Tame: Carter Kids #3 (7 page)

"So that's where you got the tattoo."

It was day nine of our hiatus and Noah had just finished giving me a detailed description of Lucky's makeshift tattoo parlor in prison.

I was still clutching my ribs like I was the one he had butchered and not Noah.

"You were lucky you didn't get septicemia," I told him as I lay on my stomach, watching Noah work out on the floor below.

All he had on were a pair of white fitted boxer shorts, and it was taking everything I had not to leap off the bed and grab his hard tight ass.

"Trust me, Thorn," Noah said, breathless as he continued to punish his body with brutal sit-ups. "Septicemia was the last thing I had to worry about in prison."

"Were you afraid in there?" I asked, resting my chin in my hands.

"It wasn't so much fear as it was it was a sense of impending doom." Noah laid flat on his back for a moment before letting out a sigh and flipping onto his stomach.

Immediately, he started into a set of push-ups.

"Every night I closed my eyes not knowing if I was going to open them in the morning." He tucked his left arm behind his back, and continued to do push-ups using only his right. "I'm a southpaw," he explained, panting slightly. "My right's a weakness in the cage. I need to change that."

"Max is left handed, too."

"You heard from him lately?"

"Not a word." Rolling onto my back, I folded my arms behind my head and sighed. "Last time we spoke, we got into a huge argument. I haven't heard from him since."

"Tell me about it."

"He's always hated my dad," I found myself explaining. "Long before my mother died. Patrick Connolly was never good enough for the good doctor's sister."

"I know that feeling." Noah grunted breathlessly. "Your uncle is a dick, Thorn," he added. "Seriously."

"He's just set in his ways," I replied. "The last time we spoke he told me that loving you was going to get me killed. He refused to make any effort of repairing our relationship because, in his eyes, the moment you were released from prison I was going to fall into your arms and he would rather say goodbye to me then." Sighing, I added, "It was our worst fight. I've never heard him so mad."

Noah was silent.

"Of course, I told him he was wrong," I quickly reassured him.

Rolling back onto my stomach, I watched Noah as he continued to do push-ups.

"Say something," I whispered, noticing his darkened expression.

"He's right," Noah growled. "I've always been the worst kind of wrong for you."

Climbing to his feet, Noah stretched his huge arms over his head and I had to force myself not to drool at the sight of this beautiful man.

Reaching up over our bed, Noah caught ahold of the one of the beams joining the four posts of the bed together and hoisted himself up.

"Hit me."

"What?" I settled on my knees, watching Noah pull himself up with his legs tucked behind him, ankles lock together.

"Hit me," he repeated, tone serious. "Every time I lower myself down, I want you to hit me in the stomach."

"And why on earth would I do that?"

"Tightens my core."

Lowering himself back down, he dangled in front of me until I gave in and lightly slapped his stomach.

"Harder."

I slapped him again, much harder this time.

Noah's response was a grunt of approval.

For the next fifteen minutes, Noah continued to do chin ups and I continued to slap him in silent harmony.

"I was late," I blurted out, breaking the contented silence between us.

Noah's brows furrowed but he didn't stop moving.

"When I got home to Ireland, I missed a period." Resting back on my knees, I felt my cheeks turning a deep shade of red.

I had no idea why I was talking about something that had happened so many years ago, only that I wanted him to know everything about me.

I wanted to fill him in on every single detail of my life from the moment we parted to the moment we reunited.

"Thought I was pregnant." Pulling at an invisible thread on the bedspread, I looked up at his face and said, "Turned out that I wasn't, but I got one hell of a fright."

"Because you thought you were pregnant with my baby?" He froze midair, eyes locked on mine, giving nothing away. "Because you thought you had a convicted felon's seed growing inside you?"

"Because I was
eighteen
and
terrified
," I corrected him. "And you weren't with me."

"Fair enough." Dropping onto his feet, Noah cracked his neck from side to side before walking over to the window sill. "But I thought about you all the time."

I swallowed deeply. "You did?"

"I did." Pressing his hands against the sill, Noah stretched himself out. "Before I got up. After I went to bed. When I showered. During mealtimes." A popping noise filled the room and Noah groaned loudly. "I thought of nothing else." He twisted his neck from side to side. "Only you."

Sighing heavily, I rubbed the skin over my heart. "I missed you so much."

He turned his face to look at me. "How much?"

"Enough to lose my inhibitions when you finally came back for me and not take precautions," I admitted guiltily. "I should probably go about getting put on something," I offered lamely. We'd taken too many risks as it stood. "You know…for safety's sake."

