Emergence (Awakening Series Book 2) (9 page)

Chapter 16

Carson

When she asked if she could stay with me it was like a soothing balm washed over me. I couldn't have imagined having to take her home and then going to bed on my own. I was too shaken up and all I wanted and needed was to hold her close to me, and to feel her touch, but I assumed she'd want to get home to Carly.

Even though Caroline was fine and was back with the man she loved, I was still exhausted from worrying about and searching for her. The relief I felt when she was found alive and well was almost enough to bring me to my knees. Losing her would have torn me in two. She's my sister and my friend. All I wanted right at that moment was a hot shower and a good night's sleep with the comfort of Lou in my arms.

"You don't need to get home to Carly?" I asked, turning her towards me so I could look her in the eyes.

The depth of her blue gaze, so warm and tender, was almost my undoing. I wanted to break down and cry right then. This woman, who I'd only just reconnected with, had burrowed into my heart and soul already, cementing her place there like no other before her. I felt so fortunate that she was there with me, that she had chosen me to spend time with.

"No. Carly will already be asleep so I'll just wait and see her in the morning."

"We'll pick her up and spend the day with her," I said, wanting to get to know Carly and spend as much time with Lou as possible. "Have you taken her to the beach yet?"

"Not yet," she said, smiling up at me warmly, her eyes sparkling.

"Good. We'll do it together," I said, kissing her on the head before taking her hand. "But for now, let's go to my place and get some rest."

When we arrived at my parent's house in Savannah I showed Lou inside, taking her straight upstairs to my room. I knew my parents would be going back to Bluffton, and I had no doubt that Caroline was going home with Luke, so we had the house to ourselves.

I started the water in the shower and pulled out an extra towel for Lou.

"Go ahead and get in. I'm just going to grab you something of Caroline's to wear to bed. She won't mind."

Lou nodded and I walked back into the bedroom, kicking off my shoes and pulling my shirt over my head. When I turned around to head down to Caroline's room, I caught sight of Lou's back in the mirror. She'd stripped off her shirt already and was reaching to pull out her messy ponytail.

My body responded instantly to her golden skin and the toned muscles moving underneath. I wanted to run my tongue down her spine and kiss the dip of her lower back before making my way between her legs to savor her nectar. I shuddered at the memory of how sweet she tasted and hurried down the hall to borrow some clothes for her.

When I got back to my room I pulled off my jeans and boxers, both covered in a thin layer of dust and sweat, and kicked them into the corner of my closet.

The thought of Lou naked in the shower had my mind in overdrive and my body on fire. It had been days since I'd touched her intimately and I wasn't going to let exhaustion or the stress of the past few days stop me now. Not while she was naked and wet in the next room.

I opened the shower door and stepped inside. She faced away from me and her long dark hair fell to the curve of her back, dripping water between the swells of her ass as she stood under the streaming showerhead. I was tempted to gather the droplets up with my tongue. But as I moved in behind her I ran my palms over her hips and up to cup her breasts.

"Mmm," she moaned, leaning back into my chest. "That feels nice."

"I've missed you this week," I whispered in her ear.

"It's really been a whirlwind of action, hasn't it? You learning about Carly and then meeting her, the company party, Caroline going missing.... You must be exhausted. I know I am."

"Too exhausted to enjoy this?" I asked, sliding my fingers through her slickness.

"God no," she whispered, leaning her head back against my shoulder.

Quickly I turned her to face me, my cock straining toward her. I grabbed the soap and washed her sinful body as fast as I could, followed by my own. Once we were satisfactorily clean, I turned her back around and proceeded to run my tongue over her spine, down to the dimples in her lower back, just as I had imagined earlier.

I knelt down behind her and kissed her round bottom, squeezing both cheeks in my palms. Then I slid two fingers between her legs, skimming them against her wetness. The feel of her warmth around me was almost my undoing.

"That feels amazing," she said when I brushed against her clit.

