“Why do you even care?” she asked.
The complex tangle of emotions in my head was too complicated to describe, so I just said fuck it and kissed her, hoping it would explain everything.
CHAPTER 19
SHELBY
Carter’s kiss caught me completely by surprise, and I slapped him in the face. Then I grabbed his shirt in my fists and kissed him back.
Sweet fire ignited my insides. His tongue probed my mouth and I opened for him, swept up in the feelings he awoke in me. All the confusion and anger I had been feeling burned away, replaced with excitement and a burning need to feel all of him.
Suddenly remembering where we were, I shoved him against the side of the van so no one at the bake-off could see us from the gym. Our lips met again and his hands found my hips, anchoring me on the ground while my soul floated up to heaven. It wasn’t our first kiss, but this felt like the floodgates had opened and neither one of us could hold back any longer.
Heat and pressure had been building up between us ever since he’d started coming around the farm. I had never thought of chores as foreplay, but that was what it had felt like. We had been dancing around each other while we worked, testing each other. Teasing. Daring the other to give in first.
Technically,hehad kissedmetwice now, which meant I won. My prize? Making out with Carter. It was time to collect in full.
As we kissed, his hands stroked my back and my sides, sending shivers through me. My nipples hardened into points, wondering when it was going to be their turn. I leaned into him, needing more physical connection between us, and his thick length pressed against my hip.
A desperate ache throbbed in my core, demanding more. I snaked my hand down between us to touch him, giving his cock a squeeze. He groaned and trailed kisses down my jaw to my neck, where he nipped and sucked at my sensitive skin. Then it was my turn to moan.
Carter yanked back from me, and I glared up at him, ready to slap him again. “We’re at a high school,” he said, a grin shining in his eyes. “Class isn’t in session, but still, this might not be the best place for this. But whatever. I’m willing to get arrested if you are.”
I nodded. The logic of his words cut through my horny daze. “Okay, yeah. Honeyrose is only a few blocks away. And we should have the whole place to ourselves.”
“Are you driving, or am I?” he asked.
“Definitely me.”
Carter chuckled and dropped a peck on my lips. “Good call.”
We scrambled into the van like we were stealing it. My tires screeched when I backed up, and he laughed. I shot him a playful glare and said, “Hush.”
“Just drive.” He rested his hand on my leg, tracing circles with his fingertips on my thigh. It made it difficult not to slam my foot on the gas to get to the B&B faster.
The streets were almost empty. The siren song of baked treats had lured half the town to the gym. The other half seemed to be at home, being boring. The strong hand on my leg was the opposite of boring, though.
Carter was slowly going higher up my thigh. He hit the hem of my sweater dress and ran his fingers along the edge, teasing.I clenched my legs together to quench the flames erupting inside me. It had the effect of clamping down on his hand. He chuckled low in his chest and pushed his hand higher.
I hissed through my teeth at the feeling. Just one light brush of his hand had me ready to jump out of my skin. I pushed my hips against his hand, unable to keep them still. Honeyrose House came into view just up ahead and I pulled into the first open spot, not caring how crooked the van was in the parking spot.
We got out and Carter took my hand, whisking me up to his bedroom. With his door shut and locked behind us, he pushed me up against it and kissed me again. His hands cupped my breasts and I moaned into his mouth, no longer worried about being quiet.
The only light in the room came from the window. The drawn curtains let in a yellow glow of the streetlight outside. It wrapped us in shadows, making me lose all inhibition.
He smelled like leather and tasted like cake, and I discovered it was an intoxicating combination for me. Liquid fire rolled through my veins, burning me up with need. Carter woke up my body like no one ever had before. His skilled, confident hands and his sweet lips had me aching desperately.
I went for the buttons of his shirt, not being gentle. All but tearing it open, I revealed his muscular chest. The hard lines were outlined by shadows in the dim light. I drank in the sight of his body for a moment, awed by its perfection, and then I licked his chest, leaving a wet line from his sternum up to his neck.
Where I bit him.
He growled and picked me up in his strong arms.
“Hey,” I said, but that was all I got out.
He spun me around and dropped me onto the bed. I thought he would join me, but it seemed to be his turn to look. I felt self-conscious and looked down at the comforter, unable to meet his gaze. Carter put his finger under my chin and tipped it up.
I looked up at him, hoping he couldn’t see in my eyes how vulnerable I was feeling. He ran his thumb along my lower lip. His eyes gazed right into my secret heart and he didn’t look away.
