She narrowed her gaze. “Yes, that’s it. I’m not sure what you expected, but I think these spots cover what everyone is looking for.”
“Yes, you’ve done a fine job.”
And just like that, she was back to wanting to strangle him. “That sounded sarcastic to me.”
He held up his hands in surrender. “Sorry, I’m just thinking of something different for Ally. She’s extremely social, and I think she’d like to get dressed up, use one of her endless pairs of fancy shoes, and go dancing.”
“Once again, I think your maleness is interfering with your ability to know what women want,” she said sweetly. “I doubt her dream bachelorette party includes squeezing into Spanx.”
“Do I want to know what that is? Sounds like a weapon.”
“More like a needed torture device. So what would your pick be, then, if you seem to know it all?”
“Atlantic City.”
She frowned and shook her head. “No, that’s party central. Gambling, clubbing, concerts. Definitely not what Ally requested.”
“When does she ever have the chance to let loose and have some fun? She should have a weekend with some excitement and edge. That’s what I want for her.”
“But she won’t like it.”
“Why?”
She blew out a breath and ticked off the points on her fingers. “Because they want a spa! Wine and food and girl talk. Not club music, high heels and short skirts, and socializing with strangers.”
He grinned. “That’s exactly what Ally needs.”
“I’m sorry, Carter, but I’m vetoing your choice.”
His expression morphed into mule stubbornness. “You can’t veto me on this. I’m the man of honor, and I get to plan the bachelorette party. We’re doing AC.”
“And I’m telling you, if you insist on this course, you’ll disappoint your sister.”
“Care to make another bet?”
Her jaw dropped. “Are you kidding me? Is this a game to you? Because I’ve made a living organizing events like this to allow a bride and groom to experience the perfect wedding. You’re a damn hacker who spends most of his time with his dog!”
He ignored her outburst and grinned. “You’re just scared I’ll win again.”
She flung up her hands. “Oh my God, you are impossible. If you do this, I’m out. I refuse to help plan something she didn’t specifically request.”
“Fine, I’ll do it myself. And I guarantee she’ll love it.”
She shook with frustration. “Oh, I’ll take that bet. Because I guarantee she won’t.”
“I disagree.”
“I mean it, Carter. You tell her I had nothing to do with this one. I refuse to get blamed when her friends find out instead of massages and hot tubs, they’re getting sloppy drunks and blistered feet.”
“I’ll tell her. Will be easier when I take all the credit.”
She huffed like the Big Bad Wolf and grabbed all the papers, shoving them back in her bag. “At least I can check this off my to-do list.”
The waiter dropped the bill in front of Carter, and she quickly grabbed it. “I got this,” she declared, whipping out her American Express. “It was a bet,” she confessed to the waiter. “I had to buy him dinner.”
Carter grinned. “I made an excellent choice.”
“You certainly did, sir,” the waiter said, shooting them an odd glance before quickly disappearing.
“I think this place will be perfect for the rehearsal dinner, don’t you?” he asked, taking a last sip of his cappuccino. “Why don’t you go ahead and book it?”
She couldn’t help the evil smile that broke out. “This restaurant isn’t available. They’re fully booked, but I spoke with Ally and we decided on Aleathea’s. I already emailed her the tasting menu we finalized, hired a piano player for ambience, and created a custom cupcake bar for dessert.”
She almost laughed at his shocked expression.
“You did all of that already? Without letting me know? I chose this place tonight to try out the menu before we confirmed.”
She shrugged. “We were lucky to have any openings at this late date, but once again, I was able to pull some strings and get Aleathea’s. You’ll love it. I’ll send you the menu.”
The waiter dropped off the receipt. “I hope you’ll join us again soon. It was a pleasure.”
Carter placed his napkin on his plate. “Thanks. And compliments to the chef on his balls. Not that I got to have many.”
Nate cocked his head, not understanding.
“She busted them all before I even got a chance.” Carter got up from the table. “Ready to go?”
