Wanted Distraction (6 page)

“You are so good at that,” I murmured. “I’m so glad I waited for this. So glad I get to experience this with you.” The first and only time, I thought. Because I was certain I could never let another man do this to me. I knew it wouldn’t be the same, wouldn’t be as special or as hot.

My hips lifted and I pressed myself against his mouth as he suckled my clit while easing two fingers into my throbbing pussy. He worked me quickly, expertly, knowing the exact amount of pressure to apply, knowing just the right spots to hit. I closed my eyes and gripped his shoulders, holding on for dear life as he pushed me to the precipice once again and I experienced that beautiful release that made me cry out his name.

Little white orbs burst behind my lids and I lost my breath as wave after wave of erotic sensation crashed over me. Carter didn’t stop what he was doing, which prolonged my orgasm and made my body shudder.

It took me a while to come down from my high. I suddenly realized I was practically clawing at him, my fingernails biting into his shoulders. I released him and said, “Sorry about that. I didn’t hurt your shoulder, did I?”

He was languidly kissing the inside of one of my thighs. “Didn’t even notice.” He lifted his head and grinned at me. “I love making you come.”

“You are very good at it.” My cheeks flushed. I could lie here forever with him between my legs. But the insistent throbbing in my cunt made me say, “I want to feel you inside me.”

“I was hoping to get you all worked up,” he mumbled as he nipped at my skin, jolting me to the core of my being with the sexy sensation.

“I have been. For you. Since senior year.” My voice was breathy, riding little pants of air.

“Mm,” he murmured against my quivering flesh. His lips trailed over my body as he made his way up to my mouth and kissed me. I could taste my juices on his tongue and it was a ridiculously arousing thing, given the intimate act he’d repeatedly performed. So skillfully, I might add.

When I finally dragged my mouth from his, I whispered, “I am hot and wet and in desperate need of you. Make love to me.”

“I don’t think I can hold out a second longer,” he admitted as he reached for one of the foil packets on the nightstand.

I, in turn, gave him another little push that caused him to sprawl across the bed on his back.

With a chuckle, he said, “I didn’t realize you were so dominant.”

“Me either, but you bring out all kinds of animalistic instincts in me.”

“Well, I’m certainly not complaining.”

I took the condom from him and dropped it on the mattress, next to his hip. I sat back and admired him for a moment, taking in every tanned and toned inch of him.

“Excuse the drool,” I said with a sigh of appreciation.

“You keep looking at me like that, and I’m not going to have much use for that condom.”

I smiled. “Staring at you as if you were The Last Supper?”

“Yeah,” he said on a low growl. He reached for me and pulled me down on top of him, giving me a slow, sensuous kiss before he added, “Like you want to devour me.”

“I do.” Wriggling out of his loose embrace, I knelt alongside him and carefully worked his sexy briefs down his thighs, then tossed them toward the dresser. They fell short, landing on the floor.

My gaze returned to Carter and my breath caught. His thick cock was positively mouthwatering, fully erect and thinly veined. A powerful muscle covered with smooth-looking skin.

“Wow,” was the uncouth word that slipped from my parted lips.

He gave me an amused look. “Thanks.”

“With all the blood it would take to make you hard, it’s a wonder you can even think straight.”

“I am feeling a little lightheaded,” he quipped.

“Ha, ha.” I couldn’t take my eyes off him.

“Think I can satisfy you?”

I could barely breathe. “And then some.”

He chuckled.

I still couldn’t get over how magnificent he was. “I’m just saying…” I choked out. “You are
exactly
what I need. Exactly what I’ve fantasized about.”

“Then come back here,” he said in a tight voice, as though my appreciation of his assets aroused him.

“Not yet.” I couldn’t resist tasting him. I wanted to feel his skin against my tongue, feel his hard cock in my mouth.

I bent my head, but he gripped my upper arm to stop me. “Whoa, Cherish. I’m already really close, sweetheart.”

Giving him a playful pout, I said, “I’m not going to have this opportunity again, Carter. Indulge me.”

“Indulge
you
?” He grunted sexily. “Christ, just thinking about you going down on me is enough to make me come.”

“You’ll just have to employ a bit of restraint and control, then.”

I didn’t give him another chance to protest. My fingers wrapped around his base and I licked my lips before slowly sliding them up one side of his cock. Reaching the head, I ran my tongue along the underside and then flicked it over his tip.

