Playing With Fire (Guarded Hearts) (13 page)

I grabbed his face between my hands. "You're the most thoughtful, incredible, amazing, and wonderful man I could have ever asked for, Carter James." He leaned down and kissed me. It wasn't intense like earlier, just gentle and loving.

"I need to go help the guys. Would you mind putting away the groceries? I also promised them dinner and beer. I hope you don't mind."

"No! Of course I don't mind! I'll cook so you can relax too. Isn't there a game on tonight? Tell the guys they're welcome to stay as long as they want."

He leaned down and gave me one last kiss. "You're perfect." He swatted my butt and I giggled as I watched him walk away.

Carter

After the guys left, Maddy and I went to bed. This day had been great. She fit into my life so well, and I hoped she'd never leave it. We both had a really long day and, truthfully, I couldn't wait to hold her in my arms again.

All day I avoided asking her if she was staying permanently. To be honest, I was scared of the answer. It was amazing being able to be with her and I wanted it to be like that every day. I sat down on the bed and looked at her. "So, I know we still have a few more weeks, but what's going to happen next semester? Are you going to go back to the dorms? Or did you want to move in permanently?"

I was trying to hide the desperation in my voice. If she wanted to live at the dorms, I needed to accept that and not let her know how disappointed I was.

"I think that's up to you, babe. I love just being able to be here with you. I just don't want to crowd you." Crowd me?

She could be permanently attached to me and it still wouldn't be enough. I needed to remember how things were with her and Chris. She needed reassurance that she was wanted, appreciated, and loved. "Baby, if it's up to me, not only you're going to live in this house, but you're never leaving this bed." I grabbed her and yanked her down on top on me. She laughed, leaned down and started to kiss me. She rolled on her side and ran her fingers through my hair.

"If I'm going to be here through the holidays, do you think we could decorate? If you don't want to, it's okay."

She wanted to decorate my house? My mom always decorated for the holidays but since she was gone, we never really knew how to do it right. I leaned up and gave her one more kiss. "We'll go get a tree and all the trimmings tomorrow. Whatever you want, baby."

"All I want is you." God, it felt amazing to hear her say those words.

"You've had that since the first time I saw you."

Chapter Seven

Madison

It was Christmas Eve. Carter and I had been living together for almost two weeks now and it was amazing. We decorated his house with all of the Christmas decorations that we could find in the stores.

I thought everything was beautiful. I'd never decorated a house I was living in for Christmas, and I loved that I got to do this first with him...even though our tree looked bi-polar because my side was all very organized and neat, and Carter's was just kind of all mixed together in random order.

He wanted to spend our first Christmas alone together, but we made plans to go to his dad's house later in the afternoon. We were going to stay for a few days, and Carter was excited to show me some of the places he went to growing up.

I'd even started working at the coffee house that Nicole worked at. She talked to the manager for me and explained that I'd come down with an illness and that was why I never showed up last time. I was lucky that he was so nice and willing to give me a second chance.

Carter kept his promise and I was never alone, even when I was working. He'd sit in the coffee house playing on his computer, or just talking to me when we weren't busy. When Carter had work, Shawn or Jason would be there with me.

At first, I felt horrible that Carter was making them babysit me, so I paid them with coffee and cake pops. I ended up getting really close to both guys and they embraced me as one of the group. Shawn was even trying to think of a new group name that had four members in it.

I'd never been happier with anyone in my life, except there was one problem. We hadn't slept together yet! And it was not from lack of trying on my part. Every time we got close, he stopped it. I knew he thought I wasn't ready, but I couldn't possibly be any more ready.

He was scared that he'd hurt me because of everything that happened with Chris. I understood where he was coming from, but Carter made me forget about everything else when I was with him. I didn't care what he thought, at this point. Tonight was the night.

I called Nicole yesterday and talked to her about wanting to take the next step with him. She insisted on treating me to a girls' day at the spa and hair salon. It was difficult to get Carter to let me go without him. He was still on high alert from everything that happened with Chris, even though we hadn't seen him since that day.

I understood why he was so worried, and I appreciated how much he cared about me. With promises to check in every hour and stay together, I'd won.

I got my light brown hair highlighted with caramel strands, had my nails done, and had every possible surface waxed. When I got home, Carter came rushing up to me asking me why I was walking funny, and I had to lie to him and tell him I fell.

We were getting ready for bed and I took some extra time in the bathroom. I curled my hair the way he loved, and did my makeup a little heavier than I normally would. I'd stashed my sexy Santa outfit in here yesterday. Nicole had insisted I get it for tonight. It was red velvet with white fur trim. I slipped it on carefully to try to keep the bells from jingling, put my feet into my red high heels and opened the door. I walked into the bedroom and Carter looked up at me.

"Fuck."

Carter

When she walked into the bedroom, all of the willpower I'd been holding onto these past two weeks vanished. Maddy was gorgeous in jeans and a T-shirt but in this outfit, she was enough to stop my heart.

My dick started to get hard before she even took a step toward me. The dress stopped right below her ass, dipped so low up top that it should be against the law, and her red high heels made her legs look amazing. She was looking at me with this sexy smirk, and I was completely hers in that moment. She walked over to me with the little bells on the outfit jingling with each step.

Maddy had been trying to initiate sex, but I didn't want to rush into it. Now I knew that it was inevitable, and she'd made it pretty clear that she was more than ready. "You look gorgeous, baby…when did you get that?"

