Chapter 27
Twenty-Seven
By the time Brian and Carly pulled onto Main Street, the Granville town common had been taken over by concert preparations.
A makeshift stage had been erected at one end.
Behind it, a huge generator truck provided power to the stage and several elaborate light towers.
In front of the stage, a cluster of curious teens watched the setup.
On the grass, families had claimed their spots with plaid blankets and stadium chairs.
Brian found a parking space on Main Street, six blocks past Carson’s. “Looks like we got back just in time.”
Carly looked around with amazement at the hubbub of activity in the usually tranquil downtown. “And the concert doesn’t even start for an hour. I can see what your dad was saying about traffic and security.”
Carrying the bags from their Providence shopping trip, they walked toward the center of town.
At the apartment, the police were just finishing their work. One of the detectives returned Brian’s key. “We’ll be out of your way in just a minute.”
Carly and Brian waited on her deck until the police cleared the scene a few minutes later. After they were gone, Carly stepped into the home that had been her sanctuary for so many years. That he had been in here, that he had invaded this place . . . She shuddered.
Brian must have sensed how she was feeling. He crossed the room, flipped the deadbolt on the door, and put his arms around her. “Don’t let him in, honey. Don’t let him touch us.”
“I hate that he was here,” she whispered. “In our home.”
“He’s not here now. It’s just us.” Brian dipped his head and pressed his lips to hers. He skimmed his tongue over her bottom lip, trying to cajole her into participating. “Kiss me, Carly. Let me help you forget.”
She looped her arms around his neck and leaned into him.
He combed his fingers into her curls and tilted her face to receive a deep, passionate kiss.
Carly felt all her worries and fears slip away, allowing her to concentrate on the rush of feelings he’d always aroused in her.
It took only the simplest of kisses, the barest of caresses, and she was his—completely and totally his.
Only his. She gasped when he scooped her up to carry her to the bedroom.
On the way, she rested her head on his shoulder.
He put her down next to the bed and kissed her neck as he unbuttoned her sleeveless blouse. “Sometimes,” he whispered, “I still can’t believe I can hold you and kiss you and make love with you anytime I want to.”
His soft words accompanied by the feel of his lips on her sensitized skin made Carly’s legs tremble with desire. When she reached for the button on his shorts, he stopped her.
“But—”
He silenced her with a kiss.
Carly didn’t protest when she felt her bra slip away or when her skirt slid down over her legs.
He was still fully dressed when he urged her onto the bed and came down on top of her.
She put her arms around him.
Kissing her softly, he cradled her face with his hands.
Carly arched into him, wanting more. But he was apparently in no hurry. She ran her hands over his back and under his shirt. Needing to feel his skin against hers, she worked his shirt up.
He pulled away from her long enough to tug it over his head.
“Brian . . .”
“What, baby?” His lips made a path to her breasts.
“Do you think you’ll still want me this much when we’re married ten years?”
His tongue slid across her nipple. “I’ve wanted you this much since I was old enough to know what want was. I’ll always want you. Always.” He moved on to her other breast. “I love you so much. So very, very much.”
Her heart raced with joy and relief and hope. There was so much to hope for. She had forgotten what it felt like to have hope during all the long years they’d spent apart. “Brian,” she gasped as he made her crazy with what he was doing to her breasts.
“Tell me.”
She tugged on his shorts. “I want you.”
“Soon.”
“Now.”
He raised his head and found her eyes in the twilight.
“Please?”
His face softened into a smile. “Will you always know just how to get what you want from me?”
“I hope so,” she said, running her fingers through his hair.
He got rid of his shorts and brought her to the edge of the bed. “How about another first?”
“There can’t still be more! You’re making this stuff up.”
Laughing softly, he bent to lay a trail of kisses along her inner thigh.
“Brian. . .”
“Shh,” he said, blowing lightly on the hair that covered her. He urged her legs further apart and knelt before her.
“What’re you. . . Oh my God.” Carly’s mind went blank with shock as he parted her with his fingers and licked her there. Almost as if they had a mind of their own, her hips lifted into the intimate caress.
He slid two fingers into her and focused on the spot that pulsed with desire, drawing it into his mouth and sucking hard.
Carly came suddenly and explosively, crying out from the sensations that rocked her.