His body jerked and he sucked in a sharp breath. “Careful there, sweetheart.”

Of course I didn’t want to end our fun as it was just getting started, but I couldn’t resist taking him deep in my mouth, stretching my lips around his girth. He tasted faintly of soap and male heat, and his skin was so soft, it felt almost silky against my tongue. He’d been right. I did want to devour him.

As my head bobbed up and down, his body tensed. He gathered up my long hair and lifted the strands from my shoulders and away from my face. My eyes were closed as I concentrated on pleasuring him, so I had no idea what expression he wore. But his heavy breathing was a good indication he liked what I was doing to him.

“Cherish.” He whispered my name on a ragged breath that spurred me on. “God, I’ve never wanted anyone more than you.”

My heart twisted at his words, but I didn’t let up. With my free hand, I gently rolled his balls, causing his hips to buck. I sucked him hard and he released my hair and instead clasped my biceps.

“No more,” he said in a gruff voice. “I don’t want to come in your mouth, Cherish. I want to come inside you.”

Oh how I wanted that too.

I released him and glanced up, finding his dark expression still in place, with that now-familiar torment stamped across his devastatingly handsome face. His jaw was set and his body was rigid.

Hot flashes deep within me caused beads of perspiration to pop up along my hairline. The man made me absurdly aroused. And so very wet. My swollen folds slid against each other as I shifted on the bed and reached for the condom. Carter let out a low hiss as I rolled the latex down his thick shaft. Our gazes locked as I straddled him and settled above his cock, the tip nudging my opening.

He gripped my hips. “Slow,” he ground out, the look in his eyes intense and raw.

I shook my head as need and desire—and, yes, love—seized my very soul. “I’m ready for you, Carter. You have no idea how ready I am.”

I’d only waited ten years for this moment. And from the time I’d read the article on him in the
Republic
—which had boasted a fantastic photo of him—I’d longed for this intimate connection with him. Having pined for years and yearned desperately, there was no way I could hold back.

My hips pressed down and I took him deep in my body in one fell swoop.

He groaned sharply and said, “God, Cherish,” at the same time I moaned and cried out, “Carter!”

I fell forward, my palms flattening against his wide chest as the breath rushed from my lungs. His cock filled me completely, stretching me. His hands were suddenly on my upper arms again as he held me steady.

With an agonized voice, he asked, “Did I hurt you?”

A strangled sound eeked out of me. “Are you kidding me? Jesus, Carter…” Words couldn’t describe how incredible he felt inside me. How thick and hard and yet…so sensuous. My hips instantly started to rock, involuntarily. Pure primal instinct took over.

Unfortunately, this alarmed my lover. He said, “Stop, Cherish. Just give yourself a minute to—”

“To what?” I asked on a heavy breath. “Adjust to you? Please, Carter. You
are
huge inside me and it feels fantastic. Like nothing I’ve ever known.”

I couldn’t slow the rhythm my body set. I rocked against him quickly, some sort of metaphysical or primitive or just downright desirous intuition guiding me. I had no control over it. I didn’t want to have control over it. Having Carter buried deep in my cunt was the most beautiful, erotic, glorious experience of my life.

He was still being too careful with me, though. His muscles bunched beneath my hands, and his grip on my biceps was of the “Hey, take it easy” variety.

I didn’t want to take it easy. Or slow. I loved being completely consumed by lust and love and passion. It was the most liberating and exciting feeling in the world. To toss aside all the reservations and the downside of our situation and let the eroticism and perfection of the moment swallow me whole was positively mind-blowing. And highly addictive.

“Cherish.” He said my name as though leading into a protest. But then he added, “God, you feel so good.”

It seemed as though, at that very second, he gave into the physical and emotional pull too. His hips lifted as he thrust up into me, making my body jolt. Moans of sheer pleasure rushed from my mouth, on short pants of air.

“I want you so much, Carter.” I couldn’t hold back the wave of emotion that crested over me. “I’ve never wanted anyone this much either. I never will. Nothing feels better than you inside me.”

His death grip on my arms finally loosened and he palmed my breasts, caressing them before he teased the nipples even tighter.

“I love your hands on my body,” I told him as I stared deep into his eyes.

