Save Me (Elk Creek) (19 page)

             
“I agreed to be honest, and I love you, too. You are on my mind when I wake up, you are on my mind when I go to sleep, and…” Tears were pouring down my cheeks, and I could feel his chest shaking with emotion. “Since we meditated at the lake, you have been in my nightmares.  When he’s there, so are you. When I cry out, I see you, or smell you, or feel you. You bring me back from the torment, and keep me from going back. So you see? You don’t need my forgiveness, you save me every night.”

             
He squeezed me to him harder, and I could feel the emotional release between us. We continued to lie like that, soaking in the comfort that we each provided for the other. There was nothing more to say. We both loved each other, wanted each other, and had hope together. Once again, I fell asleep to the beating of the heart that loved me.

I woke up still cradled in Carter’s arms. He was asleep, leaning against the corner of the couch, with his head lolled to the side. I looked at my watch, seeing it was after noon already. My stomach growled loudly. We hadn’t eaten anything since the plane ride, and that tray of rock-hard chicken, cold white rice and oily green beans wasn’t real food. I was starving.

             
I gently moved from his lap, not wanting to wake him. I made my way into the kitchen, picking up my cup from earlier on the way. I was rummaging through the pantry, looking for what I could make for lunch, when an idea sprang to mind.  I wanted nothing more than to get back to the jovial mood we had before yesterday. I needed Carter to forget all that bullcrap about responsibility for my safety, failing, and whatever else was making him so morose. I wanted the teasing, fun guy to make a reappearance. Besides, I still owed him for that cold shower.

             
While I was making omelets and fried potatoes, Carter walked into the kitchen still in his pajama bottoms, with his hair sticking up everywhere. I grinned. He looked adorable in a sexy-as-sin alpha male kind of way. 

             
“Hungry?”  I asked, my grin broadening.  If I wasn’t careful, I was going to give myself away. 

             
“Yeah, what’re you making?” he asked as he walked behind me. I first felt the heat of his body against my back, then his taut chest. My head went a little woozy, and with how my breathing and pulse quickened, it took real concentration to stay standing.

             
“Eggs and potatoes,” I whispered. His hands were rubbing up and down my arms, and he rested his chin on my shoulder. I could have gotten drunk off his nearness. 

             
“I’m starving,” he muttered into my neck, then proceeded to place tiny kisses from my jaw to my shoulder. Oh God, if he didn’t stop, I was going to combust. My body was on fire, and it had nothing to do with the stove. The sensations he evoked in me were frightening. His hands came around my middle, and he was caressing my abdomen, but when his thumb brushed the underside of my breast, I gasped. I thought I was on fire before, now I was an inferno. 

             
“F-food is just a-about done. C-can you get some plates?” I stammered to him. I needed him to stop before I blew it all to hell. He gave a last kiss just below my ear that left me shivering, and backed away to do as I asked. Fortunately for my sanity, he sat down at the table, and after I made quick work of filling our plates, I sat down myself. 

             
“What is the plan today, or rather this evening?” I asked.

             
“Well, if it’s all right with you, I thought we could hang out here, maybe take a walk and have dinner with my Dad,” he grinned sheepishly. “He is worried about you, and invited us over for dinner.”

             
“Sure, I don’t mind. He doesn’t need to worry about me though, I’m fine.” I smiled, then lifted a forkful of food to my mouth. I was so hungry, I was sure anything would have tasted awesome, but this was way better than awesome. 

             
After we were both done eating, I picked up the dishes, carried them to the sink, and prepared to clean the kitchen. Carter was behind me again, placing his coffee cup in the sink. 

             
“I’m going to go shower, I won’t take long,” he said. I could hear the worry in his voice, like leaving me alone while he showered was bothering him. Ridiculous.

             
“Go, Carter, I will be fine,” I said. “Just don’t use all the hot water, I need a shower too.”  I wanted him to go, so my payback could start. He nodded, pecked my lips, and headed to the bathroom. Adrenaline and pure giddiness overflowed my body. I grabbed my ingredients that I had procured before he woke, and made my way to the bedroom door.

             
I waited there until I heard him close the bathroom door, before going in. I stood next to the bathroom door until I could hear the shower running, and waited to hear the interruptions in the water spray, telling me he was in the shower. Slowly, I opened the bathroom door. The way the bathroom was set up, he couldn’t see the door from the shower, but he could hear it if I wasn’t quiet.

