Something More (14 page)

Chapter 19

Carrie rushed though the living room knowing the ringing bell had to be Matthew.

“Hello.” He stepped in and closed the door behind him, not once taking his eyes from hers. Then he reached for her with hunger.

Not once in her life had she been this excited. She vaulted into his arms. Eager lips met yearning ones and he kissed her with a passion she equaled. His greedy mouth plundered hers. Just as hungry for his touch, she responded with total abandonment. Even though his hands molded her body to his, she tried to get closer. If it were possible, she’d crawl inside of him.

Mindless, she gave her all, and pushed away any thought she’d lost control of her actions. Matthew was here and that was all that mattered. She’d deal with her lack of inhibition later. Right now she needed his mouth.

His hands caressed her buttocks and lifted her against his arousal. She pressed into his hard heat, communicating not only her willingness, but also her urgency and need.

He broke the kiss and flung his head back against the door. His chest rose and fell with each labored breath. Not wanting him to stop, she pressed her lips to his neck and opened her mouth giving him a sinfully wet kiss. She licked, sucked and gently nipped. His heavenly scent made her dizzy.

“Carrie.” Matthew covered the back of her head with one hand. “Slow down. Just a bit.”

“I don’t want slow.” Her hand slid down his chest to his waist and lower.

Matthew caught her fingers and laced them with his. She looked up, not believing he stopped her. His gaze fierce, he searched her eyes, then bent down to place a soft kiss on her throat. “Your pulse is beating rapidly.” Then he cupped the back of her head and pressed her cheek against his chest.

“Your heart is thundering in my ear,” she whispered.

Matthew buried his face in her hair. “I want you,” he groaned.

Carrie gave a slight chuckle. “No kidding.”

“It was not my intention to take you at your front door.”

“In case you didn’t notice, you had my full cooperation.”

The chuckle that escaped his lips vibrated against her skin. A jolt of need flashed in her belly and her mind went spinning. “My God, Matthew. I nearly attacked you.”

His hold tightened as he growled, “I’ve missed you.” He leaned back. Placing a finger under her chin, his gaze penetrated. “I want you to want me as much as I need you, Carrie. Not merely caught up in the moment.”

She lifted her hands and clasped each side of his face. “Matthew. I could spend hours kissing you. But, if you don’t make love to me this instant . . . I can’t wait any longer.”

He swiftly bent down, put one arm under her thighs, and lifted her against his chest. Her fingertips delved into the hair at his nape as he strode down the hall. Once in the bedroom, he lowered her feet to the floor and groaned as she slid down the length of him.

As his hands tangled in her hair, she closed her eyes and kissed him with all the longing she’d built during his absence. He molded her against him and caressed her back with sensuous strokes mesmerizing her senses, making it hard for her to breathe. When his fingers unfastened the clasp of her bra, she shivered and clutched him closer. Her instincts drove her movements. She wrapped one leg around his and gripped his thigh.

She gasped when he pulled away, her arms clinging, refusing to let go.

“My God, Carrie. I need you out of these clothes.”

In one swift move, she yanked the hem of her shirt and jerked it over her head. The bra, already slipping, came quickly after. Matthew leaned back a little to admire her. His searing gaze scorched her skin. After a long intense moment, his head lowered. She caught her breath as he leisurely suckled one peak and kneaded the firm flesh of the other. His tongue swirled and danced around her nipple then blazed a path across her heated flesh to wreak the same havoc on the other.

“Make love to me, Matthew.” His teeth grazed over the sensitive peak making her swallow a cry of pure delight.

He pulled at her jeans and gulped. “No panties? You’re going to be the death of me.” He quickly lifted her and deftly lowered her to the bed.

He yanked at his clothes. Her eyes seized his firm arousal.

“I want you,” his voice ragged. His fingers teased their way, spreading her legs, and he unhurriedly climbed over her.

Gliding over sensitive skin, little by little, his hands inched higher, lingering on the inside of her thighs. She willed him to continue their path, aching for him to touch the core of her passion. His heated stare on her center sent her pulses leaping in frantic anticipation. He licked his lips and his fingers found her. She jerked and gasped his name.

“Tell me what you want,” Matthew whispered.

“Take me, Matthew. Take me.”

“Oh, I will,” he mumbled just before his lips blew a kiss over her curls. His breath was warm against her and then he parted her with his tongue and took her fully into his mouth. A passionate shudder went through her body and her legs opened wider, and closed of their own volition. Driven, she tangled her fingers in his hair and held his head prisoner. She barely noticed his hands sliding under her knees. Rousingly he lifted her legs over his shoulders, grabbed her buttocks and feasted.