"Turn back around," I said, putting pressure on her hips with my hands.

She complied, leaning back into the wall of the shower and spreading her legs in front of me, offering me her bare mound. Her chest rose and fell with her breaths and her hands clenched and unclenched at her sides as she watched me.

I used my fingers to move back her folds of skin and reached my tongue out towards her sensitive nub, flicking over it before flattening and licking up her entire center.

"Carson!" she whined, twisting her hands through my hair.

I ran my tongue over her again and then inserted two fingers into her again, feeling the wetness gathered there for me.

"Any other time I would worship your body the way you deserve, but tonight I'm impatient," I growled. "I need to be inside you right now."

"Yes," she whispered as I rose to my full height, grabbing the backs of her thighs and lifting her until her long legs easily wrapped around my waist. The feeling of her hot core rubbing the underside of my dick was threatening to push me over the edge.

I pulled back, positioning myself at her entrance and then plunging forward into her in one quick thrust. The warmth of her enveloping me combined with the heat of the shower made my blood run even hotter.

I gripped her ass tightly in my hands, squeezing and releasing as I tried to control my impulse to pound into her relentlessly.

"Don't hold back," she said as if sensing my distress. "I can handle it. Take me. Make me yours."

I was blinded by lust as I started to move against her roughly. I leaned down, pulling one of her dusty pink nipples into my mouth and her head lolled back against the wall as she moaned.

"Do you like that, baby?" I asked, moving to the other crest.

"More," she sobbed as I felt her core beginning to clench around  me.

I raised my head, crashing my mouth down on hers to absorb her sounds. My tongue invaded her, filling her with her own essence as I continued to push into her aggressively.

When her eyes flew open to meet mine as she shattered around me crying out my name I thrust harder, wanting to get as close and deep as possible. I wanted to possess every cry, every smile, every second, every breath, every last bit of her.

Mine.

"You. Are. Mine," I said, punctuating each word with a rotation of my hips. I could feel the white hot sensation of my release burning down my spine. "You've always been mine." I shouted, coming long and hard inside her tight channel.

My pace slowed against her and I rested my forehead on her shoulder, trying to catch my breath. After a few moments I lifted my head.

"Are you okay?" I asked, searching her eyes.

Her smile met my question immediately. "I feel amazing, but I imagine I'll be a little sore in the morning. Well worth it though," she said, giggling and kissing me on the end of my nose.

"You're incredible, you know that?" I asked her, smiling while wiping her damp hair from her forehead. Searching her eyes, my smile faded and I felt something foreign tug at my heart. Adoration, devotion, maybe love. I cleared my throat as the thought came to me. "Come on, let's rinse off and get in bed. I'm beat," I said, trying to disguise the emotion in my voice with exhaustion.

Once we were rinsed and dried, we both got dressed, me in my boxers and her just her panties, forgoing the borrowed sleep shorts and tank. I pulled the covers back for her and she slid underneath, cozying up to my side. Her head rested on my shoulder and her hand laid over my heart, just as it had the last time we fell asleep together. But this time, I knew she'd be there when I woke, and it comforted me like nothing ever had before.

Chapter 17

Lou

When I woke I was incredibly warm. I peeked open one eye to find myself wrapped halfway around Carson's incredible body.

The sheets were pulled down to his waist, revealing the tops of his trim hips and the sandy dusting of hair leading away from his navel. My nipples hardened against his warm chest as I surveyed him in the morning light.

Yummy.

Memories of the night before flooded my mind as I recalled the ways he made my body hum.
You. Are. Mine. You've always been mine.

His words reverberated in my bones as I slowly slipped from the bed, trying not to wake him. After padding lightly into the bathroom to relieve myself, I stretched my deliciously achy body and then found my bag and dug out my phone. Slipping a shirt over my head and creeping into the hallway, I dialed Kelly's number as I made my way down to the kitchen.

"Hello?"

"Hey, it's me," I said when she answered. "How's Carly?"

