15. Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Fifteen
Carter
I ’ve been on fire since what happened in the library between Lina and me. I intended to flirt with her a little to keep her away from Max, but things escalated quickly. I never expected her to let me actually go down on her. I thought I’d play with her a little, we’d have some flirty exchange, and then the night would go on as expected, but when I asked her to tell me to stop, she didn’t.
For a split second, I panicked, then I got pissed because I was sure she didn’t know it was me—and that meant that she was going to let some random guy stick his tongue inside her without a thought. When she started to moan my name, I knew it was all over. Lina was letting it happen because she knew it was me. The way my body lit up and my veins pulsed with need, I couldn’t stop myself, especially with her wanting it too.
By the time she came all over my face, I was hit with regret and left. I’m not sure if it was the costumes, the tension between us, or that somehow I already knew she was mine.
When I saw her back in the ballroom, she acted like nothing had happened. I knew this was something she didn’t want to acknowledge either.
But it was fucking amazing. I could have stayed between her legs all night.
I hear a quick slam of the lavatory door behind me. My head whips around to see the last few remaining passengers exiting the plane.
“Are you alright?” I hear Avery’s voice say into the thin wall of the door.
“Who’s in there?” I ask her.
She knocks on the door, glancing up at me. “It’s Lina.”
I rise from my seat. “What’s wrong?” I ask when suddenly the door swings open.
“I’m fine. I had a sneeze attack.” Lina slips between Avery and me to reach for a tissue.
My eyebrows snap together. “What the hell is a sneeze attack?”
“It’s when you sneeze a lot of times in a row.” She wipes her nose with the tissue.
“You look flushed. Are you getting sick?” Avery grimaces, stepping away.
“Maybe. My skin hurts like I have body aches, and I feel a little dizzy,” Lina responds, leaning against one of the passenger seats in the front row.
Stepping close to her, I reach out and run the back of my knuckles against her forehead. “You’re burning up.” Thank god this is our final destination for this trip. She’ll be able to get home and rest.
Lina slumps over into the chair. “I do feel a little warm too. But it was freezing on this flight.”
“Oh no! Those sound like chills to me. I bet you have the flu, babe.” Avery frowns .
Lina can’t drive herself home like this. “You’re not driving home like this. I’ll take you,” I tell her, grabbing my luggage and hers.
Lina waves her hands in the air. “No, no. I’m fine.” She starts to stand but then quickly slumps back down in her seat.
I shoot Avery a glance. “I’m taking her home.”
“That’s probably best,” she agrees, keeping her distance.
A short time later, Lina and I arrived at her townhouse. I’m carrying her in my arms through the front door when my eyes land on a girl sitting on the couch with her legs crossed and a computer in her lap.
Her eyes widen when she sees me walk in. “Who the fuck are you?”
“Who the fuck are you ?” I repeat.
“She’s my—” Lina starts to say.
“I’m Lina’s sister.” She glances at Lina curled into my arms.
“I didn’t know Brian had another kid,” I reply, a little confused. Oh wait, that’s her sister, Zoe .
“I’m not Brian’s kid,” she quips, tapping her pencil on the notepad beside her.
Lina lifts her head. She’s still burning up. We need to get her out of these clothes. I can feel the heat radiating off of her body. And now I’m beginning to sweat.
“Oh yes, I remember. I’ve heard a lot about you.”
Lina’s sister cocks her head to the side. “And you are …?
“Zoe, this is Carter. He’s a pilot for our airline.” Lina lowers from my arms.
Zoe gives me a once over, looking at my uniform. “Clearly.” Then, she arches a brow. “I’ve heard a lot about you too. ”
Lina has mentioned me? Probably just as her partner.
“Thank you for bringing me home, but I’ve got to go to bed,” Lina replies, as she heads up the stairs, leaving me alone with Miss Personality .
She stares at me while I stand in the middle of their entryway. Should I follow Lina? She looks pretty sick, and I’d like to stay to ensure she’s taken care of and has everything she needs.
“Nice to meet you.” She fakes, smiling and attempting to dismiss me. Little does she know, I’m not leaving.
I slip off my shoes by the door. “Where can I find a fever reducer?”
Zoe drops her pencil. “What the heck is that?”
“Tylenol?”