Noah's eyes were blazing with sincerity and heat when he said, "I'm clean, Thorn."

Walking over to where I was kneeling, Noah tossed himself down on his back.

"We're given mandatory three-month blood tests because of the amount of blood we shed in the cage." He turned his head to look at me. "And I've never been with a woman bareback before you or since you."

"I'm not talking about preventing STI's." Turning onto my side, I cupped his cheek with my hand and smiled. "I meant preventing little Noah and Teagan's running around the place."

"What were you thinking of getting?"

"I don't know," I confessed, feeling stupid for being a twenty-five-year-old woman and clueless.

Aside from one regrettable night with Liam in which I knew for a fact we'd used a condom – I'd seen the evidence the following morning, tossed carelessly on his bedroom floor, not to mention the dreadful latex rash that had followed – Noah was the only man I'd ever been with.

Back when we were in high school, Noah had always taken care of it. He'd bought the condoms. He'd disposed of them afterwards. He'd kept me safe. We'd only ever had one close call and even then he'd protected me.

It was during Christmas break of senior year. I had snuck out of the house behind Max's back to be with him. We'd taken Noah's car up to our usual make-out spot on South Peak Road.

Things had gone a little far and before we'd known it, we were having sex right there on the mountain side in his Lexus.

The condom had broken and I remembered saying, in my orgasm induced frenzy, to keep going.

But Noah had immediately pulled out of me. Even though it must have killed him to do it, he stopped and told me that he wasn't going to risk my future by being selfish with me.

"I've never been on birth control. I've never had to…" My words trailed off as I pondered the notion. "Hope takes the contraceptive pill – for menstrual cramps - but it wrecks her cycle. And I really don't like the thought of putting a rod in my arm or having bimonthly injections."

"Then I'll take care of it," Noah offered after a long pause. Leaning closer, he brushed his lips against mine. "First thing tomorrow, I'll run out and grab a pack of condoms."

"And tonight?"

"I've already had you twice today." He smirked. "What's another night?"

"Okay," I teased. "Make sure you read the label when you're buying them tomorrow." I waggled my brows. "But don’t forget to buy the…"

"Latex free ones," Noah filled in. "The blue box – not the green." Smirking he added, "Yeah, I remember, Thorn."

"I was going to say don’t forget to buy extra-large," I shot back, blushing, feeling both embarrassed and aroused that he remembered something so intimate about our past.

Noah frowned. "What color box are those?"

"I don’t know." I shrugged. "Just read the label."

"If there's reading involved then you better come with me."

"Why so?"

"Because I can't read good," he replied with a yawn. "I'm dumb, babe, you know that. All I'm good at is using my fists."

"No you're not," I all but roared. "Don't you dare call yourself dumb."

"Calm down," he chuckled. "This isn't a new thing. I've always been like this."

"Why didn't you tell me before?"

"I guess it never came up before."

"What about school?"

"In case it passed your attention, Thorn, I didn't do too good at school." Chuckling, he added, "I missed a lot of school. Hell, I didn't even go to mainstream school until I was seven, and even then we moved around so much I never really got a chance to settle down and get my teeth into it. I didn't have time to learn. I was too busy training to fight. I was fifteen before we settled down long enough for me to actually spend an entire year in one school, and by then I didn't care. I was hooked on the gym. I thought school was pointless, and I only went for a break from George and his shit. I was every teacher's worst nightmare."

"Noah, you're not stupid."

He shrugged. "Yeah, well, it doesn't matter now. I have the basics – and it's not like I'm gonna need books or anything in my career."

"I can help you," I offered.

"No thanks," he snorted.

"Noah, I'm serious." Kneeling on the bed in front of him, I pitched my plan. "I want to do this for you. You deserve better than this. You are one of the smartest men I know. You can do anything you put your mind to. Come on, I have faith in you. You're badass."

"Fine," he grumbled. "Get the fucking kindle."

Noah read exceptionally slow.

He paused.

He fell over his words.

He threw the kindle down more times than he held it, but he didn't give up.

He kept going, and I found myself having to suppress the urge to jump on him every time he sounded out a word that he wasn't familiar with.

And that's how we spent the rest of our day; taking turns reading passages from Hope's raunchy novel.

My brother once told me, "Be careful, Noah. It's a very long drop, kid, and there's no coming back up. I hope she's worth the fall."

Well, sitting in a bathtub, with the woman I loved resting against my chest, I could safely say that Kyle Carter was right about three things.

First, the drop – more like plummet – was deep.

