Pulling away, he grinned. Then he started to unbutton his shirt, her eyes trailing him the entire time. He didn’t think it was possible, but Rose watching him so intently made him harder than he was before. Taking it slow with her was important, but he wasn’t sure if he had enough control to take his time.
When he reached the last button, he slid the shirt off and let it fall to the floor. Before she could react, touch him, say anything, he stood up and unbuttoned his pants. Her eyes widened, yet he could see the passion simmering deep in her depths.
She still wanted this. At the first sign of panic, or hesitation, he would stop. It would kill him, torture him, but he would stop.
He removed his gun, phone, and keys, setting everything on the nightstand. Then he dropped his pants and pulled his boxers down. He had no idea how to make any of this comfortable for her—how fast he should go, how slow—but he figured she might be more comfortable if he got naked first. Not to mention, the bliss touching her eyes urged him on.
He wanted her to see him. He never felt such male pride before when a woman looked at him. When Rose looked at him, he felt untouchable. Like the sexiest man alive.
“Your turn.”
Her eyes widened with surprise.
He slid over her body slowly until she was lying underneath him. “But I get to undress you.”
Rose said nothing as his hands found the hem of her shirt and lifted. It flew behind him. A white lacy bra covered her delicate breasts.
A huge smile touched his lips as his eyes roamed over her. Lace looked beautiful on Rose. He’d buy her more lace. Pink lace.
She remained silent as he tugged her soft pajama pants down her legs. Not lace, but silky panties were the only thing standing between him and what he truly wanted.
To be joined as one.
Bending low, his lips clamped over a lace-covered nipple. A delectable moan filtered out of her lips.
“I love lace on you,” he whispered as his eyes tilted her way.
She bit her lip, hiding a smile. “I feel beautiful when I wear it. Evie encouraged me to buy some.”
Before the happiness died in her eyes, thinking of her friend, his lips touched her taut nipple. She arched up, her hands combing through his hair.
“I love the lace.” He met her gaze. “But it has to go.”
Still biting her lip, she lifted slightly as his hands slid underneath her back, unclasping her bra with ease. That went flying behind him as well.
He took his time kissing, nibbling, and devouring one breast, then the other. Her hands grazed back and forth through his hair, sometimes pulling lightly, urging him on. One of his hands slid down her side until it reached her panties. Then he dipped his hand inside, touching her warmth.
Her sweet moans, the way her body moved underneath him, drove his pleasure higher and higher, to the point he almost couldn’t wait much longer.
But he had to make this good for her. He had to take it slowly.
Stroking her, building up her passion to the brink, he started to kiss a trail down her belly.
“Carter …”
Lifting his eyes to hers, a slight panic hidden in the depths caught him by surprise. He smiled to ease her worries. He wanted to kiss every inch of her body, but they had time. He refused to let her go now. If she didn’t want him kissing her down there, then he could wait. He could be patient when he really tried.
Now that he knew how wonderful she felt, tasted, she belonged in his arms.
Kissing her belly button, he then removed her panties, and instead of tossing them behind him, he reached to the floor, dropped them, and dug in his pants.
Pulling a condom out of his wallet, he prayed the slight panic he witnessed in her eyes didn’t mean they had to stop. But if she wanted to, he would. He’d never force her to do something she didn’t want. That included insisting she stay away from the lake, or any water.
Settling comfortably over her once again, he kissed her lips. “Just say the word and we’ll do nothing but cuddle. We’ll lay here and hold each other.”
“I want this.”
Her words sounded firm. No hesitation. No alarm hidden in her eyes.
Tearing the condom wrapper open, he sheathed himself quickly, then kissed her lips as he slowly entered her. His kiss coaxed her, told her everything was going to be okay. He took his time sliding deep inside, letting her get used to the feel of him, kissing her with tender delight, hoping to relax her body and make the slight discomfort she was most likely feeling drift away.
She met his kiss with fervor. No cries of pain echoed around the room. No shoving him away. Because the last thing he wanted to do was hurt her in any way.
He trailed light kisses to her ear, then paused when he fully entered her. “You were made for me. You feel so wonderful. So perfect, Rose.”
Her hands slid up his back and through his hair. “I’m so glad I waited for you. It does feel wonderful.”
With those satisfying words, he started moving. Slowly, at first. In and out at a pace that wouldn’t hurt her. Rose met each gentle thrust with ease, her hands fisting his hair.
He loved when she did that. Every time her hands moved, at times yanking, his pace slowly increased. Before long, he was moving faster and faster, her matching his every move.
His lips never left her soft body, kisses trailing from her ear, down her neck, and to her lips. He said he would kiss every inch of her body, and he meant it.
The passion in the room built. Her moans became louder. His thrusts became stronger. When he didn’t think he could take the pleasuring pain any longer, wanting, needing Rose to find release with him, she grabbed a fistful of his hair and pulled, a tiny delightful scream escaping. He pumped two more times before meeting his own release.
