“Did you like him touching you?” Carter’s voice was low and sounded almost menacing.
“What are you talking about?” She said breathlessly. She couldn’t help the reaction he caused in her.
“I’m talking about that asshole sitting on my patio. Did you like it when he had his hand on your ass? Or when his tongue was down your throat?”
“I’m not sure that it’s any of your business.” Claire suddenly felt cold. He was the one who wanted to end it with her. Not the other way around. He couldn’t decide now that he saw her with someone else that she was his again. She might not be experienced when it came to relationships, but she knew when someone was playing games.
“You’re my business. Do you want me to go out there and break every single one of his fingers for touching you? Because I can and I will.”
“No,” she whispered, not understanding his sudden possessiveness.
“Tonight you come to me. If you don’t, I’ll spank you like the naughty little girl you are.” He kissed her behind her ear and then he was gone.
Claire took a moment to compose herself and then joined Brian outside. She needed to think about what she was going to do.
* * *
Claire couldn’t believe she was doing this, but here she was about to sneak across the hall wearing nothing but her robe. Regardless of the fact that Carter sent her away and then ignored her, she still loved him. It might make her naïve and stupid, but she didn’t care. Tonight was probably going to be her last time with the man. She wouldn’t be back next summer after graduation, so this was her last chance.
She tiptoed across the hardwood floor, avoiding the creaky floor board she discovered earlier that summer. She gave one light tap on his door before opening it and slipping inside. Elise was planning on sneaking out her window to meet Bobby on the beach tonight, but Claire didn’t know if she had left yet or not, so she decided to be quiet and play it safe.
“I want you to bend over the bed. Keep your feet on the floor and your arms out in front of you.” Carter’s voice startled her. She turned and saw him sitting in the chair in the corner of the room. A thrill of excitement went through her at his words.
She walked over to the bed and dropped her robe. She spread her legs and bent at the waist. Her torso lay on the bed, and her arms went over her head.
Carter dropped to his knees behind her, and she felt his tongue probing her pussy and her ass. She fought the urge to squirm when his tongue licked her puckered hole. She wasn’t sure she was comfortable with this, but decided to see where he was going.
His fingers spread her wide, and he explored her with his tongue. He fucked her with it. He licked her clit with it, and he lapped up her juices with it. She was mindless, moaning and trying to move against his mouth.
“I want to taste you, Carter. Please,” she begged and became excited when he climbed on the bed and positioned her so that she hovered over his face. She leaned over and brought his hard as steel cock to her lips, kissing it lightly before sucking. She moaned around his shaft, licking and sucking it. He waited until she had a rhythm before he grabbed her hips and buried his face in her pussy.
His cock was rock hard and silky in her hand and mouth as she sucked him. She worked him up and down while he buried his face between her thighs. When he thrust his fingers inside her, she moaned around him again. It made him lick faster, making her ache for release. She never wanted him to stop, his tongue was so good.
“Oh God! Don’t stop,” she moaned again as her climax hit her full force. She bucked and rocked against his face with each contraction.
“On your knees,” she heard him say, and she released him from the tight grasp she had on him during her orgasm.
She positioned in front of him with her ass in the air, and her head flew back when he drove inside her. “Yes,” she cried out unable to lower her voice when he fucked her like mad. He was hitting her hard and deep. It was the most wild and abandoned experience they had ever had together. That she had ever had period.
The bed rocked, and the headboard creaked. Carter grunted and groaned while he fucked her like an animal. Neither of them were aware of their surroundings. Of the fact that Elise might hear them. They only knew how phenomenal it felt to be with the other, and how much they needed to have each other. Even if only for the night.
“Carter, Carter, Carter!” She shouted when her orgasm exploded, and Carter wanted to howl at being able to make her come so hard.
He continued to pump inside her until she felt his cock twitch, and he planted himself fully in her, bathing her insides with his release.
Before either of them could fully come down from their high, the bedroom door opened and Elise stood in front of them with a horrified expression on her face.
“I knew it!” She yelled at them. “You are such a dirty whore! I can’t believe you seduced my father!”
Claire scrambled to cover herself up with the sheets as Carter chased after Elise as she cried hysterically. She felt numb inside watching Carter leave. She knew he would always choose Elise—she was his daughter after all. That didn’t lessen the pain inside her. Not only did her friend’s words cut her to the bone, but Carter’s lack of caring about her feelings kept that wound open and fresh.
Chapter Eight
Present day…
Claire sat in her room after replaying the summer in her mind for the millionth time. She wasn’t sure why she continued to torture herself. She only knew that she craved Carter more with each passing day. He had to feel the same way about her. It was impossible to believe that this fire was only inside of her. He had to have it inside of him as well. She continued to believe they still had a chance. It was what kept her going.
