The Husband Checklist Page 8

  Moving to the edge of the barstool, I conveniently wedge myself between his open legs. Leaning forward, I keep track of his eyes as they move away from my face down to the neckline of my dress. “I think you know exactly what I mean.”

  The corners of my mouth twitch when I watch him swallow several times.

  He takes another sip. “Are we going to talk about what happened?”

  I shrug, the sheer thought of Carter and me together giving me sharp palpitations. “I don’t know. What’s there to talk about?”

  “I don’t know, Jules. Maybe the fact that you could start a small fire with the tension between us. This will be hard to hide from anyone, especially Ollie when he gets back from his vacation.”

  I stare at him for a while, my thoughts racing a mile a minute. Thankfully, he lets me be, probably knowing the wheels are turning in my head.

  There really are only two options in this situation.

  Option one: forget about the kiss we shared and pretend it never happened. I’m not sure how realistic the chances are of going back to the way we used to be before though because Carter is right, the chemistry between us is insane. It’s undeniable, and I can easily spot it in his gaze now that I know what it looks like. Seems like we’re a walking billboard of sexual tension.

  Option two: give in and provide our bodies with what they so clearly want. I mean, we’re both adults, so it shouldn’t be hard, right? Isn’t that what some people do? To get it out of their system? I know how Carter feels about relationships, so I wouldn’t run into any issues with him afterward either since we’re on the same page. Both of us knowing this wouldn’t go anywhere.

  We can just have a wild night in Vegas and that’s it.

  Nothing else.

  No old crush coming back to haunt me and no broken hearts, right?

  Easy peasy.

  I clear my throat. “As I see it, there are two choices. The aftermath of both will more than likely include some level of awkwardness, but I think at this point, that will happen regardless.”

  He cocks his head to the side, listening intently. “Go on.”

  “I suppose the question is, which kind of awkward do you want?”

  His voice is steady, his gaze alert. “I’m good with whatever you decide. I’ll deal either way.”

  I’m not sure I’m happy he’s putting the ball back in my court. It’s thoughtful he leaves the decision up to me, yet at the same time, I’d like to get a better read on him too.

  He must sense my indecision and leans closer. Like whatever he has to say next should stay only between the two of us.

  Grabbing me by the waist, he rubs his thumbs over my hip bones. “Don’t doubt for a second how much I want you. I’m close to losing it right here and taking what I want. But I also know this is a line we can’t re-establish once we cross it. I like to live on the edge though, and there’s no one else I’d rather take there with me than you.”

  My heart races like crazy, skipping beats as the sweetest buzz of excitement and anticipation rushes through my body. Those sensations make me even more aware of his eyes on me and his touch as one of his hands slowly makes a descent down my hip.

  I silently will that hand to move a few more inches to the hemline of my dress, both my body and mind already yearning for his hands on my skin.

  Looks like I found my answer.

  The aftermath of it definitely scares me a little, but the feeling of not taking this to the next level, and quite possibly missing out on the best night of my life, is even more frustrating.

  I take a sip of my Long Island Iced Tea, the warmth of the alcohol rushing down my throat. The smallest buzz in my system gives me the final boost in confidence I need.

  Closing the last bit of distance between us, I brush a finger across his lower lip. “I think we should put out this fire we started. Together.”

  He grabs my hand and brings the back of it to his mouth, pressing a soft kiss to my knuckles. “Fuck. Yes. Lead the way, gorgeous.”

  I close my eyes and take a deep breath, ready to melt into a pile of liquid lust.

  Carter chuckles quietly, clearly enjoying my state of desperation. I finally turn around and make my way out of the bar and toward the elevators as fast as I can, his hand still tightly clutched in mine.

  The ride upstairs seems to take forever, and I feel like ripping my hair out. We stop on almost every level, people filing in and out of the small enclosure, unaware of the need boiling inside me that’s threatening to make me go up in flames at any moment.

  Carter isn’t helping either, his fingers continuously playing with mine. The tension is intense, and by the time the doors open to our level, I’m ready to cry out loud because I’m so relieved.

  Luckily, we’re the only ones to leave on our floor and the hallways are deserted.

  “Finally.” I let out a deep breath, desperately wanting to shake off some of this tension.

  “You can say that again.”

  Carter’s voice seems off, and when I look at him, I’m stunned by the intensity of his gaze.

  Before I can think about it, I’m pressed to the wall by his body as he leans in to give me a kiss that tastes of sweet promises and an unforgettable night.

  Chapter Twelve

  Carter

  I groan when the light on the card reader finally switches to green and the door opens. We stumble into my room, still attached in as many spots as possible. My lips are on Julia’s neck, since I can’t get enough of her skin. It’s soft and warm, and smells amazing. Our hands roam over our bodies like it’s a competition—squeezing, testing, and touching body parts I’ve been dreaming of exploring for a long time. And she has no clue.

  Julia arches into me while I kick the door shut. We definitely don’t need an audience for anything going down inside this suite.

  Pulling back, I look straight into her lust-induced face. Her eyes are half-closed and she’s wearing this small smile that’s sexy as hell.

  Everything about her is sexy.

