Chapter 13
“What do you think?” Sandy beamed, standing back to let Allie look at herself in the mirror.
Allie almost didn’t recognize herself. Her hair was in long loose waves around her shoulders.
For once in her life, it was controlled and tamed without being in a bun.
Allie could almost hate how easily Sandy had contorted it the way she wanted.
Sandy even insisted on doing her makeup.
Allie feared she’d go over the top since Sandy liked wearing bright-colored eye shadows and mascara that lifted her eyelashes to the sky, but she’d done a great job.
Allie preferred subtle makeup. Sandy had done a warm copper shade colored eyeshadow and black kohl eyeliner to enhance the blue in her eyes.
She loved everything but the dress. The hem stopped just inches past her private areas, barely grazing the top of her thighs.
Allie didn’t know how she’d let Sandy talk her into these things.
She was good at guilt trips, that’s how.
If Sandy had to be dragged out on different activities, Allie had to wear the dress for Sandy.
Allie didn’t see how the two were connected, but she reluctantly agreed to allow Sandy to dress her.
Sandy had tried to do lip gloss, but Allie had put her foot down. For one thing, it was just going to wipe away from kissing or eating. Another, she didn’t like anything but ChapStick on her lips.
“It’s…I don’t know what to say.” Allie was floored at the woman staring back at her.
“Thank you, Sandy. You’re amazing Sandy,” Sandy said in a high-pitched mocking voice.
Allie rolled her eyes. “Thank you, Sandy, and this is incredible. Are you sure about the dress though? It’s really short.” Allie started tugging the hem down, but Sandy leaned forward and swatted her hand away.
“Don’t pull, you’ll stretch the material,” Sandy scolded.
“That’s the idea. It’s way too short. I’m not comfortable in this.” She’d never felt more exposed in her life. Even her bathing suit had shorts because she felt naked in a regular suit.
“Well, you won’t be in it long enough for it to be an issue. Carson is going to swallow his tongue when he sees you and then he’ll drag you in the house to have hot monkey sex right there against the door,” Sandy said, matter of fact.
Thank you for that visual. Allie was already nervous enough, and now she had images of sex with Carson in her mind. Not that they had left since yesterday. She’d been so hot and bothered by their kissing yesterday that she’d had to bring herself to climax to ease the ache between her legs.
“Or Carson will think I look like a street walker in this outfit and get the wrong idea.”
“Please.” Sandy snorted while rolling her eyes as if there were a remote chance of that happening.
“You’ve been on three dates, and you talk on the phone every day, and yesterday was your first kiss.
He knows what kind of woman you are. Now go get some and call me afterward.
” Sandy gave her a cheeky wink and shooed her out the door.
Yeah, she had no intention of calling her afterward. Well, at least not right away. It would be a long time afterward.
Allie carefully slid into her car and drove to Carson’s house.
True to his word, it was easy to find, and it only took her thirty minutes to get there.
Much further away and not on his way home from the grocery store like he had told her when he’d given her a ride home after the car incident. She’d suspected, but now she knew.
She used that time to get her nerves under control. She didn’t know why she was so nervous. They’d had meals together before. This wasn’t new. The only thing that changed was the kiss.
A kiss that knocked her socks off and one she wasn’t likely to forget about anytime soon. Now she couldn’t get his taste out of her mouth. His scent out of her nose. The feel of his skin under her palm.
Just as carefully, Allie slid out of the car, hoping she wasn’t giving Carson’s neighbors a peep show. Allie pulled down the hem of her dress, wishing it were a few inches longer. It was one of the shortest dresses she had ever worn.
Allie rang the doorbell before tugging down the front of her dress again. She felt like a fish out of water in this dress. She preferred much longer clothes. Or at least ones where she didn’t worry her underwear was showing when she bent over.
Carson opened the door wearing a long-sleeved, pale blue plaid button-up shirt and charcoal grey jeans. His hair was wet and slicked back like he’d just gotten out of the shower. His gaze roamed over her body. She could feel his stare like a caress.
“Allie, you look…” He took a deep breath before sighing. “Incredible.”
“Thanks.” She averted her gaze, feeling the burning heat of her cheeks. “Sandy dressed me.” She didn’t know why she felt the need to tell him that. Just to assure him this wasn’t a normal attire for her.
