It had been close to two hours since I arrived home, soaked in the tub, and nearly finished a new bottle of wine by myself. I was beginning to think Carter was not coming to me tonight, but I didn’t need to wonder anymore on account of the sound of keys jingling in my door. I remained where I was seated on the couch with my book in hand. The door opened and closed behind him. He tossed his keys and wallet onto the table by the door, and without a second glance, he walked past me and continued upstairs to our bedroom.
Carter was an infuriating man at times and was the only one that could make my blood boil in more ways than one. He despised the silent treatment, but this was exactly what he was doing to me…the one act he promised he would never do. I tossed my book and turned off the lights. When I walked inside our room, I heard the shower turning off. He emerged in a cloud of steam a few seconds later with droplets of water all over his beautifully sculpted upper body.
Note to self: You are mad at him. Yeah, but can I forget that for a moment and fuck him first? Because that’s exactly what I want to do. Normally, he would have been on me already, but he’s distant and quiet, not a great combination for Carter.
He continued to ignore me while tossing his drawers before finding lounge pants to put on. Carter looked at the pants he just retrieved from his dresser with disgust. His face hardened, and he threw them across the room, and with perfect aim, they landed in the wastebasket near our bed.
Man, he was angry, but with me? Stan? He is so closed off right now, I don’t even know how to read him.
After running his hands through his hair, he finally made his way over to me, gloriously naked, just what we agreed to. We slept skin to skin; clothes just got in the way. He tossed the covers back, got into bed, and turned over, completely shutting me out. Breathe, Thea, just breathe. That was the mantra I should have exercised, but nope, not me! This girl wanted to be heard, and Carter shutting me out was not going to work for me.
“Carter!” I screamed in fury.
He did nothing, not one thing to acknowledge me.
“Fine! You are going to remain silent? Have it your way, but you will be sleeping alone,” I shouted again and turned away from the bed.
I didn’t get too far because he was fast like lightning.
“I don’t think so,” he responded.
And before I could blink, his arms were wrapped around my body, and with fast precision, I was flat on my back with Carter above me, looking intently in my eyes. His eyes were flamed with desire penetrating my soul.
“You don’t think so? You are unbelievable! Carter, I have been waiting for you for hours to come home, and when you finally do, you ignore me. Why? What did I do?” Awesome! I’m crying now.
He visibly calmed at the sight of my tears and said, “You did nothing wrong. This is my problem, one I am not handling very well. I’m sorry, Thea. I hurt you today and was taking out my jealousies on you when in all actuality, I wanted to punch something really hard, and my target was Nick Bartelli, never you.”
“Carter, you have to stop this, please. We have been over it and over it, and I don’t know how many more ways I can tell you or show you how much I love you. What I shared with Nick is in the past, and that is where it will stay. Don’t you see? My return to New York gave us both the closure we needed and made us open our freaking eyes to what we both wanted.”
“His eyes are certainly open, because he made it clear how much he wants you back.”
“That’s not true. He thought he wanted me, but it only appeared that way because we had so many things that were unfinished, and now they are. I swear it. Now, what else do you need me to say or do to convince you?”
With his body still above me and holding my face in his hands, he leaned down and stroked his tongue over my lips.
“Marry me, Thea,” he said.
“I plan to.”
“No, you don’t seem to understand what I am asking of you.”
“Why don’t you explain it then?”
Once the words passed over my lips, I knew I had ignited a passion deep within Carter. With his arms now wrapped tightly around my body, he easily flipped us where I was now on top of him.
Holding me in place with one hand on each side of my hips, he rasped out, “Ride me, and fuck me hard.”
My panties were torn with one tug, and his large hands cupped my breasts as he undid the clasp of my bra with no effort at all. I was completely exposed to him. Pushing his pelvis up toward me, I bucked off as I was in a trotting position on a horse. Every time he moved, my back arched backwards, and his hands were pressing into my hips and thrusting me forward in a demanding pull. The feeling was intense and erotic.
“I need you, Thea. Climb inside. Ride me hard and deep. Pour yourself all over me. God, I love you so fucking much.”
I was losing every reasonable argument to why I was angry with him in the first place. This was the Carter that introduced himself to me on our very first date. He held nothing back when it came to me. He said what he wanted and followed through with every intent.
“Carter, oh my God! I can’t hold on much longer. I’m so close.”
He sat up and kissed me hard. Without breaking our bodies’ connection, he flipped me onto my back and thrusted just as hard as he wanted me too, maybe harder. I cried out in pleasure as he took my breast in his mouth and gently bit down on my nipple. When I thought I couldn’t take much more, he repeated the same attention to the other. He was masterfully working my body over and commanding it to bend at his will. It was total possession, and I fucking loved it. Carter was unhinged and bringing me to the precipice of pure ecstasy.
“Open your eyes, Thea, and I mean do not look away, or you will not come.”
What? I gasped, and stunned by his words. He wouldn’t. How could I not come? But he was too good and slowly pulled back, frustrating me to the point I wanted to scream.
“Please, Carter, stop punishing me. I have no control over what Stan does at the station. He did that to bring me to heal, and now you are doing the same right now in this bed. Oh fuck!” I shouted out.
