Chapter 4

Carrie

In a moment of sheer recklessness, I melt against him and let him do what I wanted him to the second I saw him fresh out of the shower.

The beer bottle slips from my fingers and crashes to the floor, but he doesn’t seem to care as he presses his mouth against mine.

His whiskers rough against my skin, his hands around my waist, pleasure rushes around my body as he pushes me against the counter.

Our tongues dance together until I’m moaning and running my hands through his still-damp hair.

He pulls back, his breathing ragged. “I can’t be doing this,” he says.

Since that’s pretty much what I was thinking I find myself agreeing. “It’s a bad idea.”

His breathing is rapid as his hands trail down until they’re resting on my ass. He stares at me, unmoving as if he can’t decide whether to stay or to go.

With my pulse speeding and my body starting to tremble with need, I trail my hands down his muscled arms.

He feels so good, so strong, and I’m enjoying it way too much to stop at one kiss. “You aren’t moving,” I whisper.

A flash of amusement crosses his face. “Neither are you.”

We stare at each other, electricity surging between us until I stop caring about whether this is a terrible thing to do.

He runs his hand up my spine, sending shivers through my body. His voice comes out rough as he pulls me closer. “A bad, bad idea,” he says.

But when he kisses me again, and my skin ignites, my body seems to decide everything about Xavier Reid is a very, very good idea.

This absolutely cannot leave this apartment, whatever it is. It’s just raw, primal, animal attraction, and I’m giving in.

I don’t care it’s fast, my body is demanding I listen to it. I let him take the lead, half frenzied by lust as we stumble towards his bed.

I’m struggling to draw breath as we crash against each other, kissing as if we might not get the chance to again.

I yank his top button undone and slide my hand inside his jeans. He moans as my fingers find his hard cock. I stroke the length until I can’t stand it any longer.

I pull my hand out of his jeans and tug my shirt off. He pushes me back on his bed and unbuttons my jeans. Never taking his eyes off me, he slowly rolls them over my hips.

When he tugs my boots off, and I wriggle out of my jeans, I lean up, just long enough to unhook my bra.

My heart is pounding in my chest as he takes his shirt off. I crawl across the bed and tug his jeans past his ass.

Eye-level with his engorged cock, I start to suck, cupping his balls as he grabs my hair and guides me deeper.

I suck and lick him, tasting him until he pushes me back. His voice comes out ragged. “Lie down.”

I ease back and lie back while I watch him remove his jeans and boots.

He kneels on the end of the bed and hovers over me, so he can kiss my thighs, moving slowly upward until he’s between my legs.

With a devilish smile, he pushes them open, and his mouth is on me instantly. I grab a tuff of his hair and hold him steady as I rock my hips back and forth.

My nipples stiffen as pleasure shoots through my core, making guttural noises escape.

I’m still riding a wave of bliss when he inserts a finger and starts to slide it in and out until I’m screaming in pleasure.

I come harder than I have in my entire life, but he’s only getting started. He doesn’t give me a chance to recover; just uses his tongue to bring me another glorious climax.

I keep my legs wide as he finds multiple ways to pleasure me with his tongue and fingers.

I come again, sounding inhuman as an orgasm overtakes my entire body.

This time he stops long enough to kiss and lick my stomach, then work his way up to my nipples.

I moan as he lies on top of me, and his tongue finds mine again. We kiss, hot, heavy, and delicious as his body presses into mine.

I lose every thought, all sense of place and time, nothing is in the moment but him. His smell, his hair, his skin, the way he’s making me shiver with need.

His hand slides down my stomach, and straight to my pleasure center as he rubs me until I’m so horny, I’m done waiting.

I grab his ass and pull him into me. I’m so wet; he slips inside me easily. His eyes are hooded with lust as he starts to pump me slow and deep.

I cling to him, digging my nails into his ass as he finds just the right position to bring me the greatest pleasure.

He thrusts harder and harder until I’m gasping for air and his face is distorting in preparation for an orgasm.

My muscles start to tremble from tensing when I come again, pleasure intensified by his cock inside me.

When he looks close to coming, I grab his ass and feel the muscle work as he pounds me harder until his mouth is opening and I know he’s going to explode.

He comes in a roar, sounding like a jungle cat mating. When he’s done, he swipes his cock, and flops on the bed beside me, breathing hard and looking like he just ran a marathon.

I take a few seconds to collect myself before I reach for the sheet tangled at the bottom of the bed.

I tug it over my body, pleasantly relaxed, and completely satiated as we lie shoulder to shoulder. And strangely unbothered by what I just did.

I’m in the afterglow of the hottest sex of my life with a complete stranger and I feel less self-conscious than when Myles and I had sex.

What does that even mean?

I’m trying to figure it out when Xavier turns and gives me a wry smile. “That was pretty great for such a bad idea.”