Not like he hadn’t seen how she normally dressed, unless he just really didn’t notice the type of clothes she normally wore. Most guys didn’t pay attention to that sort of thing.
Her hands itched to tug on the dress hem again. When she saw Sandy at work tomorrow, she was going to give her an earful.
“She did a great job. Sandy always had great taste.” His eyes widened as if he’d just realized something. “Not that you didn’t look good before.”
“Thanks.”
Carson’s eyes stayed on her a moment longer before he jolted. “Sorry, come on in.” He stepped back to let her through.
“Thanks.” Allie’s eyes drank in the room. Dark rich brown furniture occupied the living room with an overstuffed couch and recliner chair. A small round coffee table in front of the couch and a large flat-screen TV on the wall completed the room.
There were a few pictures on the walls of Carson in and out of uniform.
Some had family members in them and others only himself.
There were also plaques and awards. Allie could see straight back to the rear of the house where an archway led to the kitchen.
There was a four-seater dining room table in between the living room and kitchen.
It was a similar layout to her own. The bedroom and bathroom must be to the right somewhere. “I like your place.”
“Thanks.” He closed the door and headed toward the kitchen. Allie followed him, her eyes taking in everything.
“Have you lived here long?”
“Since I moved out here almost three years ago.”
Allie’s eyes caught on a particular plaque thanking Carson for his dedication to service. It had years marked out. The end date was three years ago when he said he’d gotten out.
“The military gave me that when I was medically discharged,” Carson said, coming up behind her. Allie jumped not having heard his approach. She turned around to face him. Her eyes drifted to the scars on his neck.
Allie reached up to touch the side of his neck. Before she could make contact, Carson stepped back. “Dinner’s ready.”
Allie cursed her thoughtlessness. She knew his sensitivity to his scars and yet she had reached for them anyway. She had hoped after their kisses yesterday and her touching him, he would be more open to her exploration, but she had totally misjudged.
Allie followed Carson into the kitchen. He was busying himself pulling down plates and getting silverware, keeping his back to her. “Carson, I’m sorry.”
“I hope you like steak,” he said instead of acknowledging her apology.
“Please don’t do that,” she pleaded.
“Do what?” His tone was bored. One of indifference. He did that whenever he was uncomfortable. Showing a facade of indifference, only she knew better. It was a mask to hide the hurt.
“Shut me out like that. I said I was sorry. I know you don’t like talking about your scars, and you don’t like people looking at them. I wasn’t thinking.”
Carson stopped what he was doing and just stood there. His hands braced on the counter; his head hung low. “I know you didn’t mean anything by it. It’s just…” Carson stopped speaking when words started to choke him.
Allie crossed the room and wrapped her arms around him, one resting on his stomach and the other over his heart.
Her chest draped against his back. She didn’t say anything.
Just gave him her strength. Carson didn’t tense like he normally did.
He leaned into her touch as a hand came up the rest over hers over his heart.
“I couldn’t imagine what it would be like giving up something I loved.” She knew there was a connection between his scars and being discharged from the Navy. He didn’t have to say anything
“Who said I loved it?”
“I can hear it in your voice when you talk about it. This light comes into your eyes when you tell me about your training. Competing with other sea mammals,” she added, hoping to lighten the mood.
Carson turned in her arms. She loosened her grip and stepped back as he faced her, his features grave and serious. How she wished she could erase that look off of his face. “I do miss it,” he admitted. “I did love it.”
If she’d hoped he would finally tell her about them, she was in for great disappointment.
He clasped both sides of her face and lowered his to kiss her. It was brief but no less powerful, leaving her knees shaken. “I’m sorry for my reaction.”
She just needed to learn to be more patient about his scars and let him make the first move. “You’re pretty close to forgiven.”
“Oh yeah? And how do I get fully forgiven?” he asked; one of his eyebrows lifted in an arch and the corner of his lip quirked.
“Give me another kiss and we’ll see.” Allie didn’t know where this sense of boldness had come from, but she liked it. She didn’t wait for Carson to lean down to kiss her but initiated the kiss. With the high heels on, it made it easier and put their lips almost at the same height.