“Oh. I’m sure Lina has some in her bathroom.” She closes her laptop and starts to get up.
“I’ll get it,” I say, taking the stairs two at a time. When I reach the top of the stairs, I see a bedroom to the right and the left—pausing momentarily before I knock on one of them.
“She’s on the left,” I hear Zoe call out from downstairs.
Thanks.
I suck in a deep breath and lightly knock.
“Come in,” I hear Lina’s muffled voice.
Slowly, I open the door to find her lying across her bed, still wearing her uniform and heels. She doesn’t move as I approach the edge. “I’m going to start a bath for you.”
I hear a weak “Thank you.”
Her bathroom is clean for the most part, except she has what looks to be face and hair products scattered all over the counter—a small circular mirror holder for perfume and lotions. On the floor in the corner, I spot some clothes and a pair of lacy panties. I think seriously about sniffing them, but that might be going too far. Or would it?
No, Carter. I sit on the side of the bathtub and turn on the water.
From the corner of my eye, I see Lina walk in. Her long blonde hair is tangled, and her hairline looks damp.
“Hi.” I raise to my feet in front of her.
She manages to give me a little smile.
God, it’s taking everything I have in me not to take her in my arms and hold her until she feels better. I bring my hands to her face and run my fingers through her sticky hair. She’s sweating. “Let me help you take off all of these layers.”
I’m surprised when she doesn’t put up a fight and instead raises her arms above her head. Even sick, she’s the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. I slowly pull the silk scarf from around her neck and toss it on the floor. Her eyes fall closed—and my pulse quickens. Then, I grip the bottom hem of her sweater and lift it over her head. My cock swells as Lina’s hair falls and bounces against her back.
I don’t know if I can do this. Get yourself together.
Lina is in nothing but a red bra, but I still need to help her with her skirt. In silence, she stares up at me. Her eyelids look heavy. I drop to my knees in front of her. Immediately, both of her hands find my shoulder blades. With a light touch, her fingertips glide over my skin. Flashbacks of the library fill me with heat. What I would give to taste her again.
I bring my fingers to the zipper on the side of her navy skirt and gently inch the tight fabric down her legs. On instinct, my eyes dart back up to hers. Her expression is intense, and her pupils flare, but not from her fever. Without breaking eye contact, she slowly shimmies out of her skirt, letting it fall down her legs—my mouth waters, craving to have a lick. I need to taste her one more time.
“Thank you.” Her voice comes out cracked and weak, before both of her hands gently run through my hair, then clasp behind my head. I dip in submission while my dick painfully presses against my pants. I’m going to break at any second.
She tilts my head back up, forcing eye contact once again. From this angle, I can see her chest rise and fall deep from a heavy breath.
“What do you need from me?” I whisper, still on my knees.
Her face looks worn out and tired. “Stay until I fall asleep.”
I wrap my arms around her waist, bringing her closer. I rest the side of my face on the exposed skin of her stomach. It’s overheated. “I’m going to stay with you all night, baby.”
Lina tightens her hold around my head, pressing us together. Parting my lips, I lightly kiss her hip, directly above the sensitive area of her public bone.
“Mmm.” She hums. I can’t fucking be in here.
With one heavy exhale, I release her and straighten to a stand. My mind is clouded. “I’ll be right out there.”
She nods just as I close the door behind me.
Fuck. Fuck . Fuck!
She wants me just as much as I want her. We pain for each other more than a simple fuck. Goddamnit.
I wipe the sweat beading on my forehead and leave her room. I lumber down the stairs to find her sister still on the couch. She shoots me a side-eye as I grab a glass of water and return up the stairs.
I only have to wait a few moments before Lina comes out of the bathroom. Her long, blonde hair is thrown into a messy bun. She has little shorts and an oversized sweater hanging off one shoulder.
“How do you feel?” I ask, feeling a bit more level-headed after leaving the bathroom.
“Like shit,” she says, burying herself underneath the thick comforter on her bed.
“That sucks.” I hand her two pills and a cup of ice water. “Take these.”
She pops them into her mouth and chugs the water. “Thanks.”
“No problem.” I stand back momentarily, second-guessing whether my staying is a good idea.
“Please stay with me,” Lina mumbles. I can’t leave her.