  “Jules, are you absolutely sure you want this?” It would kill me if she said no, but it would be worse if she regretted it later on.

  We both know there’s no going back from having sex with someone, as much as some people like to pretend there is.

  Sex changes things; it changes people.

  “Oh, hell yes.” Her voice is raspy, her smile turning into that sexy smirk from earlier.

  I’m a total goner.

  “Thank fuck.” I let go of her to take off my suit jacket before throwing it carelessly over the couch. My tie is next, followed by my shirt while I step out of my shoes too.

  All the while, Julia watches me, and I get a kick out of that. When I’m about to unbutton my pants, she swats my hands away, trailing her fingers from my waistband to my chest. She’s teasing me, leaning in to bite one of my nipples.

  “Jules.” The warning is a growl, my need for her so strong, I want nothing more than to throw her on the bed and put my hands on her.

  Thankfully, she takes pity on me, her hands wandering back to my pants. She unbuttons and unzips them, putting her hands into the front before they even hit the floor. At this point, I’m not sure who’s more desperate between the two of us.

  She cups me, eliciting a loud groan out of me when she squeezes gently. There isn’t much I want more than her hands on me, maybe her mouth too, but I know I wouldn’t last long. We’ll have plenty of time for that later.

  “Enough.” My voice is rough and laced with need as I spin her around and pull her body into mine, my throbbing hard-on pressing into her ass.

  My hands are firmly clasped around her midsection, holding her by the waist before they wander to her breasts, exploring them. I sigh, loving the fullness in my hands before kissing my way up her neck, to her ear, and finally around to her mouth.

  Her head is tilted back, and she captures my lips hungrily, wrapping her hands around my neck to pull my face closer.

  “Carter,” she moans brea
thlessly when we pull apart a few minutes later. “I’m all for foreplay and taking things slowly, but I can’t wait much longer.”

  I couldn’t possibly want this woman any more than I do right now, and I remind myself that we have plenty more time to slow things down later.

  My hands move away from her breasts and under her dress. Pushing her underwear to the side, I sink my fingers into her wet heat. “Is this what you want, Jules?”

  “Yes . . . please.” She pushes her body against mine, circling her hips in an almost hypnotic motion. “That feels so good.” Her voice is barely more than a whisper as her breathing picks up.

  “Fuck, you’re hot.” I’m about to lose it at any second just from watching her. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything more sexy in my entire life. Her full lips are parted, her eyes closed. Her head rests on my shoulder, and I cherish the contact.

  Since we never bothered to turn on the light, the room is only lit by the city below us, the vast floor-to-ceiling windows giving us a perfect view of the buildings outside while no one can see inside.

  It almost pains me to take my fingers away from her slick skin, but I don’t want any more layers between us. By sheer luck, I manage to unzip the dress in one swift move. Less than a minute later, not only is her dress on the floor but her underwear and the rest of my clothes too, and I managed to put protection on.

  “Wow.” She turns around, and we stare at each other for a moment before we both spring into action. We’re a blur of lips, teeth, and hands as our bodies hungrily rub against each other, the room filled with our moans and groans.

  Just when I think I can’t take it any longer, Julia grabs my hard-on and pulls me even closer to her, almost painfully so. Standing on her toes, she wraps one of her legs around my waist while she guides me toward her entrance.

  I pick up her other leg and carry her to the window.

  “Now, Carter. I need you inside me. I can’t wait another second.”

  The words almost do me in as I press her against the cool glass, making her gasp out loud.

  When I sink into her a moment later, I pause for a breath, wanting to make this last for as long as possible.

  “Oh my gosh. This is . . . you . . . can you—” Her whimpers get more desperate by the second as she presses her head back into the glass.

  Her whole body arches back with the movement, her breasts on full display right in front of me. Leaning down, I greedily take one nipple into my mouth. The moans get louder, the breathing more desperate, and soon I’m pumping in and out of her at a frantic pace.

  My body is on fire, and if Julia’s flushed face is anything to go by, so is hers.

  “I need to touch you, Jules.” Without waiting for a reply, I carry her to the bed as she crushes her lips to mine, sucking and nibbling so hard, I’m going to go crazy soon.

  I lay her on the bed as gently as I’m capable of, squeezing her ass once more for good measure. The second she’s on the mattress, my hands move to the front of her body, touching and rubbing every inch I can reach, resuming my thrusts until I’m convinced I might never recover. While my one hand is still busy playing with those gorgeous breasts, my other one moves lower.

  “You’re so fucking beautiful,” I groan as my movement speeds up, getting a little sloppy when she starts clenching around me.

  Her head thrashes back and forth on the bed, her parted lips swollen from kissing. “I’m so close.”

  I increase the pressure on her sensitive nub with my thumb while stealing a few more hungry kisses.

  When she tightens around me, I pull back enough to see her, not wanting to miss the look on her face when she comes. It’s a sight to behold just like I thought it would be. Her moans still fill the room when I follow her over the edge, unable to hold on to my control for another second.

  Endless waves of pleasure shoot through my body during one of the most intense orgasms I’ve ever had, until I collapse on her, our sweaty bodies fitting perfectly together in more than just one way.