I laugh and turn on my side. “It was. We should do it again.”

His smile falters a little but his eyes are roaming over my covered body. “Make the most of you being here, you mean?”

A little of my awkwardness returns as he looks uncertain. I tug the sheet up further. “It takes days for the epoxy or whatever to harden, doesn’t it? We’re consenting adults; it’s not illegal to have sex while we wait out this weather is it?”

He scratches his chin stubbles and manages to look both unsure and ready to make me come again. “No. It’s not. But there are things—”

I cut him off with a groan. Of course, there are things. He’s a gorgeous man living over a garage in the middle of nowhere.

“What kind of things?”

He rolls onto his back and exhales. “Not the kind of things you’re probably thinking about.”

I’m about ready to slap him for not disclosing whatever it is that he’s hiding.

I should be slapping myself for not checking first. “Are you married? Is that the thing?”

He shakes his head but won’t meet my eye. “I’m not in a relationship with anyone.”

I’m not sure this thing even pertains to me. I’m only here until my car is fixed or a tow truck can get through.

This isn’t a relationship. It’s a break from reality and whatever the thing is, I don’t think I want to know about it.

I sit up, holding the sheet around my body as I look down at him. “Do I need to know what this thing is since I’ll be leaving soon?”

He stares at me with a curious expression on his face. “Probably not. Forget I said anything.”

I gape at him. Forget it? As if I’m going to be able to forget anything about this weekend.

He’s an absolute mystery. “Is the thing about living out here? Are you on a sabbatical or something?

His lips tug into a cagey smile. “Yeah. You could say that.”

With that, he climbs out of bed leaving me wondering whether I should have gone to that sleazy looking motel after all.

***

Xavier

Saturday 4.12pm

The light is fading fast and the power is still not back on when I leave Carrie lying in my bed.

After I clean the glass from the floor, I lean my palms on the counter and scowl at myself. Yes, it was great. Really great. But worth damaging everything I’m trying to do?

I hear her behind me and turn to find her wearing nothing but my shirt, hair tousled and cheeks flushed.

One thought of how her lips felt around my cock, and how wet she got, and I’m right back in the bedroom with her.

Fuck. Fuck. My feet are already inching towards her, fingers itching with the desire to touch her again.

I stop myself from acting on impulse by thinking about everything I came here to achieve.

Instead of taking another step closer, I retreat into the living area and look out the window to see the rain pouring from the skies.

The weather has set in, and with the power out, and the roads closed, there’s no way she’s leaving today.

A part of me is far too pleased about that. Another part, the logical part knows this isn’t going to end on a happy note.

Her voice comes from behind me, throaty, and way too enticing. “Is this going to be weird?” she says.

I turn and nearly groan as she takes a seat on the sofa, crossing her long legs making me want to spread them again.

Her lips are pursed and she looks about ready to reprimand me for spoiling this.

I shake my head, mainly at myself. I never should have let myself kiss her. I knew what would happen if I did. I knew better, but somehow, six months out here without a half-intelligent person to talk to, and she tumbles right into my lap.

It’s no wonder I kissed her. She’s beautiful, and I’m feeling an overwhelming desire to protect her and keep her safe.

“It’s not weird. But you should know, this isn’t my place. I’m borrowing it,” I say.

Her eyebrows rise. “Oh? For how long?”

How long? That’s the million-dollar question. I answer as honestly as I can. “I don’t know.”

Her gaze drifts to the magazines behind me. “So those aren’t yours?”

I chuckle and fold my arms across my bare chest. “No.”

She chews on her lip, a thoughtful look on her face that gives me warning she’s about to ask a bunch of questions I can’t answer.

I deflect as best as I can and hope she doesn’t notice. “You don’t get on with your family then?”

A dark look crosses her face, letting me know that wasn’t the ideal topic to choose. “Not really. We’re pretty much the definition of dysfunction.”

I don’t press her but nod. My own family isn’t exactly functional. I think she’s not going to elaborate but she sighs loudly letting me know she’s going to. “My mom and dad hate each other. They got married young because mom wanted to get away from her family.”

A bitter laugh escapes. “Instead of getting away from her hypercritical mother, she became one.”

Her eyes find mine and I know she’s going to ask something I don’t like to talk about. “You seem normal. You must have had a normal childhood?”

I smile. “I’m a military brat. My normal means moving every time I start to lay down roots.”

And it meant every time I got close to someone dad would get stationed somewhere else and I’d get yanked out of school and would have to start all over again on a new army base.

I’m expecting the same reaction I usually get when I mention it. A mixture of misunderstanding and pity but she sounds pissed off when she frowns at me.

“That sounds shit. Kids need stability and consistency. That’s why I don’t want any. Not until I sort my own life out. Having kids when you’re not ready to put them first is selfish.”

