Hard To Love (9 page)

“I’ll be there at eight. Don’t make me have to come in and get you, kitten. We won’t have time for a proper punishment before the plane lifts off.” And just like that, he ended the call.
Punishment? Crazy ass man.

Ella had a lot of work to do before tomorrow morning, and that wasn’t even including packing a suitcase. Briefly, she wondered if he would bring the silk scarf he had used to blindfold her the night at his cabin?
What was she getting herself into?

Quickly, she called Liv to fill her in on the trip.

Chapter Nine

“You’re going where, with who?” she yelled. “Oh my God. You go Eleanor.”

“It’s a business opportunity. How could I turn down an all-expense paid trip to Nashville to rub elbows with music execs and music stars? This could be my big break, Liv.” Ella knew she was trying to convince herself as much as she was trying to convince her sister.

“Yeah, and an opportunity to get the rest of those cobwebs cleaned out.” Liv snickered.

“Olivia, don’t be so crude,” Ella reprimanded her sister. “And stop calling me Eleanor. It makes me feel older than dirt.”

“Okay, Ella,” pausing for a second, she finished, laughing. “Nor.”

Ella rolled her eyes at her sister. She didn’t have time to play her games today. She had a hundred things to do before the morning. She was tempted to call Becky, but decided to wait to see the outcome of their trip. She and Carter may go back to hating one another by the week’s end. “Hmm,” she thought, did they actually ever really hate each other? Carter had been chasing her for six years, and she had avoided him, or been mean as an attempt to push him away. But only because she was ashamed of being another notch in his belt. She also didn’t want to be called a cougar. No one really had to know they were going to Nashville together, she thought.

“Hey Liv,” she said before hanging up. “Keep this to yourself, will ya? I’m not sure how this trip will turn out, and everyone and their brother doesn’t need to know my business.”

“Don’t worry, your secret’s safe with me. Who am I gonna tell anyway, the horses?”

“You don’t fool me little sister. I know you tell Drew everything. By the way, are you still dangling that poor boy around?”

“El, it’s not like that with Drew. He’s just my friend. We don’t look at each other like that.” Drew was Liv’s best friend, besides her horse, and regardless of whether her sister recognized it or not, he was in love with Liv.

“You may not look at him like that little sister, but I’ve seen how that boy looks at you. He’s in love, and you just keep him on the line. It’s not fair to him, Liv.”

“I don’t keep him on anything. He’s had a dozen girlfriends. It’s not my fault they don’t make the cut.” Liv said, affronted.

“They don’t make the cut because you always find something wrong with them.”

“Go get laid would you? Stop worrying about the men in my life and worry about your own,” Liv said angrily.

“Whatever,” Ella replied.

“Be safe, call me when you land.” Liv said, before hanging up.

********

Packing her suitcase turned out to be more complicated than Ella had thought. Carter hadn’t mentioned anything that they were planning on doing, so she wasn’t sure what exactly to pack. Contemplating calling him, her phone rang and his name popped up on her screen. Trying to hold back the excitement in her voice, she answered the phone as coolly as possible.
“Hello, this is Ella Reid.”

“Hey, kitten. You almost packed?” Carter asked, in that deep throaty voice of his.

“I never said I was going,” Ella teased.

“Oh, you’re going, if I have to tie you up, which doesn’t sound like a bad idea. I’d like to see you tied up.”

“You’re just crazy enough to do that. What would security say?”

“I’d convince them you were my love slave.”

“You probably could, too,” she laughed. “Okay, you talked me into it. I’ll try to pack, but I’m not sure what I’m going to need. You never said if you had anything special planned.”

“Oh, I have special things planned, kitten, trust me. But you won’t need anything special to wear for that.” Carter rubbed himself thinking about all the things he wanted to do Ella. Just thinking about it made him hard for her.

“Carter, I’m serious,” Ella sighed.

“I’m serious too. I’m not worried about what you’ll be wearing, sweetness, because all I’ll be thinking about is getting you out of it.”

Once again, Ella’s cheeks turned ten shades of red. Carter had such an effect on her. It was crazy that she had avoided him for so long. He could be a domineering asshole, but he was a sexy domineering asshole who could play her body like a fiddle. After this trip, she’d know just how much of an asshole he really was, or find a side of him she could tolerate outside of the bedroom.