Damn him. He’d made her laugh again, which made it harder to hold on to her annoyance. Shaking her head, she followed him to the car. The evening had definitely been surprising. He’d been a more engaging dinner companion than she expected. Who would’ve imagined there was a sense of humor hidden behind the robot mask? She was beginning to think Carter Ross held more layers than she’d originally given him credit for.
She waited for him to turn onto her road, but he kept driving straight and parked on Beach Avenue. “What are you doing?” she asked.
“Thought after such a big dinner we’d take a walk on the beach.”
“Oh, we can’t. The beach is closed.”
He regarded her in amusement. “I’m sure that’s never stopped you before.”
“You think I’m a hardened criminal because I was in jail for a few hours over ten years ago? Seriously?”
He grinned and got out of the car. He came around, opened her door, and waited. “I think you’re a woman who appreciates the occasional rule-breaking. It’s a beautiful night full of stars. Let’s have some fun.”
She climbed out. “I’ll walk with you, but not on the beach. There are signs posted everywhere.”
He stuck his hands in his pockets and matched his pace to hers. “Don’t disappoint me, Avery. We’re not teens looking to vandalize. I’m sure no one would pay attention to a lone couple enjoying an evening stroll.”
She snorted. “You don’t live here. If I got busted, that’s all I’d hear in this town.”
“The beach is heavily patrolled at this hour?” he asked.
She hesitated. “Well, no. But why take a chance?”
“Because sometimes doing something you shouldn’t feels good.”
His husky words whispered across her ears, like an intimate kiss. A shiver shook through her. She never broke rules. Not anymore. Her sisters teased her about how much she’d changed over the years, becoming good old reliable Avery. It was easier to make everything about the business and not about herself. Longing rose up inside, and the voice she’d quieted years ago broke its silence. She used to live big, love hard, and break more rules than she should. That’s the girl Carter remembered. The woman who stood beside him had changed. The daily grind of routines and the passing of time had eroded that raw edge that always burned inside her. It never bothered her because she didn’t think of it.
Until now.
“I’m different now,” she said defensively. “You’re thinking of a college girl who had nothing to lose. I grew up. I would’ve thought you’d be glad I’m not trying to drag your sister into any of our shenanigans or go skinny-dipping in the ocean after midnight.”
“Hmm, never said anything about skinny-dipping, but that could be fun, too.”
She shot him a look. “Now I know you’re just messing with me. I think we should go back to the car.” She turned but his hand shot out to grab her wrist.
“Wait.”
Her skin tingled at the contact, and her heart did a crazy leap.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make fun of you. It’s just—” He stopped, and his fingers squeezed gently, his thumb pressing into her palm. “I know I disapproved of your friendship with my sister in college because I thought you were a bit wild. But you were good for her. I know that now.” His misty eyes gleamed in the shadows, and she was transfixed by the
intense heat and emotion glimmering in their depths. “She needed lighthearted fun. See, I thought I needed to be the parents, and to me, that meant discipline. Responsibility. Making sure she was on the right path. I didn’t understand I could do both, because I was just too damn young and in over my head.”
She nodded, touched by the naked vulnerability on his face. “I understand. You made the hard choices for her, and it all worked out in the end.”
“But I lost a part of myself through it, too. That part that skipped over being a rebellious, selfish teenager to find my own dreams. I have no regrets, and I’m not whining about it, but sometimes, like tonight, I want to do something silly and crazy for me. I guess I was just trying to drag you into it. Stupid, right?”
Her axis shifted as a piece of the puzzle snapped into place. Suddenly, his words made sense. He hadn’t chosen his role. The death of his parents had forced it on him, and instead of rebelling or not accepting responsibility, he’d quietly stepped in to take care of Ally. He wasn’t allowed to be the crazy older brother any longer, who allowed her to stay up late, or hid her drinking at a party, or hung out with her boyfriends. No, he’d chosen to be someone else—a man who was capable of raising a ten-year-old girl in the best way possible.
