Engaging the Bachelor (Pulse)

by Cathryn Fox

  He looked out toward the water, where his granddad’s sailboat still bobbed in the water. He pointed to it and she followed his gaze. “We use to hang out on his boat. Talk, fish, cruise out to Montauk Point… He’s the one who taught me how to sail.”

  She ran her fingers over the sill of the bay window. “There was a model boat here. Just like that one. It broke during the fight.”

  His jaw clenched. “Yeah. Granddad had it handcrafted and gave it to me for my eighteenth birthday. It actually meant a lot to me.”

  She laid her palm against his cheek. “I’m sorry, Carson. It was destroyed because of me.”

  He scoffed. “You have nothing to be sorry about. You weren’t the one responsible, Jason was. I’d kick the shit out of him again if it meant protecting you.”

  “You didn’t even know me.” She crinkled her nose. “And I kind of snuck into your party.”

  “I didn’t need to know you to protect you, Gemma. I’d never let any guy hurt any girl, even if she crashed my party.” He looked deep into her eyes. “Why did you do that anyway?”

  “It was Andy’s idea.”

  He grinned. “Of course it was.”

  “We saw you and your friend on the beach earlier that day and heard some girls talking about a party at your place. We thought you guys were cute so—”

  “You thought I was cute?”

  She laughed and poked his chest. “Key word being thought.”

  His chest puffed up. “Right, and now you think I’m a stud muffin.”

  “Yeah, me and Ethel.”

  He laughed and slid his hand around the back of her head, dying to taste her. His lips brushed hers, barely a kiss, when someone cleared their throat.

  He grinned and pulled back, meeting his father’s eyes. The fine lines beneath them deepened as the older man watched them carefully, as if he could see through the ruse. “Hey, Dad.”

  “Your mother sent me to find you.” A pink flush crawled up Gemma’s neck, and she pressed her hands to her lips. For a girl who supposedly slept around, she sure was embarrassed at getting caught kissing. “Gemma, it’s nice to see you.”

  “You too, Mr. Reynolds.”

  “Call me Alistair.”

  She nodded and relaxed in Carson’s arms.

  “Come on.” He pulled her against him and followed his father to the kitchen. His mother was putting the final touches on her famous strawberry shortcake.

  “Gemma,” she said, her smile unsure, cautious. “Come in, come in.” She waved her over. “Have a glass of wine. We have so much to talk about.”

  “We do?”

  “Of course we do.” She poured Gemma a glass of wine and pointed to the salad bowls on the island. “Carson, Alistair, please grab those dishes and take them into the dining room.”

  Since he wasn’t quite ready to leave Gemma alone with his mother, Carson stood there for a second, ready to come to her rescue if she needed it, but his sister did it for him.

  “Gemma,” Crystal said, rushing to her with open arms. Carson watched as his sister gave his pretend fiancée a big hug, and a wave of unease moved through him. Shit. Crystal wanted to bond. Gemma didn’t do close. Asking the girl from his past to play pretend with him might have seemed like a good idea at the time, but now that the plan was actually in motion, he worried he might hurt those he cared about the most when they broke it off.

  He grabbed a salad bowl off the counter and carried it to the dining room as the talk turned to dresses and each exclaimed over the other’s style. He stepped back into the kitchen to collect his girl.

  His girl?

  Well, for the summer anyway. As the two women continued to bond, his mom stared at them with cautious eyes. A knot tightened in his stomach. His mother had better play nice, or they were out of there. He’d allow no one, and he meant no one, to ever hurt Gemma.

  His mom clapped her hands. “Dinner is ready. Now come on, let’s all sit and have something to eat and get to know one another better.”

  Carson captured Gemma’s hand and guided her to the living room. “I hope you like seafood,” he said quietly. He probably should have gone over a few more things with her before this dinner. But she wasn’t the kind of girl who gave information away freely.

  She nodded and glanced at the table. A tray full of lobsters sat in the center, along with an array of salads. “Everything looks beautiful.”

  Carson pulled a chair out and indicated for her to sit. She slid into the seat and he dropped into the one next to her. Everyone filled their plates and broke into their lobster.

