

  “Molly, I’m so deeply in love with you that it hurts. You fill my heart with everything. You complete me. I love you.”

  Despite the falling rain and her wet face, I could see the shiny tears of happiness form in her eyes and slowly dribble down her cheeks, mixing with raindrops. It was another one of those beautiful sights that took my breath away.

  “I love you too, Carter.”

  I could never get tired of hearing those words, so I seized her mouth with mine, and let my instincts guide me. I wanted this woman unlike any other. Holding her, kissing her like she was the key to my next breath, I could finally see that I had a chance at happiness. I had a purpose and she was it. I pictured our kids, running around the yard, the curls they’d inherited from their beautiful mother spilling over their shoulders. Us, taking long walks to Pebble Lake and back. Maybe we’d even skinny dip. What if I removed the remaining charcoal from my burnt home and built a new house for our growing family? With Molly, I could see it all happen – being together for better or worse, in sickness and health, until the day I died. Nothing could stop us if we worked together. Not even her father. I was certain of that.

  Water dripped down our faces. It trickled between our mouths. The taste of her and rain combined made me hard. Her curls straightened, some of them sticking to her beautiful face, longer ones to her chest. Our clothes were soaked, and it felt as if we were naked. Thunder roared in the distance, but neither of us moved. I sucked on her bottom lip before pushing my tongue deeper into her mouth. The best part of kissing Molly was that she kissed me back. Hard and desperate, her passionate kisses seared against my mouth as she pushed her bosom into my chest, stringing her arms around me, gently scraping any part of my skin she could tantalize with her fingernails.

  When I pulled away, I leaned my forehead against hers, heaving.

  “I want to make love to you, Molly, so badly. I want to show you what being with a man should be like. I want us to make good memories, ones that will wash away the past, ones that will fill your heart and soul with enough happiness to last you ten lifetimes. I will erase your doubts. I want to love your whole body. I want to love you and protect you for the rest of my life. I do see what’s right in front of me, and that’s you, Molly. I won’t do anything to screw this up. I promise.”

  “I want you too, Carter. I’m not afraid anymore. I won’t let him ruin me any further. I won’t let him guide my life.” Her hands slid over the water on my arms on a downward path until our fingers intertwined. “I want you as well. Right now.”

  I looked deep into her eyes, trying to find a hint of doubt there, but I only saw longing. She didn’t need to ask me twice. I touched the first button on her shirt and flicked it open. Then the second and third. I followed the column of buttons until her white shirt spread open, revealing her soaked white bra. My dick twitched at the beauty of her pink nipples poking through. Rain formed strings of paths from her neck through the valley between her breasts.

  Jesus, was she ever beautiful.

  Her pure scent filled my nostrils, and my senses spun into a whirlwind of lust. I reached for the button on her jeans, unfastening them. Then another, and another, until the fabric opened up to the sides, and I could see a matching set of white panties over her triangle.

  “Not sure if you noticed, but it’s raining, Molly.”

  “It’s perfect,” she replied.

  “You’ll shiver if we stay here longer, and I’m planning on taking my time with you today.”

  Instead of sliding her pants off her hips, I picked her up into my arms and carried her to an old barn in the back of my parents’ field. A mumble of a protest escaped her lips before she bit down and smiled. Molly was still afraid I’d exert or injure myself.

  I kicked the barn doors apart and we squeezed through the opening. The smell of dust and dry hay weaved around us.

  “Hang your clothes there. I don’t want them to get dirty.” I pointed to an old hook on the side wall.

  Raindrops beat forcefully against the rooftop. I opened a chest that I knew was filled with blankets and pillows my grandmother had stored for us. A faint smell of oatmeal cookies lifted from within, as a memory of my grandmother bringing them to the barn flashed in my mind. We’d ended up eating the entire batch right on top of the blankets and pillows we used to build forts.

  I spread a checkered throw over the hay at the base of an old stack, as well as a few pillows, and then turned around to look at Molly. Wearing her partly opened jeans and white bra, she was watching me, still biting her lip, making the tightness in my pants that much more visible. I beckoned her with my finger to come closer and she sauntered over. Kneeling in front of her, I kissed around her navel with tenderness and hooked my fingers into the loops of her jeans before slowly lowering them off her hips. My lips danced a downward path over her velvety skin and firm legs that were soft on the inside until I got to the knee and removed her pants completely. As she shimmied out of them, her hands raked through my hair, tightening it into her fists and gently tugging so that I would stand up to meet her.