The clenching of his jaw told me he both liked and loathed my admission. I knew the feeling all too well at this point. It was easy to recognize. We were screwing, yet were screwed at that same time. Because this was heaven and we’d only experience it once.

But I wouldn’t allow myself to listen to the ticking clock.

One of his hands moved down to the apex of my legs and his thumb vigorously rubbed my clit as he said in a terse tone, “Come for me. Now.”

I’d already been skyrocketing toward another powerful release. His words and the lightning fast rubbing of my clit had every fiery sensation inside me colliding and exploding a breath later.

“Carter! Oh God!” I came harder than ever before, my body shaking and my inner walls constricting around his cock.

Carter let out another low growl, then said, “Squeeze me tight, sweetheart. Oh yeah. Just like that.”

He thrust up into me and then I felt him convulse as his cock surged and pulsed inside me. His climax kept me coming.

“Holy shit,” I said, my heart hammering out a wild beat. My shaky arms gave out and I collapsed on top of him. He held me in a strong embrace as I fought for normal breathing.

My cheek pressed to his hard chest and my eyes closed. I wondered if my pulse would ever slow or if the tingling of my skin and the throbbing in my cunt would ever subside, because they lingered so much longer than I’d expected.

Carter’s hand smoothed over my hair and then down my back as he gently stroked my spine. Against my temple, he whispered, “We just made our lives hell, didn’t we?”

Chapter Three

I knew what he meant. And I knew he was right. I’d made the call the second I’d stepped into his bedroom, after all.

I stared up at him. “I’m never going to regret this. It was too perfect, Carter. Too sensational. Too…meant to be.”

His eyes closed for a moment, then snapped open. “I don’t regret it either, sweetheart. Except that it complicates things even further.”

I shook my head. “No. You laid your cards on the table. You were honest and forthcoming. I accept your need to focus solely on our career. I’m not going to renege on this deal by begging you to give us a shot outside of this bedroom. As much as I want to, I can’t do that to you. I respect everything you said and the effort you’re making with the Rattlers. I’m committed to being supportive, not detrimental.”

My little speech made emotion well within me again, but I fought it. I wouldn’t cry in front of him ever again. I wouldn’t beg and plead. I’d willingly come up with this one-night-stand pact, and I would stick to it. I refused to force more upon him when he’d been so open about where he stood.

Even if it did appear he’d changed his mind.

Climbing off the hunky man of my dreams, I scooted off the bed and collected my dress, lingerie and shoes.

He sat up and swung his legs over the side of the mattress. “Hey,” he said. “What are you doing?”

“The right thing,” I said as I ducked into his bathroom. Though it took all the willpower I possessed, I not only tamped down my tears, I quickly freshened up and slipped into my clothes and peek-a-boos. He was heading into the bathroom as I was coming out and I jumped back, miraculously not stumbling.

With his arms folded over his expansive chest, he demanded, “Where are you going?”

“Home,” I said, though that one little word made my stomach plummet to my knees.

“What happened to the ‘one night’ part of our one-night stand?”

“It’s a figurative term, Carter.”

He shook his head. “No. I want you to stay.”

“Why?” I asked. “You said it yourself. We’ve just made our lives hell.”

“That doesn’t mean I want you to run off.”

“I’m not running off,” I insisted. “I just realized—as did you—prolonging the inevitable will only hurt us more in the end.”

The tension in his shoulders lessened and he uncrossed his arms, instead clasping my waist in his large hands. “Cherish, I don’t want you to go. Stay the night, please.”

“What would be the point?” I asked, though it killed me to think of leaving his hotel room. Ever.

“We have an arrangement. We both agreed. And I don’t want to end our evening together. Especially not like this.”

“It’s going to end badly, Carter, no matter what. It’s a fool’s deal. A bargain you’d make with the devil. It can’t be rescinded now, but it can’t progress either.”

Anger flashed in his eyes. “I can change my mind. I am allowed.”

“No, you can’t,” I insisted. “As much as I want you to—as much as I want you to tell me kissing me and touching me and making love with me has convinced you we should try to be together—I can’t follow through with that. Not after what you told me earlier.”

I pushed past him and stalked into the dining room to retrieve my things. Tears burned my eyes and it was a bitch keeping them at bay. My bottom lip quivered, but I wouldn’t cave. When Carter had made his dismal announcement about the complication we’d created by making love, I’d suddenly realized how grave the situation was.

