23. Carmen
23
Carmen
As I step out of the studio, a wave of joy washes over me, lighter than I’ve felt in a long time. It’s like a weight has been lifted, the burden of keeping my feelings for Donny hidden finally gone. I’d set the record straight, told the world how much I love him. I chuckle to myself, Kelly’s excitement still buzzing through me, making my steps feel lighter as I walk out.
My breath catches when I step onto the sidewalk.
Donny stands in front of me, leaning against the side of a car, hands tucked in his jeans, and curls blowing through the winter wind. He pushes away from the car, eyes heating as he takes me in, and before I know it, I’m being lifted into his arms.
He smells like sandalwood and warm musk, the familiar scent making my heart race. I breathe him in deeply, savoring the moment, just before he sets me gently back on the ground. Taking a cautious step back, I lower my eyes to the pavement, biting the inside of my cheek.
He reaches out, his fingers soft against my skin. “You love me, Sunshine?”
“It was the only way I could think to make everything better, to give you the truth without you walking away from me,” I hurriedly say and stop when he starts chuckling. “And what the hell is so funny?”
Donny shakes his head and nudges it toward the car. “Let me take you to my place? There’s too many eyes and ears right now.”
Sure enough, there’s a swarm of people eager to get closer to us with their phones out, and that puts me into action. I slide onto the back seat, Donny following right behind me, and only when the door shuts behind him do I let out the breath I was holding.
“I’m sorry,” he says softly, his hand reaching out as he threads his fingers through mine. “I never should’ve walked away from you.”
“Why did you?”
“Fear, I guess.” He looks out the window, thinking about his next words, and gazes back over at me. “I was scared about what you would say, that you didn’t feel the same way as I do, so I got out before I could hear it.”
“You should’ve stayed,” I whisper.
Donny nods and squeezes my hand gently. “I’ll make it up to you for the rest of my life if I have to, Carmen, but know that I want this. I’ve wanted this since the moment I saw you. I was just too in my head to know it then.”
“Since you saw me, huh?”
He tugs me into him and I allow it, loving the warmth that radiates from his frame over to mine when he does. I sink into his side, relishing in the touch, and rest my head against his chest as the car coasts down the busy street.
“You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever laid eyes on, Sunshine.”
I look at him when he stops talking and I smirk. “You can keep going.”
“You’re amazing, talented, smart, and deserve so much more than I’ve given, but I’m going to be the man you deserve. No other man gets to have you, Sunshine. You’re all mine.”
“All yours?”
He nods and brings his finger to the tip of my chin, titling my face higher as he looks into my eyes. “Every precious piece of you belongs to me, and I’m never going to do anything to ruin that again.”
“I think I could live with that,” I say with a chuckle.
“Maybe there’s a way I can get you more on board?”
He inches closer, his mouth so close to mine that his breath skates across my lips, and I smile at him. “Kiss me.”
His lips press against mine softly, in a way I haven’t experienced with him before, and I melt into the kiss. I run my hands over his chest, the muscles beneath his shirt tensing under my touch, but it never goes further than the tenderness. With each press of his lips on mine, he breathes life into me that I never thought I’d be able to feel again.
Every time I’m with him I feel more alive, like this is exactly where I’m meant to be.
The driver clears his throat, a subtle reminder that we’ve arrived. I pull back, cheeks flushing, and catch his gaze in the rearview mirror. My cheeks heat and I hide my face against Donny’s side, stifling a laugh.
“Thank you,” Donny says before pulling me eagerly out of the car.
His hand never leaving mine as we walk through the sleek modern lobby of his building. A few people nod in our direction, but Donny keeps his eyes ahead, his grip on my hand firm.
In the elevator, it’s just the two of us. The quiet hum of the elevator fills the space, but all I can focus on is the way Donny stands close to me, his thumb tracing circles over the back of my hand. His body is so close, and I can feel the heat radiating off him, drawing me in. My breath quickens, heart pounding in sync with the subtle pulse of the elevator.
The elevator dings, and as the doors glide open to reveal his private penthouse, the anticipation tightens, making my pulse race. Donny tugs me gently through the front door, and the moment my shoes are off, he’s leading me down the hall, straight to his bedroom. It’s not quite how I pictured it, but I can’t help but smile as he pulls me inside and quietly shuts the door behind us.
“You can change the room however you want, Sunshine, but we’ll save that for later.”
I turn to face him, eyebrows furrowing. “What do you mean?”
Donny steps closer, his eyes soft but intent. “I mean, this will be your room, too. I want you here, with me—every night. You could decorate it any way you like, paint it pink if you want. As long as you’re the one lying next to me, this place will feel like home.”
“One step at a time,” I tease with a smirk, though the thought of it stirs something warm inside me. “What are we really doing here?”
His smile widens, but his gaze turns serious, full of meaning as he steps even closer, our chests nearly touching. “What we’re doing here is building our life together. I don’t want to spend another night without you. Whether it’s here or at your place, I just want us together. But what I really want,” he pauses, his hand brushing my cheek, “is for you to make this your home. To bring your warmth, your love into this space.”
He pauses. “I’m in love with you, Carmen Blackwood, so in love with you.”
My heart clenches. The tenderness in his eyes, the sincerity in his voice—it all hits me, deep.