Maybe Carter Ross had a wilder soul than she originally believed. He’d just never had the opportunity to show it.
“Come on, let’s go.” He dropped her hand and began walking toward the car, but she stepped in front of him to block his path.
“The same thing happened to me,” she blurted out. “I can’t remember the last time I broke any rules, or did something crazy fun just for the hell of it. All I do is work and take care of my clients and build the business. I have no regrets, either. I’m exactly where I should be. But sometimes I want . . .”
“A spark,” he finished. “To feel alive.”
“Yes. So we’re going to sneak onto the beach. Follow me.”
She grabbed his hand back, and they ran down the path. She picked the entrance on the south side that was always less crowded and away from the main center of town. A flimsy wooden gate snaked its way around the edge of the beach, and the entrance was barred by a low chain with a sign that said NO TRESPASSING! BEACH CLOSED FROM 9:00 P.M. TO 6:00 A.M. SUBJECT TO FINE!
A thrill tingled through her. They looked back and forth, but the path was deserted, and there was nothing but the sound of the waves crashing over the shore. They ducked under the chain, took their shoes off, and ran toward the water.
A laugh burst from her lips. It was such a little thing, sneaking onto the beach, but she was suddenly pumped with adrenaline. She snuck a glance at Carter and caught the same satisfied expression on his face, shadowed in moonlight. They reached the shoreline and slowed their pace. She rolled up the legs of her jeans and hooked her sandals over her fingers. Her toes curled into the packed, firm sand, the bite of cold water tickling her flesh and flirting with her ankles. The air was sharp and clean. The stars spilled over a black velvet canvas, highlighted by a heavy, ripe half-moon hanging low.
“I used to do this with my sisters,” she said, breaking the comfortable silence. “We’d sneak out at bedtime and come to the beach. Sometimes we’d meet boys, sometimes it’d be just us. Bella loved to swim, but then I’d hum the Jaws tune, and she’d get scared and run out.”
“Mean,” he said with a laugh. “Were the three of you always close?”
“Yes. We’d have the usual fights over clothes and who borrowed what, and who was Mom and Dad’s favorite, but it never passed the barrier into cruelty. We loved each other, but like in all families, we got stuck with certain tags.”
His fingers brushed hers and lingered. He’d pushed up the cuffs of his shirtsleeves to bare sinewy arms. He stood close, his hips pressed lightly against hers, their feet almost touching. “What kind of tags?” he asked.
“I was the oldest, so my mother was always pushing responsibility at me. I think that’s another reason I wanted to go to college at Georgetown. I needed space to grow and play on my own. I was the practical one. The leader of the group, as my parents would say. Bella was the beauty—my dad calls her Goldilocks. She fell in love, got married early, and wanted a ton of kids to raise. Poor Taylor got stuck with the rebellious tag. The troublemaker. She was always asking questions and challenging them at every turn. Drove them crazy. She has a wanderer’s heart and always wanted to travel the world on her own terms. After Matt died, we all pulled together to manage the business, and then my parents retired. Taylor got stuck here longer than she wanted.”
“Will she stay?”
She shook her head. “I hope not. She promised to give us another year here, and then she’s off. I don’t think the wedding business is for her. But she wanted to prove to my parents that she could do the right thing.”
He let out a long sigh. “It’s funny how we become the way others perceive us. It starts with families, goes into school, social media, everywhere. No wonder everyone’s on antianxiety meds and desperate to be happy. We don’t know who we are anymore.”
His words stirred deep inside her, touching a part that had been long buried and forgotten. She turned sideways and tilted her chin up. “You’re right. Maybe more people need to sneak onto a beach and figure it out.”