He was right behind me, saying, “Cherish, I’ve always wanted you. It’s
always
been you.”

Turning back to him, I said, “And for me, it’s always been you. And, yes, I wished in the back of my head that you would make love to me and suddenly decide you wanted to give us a try.” The admission choked me up, but I continued. “However, consider this. If your season tanks, for any reason, or your surgery or rehab don’t work, you’ll resent me for breaking your concentration and I’ll never forgive myself for disrupting your life and your career. I can’t live with any of that, Carter. It’d be even worse than living without you, because I can at least walk out this door tonight and know you still want me.”

He scrubbed a hand down his face as agitation and frustration flashed in his eyes. Finally he said, “At the very least, we should sit and talk this through.”

“I really can’t take that either. I’m sorry.” I whirled around and yanked the door open, slipping out quickly. He couldn’t follow me, given his state of undress. I rushed down the walkway and to the valet, not making eye contact as I handed over my ticket.

I impatiently tapped my toe on the cobblestones as I waited for my car. When it arrived, I slid into the driver’s seat, tipped the valet and sped off, needing some distance between myself and the most incredible night of my life.

I also needed the privacy of my bedroom, where I cried myself to sleep.

* * * * *

“You look horrible,” Taylor said as I shuffled in the next morning.

Dropping my bag on my desk, I said, “Thanks. That’s what a girl likes to hear.”

Pushing herself out of her chair, my friend sauntered over and propped a hip against the corner of my desk. “Please tell me I was wrong about the quarterback. He didn’t make a move on you, did he?”

I cringed. I’d been humiliated enough the previous evening. It sucked that the mortification had to continue. “No, he didn’t make a move.
I
did.”

“Whoa, Cherish,” she said, clearly taken aback. “What happened?”

There was no point in beating around the bush. Taylor had a way of dragging things out of people. And she was my best friend, after all.

Slumping into my chair, I spilled, since there was no one currently around to listen in on our conversation. “I am hopelessly and disastrously in love with Carter.” Tears sprang to my eyes and I absently swiped at them as I told her, “He is everything I’ve ever wanted and so much more. And apparently, the feeling’s mutual.”

This brought on a serious bout of waterworks. I folded my arms over my leather blotter and dropped my forehead to the backs of my stacked hands as body-racking sobs ensued.

Taylor reached over and placed a hand on the back of my head, smoothing my hair the way Carter had the night before.

“Oh, Cherish,” she said on a sigh. “I have no idea what’s going on, but come on. Honey, it can’t be all that bad if you’re both crazy about each other.”

“Yes, it can,” I wailed, the words barely enunciated.

She moved around the desk and knelt beside me as she rubbed my back. “Okay, let it all out and then tell me what’s going on.”

I lifted my head and wiped my face with my hands. I hadn’t bothered with much makeup this morning, because I’d suspected I’d be in misery all day.

Droplets continued to roll down my flushed cheeks as I said, “He wants his sole attention on his career. He told me that up front. And then I came on to him and propositioned him with a brief affair, and Oh my God… We were spectacular together. So much so…he changed his mind.”

Taylor stared at me as though I’d grown a third eye. “But, isn’t that what you’d want?”

“Yes, of course,” I said. Then quickly added, “But no.”

Her eyes narrowed. “I’m trying to keep up here. I’m just really confused.”

“Yeah, so am I.” I dropped my forehead to my hands again. Rolling my head back and forth, I mumbled, “He has a really good reason for wanting no distractions. And I’m a huge one, according to him. If I cause him to get off track, he’ll hate me for it. I’ll hate myself. I can’t do that to him. To
us
.”

Taylor stood. I straightened and settled in my chair as she sank into the one in front of my desk. “Yet you really like each other.”

“I’m in love with him,” I told her while reaching for a tissue from the box sitting on the corner. “No doubt about it. And he definitely feels things for me. I just have the shittiest timing in the world and I adamantly refuse to cause him any problems with his career.”And then I suddenly thought of mine. “Oh crap.” I groaned.

Taylor’s brow jerked up. “What?”

“I still have to interview him.” I pressed my fingertips to my temples as a throbbing headache built. Giving her an imploring look, I asked, “Would you consider taking the story back?”

