Playing With Fire (Guarded Hearts) (9 page)

He frowned, but seemed to understand. "Okay, just as long as you'll tell me. You know, that necklace is beautiful. Someone with really good taste must have picked it out."

I couldn't help but giggle at that. "Someone really important gave it to me." He leaned in to give me another kiss just as the waitress was bringing our food.

Dinner was amazing and when Carter said we weren't done yet, I didn't know what to expect. As we were driving, he turned to me and asked, "Have you ever been dancing? Like at a club?"

I wouldn't even begin to know how to dance. Sure, I'd seen plenty of other girls do it, but that didn't mean I had the slightest idea how. "No."

"Good. I believe that's another first, Miss Stevens." He'd stopped the car and we were in front of a place called Midnight. Oh my God. It was a club! Carter had brought me to a club! He wanted to dance with me. I was going to make an idiot out of myself.

We walked into the club and, instantly, I felt out of place. He leaned close to my ear. "Do you want a drink?"

"No, I think I've had enough firsts tonight."

"You've never had a drink?" I shook my head. "Well, that will be a first I'll definitely enjoy giving you."

Just then
,
a slower song came on which, I was guessing, didn't happen a lot. Most people started to leave the dance floor so only the couples were left. He grabbed my hand and led me onto the dance floor. I recognized the song as Pink's "Just a Reason." He put my arms around his neck and started swaying me back and forth. I could handle this. As I was listening to the song, I realized how much the chorus related to me. She was talking about being broken, but being able to pick up the pieces and start again. That was exactly what I wanted to do with Carter.

He leaned down to kiss me and we stopped moving. We stood there
,
in the middle of the dance floor, just kissing each other until the song ended.

The DJ came on and announced that was the last slow song of the night and the dance party was starting. It immediately changed into a fast song. I had no idea what to do so I started watching the people around me. They were all grinding with each other. Would Carter want to do that with me?

I looked up at him and he brought his mouth down to my ear. "I completely understand if you are not up for that. We could always go sit down somewhere."

"No. I'm done letting what happened to me in the past affect my present. I don't want my past to affect us. I don't really know what to do, though, so you'll have to be patient with me."

"Okay, baby, come here then." He pulled me against him so I was standing with my back to him. He put his hands on my hips and slowly started to move side to side. This was actually really nice. Where was I supposed to put my hands? I felt so out of place here.

I rested my hands on Carter's and I felt him start to get hard behind me. He stiffened and I knew he was unsure of how I was going to react. I had to show him that this was okay.

I leaned my body back into him and tuned my head to the side to see him. I smiled at him while wrapping my arms around his neck. He leaned down and kissed me, but it wasn't sweet like before. I could feel his desperation and need in this kiss. I started moving my hips in little circles against him and he groaned in my ear.

"Maddy, I don't know if that's such a good idea."

I was watching the girls around me and started taking ideas from them. I decided to try something that I'd just seen another girl do. I leaned forward, putting my hands on my knees and pushing my ass into Carter's bulge. I started moving it in little circles. I could tell he liked it from the way he gripped my hips tighter.

Carter

She was driving me crazy! At first I could tell she needed me to guide her but after she wrapped her hands around my neck, she seemed to take over from there. When she bent over, I was a goner.

This felt so damn good and, after consistently getting worked up these past couple days with no relief, it wasn't going to take me long to get there. We couldn't do this in the middle of the club though, could we?

I pulled her up so I could whisper in her ear. "Maddy, baby, this feels so good. But unless you want me to come right on this dance floor, I think we need to take a break."

She laughed at me and then resumed grinding her sexy ass against my throbbing dick. This can't really be happening, can it? She reached around my neck again and started to play with my hair. Then, she started to kiss up and down my neck. "Baby, listen-"

"Carter, it's okay. I know you need this and it's kind of exciting." She kissed me and when she took my bottom lip in between her teeth and pulled, I lost it.

I knew I was close. Between her rubbing up against me and how forward she was being, it would be any minute. She did the thing where she bent over again and I couldn't hold back anymore.

"Fuck, Maddy!" I couldn't believe I just did that. I feel like a fucking teenager all over again. This was going to be an uncomfortable drive home.

Maddy turned to me with the biggest smile on her face. She was enjoying this! "You ready to go home?"

"Yeah, let's get out of here."

When we got back home, Anthony and my Dad were sitting on the couch. Dad took one look at me and could tell something was up. "What the hell are you walking like that for?"

I heard Maddy giggling behind me. I was gonna get her for this later. "Someone spilled a drink on me at the club. I'm gonna go take a shower." Maddy sat down in the living room. "You gonna stay out here?"

"Yeah, just let me know when you're done. I could use a shower too."

Anthony butted in. "Just take a shower with the poor guy! He did work hard on your birthday, you know!" I walked over and punched him hard in the arm. "OW! Dude, I was just trying to help you out!" I looked over at Maddy and she was blushing. "Whatever. I'm gonna head out. Paul is having a party tonight. Have fun not showering together. I always knew you were gay!"

All I could do was shake my head. "I'll see you in a couple minutes, okay?"

"Okay."

Madison

I was sitting in the living room, watching TV with Carter's dad and thinking about how perfect today had been. "So, how was your birthday?"

"It was perfect. I can't believe he did all of this for me. You really raised an amazing man."

