Total pages in book: 123
Estimated words: 116597 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 583(@200wpm)___ 466(@250wpm)___ 389(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 116597 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 583(@200wpm)___ 466(@250wpm)___ 389(@300wpm)
I ignored the way my heart jumped at the sight, at how my own lips curled up to mirror his.
“How long have I been out?”
“Just an hour.”
“An hour?!” He shook his head. “Jesus, woman. You quite literally fucked me to sleep.”
“Technically, a toy fucked you to sleep.”
“You were the one driving.”
I chuckled, still petting Zamboni as I nodded to the glass of water beside him. “Drink.”
Carter followed my gaze before picking up the glass and downing half of it. It was then that his eyes took in the sight of me, and he groaned, setting the water back on the table before he turned to face me.
“Liv… you’re wearing my shirt.”
I hiked the hem of it up to show where the navy-blue fabric of his briefs hugged my thigh. “These, too.”
He shook his head, hands reaching for me like he couldn’t help himself. He slid one hand roughly up my leg all the way to my hip. “I didn’t think it was possible to get turned on again tonight, but…”
A zip of something unfamiliar flittered through my stomach, but I laughed it off, laughed him off as I pressed a hand to his chest and pushed him back to where he was sitting before.
Carter sighed heavily, but then he started petting Zamboni’s back legs, his lazy gaze on me. “That was fun.”
“Was it?”
“I mean, it was absolute fucking torture, but it was also fun.”
I smirked. “My favorite kind of play.”
“I have no doubts.”
“And what did we learn?”
Carter groaned. “A quiz already?”
I just sipped my wine and arched a brow, waiting.
He sat back farther, still petting his dog as his brows folded in concentration. “I need to be in control. I need to set the pace, give her permission to relax, and show her I want her in every possible way.”
“Amen.”
“And if all else fails, treat it like a game.” He pointed at me. “That really worked for me. When I started thinking about it being overtime and everything riding on me holding it together, I could push through and resist.”
I chuckled. “You are such a boy.”
“And you are one hell of a woman.”
I chewed the inside of my cheek against a smile, tapping my wine glass and nodding toward his water in a silent request to finish it.
When he did, he relaxed more into the couch, smiling at where I was still idly petting behind Zamboni’s ear. “I can’t believe how fast he took to you.”
“Well, the little brat did owe me, since he ruined my shoes at Mia’s wedding.”
“I’ve just never seen him obey… well, anyone. Me included.”
I smiled, running the back of my finger along the smooth bridge of the pup’s nose. “We were only allowed to have one dog growing up — and it was my mother’s dog. She was a poodle, stubborn and hyper as hell. But my mom trained her to be obedient and made sure my sister and I followed suit. She didn’t want anyone undoing her hard work.”
“Did you ever want a dog of your own?”
“Oh, all the time. But I was never deemed responsible enough.”
Carter frowned a little at that. “What about when you moved out of your parents’ house?”
I stilled, swallowing with a mouth that felt full of sand. “I had other things to focus on when that time came.”
A heavy silence fell over us. I sipped my wine and stared at where we were both petting Zamboni, and just when I was ready to call it a night, Carter spoke.
“Are you going to go?”
I barked out a laugh. “Wow. Okay, I think the next thing we need to work on is post-sex etiquette.”
“No, no,” he said hurriedly, sitting up straight. He let out a laugh that mirrored mine before he shook his head again. “Sorry, I should have provided context. I don’t want you to go, as in leave here. Hell, you can stay all night.”
“I won’t be staying.”
“I make pretty amazing French toast, just saying. I could spoil you in the morning.”
“I’m more of an omelet for breakfast girl. And the two mil you’re paying me is spoiling me enough.”
“Good thing I have eggs. And cheese. And veggies. Also, what exactly are you using that money for?”
“None of your business, Rook. And I’m not staying the night.”
“Suit yourself,” he said on a shrug. “But what I meant by my question was… are you going to go to your sister’s wedding?”
All the playfulness slid out of me like grease down a drain, sticky and thick and out of place. I tilted my wine glass toward my lips before deciding I was done with it, the liquid suddenly too acidic now.
“I don’t know,” I answered honestly.
“Will she be mad if you don’t?”
“She’ll be heartbroken if I don’t go,” I said, lifting my eyes to meet his. “But I’ll be gutted if I do.”