“No.” Her tone was decisive. “I’ve immersed myself in baseball, damn it. I am not going to let that be a wasted effort. Besides, you need to work out whatever this is with your loverboy.” She stood and added, “Cherish Westerly, I’ve never seen you back down from a story, and you’re not going to do it now. Nor are you going to ruin what sounds to be a match made in heaven. Shit!”

She threw her arms up in the air and stalked off. I jumped up and followed her.

“What is your problem?” I demanded. “Why are you so pissed at me?”

Whirling back around, I saw something in Taylor Whitney’s vibrant blue eyes I’d never seen before. Pain and lonesomeness. It was excruciating to witness.

She said, “Ever since we started these sports articles, I’ve watched Claire fall in love with The Perfect Millionaire, Giselle run off with Mr.-Mechanic-Turned-Championship-Trophy-Truck-Driver, and you fall for The Hometown Hero. Meanwhile, I’m just drifting along, with no Mr. Right in sight.”

Tears pooled in her eyes and I suddenly felt two-feet tall for having unloaded all of my drama on her.

“Taylor,” I said as I put my arms around her. She wasn’t the touchy-feely type, but she let me hold her. “I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t be,” she sniffled. “Just don’t be stupid. Recognize what you have and go after it, Cherish. At least you have a shred of hope. I have…
nothing
.”

This choked me up even more. “You don’t have nothing. You have me.”

Her embrace tightened. “I know.” A few seconds more and she pulled away. “I’m being melodramatic. Damn PMS.”

With that, she turned away and walked back over to her desk. It was the most emotion I’d ever seen her expend. I was a little concerned, but I knew Taylor well enough to let it lie. She only talked about her feelings when
she
wanted to.

Returning to her chair, she gave me one last word of advice. “Don’t give up so easily, Cherish. You’ll regret it.” Her gaze fell on her keyboard and she went back to her work. I was smart enough not to pursue her outburst.

Several hours later, a courier arrived with an envelope for me. It was Royal Palms’ stationary, rather than Rattlers’, but I knew what was inside. Lifting the flap I found two tickets to Saturday’s game. And a note.

I stared at the folded piece of paper, terrified to open it and read whatever it was Carter felt compelled to say to me.

I was already dying on the inside. Last night, I’d held in my arms the dream of a lifetime. It had come to fruition and had been everything I’d hoped for and more. Yet being infatuated with Carter and actually being in love with him were two very different animals. The latter meant I would never do anything to create strife in his life.

I’d never been in love with anyone else, true, but I did know this was sacred and special and significant. A gift to be treasured, not abused. And if I jacked his program because of what
I
wanted, that would definitely be abusing everything that existed between us.

Naturally, I wasn’t the least bit thrilled to take the high road. But it seemed crucial in this situation. So I put the letter and the tickets back in their envelope.

As I slipped the packet into my purse, I asked Taylor, “Will you go with me to the Rattlers’ game on Saturday? I need to interview Carter afterward.”

“Strength in numbers?”

I nodded.

“Of course I’ll go. But you’re going to the Diamondbacks’ game with me on Sunday.”

“Deal. I’ll teach you about stats.”

“Huge relief. Thanks.”

My dad and two brothers had played years of baseball, so I knew quite a bit about the sport. For that very reason, I’d volunteered to take it on as a story when we’d brainstormed features. Too bad I’d let my heart and my libido convince me to sway Taylor to swap assignments.

But what was done was done. And as far as Carter and I were concerned, I had to take a step back from it and let it simmer. He had a game to win and I had work to focus on as well. Following the arena football story, I’d need to get right on another feature. Since I didn’t have any ideas in the hopper, I decided to get out and about, see what was happening around Scottsdale in hopes of gaining some inspiration. And motivation. I needed my mind off Carter and his scorching-hot kisses and hunky body.

It was a beautiful day, not too hot for this time of year, so I put the top down on my car and drove around the city, thinking it was too late to write about the Arabian Horse Show that had been in town a couple months ago, and the PGA tournament had come and gone as well. There were no culinary or wine festivals in the coming weeks, nor were there any ritzy car auctions taking place. The most noteworthy thing happening on the scene was the sudden closing of McCormick and Schmick’s, one of my favorite restaurants. But that wasn’t going to bring in readers, and it was old news anyway.