I saw the blush creep up on her face and it only turned me on more. She was so beautiful and sexy, but she really had no idea she was. "Do you like it?"

Was she kidding? The fact that I couldn't put a full sentence together should have been her first clue. Just then, I realized that I was still sitting on the bed. I got up and slowly walked over to her. I wanted to remember every detail of tonight.

I brushed one of her stray curls behind her ear, wrapped my hand around the back of
her neck and kissed her. Her hands found their way into my hair, like they always seemed to do. I moved down to her neck and started to kiss her all over, making lines from ear to ear and then going down her neck and across her collarbone. Though, if she kept making those little sounds, I really wasn't sure how long I could last.

I pulled back and looked at her. I needed to make sure she was really ready and not just doing this because she thought I expected it. Although at this point, if she changed her mind, no amount of cold showers would help me.

I pulled away and looked in her gorgeous hazel eyes. "Are you sure about this? I don't want to rush you. I'd wait forever for you." She looked at me with the most adorable smile on her face.

"Carter, I've wanted this since I moved in. I love you, I trust you, and I know you'll never hurt me. I want this, Carter. I. Want. You."

That was all I needed to hear. I grabbed her and kissed her with everything I'd been holding back. She let out a moan. I pulled back to look at her. How did I ever get so lucky that she chose me? I found the zipper on the back of her outfit and eased it down. It fell down around her feet, and then I saw what she had on underneath.

All that was left was a pair of red lace boy shorts, and those heels. The image of her legs wrapped around me with those heels on was permanently etched in my mind. We'd need to revisit that another night. I wanted tonight to be perfect for her.

I'd had my fair share of sex, but tonight was the first time I was ever going to make love to someone; the first time it was actually going to matter. I led her over to the bed and laid her down. I just stood there and looked at her body. She was fucking perfect. I started to take off my shirt, but she grabbed my hand to stop me.

"Let me do it." She took my shirt off, then went to work on my belt. She eased my pants down and then my boxers. The look on her face was priceless. I grabbed her and started kissing her again, then I eased her down on the bed.

I lay next to her and began to run my hands all over her body. Her hands were stroking my back up and down, then they found my ass and she gave it a little squeeze. I laughed at that and she let out a little giggle. I got up and got undressed before situating myself next to her on the bed again.

I moved my mouth lower and began to kiss her breast. They were just as perfect as the rest of her. When I moved to her nipple and closed my mouth around her, she shrieked, which only encouraged me more so I moved to the other one and did the same thing. She was squirming beneath me and I knew what she wanted, but I wasn't ready to give that to her yet. I slid my hands down her body, over her breast, down her stomach and eased her panties down. Holy fuck, she got waxed. That was what she was doing all day yesterday, and why she came in acting like it hurt to walk.

I glanced up at her and smiled. She blushed, knowing exactly what I was thinking. I was so turned on, it felt like my dick was about to explode. I leaned down and placed kisses over her inner thighs, then moved my hands over her, slowly starting to stroke. She lifted her hips up to meet me.

"OH MY GOD…"

"Jesus, Maddy…you are so wet, baby."

She was so ready, but I wanted to do this before we made love. I continued to kiss her while my finger found its way inside. She was so damn tight that I knew I was going to hurt her when the time came. I started with one finger, then inserted another one, trying to open her up so it wasn't as bad for her. I lowered my head and began to kiss her beautiful pussy.

The minute my tongue touched her she let out a yell. "Carter!" The fact that she was screaming my name and moaning, along with how amazing she felt and tasted, almost had me flying apart. Her moans were getting louder and I knew she was close. Her back arched and she let out a cry when the orgasm hit her. I looked up at her and she seemed so happy and content, and I loved it.

I moved up to her. "Are you ready, baby?" She looked at me and nodded her head. "Okay, I'm going to go get a condom."

"No! Wait, Carter!" Oh God, she was going to tell me she wasn't ready. I loved her and I could wait for her, but I was definitely going to need to go into the bathroom and take care of myself. Then she looked up at me and said the last thing I ever expected. "I'm on the pill." Since when? Why? "Do you think we could just do it like this? I want to feel you."

This woman was going to be the death of me. The hopeful smile on her face was all I needed. "If that's what you want, baby, but can I ask you why you're on the pill?" We hadn't been together for a month so as much as I'd like to think it was because of me, I knew it wasn't.

"My doctor put me on it a couple of years ago to help me regulate."

I'd never had sex without a condom on. This was going to make it even harder to not come within a minute. I kissed her and moved on top of her. Deepening the kiss because I needed her to know and feel how much she meant to me. I positioned myself at her opening.

Madison

An intense heat was building in between my legs. I knew that Carter was about to help me relieve it. He'd been so great. He took his time and everything he did felt so amazing. I looked down and saw how big he was. Before I could control myself, I blurted out, "Is it going to fit?"

Carter started laughing hysterically, but I didn't find this so funny. He leaned down and began kissing me again. God, I could get so lost in him. He began to work his way into me. He pulled back and looked at me. "I love you more than anything in this world, baby, and you're perfect in every way."

He made me melt with every word. "I love you, too, Carter, more than I ever thought possible." He kissed me and then thrust all the way into me at the same time. I gasped from the fullness and he stilled.

"Are you okay?"

I nodded my head. "Yes." He leaned down to kiss me, but still didn't move. The ache was only intensified now that he was inside me. I lifted my hips to try to get him to move and he moaned. I did it again, making it clear what I wanted from him.