Elise hadn’t spoken to Claire since they left the beach house. Upon returning to school, Elise petitioned to have her dorm room changed and stayed with a friend while the arrangements were made. At first, Claire tried to get her to see reason. To explain how much she loved Carter and wanted to make him happy, but it was no use. Elise was locked up tight and in denial about the affair. She wanted to believe that Claire used her just to get close to him. Just the thought that someone could believe that about her made Claire’s heart break all over again.
Each day got lonelier and lonelier for her. Many of the friends she had before acted like she was a leper since hearing Elise spin the tale of her sordid love affair. She didn’t know how much lower she could get.
She picked up her cell phone and stared at it for several minutes, before performing what was becoming a daily ritual. She called up Carter’s contact in her phone, and her finger hovered over the call button. Would she follow through? She didn’t know. Until now, she had chickened out each and every time. For as much as Claire wanted to hear his voice, she was afraid of what he might say to her.
Calling on courage she didn’t feel she allowed her thumb to lower and press the button. The touch was too light and the phone did nothing. She sighed in relief and set it down.
A half hour later she picked her phone back up and went through the motions again. This time the call activated and she almost hung up. She couldn’t believe she had actually called him. The phone rang several times before he picked up. At first, she thought it might be voicemail, but then she realized he had said her name.
“Carter?” She whispered into the phone, unable to speak any louder.
“Is everything okay?” He asked and worry was evident in his voice.
“Yes… I mean no. I can’t do this, Carter. I’m miserable here. The only person that talks to me is my new roommate and she is practically a hermit. I miss you. I miss being with you. I miss the sound of your voice.” Her voice broke at the end, and she cursed herself for being so overly sensitive.
“God, Claire. I am so so sorry, baby. This isn’t what I wanted for you at all. I’m sorry that I can’t give you more. I regret what happened more than anything. But I have to focus on repairing my relationship with Elise. That’s my priority.�
�
“What about me?” She said so low he barely heard her. Carter felt pain in his chest at how small she sounded. If he could go back and do things over again, he would have saved her from the humiliation and sadness she had to endure the last few months. And he would definitely save her from the heartache he caused her.
“I’m sorry. You are one of the most beautiful and special women I’ve ever known. I just can’t say sorry enough.”
Claire heard voices in the background and what could have been Carter’s hand muffle the phone. “Look, Claire. I have to go. I’m on location. I don’t think we should speak anymore. I know that isn’t what you want to hear, but I think it will be best for all of us. Take care of yourself.”
The phone disconnected and Claire dropped to her bed, sobbing hysterically.
* * *
Claire walked across campus, pulling her coat closer to her body. Brisk fall air had settled over campus along with gusts of wind that could chill you to the bone. It was a downfall of being in such an open area.
She vaguely heard her name being called, but kept her head down in an attempt to avoid whomever it was. Most people on campus knew about what had happened that summer, and they all made comments about it. She just wanted to be left alone.
“Claire!” The voice shouted again, and it sounded vaguely familiar. She kept walking still gun-shy about interacting with anyone.
Heavy footsteps sounded behind her, and a hand wrapped around her arm, tugging her to a halt.
“I was hoping I’d finally run into you.” Claire looked up to see Brian standing in front of her looking as cute as he did the last time she saw him. She looked at him with a confused expression on her face.
“What are you doing here?” The smile on his face warmed her and made her feel normal for the first time in months.
He cocked his head and studied her for a moment. “You didn’t know I went to school here? I only have one semester left.”
“I had no idea.” She bit her lip and looked at him from behind her long eyelashes. It made Brian’s heart skip a beat, and his cock stir. She was so damned beautiful. He didn’t care what the other students were saying about her. It was the detriment of being on a smaller campus. Even if she did sleep with Elise’s father, he still wanted a chance with her. When she pushed him away that day on the beach, he was disappointed. Now he had a chance to reconnect with her, and he wasn’t going to pass it up.
“I was about to grab a bite over in the Student Union. Care to join me?” He tucked his hands in his pockets and looked so vulnerable that Claire bit back her quick “No, thank you,” and instead agreed. It would be nice to have a civil conversation with someone other than her roommate.
“Great!” His face lit up, and he reached for her book bag hanging off her shoulder. “Let me take that for you.”
“Thank you,” Claire murmured, and couldn’t help let a smile break free on her face as they walked across campus to the Student Union. Even though it felt foreign seeing as how she hadn’t done it in months, it still felt good. And she had Brian to thank for it.
* * *
Seven months later…
Graduation day was a bittersweet moment for Claire. She looked back over the last three and half years with tears in her eyes. She started college a young, scared girl just coming out from under her parents’ strict thumb. She met Elise, who would help draw her out of her shell and become the woman that she was. And, of course, Carter Davenport was a big part of making her who she was today. Their summer may have been brief, but it showed Claire not to wear her heart on her sleeve. She knew love was out there. She just knew better than to look before leaping next time.
One regret Claire had was her lost friendship with Elise. After their first semester following the fling with Carter, Elise transferred to the same school as Bobby. They weren’t far apart, but, then again, it didn’t really matter. Elise wanted nothing to do with her. She made that point clear more times than Claire cared to remember.