"Baby girl's doing just fine, aren't you sweetheart?" she cooed. "How's Mama?"

"A little worn out, but overall, really good. I'm just thankful that everything worked out so well and that Caroline is safe. For a while I thought Carson was going to lose it. Thank you for helping me out so I could be there for him. You know I don't know what I'd do without you."

Kelly laughed. "It's no problem at all. I love her as if she were my own. But listen, Reece is picking me up around two o'clock today. We have tickets to see Dave Matthews this evening in Jacksonville, so I have to get a move on. What time do you think you're heading home?"

"That sounds like a blast! I think Carson and I are going to take Carly to the beach today. He suggested it, and I haven't taken her yet, so I hope she likes it. I'll be back before too long okay?"

"Sounds good. See you soon."

As I hung up the phone I glanced around the kitchen. The granite island was nice and big and the refrigerator was one of those French door types, with the fruit drawer in the middle and the freezer on the bottom. The kind I'd always wanted.

The cabinets were dark wood with brushed nickel handles and drawer pulls. The appliances were stainless steel to match the fridge and as I looked around I realized how beautiful the space was with all the natural light.

I opened the fridge, taking a quick inventory as I set out to make breakfast for Carson and myself. Thick sliced French raisin toast with brown sugar rum butter sauce and orange marmalade. One of my mother's specialties.

As I turned a piece of toast on the griddle a hand snuck around my waist.

"I thought you'd left again," Carson said, nuzzling my neck. "Why aren't you in bed? I woke up wanting to have my wicked way with you again just to find you gone."

I put the spatula down and turned around to face him, resting my hands on his thick shoulders.

"I needed to use the bathroom and check on Carly. Kelly has somewhere to be this afternoon, so I told her I'd be home in a little while. Then I got distracted by your gorgeous kitchen and I kind of helped myself to whatever I could find. Hope you're hungry."

"I'm starved. It smells almost as delicious as you," he growled into my ear, setting my blood on fire. "I think I'd rather have you for breakfast."

I squealed as he nipped at my shoulder.

"Go sit, I'll have your breakfast ready in just a minute," I said trying not to get any more distracted by his proximity. I picked up a dish cloth to wipe my hands and swatted at his butt as he tried to pinch me on the way to the table.

"A guy could get used to this kind of treatment," he said, sliding onto a stool on the other side of the island.

"I'd make breakfast every Saturday and Sunday if I had a kitchen like this to work in."

"A fisherwoman, a football fan, funny, beautiful, sexy as sin,
and
an incredible cook? I haven't asked you in a while, but are you free for the rest of your life?"

My stomach clenched at the question he'd asked me the night we'd met. I laughed it off then, but I wasn't sure what to make of it now. We'd only just run back into each other, but the connection I felt to him the night we met was just as strong, if not stronger, and I wondered if he felt the same.

I didn't want to push him away, but I didn't want him to think I was rushing into anything serious yet either. I decided to go the easy route and take the lighthearted way out.

As I plated his breakfast I turned to him. "I'll have to check my calendar to make sure, but so far, it's looking good," I said, winking at him and then kissing him on the cheek as I set his plate down.

**

"Do you mind if we hit Starbucks on the way to the marina? I'm kind of a fiend."

He laughed as we pulled away from my house. "Sure we can stop at the one on the island. I could use some coffee myself."

I looked in the rear view mirror to make sure Carly was alright. She was facing the rear, but I could see her little fists and feet going as she tried to grab the rattles and noise makers hanging from the handle of her car seat.

As I pulled into the Starbucks drive thru I looked over at Carson. "Do you know what you want?"

"I'll take a tall dark roast with two creams and one sugar."

I nodded before repeating his order to the barista and spouting off mine as well.

"Wow. That was a mouthful," Carson said, poking fun at my coffee order.

"What?" I asked, looking over at him in the passenger seat.

"Nothing. But how am I ever supposed to bring you coffee if I can't even figure out what you just ordered?"

