26. Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Six
Lina
C arter and I sat on opposite ends of the table during dinner. We’re being overly cautious, but it’s probably not necessary. We are friends, partners, and coworkers. We shouldn’t be overthinking this. I thought it might look more suspicious that we weren’t speaking to each other, so I complimented him on his smooth landing at the Los Cabos Airport earlier. This airport has a shorter runway than typical. It was awkward and completely random, but I needed to use something to break the tension between us. And, as I become more interested in flying myself, I’ve started to pay attention to things like that.
Avery is the only person here who knows about Carter and me, but that doesn’t stop me from being paranoid about everyone watching us. It’s almost like the world can sense what’s going on before we’ve even had the chance to address it thoroughly ourselves.
As the drinks flow, so does the conversation and food. Carter looks engaged in conversation with others, but I’ll catch his amber eyes trained solely on me every few minutes. My eyes fall into his line of sight, and as soon as they lock, a shockwave zips up my spine. I crack a smile and blush. I straighten my back and look away, pretending not to notice, but they always find him again. The side of his lip curls up into a confident smirk, making my thighs clench and my knees weaken.
We had a secret nonverbal conversation through our gestures and subtle glances. He could read my mind and was completely aware of what he did to me—and he enjoyed it.
But I wasn’t the innocent one during all of this. Every chance I got, I’d capture his gaze, then wrap my tongue around the straw of my drink. Gliding up and down the sides, I made sure he was watching the way I coated it with spit before opening my mouth wide to take it all in. Both times, his jaw would twitch, and he’d get a slightly frustrated yet desperate look on his face. I loved it.
Now, Carter has me once again pushed up against another hard surface—a position that’s become the norm for us. This time, it’s the cold mirrored walls of the elevator. It’s impossible for us to keep our hands off each other. His mouth is leaving wet, frantic kisses down my neck and along my collarbone.
With my fingers combing through his dark hair, I let out a soft moan. “It was so hard not to climb over that table tonight and pull your cock out.”
“Fuck, Lina, I love when you tell me how bad you want it,” Carter mumbles into my skin before his mouth is back on mine. His kiss is anything but soft and sweet. It’s hungry and purposeful and fucking perfect.
The elevator dings, alerting us that we’ve arrived on the correct floor. He quickly pulls away. Without a thought, my hand naturally slips into his. Before exiting through the doors, he glances over his shoulder, giving me a quick little smile, and then leads us out .
The floor looks different than the one where the rest of the crew is staying. The doors to each room are double and more spaced out, and the scents of lavender and eucalyptus fill my nostrils.
Carter leads me only a short distance down the hall, then stops in front of two large white doors. He slips the key card from his pocket as I catch a glimpse of the plaque on the wall; it reads Ocean Suite.
Placing one hand over his, I halt his movement.
“Carter.”
His eyebrows pinch together in confusion. “Yes, baby?”
“I–I,” I stutter. “I’m happy we’re together.”
He turns to me fully, cupping one side of my face. “There are no words for the way you make me feel. And even if I tried, I’d never be able to form them.”
I swallow hard. What the fuck is happening between us?
It’s just sex.
It’s just sex.
I remind myself over and over again. Nothing is happening. We’re having fun. Forbidden fun— but fun. It’s a lie .
Pushing that intimate comment aside, I smile up at him and bring my lips to his one more time. My body is burning and humming with desire from our passionate make out session in the elevator, but as soon as he opens the door, every ounce of air leaves my lungs.
I gasp. My hands fly to cover my mouth in shock.
The one-bedroom corner suite has floor-to-ceiling windows and a dreamy and picturesque view of the bright blue ocean. Calm waves roll in and out, changing the shades from white to aquamarine. Dragging my eyes across the room, I spot a bouquet of beautiful white roses. In silence, we take a few steps inside, and I spot another bouquet.
And another.
And another.
“Carter,” I yelp. The entire space is filled with oversized bouquets of white roses.
He smiles, pressing a gentle kiss on the side of my head. “White roses are your favorite, right?”
I twist to take in the vast number of flowers truly. “You did this for me?”
“Yes.”
“How?” My forehead knits together as I search his eyes. I’m not sure what I’m looking for. Clarity about us? Or a reason for this incredibly romantic and thoughtful gesture? How’d he pull this off so fast?
