24. Carter
Chapter 24
Carter
J une moved with careful precision as she set the last fork on the table, her hands trembling.
“There’s nothing to worry about. They’ll love you now, just like they did then.”
Tight lines formed around her eyes, and her lips pressed thin as she adjusted the napkins for the tenth time. “It’s not that.” She shrugged. “At least, it wasn’t until you reminded me. Now I have something else to worry about.”
I hung my head and ran my finger along the edge of the table, the conversation from the living room humming. “What is it then?”
She leaned in. “My dad.”
James’ foul mood was like a creeping poison seeping into everyone he came across. For the last few days, he’d offered nothing but grunts as a response, as if even words were too much effort in the suffocating gloom.
He’d isolated himself on his couch, engaging only for meals, and even then, his presence was more of a dark cloud hovering over the table than any sort of company.
“I’ll handle your dad, and you focus on keeping mine from filling his bowl with dessert.”
June snorted, her smile brimming as she cocked her head to the side. “Let him eat cake.”
We don’t have cake.
I’d ordered from the best Indian restaurant in the city, a place I’d gone to for years with spices that sang on your tongue, soft and warm naan, and curries that filled your soul with heat and comfort.
The aroma of saffron, cumin, and garam masala filled the kitchen, mingling with the cool evening air that drifted in through the open windows—the food spread out, buffet style, on the island.
June moved beside me, her fingers brushing over mine as she handed me a stack of plates. Her eyes flickered to her parents sitting across from mine, then to me.
I offered her a reassuring smile. “It’s going to be fine.”
She nodded, her brows tight, creating a fine line between her eyes. “He’s just been so…distant.”
I squeezed her hand, brushing my thumb over her knuckles. “He’s going through a lot. Moving is hard, especially when it’s not by choice.”
June gave an imperceptible nod.
Together, we carried the side plates and bottles of wine to the dark wood dining table set for six with gold-plated flatware. I took a deep breath, shaking off June’s worry that stuck to me like the stench of advanced decomposition. “Ready?” I set down the pile of plates and pulled her into a quick hug.
“Yep.”
I turned to our parents conversing. “Dinner’s ready.”
June’s mom was the first to stand, offering a tight smile as she smoothed down the front of her blouse. “It smells wonderful.”
Mom and Dad followed.
“They have amazing naan bread,” Mom said.
“It’s just naan, Linda.” Dad sighed with a slight shake of his head. “Otherwise, you’re saying bread twice.”
“Oh really? Huh .“ She sat on the left side of the table, near the end. “I never even thought of that.”
James was the last to rise—his movements were slow and deliberate, and it was as if every step took effort. He scanned the spread of food with an expression I couldn’t break down.
June moved to his side, her voice soft as she spoke. “Dad, I hope you like Indian food.”
Mom sat at the table, unfolding a cloth napkin. “Mom, we’re serving ourselves this time. ”
She peered over at everyone standing beside the island. “Oh, right.” Dropping her napkin, she stood.
Susan put her hand on June’s shoulder. “Junie, this looks amazing.”
“It’s from a restaurant, Mom. I couldn’t make this to save my life.” She giggled, making my heart jump.
“I know. But you can still appreciate the work it took to make it.”
We lined up at the island, serving ourselves butter chicken, spicy lamb vindaloo, and fragrant basmati rice.
Maybe I went a bit overboard...
June’s dad piled food onto his plate, his expression stoic. Susan offered him a bit of the lamb, but he only grunted in response, his eyes never leaving his plate.
What is his deal?
We all took our seats around the table, the clinking of flatware against plates the only sound filling the warm area.
June’s concern rolled off her in waves, the way her hand trembled as she lifted her fork to her mouth.
Dipping my steady hand beneath the table, I placed it on her thigh—her quivering reverberated through my arm.
She can withstand a night of torture, death, and horrors, but this brought her to her knees?
Make that make sense.
“This is delicious, Carter. You really know how to pick a place.” Susan beamed in stark contrast to her husband.
Dad nodded, his fork spearing a piece of chicken. “Absolutely. It’s been a long time since I’ve had good Indian food.”
