“What’s that?”
“Zoe said she met Greg through a work association, but then while eating Greg said they’d met at a club.So which is it?”
Allie expected him to be evasive like he always was when talking about his friends, but for once, he was forthcoming with information.“Both.They met at a club in town, then later they reconnected through a work collaboration.”
“Does your office work with feds often?”Odd for paper pushers to work with the feds.
“No, that was a first and I’m sure a last.”
Oh.
“Enough about Zoe and Greg.I’m more interested in you.”His voice turned husky as he wrapped her in his arms.
“Me?I’ve told you before, I’m not that interesting.”
Carson pulled her into his arms, wrapping his hands around her back.“I beg to differ.”
Allie melted into his touch like hot butter.This was exactly where she had wanted to be all day.“Oh yeah, and what do you find so interesting, hmmm?”
“This dress for one thing.”He glanced down at it.For once, it wasn’t one of Sandy’s but one that she’d bought.She’d bought several so now she didn’t have to worry about getting anything on them.This one was a wrap dress that was held closed by a sash.
“You like it?”She stepped back and spun around, showing it off.
“You are a temptress in it.I’ve been dreaming about peeling you out of it all day,” he said, pulling her back into his arms, his hands gripping her back before loosening as if he wasafraid he’d hurt her.
“The nice part about this dress is there is only a sash here that holds it together.”
Carson groaned.“See, temptress.”
“What else do you find interesting?”she asked, finding this playful side of his fun.She was seeing it more and more often now.
“Your mouth.”
How was her mouth interesting?Because she sometimes managed to say the wrong thing?Not very interesting.“What about my mouth?”
“How sweet it is.”He leaned down and kissed her.“Like honey and chocolate.”His tongue drove between her lips, and Allie eagerly opened for him.She’d been hungering for a real kiss from him all day.The most intimate they’d been had been a peck on the head and hand holding.
Allie sank into the kiss.It was like coming home.This was what she’d been missing all day.His hands gripped the back of her dress.
“Your mouth ispretty sweet too.And drugging.”
“Drugging, huh?”She felthim smile against her lips.“Do my kisses make you light-headed?”He trailed kisses down the side of her neck to her collarbone as she felt the sash loosen.“Mmm hmm.”
“Weak at the knees?”He pulled the material apart, the silky sash gliding across her abdomen.
“Yes,” she husked, leaning further back as his lips trailed down to her now-exposed chest.She lost her balance and started to wobble, but Carson’s arms held her steady.
“We can’t have you falling now.”He swept his left arm under her knees, lifted her up, and cradled her to his chest.Allie wrapped her arms around his neck, not that she feared him dropping her.Carson had a strong grip on her.She just wanted to use this opportunity to touch him.
Allie could feel the raised flesh under his shirt.She leaned forward and kissed the unmarred side of his neck before peppering soft kisses across his collarbone to the scarred side.Carson’s grip against her knee tightened.
“Allie, stop.”His voice was hoarse and strained as if he were wound tighter than a bowstring.Allie froze, her lips hovering over his skin before she pulled back and kissed him on the lips.Saying with her mouth she was sorry, though she really wasn’t.
Allie wished she could convey to him that his scars didn’t bother her.She wanted to see all of him, but she would have to wait until he was ready.She couldn’t push him no matter how ready she was.His grip loosened and then he started moving away from the kitchen and turned down the hall.
“Where are we going?”Though she already knew.There were only two options on this side of the house.
“Bedroom.”He carried her to the bed and set her on her feet at the side of the bed.He pushed open the gaping flaps of her dress and pulled it the rest of the way off before it fluttered to her feet.
