Goody Two Shoes (Invertary 2)

“Baby.” Josh’s hand shot out and wrapped around her upper arm. “There is nothing wrong with your breasts. You are beautiful.”

She looked up at him. Oh, but he made her giddy. His height and width seemed to engulf her. It should have overwhelmed her, but instead it made her feel precious.

“Then take off your shirt and let me touch you.”

Josh swore under his breath before he reached over his shoulder, grabbed a handful of T-shirt and yanked it over his head.

“I’m all yours.”

Caroline ran the flat palms of her hands down his chest, tracing muscle, feeling him respond to her touch until she met the waistband of his jeans. For a second she frowned, before she solved her problem by delving under the fabric.

“Caroline, you keep exploring like that and things are going to take a turn you’re not ready for.”

Caroline felt her need morph to anger. “But I am ready. I’m ready for all of it. I’m thirty-one. I’ve been ready for a very long time. I know I said we should wait until the wedding. At least, I think I said that. It doesn’t matter, because I’ve changed my mind.” She pointed at his jeans. “Get them off now.”

“I don’t want to make love to you for the first time when you’re drunk. I want you to be in the moment with me. And I don’t want you to regret it afterwards.”

“I won’t regret it.”

He ran a hand through his silky, dark hair. The sight of him, in the soft night light, made her ache in places she couldn’t even name.

“Baby, we’re getting married in a week. We’re going to do this. We’re going to have sex. Trust me. It doesn’t have to happen tonight.”

She stamped her foot like a child, because that was exactly what she felt like. That was what he was treating her like. Wasn’t she a woman? Didn’t she know what she wanted? Didn’t she have a right to ask for what she wanted? Damn right she did. She pointed at the big lout, momentarily distracted by the way the moonlight rippled over his chest and caught in the dip at his stomach. “I demand that you get naked right now, Josh McInnes.”

“Not tonight, baby.”

She strode towards him. He backed up, a huge grin on his face.

“If you won’t take them off, then I will.”

Josh started to laugh. He held out his hands in front of him. “Caroline, you need to sit down and eat something. Then we’ll talk about this.”

She marched towards him. He retreated faster than she could move. It was annoying.

“Stop running away. Man up. I demand we have sex.”

Josh’s laughter made his shoulders shake, which in turn made the muscles move. Caroline was momentarily distracted.

“Let’s wait until you’re sober,” he said through his laughter.

“Josh McInnes, you are a big fat coward.” She pushed him on his chest.

She’d only expected him to take a step back. Instead his legs caught on the back of the low wall behind him, and Josh toppled head first into the garden. Caroline was left staring at his feet, which were now pointing up to the sky.

“Oh my goodness, Josh.” She ran for the steps that led down into the garden.

She couldn’t see Josh’s body. It had been swallowed by a lavender bush.

“Help. Somebody help,” she shouted.

“I’m fine.” Josh didn’t sound fine. “Just give me a hand to get out of this bush.”

Caroline reached for the hand that had appeared through the lavender. She yanked hard, but nothing happened. “Help,” she shouted again.

She almost sank to the ground in relief when Mitch ran around the corner of the building. He came up short when he saw Caroline standing in her underwear.

“Is that Josh’s feet?” He pointed at the shoes in the air.