Gage, Ronna - Send Her To Me (Siren Publishing Classic) (7 page)

“What am I doing?”

A part of her didn’t want to get into a position where she could get hurt. Her attraction for him was too strong to forget. She needed a distraction. She looked at the clock. “Twenty-five minutes left and I have no idea what to wear.”

The clothes in her closet hadn’t changed the last nine times she looked inside. “Where does Cather plan to take me?” She’d asked him earlier about the dinner plans, but he’d replied with an evasive answer.
It’s better than the buffet two nights ago.
Carter’s surprise with dinner plans accounted for his sense of humor. “That doesn’t help me choose the right outfit, Carter,” she said in frustration. She ran her fingers through the rows of clothes. Unable to make a decision, she placed a hand over her eyes and pulled out the first thing she grabbed. A black and maroon sleeveless tank dress. She stepped into the dress. The black empire skirt hugged her waist, and the dark color slimmed the curves of her hips. The maroon V-neck plunged low between her breasts. Satisfied with her choice, she straightened her posture and continued to look at her reflection. The peal of the doorbell sounded throughout the apartment. Her stomach flip-flopped with excitement. She rubbed the sweat from her damp palms and inhaled deeply to clear her nerves. “He’s here!”

“Hi, Carter!” She heard Tonya greet him. Kelli’s insides jumbled into tight knots.

“Welcome, come on in. Would you like something to drink?”

Good one, give me a few more seconds to breathe.

“No, but thank you,” he replied, his voice rich.

He has such impeccable manners.

“Kelli’s almost ready,” Tonya informed him. “I’ll go and get her.” A couple of seconds later, a soft tap vibrated on the bedroom door. Tonya peeked her head in. “Kelli? Carter’s here.”

Kelli looked at her cousin. By the look in her eyes, Tonya was pleased with her choice of dress. “I take it you like?”

Tonya nodded and stepped inside. “You look great.”

Kelli smiled. “Thanks. Let’s hope he likes it.” She took one last look at her image and grabbed her small evening bag off the bed.

“I’m sure he will,” Tonya encouraged a second before they rounded the corner to the living room.

The second Kelli saw Carter, she had no doubt he liked the dress, too.

* * * *

Carter’s leg jerked nervously while he waited for Kelli and Tonya to re-enter the living room. All day long he focused on one thing.
If I don’t see her soon, I’ll go crazy
. That statement became his silent tune for the past twenty-four hours. Work kept him busy to the point that he couldn’t see her for a leisurely lunch, and previous plans with Dex committed him with some gala function for the team last night. For two days, he’d recollected their last time together. The images of her dressed in the long souvenir T-shirt swelled his cock every time it crossed his mind. He would swear on his life that the erection that afflicted him two nights ago may have softened but still stood firm. Sleeping with her in the hotel had been torture. He’d never slept that badly in his life. Her warm, soft body lay next to him untouched. While he struggled to fall asleep, she cradled his arm in her bosom, her heartbeat tapped strong against his wrist, and her soft snores echoed in his head. He wanted to touch her in the places that he longed to explore, but to take advantage of her would have made her skittish to trust him. Whether it was the actions of a fool or those of a gentleman he let her sleep. And right now he couldn’t make the distinction.

Fidgeting in unbridled anticipation, he shuffled his feet to change his one-ankle-over-the-knee position for another. He stood up when he heard the women’s footsteps in the hall and found a deep gratitude that his legs held him up. The second he saw Kelli rendered him speechless. If it were possible, she looked more beautiful than the first night they went out. Her dress emphasized the shape of her slim calves. The long skirt hit past her knees. The V-neck top of the dress plunged deep between her breasts, enhancing the rounded flesh. Her hair was pulled back and secured with a simple black band. Little tendrils curled around her face.

His crotch spasms grew intense.

“You look beautiful,” he barely got out. Looking at her tonight, he saw something different that he didn’t see the other night. Maybe, the look of submission in her eyes. He didn’t know for sure, but his body responded to it. His groin tightened. Not only was his desire engaged in pursuing her, but also, something in his heart caught when he gazed at her.

