Love on Beach Avenue (The Sunshine Sisters #1) - Jennifer Probst Page 0,90
The masculine scent of spice and whiskey surrounded her.
She swallowed. Poised on the edge, she uttered the truth. “Lately, I wonder if I’m missing out from all my self-inflicted rules. I haven’t allowed any space for mistakes. For stolen walks on the beach after hours, and magical adventures and passion.” All she could think of were Taylor’s words, urging her to take a chance, to grab the opportunity for pleasure even with an unknown future. Was she so scared of living she’d rather lock herself up into a safe relationship and miss out on being with a man who rocked her world? All this time, she’d hidden and been safe. Where had that gotten her? Content, but lonely. Satisfied with her career, but not her personal life. Was it finally time to stop doing the right thing and grab what she wanted?
Grab who she wanted?
As if sensing her inner struggle, his breath rushed out, and he laid his hands on the door beside her, trapping her in but not touching. “Avery.” Her name was a whisper and a shout, a mixture of longing and need and hunger that called to her, promising her endless ecstasy. “If I step in that room with you, I’ll be in your bed. I won’t be able to stop myself. But you need to be sure. I can promise you till Labor Day. I can promise to open myself up to you and see what happens between us. It needs to be enough. And it needs to be your choice.”
She bowed her head and shuddered, her mind and body engaged in a bloody, silent war of long-term habits versus the awakening of feelings she’d never experienced before. It didn’t take long to make her decision.
She slid in the key card, and the door clicked. He removed his hands and stepped back. Avery opened the door, turned, and reached out her hand.
Their gazes locked, and sexual energy crackled and seethed between them, a warning of what was to come.
Carter took her hand and walked inside, kicking the door closed behind him. For a few endless, aching seconds, he stared into her face as if needing assurance this was what she really wanted. And then, a tiny smile touched his lips. Without another word, he scooped her up into his arms and carried her to the bed.
Chapter Seventeen
Carter’s hands shook as he laid her gently on the king-size bed. The moment she outstretched her hand, a deep sense of fated purpose rose up inside him, as if all his endless moments had led up to this.
Ridiculous. He didn’t believe in poetry or cheesy admissions of finding the one, but right now, he was helpless to fight the voice. So he pushed it aside and concentrated on the woman lying on the bed, waiting for him.
Deliberately, not breaking eye contact, he reached in the pocket of his jeans, slid out a condom, and placed it on the bedside table. He noticed the tiny shiver that shook through her, the lust shining in those gorgeous hazel eyes. Oh yeah, that turned her on. He couldn’t wait to find out how many ways he could make her come in one night, and what other things brought her pleasure.
His dick was already painfully hard. He deepened his voice and reached out to touch her hot cheek. “Do you know how long I’ve fantasized about you laid out for me?”
“As long as I’ve fantasized about you,” she said simply, shivering.
Not wanting to scare her or lose control, he moved slowly, sitting on the edge of the bed to look down at her. He pressed kisses over her face, arranging her hair so it fanned out over the pillow. She lifted her head, searching for more, but he kept up the easy pace, his lips sipping at hers like a fine wine he wasn’t ready to drink yet. “You taste so sweet.”
She made a needy sound. “Give me more,” she demanded, her fingers twining around his neck.
“Want to be sure I go slow,” he said. His mouth slid over hers with deliberate motions. “Not rush you.”
“You scared of me, robot man?” she teased, her teeth nipping at his lower lip. The quick bite of pain made arousal roar in his blood. “Am I too much to handle?”
Oh yeah. This woman wouldn’t break easily. She could take his rough, almost-primitive hunger burning to get out and devour her whole. The thrill of the hunt shot through him.