by Jamie Pope
It made sense for someone like her to be with someone like Derek, but Carlos wasn’t having it.
Because that little voice in his head kept screaming at him.
She’s mine.
And I’m not going to let anyone else get her.
He walked over to them, his pressure up, blood pumping in his ears. He almost felt as though he was at bat in front of twenty thousand people, his mind focused on one thing. But instead of hitting a ball, it was getting Virginia away from Derek.
“I think we’ve been busted,” he heard Derek say with a grin.
“We’re not doing anything.” Virginia frowned at up at him.
Carlos took her arm and gently pulled her away. “I’m ready to go.”
“I was dancing with Derek.”
“I know, and now you’re not anymore.” He kept his voice low. He knew that all eyes were on them, and he didn’t want to create a scene, but he needed to get his point across. “I thought we had an understanding, but I guess I wasn’t clear. Back off. You can have any woman you want but her.”
“Carlos,” she hissed at him, but he never took his eyes off Derek.
“Just leave her alone.”
He turned away then, not waiting for a response, not even caring if there was one. Virginia walked with him, saying nothing. But the angry heat that was coming off her burned his skin.
It didn’t matter. He had gotten his point across, and tonight he was really going to make her his.
* * *
Virginia couldn’t even form words, she was so angry with Carlos. The whole ride home she kept thinking about how he’d come at them, charging like a big, angry bull. At first she’d thought he was sexy. He looked big, powerful and in charge. Hell, he was sexy. But she wasn’t his property or his girlfriend. She wasn’t his anything. But he was treating her as if she was. Even if she was his girlfriend, he had no right to act like that.
Like a jackass.
Like a big macho idiot.
She got out of the car as soon as the wheels stopped and walked ahead of him into the house.
She wasn’t used to men like him. Stubborn men who marked their territory and ran right over people.
He grabbed her hand, stopping her flight. “Where are you going?”
“To bed.” She snatched her hand away from his. “Or more accurately to get the hell away from you.”
“Why?”
“Why? Why? You may be a jock but you’re not dumb, and if you don’t know why I’m pissed you better call somebody to find out.”
“I didn’t do anything wrong,” he said, so calmly and surely that she believed he thought that.
“You embarrassed me. You bullied Derek in the town he runs. You walked out on the party without thanking or saying goodbye to anyone. You were a self-centered jackass.”
“I want you,” he said simply. “I want to be with you and I don’t want anyone else thinking they can have you.” He stepped closer to her and gripped her shoulders. “When I think about somebody else touching you or kissing you it makes me crazy. I can’t stop thinking about you. And nothing you do or say is going to stop me from wanting you.”
The words hit her right in the chest. Right in her heart. She was trying to fight off the effects but it was hard. It was so damn hard when he had just said to her the sweetest thing anyone could have said.
“It’s doesn’t make it okay, you know. It doesn’t.”
He closed the gap between them, bringing his body in contact with hers. It was all heat and hardness. The contact made her heart race and her knees weak. It made her breath short as she struggled for something to say to him.
“I...”
The words died on her lips when Carlos leaned in and kissed her. She relented and let herself be kissed. There was no stopping what was going to happen tonight. She didn’t want to stop what was going to happen tonight, even if she could.
He broke the kiss and looked down at her, his chest heaving slightly. “Your room or mine?”
“Mine.” She sighed. “I promised you I would before we left.”
He rested his forehead against hers and sighed. “I would never hold you to that. I would never make you do something you didn’t want to do.”
She looped her arms around his neck. Being with him was not something she wanted to do, it was something she needed to do. She couldn’t resist the powerful pull between them anymore. “I want you. Just you. Only you. Still, you didn’t have to be such an ass.”
“I’m sorry.” He looked at her for a long moment before he kissed her again. There had always been a spark between them, a heavy attraction that she couldn’t deny. But when he kissed her this time, it lit something inside her. It made her hot, literally, as if her skin was burning up and only his touch could soothe it.
“Let’s go.” He took her hand and together they rushed to her bedroom. He pushed the door closed behind them and for a moment they stood staring at each other.
His eyes swept up her body, giving her goose bumps. “What are you thinking?” she asked.
“Two things. Having a house this big sucks in a situation like this. Bedrooms are too far.”
“And the other?”
“You look so good, I don’t know where to start.”
His words made her breathless. She was experiencing more than arousal. It was excitement. She was excited to be loved by this man. “I know what I’d do.”
“What?” A small smile played around his lips.
“Start from the top and work my way down.”
“I think I’ll do that.”
He walked behind her and unzipped her dress. She felt his breath on her skin and her nipples became painfully tight. He kissed her, her shoulders, her back, the skin that went down her spine, as his fingers undid her bra. He pushed her bra and dress off all at once, leaving her in just her underwear.
He cupped her breasts, squeezing them slightly, his lips traveling to her neck, giving her the most scorching of kisses.