“So, June.” My mother put her fork down and picked up her glass.
Uh, oh.
“Are you planning on getting a job?”
I grumbled under my breath, my jaw tensing. “Mom.”
“What?” She shrugged. “She had a job in Avon. I was just curious.”
“Actually, Mrs. Morgan. There’s a first-grade position that came available in the city.”
Mom gave her a pinched smile. “That’s great.”
Stiff tension filled the room. Every clink of flatware against plates and every crunch of food between teeth amplified in my ears like a megaphone stuck on max.
“Junie loved her students, and they loved her. She’s just made for it.” Susan swallowed a bit of wine and reached for a torn piece of naan. “For being around kids, you know?”
Mom lifted her head in acknowledgment.
June twiddled with the edge of her napkin folded by her plate. “I’ve been teaching for about four years now.”
Mom resumed her tight, cordial smile, her eyes flashing with something that made my stomach twist. “And what made you decide to go into teaching? It’s a…challenging profession, isn’t it? Especially these days.”
June snapped her gaze at me. “I’ve always loved children. And I wanted to make a difference in their lives-to help shape their futures. ”
Like beat their fathers with a baseball bat...
We shared a smirk across the table.
“Hmm.” Mom mirrored Susan, grabbing a piece of naan in the center of the table. “That’s very noble. But I imagine it’s not without its difficulties. Long hours, low pay…It must be hard to make ends meet.”
There it is, the not-so-subtle jab.
My fingers dipped under the edges of her dress, causing her cheeks to flush, her hand holding her fork as though it were a lifeline. “It has its challenges, but it’s worth it.” Her lips parted as she let out the softest exhale, then rolled her lips closed. “The rewards far outweigh the difficulties.”
“Junie’s always been passionate about helping others. She’s got a big heart, just like her father.”
James grunted his agreement, though his expression remained as stony as ever.
My mother’s eyes flipped to June’s parents, her grin still in place, but her gaze pointed. “I’m sure she does. But tell me, June, how do you find time for your personal life with such a demanding job?”
June’s hands stilled on her napkin, and I skimmed my fingers higher, her core warm beneath my touch. “It’s a balance, like anything else.” Crimson colored her cheeks. “But I make time for the things that matter.”
Mom nodded, her smile stretching. “Of course. And does Carter fit into that balance?”
My heart thudded in my chest as June bit the inside of her cheek, dimpling the flesh. ” Mom—“
“I think you know Carter has always been very important to me.“ Her hand clasped mine beneath the table as she gave a tight-lipped smile, drawing my hand toward her clit. “He’s all I ever think about.”
My brows raised, my cock swelling.
Mom set her wineglass down, her fingers tracing the rim. “I’m glad to hear that, June. I only want what’s best for Carter. He’s worked so hard to get where he is, and I just want to ensure he’s with someone who can support him.”
June’s warm smile percolated in my chest. “I support Carter in everything he does. I know how hard he works, and I’m proud of him.”
Our eyes collided, and the dinner table dissolved from around us.
She thought that?
Or was she saying what my mother wanted to hear?
A twinkle in her eye had my heart racing and my cock twitching.
“I care about him a lot, Mrs. Morgan. I always have, and I’d never do anything to jeopardize what he’s worked for.”
My mother’s eyes softened as her lips curved upward as if June spoke the magic words, striking down the hard exterior I’d never known her to have. “I can see that.” Mom picked up her fork and pierced a piece of chicken. “And please, call me Linda. We’ve been family for a long time now.”
I rubbed her clit, causing her to jolt forward with a slight gasp. She righted herself and gave my mother a tentative smile. “Thank you, Linda.”
Susan leaned into June and whispered in her ear, then pulled away as I circled her clit. June grinned back at her, the happiness in her spreading across the table like sunbeams.
Or is it because I’m teasing her?
Can I get her to come in front of our parents?
She sank back in her chair, and I studied her face, the muscles in my forearms strained, her center slippery and ready.
God, I need her.
My cock throbbed.
“How’s the knife business treating you, James?” My father asked.
James perked up for the first time in days and jabbered on about the business he’d cultivated, grew, and then sold before retiring two years ago.
