Beginning with Forever (13 page)

My cell phone r
ings from my backpack. Carson sprints over to grab it and glides his fingertip across the screen to answer it for me. “Where the hell are you? I’ve haven’t seen you all day!” Amelia shouts loudly and irately through the phone.

“Miss
McFarland, Lillian is here with me,” he attempts to explain in a calm voice, but she cuts him off and curtly demands to speak to me. He hands me the phone.

“Amelia, I’m here
, having dinner with Carson. Everything is fine.” She settles down as soon as she hears my voice. “I’ll be home…”

C
utting me off midway, Carson snatches the phone from me and tells her, “Miss McFarland, I’ll have her back first thing in the morning. Goodnight.” I shake my head disapprovingly as he taps the screen to end the call. My eyes narrow and glare in his direction, but it has no effect on him.

The
spinning in my head is like a tornado on a lethal path as I argue with him, “I can’t stay here. You have to take me back. Amelia will make sure I’ll be okay.” I might be nauseous and dizzy, but I still have my wits. I can’t miss any classes tomorrow.

“Lily
, I’ll take care of you tonight. End of discussion,” he snips sternly with no weakness in his tone. I defiantly roll out of bed and land completely flat on my ass. This will bruise tomorrow, but I don’t care because I’m so angry with him and myself. He drops to the floor where I’m pathetically stretched out and lifts me back onto the bed. “Why are you being so stubborn? I just want to make sure you’ll be okay,” he huffs.

“
You’re not responsible for me!” I snap. “I need a shower, and I have nothing clean to wear,” I mumble under my breath. He lifts me out of bed and carries me to an enormous glass stall. “What are you doing?” I panic.

“You want a shower, here it is. You can wear my clothes for tonight,” he insists with a little bite in his tone and then sets me down on my feet while supporting me.

“I’
ll undress myself, if you don’t mind. I need some privacy, please,” I demand with my arms crossed in front of my chest, being as stubborn as he is. As soon as he releases me, I lose my balance immediately and stumble against the wall. I puff out a loud and frustrating sigh.

“It appears
to me that you’ll need my help if you want a shower tonight.” He looks at me less seriously. I think he’s enjoying this all too much, but I can’t pass a hot shower. My body feels filthy from fishing, and I’m hoping the water will improve my dizziness. If it does, I plan to escape tonight whether he likes it or not. No one can keep me against my will.

I agree
on two conditions. “First, you have to keep your eyes closed the entire time and second, our backs have to face each other.” He nods his head with a mischievous smirk. I slowly peel my tiny bikini off my body, drop it by my feet, feeling completely insecure and shy. God, I hope he’s not watching me. How’ll I ever compare to all the perfect, beautiful bodies he’s already seen? He begins to unbutton his shirt. “Hold on, what do you think you’re doing?” I quickly stop him.

“I don’t want my clothes to get wet
while I help you in the shower,” he replies innocently with his eyes still sealed. I’m sure this is a real concern of his, I think sarcastically.
Argh!
I give up. I’m tired of arguing with him because it doesn’t seem to get me anywhere. He casually strips down before me as I remind myself not to watch him. Every inch of him is unflawed. His skin, so smooth and unblemished; his muscle tone is healthy, not overly bulky.
His ass…Stop your gawking! Let’s make it a quick shower, and don’t touch him or you’re doomed
,
I warn myself in his sexy presence. I cautiously step into the glass case with his guidance while his eyes are semi-closed which seems asinine to me, but it’s my rule. I immediately release his hand to break off our contact as soon as I’m on my side of the shower. Who am I fooling? It doesn’t matter if we’re not touching; the closeness of our bodies still makes it impossible for me to resist him.

Squeezing
herbal soap onto a washcloth, Carson offers to lather my back. I know I shouldn’t accept, but I couldn’t resist his temptation. Both rules are completely out the window before our bodies are even wet. He drapes my hair over to one side of my neck, gliding his fingertips across the vulnerable area of my nape. I seal my eyes shut, hoping to lock out the fire he’s igniting from just one touch, but it’s useless. My entire backside is now the focus of his attention as he runs a sudsy washcloth over every receptive nerve. I don’t know how much longer I can restrain myself. He inhales the fragrant path along my neck to my shoulder. The feathery pressure of his breath is all that it takes to release my burning desire for him. Desires I’ve been struggling to hold back all day.