  “So Gemma…”

  The inquisition was starting.

  “Mom, no.” Carson held his palm out. “Let’s all just have a nice dinner.”

  His mother waved a dismissive hand. “Oh, Carson, stop. I was just going to ask Gemma if you two have set a date.”

  “Not yet,” she said.

  “Well, I was thinking, we should have an engagement party, here at the cottage. The back garden is the perfect spot.”

  Carson gave a hard shake of his head. “I don’t think that’s necessary.”

  “Why not, son?” his dad asked. “I think it’s a great idea.”

  Dammit. Gemma was right. This was going to get complicated.

  His father raised his glass of wine. “To Carson and Gemma, and an upcoming engagement party.”

  Everyone lifted their glasses. Gemma put hers to her lips and pretended to drink. He studied her, and her smile wavered. She worked at a bar, yet didn’t drink. Interesting.

  Crystal set down her glass, and smiled at Gemma from across the table. “What are you doing on the weekend, Gemma?”

  Gemma adjusted her napkin on her lap. “Ah, working in the evenings.”

  “Where do you work, again?” his mother piped in, not about to miss an opportunity to pry.

  “Score. I’m a waitress.”

  His mom’s eyes went wide, and flashed to his dad’s as she straightened in her chair. “Oh,” she said. “I’ve never been there.”

  “We mostly cater to the hospital. My best friend’s mother owns it. She used to be a nurse at the hospital and saw a need.” She smiled at Carson. “Now we make sure the doctors and nurses are properly nourished.”

  Carson put his hand on the back of her head, and kissed her forehead. “And we thank you for that.”

  “If you’re not busy during the day, maybe you’d like to help me,” Crystal said.

  A little flush moved into Gemma cheeks. “With what?”

  “I’m running a clothing drive for the shelter Carson oversees in the city.”

  Her gaze shot to his. “Shelter?”

  “Of course, you must know all about that,” his mother said. She angled her head, her eyes narrowing. “I mean, you are engaged.”

  “Of course she does,” Carson responded easily.

  “Anyway,” Crystal continued. “I do it once a year, and collect clothes and toys for the women and children in need. I’d love the company, and we can grab some lunch afterward.”

  “Uh, yeah sure,” she said, and under the table, he put his hand on her leg, giving it a small squeeze.

  “Will your family be coming to the wedding?” his mom asked, her subtle way of prying deeper into Gemma’s private life.

  She went stiff beneath his hand. “The only family I have is my mother, and she’s not well, so there’s no way she could attend.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that. Does she live nearby?”

  “In Brooklyn, where I grew up.”

  “Well, I’m looking forward to meeting her someday.”

  “She will like that, too.”

  “Do you plan to continue at Score after you marry?”

  “Mom,” Carson said.

  “Gemma actually designs jewelry,” Crystal piped in. She touched the gem dangling around her neck. “This is one of hers.”

  His mother’s eyes went wide, a new light shining in them. “I’ve seen that jewelry. It’s beautiful.”

/>   “Thank you,” Gemma said. She exchanged a look with Crystal, her smile warm and grateful. For his sister to know Gemma was the genius behind GG designs, she had to have been checking into her. If Crystal knew anything about the reputation she hid behind, she wasn’t letting on. “I’m so glad you like my designs.”

  “They’re beautiful,” Crystal said. “I have no talent for stuff like this. You’re making quite the name for yourself. I know a lot of women wearing your designs.”

  “Carson tells me you’re working on your law degree.”

  She nodded, and his father beamed with pride. Gemma turned toward his father. “You must be so proud that she’s following in your footsteps. Of course, I know you’re proud of Carson, too, even if he changed careers mid-stream.” The room went quiet. Deadly quiet. Gemma squeezed Carson’s hand beneath the table, her brow pulled tight. “Um…” she said, her eyes darting around nervously.

  Shit. Coming to her rescue he said, “We’re all proud of Crystal. Now why don’t you tell everyone more about your business, Gemma?”