  Molly reached for the hem of my shirt and lifted it over my head. While I wanted to grab her, throw her onto the hay, and sink deep into her, I took more pleasure in the slow progress, watching her expression change at my every touch and feeling the gentle tremors of her body under my fingertips. Time teased us. The languorous ticking seconds of anticipation aroused me. My hands grazed all over her body while hers explored my chest, neck, and back.

  Molly’s breaths shallowed, her nipples pebbled underneath her bra, and her lips parted invitingly. Her hand moved to my jeans, flipping the button open in one swift tug. The sound of the zipper overpowered the sound of the raindrops banging against the wooden boards. Jesus, could this girl ever turn me on!

  Once my pants were down, there wasn’t much to hide. Well, there was a lot to hide, actually, because my dick was swollen to its full capacity and peeked out of my boxer-briefs. Molly’s eyes grew wide at the sight of my crown while her mouth curved up with delight. She pulled her tongue over her bottom lip and I almost came right there. I took her face into my hands and kissed her again. Wanting this moment to last, wanting her memories to be as if it were her first time ever, I took my time kissing her collarbone, neck and shoulders. I caressed her lips with mine and pushed my tongue deep into her mouth to play with hers, savoring every little moan and sound she made. They were innocent and beautiful, just like she was.

  Her fingers scraped gently over my back, driving me wild, before sliding higher to my head where she raked them through my hair again. It was one of the most amazing feelings in the world.

  The barn felt hot and muggy. Molly’s slick body pressed against mine. We kissed as if we had all the time in the world, the rush of everyday life ceasing to exist.

  It was just the rain and us. And Molly’s hands. Jesus, where was she going with this? If she didn’t stop teasing me this way, I’d definitely blow. She slid them up my back again, then down, and didn’t stop until she reached my ass, squeezing her palms inside my underwear, cupping my cheeks ever so gently, feeling their strength, massaging them. Her hands then ventured toward the front, forcing us somewhat apart. She traced her fingers over the fabric and up my shaft, nearly to
uching the wet tip.

  “Molly, stop.”

  “You don’t like it?”

  “No, I love it. That’s the problem. I don’t want to be done before we’ve barely started.”

  She smiled with satisfaction. “Does that mean that I turn you on?”

  “You had doubts?” I looked down, right into the eye of the dragon and the pre-cum pearl.

  “I want to touch it.”

  “You will, but first, we take care of you.” I moved forward, guiding Molly to walk back and onto the blanket. “Lie down.” The growl I heard in my voice vibrated through my chest.

  I unclasped her bra at the back and kissed my way down her shoulder and arm, pushing the strap of her bra with my lips until it fell freely to the bend of her arm, then repeated the process on the other side.

  Looking at her from the top, I admired her beautiful pink nipples and the way they reached up, almost begging to be kissed. They wouldn’t have to beg for long. I dragged my lips from her collar to her perky breasts, taking one of the sensitive nubs into my mouth. She moaned, the sound turning me on that much more.

  I swirled my tongue around the gorgeous blossom, gently pulling it back with my teeth, before letting go, then sucked her inside my mouth again, this time squeezing the sweet peak harder with my lips. She writhed underneath me with impatience. The scent of her need floated around us, mixed with mine. I shifted to the other side, giving the second breast as much attention as the first, molding it with my hands.

  Molly pressed her pelvis higher, into my thigh. Her drenched panties left a mark on my muscle. I slid lower, prolonging our torturous arousal, leaving a column of kisses down the middle of her stomach, past her navel, until I reached the band of her panties, and I looked up.

  She looked so beautiful. Her cheeks were flushed, eyes wide open and lips parted. Her short breaths of desire, when I hadn’t even started on the main course, pleased my ears. I grasped the top of her panties with my teeth and slowly pulled them off, inhaling her scent on the way down. As soon as she was bare, I went back up to the central focus point: her gorgeously glistening pussy, with a trimmed strip of hair running through the middle. She let her head fall back down on the pillow and shut her eyes. Underneath the perfectly sculpted hair, her delicate folds, all pink and juicy, were swollen, ready to burst. I’d have to find a way to make this last for her.