“Carlos...”
He brushed his thumbs over her nipples, sending ripples of sensation throughout her body. She didn’t need this. She didn’t need foreplay. She didn’t need him to take his time. She was ready for him. She spun in his arms and kissed him hard, grabbing the waistband of his pants, unbuttoning them to slip her hand inside. He was hard already, but she couldn’t resist stroking up and down his long, thick length.
“No.” He gently pushed her away. “My turn to be in charge.” He lifted her up over his shoulder and carried her to her bed, gently dropping her when he got there.
“I’m ready.” She held out her arms to him. “Come here.”
“You’re ready, but I’m not yet.”
“Take off your clothes. I need to see you.”
He nodded, pulling his shirt over his head. “Take off your shoes.”
She had forgotten she had them on, but she quickly took them off and discarded them, waiting to see what he was going to do next. He took some condoms out of his pocket and handed them to her.
“You always walk around with these?”
“No. Only tonight. I always want you, but I need you tonight.”
His words were sweet. It made her want him even more. “Come here.” She reached for him but he pushed her down on the bed. He grabbed her panties, slipping them off in one smooth move. “Still my turn.” He pushed his head between her legs, kissing up her inner thigh, his lips getting closer and closer to her to mound. He kissed her there, closemouthed, then he parted her, licking deep inside. She gripped the comforter, biting down on her lower lip to keep from crying out as his tongue worked.
She was so close to climax, but she didn’t want to yet. Not without him. Pushing his head away, she got off the bed to finish undressing him. She rubbed her bod
y against his, loving the way her nipples felt as they scraped across his muscular chest.
“Why are you rushing me?” He brought his lips down on top of hers.
“You started it,” she said between kisses. “I’m going to finish it the way I like.” She grabbed one of the condoms off the bed and opened it. “Lie down,” she ordered.
He did, resting his hands behind his head. She knelt between his legs, cupping his sac in her hand, pressing kisses to it while she rolled the condom on. He groaned. She loved that. She loved when he made any sound that showed his pleasure. Making him feel good made her feel great, like a woman. It was definitely something she’d been missing in her last relationship.
She climbed on top of him, straddling him, and he grinned. But the lust in his eyes was unmistakable.
“I think you’re amazing.”
“You should.” She grasped his manhood in her hands and slid it over her lower lips. He hissed, baring his teeth. She didn’t think it was possible, but seeing him like that turned her on even more. She rose over him and placed him inside her, loving the way it felt to finally have his thickness filling her.
She placed her hands on his chest and rose up again, slowly, until he was almost out of her, before she bore down again.
He growled but she maintained her slow pace, needing to feel every inch of him on every slide. He grabbed her hips, trying to take control, but she wouldn’t let him. She bent her head, flicking her tongue across his nipple as she rode. That pushed him over the edge.
He flipped her over, pinning her to the bed. “You’re too good.” He pushed into her harder, deeper, faster. Her thoughts evaporated and her senses took over.
His lips sought hers and kissed deeply as he pumped into her. She couldn’t be passive. She kissed him back, pushed against him. She wanted to give to him as much as he gave to her. She clenched herself around him as she felt her climax starting to build.
“Damn it,” he cursed. He seemed to lose control, then he pumped into her harder, making her even slicker than before. She couldn’t hold off any longer, and orgasm struck her. She cried out his name, digging her fingers into his hard back. He followed soon after her, slamming into her one last time before he came.
He collapsed on top of her, his breathing heavy but his body completely relaxed. She kissed his forehead, stroking his back and shoulders, not wanting this closeness to end yet.
“I’m crushing you.” He moved to lift himself off her, but she held on to him.
“You’re not.”
He rolled over to his side, taking her with him. “I’m not going anywhere yet. I don’t think I can walk right now.” He buried his face in her throat and kissed her there. “You’re amazing. Has anybody ever told you that?”
“No, but a lady always like a compliment.”
They lay there for a long time, saying nothing. His fingers played in her hair. Part of her was waiting for him to get antsy, to make an excuse to go upstairs and retreat to his space now that he had gotten what he wanted. But he didn’t seem as though he was in any hurry to move. In fact, he seemed to be making himself more comfortable. He buried his fingers in her curls and rested his lips on her forehead. It was nice. It felt good. It felt like something she could get used to.
“I hate to be the girl to ask after we had such good sex, but you’re still going to respect me in the morning, right? We’re still going to be...friends?” She didn’t want her mother to be right. She didn’t want to be used for her body. She didn’t want to be used, period. She hated that there was so much doubt there. She hated that she just couldn’t enjoy the moment.
“Yes.” He slid his hand up her hip. “Friends who have sex...a lot.”
“You still want to have sex with me?” she asked, laughing.
He looked at her seriously. “Did you think this was a onetime thing?”