"It was a grande soy mocha frappuccino with one less pump of coffee and one extra pump of mocha, no whip," I smiled.

"Yeah, I'll try to remember that, but don't be surprised if I have to ask you to write it down."

By the time we made it to the marina it was close to ten in the morning. The sun was getting higher in the sky and I could tell it was going to be a beautiful day for the beach.

As we loaded into Carson's boat, I breathed in the salty air and lathered Carly and myself with sunscreen before putting on her infant life vest.

We left the Yacht Club and headed for Williamson Island, where we were supposed to meet up with some of Carson's friends. I was a little worried about hanging out with a bunch of early twenty something guys with coolers full of beer, but as soon as we arrived and I met them, I was able to relax.

"Max!" Carson called out to an overly fit dark headed guy wearing khaki cutoffs and a pair of Ray Ban's.

"Hey man," Max said, running over to the edge of the water. "Drop anchor between Donald and me," he said, gesturing between two boats that were already anchored.

Once the anchor was secure Max waded out to us.

"Lou, this is my buddy Max. Max, this is Lou Evans and her daughter, Carly," Carson said.

"It's nice to meet you both," Max said. "My girlfriend Rebecca is up on the beach with Donald and his wife Misty. Head on up and say hello, and I'll help Carson get your bags and cooler."

"Thank you," I said, handing Carly to Carson and then climbing over the side of the boat. When Carly was back in my arms, I headed up to introduce myself.

"Oh my gosh! Look at that sweet baby! What's her name?" a blonde in a red one piece asked me.

"This is Carly, and I'm Lou Evans," I said, stopping just in front of the trio.

"I'm Misty and this is my husband Donald," red suit told me. "Can I hold Carly?"

As I passed Carly to Misty, I nodded at Donald. He was a good looking guy with light brown hair and a nice smile, and I could tell he was in love with his wife by the way his eyes lit up when he watched her.

"Hi Lou, I'm Rebecca," a red head in a tiny black bikini said to me. "I'm here with Max."

"We have a son who's about Carly's age. He's with my parents today, though. Now I kind of wish I'd brought him along!" Misty said. "I'll have to get your number and we can get the kids together for a play date."

"That would be great," I said, smiling.

"What would be great?" Carson asked walking up to set down my bag, and then threw his arm around my shoulders.

"Misty was saying she and I should get together with the kids for a play date."

"Sounds interesting," Carson said. "Do kids that young play?"

"Well, it's more of Mommy play time. There's usually wine involved," Misty said, smiling.

Carson laughed. "So, you met everyone then?"

"Yes, we met," Misty started. "But the question of the day is: how did you reel in the great Carson Foster?"

It seemed that every time I was around people who had known Carson for a while they were insinuating that he'd been with a lot of women in the past. I didn't care what he'd done in the past, I had my own that I wasn't incredibly proud of, but it kind of rubbed me the wrong way. I wasn't really sure how to answer her because I didn't necessarily feel like I'd done anything special. We had a crazy connection and he had pursued me mostly.

"She didn't catch me, Misty. I caught her. It was her great sense of humor, her smarts, her love of boats, fishing and all things Georgia Bulldogs that hooked me. What can I say? We have a lot in common and we share a wicked connection with each other. Not to mention, she's fucking gorgeous," Carson said, nuzzling into my neck and sending shivers across my arms.

Just then Carly started to fuss. "Hey sweet girl, are you getting hungry?" I asked.

I reached for my bag where Carson had set it down and began mixing a bottle for her. Carson went to work quickly setting up the blanket and umbrella for Carly so she could enjoy her meal out of the rays of the hot midday sun. Usually I was the one taking care of everything Carly needed, unless Kelly was around. It was nice to have an extra set of hands.

After she was done Carson sat in the sand with her and showed her how to use a shovel and a bucket as a drum set. Every time he would start tapping out a beat on the bucket, Carly would give him her gummy two-tooth smile. And every time he returned her smile I fell a little harder.