“Okay, Carter, I’ve been a good girl and haven’t pestered you into telling me where we’re going. But now, I want to know. Where are we going for dinner?”

Carter chuckled. The sudden image of her wasn’t that of a good girl, but as the object of his desires. He envisioned them in bed together, touching, loving, and squeezing. “I want it to be a surprise.”

Kelli seemed to ponder his answer for a second. “Will this dress do at least?” She turned slowly giving him a full view.

Carter took her hand in his. “You look radiant and beautiful.” He kissed the hand he held.

Kelli grinned. “I just love chivalry. Kissing my hand, opening doors….”

“Saving your virtue,” he added.

Kelli blushed. Her earlier body language told him she would welcome him if he made love to her. Bending to kiss her cheek, Carter caught view of her cleavage and felt his cock ache.

He suffered a little more.

Chapter Eight

Kelli looked around the restaurant. Elegant paintings of high-dollar art covered the walls. Instrumental music played through hidden speakers. A short line of attentive waiters hovered close by, ready to service the needs of the patrons. Overall, the ambiance was, for lack of a word, expensive.

Kelli’s gaze returned to Carter. “Nice place.”

“Glad you like it.”

Their waiter came by with two wine glasses and a bottle of red wine. He held the bottle out for Carter’s inspection. He glanced at it, and then nodded his approval. The waiter poured them each half a glass of wine and left.

Carter picked up his glass. “I propose a toast.”

Kelli lifted hers. The sparkle in his eyes told her to be wary. “What are we toasting?”

“That dress.”

She looked down at the dress. “What about it?”

“I really like that dress!”

Kelli saw a mischief gleaning in his eyes. The last time she saw that look was at the pool two days ago. He’d caused her to have a short-term loss of speech. Knowing better than to mince words with him didn’t factor into what she said next. Curiosity got the better of her. “What do you like about my dress?”

His gaze turned serious. He leaned forward and raised his glass to her. “Taking it off of you later.” He gave her a wink and clanked his glass to hers.

Her mouth parted in surprise. Not a sound came out, but the image his words implied played out in her head.

The chatter of conversations from the other diners surrounded them, but they didn’t notice. They sat and looked deeply at one another.

Kelli barely tasted the grilled chicken entrée or the fine wine that never ended. She couldn’t keep her thoughts focused for more than five minutes on anything but Carter and his earlier toast. Embarrassed, Kelli diverted her eyes from him when he looked at her and took the liberty of stealing glances at him when she thought he wasn’t looking. Rich colors of brown and khaki made him as sinfully decadent to look at as the rich chocolate cake that they shared for dessert tasted. Tonight, his hair fell loose around his shoulders. She wanted to run her fingers through it.

During the dessert course, images of Carter licking crème off her body flashed in her mind.
No doubt about it, I want him, pure and simple
. She tried to speak the words to make known her longing, but she couldn’t get them out. She took a sip of the Irish coffee she drank, hoping the extra alcohol inside would give her courage.

When they left the restaurant, neither of them said a word as they walked to the Corvette. His hand heated the spot on her back that he touched, sending a spark of anticipation to ignite inside her. He held the door open for her. She turned to him. “There’s something I’ve wanted to say.”

“Okay, what?”

She gazed into his eyes and got lost in the depths of the windows to his soul. The moment lasted longer than necessary. Now what? What small bits of wisdom would she say to tell him that she wanted him? Would she look like a woman who didn’t know what she was doing? She leaned against the door. He stepped forward in close proximity of her personal space.

“Carter, I…”

He leaned in and kissed her, stopping the momentum of her comment. He tasted of Irish coffee. He stepped back. “Get in,” he instructed.

She didn’t bother to retry her statement. Her mind mellowed with his kiss. Once she got in, he shut the door to join her. As the car drove away from the restaurant, her courage to tell him she wanted him stayed in the parking lot along with the dissipating need for him.