             
This subterfuge stuff was fun. I tiptoed inside, and looked to see the shower glass was completely fogged—this I was counting on. I lowered to my hands and knees and crawled with my supplies to the shower door, thankful that it slid open on both sides. I carefully pulled the door open just enough that I could see the spray. I grabbed my tube of Icy Hot that I had taken from my bag, and carefully squeezed the entire tube onto the tile floor, as close as I could get to the spray. I quietly closed the sliding door, and waited, poised in attack mode. He let out a small cough, then another.

             
“What the hell?” I heard him say. I was doing everything I could not to break out into hysterics. I could see his silhouette, and hear him coughing more. I really hadn’t factored in that he would be naked, like I would see him naked. Stupid I knew, but I was too focused on getting him good. I saw him reaching for the sliding door, and I was ready.

             
He slid the door open with one hand, and was pinching his eyes with the other, taking big, gulping breaths. I was momentarily stunned by his nakedness, it took real effort to not look below his waist. As soon as he moved his hand and opened his eyes, I struck. A cloud of white filled the air as I threw an entire sack of flour onto him, covering his face, shoulders, chest… and wow, yep, even down there. 

             
He looked at me like I was an alien there to abduct him. I saw his mouth working, but he didn’t say anything. Then the look in his eyes turned feral, the growl he emitted was scary, and I knew it was time to go. I dropped the flour bag and did what any covert operative would do: I ran like hell.

Chapter 15-Carter

The hot water pelted down on my back. Well, I told her… everything. My mind replayed the scene again. She didn’t scream, tell me she hated me, or run away. Not my sweet girl. Instead, she made me breakfast. Instead of being pissed off, she soothed me and told me she loved me. I was the luckiest bastard ever.

             
As I hurried to rinse the shampoo from my hair, a minty odor assailed my nose. What the heck was that? It grew stronger as I finished rinsing away the suds. Suddenly it was like I was standing in a menthol factory. I opened the shower gel bottle, wondering if it was coming from there. The minty smell was so strong, I couldn’t even smell what was in the bottle.

             
My eyes began to sting, and I couldn’t stop coughing. I had to get the hell out. Where the fuck was that smell coming from? I opened the shower door, pinching my eyes closed in an effort to soothe them. When I was finally able to open my eyes, all I saw was a huge cloud of white, then I felt a blast of powder hit me, and stick to my wet body. I stared, dumbfounded, trying to stop gasping for clean air, and saw Taryn with an empty bag of… flour?

             
It took me several seconds before I understood what had happened. I narrowed my eyes at the little imp, who took off like a bat out of hell. Yeah, like I was going to let her get away with that. Oh hell no, I was taking her down.

             
I leaped out of the shower, wet, covered in flour, and buck ass naked and sprinted after her. She had gotten through the bathroom door, shutting it behind her, slowing me down. She was laughing so hard, I wasn’t sure how she could run, although with her limp she wasn’t that fast. I continued after her, trying not to slip on my ass, catching her at the end of the hall.

             
She screeched so loudly I thought my ear drums were going to burst.  I picked her up, turned her and threw her over my shoulder. Her hands automatically landed on my naked ass to steady herself. I chuckled.

             
“Oh my God, put me down. Y-you’re naked!” she screamed, trying to find purchase for her hands somewhere besides my butt. She gave up and started to pound with her fists in my lower back, kicking her legs wildly.

             
“Carter, put me down NOW! You are making a mess everywhere!” she yelled.

             
“Darlin, you have a mess to clean up. And, you’re going to start with me,” I said sternly with the biggest damn smile on my face. She reached her head down and bit me, right on my ass cheek. I pulled her up more tightly and spanked her cute bottom over my shoulder.

             
“AAHH, you rotten overgrown tumor! Let me down!” She was really getting fired up now. I was enjoying it, and about to enjoy more of her tirade as I stepped back into the shower. I slowly slid her down the front of my body. She gasped as I groaned when my very erect dick passed over her abdomen. Amazingly, she didn’t utter a sound. Her eyes were wide with shock, but I could see excitement shimmering in them, too.