“I don’t know.” She felt silly, not like a sexually experienced woman but more like a teenage girl with her first crush. “I’m half expecting a gift basket at my door in the morning.”
He exhaled, shaking his head. “You’re never going to let me live that down. I promise you, I’ll never give anybody another gift basket as long as I live.”
“No. I would still like one. I like presents. Just preferably not when you’re done with me.”
“Okay.” He grinned. “We’ll decide when this isn’t right for us anymore. If you don’t want me here, if you don’t want to do this anymore, just tell me to bounce and I’ll go. But I don’t want to go just yet.”
She nodded.
“Can I stay tonight?” He gave her a long, deep, slow kiss that made her melt into the mattress.
“That’s cheating,” she said when he lifted his lips. “You can’t kiss a girl like that and expect her to give a clearheaded answer.”
“I don’t want you to give me a clearheaded answer.” He touched her breast, stroking her nipple to hardness. “I just want you to say yes.”
“Yes.” She pulled him down on top of her. “I couldn’t send you away tonight if I wanted to.”
Chapter 9
A month later Carlos ventured outside his house in search of Virginia. The World Series was on, and at first he had planned to sit and watch it, but as soon as he’d turned it on a pit had formed in his stomach. He should have been there.
He was supposed to have been there last year. He had been once before, but they had lost. Last year had been his chance to win. He knew he was getting older, that his time left to play was limited. He had wanted to go out on top instead of just going back. Maybe there was a slight bit of hope. Maybe he could go back next season. His heel was feeling better. He had his range of motion back. He felt strong.
But he also felt conflicted. The thing he had missed the most for so long, he didn’t miss so much anymore. In fact, there were days he didn’t think about it at all. It was strange. He’d thought he might be able to watch the game, but it reminded him too much of what he had missed.
But right now he was missing Virginia. She had been working hard on the house and he could see that, little by little, it was coming together. He still didn’t know what her final plan was, but he knew that the house felt different. It didn’t feel so empty anymore. And it was starting to feel like home.
The cars were in the garage, so he knew she hadn’t left, but she wasn’t by the pool or anywhere in the house.
The breeze kicked up as he walked down to the beach, the weather turning slightly cooler now that they were well into fall. He spotted her a little ways down. She had her easel set up, a palette in her hand. He hadn’t seen her paint once since he had gotten her the set. He had all but forgotten about it, but he was glad to see that she hadn’t.
“Hey.” He walked up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and pressing his lips to her bare shoulder.
“Hey,” she said, not taking her eyes off her work but relaxing just a little into his arms.
They had been sleeping together for a month now. At first he had thought things might be different between them, awkward even, but they weren’t. If anything, they had grown more comfortable with each other. Not like two people in a relationship would, but more like very good friends. He couldn’t think of the last time he’d had a friendship like this.
He also couldn’t remember the last time he had spent so much time with a person. He went to bed with her every night and woke up with her every morning. Some nights they didn’t even have sex, they just talked until they fell asleep. And he was okay with that. He was okay just being with her, and he had never felt that way about another woman before.
“Your painting is beautiful.”
“No, it’s not. I don’t have the right colors or tools to really capture what I want. Even if I did, I’m afraid it would be nothing more than average.”
He disagree
d. She had captured the sun setting on the beach perfectly, from the way the light hit the water to the way the waves lapped the shore. He was no expert, but he found her work beautiful.
“Why are you so hard on yourself?”
“I’m not hard on myself. I’m honest with myself. There’s a difference.”
“No, you’re bossy. How the hell are you going to tell me what I find beautiful? Your painting is beautiful. I want to hang it up.”
She put down her palette and paintbrush and turned in his arms. “Are you going to hang it on your refrigerator and show all your friends?”
“No, I’m going to hang it in my bedroom.”
“But you sleep every night in mine, so you don’t have to see it. You should really let me decorate it, by the way. I could make it so nice for you.”
He ignored her comment about decorating his bedroom. It was fine as it was. “I’ll hang it in my office over my desk.”
“Why did you need a desk? What do you do in your room all day?”
He hesitated before he told her, afraid of what she was going to say. “I used to sleep all day, but now I’m going to school.”
“To school?”
“I never went to college. You asked me what I wanted out of life, and I’ve always wanted an education, so I decided to take classes. I’m taking two courses online. One in communications and one in sociology.”
“Carlos!” Her face lit up as she hugged him. “That’s amazing. I’m so proud of you.”
“It’s just a couple of classes,” he said, but he closed his eyes and hugged her back. Her words meant a lot. Nobody had told them they were proud of him in a very long time. He knew his family was; that went without saying. But the last person to tell him had been his father. The day he closed on this house. Right before he died.
“It’s not just a couple of classes, Carlos. We both know that. I’m so happy for you.”
“Hold your happiness off for now. We don’t know if I’m going to pass yet.”
