Chapter 6
How long before I give in?
"You're sure I can't convince you to stay?" Carter asked as he kissed my neck. We were just inside his door. He'd pulled me inside when I reminded him that he couldn't hug me right outside my door.
I tapped his bicep. "No. You already told me what would happen if I stayed, and I don't want to be tempted more than I am."
"Good. Glad I can tempt you," he mumbled against my skin. His lips were lulling me into submission.
Carter then wrapped his strong arms around me and started kissing me. Deep kissing. Tongue dipped and stroked me the way he wanted to be inside me. The prelude to sex. Hot sex, the way my body hummed in need of his. His hands moved underneath my shirt to cup my breasts, and I moaned into his mouth. "Why do you feel so good?"
He begged, "Let me fuck you."
When I only deepened the kiss, Carter started walking me backward toward his brown leather sofa, his hands on my breasts, tongue in my mouth. No resistance left in me until my cell rang, and I reached into my pocket to silence it.
Suddenly, Grey's voice broke through my passion haze. "Call me when you get this message. Wanted to know if you want to grab dinner later."
I turned my head, breaking the kiss, and whispered, "He's right outside. I have to go."
Carter pecked my lips again. "Maybe he's going somewhere."
"He's not." I slipped away and went to Carter's ring camera by the door, similar to ours. Grey stood outside in his shirt and shorts, stretching. Sweat sprinkled down his face, probably from a jog on the beach. He then opened our door and went inside.
I looked back at Carter, who sat on his sofa with outstretched legs and hard inches protruding through his shorts, waiting to see my next move. Oh, how easy would it be for me to sit on his lap and let him do whatever he wanted to me? That today, I would finally know what it would feel like to have a man inside of me. A man who obviously knew his way around a woman's anatomy and would be the perfect entry into my sexuality. But Grey's call happened for a reason, and it was way past time for me to get my ass out of there.
"I'll let myself out," I told him as his head flopped back in frustration, and I picked up my bag by the door and left his condo. I then crept back down the stairs and called an Uber to take me back to campus to get Grey's car.
LATER THAT NIGHT, ASGrey and I returned from dinner at Pappas Bar-B-Q, Grey commented, "It's a good thing you work at the gym because how you eat is crazy. A three-meat plate with potato salad and mac and cheese. No way I can eat like that and still run. I'm not treating you to any more dinners. You're too expensive."
"You owe me for helping you with stats last spring anyway. Your B is worth more than a barbecue dinner." I reminded him as we walked side by side to our condo. We had been spendingmore time together since we became roommates. Before, we might have hung out two or three times a week when he wasn't actively in training or hugged up with some woman. In the last week, we binge-watched shows and shared most of our meals. Tonight was our last time in the condo without Chelsea. Or Hurricane Chelsea, as Grey liked to call her, and we wanted to commemorate that with a dinner at my favorite restaurant joint. I wonder if Carter would still think that Grey and I are a couple once he sees Chelsea coming in and out of our place. Would that change his fire for me? After all, men like challenges, and having a live-in boyfriend was a major challenge for a competitive man like Carter.
"What’s with that goofy smile?”
“What?” We were nearing the walkway to the stairs leading to our condo.
Grey pointed to my mouth. “That one. Over dinner, you had the same smile, and I know it wasn’t anything I said.”
“Nothing. I'm happy about our place, and Chelsea’s coming home tomorrow.
He shrugged. “Fine, don’t tell me.”
“There’s nothing to tell.”
“You’ll tell me sooner or later,” Grey insisted.
“Oh my God, there’s nothing to tell.”
He raised a naturally arched brow. “Must be some new crush hanging at the gym since classes don’t start until next week.”
“You think you know me.” I slung my arm around his neck and pulled his head down to give him a smack on his cheek. At that moment, Carter appeared out of the walkway looking fine as ever in a pale, yellow shirt he left partially open over linen slacks. He’d taken his hair down and worn it out. A curly fro that only enhanced his handsome face.
I quickly removed my arm and could feel Grey’s stare as we approached Carter. I called, “Hey. Good to see you again.”
His lips curled. “Yeah. It is.”
Grey and Carter only nodded in greeting. Carter passed close enough to touch his pinky to mine, reminding me of this afternoon. The urge. God. The urge to touch him again, to look over my shoulder at him, tortured me as I started up the stairs.
“The truth. What happened between you and Carter?” Grey asked quietly after we arrived at our door. We’d made a pact years ago that if one of us asked forthe truth, we had no choice but to comply.