Brushing a few stray strands of hair away from her cheek, he kissed her lips. “Did I hurt you? Did I go too fast? I—”
Rose stalled his words with another small kiss. “That was … amazing.”
A wily grin emerged. “So I could get lucky twice?”
A beautiful smile graced her face as laughter spilled out. “It’s a possibility.” A hint of nervousness touched her eyes. “Does that mean you’re spending the night?”
“Nothing can pry me away from you.”
He’d been right.
Detective Carter Dixson was at Rose’s house.
He hit the steering wheel in anger. Then again. And again for good measure.
What did Rose see in the man? He honestly didn't know. He couldn’t see it. As far as he was concerned, the man was a horrible brutish bully who thought he was better than everyone else and could do whatever he wanted.
Well, not anymore.
He was sick of always being pushed aside.
He was sick of never being taken seriously.
He was sick of not getting what he wanted.
This time, he wasn't going to just sit back and watch. This time, he was going to be proactive. He was going to make changes. He was going to go after what he wanted and not care who he hurt getting it.
Slamming his fist into the steering wheel one last time, he climbed out of the car and stalked across the street to Rose’s apartment building. He wasn't quite sure exactly what he was going to do when he got to Rose’s apartment, but he knew he was going to do something.
The building didn't have a high-end security system, so he walked up, punched in the code—it was easy to see what the code was because the numbers were worn and faded while the others were fresh and clear. Rose’s apartment was on the fourth floor, and since he had too much pent-up emotion bubbling inside him, he took the stairs rather than waiting for the elevator.
“Spare key, spare key,” he murmured to himself when he reached her door as he felt around the frame in search of a key. Coming up empty, he turned his attention to the light fixture on the wall two feet away from Rose’s door. Maybe that was where she kept her spare key. “Bingo.” He smiled when his fingers touched something small and metal.
Since Rose wasn't alone in her apartment, he knew he had to be careful. If that cop saw him, he was likely to shoot first and ask questions later. They could be in the living room. If they were, they would see him as soon as he opened the door. His hand slid to his pocket and touched the handle of his knife. If they were there, he was armed and not afraid to take the detective out. It was what he was here for, after all.
Quietly, he slid the key into the lock and eased the door open.
Peering around the door, he found the living room empty.
The light was on and he could hear voices.
The bedroom.
Rose and Detective Dixson were in the bedroom.
He wasn't stupid enough to think that they weren't having sex. They were. It was what the detective wanted. He didn't love Rose the same way that he did. He didn't want the best for her. He didn't care about her. He just wanted to get her into bed. Now that he had achieved that, he would bail. That was what people did. Once they got what they wanted from you, they left.
No one got away with hurting Rose.
Not the man who had crashed into her in the street, not Nathan Insoll, and not Carter Dixson.
Pulling his knife out, he crept toward the bedroom.
“So I could get lucky twice?” he heard a voice ask.
Rose laughed. “It’s a possibility. Does that mean you’re spending the night?”
“Nothing can pry me away from you.”
Oh, how wrong the detective was.
Something could pry him away from Rose.
Something would pry him away from Rose.
Him.
The thought of this man putting his filthy hands on the woman he loved was too much.
Rose was his, and he wasn't leaving this apartment without her.
Nothing can pry me away from you.
That was what Carter had just told her.
For someone like her who had lost her parents at a young age in such a traumatic way, and then bounced around the foster care system before ending up in a place worse than hell, having someone tell you that nothing would ever make them leave you was like having a piece of yourself returned. Spending most of her life on her own meant knowing that you had to be able to rely on yourself, that there wasn't necessarily going to be anyone to catch you if you fell.
But now she had someone.
Carter pulled out of her and tossed the condom into the trash can under her nightstand, and stretched out at her side, drawing her close against his warm body and covering them both with the blankets. She wanted to stay curled up in Carter’s arms like this forever while the rest of the world was pushed to the distance. Just to relish in this new and exciting relationship.
Her back was to Carter’s chest, but she wanted to be able to look at him, so Rose wriggled around and caught sight of something in the doorway.
She froze.
“Rose?” Carter noticed the change in her demeanor immediately. He was so attuned to her already. “What’s wrong?”
“There’s someone else in here with us,” she told him in a whisper.
He looked over her shoulder. “I don’t see anyone.”
With everything that had happened with Evie and then at the lake the other night, she was on edge, but she wasn't imagining things. Someone had been standing there. She was sure of it. “I saw someone,” Rose insisted.
“Are you sure?”
Why was he doubting her?
If she said she saw someone, then someone was there.
“Of course I'm sure,” she said.
“Stay here,” he ordered as he slid out from under the covers and grabbed his weapon from the nightstand.
“Carter,” she squawked. She didn't want to be alone. What if someone else really was in her apartment? They hadn't knocked, so if they were here, they’d broken in, and people didn't break in for fun. They did it because they wanted to hurt someone.
“Don’t worry.” He dropped a quick kiss to her lips, then left her room.
Rose sat up, pressing her back to the headboard and bringing her knees up to her chest. She pulled the blankets up with her and clutched them so tightly her knuckles turned white, like maybe they possessed the ability to protect her from whomever was in here.