“No, you are wrong, baby. You have all the power here. Don’t you see that? I waited and waited for you to say the words to me, and when you finally did, I never felt happier in all my life. But, my sweet Thea, our love keeps being threatened, and a man can only take so much before he finally fucking breaks.”
“Carter, please let me come,” I whimpered out.
I could feel the evidence of my orgasms pour out from my soaking pussy. He wickedly smiled and began to pump into me once more. It was incredible, and I never wanted him to stop.
“I love you, Carter. I love you. You are my choice. I want you. I need you. I will marry you over and over again if that’s what you want.”
And as the words I said sounded like a siren’s call, I came so hard that I saw stars dancing above my head. He didn’t move and remained inside of me until he milked his cock and the last drop was inside of me and then moments later, pouring out and down my leg.
He kissed every spot on my face, my shoulders, and all over my breasts. His eyes were glazed over as he stared at me in a euphoric state of his own orgasm.
“I love you, Thea. Marry me.”
He pulled out from my body and then with gentle ease, picked me up from the bed and cradled me in his arms. He was so strong carrying me in the bathroom and turning on the shower with one hand. He stepped in and placed us under the hot spray, soaking both our bodies. When he finally placed me down, I slid down his body and felt his erection begin to harden once more against my belly.
“How can you possibly go again? I can barely stand up,” I asked.
“Just hold onto the towel bar and wrap your legs around my waist, this will be quick and hard baby. With every hard thrust he pummeled inside of me, my back banged against the tile wall.
“Look at me, Thea, and don’t look away,” he commanded, and with three more thrusts, I came so hard that I didn’t recognize my own voice.
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He said, “I love you. Your body is mine as mine belongs to you. I may tease a bit, but I will never deny you pleasure, not when it is so fucking fun giving it to you.”
I was in a trance, a literal state of euphoria after he pulled out and began washing every inch of my body. I was so tired, it was becoming hard to stand. Once my hair was rinsed, he turned off the water and helped me out from the shower. I wrapped my hair up in a towel as he helped me into my robe.
“I’m so tired, Carter. I need to sleep.”
“You will. Let me comb your hair out and then dry it.”
“I can comb it and then braid it. Please, Carter, my hair is so thick it will take hours to dry. Why do you think I have my hair stylist on speed dial? My arms kill me half the time just drying it, let alone styling it.”
“Okay, do what you must. I’ll be right back,” he said.
When I knew Carter was out of hearing distance, I quickly grabbed my phone and phoned Rosalyn. It never dawned on me how late it was, so I simply left a voicemail and asked her to call me first thing in the morning. I knew and understood what Carter needed to hear tonight. I keep trying to move on from my past, but I misjudged Carter for being able to do the same thing. I was exhausted, mentally and physically at this point, but we needed to talk and I didn’t think I would get a peaceful night’s sleep until we did. I heard him knocking around in the kitchen, but he remained downstairs until he joined me. Once he did, he came in carrying a tray consisting of two grilled cheese sandwiches and a pitcher of water with slices of lemon floating at the top.
“Hungry?” he asked with a hint of hopefulness to his tone.
“Sure, I could eat, and with the workout we just did, I’m not too worried about the calories.”
That made him smile followed by light laughter in return. We ate our sandwiches in quiet conversation, and then once I was finished, he placed the tray down and held me in his arms with his back up against the headboard.
He said, “I’m sorry, baby. I really don’t know what to say beyond those three words.”
I shifted in his arms, where I could lay against his chest.
I said, “How about ‘I love you?’ Those words work for me too.”
“I love you, so much more than I deserve too.”
“Why would you say that? I am the one who is undeserving.”
“That’s bullshit, Thea, and you know it. You don’t have to pacify me every time I get upset. I was taken off guard upon hearing about the event, and then with Stan forcing my hand, I felt as if I wanted to just snap and punch him in the mouth.”
“Did you talk to him after your show?”
“I did, and surprisingly enough, he listened. Without getting into too much detail, I just explained that covering that event hits a little too close to home, and he should be more considerate toward your feelings. In the end, I won, and you no longer have to cover it.”
“Oh, Carter, that was not your place to do that. You have your career, and I have mine. They are separate, so please do yourself a favor and remember that.”
“When your career comes between what we have, it most certainly is my business, and if you choose to attend that event, then once again, your past is between us. I want Nick gone, Thea, and the only way for that to happen is for you to completely cut ties with him and live here with me in the present while we plan our future. You asked what you have to do to convince me. Well, that’s a start.”
I was not going to lose my temper, not again. I simply got up and paced my bedroom and said, “Carter, what you are asking is impossible. Our mothers are best friends, and our paths may cross if I am ever in New York, especially at my mother’s home. This comes down to trust. You need to trust me, and if you don’t, then I really see no reason to move on to our wedding. Don’t you see, we will not make it if trust is missing from our relationship. I love you, you know I do, and I am willing to make as many concessions as you need me to. Having said that, I also have limits to that promise. Back in New York, I walked away from Nick with a clear conscience, and I believe he did the same. Please, let’s just leave it at that, okay?”