During the ride home, concentrating on one particular thing proved a difficult task. Kelli focused her attention on the sound of the Corvette’s motor. The vibrations of it hummed through her seat and tickled the spot that desired Carter’s touch. She shifted in her seat to take advantage of the vibrations droning underneath her. The intensity of the sensations touched her clit in a way that made her want to jump in the driver’s seat and beg Carter to touch her. An agonizing inner battle ensued as she fought the urges between behaving like a proper lady and acting similar to a ravenous tigress that wanted his flesh on hers.

Carter inhaled deeply, and then reached over and placed his hand on her leg. His fingers skirted softly on the hem of her dress before they vanished under the material.

Kelli froze. As much as she wanted him to touch her, to take her and do all the things her body begged for and her mind fantasized, she couldn’t find the words to convey her thoughts to him.

The moment of silence didn’t matter. Carter somehow knew. He pulled the Corvette into a darkened park, pushed the gearshift into place, and turned off the motor. He adjusted in his seat, unbuckled his seat belt, and then hers. He skimmed his thumb over her bottom lip.

“I know what you want, Kelli.”

“How can you possibly know what I want?” she asked, closing her eyes to the delicate touch of his thumb on her lip.

“Because I want it, too.”

If his comment shocked her, he didn’t give her a chance to say anything. His lips replaced his thumb and gave the most tender kiss she’d received to date. She melted with desire and opened her mouth for him, tasting the breath mint he popped after the first kiss in the parking lot. His fingertips burned a trail of heated desire from her throat to her breasts. He slipped his hand under the skirt of her dress, and then under her panties.
Does he read my mind and know my lust-filled thoughts?
Once he started cupping her, she didn’t care. She lost all focus of the ensuing battle inside her.

The tigress won.

His long, firm fingers opened the folds of her soaking pussy. At his touch, she moaned with pleasure.
His fingers do magical things to me
. His touch set her afire with a blaze so hot she felt it deep in her body, but it didn’t burn. It excited her. He slipped the crotch of her panties to one side and her legs opened on their own accord, giving him better access. Her hands covered his to push it away, but instead, she realized she helped him reach the place she wanted him to go. The building of suppressed tension started to ease its way to the top. Her womb contracted with such a force she soaked herself. Something was happening to her and she doubted her every move. “Carter?” She breathed his name and pushed his hand away. She could only imagine the color of her heated cheeks. Automatically, her hands patted her cheeks. They blazed at her touch. She envisioned a beet-red tint, a color derived by her arousal for him, mixed with her embarrassment for the way she reacted to it. In the shadow of the Corvette, his heavy breathing sounded rushed and loud.

“What is it, Kelli?” Confusion laced his voice.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have let it go that far.” She pulled her panties back into place and adjusted her dress back over her lap. The dark interior became a natural confidante to her. In it, she was blind to his anger and confusion and he to her embarrassment.

“Please don’t hate me,” she begged. “It’s just that you smelled so good and looked so…and I…”

“Kelli.” He took her hand into his. “First off, I could never hate you. I, or we, went too fast. We don’t have to rush anything. It’s up to you.”

His words of endearment elated her. She didn’t want to rush into anything. Knowing he didn’t hate her made the moment more special. “Carter, that means so much to me. The fact that you are willing to take it slow.”

She leaned forward to give him a small peck on the lips, just a brush of hers on his. Except, the tigress inside wanted to feel the heat of his skin on hers, to taste its salty pleasures. The second their lips touched, she lost sight of the goal to slow things down. She nibbled his lips as if tonight she tasted them for the first time. She deepened the kiss. Her hands roamed his body from his waist to his chest. His hard muscles enticed her to feel more and enjoy the exploration. His desires ignited and radiated heat from his pores. She smoothed her hand over his rock-hard shoulders and up his neck until her fingers threaded through his hair. Her hunger intensified. It wanted more. His hand eased up her leg and sent a powerful electric sensation through her. Soft fingertips found the folds of her clit again. She wanted to feel him inside her. Her legs opened to allow his finger to penetrate her swollen flesh. It wasn’t enough. Breaking the kiss, she shifted in her seat to better accommodate his probing finger. She faced him now. She thrust her hips up to meet his finger, but he didn’t begin to touch the deepest recesses of her desire. He wasn’t satisfying the tigress in her. She cupped his hand and opened her legs even more.