Deeper than what I'd been prepared for.

Second, there was no way back up.

I was sunk.

And thirdly, Teagan was worth the fall.

I'd never met an opponent in the ring as dangerous to me as the woman in my bathtub.

"What do you think is wrong with him?" Teagan asked. Yawning, she rested her head against my chest and trailed her fingers down my thighs. "Jordan, I mean."

"Who fucking cares." Shifting beneath her, I adjusted my erection from stabbing her in the back. "That piece of shit isn't good enough to breathe the same air as Hope."

"Noah," Teagan scolded, splashing my feet – which were hanging out of either side of the tub. These oval shaped tubs were not built for men of my stature. "Don't be a dick."

"Is he or is he not the same guy who walked out the door and never looked back?" Wrapping my arm around her waist, I pulled her further up my body. "I don't care what his reasons are." Cupping one of her wet breasts in my hands, I tweaked her nipple, smirking when it hardened in my hand. "To me, Jordan Porter will always be that little prick who ran out on my niece."

"He's hardly little," she moaned, a little breathless. "He's like…six two."

"I could take him."

"Of course you could," she purred. "Big, bad fighter, you are."

"I knew we should have said something," I grumbled, moving my hand to cup her other breast. "Back when they got married?" I pinched Teagan's nipple and reveled in the moan that escaped her lips. "I knew it was a bad idea."

"It wasn't our place to tell," Teagan reminded me.

In fact, I was pretty sure she'd used those same words back then, too…

"…This is a bad idea, Thorn," I growled as I sat in the driver's seat of her Honda Civic outside the courthouse on fifth.

We weren't supposed to be hanging out together. Teagan was taking a huge-ass risk by being out in daylight with me.

So was I, but then again, I was used to breaking the rules when it came to her. I couldn't stay away from her. 

"A really fucking bad idea."

"Noah," Teagan warned as she applied her lipstick in the rearview mirror. "She's my best friend."

"And her brother is my best friend," I shot back, unbuckling my seat belt.

Reaching behind my seat, I grabbed a coat for Teagan to put on. It was freezing outside. It had been snowing heavily all morning and she had too much skin on display for this kind of weather.

"How long do you think he'll stay my best friend when he finds out I was in on this? We need to tell her parents."

"It's not our place to tell," Teagan told me before mushing her lips together and making a kissing sound. "And besides, this is a happy day!" She used her baby finger to wipe the edge of her pink lip. "Be happy for them."

"Yeah, they get married and what do I get? A one-way ticket to Kyle Carter's fist."

"You're being dramatic."

"And you are being really fucking innocent if you think that Kyle won't hold us responsible for this shit." Shaking my head, I readjusted the silvery-grey tie Teagan had bought me.

I looked like a fucking tool in a pink goddamn shirt and grey suit pants and I made a mental note to never allow my girlfriend to go clothes shopping for me again.

Color coordinating, she'd called it…

Like I gave a fuck about color coordinating.

From the moment I'd laid eyes on her in that tight as hell pink dress, my only thought had been how much time would it take me to get her out of it.

"What can I do to put you at ease?" Teagan purred. "Hmm?"

My mouth ran dry as I watched Teagan hoist her dress up around her waist and climb over the console.

"Well this is a pretty good start," I muttered when she straddled my lap. Immediately my hands moved to her hips. "God, you're such a tease…"

"How badly do you want me right now?" Staring into my eyes, Teagan cupped my neck with her hands. "A little?" She rolled her hips against me, pressing down hard on my growing dick. "Or a lot?"

"Fuck me," I groaned, clenching her bare waist roughly. Thrusting myself against her, I leaned forward and caught her lip between my teeth. "You have me wrapped around your little finger." I released her lip with a pop. "And you know it."

"Have I?" She batted her eyelids innocently. "I think it's the other way around…"

"Teagan," I deadpanned. "I am wearing a pink shirt which, may I add, seriously questions my masculinity, because you wanted me to match your dress."

She smirked and I continued to rant.

"I am sitting in a car with you about to be an accessory to a wedding that I know will get me a severe ass-kicking by at least four men because you wanted me to be your date."

"Noah," Teagan chuckled, but I cut her off as I continued to piss and moan.

"Not to mention the fact that I am rocking a serious case of blue balls because you know putting your pussy on my dick is a sure fire way of getting me to do whatever the hell you want me to do." I thrust my erection against her to drill the message home. "You know damn well you have me wrapped around your finger."