Carrie’s mind went black. She writhed and gave herself over to his ministration, her hips gyrating out of control. She whimpered as the storm rose inside her—sweeping her in a whirling tornado—whisking her into mindless abandon. She cried out as an explosion flooded her senses. Her heart thundered and her blood pulsed. Lost in total bliss, nothing existed but this earth-shattering moment.

When the world righted itself, Carrie slowly opened her eyes. Pure raw need glared back at her.

“I like watching you. God, you’re beautiful.” With a throaty exclamation of desire, Matthew swept down and captured her mouth in a sweltering kiss.

His hands roamed her body, stirring nerves to unbelievable peaks everywhere he touched. Carrie ground her head back and tangled her fingers in silky, black hair. His fingers increased their pressure as his hands roamed over her body. Moving one hand over her mound, he stroked her curls. She gripped his flank feeling the tension in his straining muscles. He shifted at the junction of her thighs, urging her to open.

His hardness pressed against her. She reached for him, guiding the head to where she wanted it.

“God, how you make me want you.” His gruff voice sent shivers of longing from her core down to the tips of her toes. His wet lips on her neck, one hand kneading her breast, the other caressing the inside of her thigh. Her blood flamed like fire. She needed him inside her. Now.

With one swift stroke he entered her. She tried sucking air into her lungs, then ceased to breathe when Matthew eased back and swiftly pushed in again. The veins in his temples stood out and his eyes smoldered as if he struggled for control. A thrill of satisfaction blossomed within, knowing she held the power to drive this man over the edge.

He moved slowly at first.

“Deeper,” she growled. She tilted her pelvis to meet him and the pace quickened.

Unleashed passion, he delved so deeply she accepted it—and him. He flung her barriers to the wind and crumbled the protective wall she used to shield her soul. No impediments between them, they became one.

Straining, reaching, the furor flung them together again and again and . . . Carrie howled her release. A breath later Matthew tensed above her and a horse cry tore from his throat. His body jerked and stilled.

For a long time, they lay there exhausted, legs entwined, breathing heavy, sated, bursting with pleasure, and in utter harmony. She would not think how exposed or vulnerable she’d made herself.

Not now.

Not tonight.

When their breathing returned to somewhat normal, he leaned on one elbow. Carrie tightened her arms. “No! Don’t move.”

“I’m too heavy for you.”

“I don’t care. Stay,” she pleaded.

Matthew kissed her ear, lifted and rolled over. She gasped at the emptiness she felt when he pulled out of her.

“Come here.” Matthew stroked her hair while waiting for their breathing to calm.

She nestled against him. This felt so right. So perfect.

A niggling voice in the back of her mind tried to interfere.

Nothing is perfect
.

But she couldn’t help enjoying the most wonderful feeling she’d ever had in her life. Matthew had given her this moment. He awakened feelings inside of her she’d never dreamed about. Feelings she never thought existed. Not in her, at least.

“Turn over. I want to hold you this way.” One hand pressed on her stomach drawing her into the cocoon of his arms, spoon fashion, against his loins.

Wiggling her fanny, she burrowed against him, thrilling at the matt of fur cushioning her back. “Mmmmm.” His hand slid up her rib cage to caress her breast while his lips nuzzled her neck just below her ear. The arm across her breast squeezed and pressed her into his frame. “Matthew,” she purred.

“You like that?”

“You know I do.”

“Your body tempts me beyond all reason.” One hand massaged her belly while the other stroked her arms and back. “See how my hands wander with a will of their own.”

“I’m not complaining. As you can see, I can’t keep from touching you.” She drew circles over the short hair on his forearms. “My fingers won’t stay still. And I love playing with your chest hair. It’s so soft and I love rubbing my cheek against you.” As if to prove her words, she turned and nuzzled his torso. “I have to touch you, Matthew. I love having my arms around you.”

“And I love having you in my arms. Let your fingers roam where they will and touch me as much as you want. I enjoy it.”

So did she. It scared her how much. He’d touched something deep inside her. “Do I sound foolish?” At this moment she didn’t care. She simply needed to hold him.

“Not to me.”

Cuddled against him, his hand stroked her back giving her a sense of peace and a contentment she’d never known. She could get used to this. Except this intense burning, this feeling that she needed Matthew, the idea that his presence in her life was essential to make her whole. Those thoughts set off warning signals. Signals she rebuffed. She would not listen or acknowledge their presence.

I won’t let you go.

Matthew’s hold tightened. “Hey,” he crooned. “I’m not going anywhere.”

Things were worse than she thought if she’d spoken her thoughts aloud.

Chapter 20

“What the hell? Someone landed on your doorbell.” Matthew shoved a lock of hair from his face.

“Must be Ginger,” Carrie stretched. “If she knew you were here, she’d avoid me like the plague.”