  “Um, okay.” She touched her hair, her hand a little shaky, and Carson put his arm around her shoulders. She smiled at him and relaxed a bit. “I could go on all day about design.”

  Carson lightly brushed his thumb over the back of her neck as she talked. His heart thumped. Damn, she lit up like a Christmas tree when she described the jewelry-making process, and how she used only the finest gems. He couldn’t help but smile. Her energy and enthusiasm were contagious, but the honesty in her eyes, the genuine openness, was what really drew him in. This was the Gemma he remembered. Not an ounce of falseness about her.

  “I want to open up my own shop in Brooklyn someday. There are all these new trendy little shops opening and I—”

  “Brooklyn?” his mother asked, her eyes narrowing again. She looked at Carson. “Are you taking a job in Brooklyn?”

  He leaned back in his chair. “We’re not sure what we’re doing yet.”

  “Brooklyn is just so…”

  “More wine, Diane?” his dad asked.

  His mother picked up her glass and looked at Carson over the rim. “Well, there is lots of time to decide, lots of places to live.” Her smile was wide, but there was a determination in her eyes. “Maybe by the end of summer, I can convince Gemma to open up that shop in Manhattan.” Her gaze shifted to Gemma. “I know a lot of people who would be interested in your work.”

  “We’ll think about it,” Carson said, putting an end to the conversation and appeasing his mother for the time being.

  …

  Two hours later, he was back in his car with Gemma. She exhaled an exaggerated breath when he exited the driveway, and remained quiet for a long time, as if she was lost in her thoughts.

  “I think that went well,” Carson finally said, sliding his hand across the seat to capture hers.

  She shook her head and laughed. “I don’t know what color the sky is in your world, but that was a disaster. I put my foot in my mouth about a dozen times, and now I have to go out with your sister on the weekend, and plan an engagement party with your mother.”

  “She’s pushy.”

  She laughed. “Now I know where you get it.”

  He drove the short stretch to her place and pulled into the rear parking lot at Score. With only a few cars in the lot, there were plenty of open spaces. “I guess you can see why I wanted this whole pretend engagement.”

  “I think she just has your best interest at heart, and you know what? I’d kill for that.” He cast a glance her way, and his heart pinched when he glimpsed the vulnerability she went to great lengths to hide. “I actually liked her. She seemed to warm up a bit after she found out I make jewelry.”

  “It had nothing to do with the jewelry,” he said, even though that was most likely the case. “You’re just loveable.” As soon as the word left his mouth, he stilled. She went equally quiet. Shit, he probably shouldn’t be tossing around any L words here.

  He pulled into a spot, and she said, “I can’t believe she wants to have an engagement party. I never thought it would come to this.”

  “Me, neither, and you were right. Tonight was a bit of a disaster.”

  They climbed from the car, and he walked her to her apartment. She unlocked her door and found Gracie asleep on her bed when they stepped inside. She turned to Carson, a new energy in the air as they stood staring at each other.

  “I guess there is only one thing we can do,” he said.

  “What’s that? Break it off now, before we’re both in over our heads?”

  “No. We’re already past that.” No fucking way was he ready to put an end to this thing between them—whatever the fuck it was. Not until he’d gotten her out of his system once and for all. Until he did, he wouldn’t be able to stop thinking of her, or move on with his damn life. He slipped his hand around her waist and drew her close. Her body felt so fucking good against his; all he could think about was getting her naked and pressing skin on skin. He dipped his head, his mouth close to hers. “It means we have no choice but to get to know each other better.”

  Chapter Eight

  His lips found hers, and she softened against him. The sexy moan that escaped her throat tightened the sexual tension coiling deep inside. Fuck, he needed her again. Honest to God, chemistry like they had didn’t come along every day, and he definitely needed to explore it further—to light it up and burn it out—before it consumed him completely.

  “You are the sexiest woman in the world,” he growled, inching back to see her, all of her. His gaze raced over her curves, so sexy in her little blue dress, and his cock throbbed. She had a body worth worshipping, and he needed her naked in the worst fucking way.