  A moment later she giggles into my ear. “Can’t breathe.”

  Shifting back, I put some of my weight on my elbows.

  Looking down, her eyes hold me hostage as I play with the silky tendrils of her hair. I stare at her like she’s a freaking miracle because, right now, she absolutely is.

  “Hi.” Her voice is all husky, the smile on her face huge.

  And so damn gorgeous.

  “Hi yourself.”

  “I’m hungry.”

  Only Julia would say something like that right after having sex. “Oh yeah? Hungry for what exactly?” I wiggle my eyebrows, teasing her as I run my hand down her body.

  “Food.” She giggles and squeezes my butt. “And then some more of you, of course.”

  I chuckle, my body high on endorphins. “How about a shower, food, and then some dessert?” I wink at her and she laughs.

  The sight of her so close to me, not to mention under me, is pretty damn perfect. We’re still connected in the most intimate way, and Julia looks so beautiful with her hair fanned out around her and her face still flushed.

  Regret works its way into my chest at this being only one night, but I push it away.

  I slide out of her, and after depositing the condom in the trash, I lift her up and carry her to the adjacent bathroom.

  “Maybe we should have more dessert first after all.” Her mouth attaches to mine hungrily as I put her down in the big shower and turn on the spray.

  “Hell. Yes.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  Julia

  “You don’t think it’s creepy to stare at me while I’m sleeping?” I ask the same question Carter asked me last week, the corners of my mouth twitching.

  Since it’s completely silent, I know he hasn’t moved since I last peeked. After a moment, my curiosity wins and I open my eyes. Just a teeny tiny bit.

  He’s still standing at the foot of the bed, a huge, cocky grin on his face as he watches me, his fingers busy putting the cufflink on his right shirtsleeve. “You’re a little brat sometimes, but you already know that.”

  There’s that same sexy undertone in his voice I heard a whole lot of last night, and my body immediately starts to tingle in all the right places. On second thought, I’m actually surprised my body is capable of feeling anything after last night.

  After the sex marathon we had, I thought I might be out of shivers and orgasms for the next year or so.

  I pull the sheet up and over my head when my cheeks heat from the memories, knowing I’m as red as a tomato.

  So much for playing it cool and not letting him know how much this affects me.

  Footsteps echo around the room, and a moment later, the bed dips on my side.

  “Don’t hide from me, Jules. I want to see your pretty face.” His voice is gentle as he brushes his fingers over the sheet, all the way from my calves to my shoulder. Tantalizingly slow, raising goose bumps across my skin.

  Before I can look over the rim of the sheet, Carter has taken matters into his own hands, giving it a rough tug. Since I was just about to lower it myself, the sheet slithers down my body, pooling around my hips. Which leaves my whole upper body exposed.

  My naked upper body.

  “So beautiful.” Carter brushes his fingers over my side, making every skin cell tingle. “I hate that I have to leave.”

  “Is it that late already?” The words come out a little breathy, talking not at the top of my priority list right now.

  My body is on fire, and all I want to do is give in to his touch and pull him down onto me. But I don’t want to make him late for his business meeting and screw up the deal.

  He nods, his eyes still glued to my body. “I really wish we could have some more time.” Then his gaze flicks back up to mine. “I promised you some sightseeing too.”

  I lift my shoulder in a half shrug. “Don’t worry about it. I can always come back another time.”

  He takes the sheet from around my hips and pulls it back
up to my shoulders, an almost tortured look in his eyes. “Or . . .”

  Those two little letters make my mind reel, impatiently wondering what he’ll say next.

  When he stays quiet, I ask “Or?”

  “Well, I know we said this would be a one-time thing, or I guess I should say a one-night thing, but we could stay until tomorrow?” He looks at me with an unidentifiable, almost nervous, look in his eyes. “You could sleep in your own room if you prefer that. I’d like to stick to my word though and show you around.”

  “Carter.” I sit up, not caring the sheet just dropped to my hips again.

  Somehow I gained some sort of uber-confidence last night, at least when it comes to this man and my body. I’ve always enjoyed sex, but nothing, absolutely nothing, can compare to what I experienced with Carter. No one has ever taken such good care of me while driving me absolutely crazy at the same time. The desperation and need he brings out in me are both new and oddly thrilling.

  I go up on my knees to be eye level with him. “There’s nothing I’d rather do than stay another night with you.”

  He swallows, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down. If the strain in his jaw is anything to go by, I’d guess he not only has a hard time keeping his eyes on my face but also to keep his hands to himself. “I’ll take care of the rooms and flights.” His gaze flicks toward the nightstand and he groans. “Damn it, I really have to go.”

  I lean forward and press my lips softly to his before slipping out of bed to slowly saunter toward the bathroom. I still wonder who this new me is when I reach the door and look back over my shoulder. “Hurry back, big guy. You know how to reach me if you need anything.”

  Maybe I’m enjoying the utter look of disbelief in his eyes, or the slack jaw a little too much, but I’m unable to wipe the grin off my face as I walk out of view and into the bathroom to turn on the shower.