Save Me, Sinners

As David gently pulls away, I swallow, unable to to stop the buildup of a flaming heat inside. The awareness of his hard length against my stomach rips through me. Now that he’s slipped off his robe, his broad shoulders lay bare below the strong angle of his jaw and the delicious curve of his lips. She want him to close the slight distance between us, take me in his arms and ravage me.

David holds my wrist lightly but with a sense of possession. Looking into his intense eyes, everything else around fades. There is raw desire in his eyes and my body leaps in response. Moments later we fall on to the massive bed in his bedroom and this time when he stares deep into my eyes, I don’t have to wonder what he’s thinking about. My pulse quickens and though a small part of me screams, ‘caution,’ I can’t get myself to pull away.

Maybe it’s a bad idea but I don't care. All I want is for David to lean into me, slide his hands around my body and stake his claim on me. I want David to rip through all the shields that I hide behind and claim me, make me unable to deny the hot desire that races through my body. A desire to love that I thought was dead forever.

David stokes the heat within me. I finally feel what it’s like to burn from a man’s kisses. His hard muscular body sinks down on mine and he makes me his in every which way. Every time his strong hands slide along my jawline to my neck to my breast, I’m dying with love and passion.

“Carrie,” he whispers, his voice raw with a need that makes me want him even more, if that’s possible. Everything melts away into a hazy bliss as David breathes into me, our heartbeats in sync. I’m lightheaded as I cry out in ecstasy, my moans echoed by his soft cries.

The intensity of our connection rushes through me and I feel that my entire world has been made perfect right in that very moment.

Chapter 95

Sometime during the night, between wine and stolen kisses I fell asleep in David’s arms. It feels nice and safe, and David holds me throughout the night. When I awaken, I feel terrible seeing him sleeping in an obviously uncomfortable position, his injured leg sprawled off the edge of the bed.

I also panic when I see the time. It’s a weekday and I have to go to work. I want to wake up David and kiss him goodbye but he looks so peaceful, almost angelic, sleeping there that I don’t have the heart to do so. Instead I leave him a sweet love note.

‘You're amazing but I have a job. I’ll call you later :)’

I get to my apartment much faster than I expect, so I take the time to run through the second draft of the article I wrote on David. A smile creeps up on my face every time the thought of him comes into my head but each time I remind myself that as a journalist it’s my duty to be impartial. I can not let any romantic feelings for him influence the article.

But I think I painted a true picture of him — of what he really is… The only flaw in him is that he’s way too adorable, I chuckle to myself. I save the article on the Coyote magazine cloud drive so that I can access it later at work and then I opened my email.

One particular email, sent from the official Coyote email account, catches my eye. It’s an official announcement of the engagement between Max Jefferson and Katherine Griswold. I stare at it with a gradually rising shock. Not that I’m all that shocked at the announcement; I’m more shocked at my lack of reaction to it. I’m blank. I don’t feel anything at all for Max or against him.

Days away from him and being exposed to his true self has made me come to terms with the truth. Having David as a distraction helped as well. And in the course of it, David became much more than just a distraction. I smile again as the images of last night, when we shared their life stories and more, comes back in my mind.

We may just spent one night together, yet it feels like we’ve known each other forever. And I’m not expecting anything this time. At least not like I expected things from Max. David isn’t Max. He’s a much better man and for now, I’m content to share this happy moment with him. What fate lay in store, I’ll worry about later.

Is it just me or does the world have prettier colors today, I wonder as I drive to work. Gone is my usual urgency of hurrying to be on time. Missing is the nervous chatter in my mind, and there’s a confidence in my step as I walk into the office. As I settle in for the day, I soon realize that Max is back. For a moment I get a little nervy, wondering if it’ll get awkward when we see each other, but as if on cue, my cellphone buzzes and a lovely good morning text from David sends all my worries away.

“Have you read the news?” Phil, the paparazzo who I worked with on the Ana Irina story, creeps up and leans on the wall of my cubicle with a smug smile on his face. I never liked the guy—he has a greasy vibe about him and he’s one of Max’s pets.

Jesus, here he comes, throwing the news of Max’s engagement in my face. Be cool, Carrie.

“Yes isn’t it wonderful. I'm so happy for Max!” I fake a smile.

“What?” He makes a face. “What the hell are you talking about?”

“Max and Katherine’s engagement, what are you talking about?” I ask mildly. Phil laughs, then pulls out his phone, fiddles with it for a moment and then hands it to me.

My mouth drops open as I see the image on the phone. My mind runs in ten different directions wondering how this could’ve happened. How is this even possible? There was nobody else in there.

The picture on Phil’s phone is of David and I kissing on his bedroom balcony, published by a rival gossip magazine. The fact that David is wearing nothing but shorts, makes it look all the worse.

“Isn’t it wonderful what they can do with camera lenses nowadays? I just wish you had given us a heads up, Carrie,” Phil chuckles. “Oh by the way, the boss wants to see you,” he says with a wink.

Shit. What am I gonna do now? A mental list of all the people who could’ve seen this runs through my head. Thankfully mom still struggles with technology and isn’t likely to buy gossip magazines either.

After I take a few deep breaths I decide that I don’t care who saw it or what they thought. Except David... will this ruin everything between us? The thought eats at me as I make my way through the desks to Max’s office. Phil is already sitting in there.

Max stands up as I come in and claps mockingly.

“Great job, Carrie. Wonderful. I'm glad to see that you've finally found someone.” He smiles.

What is he playing at here?

“I just regret one thing,” he continues. “I wish you’d have informed us in advance that you were planning to throw yourself at another celebrity. At least we could’ve had Phil here, planted with a telephoto lens somewhere nearby. It’s a shame that a bitter rival of ours had to break this story.“ He shakes his head in false regret.