  Her breathing changed as he backed her up, ready to push her against the wall and follow through with everything he’d promised, but the sound of Gracie’s tail wagging on her bed stopped him. Fuck, it just didn’t seem right having sex in front of Gracie.

  “Change of plans,” he said.

  “Carson,” she pleaded, her cheeks flushed, her body practically vibrating in his arms. Her groan of protest turned into a moan of pleasure when he slid his hands up her outer thighs, pulling her dress up with it. With little finesse and a lot of greed, he splayed his fingers along the backs of her legs, gripping her an inch below the soft swell of her ass and lifting her onto his hips. Her thighs hugged his body, her long legs curling around his back as he repositioned her. The heat of her sex seeped into his skin, and a loud moan of sexual frustration escaped his throat. His hurried steps carried them down the hall, and he used his shoulder to turn the light on. He kicked the door shut behind them, hard enough to rattle the few pictures on her wall.

  Her questing hands snaked around his neck, her mouth on his, warm, sensual…so damn hungry. He returned those kisses, and spun around to press her into the wall.

  He pushed against her, rubbing his cock against her sex. “All night I’ve been dying to get my mouth on you.” Sliding his fingers through her hair, he kissed her lips, her chin, the hollow of her throat, unable to get enough.

  “Same,” she murmured.

  “I need you naked.” He angled his head and caught a glint of silver on her dresser. An idea formed. A delicious, wicked idea that made his cock throb. “I’m going to kiss every inch of you, then I’m going to pound into you until you’re screaming my name. Tonight you’re mine, Gemma.” She moaned, and he pulled her away from the wall so he could reach behind her and release her zipper. Her legs went to the floor, and she wet her lips as he stepped back. “Take your dress off. Show me your body.”

  “What?” she asked, her eyes glazed, glossy with need.

  “It wasn’t a question. Now take it off before I tear it off.”

  She sensuously rolled her shoulder, letting the material fall down her arm. He sucked in a breath. So did she. With a little whoosh, the dress fell to her ankles. A quick step and she was out of it, but when she moved to take her shoes off, he shook his head.
>
  “The shoes stay.” He remained motionless, taking in her lush curves, and the black lace that stood in the way of his owning her body completely. And yeah, he planned to have every fucking inch of her tonight, his way, every way. Honest to God, he was the luckiest guy alive to be here with her. He stood a moment longer, just looking at her sweet curves.

  “Carson,” she whispered. “Please.”

  She reached for him, her hands pulling at his shirt, her greedy touches urging him on and damn near making him insane. His pulse thrummed in his throat, lust surging through his veins and lighting his nerves until he was burning up inside.

  Needing to feel her skin against his, he tackled the buttons lining the front of his shirt, his big fingers fumbling. Frustration grew, came to a peak. Fuck it. Patience at an end, he grabbed and tugged, and his buttons fell to the floor and clattered away. She gave a broken gasp, the fire in her eyes deepening.

  He grinned and stepped closer. “You liked that did you?” She nodded, and ran her hands over his chest. He threw his head back. “Fuck, I love when you touch me like that.”

  His hands gripped her rib cage, and he brushed her nipples through the black lace. “Carson,” she murmured. “I need you naked, too.” Her lids were heavy, half-closed, her body breaking so beautifully under his touch.

  Her fingers tugged at the button on his pants, but if she touched him right now, he was likely to detonate. He needed his fill of her before she went anywhere near his cock. He closed his hands over hers and put them behind her back.

  She whimpered in protest. “I need—”

  “Me first,” he said. “Keep your hands there.” Letting go of her wrists, he brushed her nipples through the lace bra until they were rock hard, begging for his mouth.

  “Oh, yes,” she murmured.

  As she spoke, her warm breath fluttered over his face, and he felt it all the way to his groin. “You like that?”

  “I like everything you do to me.”

  Desire overwhelmed him at her admission, and he applied more pressure, the need to please her the most important thing in the world right now. She arched into him, and a new kind of desperation took hold. He closed his eyes in distress, everything about her fucking with his mind and body. Being with her like this was as natural as breathing, and it would be so goddamn easy to fall for her.