I turn around
to face him and see his eyes are still closed. Stepping in closer, I lace my fingers together behind his neck and lower his face down to mine. I boldly press my lips against his. His body falls back against the glass wall from shock. Immediately, he pulls me into his arms and our lips meet again. My hands tangle in his hair, and his are at either side of my neck. I can’t explain my assertiveness. Could it be the alcohol’s influence or just the fact that I’m incredibly attracted to him? He finds my hands, intertwines his fingers through them and holds them captive behind my back. Breaking away from our kissing, he attempts to regain control of the situation. He steps out of the shower, leaving me in there, breathless. After a few seconds of reflection, he grabs a towel and heads back into the shower.

Carson
turns the water off, wraps me in a thick, body towel and carries me into the bedroom, leaving a slippery, wet path behind us. My body is carefully settled in the middle of the bed again. I lay there in agonizing anticipation, wondering what he’ll do next. He finally climbs into bed and places his damp body, towel still around his waist, over mine. He nestles his pelvis between my thighs and continues where we left off in the shower.

“I
think I’ll have my dessert now if you don’t mind,” he murmurs softly while sporting his irresistible dimpled smile. The towel around my chest is slowly unwrapped to expose my breasts, feverish from the shower.
Oh god is he…are we…going to…
?
I want this, don’t I? Of course I do.
I thought I was pissed at him. He’s going to think I’m easy, but I don’t care.
My mind is attempting to reason rationally, but all I hear is
I want him
.
I want him.
His hazel eyes widen with desire. I arch my head back on the pillow and feel his burning tongue trace along my neck and down to my breasts, leaving a blissful path on my damp skin. Panting and gasping is all I’m capable of expressing.

“You’re beautiful everywhere
.” He gently points his index finger to my head, draws it to my face, and then down to my heart. Cupping my breast with one hand, he slowly licks the sensitive tip of my nipple with the tip of his skilled tongue. My body arches in response, and I exhale a pliable moan. He pauses briefly before sealing his mouth firmly over my breast, tenderly sucking it. “I love hearing you moan because of me,” he whispers in my ear before offering the same attentiveness to my other breast. The sensation is unbelievable, and I feel justifiably aroused. If I thought I was hot before, I’m scorching now.

The spinning
in my head is taking a backseat while this new sensation is overtaking my entire body. I need him to satisfy the ache between my thighs, but he doesn’t attempt to remove the towel barrier between us. I’m more desperate now that he’s given me a taste of what I’ve been missing all these years. I refuse to resist his relentless teasing any longer. My hands daringly make their way down to his defined waist to loosen his towel, but he quickly clasps them above my head, keeping them both constrained on either side of my face with his fingers laced between mine. “Lily, I want you so fucking bad, but I can’t.” His jaw clenches tightly, holding back his hunger. “You’re still under the influence of alcohol. I won’t take you until you sincerely give yourself to me.” His piercing green eyes stare dead seriously into mine.

“
Carson, I’m freely offering myself to you right now. Please,” I plead fearlessly. I’m shameless and not above begging for him to take my body. Who is this sex-craved woman anyways?

“Sweetness
, you’re making it very difficult for me to resist you, to control myself.” He lowers himself intimately close to graze his soft, moist lips on my forehead, bridge of my nose and then intensely over my lips. The urgency of his need for me is translated through his kisses. Biting down firmly on his lower lip, it appears that he’s forcing the strength of his will to remain tame. Our eye contact is broken when he seals his shut to blind the temptation lying underneath his body. His hands grip the sheets desperately, clawing and then fisting. I think this is his last hope of hanging onto his dignity. “Goodnight Lily, only offer your body to me when you believe it in your heart,” he murmurs and rolls off of me. Lying flat on his back, he attempts to steady his labored breathing.