             
I crowded her until her back hit the wall of the shower, bent down and lowered my mouth over hers. I could taste the chalky, bland flour that had coated my lips, but when she let out a small mewl I didn’t care. I plundered her mouth with my tongue, and slowly started running my hands down her back, stopping on the round curve of her bottom. I pulled her into my groin, and groaned at the contact.

             
When she put her arms around my shoulders and tugged on my hair, I lost all reserve, all control and pushed her harder against the wall. Her leg rose over the curve of my hip, and I pulled her other leg up, holding her by her ass. God, she felt good, soft and all woman. I wanted to devour her.

             
I reached the faucet with one hand and turned the water back on, then moved us both under the spray. She was eager in her kiss, and when she licked at my throat, I growled. Her hands were running through my hair, and her legs were tightening around my waist. I wanted her naked, like right now.

             
I slipped my hand under her shirt, and felt her quiver when I touched her bare belly.  Moving my hand up until I felt the material of her bra, I moved to the back, unhooking the clasps. Her sharp intake of breath just stirred me into more need. I caressed her ribs and torso, then pulled her bra and shirt above her chest.

             
She had perfect breasts. I cupped one in my hand, loving the weight on my palm. She groaned when I brushed the tip of her nipple with my thumb. I kissed her mouth again, as my hips were lightly thrusting into her. I was spiraling, and needed to calm down. I couldn’t make love to her in a shower, covered in flour.

             
I nipped at her bottom lip and pulled my hand from her breast back to her bottom.

             
“Baby, I need to get this stuff off me,” I panted. She stilled, and took several gasping breaths before unlatching her legs and sliding down. She started to pull her shirt down, but I grasped her hand. “No, sweetheart, let’s wash together. Okay?” I didn’t want to scare her, but I was nowhere near ready to let her go. Besides, she saw me naked, only fair I got to see her delicious body naked, too.

             
She looked up at me, and I could see she was nervous. Hell, so was I. I didn’t want to screw this up. It was several long moments before I saw determination light on her angelic face, and she began pulling her shirt and bra up and over her head. She was beautiful, more than beautiful. I saw the blush infuse her cheeks, and her timid expression, but it only turned me on more, if that were possible.

             
I got to my knees and rested my hands at her hips, then leaned in, placing a kiss on her soft belly, and felt her quiver. I put my thumbs in the waistband of her pants and began pulling them down, with my lips trailing down her belly to her hips, and back to her belly button. I had her pants to the floor before I pulled back enough to see her in all her exquisite nakedness. My God, she was breathtaking.

             
When she instinctively tried to cover herself with her hands, I knew I had ogled too long.  I stood up, grabbing her by her shoulders, and drew her in to me. When she moaned, I had to grit my teeth in an effort not to turn her over and take her from behind, like some kind of wild animal.

             
“Baby, will you help me wash off?” I ground out, and hoped my gruffness didn’t scare her. She only nodded, and grabbed the sponge and soap. After she lathered, she rested the sponge on my shoulders, moving down my chest and then my abdomen. At the brush of the sponge, my dick twitched, and Taryn just stared. Honestly, I think that was really the first time she just looked at me. Her steady gaze made it twitch again, and she dropped the sponge.

             
“It does that, sweetie, it’s normal,” I said softly, hoping I didn’t sound at all condescending. She looked up to me, and I loved her wide, innocent eyes, even when they were nervous. I reached down, grabbed the sponge and made quick work of washing the rest of the flour away. I pulled her under the spray, and let the water run over her hair as she watched me. When I started massaging the shampoo into her scalp, she closed her eyes and let out a small sigh.

             
I finished with her hair, and using the sponge, I ran it from her shoulders to her fingertips,  then back up to her chest, and over the curve of her breast. Her eyes grew wider, and darkened. I continued over the tip and underneath, repeating the same to her other breast, noticing her breaths growing shorter the more I touched. I moved the sponge down her belly, before turning her around to face the wall.

             
I lifted her long curtain of wet hair, placing it over her shoulder. I sucked in a breath at the sight of her back. I knew it was there, had brushed my fingers over the raised skin before, but hadn’t seen the damage left on her perfect skin. Her body had gone rigid, and she tried to turn around. I firmly rested my hands on her shoulders, halting her. “No, you are perfect,” I murmured in her ear. I could feel the slight tremors through her shoulders, and placed a kiss on her neck, then each shoulder before moving down her back.

