Donovan (Face-Off 3)

She scoots along the cushion until our bodies are touching, the heat from hers creating a fire that dances along my skin. I know she feels it too because I can see it in her eyes. The desire, the longing is there.

Leaning against me, she pushes her palm down on my thigh to move closer, and whispers into my ear, “Look, I’m going to keep it real with you. I’m scared.”

She moves back just enough that our eyes meet. The passion and intensity burn behind her deep blue irises. For once, there’s seriousness in her tone and in her features. Kennedy and Tyler are too busy eating and talking about the baby to notice what’s happening between Sydney and me. This conversation needs a more intimate setting, but I’m too hard right now to get up and find a more suitable location.

“So am I,” I breath against her lips, taking in the delicious scent of her lip gloss. She smells good enough to eat. “You are making this harder than I had expected. I thought it was just sex…but—”

“But it’s more,” she finishes. “I know, Carter, I feel the same way about you. That’s why I want you to let me in. I’ll share my secrets with you if you tell me yours.” Her voice is so soft and feminine it’s like music to my ears.

“I will,” I confess, trying not to look away from her. “At some point, I will tell you everything you want to know. But you’ll have to be patient with me. I’m not an open book like you.”

She smiles and then brushes her lips against mine. “I love that you used that phrase with me. I also think you have me all wrong. I’m not an open book. There’s a lot more to my story other than trashy novels and sex. Do you think you can forgive me for everything I have done? I know you’re mad at me, and I would like to make it up to you.”

I lift her chin with my index finger to make sure I have her attention. Because I need her to understand this is the last straw. “No more rules. No more games. You are mine. Your pussy is mine. I am through with the bullshit. If you want me, then I get all of you. It’s that simple. Understood?”

“Yes,” she whispers, nodding her head in agreement. “I am yours, Carter, but I want you to let me in. I don’t expect that to happen right away. I know it will take time. But you can’t shut me out forever.”

I take her hand and pull it up to my mouth, planting kisses on her skin. “I won’t. Just give me some time.”

Cupping her face in my big hands, I bring her lips to mine, invading her mouth as my tongue slips inside. I kiss her as if this is the last time we will ever touch. I kiss her as if she’s my drug of choice because I need her right now, and I need this high. She hops onto my lap and straddles me, grinding her pussy against me as she deepens the kiss.

My fingers slip through her curls, and with a chunk of her hair in my hands, I hold her in a vise because I don’t want this to end. I don’t want to let her go. I missed the shit out of her, even though I have tried to deny it. The only person I was fooling was myself.

Tyler clears his throat in a rather obnoxious manner. His gesture rips me out of the trance Sydney’s luscious body has me under right now. After we finally come up for air, we turn toward Tyler and Kennedy who are sitting at the other end of the long couch, staring at us, as if we are a show they are watching on TV.

“I see you guys made up,” Kennedy says with a wide grin and a sandwich in her hand. She bites into the bread, still smiling at us, like an idiot. “I’m so happy you two are the godparents to our child.” She speaks between bites. “And I hope this works out for you. You guys are too cute together.”

“Thanks, K.” Sydney turns to me and says, “Now, that I have my big guy back I think we need to go on a proper date.”

“Like adults,” I joke, laughing as I say the words. “I don’t know much about adulting or dates.”

Sydney punches me in the arm, lightly. Her fist does nothing as it crashes against my wall of muscle. “Yes, like an actual date.” She leans in so only I can hear her next statement. “And it will have the happy ending I know you want.”

“We both want,” I correct.

She nods. “Yup. It’s yours, Carter. All of me. Whatever you want. I’m done playing games.” The corners of her mouth turn up into a wicked grin. “Not unless you’re into some serious kink, and in that case, I can be whatever you like.”

I fist a handful of her hair a

nd speak against her mouth. “Don’t say things like that, Princess. Not when I’m hard and horny. I’ll bend you over this couch right in front of our friends without even another thought.”

And I will. God knows I want to right now.

“Let’s save the foreplay for our date,” she says, pressing her palms against my chest.

“Fine.” I hold her in place, my eyes trained on every inch of her beautiful face. “A date. Tomorrow night. I’ll pick you up and take you somewhere nice, someplace I know you will like, and then, I’m claiming your pussy.”

She chuckles. “That’s the spirit, big guy. I’ve been waiting for this side of you to come out and play.”

“It’s a date.” There’s nothing left to say.

For the first time in years, I have an actual date. The thought makes me a little giddy. I’m not even sure where I want to take Sydney. All I know is that it had better be perfect for my princess. She deserves the best, and nothing less will be good enough.

Chapter 13

Carter

I can’t find a decent shirt or tie for our date. This is not a good sign. Digging through the walk-in closet in my bedroom, I search for the perfect outfit for my date with Sydney and come up empty handed. She will look nothing short of spectacular. That much I already know without seeing her. Sydney could turn heads in a burlap sack.