Then my thoughts take a hard right. They suddenly become guarded, wondering if he assumed I’d follow him back to his room for the night. Is that what he thinks of me? It can’t be.
“Remember when we first arrived, and I didn’t get into the elevator with everyone?” he begins to explain, lowering his warm hand to my lower back. “I met with the concierge.”
“They’re beautiful,” I whisper. We take a few more steps into the room in silence, and Carter closes the door behind us.
On the far table in the corner, there’s a bottle of champagne, two flute glasses, and a tray of chocolate-covered strawberries. This is the most romantic thing a guy has ever done for me. The sadness that accompanies that thought loudly hammers the insides of my eardrums. Most women my age have had countless romantic gestures done for them, but not me. And the few times that something has come close have always come with the guarantee of me sleeping with them by the end of the night. I’m ashamed.
The scent of lavender cloaked me in warmth as we walked through the hallway, has now been replaced by the sweetness of my favorite flower. “I can’t believe you were able to pull this off so quickly.”
He smiles, wheeling his suitcase into the corner by the small kitchenette. “I wanted to do it for you.”
I hear his words, but I don’t register what he’s saying. Instead, my thoughts turn dark again, questioning his intentions.
“Did you do this so you’d get laid tonight?” I blurt out.
Carter unbuttons his shirt. “What?”
“Is that what all this is?” I wave my hand around the room. “Were you trying to make sure I’d sleep with you again?” I don’t know where this accusatory tone is coming from, but I feel the need to protect myself.
“This is how men treat women they’re in—” He stops himself and crosses his arms at his chest. “We’ve already slept together—multiple times.”
Was he going to say he’s in love with me? Oh god. My heart hammers. That’s not it. I’m sure that’s not what it was. “Why else would you do it?” I counter. “All these roses at the last minute could not have been cheap.”
“First of all, we’ve already fucked today. On the plane, remember?” He arches a brow. “That was only this afternoon. I am a guy, but I don’t need to get my dick wet multiple times a day,” he states firmly, with his lips set in a hard line. “And second of all, I did this because you’re you .”
My limbs lock into place. I’m not sure if I understand him correctly. “What does that mean?”
“You’re special to me. That’s why.”
Carter’s words travel from my ears to my heart. This is the trajectory of almost everything he does. He has a way of wrapping around my mind first, then swelling my heart, which always ends with my desperation to have all of him.
“What does that mean?” I clarify, and my tone is softer this time.
Carter’s palms rise to the air in front of us. “There is no one like you. I’m going to treat you like the fucking goddess you are for as long as you’ll let me.”
My mouth drops. Damn, he’s good, and I’m powerless to stop it.
I rub my lips together, then extend my arms to grab the belt loops on his navy pants. But before I have the chance to pull him into me, his fingers are in my hair, snaking it through the back of my head.
I bring my forehead to his chest and shut my eyes. He squeezes me tightly, forcing me to breathe in the scent of him. His essence is thick. It absorbs my breath, nostrils, and sight.
“Let me take care of you, baby.” His voice is fucking smooth and bathes me with sensations I’ve never experienced—and my body can’t get enough of it.
“Okay,” I reply. I’m not sure what Carter and I are doing with each other, but what I do know is that I’ve never been so complete. It’s like my soul has met its match in another. And I don’t know what the hell to do with this information.
The sky is black as midnight, matching what looks to be an endless dark sea of nothing—like it goes on forever. My knees are bent, pressing into the glass of the balcony railing.
“That’s a good girl.” Carter’s comforting voice is behind me as he slams back and forth. His gentle yet commanding touch guides me to arch my back while he glides his fingers along my spine.
Gripping the metal lining, I brace myself, biting back the moans of pleasure and pain threatening to surface. The steady ocean breeze wraps us in a warm cocoon consisting of only our moist bodies and the sounds of the waves below.
Carter’s phone buzzes on the small table next to us, but he doesn’t stop. He continues to roll himself deeper inside of me, raising ever so slightly to hit my most sensitive spot. Tilting my head back, my eyes watery and blurry from pleasure, I watch as he brings the phone up to his ear to answer without even seeing who is calling.
“Hey, Brian?” Carter’s voice cracks with surprise as he answers the phone.
My dad?!