“You actually believe he will not try anything further with you?” he asked.
“I do, and he knows if he tried, he would hurt Karen and the relationship he is trying to build with her and the girls.”
“Okay, I will adhere to those terms, but I swear, Thea, if he touches you again in any shape or form out of the bounds of simple pleasantries, I will beat his ass down.”
I let out the breath I was holding and then walked back over to the bed. He pulled me close to him and kissed me passionately.
“Thank you, Carter. Are we okay now?”
“Yes, we are. I know our rules, especially when it comes to shutting the other out. I was still angry when I got here, but knew I couldn’t sleep without you. I won’t put you through that again. I know you love me, but I need more.”
“How much more?” I asked.
“I need us married, and I do not wish to wait. We can have the grandest or the smallest affair, as long as we marry soon. Thea, this is important to me, probably the most important thing in my life. You are my life, and you are mine. I need your commitment in more ways of just agreeing to marry, I want to hear it as we recite our vows in front of our family and friends. This is me giving you full disclosure, and that’s what will make me happy and convinced.”
“Okay.”
“Okay? What exactly are you agreeing to?” he asked.
“All of it, and if I wasn’t one hundred percent committed to you, Carter, I would not be here, that you have to know. I love you and am ready to be yours in every way possible. What I need from you is time. My mother is still recovering, and her health is a priority right now. I can’t just get married without her involvement. She would be crushed. I have a call into Rosalyn, and I will set up a meeting as soon as she is available. Are these requests acceptable for now?”
“Yes, they are, and thank you. There’s one more thing, if I may ask of you.”
“Of course, anything,” I responded.
“I would like to take you somewhere, if both our schedules allow.”
“Sure, how about this weekend?”
“I would love it.”
“Where to? Stan will flip out if it requires a plane.”
“No, aviation is not needed for this trip,” he said.
I hugged him and giggled into his chest. I rubbed my cheek along the soft matting of chest hair he had. It felt decadent and warm.
“So where are we going?”
“Santa Barbara.”
“Sounds lovely. Why there?”
“I want you to meet my mother. It’s long overdue.”
“Wow, every time I asked about anything from the past, you always said no. Why now?”
“I have my reasons, and I will explain them to you, but not tonight, okay?”
“Fair enough. I look forward to meeting your mom. Clarissa, right?”
“Yes. Okay, let’s go to bed. I’m spent, and I know you are too.”
Once we were settled with his arms protectively around me, I checked if he was asleep. His breathing had slowed and I could feel his body relaxing.
I whispered, “Carter, I can’t wait to marry you and become your wife. I promise to make you happy and bear your children as soon as you want them. We are going to make it, baby. I promise you with all my heart that I am yours, and yours alone. No one will ever come between us, not ever again. I love you.”
I closed my eyes and joined Carter in sleep, but not before hearing him say, “I love you too.”
“Good morning, Mrs. Falcone. Um, nothing for me. I have to get home; the girls are waiting for me,” Karen said.
“Nonsense, I just saw your mom putting Gigi and Trinity on the school bus.”
“Is it that late already? I should be going.”
“Karen, I don’t bite, and you’ve known me practically your whole life. Relax and have a cup of coffee with me, okay?”
I interrupted, “Mom, pull back a little bit before she hyperventilates. Babe, the girls are at school, and I don’t have to go in for another hour or so. How about we have breakfast and then I will drop you home?”
She smiled politely over at my grinning mother, and then accepted mom’s invitation to stay.
“Relax, babe, it’s just breakfast,” I whispered reassuringly.
She nodded and let out a breath. I guess it had been a while since she had to deal with a mother that was not her own. Mom made French toast, egg white omelets, and turkey bacon. Karen’s nerves didn’t subside all that much. It was actually adorable.
Mom turned to Karen and offered her more coffee, but she politely declined. I basically counted to five and waited for my mom to begin firing off questions to Karen, but she didn’t do that at all.
Instead, she placed her hand over Karen’s and said, “It’s good to finally see you smile, child. And if my Nicky is responsible for making that happen, then he has my blessing to continue to do so.”
Mom patted Karen’s hand and then got up from her chair to give her a hug.
Mom said, “Okay, you two, I have some errands to run, and then I’m going with Frannie to her doctor’s appointment. How about a family dinner tomorrow night? If Frannie is up for it, Nick, you can pick her up on your way home from work. Karen, bring your girls and Veronica too. I’ll keep it simple with a roast and pasta. What do you say?”
Karen responded, “Thank you, Mrs. Falcone, I would love to join you for dinner, but I have a shift tomorrow night.”
“Nonsense! You work for my son. Surely he can find another bartender to cover for you? Please, Karen, say yes. I am only here for a few more days, and then I’ll be leaving for Florida.”
Mom was not taking no for an answer, and then I stepped in and told Karen that I would call someone in to cover for her. Not sure if that was what she wanted, but arguing with mom was a no-win situation.
After mom broke Karen down, she said yes and hugged. We said our goodbyes, and then I walked Karen out to my truck.
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