"I happen to think you look incredibly sexy in your shirt," Thorn purred. Dipping her head to my neck, she bit down hard on my flesh. "And I know you don't want to be here, but I promise to make it up to you later…"

"Except I know you won't." Stifling a growl, I leaned back and cocked a brow. "Since you gave me a very weird and very animated run down on your menstrual cramps this morning."

"And since when did a little blood scare you?"

"I…" Whatever I was going to say evaporated and my jaw fell open.

Was she serious?

Winking, Teagan opened the driver's door and climbed out.

"Come on, tough boy," she said, "Let's go watch my best friend sign her life away."

With that, Teagan disappeared from sight, leaving me stunned in her wake…

"That was one boring wedding," I said gruffly, drawing myself back to the present. "But I had an awesome time on the way back home."

"I remember," Teagan whispered softly.

My phone rang out then, breaking the moment.

"Goddammit to hell," I hissed, muttering several other curse words under my breath. "I'll be two minutes."

Teagan sat up and I quickly kissed her temple before climbing out of the tub to retrieve my phone.

"So you're alive?"

Those were the first words I heard when I answered my phone.

Closing the bathroom door, I padded over to the bed and sat down.

"Who wants to know?"

Lucky chuckled down the line. "How's the reunion coming along?"

My lips tipped up in a reluctant smile. "Did you want something, man?"

My reply only made Lucky laugh harder.

"You're busy, it's cool," he said good-naturedly. "I'm just calling to let you know that I've had Tommy blowing up my phone since the a.m. – Quincy and Beau, too."

"Yeah?" I ran my free hand through my hair and stifled a growl. "And what's up their asses?"

"Well," Lucky said cheerfully, "Since you haven't been taking any of their calls since Blondie arrived – or showed up to training – they've roped me into calling and brokering a truce." Pausing, he added, "Breakfast tomorrow sound good?"

"Fuck no, Lucky," I growled. "I told T I wanted some time off."

"I know," he placated. "And for what it's worth, I agree you need a break, but you know what the guys are like." Lucky sighed. "They're worried about the tour – afraid you're gonna bail on it."

"Like hell I am," I hissed, jaw clenched. Standing up, I began to pace the floor. "I'm taking that belt from Cole in December, man."

"Yeah you are," Lucky hooted and then added in a serious tone, "Just meet them for breakfast, man. Introduce them to your girl and be done with it."

"Fine," I muttered, reluctantly giving in. "But if it wasn't you asking me then I wouldn't be agreeing to this bullshit."

"Everything okay?" Teagan whispered, startling me, wrapping her arms around my stomach from behind, nuzzling her face against the bare skin of my back.

Catching Teagan's arm, I pulled her naked body against my chest. "Lucky, I'll talk to you later."

Dropping my phone on the bed, I slid my hands down to squeeze her ass. "I'm so fucking in love with you."

Teagan looked up at me with wide lustful eyes as she curled her arms around my neck.

"I'm in love with you, too," she whispered.

Cupping my neck, she dragged my face down to hers and captured my mouth with her soft swollen lips.

Hauling her into my arms, I kissed her deeply, putting into my kiss all the emotion I was feeling.

I groaned as her tongue swept over my lips and I opened up to take what she was giving me.

The vibration of her moan against my mouth sent shockwaves straight to my groin.

A tingling warmth spread through me and I took a step forward with Teagan in my arms and her lips on my mouth.

I felt the bed frame against my shins and gently lowered her onto the mattress before covering her wet, naked body with mine. 

Resting my weight on one arm, I used the other to grab her thigh and wrap it around my waist. I settled between her thighs and thrust inside her in one swift movement.

With every thrust of my dick, Teagan squeezed me harder, sucked me in tighter. The pressure building inside of me was so fucking sweet it was almost painful.

Teagan's back was arched upwards. She clenched her eyes shut as she jerked underneath me.

She was close.

So fucking close.

"I'm keeping you," I whispered against her lips. "I'm never gonna let you leave me again." Holding her face in place with my hand, I looked deep into her hazel eyes and whispered, "Give it up to me."

"Give…what…up?" she cried out, lustful eyes locked on mine, as she rocked her body against mine, tilting her hips upwards, giving me more of her.

"Your soul." Claiming her lips, I plunged my tongue into her mouth and circled my hips, grinding my pelvis against her.

"I…can't give you what you already…already…" Teagan's voice caught in her throat. It was muffled in her soft guttural moans as her orgasm came to a head. "Own!"

Teagan shook violently beneath me, the walls of her cervix tightening so hard around my dick that I came hard inside her.