“The jury’s still out on that one, but I hope so.” Once he’s close enough, he reaches out and cradles my cheeks in the palms of his hands. His smile falters as he sobers. “I’m sorry, Daisy.”
He brushes his lips against mine.
It’s been so long since he’s kissed me. All I want is to sink into the soft caress, but he doesn’t allow me to do that before pulling back.
“I’m sorry for pushing you away,” he whispers, stroking my mouthwith a light caress. “You deserve the absolute best and I needed time to figure out if I could be that for you.”
The sincerity of his words make my heart ache.
My eyes widen as I shake my head. “How could you ever think you weren’t good enough?”
He jerks his shoulders into a shrug. “The thought of being anything like my father scares the shit out of me.” His gaze darts away and then resettles on me. “Losing control like that freaked me out and I needed time to think about what I was doing.” He leans forward until his forehead gently rests against mine and his breath feathers across my lips. “I never meant to hurt you or cause you pain.”
I stroke my fingers across his shadowed jaw. “I know. And I was willing to give you that time because you mean everything to me.”
He hauls me closer until his arms can snake around my body. How is it possible that everything feels so much better when I’m wrapped up in his arms like this?
As if reading my thoughts, he whispers, “You know that I’m never going to let you go, right?” He presses his lips against my forehead. “You’re mine now.”
My heart swells with happiness. I lift my head so that I can meet his gaze. So much emotion swims in his eyes.
“Good, because I was just about to say the same thing to you,” I murmur. “Don’t think that I’ll be letting you walk away again because that’s not going to happen.”
“You’ve got yourself a deal.” He smiles. “I’m yours and you’re mine.”
I laugh, loving the sound of what he’s saying.
“Sooooo…Any interest in taking a closer look at the cocky underwear I’m wearing?” He winks. “I wore them especially for you.”
I slide my hand from around his back, down his abdominals, to the waistband of his briefs. I hook a finger into the material and pull it away from his body before letting it snap back into place.
“Meh.” I shrug. “Not really.”
His brows skyrocket. “Well, get interested. These just so happen tobe the only briefs you’ll be getting up close and personal with for the foreseeable future.”
I smile sweetly. “Is that a promise?”
“Damn right it is,” he snorts, sounding all kinds of cocky. “What I’m packing is more like a ten-inch threat.”
I’m not going to admit it to him, but Carter Prescott has every reason to be arrogant regarding what those roosters are hiding.
“Please…” I chortle and roll my eyes.
Before I can blink, he hoists me over his shoulder until I’m hanging upside down, staring at his perfect backside. “Carter!” I squeal. “What are you?—”
His wide palm comes down across my bottom with a crack and I yelp. The cry of surprise turns into a muffled groan as he squeezes my cheek. Heat flares to life and floods my panties.
“I hope you’re going to make good on that promise,” I say breathlessly.
He massages the offended area and I squirm with need.
“Baby,” he growls, “you know I am. All night long, if need be.”
With that, he takes us to the bedroom and makes good on his promise.
And you know what?
I wouldn’t have it any other way.