It’s a pretty big jump to assume my entire childhood was shitty, and it’s obvious she’s talking about her own life so I frown back at her. “It wasn’t all bad. Taught me to be self-reliant.”

She rolls her eyes. “Oh, sure. That’s what you’re telling yourself now. But I’ll bet ten-year-old Xavier wasn’t that happy about having to move all the time.”

Since she seems to be looking for agreement, and I’m not in a combative mood so I shrug which seems to piss her off even more.

Her frown is close to becoming a scowl. “Oh, wow. Okay. I get it. You’re completely well-adjusted and I’m totally wrong.”

For some reason my hackles rise, my arms fall at my sides. “What do you want me to say? That my childhood sucked as much as yours did?”

She jumps to her feet, anger flashing like lightning as she stomps towards me. “Would you do that to your kids? If you had the choice?”

I grind my back teeth together to keep from saying something I shouldn’t do. I don’t know what’s gotten her so riled up, but it’s obvious she’s looking for a fight, and for some reason, I’m the closest target.

“No. I wouldn’t. And that’s why I’m not having kids. My job means I can’t put them first.”

That stops her in her tracks. “Your job? As a mechanic?”

I inwardly curse myself. There’s no way to take back what I said in the heat of the moment. Instead of giving her the details, I construct a close approximation to the truth. “I’m in the army. So’s my brother.”

Well, he was. I have no idea if he’s planning on going back or if they’ll take him.

Her mouth opens, but any response she had planned disappears as she just stares at me.

When she still hasn’t said anything but she seems calmer, I gesture to the door leading to the workshop. “I’m going to check on a leak and to see if I can locate a generator. It’ll be dark soon, and we’ll need it.”

She seems to shake herself and blinks a few times. “Sure. Of course.”

I shift past her, but she blocks my path. “What branch of the army?”

Her fingers slide up my bare arm, her eyes openly assessing my upper body, letting me know she’s no longer angry.

I shouldn’t give her any information, but when her other hand trails down my chest, the words tumble from my mouth. “Special Forces.”

Her breathing starts to speed, and I take way too much pleasure she’s getting off knowing what I do for a living. Her voice comes out in a half-whisper. “Oh, my.”

I chuckle and try to shift away from her, but she has no intention of letting me pass.

Her hand travels down my chest, her eyes scanning my body, and her eyes becoming glazed.

If she was angry at me before, she’s most definitely over it now. But if she’s nuts, I’d rather find out sooner rather than later. “Are you always like this?”

Her eyes widen and I hastily correct myself. “You looked ready to punch me a second ago; now you look like you want to go back to bed.”

A flush covers her cheeks and she withdraws her hand and places a hand over her eyes. “Shit. I’m sorry. I’m not unbalanced. I swear. I must look like…”

She doesn’t finish and I’m alarmed to see tears in her eyes when she removes her hand. “My boyfriend and I separated a while ago. I found out yesterday he’s been seeing someone else, and I think it just sort of hit me. Sorry, I didn’t mean to take it out on you. I always get crazy when I have to see my parents.”

Ah, well, shit. That explains a lot.

She sniffs and I reflexively pull her into my arms. She cries quietly, and my chest constricts with the need to comfort her.

We stay locked together, me holding her tight against my chest as her tears wet my skin.

I think she’s going to keep crying but when she lifts her head, she grabs my head and pulls me closer to her.

Her lips are soft, and her mouth invites me to forget everything else for a while.

I shouldn’t be doing this. She’s upset, and a part of me knows that’s why she was so willing to sleep with me.

I’m going to go to hell for this, but when her tongue meets mine, I know I’m going to do whatever I can for her while I have her.

***

Carrie

I’m caught between being mortified I just told him about Myles and wanting to devour him when he breaks the kiss and cups my chin.

“I need to go downstairs for a minute. If you want to, there should be enough hot water in the cylinder for a quick shower.”

I nod, a try for a smile. “Thanks.”

He kisses me softly and jerks his thumb at the door. “I’ll be back in a few minutes. Then I’ll see if I can get some light in here before the sun sets.”

Since he obviously needs to be somewhere else, I watch him head back into the bedroom, and when he’s dressed again, I let him leave and stand in his living room, completely baffled by my behavior.

I’m obviously not dealing with the end of my relationship as well as I thought I was. Maybe that explains my irrational desire for a man I just met?

Maybe I’m looking for something to fill this gaping hole in my chest my career usually filled?

Rather than dwell on my morose thoughts, I find my purse, tie my hair back, and head back into the tiny kitchen and am pleased to see his stove runs on gas.

At the very least I can cook him his dinner to apologize for how erratically I’m acting.