Carter's dad smiled at me. "Thank you. I was worried when his mom first passed away, but all of them have turned out really well. Even Anthony, although sometimes I wanna duct tape his mouth closed." I had to laugh at that. "He really cares a lot about you."

"I care about him a lot, too, probably more than you know."

"That's good to hear."

I heard the bathroom door and Carter yelled out to me that he was done. "Well, I'm going to go get in the shower. Thank you again for everything, I really had a great time here."

"You're welcome here anytime, honey."

I couldn't resist it. I went over and gave his dad a hug. "Good night."

"Good night, sweetheart, and happy birthday again."

"Thank you."

When I got out of the shower and went into the room, Carter was already in bed. I climbed in and snuggled up to him. "Did you have a good birthday?"

"I had the best birthday I've ever had. Truthfully, it's probably been the best day of my life."

"Good, I'm glad." He leaned down and gave me a kiss.

A few minutes passed and I thought maybe now might be a good time to talk about Chris. I hadn't wanted to do it at dinner earlier. I still wasn't ready to tell Carter everything, but I needed to let him in, he deserved it. "Carter, did you still want to talk?"

No answer.

"Carter?"

I looked up at him and he was asleep.

"Good night, Carter...I love you."

*  *  *

I woke up the next morning feeling out of it. This was just great. I was getting sick. I slept most of the ride back to campus. Carter walked me to my room, and only agreed to leave because Nicole was there.

I usually loved how Carter always wanted to be around me, but not when I was sick. I knew he was waiting for me to bring up Chris too. He was getting back tomorrow afternoon, and I was dreading that conversation.

I barely made it through all my classes Monday. I was so sick, all I wanted to do was sleep. Chris called when he got back into town but once he knew I was sick, he said he was staying away from me. However, Carter was regularly dropping off tea and soup to me. He made me so unbelievably happy. By Wednesday, I was feeling better and asked Chris if he'd come over to talk to me after my classes. Carter had work tonight and tomorrow night, and Nicole had gotten me a part time-job and my first shift was tomorrow.

Chris met me outside my last class and we walked to my room together. Nicole said she'd stay out till later tonight.

"So, what was so important that you needed me to come over, Madison?"

I was so scared. I wished Carter could have been here with me. I knew that would have made it so much worse, though. "Chris, I…I just…I don't want to do this anymore."

His head snapped up and he glared at me. "Do what exactly?"

"Us. I want to break up." There, I said it.

He walked over to me and stood in front of me. "Does this have something to do with Carter James?"

"I'm sorry, Chris, but yes." He slapped me across my face. That was going to leave a mark.

"You are not going to leave me, Madison." He pushed me onto the ground.

"This is not what's going to happen!"

Kick in the ribs.

"Especially not for someone like Carter."

Kick in the back.

He leaned down and wrapped his hands around my throat. "I already told my parents you were coming home with me for winter break. You will not make a fool out of me. Do you understand?"

I could only nod my head. I was starting to get lightheaded and I felt like I was going to pass out. He took his hands off of my neck and I struggled to be able to breathe normally.

"Now, you're going to talk to that asshole on Friday and tell him you chose me, right?" I nodded again. "If you think about trying to trick me, Madison, just remember that I now have a license to carry. In Carter's case, that means I have a license to kill."

No! I won't let him hurt Carter. I'm not sure how I'm going to do this to him, but I have to.
It was easy avoiding Carter. I pretended I was still sick, and he had to work.

*  *  *

Friday morning, Chris followed me to make sure I told Carter exactly what he said to. When Carter saw me coming he smiled, then he saw Chris behind me and his whole body stiffened. When we got closer, Carter reached out his hand to me and Chris slapped it away. "Don't you touch my girl."

The look on Carter's face was horrible. "What do you mean
‘your girl’? Maddy, what's going on?"

I couldn't look him in the eye because if I did, I wouldn't be able to do this. "Carter, I don't want to be with you. You were just a way to pass the time. I want to be with Chris. We never had anything real between us."

Carter leaned down to look at me. "No, Maddy, I can see it in your eyes. What did he do? Don't do this because of him!"

Chris just laughed. "You're making yourself look pathetic. Oh, and here, take this." He threw my birthday present at Carter. I hated that Chris took that from me too. I tried to tell him it was from Nicole, but he saw right through me.

The look on his face would haunt me in every dream I had from now on. "Maddy, please, wait! Talk to me, dammit!"

I swear, I think he had tears in his eyes. I was walking away from Carter, the only person I'd ever loved and who loved me in return. Not only that, but I was doing it for someone who, I had no doubt, would eventually beat me so bad that I might never recover.

I had to do it, though. I loved Carter so much. If being with Chris kept him safe, then I'd gladly do it. I'd do anything for him.

Carter

This couldn't be happening! It doesn't make any sense! I just saw her two days ago! I had to get to her when he wasn't there. She loved me, I knew she did.

The fact that he had the nerve to throw my necklace at me made my blood boil. The person that I was talking to wasn't Maddy. It was just a shell of her. I needed to see if Nicole knew anything. I pulled out my phone to text her, but I was so angry that
my hands were shaking.

What's going on with Maddy? She just broke up with me for Chris and he was there through the whole thing.

He's s been at our room since Wednesday, I swear he hasn't left once.

Are they really together?

They say they are
,
but something is up.

I think so too
.