It warm
s my heart to know that he respects me tremendously to be able to put his personal needs aside. I’m positive this evening hasn’t been a walk in the park for him either. Somehow or someway, he must have a special place for me in his heart. This is definitely not the direction I was planning on taking with mine. But after today, how can I imagine a life without him? With this final thought, I move my body closer to his, place my head against his chest and close my eyes to sleep in the comfort of his protective arms.

A
h…I don’t think I’ve slept this well since I’ve moved to this island. Stretching my arms wide to release a satisfying yawn, I suddenly realize that I’m completely naked, so I modestly pull the bed sheet over my chest, hoping Carson isn’t watching. Urgh, this tension headache is going to bother me all day. I close my eyes, press the heels of my palms on my temples and move them in a circular motion to relieve some of the pressure in my head. The last thing I remember is shamelessly offering my body to Carson. How embarrassing was that? It’s too late to fret about it now; I have a class to catch.
What time is it?
I panic. Why isn’t Carson in bed with me? I scan the room frantically, searching for him.

C
almly sitting at a table full of breakfast food, he observes my every awkward move from the terrace. I wonder what time Mr. Bright-and-Early Bradley got up this morning. He’s fully dressed in dark gray slacks and a striped, button-down, dress shirt, already looking compellingly handsome. I gather the bed sheet around my body, tuck it securely under my arms, and head for the terrace, dragging my make-shift gown along the floor. His amorous eyes intently follow my every move, making me self-conscious. I inhale his freshly showered, herbal scent combined with his light cologne. Oh god, he smells heavenly and delicious.

“Good morning
beautiful! Did you sleep well last night?” he greets me cheerfully with an irresistible tight-lipped smile while sitting nonchalantly with one foot resting on the opposite knee. His elbows lean comfortably on top of the chair arms and his hands are loosely laced together.

“Good morning to you
also and yes, I slept like a baby. Why didn’t you wake me up sooner? What time is it? I still have to get back to the dorm to get dressed and be in class by 9:00 a.m.” I worriedly ask. His arched brow and partial grin tells me he’s amused with my rapid fire of questions. I must look like a hysterical mess to him.

“So many questions to start the morning
, Lily, how about breakfast first, and then we’ll work our way through the other the issues.” His response is amazingly calm and collected which helps settle my nerves quickly. I sit down across from him. “Juice or coffee?” he offers. I point at the crystal flask with orange juice, and he pours it into a slender glass for me. “I’m not sure what you normally eat for breakfast, so I had them bring a variety of everything.” He lifts all four metal dome lids to reveal my choices.

“Carson, you’re
too considerate. I can eat just about anything except for melted ice cream. Remember? Lillian equals low maintenance,” I smirk and take a bite of a sweet, juicy piece of papaya. He serves me an egg white omelet with cheese and spinach and a piece of wheat toast with orange marmalade. He also adds the same items onto his plate. I assume these are his breakfast preferences.

“
I’ve never seen anyone quite as beautiful as you. What my eyes see, words can’t describe. Your barely dressed body wrapped in a single sheet is sexier than hell. It’s a challenge for me to control myself around you.” His penetrating eyes tell me his compliment is honest. He shifts his foot down, so his legs are crossed, attempting to conceal the obvious bulge between his thighs.

“Thank you
. That’s the most flattering compliment I’ve ever gotten.” I shyly wrap my arms around myself and look away from his doting eyes. He thinks I’m sexy and beautiful, and I can’t help, but feel delighted and flattered.

“
It’s now 7:37 a.m.” He glances down at his watch. “I wanted to let you sleep in longer since you were drunk from the Moscato last night.”

I
look bashfully away from him again, remembering how I threw myself at him. He pretends not to notice my blushing. “I saw you reach for your head earlier. Here’s an Ibuprofen for you if you need it.” He hands the pill to me. “Owen stopped by your dorm last night and asked Miss McFarland to pack your clothes for this morning. I’ll drop you off for your 9:00 a.m. class and pick you up when your 11:00 a.m. is done. We can have lunch together before you dedicate the rest of your time to studying. I think I have everything covered. Does this answer all your questions?” He has a smug look on his face, knowing he’s already thought and planned every detail out. It’s eerie that he has every hour of my day accounted for even though I’ve never offered him any of that information before.