             
The word
Bitch
was crudely scarred down her spine. I was surprised, with how deep the cuts had to have been, that he didn’t damage her spine. I started with the B, caressing, kissing, and licking around every ugly letter. Scarred or not, she was gorgeous and unflawed. She was a warrior, and she carried battle scars, scars that proved how strong and courageous she was. I finished worshipping her back by placing a kiss in each dimple of her lower back, and turned her back around by her hips.

             
She had tears in her eyes, and a look of awe on her face. “You are beautiful, I love everything about you and your body,” I said softly, as I lifted up one foot. Starting with her petite toes, I washed all the way up one leg, then the other. I stopped at the beginning of the scar on her thigh and ran my fingers up the length of it, placing a kiss to the center.

             
I stood back up, lathering my hands, then resting my palm against her lower belly. I moved my hand in small circles, making my way to the apex of her thighs.

             
“You tell me to stop if you want me to, Taryn,” I whispered, praying to any and every god available that she wouldn’t tell me to stop. She looked at me still wide-eyed, and slowly put her hand on my wrist and started pushing my hand toward her mound. I closed my eyes and groaned at the feel of her soft hair there. Her grip tightened. For a moment, I thought she wanted me to stop, so I stilled and looked at her.

             
“Please,” she whispered with a push to my hand. I moved lower and slipped my fingers in between her folds, never taking my eyes away from hers. The moment was so personal, I was flooded with intense gratification—an unbreakable connection to her.  I don’t think I could have loved her more than at that moment. The trust she gave me was a gift, one I would cherish for the rest of my life.

             
She emitted a loud moan, and I knew I had to get her out of there, like pronto. I picked up the shower wand and sprayed the soap off her body, then reached for two towels. I wrapped her up snugly, and then wrapped the other around my hips and led her out of the shower.

             
In the bedroom, I laid her down on the bed, still clad in only her towel. I leaned above her and kissed her forehead, her eyelids, her nose, and then her mouth. I kissed her attempting to show her how much I loved her, what a beautiful woman she was. She was running her hands through my hair at the back of my neck, causing tingles to travel down my spine. I loved her touch, and the feel of her under me.

             
“Taryn, I don’t want to push you into anything if you aren’t ready. I need you to tell me, baby,” I whispered into her soft lips, then began kissing her jaw and down her neck, lingering at her collarbone. She was writhing under me, and her breaths were fast and shallow.

             
“Carter?” she rasped. “I don’t know how to…I’ve never…” she was nervously biting her lip. I already knew she hadn’t done anything with anyone, but wanted her to talk to me. I didn’t want her to be afraid to tell me anything. “I’m not sure what to do…I’m afraid…” she trailed off, and I could see that there was definitely something scaring her.

             
“What are you afraid of?” I asked, and damn if she didn’t blush cherry red and avert my gaze. “Taryn, you can tell me anything, don’t be afraid to talk to me, ever.” She bit her lip harder, and finally looked at me. I could see her eyes starting to well with tears. I sat up against the headboard, and pulled her into my lap. She always seemed more willing to talk if I was holding her.

             
Once she was nestled into my chest, I gave her a few moments to collect her thoughts.  “Now, will you tell me what has you so afraid?” I asked again.

             
“You’re big!” she blurted out. I was pretty certain I knew what she was talking about, but it would be a shame not to know for sure, especially when it gave an opportunity to make her blush again.

             
“Sweetie, I know I’m big, remember I’m my own species? Can you be more specific?” It was a good thing she couldn’t see the grin on my face.

             
She huffed out a breath. “You’re big… down there, you’re too big.”

             
Oh God, this was too much. Anyone else, and I would take that as a compliment. With her, not so much. She was obviously distraught about it, and I certainly wanted her to be comfortable with that part of my body. Hell, I needed her comfortable with it.

             
“What exactly is too big?” Maybe making fun of it would ease her worries.

             
She groaned in exasperation, “You know darn well what I mean! Your penis, wiener, pecker, your one-eyed wonder! Need I go on?” she screeched, finally showing me a blush so red, it went clear to her ears. I lost it, the laugh barreled out of me so hard I was surprised it didn’t throw her to the floor. She sat up and smacked my chest, her face was serious, and her adorable nose was scrunched up again. The laughter just kept coming. My guts were going to split wide open.