Page 51 of Fall or Nothing

“Where would I go? With you back East?”

“Sure. Why not?”

“I never thought about leaving my sisters behind.” My last word cracked at the mere mention of it.

“You’re lucky to have them.” That made twice someone told me I was lucky. Didn’t feel that way at all, knowing I might have to let him go.

“Carter, haven’t you once, the entire time you’ve been here, considered staying?”

He didn’t answer, as if a battle raged in his head, and everything between us suddenly became too complicated, too fragile.

Ivy called from the house. “Everyone’s getting ready to leave. Come, say goodbye!”

“Let’s go,” he turned, killing me ever so softly that we hadn’t come to a resolution about us.

Maddox and Beatrix were first to leave, and clearly fit in well with our growing group. Jake and Colt loaded up the pies to take to the ranch. Eldon would bake them in his commercial ovens in time for the holiday meal.

I pulled Carter aside. “Come back to my place tonight?”

“I couldn’t resist you if I tried.” He didn’t even hesitate.

We had barely gotthe door closed behind us before we were undressing each other, charged with days of pent-up longing. His hands slid under my sweater, palms rough. I shivered as they skimmed up my sides, thumbs brushing the undersides of my breasts. I tugged his shirt open, fingers tracing the firm lines of his chest and the new definition in his arms from weeks of hard labor.

“God, I missed you,” he murmured against my throat as he backed me toward the wall just inside the entrance to the apartment. His mouth followed the path of his hands, kissing down my neck, across my collarbone, then lower. When he took one nipple into his mouth, sucking gently at first and then harder, I arched into him with a needy moan.

“I’m here. You can have me. Carter…” His name came out breathless as his hand slipped between my thighs, fingers stroking through the slick heat already waiting for him. He knew exactly how to touch me now, circling my clit with just the right pressure, teasing me until my hips rocked against his hand, chasing more.

He pulled back long enough to shove my leggings and panties down my legs, then dropped to his knees in front of me. The sight of him there, worshipping me—looking up at me with dark, hungry eyes—sent a fresh wave of heat rolling through me.

He hooked one of my legs over his shoulder and leaned in, his tongue replacing his fingers with devastating skill.Slow, broad licks, then focused flicks against my clit had me gripping his hair and biting my lip to keep from crying out too loudly.

“Fuck, you taste so good,” he groaned against me, the vibration making me tremble. His beard scraped deliciously against my inner thighs as he devoured me, one hand holding my hip steady while the other slid two fingers inside me, curling just right. The combination of his mouth, his fingers, the sounds he made, like he couldn’t get enough, all became too much.

I came on a sharp cry, thighs shaking around his head, pleasure coursing through me. And I knew with all certainty—I’d do anything to have him worship me again and again. If only he wanted things to stay like this between us, too. I needed him to stay.

He rose to his feet, kissing me deeply so I could taste myself on his tongue. I fumbled with his belt, desperate to feel him. When I finally freed his thick, hard cock, it was already leaking at the tip. I wrapped my hand around him and stroked slowly, savoring the way he groaned into my mouth and thrust into my fist.

“Mm. Your hand… incredible,” he rasped, hips jerking. He covered my hand with his own, guiding me. “Like this, tighter. Mm. Yeah.” His voice rough, almost desperate, he showed me exactly how he liked it, in long, firm strokes from base to tip, thumb brushing over the sensitive head on every upstroke. “Don’t stop, baby. You’re gonna make me come so hard.”

I loved the way he took control, his large hand wrapped around mine, teaching me his rhythm. His other hand pressed to the wall by my head, breaths coming ragged,feathering across my forehead, as I worked him faster, twisting my wrist the way he showed me.

“Feel how hard you make me? God, I’m close,” he groaned, hips pulsing.

“Do you like what I’m doing to you?”

“Hell, yes. Keep stroking, just like that. Fuck yeah, you’re such a very good girl for me. ”

I took him firmly, marveling at the pleasure twisting across his face with every pump. He came on a growl that echoed around the apartment, spilling hot and thick ropes over our joined hands. His whole body shuddered against me as I milked every drop from him.

We stayed like that for a long moment, breathing hard. He finally kissed me, arms wrapped around me like he never wanted to let go. I prayed he wouldn’t.

He carried me to the shower, where we cleaned up together. We ended up curled around each other on the couch, under blankets, our breaths slowly evening out. I traced lazy patterns on his chest with my fingertips, listening to his heartbeat under my ear.

“I’m falling for you, Carter,” I whispered into the quiet, too full to hold it in any longer. “I know I wasn’t supposed to… but I am.”

Steady breathing was all that met me in response. He must have fallen asleep and hadn’t heard me. I lay there in the dark, happy to have fallen… but sad too. Because I still didn’t know where we stood after today and our talk at the orchard fence. The uncertainty hurt more than I wanted to admit.

SEVENTEEN