“Clue her in as soon as you answer the door.” Matthew gave Carrie a hard kiss. The ringing continued. “Damn. I’m going to unplug that thing.”

Carrie laughed and flung back the covers. She grabbed her wrap and threw it on. “All right! I’m coming.” When she opened the door, Ginger fell in.

“Oh my God! Ginger!”

“What’s wrong?” Matthew hurried to her side.

“She’s bleeding. Ginger!”

Matthew knelt down. “Good Lord.”

“Call 911. Hurry.” Carrie quickly looked Ginger over from head to toe. Only her face and hands were bloody. She didn’t appear to be bleeding from any other wound.

Matthew grabbed his cell phone.

“No!” Ginger’s voice was a little more than a croak. Her firm
no
stopped him cold.

“Ginger . . .” Carrie carefully lifted her friend’s hand.

“I said no.” Ginger squeezed her fingers.

Matthew came nearer. “I think you need a doctor.”

“My God, Ginger. What happened?” Carrie bordered on hysterics.

“I can hear you. Stop yelling. I hurt.” Ginger lay on the floor with one arm across her ribs.

“I need to call for assistance,” Matthew tried again.

“No.” The word a mangled slur.

“Dammit, Ginger. What happened?” She looked like she’d had a run in with a dump truck and the truck won. Her right eye was swollen shut and the left one didn’t look much better. Blood splattered her nose and more trickled from her split lip.

“A John.” Ginger cringed as she tried to speak.

“What the hell do you mean, a John?” Carrie knew better.

Ginger went limp.

“She’s passed out. Matthew!”

“I’m here.” He felt her pulse. “She’s breathing. Let me get her off the floor.”

“This way.” Carrie led him to another bedroom. After she pulled the covers back, he gently placed Ginger on the bed.

Carrie swallowed her anxiety. “Call 911.”

“Let’s give her a chance to wake up and tell us what happened.” Matthew gently pushed on Ginger’s stomach.

“What are you doing?”

“I’ve had some medic training. I’m checking for cracked ribs or broken bones. If she’s not too serious I think we should wait for an explanation. We don’t want to react without knowing what we’re getting into.”

“Getting into?” Her voice turned angry. “You don’t have to deal with this . . .”

Matthew stood and grasped her shoulders. “Carrie. If she’s in trouble, we need to protect her.”

“You’re thinking of Ginger?”

“Of course, I’m thinking of Ginger. Some jerk is out there. He could have followed her. He could be waiting for another chance at her. Let’s hear what she has to say. She’s safe where she is.”

He moved back and Carrie sat on the bed. Seeing the swelling around her friend’s eye, she asked, “Are you sure, she’s okay?”

“As well as can be expected considering she got the hell beat out of her.”

“Why,” Carrie mumbled.

“Whatever it was, no woman deserves this.”

She heard the anger in his voice. When she glanced up, Matthew’s jaw was tight and his dark scowl would make any aggressor back down.

“Did she mean what it sounded like? A John?” he asked.

“That’s exactly what she said. She meant it as a joke and it’s not funny. She’d never do it. Every time she and Jake have a fight, she does something stupid, like pick up the first guy she can find. Evidently she picked the wrong one.”

“I’m going to take a look outside.”

Carrie jumped from the bed. “No. You can’t.”

Concern replaced the anger in his eyes. Once again, he reached out, placing his hand on her upper arms, sliding them up and down, giving comfort. “I’ll be all right. Trust me.”

“Be careful.”

When Matthew left, Carrie went to the bathroom to get a washcloth. Hopefully she could clean Ginger up a bit and not hurt her. The puffiness already hinted at blue and purple.

“Carrie?” Ginger’s voice drew her.

“I’m right here.” Carrie settled on the bed hoping the motion would not make the pain worse.

“I feally bid it dis dime.”

“Rest now. It’s hard to understand you with your lips three times their size.” She laid the cloth carefully on Ginger’s forehead.

“Bad, huh?”

Staring at swollen lips and bruises forming around puffy eyes, she answered, “Pretty bad. You won’t win any beauty contests.”

“Don’t ‘ake me lauf. It’s hurts.”

She clutched the wet rag in her hands. “Ginger, what the hell were you thinking?”

“Don’t be my mobher.”

“You need to go to a hospital,” Carrie pleaded.

“No.”

“Why not?”

“My bault.”

Carrie couldn’t believe her hearing. “You think you deserved this? I don’t give a flip what you did. You didn’t deserve to be a punching bag. My God, Ginger. He worked you over.”

“I know,” she moaned. “I was bhere.”

“Funny. Why did he attack you? Was it more than one man?”

“Leave it be, Carrie,” Ginger whispered.