What if she wakes up in the middle of the night with a higher fever? Or if she gets the chills and needs someone to hold her? Her sister could do it.
No.
My uniform won’t be comfortable to lay in, so I unbuckle my belt and slide my pants off, leaving on only my boxers. I unbutton my shirt and lay it across a chair near the bay window. Then I set my phone on top of her nightstand. Wearing only a T-shirt and boxers, I fold back her comforter and prop myself up against the wall in a sitting position.
Lina rolls over and rests her head on my lap as soon as I’m comfortable sitting. She’s so hot. And this time, I don’t mean appearance. Leaning forward, taking care not to disturb her, I flip off the heavy comforter, only leaving on a thin white sheet as a cover.
Suddenly, my phone vibrates next to me. With a quick glance at the screen. My eyes widen. The text is from Brian—Lina’s dad.
Baywatch: Hey, man. Was wondering if you’d be up for a double date with Bristol and her friend from yoga?
Shit. I forgot I told Brian I’d let him set me up with one of Bristol’s friends.
Looking down at Lina lying in my lap, I have no interest in being with anyone else.
Me: My schedule is pretty hectic for the next few weeks. I don’t think it’s going to work out anytime soon.
I fire off the text, and not a second later, a photo comes through.
Baywatch: That’s her friend. Are you sure you don’t want to see, at least if you’re feelin’ it?
I stare at the photo of a tall brunette sitting on a boat. Her smile is wide, and she looks friendly. She’s pretty, but she’s not Lina.
Me: She’s hot but not my type. Good lookin’ out, man, but I’m okay at the moment.
Then my muscles tense, realizing what is happening right now. I’m lying in bed with a woman I’m into while her dad—my best friend, is texting about setting me up with someone else. This is a strange and fucked up situation.
I need to blow off his texts before things get weirder. Brian texts me a few more times, but I don’t answer them.
The travel from the last few days catches up to me, and I start to doze off. But every time Lina makes a move or sound, I startle awake. Her fever rose again at one point in the middle of the night. Handling it quickly, I gave her another round of Tylenol, and she eventually fell back asleep.
After that, resting is no longer an option for me because I’ve become obsessed with counting each one of her tiny breaths.
Another unclear amount of time passes as I drift in and out of twilight sleep.
Lina lets out a soft moan, alerting me that she’s woken up again. I’m now lying on my back with my head on her pillow, but she stirs underneath the crook of my arm.
“How are you doing?” I rub her damp forehead.
Tucking herself into a ball, she lightly shivers. “I think my fever is going down, but now I’m cold.” She curls into me. “And a little hungry.”
I pull up the comforter to cover her arms. “Do you have soup here?”
“We have some tomato soup in the pantry.” Her voice cracks.
I cup my hands under her head. “I’ll make some for you,” I say, gently moving her from on top of my legs.
“You’re leaving?” She looks up at me pitifully. If I had my way, I’d never fucking leave.
I kneel onto her bed. “Don’t worry, I’ll be right back. I’m going to make you something to eat.”
“Okay.” Lina smiles, then her eyes fall closed again. I let myself take in her perfection. I press my lips on her forehead, kissing her deeply. She breathes out a heavy sigh. Then, her muscles visibly relax back into the mattress.
When I get back downstairs, Zoe is no longer on the couch. Did she leave or go to bed? I searched the kitchen cupboards until I found a pot and the tomato soup. Everything in her kitchen is organized with little labels. It’s fucking adorable.
Before long, I’m back upstairs with a tray of tomato soup and crackers. When Lina sees me walk through her bedroom door, she slowly sits up.
“I look like shit right now, don’t I?” She bashfully tucks a group of tangled hairs behind her ear.
“You’re always beautiful, Lina,” I say, setting the tray on the bed in front of her. She is everything in my eyes. Nothing she could do, say, or even look like would ever change that.
“Thanks,” she says, reaching for the spoon. “You don’t have to stay. It really is okay.”
Is she embarrassed by asking me to stay? Or was that request only brought up in that heated moment in the bathroom? I don’t care which it is. I’m not leaving.
“I said I would stay. I’m going to.”
Lina and I are stuck in each other’s orbit, trapped by an energy that I don’t understand—I can only feel.