I take the plastic off his steak and go searching for some alcohol to wash it down with.

After his disclosure about this not being his home, I’m not sure what I’ll find, but when I search through his cupboards and find a couple of clean highball glasses, I know he’s doing the dishes properly.

I dig around in a cupboard avoiding a mousetrap which makes me cringe and find a couple of bottles of wine.

My eyebrows rise as I check the brand. For an army man, Xavier drinks extremely pricey wine.

I pour myself a glass and start looking for staples I can add to make a meal.

It’s obvious what food is his and what was here before he arrived. Tins of beans and pouches of ready meals have been pushed to the back.

Along the front, he’s got an assortment of spices, seasonings all gourmet, and all expensive.

Whoever Xavier he is, he treats himself well. And considering the shape he’s in, his attention to his diet is paying off.

I keep drinking the wine, enjoying the quality and working steadily, using the vegetables he has in the fridge, feeling far too at home wearing his shirt, drinking his wine and prepping his food before the light leaves me in darkness.

By the time he walks back in I’ve drunk half the bottle and my lust seems to have returned with a vengeance.

His eyes land on the food I’m waiting to cook. He takes the glass from my hands and takes a gulp. “You didn’t take a shower?”

I shake my head. “I wanted to cook for you. As a thank you.”

He sips his wine and places the glass down on the counter. “Food can wait. We should take a shower while we can.”

My skin heats. “We?”

His lips curl into a smile as he tugs off his shirt. I suck in a breath as he winks. “Yeah.”

I drop the knife in my hand, tug the band from my hair and follow him towards the bathroom. He kicks his boots off and grabs me.

He tugs at the shirt I borrowed from him, his kisses growing more frantic as he strips the shirt off me.

His hands slide to my bare ass he kisses me hard enough to let me know he’s as horny as I am.

With a grunt, he picks me up, kissing me as he steps backward until we’re in the tiny shower.

He fumbles with the showerhead and frigid water spills down over us, making me squeal as the water tumbles over us.

Under the last of the warm water, he sets me on my feet and presses his mouth against mine.

I’m panting from the feel of his hard body against me, from his tongue-twisting with mine, from the water on my skin, when he spins me around and pushes his finger inside me.

I lean my forearms against the tiles, water cascading down my body, as he takes his finger out, and pushes his hard cock inside me.

He rams me hard, thrusting, making me grunt like an animal, skin smacking together as he pounds me until I’m screaming and my legs are shaking.

But he’s just playing around, and when he pulls out and turns me so I’m facing him and I almost smack him for stopping.

Xavier kisses me again, his hands run over my body, fingers gently plucking my hard nipples teasing me with the promise of more incredible orgasms.

With an animalistic need to own him, I break the kiss, so I can lick his chest and drop to my knees to suck his cock.

He’s bigger than any man I’ve ever had before, and my jaw starts to ache as I slide him in and out of my mouth, panting as lust surges through me, making me whimper in anticipation.

I suck him, enjoying the way his girth fills my mouth until the water runs cold and he’s pleading with me to quit before he comes in my mouth.

He grabs me and pulls me upward, kissing me hard, his tongue convincing me we need to get horizontal.

I step out of the shower, every inch of me soaking wet and body trembling for him.

We stumble back into his bedroom and collapse in a slippery collection of whispered moans, limbs and need.

He kisses me then slowly starts to kiss and lick the water off my body stopping to suck my nipples before he shifts lower.

I grab his head, guiding him as he pushes his tongue between my legs and I spread them wide as he licks me.

I’m so turned on; I explode in his mouth in a matter of seconds. He kisses my inner thighs, my bush, and grins up at me. “Fuck, you’re wet.”

I manage a choked response. “Get up here, I want your cock in me.”

His smile grows wider but he obliges by climbing on top of me and sliding back inside me.

His face twists in pleasure as he starts to pump me. “Come. Come for me,” he growls.

I moan as he thrusts so fast, I start to come in rippling waves of ecstasy. I don’t have time to catch my breath before he’s demanding I get on all fours.

I lose all logical thought as white-hot pleasure fills my body as he rams his cock in me almost violently. “Fuck me harder,” I pant.

He does. So hard, so fast I’m screaming again and coming so hard, for a second I think I’ll pass out.

I’m recovering, bliss flowing through me, knees about to give out when he starts to come. “Shit, shit, I’m coming. Holy shit,” he gasps.

His cries reverberate around the tiny bedroom as I enjoy one last scream-inducing orgasm to rival his.

He pulls out, breathing hard as I collapse and roll on my side. I’m so spent, I don’t move, just lie on my back, blown away by the intensity and heat between us.

Xavier flops beside me and presses a kiss to my shoulder. “Told you we needed a shower,” he says.

I start to laugh so hard my already sore jaw starts to cramp.