“What are you saying Carter? You’d like to keep me tied up in the hotel room, naked for the whole trip?”

“Oh, kitten, that is a good idea. I could think of some very naughty things I’d like to do to you.” Carter’s deep breathing on the other end of the line piqued Ella’s curiosity. She didn’t know what he was thinking about, but all she could think about was his hands on her body, his tongue running between her wet, slick folds. A shiver ran down her spine as she imagined all the wicked things she would like for him to do her.

“I thought you were going there to work. Maybe I shouldn’t go. I may just distract you.”

“Not being buried inside you all week has been a distraction. I think it’s time I get a new one, don’t you?” he asked in that sexy low baritone voice of his, setting her insides ablaze.

It wasn’t a lie either. All he had thought about all week was the scent of her cologne still lingering on his pillow, and how good it had felt sinking deep within her. Seeing her blindfolded in his bed, a glistening sheen of sweat covering her body, and the way her body had responded to each of his strokes had been on continuous rewind in his twisted mind. Taking her to Nashville would kill two birds with one stone. He could get his fill of the sexy Ella Reid, and ward off the very handsy record exec he had to meet with.

“You’ve been on my mind this week too.” Ella answered, pulling him from his own thoughts.

“Good. I’ll see you bright and early then. And kitten, no touching yourself tonight. I want to fill you with so much anticipation, and have you so ready for me, that you’ll be begging me to fuck you before the plane even lands.”

“You sure are confident with yourself, aren’t you?” Ella teased.

“It’s not confidence, kitten, it’s experience. I’ve seen how your body responds to me. Your breathing picks up; I can see your eyes dilate and the pulse in your neck beating faster and faster. I love to put my hand there and feel what I do to you. It’s my aphrodisiac when you melt in my hands.”

Realization dawned on Ella as Carter’s words sunk in. She had wondered why he always put his hand on her throat. Could he really tell that much by such a small movement?

“See you in the morning Carter,” she breathed through the phone. It was gonna be a long night.

********

True to his word, Carter pulled up to Ella’s house at eight o’clock on the dot. Peeking through her window blinds, she watched him jump out of his truck. Damn, he was sexy, wearing faded jeans, snug to his rear, and a tight, V-necked t-shirt with a winged cross spreading across his muscled chest, with half sleeves stretching over his twitching biceps. Ella squeezed her thighs together to ease the throbbing. She had thought of his arms wrapped around her all night, and his “no touching yourself” rule had just about been broken several times throughout the night.

A hard knock at the door made her jump from her thoughts. Smoothing her hand over her butterfly filled stomach, Ella tried to calm herself before opening the door. As she opened the door, Carter’s sensual scent floated through her senses. He was right. She wasn’t going to make it until the flight landed. He was just too damned irresistible.

“Right on time,” she said, opening to door to let him in.

Right away, Carter invaded her personal space, driving her back against the foyer wall until he pinned her there with both hands placed on the wall beside her head. Carnal desire was written all over his face, pupils dilated turning his blue eyes black and his face tight. Ella could see the restraint written all over his face as he took several deep breaths before speaking to her.

“You look good enough to eat, sweetness,” he said, burying his nose in her hair and inhaling deeply. “Smell that way too. This is gonna be a long flight. I can’t wait to get you to the hotel room and show you just how much I’ve wanted you this week.”

“We better get going then.” Ella’s voice trembled with desire. “I wouldn’t want you to be in any undue duress during the flight.” Carter’s mouth was so close, she could feel his hot breath on her lips. She wanted so much to taste the coffee on his lips that she could smell on his breath. Ella’s eyes fluttered shut as his mouth came crashing down on hers, taking ownership of her lips and tongue as he forced his way inside.

Grabbing both sides of her head, Carter pushed his raging stiffness against her pelvic bone. Ella brought out the beast in him. He wanted, no,
needed
to bury himself deep inside her. Taking her against this wall was all he had on his mind right now. To hell with building anticipation. He had been craving her all damn week. At that moment, he knew he wasn’t going to wait any longer. Carter unbuckled his belt and unbuttoned his jeans before grabbing Ella by her bottom, and lifted her up until she wrapped her legs around his waist. Thank god she was wearing a skirt.