Like hell
.

“What’s wrong with you? What happened to the spitfire?”

“I’m back inside,” Matthew called from the hallway. “No one out there. I’ll make some coffee.”

“Too bad I can’t bully see what your ban looks like.” Ginger’s garbled speech made Carrie think of rubber lips juddering together.

“My man . . . I’ll get some ice.” Carrie laid the cloth beside the lamp and headed for the kitchen.

She found Matthew leaning against the counter with his arms crossed over his chest.

“You okay?” he asked, studying her.

“Yeah.” She sighed. “Good Lord, she’s a mess.” Carrie pushed a stray curl behind her ear. “I don’t know what to do with her. She needs to see a doctor.”

Matthew opened his arms. Carrie went to him and snuggled in his embrace, letting his warmth seep into her soul.

“Did she tell you who did this?”

“She thinks she deserved it.” Carrie shook her head. “I’ve never seen her like this. Ginger is a kick-ass girl. Her fight and spunk is gone.”

“She’s in shock. Give her time.”

He held her like she was the most precious thing in the world. A possessive, potent caress. Being in his arms made everything better. A man to lean on, to depend on.

Whoa. What was she thinking?

It took everything she had in her to push away. “I need to get some ice for her face.”

“I’m here for you. What do you need me to do?”

For a long moment Carrie stared into the most hypnotic blue eyes she’d ever seen. “You’re doing it.”

She gathered some ice and hurried back to the bedroom where she found Ginger crying.

“Hey. It’ll be all right,” Carrie said as she sat next to Ginger.

“Carrie, I really bucked up.”

“Ginger, you’re safe here.” She placed the ice on the corner of Ginger’s eye. “I’m here. Matthew’s here.”

“Jake. Jake. I bushed him boo far.” Tears ran down her face.

Carrie froze.
Jake?
She squeezed the cloth so hard her knuckles turned white. “Did Jake do this to you?”

Ginger cried harder.

The doorbell rang.

When Carrie came down the hall to see who arrived, Matthew had already opened the door. Her over six-foot hunk protector looked ready to take on all comers.

“Where is she?” A voice demanded.

“Hold on there, buddy,” Matthew growled. “Who are you?” He blocked the doorway and by his threatening tone, he had no intention of moving.

“Jake.” Carrie spoke behind him.

A furious Jake looked over Matthew’s shoulder. “Where is she?”

Carrie saw the bloody knuckles on his fisted hands. She didn’t want to believe it. Her instincts sharpened while a protective fury took hold. “What did you do to her? What the hell is wrong with you?”

Jake stiffened and his eyes mirrored his resentment. “You think it was me? I just left the bastard who dared to strike her. He won’t be doing it again. Or much of anything else. Where is she?”

Carrie understood the raw pain in Jake’s eyes. Touching Matthew’s shoulder, she said, “Let him in, Matthew.”

After a quick glance at her, he stepped back. Jake wasted no time.

“Third door on the left,” she called after him.

His eyes focused on his destination, Jake marched down the hall.

“Who’s that?” Matthew frowned as he stared at Jake’s back.

“Her boyfriend, when she’s not acting like an ass. They’re on, they’re off. Jake loves her.”

Matthew shook his head. “I’d hate to see the other guy.” He turned his gaze on her. “You think she’ll be okay, then?”

“Jake won’t hurt her.”

Matthew closed the door. “Come here.” He pulled Carrie into his arms and held her. When she trembled, he scooped her up and carried her to the couch. With her head on his shoulders, he sat and settled her on his lap.

She couldn’t resist reaching up to rub the back of his neck and twirl his hair around her fingers. His stroking hands on her back soothed her frayed nerves. Sitting on his lap this way made her feel connected to him in a way she had never felt, or knew she could feel.

Time wafted. She heard voices and realized she’d been so relaxed she must have drifted off. She scrambled from Matthew’s lap as Jake and Ginger approached the living room.

“I’m taking Ginger to the hospital.” Jake spoke with one arm around Ginger and the other holding her hand.

“Thank God,” Carrie breathed. Ginger’s eyes were red from crying and she looked like a swollen lost waif. “I’ll come with you.”

“I bant Jake to bake me.” Ginger could barely get the words out of her swollen mouth.

Carrie hesitated. It seemed they finally had a
heart to heart,
and they needed each other. “I’ll be here if you need me.”

“So will I,” Matthew added.

She twisted at Matthew’s voice and found him standing beside her. Emotion choked her at his thoughtful gesture. He had not bailed on her. Nor did he demand explanations. He simply asked if he could help.

What do you need me to do?

He stayed with her while she took care of Ginger. Now he offered to be here for them both. The wall around her heart tumbled, from his caring and loving nature.