I can take her in the bathroom down the hall and fuck her—make her scream beneath my hand as I pound into her.
Or I can leave her hot and needy and then take my time with her...
I slipped my hand away from her heat—her glare firing daggers into my soul. A devilish grin dragged across my lips as I brought my fingers to my lips and licked.
My mother dropped her fork onto her plate and groaned. “I am stuffed.”
June jumped, her eyes dropping to her empty plate—her cheeks burning rosy red .
I haven’t had my fill just yet.
Standing, I cleared the table while June started a story about her students, my mother barking with laughter. Decaf coffee dribbled from the coffeemaker as I brought out the dessert.
“ Ooh , Carter.“ Susan ogled the pudding in front of her. “What is this? It smells divine.”
“It’s a traditional Indian dessert called kheer or payesh . I order it every time.”
She dipped her spoon into the cardamom, sugar, and rice concoction. “This...” she pointed to the bowl with her spoon and her mouth half full, “this is amazing. I need to make it.”
James chuckled. Placing coffee cups in front of everyone, I poured half a cup into each and then took my seat.
“You know. This reminds me of my grandmama’s rice pudding, but she’d put raisins inside.” Susan ate another spoonful.
I cocked my head to the side. “Is that right?”
Is this my life now?
Domesticated with family gatherings...
A warmth flooded my chest as I stared at the filled table, June’s laughter bubbling up as I rinsed a plate in the sink. It opened a window I hadn’t seen before, a possibility that once seemed elusive.
A full family.
June stood up from the table and made her way to the kitchen sink, and I stood, following her, my need evident against my pants. She dipped her dish in the warm water with a smile radiating across her face .
“What’s that smile for?” Heat blazed across my hands as I rinsed the dirty dishes and loaded them into the dishwasher.
She shrugged—blush striking her cheeks. “I wonder why?”
I raised a brow and flicked my sudsy fingers at her, sprinkling her in the face.
June’s mouth hung open, her body frozen, her eyes pinched closed.
“I think I know.” I leaned into her and blew a bubble off her forehead, and then grabbed her hand and pressed it against my erection.
Her eyes fluttered open and dropped to my crotch, grinning. “Rude.” Her fingers squeezed me gently as her other hand cupped into the dishwater and tossed it my way.
Warm water soaked into my button-down shirt, dripped onto the floor and down my stomach, seeping into my waistband, her hand pulling from mine. “Now you’ve done it.”
June squealed and ran as though recreating our savage triste in the woods. She paused behind her dad, her hands braced against his shoulders.
“What in the world is going on?” Mom’s wide eyes flashed at me in my periphery while I focused on June’s swaying body.
Which way is she going to go?
“He started it, Linda.”
“Oh, what lies.”
June dropped to all fours below view, the table giving her the perfect cover.
“Don’t believe a word she says, Mom. I’m innocent.”
“HA.” June’s voice trailed from the end of the table, and I bolted, my heart racing in my chest.
She popped up like a rabbit from a hole right into my arms, and I snagged her. Squealing like a helpless schoolgirl, I wrapped my arms around her waist, lifted her off her feet, and dragged her into the living room.
“I give in.” She heaved against me. Her legs punting against my shins. “Carter. I give up.”
“Not that easily.” I dropped her onto the couch and climbed on top of her, my fingers digging into her soft flesh and wiggling them around.
“Is this normal? I’ve never seen him act this way?” Susan asked.
“No. No.” She squirmed with ear-piercing, barking laughter. “I give. I give.” Her face turned crimson as she fought for breath.
“Alright, you two. I never thought I’d have to break up something like this between a couple.” Mom stood with her hands on her hips. “Give the girl a rest. She’s going to burst a blood vessel.”
I paused, our breaths heavy and loud. “You should probably go, Mom.”
“What? Why? I’ve barely finished my dessert—“
“Because I’m going to kiss her.”
“Do you hear this, Frank?” she said as she walked away. “He’s a teenage boy all over again.”
A grin slipped over my lips as I bent over her and gave her my all, pouring my heart and soul into the woman I couldn’t get enough of.