“Shit,” he growled.

“What’s wrong?” she asked breathlessly.

“I don’t have a condom on me.”

“I’m on birth control. Do you get checked?”

“I never go without one, but, yes. I still get checked,” he answered, half irritated by her line of questioning, but so turned on he didn’t want to stop and think about it.

“Okay, I’m taking you now, kitten. I can’t wait,” Carter grumbled as he slipped her panties to the side right before plunging into her with a hard thrust, knocking the breath from her. Savoring the warmth and wetness of being inside a woman for the first time, made the urge to take control of her pleasure that much stronger. “Hold on, this is going to be hard and fast.”

Ella did as she was told, holding on as tight as she could, tightening her legs around his waist as he drove into her in a fast, forceful pace. With each thrust, her back hit the wall, shaking her hanging pictures until she thought they would fall to the floor. Carter pummeled inside her, grunting with each powerful push of his hard shaft. Ella gritted her teeth at his aggressive use of her body, feeling every inch of him rubbing all the nerves within her walls. This was the most invigorating experience of her life, so raw and real. The loud sounds of their breathing and of their bodies pounding into one another had her orgasm building within minutes.

“Carter,” she cried out.

“No, not yet,” he bit out. “Don’t you come yet.”

“Oh god,” she moaned, biting her bottom lip trying her hardest not to explode around the pulsing of his dick buried deep inside.

Carter raised her up a little further before slamming her back down on him again, tightening his grip on her ass. Feeling her tight channel throbbing around him, he steadied himself for the blinding orgasm he felt building in his tightening balls.

“God, now Ella, come with me, now!” he growled, filling her with his hot fluid.

Hitting her head against the wall as she threw her head back, Ella cried out when the most intense orgasm she had ever felt hit her. Literally seeing stars, she squeezed her eyes shut while she let her release overtake her, wilting in Carter’s strong embrace.

“Fuck me,” he said on a ragged breath. “You just may be my undoing, kitten. That was intense.” Carter rubbed his sweaty forehead against hers, before kissing her, then slowly pulled himself from her, lowering her unsteady legs to the floor. “You okay?” he asked in a concerned tone, searching her eyes for an answer.

“Yes,” she answered, trying to catch her breath. “Intense, that’s a good description.” While straightening her clothes and trying to gain her composure, Ella wondered why no other man had made her feel this real, this desirable. Carter made her feel like she was a sex goddess, worthy enough to sit along beside him in his throne.

“You make me lose control, El.” Carter said, staring deeply into her emerald green eyes. This woman made him feel things he had never felt before, and it was terrifying to him. “It’s not something I do, lose control, but when I’m around you, you make me powerless.”

“But why? I don’t understand. Why me, Carter?” she asked, dropping her head, too embarrassed to face him after confessing her doubts.

“Why you? Ella, look at me,” Carter said, tilting her head back so he could see her shimmering eyes. “That first time I saw you, six years ago, sitting at that bar next to Becky, I was drawn to you like a lost sailor at sea to a beacon. I wanted you more than I had ever wanted anything in my life. You are more beautiful than any woman I’ve ever met and you don’t take my shit,” he grinned, showing off that megawatt smile of his, running his hands up and down her arms as he spoke. “There’s chemistry between us. I know you know what I’m talking about. It’s like static in the air, and the closer I get to you, the stronger it becomes, until I touch you, and it zaps me.”

Ella exhaled, “Yeah, I feel it when I’m around you too.”

“I’ve never felt that way before. I tried to shake the feeling for six years, but every damn time I thought I had, I’d see you some place, and it’d start all over again. But you kept running from me.” Carter tightened his grip on her arms. “And then, that night at Logan and Alana’s party, I finally got the chance to talk to you, to touch your skin again. I wanted to know if it was still there, or if I had just been out of my mind the first night we spent together.”

“Was it still there?” Ella asked, holding her breath for the answer.

“We’re here aren’t we?” he answered happily. “Let’s put it this way. I’ve never asked a woman to have breakfast with me, let alone go on a trip with me.”