The seconds ticked by in slow motion.
What was taking Carter so long?
Her apartment wasn't large—the living room, kitchen, bathroom, and spare bedroom.
That was it.
He should be back by now.
She hadn't heard anything, so surely that was a good thing.
A shadow flitted over her and she screamed.
“Rose, Rose.” Hands landed gently on her shoulders. “It’s only me.”
“Carter,” she said, dragging in a ragged breath. “Did you find him?” She scanned the room, but couldn’t see anyone else.
“There was no one there.”
“Are you sure?” She knew what she’d seen, and what she had seen was someone standing in her doorway watching her and Carter.
“Positive. I checked the whole apartment. The only people here are you and me,” he said as he slid back into the bed beside her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, urging her to rest against him.
“But I saw him,” she protested.
“Are you sure?”
“Stop asking me that.” She frowned at Carter.
“Sorry,” he said. “I wish I knew what to tell you. I don’t mean to make it sound like I don’t believe you. I’m just trying to figure it out. Shadows, maybe?”
“Maybe,” she agreed. It hadn’t seemed like a shadow, but it was as good an explanation as anything else. She hadn’t been asleep, so she wasn’t dreaming, and no one else was in here, so she hadn’t seen anyone. She had been so sure, but now she wasn't. Had she just imagined seeing someone standing in the doorway? Carter had checked the whole apartment and he hadn't found anyone. If there had been someone in here, Carter would have seen them.
“Maybe it was a reflection. The blinds are up; maybe there was a reflection from something outside,” Carter said, his hand stroking her long mass of dark curls.
She couldn’t help but smile. Carter was trying so hard to reassure her, but she knew it wasn’t a shadow and it wasn’t a reflection. it was just her overtired and overworked imagination playing tricks on her. “With Evie’s killer out there, and knowing that they killed so many other people, it’s hard to feel safe,” she said, relaxing against him.
“You are safe with me, Rose. I would never let anyone hurt you. If I could, I would make it so that you never felt pain again. I'd take all the bad things that happened to you and erase them.”
Rose smiled. While she knew that they still had some issues to work out, she knew that she and Carter had a future together—a wonderful future together. “I know you would.”
“So, I haven't kissed every inch of you yet,” Carter said, lifting her hand and kissing the sensitive spot on the inside of her wrist.
She knew he was trying to ease her fears and worries and pull her back into the moment ruined by thinking someone was in the doorway. Rose forced herself to admit that it had only been her imagination and focused back on Carter. Although she was tired, they still had plenty of time to make out again before they went to sleep.
The idea of sleeping in Carter’s arms was almost as enticing as what they were going to do first.
“No, you haven't,” she said, shivering as Carter kissed her wrist again.
“I should probably rectify that.”
“Yes, you should.”
All thoughts of someone else being in the apartment faded as Carter’s lips trailed a line of kisses up her arm.
13
Carter traced his hand lightly down Rose’s arm, relishing in her soft skin. Last night, he had touched every part of her body, kissing, caressing, hopefully, erasing all the bad memories she experienced with new ones. Oh, he knew the things that happened to her would always be there, but if he could create a few new m
emories that would penetrate her mind before the bad ones did, then that’s all he cared about.
She shivered next to him as he brushed his hand back up her arm, yet she didn’t open her eyes. He wasn’t trying to wake her up either. They stayed up quite late, making love, learning and exploring each other’s bodies. Thankfully, he had two condoms in his wallet, but that was it. He made love to her twice, and the rest of the time, they just had fun touching and playing around.
Which was probably why she was in such a deep sleep as his hand made another light path down her arm. She was exhausted. So much had happened in the short time they’d known each other.
His mind wandered back to last night when she thought she saw someone standing in the doorway. Did she? Did he fail as a detective searching the house? He honestly wasn’t sure what to think.
He hated how she looked at him with the hurt in her eyes when he kept asking if she was sure. He hadn’t meant for it to keep popping out of his mouth. And with their relationship still on shaky ground, he didn’t want to say something even worse that would’ve gotten him kicked out of her bed and out of her life forever.
Right now, it didn’t matter what she might’ve seen last night. She was safe in his arms, and she always would be. He’d die before he’d ever let anything happen to her.
Rose jerked in his arms as a sharp ring sliced through the air. Then she turned toward him, her eyes barely opening, a smile touching her lips. “Your phone is ringing.”
“And if I don’t want to answer it?” He kissed her lips softly.
“What if it’s something important?”
The slight panic in her eyes had him nodding. She was right. It probably was important. Not many people called him. The one person who called and texted him the most was his partner Jade. He wasn’t a fan of texting or even talking on the phone. He liked in-person conversations. You could read a person better that way.
On occasion, he ignored Jade’s calls—something that irked her. Sometimes he did it because he wasn’t up to talking. And sometimes he did it to get on her nerves. She always paid him back in full. It was just their thing. She never took it personally.
Sweetest Obsessions - Anthology Page 202