He smiled. God, he was so different like this. Open and relaxed, bare feet in the sand, his face emanating a sexy warmth that heated her blood. The vast quiet and isolation around them lent itself to sharing secrets and being reckless. She moved closer on impulse, angling her body so she could study the sharp curve of his jaw, the stubble hugging his lips, the mysterious, misty depths of his eyes. His dark hair blew in the breeze, tumbling over his forehead. Her nipples tightened and pushed against her flimsy shirt, and suddenly her body ached for something more . . . something to fill the emptiness. It had been so long since she’d felt like this. Alive, and free, and hungry to experience something wonderful and new.
His smile faded. The easy camaraderie drifted away, and the energy shifted, kicking into high awareness. He stiffened, his sharp gaze raking across her face, probing for answers. “Avery?” he whispered.
“You’re different like this,” she said softly.
His jaw clenched. “I’m the same. I just don’t get to show this part.”
Her hand seemed to move on its own, reaching up to touch his biceps, her fingers trailing over the hard-muscled length in an exploratory caress. “I like it.”
He sucked in his breath.
A thrill coursed through her at his obvious arousal. She leaned in a few more inches, raising up on her tiptoes. Their gazes locked.
“What are you doing?”
“I don’t know.” The night surrounded her, and the ocean roared, and his scent filled her head, musk and male and spice. Her insides clenched with a longing. He gripped her upper arms and stared down at her. Blistering heat seethed between them, and a drunken headiness made her body soft and pliable, leaning into his strength.
“I think you do.” His breath raked over her trembling lips. “I’m way past the age of impulsive decisions and late regrets.”
Avery licked her lips. “Maybe we both need to relax our standards.”
His palm cupped under her chin, holding her still, and he muttered a soft curse. “Maybe you’re right. God knows I’m no damn saint. And right now, I want this more than I’ve wanted anything in a long time.”
His mouth covered hers.
The shocking heat and softness of his lips rocketed through her. From the first moment, he was in control of the kiss, sipping from her mouth like tasting a fine wine, savoring her texture and flavor with a leisurely pace that throbbed with an undercurrent of ferocity. His arm slinked around her waist to pull her up and close, his body flush with hers so every muscle pressed against her curves.
She opened her mouth in invitation, and his tongue slipped inside, each slow, silky thrust causing her toes to curl in the sand. A moan rose from her throat, and he captured and swallo
wed it while he explored and conquered every secret crevice.
Her head spun. She clung to him, helpless under the sensual mastery of his mouth and lips and tongue, her body craving more. Her fingers thrust into his hair, and her hips arched, the thick, hard length of his arousal against her inner thigh. He took the kiss deeper, devouring her with a raw hunger that made a matching need explode within and scatter through every cell of her body.
“You taste so good,” he muttered against her mouth, nipping at her bottom lip. His hands moved to stroke her body, cupping her buttocks to lift and hold her tight.
“So do you.”
“I want more.”
“Take it,” she breathed against him, the madness of lust edged into her voice.
He groaned, kissing her again, and hooked his fingers inside her jeans, caressing her through the thin silk of her panties. His touch burned, and she shuddered. Her core dampened and ached for his fingers, mouth, cock, and she dug her fingernails into his shoulders with a punishing fierceness. He ripped his mouth away, breathing hard, then ran his tongue down her neck, nibbling, sucking, driving her mad until his teeth sank in and she cried out.
The waves crashed and roared. The stars dripped like thick honey from the sky. And the night urged all her inhibitions to fall away under the wickedness of his hands and mouth on her body. He tugged on her shirt, edged the lace of her bra down with his teeth, and sucked on her nipple.
She ground out his name the same time she ground her hips against his, looking for relief. He murmured dark, sexy words as he pleasured her breast, and she wrapped her arms tight around him, urging him down to the sand.
She didn’t register the flash of light until it was too late. The bright beam lasered over her face and into her eyes, startling her out of the sensual fog. Carter immediately placed her behind him, his large body blocking her from the intruder.
It was only when she heard the voice that she realized she was in big trouble.
“Sir, ma’am, the beach is closed after hours. The sign is clearly posted.”
Oh. My. God. She was going to die.
Love on Beach Avenue Page 13