His body stiffens, but he still doesn’t cease his movements. I start to pull away on instinct, but then a commanding grip on my hips with his free hand keeps me in place. Bending forward to cage me in from behind, I crane my neck to barely make eye contact.
His mouth is swiftly hovering over my lips. “Don’t make a sound,” he warns, continuing to thrust forward. Oh fuck . This is happening.
Heightening my sensation, Carter releases my hips to reach around the front to tease the hood of my clit. He massages slowly in a circular direction, causing my back to bow.
“Yeah, the flight was good. We’re in Cabo tonight.” He speaks in an even tone—not like he has his friend’s daughter bent over the side of a balcony.
“Oh god, Carter,” I squeak as he tries to tease out my orgasm. My legs buckle as heat fills my core. His legs twitch behind me. That was too loud.
“No, I haven’t heard from the flight academy again.” He sucks in a breath, now struggling to maintain his composure. “I gotta let you go, bro.”
In my dream-like state, while my stomach clenches and I struggle to stay upright on wobbly legs, I barely pick up the mention of a flight academy. Does that have to do with my dad or him? And if it is Carter, what could he be doing with a flight school?
A loud thud on the chair next to me, Carter drops his phone.
“Good girl, Lina,” he praises. “Now you’re going to come for me.”
And with those two short phrases, I unravel. My orgasm builds from my toes, then zips up my spine and tingles along my scalp.
I sink into the ledge of the balcony, completely breathless. “Fuuuck. ”
I feel him clutch my hips hard, moving me the way he wants me to go as he uses the intensity from my aftershocks to reach his peak right behind mine. Carter wraps his arms around my torso, holding on tightly. His breath is heavy and labored against the skin on my back. A gust of temperate, salty breeze moves past us, fanning my hair backward.
“I love the way you smell,” he mutters into the damp skin on my back before slowly releasing everything he’s been keeping in.
I turn around slowly, catching the deep rise and fall of my chest from under my eyelids, when my eyes find his completely naked body. Without shame, I let my gaze drift across his sculpted pecs and the mouthwatering V at his lower stomach—one of my favorite parts of him.
Carter leans against the balcony door frame, out of breath. His eyes quickly dart over to mine. I pull my bottom lip between my teeth, bashful that he’s caught me staring at him.
“Need something else?” he smirks.
I grin, slightly shaking my head. Hooking my arms around him, I pull him close. His soft, warm length rubs against my skin, making my pussy throb again. A small bead of sticky come escapes. I bring my hand between us and swipe my finger across my stomach and along the wet liquid. Then, I slowly bring it up to my lips. Carter’s eyes are trained on me as I trace the outline of my lips before sliding it into my mouth and sucking it off.
“I’ve got more if you want a better taste,” he growls. His two fingers pinch my chin, keeping my lips slightly parted.
“I bet you do,” I purr.
“You’ve got a needy little pussy, don’t you?”
Sucking his thumb into my mouth, I swirl my tongue around it, coating it with saliva. He runs his tongue along the front of his teeth. I tilt my head back, releasing his finger. “Only for you.”
“You’re going to have to give me some time.”
My delirious fog starts to lift, and I’m hit with the realization that Carter answered his phone while we were fucking. And it was my dad.
“What was answering your phone about?” I ask.
He slips back into the room. I follow him as he heads to the couch to grab his boxers. “I wasn’t going to deny you an orgasm.”
Even though it’s dark outside and there’s only a low yellow glow from a table lamp in the corner, I’m enjoying him in full view, which means he’s doing the same.
I cross my arms at my chest. “But that was my dad.”
“I know,” he shrugs. “I got off the phone as quickly as I could.” He struts over to me, lacing his fingers through my hair before hooking them behind my head. Gently tilting his head, he forces eye contact.
“I still feel awful for keeping this from my dad. We’re trying to work on our relationship.” I swallow what feels like cotton.
“I know. It weighs on me.” Carter presses a lingering kiss on my forehead. My eyes fall closed, melting into his gesture. “But you make me feel good. And I hope I make you feel good, too.”
Thoughts of how I feel about Carter are a typhoon of what-ifs and confusion, but I keep my answer simple by leaving out all the background noise and thinking of the two of us. When the view from the outside world is raised, Carter and I are simple and raw. But once that veil collapses, things become convoluted.
“Really fucking good,” I tell him with all my heart.