Standing in line along the side of the stage, waiting for her name to be called, Claire looked over at Brian sitting next to her parents. He had graduated the semester before her. While the job he found at an architectural firm was two hours away, he still came to visit her every weekend. He had become her best friend. Her rock. She didn’t know how she would have survived all these months if he hadn’t found her.
Brian gave her a sexy smile and a wink when her feet hit the top step. Her name was next. This was it. Her final step into adulthood. When she heard the Dean recite her name and accomplishments, she took a deep breath and headed towards her future. One where she would write for the local newspaper and share a bed with Brian. She might not feel all the heart stopping lust for him that she did for Carter, but she was convinced it was only because Brian wasn’t taboo for her.
She was determined to make this relationship work. She owed it to both herself and him.
After all the names were called, caps were thrown, and shouts of excitement made, Claire joined Brian and her parents at the reception being held under a large tent on the school campus.
“We’re so proud of you,” her mother said softly as she gave her a hug.
“Love you, peanut,” her father whispered during his embrace.
She turned to Brian, and his arm wrapped around her shoulder and pulled her into his side. She rested her head on his chest, remembering just what all those muscles felt like when they were unclothed.
“I was actually going to wait until later to do this, but I can’t wait any longer,” Brian said and moved to stand in front of Claire. “I’ve known how special you were since the first night we met. I’m honored that you gave me a chance and I want to tell you that I love you more than anything.”
Movement behind Brian caught Claire’s attention, so she was shocked when she realized Brian had dropped to a knee in front of her. He took her hand and started speaking, but Claire didn’t hear any of it because Carter stood behind him staring at her with a look of intensity in his eyes, his face and the way he held himself. In his arms were a dozen roses. She blinked, unable to comprehend fully that he was here—in front of her.
“Carter, what are you doing here?” She asked, making Brian stand up in a huff and block her from Carter’s view.
“You need to leave,” Brian demanded with more authority than she had ever heard him use before.
“I’m here to speak with Claire. Not you. Claire, can we have a moment alone?”
Her heart leapt at the thought of being with him again, even as her head screamed to send him away. There had to be a reason he was here and the curious side of her was ruling out the reasonable side.
“Brian, it will be fine. I should at least hear him out.” Claire stepped around him and squeezed his hand reassuringly. He made a sound of protest, but let her walk the few feet away to where Carter waited for her.
“What is this?” Claire demanded. “I haven’t seen you in almost a year and now you’re here with flowers. I don’t get it.”
“I know. I… I couldn’t stay away any longer. I need you, Claire. I love you. I’m a fucking fool for waiting this long. I tried to forget you. I really did, but I can’t. Please tell me that there is some way you can forgive me. And God, please tell me you aren’t going to marry him.”
“And what if I am?” Claire raised her chin defiantly. Inside, she was quaking at his speech, but outwardly she was portraying a calm she didn’t know she could channel. How could he leave her for all this time and then expect her to come back to him just like that? She might be young, but she was no fool. Not anymore anyways.
Carter looked down at his feet and then back up at her. “If you can honestly tell me that you don’t love me anymore, then I’ll walk away and never look back. But if there is even a shred of hope for us, I’m going to wear you down. This isn’t over unless you tell me right now that there is no chance whatsoever.”
“Claire, is everything all right?” Her father asked as he joined th
em. “You’re Elise’s father, right? What do you want with my daughter?”
“I love her,” Carter responded and Claire’s stomach dropped like she was on a roller coaster. It felt marvelous, even though she hated to admit it. Hearing him assert his feelings to her father meant everything to her. It was a little too late though.
Her father, however, looked confused and disgusted all at once.
Carter turned back to her and gave her a sad grin. “Think about what I said. I’ll be staying at the Marriott until I hear from you.”
He handed her the roses and walked away. Claire looked from Carter to Brian and had no idea what she was going to do. One thing was for sure. She needed some time alone to decide.
Brian wasn’t happy about what happened with Carter. First, his proposal was ruined, and secondly, he loved Claire and wanted Mr. Davenport far away from her. She was a broken shell of a woman when they connected, and he didn’t want that for her ever again. He left her with the ring, and a promise that he would be waiting for her to make the right choice.
She watched Brian walk to his car on his way back to his hotel. It was only right he didn’t come to dinner with her parents after the spectacle that happened that afternoon.
Later that night with her mind made up, Claire knocked on the door of the hotel room ready to take on her future. She didn’t know if it was the right choice or if she’d be happy forever. She only knew it was the best choice for her.
Epilogue
Carter looked through the peephole and his breath caught at the sight of Claire standing there. He was already rock hard from watching a porn flick on his laptop while he waited for her. Getting off with his hand was all he had these days. When things first ended with Claire he tried to fuck as many women as he could to forget about her, but it didn’t work. During that low point, he realized that they were just poor substitutes to her.
The Taste of Mr. Davenport Page 6