Brian stayed with her until the last spasm had passed. Standing, he hooked his arms under her legs and entered her.
The position gave him complete control, so she closed her eyes and gave herself over to the pleasure.
“Good?” he asked.
Carly could barely breathe let alone talk. “So good,” she managed to say.
He kept up a steady pace for several minutes before he dipped his head and rolled her nipple between his teeth, making her come again with a cry that took them both by surprise.
“Carly,” he groaned, pushing hard against her one last time before he released her legs and collapsed on top of her.
She held him close, sifting her fingers through his hair over and over again.
“Scoot up,” he whispered.
They moved into a more comfortable position on the bed.
He tightened his arms around her and smoothed his foot down over her calf.
“That was amazing. Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For taking care of me, for knowing I was letting him invade our home, and for not letting that happen.” She felt her face heat with embarrassment. “And for showing me all the stuff we’d missed out on.”
He brushed the hair back off her face. “I’ve never been happier in my life than I’ve been with you these last few weeks, Carly.
Even the stuff with Zoe . . . It’s been so much more than I’ve had since we were together before.
And that we can make love in a bed, any time we want, without having to worry about getting caught.
If this was all I ever had, if you were all I ever had, it would be enough. ”
“How did I ever stand to be without you for so long?”
“You’ll never be without me again. I promise you that.”
As the sheer over the bedroom window fluttered in the soft summer breeze, they listened to the noise coming from the street below. One of the bands ran a sound check, and the music echoed through the room.
“Imagine you’re a Main Street resident who was planning to sleep tonight,” Carly said.
“You’re shit out of luck.”
“We should get going.”
“Do we have to?”
Surprised, she looked up at him. “You don’t want to?”
“I’d much rather stay here with you and listen to it.” He ran a hand up to cup her breast, telling her what else he had in mind.
Amazed to realize she already wanted him again, she said, “I’d have to call my mom and tell her we aren’t coming.”
“Is, um, will Zoe be there?”
Touched by the wistful tone of his voice, she caressed his face. “I think so. Cate and Tom aren’t letting her run around with her friends the way she used to.”
“I suppose we can go.”
“Because Zoe will be there?” Carly asked, raising an eyebrow.
He replied with a sheepish grin. “Maybe. Is that all right?”
“Sure it is.”
“How about a shower?”
“Together?”
“Why not?”
“I’ve never done that.”
He brushed a light kiss over her lips. “No, I don’t suppose you have.”
“Have you?”
“Never with anyone I love. Come on.” He tugged her out of bed and led her into the bathroom to turn on the shower.
Carly stepped in after him and was hit with a sudden wave of shyness, which was odd considering the intimacy they had shared only minutes earlier.
Turning to her, he moved to the side to share the water with her. “I used to wonder all the time why we didn’t shower together in the hotel in Michigan.”
“We never thought of it.”
“There were so many things we didn’t know then.”
“I still don’t know most of them.” She once again felt a twinge of embarrassment as he watched the water sluice over her breasts with hot, hungry eyes.
“Oh, you will.” He held her long hair under the water. “Ten days in Jamaica should get you all caught up.”
“I’m concerned about what you’ve got planned for this honeymoon.”
His grin lit up his face. “Be very afraid.” He reached around her, lifted her, and pressed her against the wall.
She gasped from the chill of the tile against her back. “What’re you doing?”
“Making sure you’ll remember the first shower we ever took together.”
“Oh,” she moaned, clutching his broad shoulders. “Ohhhh.”
The first band was well into its set by the time Brian and Carly found her family and his mother clustered together on four blankets. They were greeted with hugs, kisses, and teasing questions about why they were so late.
“We were, ah, busy,” Carly said, grateful for the dark so her sisters wouldn’t see her face turn bright red.
“Busy,” Caren said with a wistful grin. “Remember when we had time to be ‘busy,’ Neil?”
Her husband, who had Justin in one arm and Julia in the other, laughed. “Busy got us this armload of trouble.”
Zoe dashed across the blankets to hug and kiss Carly.
Brian seemed startled when he received the same effusive greeting—as if Zoe had known him all her life.
“I was wondering when you guys were going to get here. Did you bring the cookies?”
Carly smiled and produced a large container. “Yes, ma’am. As requested.”
“Nice,” Zoe said.
“Did you meet my mom?” Brian asked.