“Well, now it’s hard again. And aching to show you a good time. To make up for lost time.”
“Carson . . .” His name is a sigh as I tilt my head, exposing more of my neck to his lips. I really don’t have time for this.
Maybe just a few more minutes . . .
“You know dropping pants and panties to the laundry room floor is totally acceptable.”
“Yes, but I’m not sure you’re supposed to be still in them the moment before they hit the floor.”
“My laundry room, my rules. We just have to thank God and Goofy for creating cartoons,” his low voice rumbles even as he pushes me against the sink. His body follows, coating mine like a second skin.
“Will that be her excuse to her teacher when she’s late for school?”
“She can tell her the dog ate her mother.”
“That’s supposed to be homework.”
“Well, this dog is going to eat you.”
“Then he’d better do it quickly,” I rasp, libidinously pushing my bottom back against him. “Because we have about five minutes before Lulu comes to look for us.” I begin pulling at my T-shirt, freeing space for his hands. “Wait. Over here.” Shuffling towards the island, I practically drag Carson with me. “I’ll be able to see Lulu come in from here.”
“We could always go back into the laundry room,” he purrs. “I’ll keep my foot against the door and switch the drier on.”
“Yes, because that worked out so well yesterday. Oh, yes!” I spread my legs as his hand slips down my stomach and into my knickers. I think my eyes might roll back in my head just a little. “Not that I was the noisy one.”
“Only because it’s hard to be loud when your mouth is full.”
“Twice in two days. I think you’re developing a laundry room fetish, Mr Hayes.”
“My fetish is for any room you’re in. More specifically, getting you naked in any room you’re in.”
“You’re a wicked, wicked man.”
“But I’m your wicked man.”
And this is a situation I’m perfectly okay with.
In the past two weeks, I’ve come to know the many facets of Carson. First and foremost, he seems to live to tease me. He also seems to live his life without much drive for work. I guess that’s what comes from being born into the kind of money I know nothing about. I’ll admit, it’s been hard to get my mind around our differences in this respect. I’ve worried about introducing him to my family and haven’t involved him in our weekly family FaceTime call. My dad is a foreman who works in construction, and my mum is a nurse, so we don’t exactly move in the same circles. Of course, I reason that he’s good to me and good for and to Lulu. My heart just melts watching the pair interact. Lulu has yet to call him anything other than Uncle Carson or Uncle Car, and I’m fine with that. It’s way too soon, even if it does feel sort of right. The pair are like a mutual appreciation society, and in the apartment, where one can be found, so can the other.
But then I’ve found myself watching Carson when we’re out and about—when we’re at a coffee shop or in the park with Lulu—and I see the very real way he interacts with people. He’s just a regular guy. No airs, no graces, and no need to throw around his status or wallet. He’s just extra smart and charming and a little more annoying than the regular kind of man. As well as being built like a Greek god with a dirty mind and oodles and oodles of stamina.
He’s a good man.
The best of men, even.
I can say that now, now that I know about the reasons behind Ardeo. It started as a way for him to help his men. I mean, I didn’t even know he was in the military. Of course, now I know where his military bearing comes from and those broad, broad swimmer’s shoulders. I kind of wish he still had his uniform because I’d totally be into that kind of role-playing. Because, yes, we’ve dabbled with a little of that. He’s insatiable. And so creative. And seems to have a sixth sense about what I want when it comes to the bedroom. Want, need, even just think about!
As for how he’s conducted his life, never engaging in a relationship and confining his sex life to Ardeo nights? Maybe he’s right to draw comparisons between us. We’d just been guarding our hearts by different methods.
We’ve talked about so much, and I know we’ve still got a lot to learn, but he’s promised me a lifetime. Perhaps it’ll happen, or maybe it won’t, but I can’t ever see a time when I’ll regret taking a chance on him. A chance on us.