“And if I say yes?” I whisper, my voice barely audible.
He smiles, his forehead resting against mine. “Then I’ll make sure every day we spend here feels like the start of something new. Because I’m not just asking you to live here, Carmen. I’m asking you to be with me, always. As my wife.”
A warmth spreads through me, and I can’t stop the tear that slips down my cheek, a tear of pure joy. I smile up at him, my heart so full it feels like it might burst, my decision already made.
“Then, I guess I’m moving in... for good.”
“Is that so?” he murmurs, his voice low and full of promise.
He steps closer, his thumb brushing away the tear on my cheek before his fingers drift down, tugging gently at the string of my blouse. His eyes darken, heating with desire as the fabric falls away, revealing the lace underneath. The intensity in his gaze makes my breath catch, and my body responds, my pulse quickening.
“Very much so, Sunshine,” he whispers.
I gasp when he tugs the cup of my bra down, then swirls his tongue around a pert nipple before moving over to the other and doing the same.
“I love you, too, Drummer Boy.”
He pulls away and looks into my eyes, smiling. “First step to this relationship is figuring out a different nickname,” he mutters.
I wink and push away from him, heading toward the bed while looking over my shoulder with a smile. “I don’t know, rolls off the tongue pretty nice.”
“Speaking of tongues,” he says huskily, taking slow, deliberate steps toward me before gently nudging me back onto the bed with a smirk. “I know exactly what I’m going to do with mine.”
My breath catches when he pushes my skirt up to my waist, his hands strong but tender as they glide over my skin. With one swift motion, he tears my panties in half, leaving me bare and exposed for him. I let my head fall back onto the mattress, anticipation coiling tighter in my chest, and within seconds, I feel the hot stroke of his tongue sliding through my center.
He groans against me, savoring the taste, and my body arches toward him. “You taste like heaven,” he murmurs, his voice full of hunger and need.
Before I can even respond, his hands grip my hips, pulling me closer, his mouth pressing harder against me, his tongue finding every sensitive spot with practiced skill. His desire for me is overwhelming, matched only by my own, and I feel myself unraveling under his touch.
I whimper, needing more, and he doesn’t hesitate. His tongue delves deeper, flicking over my swollen clit in a way that makes my legs tremble, the heat between us building into something impossible to ignore.
“You’re everything,” he growls, his hands tightening on my hips as he devours me with long, deliberate strokes of his tongue.
My body responds instantly, rocking against him, taking what I need, what we both need. I can feel the tension building, spiraling higher until I’m on the edge of release. I cry out his name, my hands twisting in his hair, pulling him closer than my orgasm crashes through me, wave after wave of pleasure ripping through my body.
But he doesn’t stop.
Before I can fully come down from the high, I feel him move above me, his body pressing into mine as he positions himself at my entrance. His gaze locks onto mine, filled with both desire and something deeper, something that feels like forever.
“I need to be inside you, Sunshine,” he rasps, his voice thick with emotion. “I can’t wait any longer.”
With one smooth thrust, he pushes into me, and we both groan at the sensation. The connection between us is undeniable, electric, and I know in this moment, I was made for him. He fills me completely, moving with a perfect rhythm that makes my heart race faster.
“You’re mine,” he whispers, his forehead resting against mine as our bodies move together. “Always.”
Every thrust, every touch, is full of the love we have for each other—deep, unspoken, and undeniable. My legs wrap around his waist, pulling him even closer, and I gasp as he angles himself deeper inside of me, hitting every spot that makes me lose control.
His hands roam my body, fingers brushing over my skin like he’s memorizing every inch of me, and when his lips find my neck, trailing kisses up to my ear, I’m completely undone.
Our eyes meet, and in that moment, I know—this is more than passion. It’s love, pure and overwhelming. The love that fills my heart spills over, and I never want to let this moment, or him, go.
“I love you,” I whisper, my voice trembling with emotion.
“I love you too,” he breathes against my skin, his movements becoming more intense, more urgent.
That thought has me gasping into the room and an orgasm tearing through me a second time. “ Yes, Donny! ”
His movements become more frantic, then he’s jerking into me and following me through the high. We spend a few moments like this — my ass hanging off the edge of the bed, him still buried inside of me like he never wants to leave, and our breathing the only noise in the room. Then he carefully slips away from me and holds a hand out.
“Shower with me, Sunshine?”
“Not sure I can walk after all that,” I say with a smile.
He winks, then reaches down and lifts me into his arms as I break into a fit of giggles. “No worries, I got you.”
“Always?”
His steps falter, and he looks down at me. So much love in his eyes that tears threaten to escape mine. “Always, Sunshine. You’re stuck with me.”
I shrug. “I think I can handle that.”
“Seems as though I’ve still got some convincing to do.”
“Appears that way.”
“Your wish is my command.”
After a fourth orgasm against the wall of the shower, he carries me bridal style into the bedroom and deposits me onto the bed. I hear him rummaging around in his closet, my eyes falling shut, and a few moments later, he’s climbing into the bed behind me. He tugs me closer to him, nuzzling his face against my neck, and sighs happily against me.
“This wasn’t how I pictured things turning out, but I can’t say I regret it. If we hadn’t done this, we wouldn’t be here right now,”he breathes.
“I feel the same way,” I whisper into the darkness.