Guess he liked the lace thong. “I did while I was out shopping yesterday. Someone who shall remain nameless, so as to not gross you out, recommended the store.”

“My dick thanks you for that.” Carter slipped his hand beneath the edge of them, finding her wet. “Always like this for me… so wet and hot.” He thrust two fingers inside of her and curled them, making her hips jerk back. For long minutes, he tortured her like that, keeping her on the edge of release as she begged for him to make her come.

“Why don’t you put your cock where your hand is?”

“That mouth of yours is going to get you in trouble one day, baby.”

“Hope you’re the one that punishes me.”

In one smooth motion, he shoved her panties to one side and thrust deep. “Hell, yes.” Her tight heat sucked him in, muscles clamping down on him so hard that he groaned at the pleasure. Pleasure built as he rocked into her. “Damn, I love fucking you.”

“Carter,” she said on a moan, her hips pushing back.

Relentless, he sought to drive himself deep. So deep that she’d forever be marked by him, that no other man would ever come close to touching what they had. Only that was the problem. He didn’t want her with another man. Some faceless, nameless man who would feel and see her like this, so vulnerable and at his mercy, because she’d allowed it.

Pulling out, he turned her around and lifted her, driving into her once more. He walked forward, until her back hit the door to the kitchen. “Look at me.” Chocolate eyes glazed with desire and passion gazed into his. “Never gonna be this good with anyone else.”

She tightened her thighs around him. “Only you…I only want you inside of me. Forever.”

He wanted that to and it should have scared him shitless. Her words stripped him bare, until only a fierce desire to possess her remained.

“Only me,” he growled.

He took her mouth then, tongue tangling as he sank inside of her. Deeper than he ever thought possible, until she twisted her hips and he slid the smallest of distances. But it was enough to send him into a frenzy.

Caught up in a fever, he fucked her like his life depended on how good she came. Slipping a hand between them, he pinched her clit and she cried out. Her body seized up and her inner walls began to milk him.

Tearing his mouth away, he watched as she went over the edge, calling out his name. “Beautiful,” he murmured, but his enthrallment didn’t last long, because in his next heartbeat he poured himself inside of her.

“Melanie…fuck,” he panted, holding himself completely still inside of her while she throbbed and pulsated around him. She kissed his throat and jaw, her sweet breath fanning over his sensitive skin. He let her legs slide to the floor, then claimed her mouth in a long kiss. Something hot and sweet washed over him as the tips of her fingers touched his face.

He leaned back to get a good look at her. At her flushed face and tousled curls. At the emotion shining clearly in her dark eyes.

And he was done. Forget done. He was worthless. No good for anyone but her.

“Don’t go back to the hotel. Spend the night with me,” he whispered. “I want you with me.” Who was he kidding? He needed her with him. Always.

He loved this woman.

“I want to be with you, too.”

For a moment he considered telling her, but he wasn’t completely confident that she felt the same. Coward that he was, he kept it to himself.

Then again, he could show her how much he loved her.

Sweeping her up in his arms, he carried her to his bedroom, laid her on the bed and stripped off her clothes. “I’m a lucky man, you know that?”

Smiling, she caressed the side of his face and he leaned into her hand. “You sure are.”

Damn, but he loved it when she was confident and sassy, saying whatever she thought. “Where should I start first? So many, many options” He pressed a kiss on her neck, then nibbled a path up to her jaw, his hand memorizing the contours of her body. Where she dipped and curved in hot degrees that he wanted block off for every man that wasn’t him.

She trembled beneath his touch, her sexy body and beautiful face filling with color. Dark pink lips parted, her tongue slipping out to lick at her bottom lip. The hummingbird pendant gleamed against her skin, right where her pulse fluttered out of control.

“Kiss me,” she breathed.

And like every good southern boy should, he followed her orders with a polite “Yes, ma’am.”. However, what he felt like doing to her was beyond polite.

He kissed her until he couldn’t breathe, couldn’t see straight or even want to know his name. Their tongues glided together, slipping and sliding…curling around the other. But it wasn’t enough, not by a long shot.

“More,” she moaned.

“In a little while,” he said between kisses. Only merely kissing the sexy woman lying beneath him was like only wanting to come in second at a qualifying race.

So he worshipped her with his mouth, licking and teasing her nipples until she dug her hands in his hair. Kissing his way down her stomach was no hardship at all and when he parted her, he groaned at the sight of her pink, wet flesh.

He’d planned on this being all about her pleasure. But as he tasted her and his cock grew hard, he couldn’t help but crawl up her body and put her gorgeous legs over his arms.

“I need you, with nothing between us.” Rubbing the head of his dick against her wet heat, he said, “Trust me.”

“Trust me back.” Then she bent her legs and he sank inside. His eyes watered at the pleasure. He watched her breasts bounce as he began to move. Dipping his head, he caught a hard nipple in his mouth and sucked.

She whimpered and moaned, did all those things he loved to hear and feel. Her nails raked down his back and he hissed. Faster and harder he pounded into her, until he had to lower his arms on the bed and pin her to it with his lower body.

Her first orgasm made her entire body flush pink.

He ground down on her. “Again, baby.”

Blonde curls went everywhere as she shook her head. “Can’t…oh God.”

“Yes, you can. Think about me pushing my cock in that tight pussy of yours, stretching and filling you,” he whispered in her ear, then bit down on the lobe.

Her body bowed, almost bucking him off as she screamed. He joined her then, hot walls clenching at him, scalding him. He slumped over her, vaguely aware of her hands coasting down his back.

Rolling off of her, he took her with him and ran his hand down her side. He couldn’t stop touching her. He couldn’t get enough of her. Everything about right now was perfect.

She was perfect and warm and soft in his arms. In his bed.

She’d fit perfect in his life. But he couldn’t just up and say that. No, that would be too easy. Instead he’d think of something better. Something that would show her he was serious. Telling a woman you loved her was serious business after all, and required the ultimate in dating moves.

“Okay in there?” he asked, kissing her drowsy eyes.

“You’ve worn me out,” she said, her voice shaky sounding to her ears. That had been…she still couldn’t think of the right word. Maybe mind-altering or life-changing. Solidifying the fact that she was in love with him. And he’d never return that. Sure, he felt desire for her. Sure, he felt a duty to apologize, because he was a nice guy and that’s what nice guys did when they hurt a woman’s feelings.

But this…the way he’d held her, kissed her, and had looked at her. This was going to kill her and no amount of flowers or jewelry would bring her back to life.

Then he said the thing that shocked and scared her the most. “I think it’s time you took me home to meet Louis. In fact tomorrow would be a great day for it.”

“But you already know my dad,” she protested.

“Not in this capacity,” he disagreed.

“I’m still upset with him, so…I’d rather not.” Besides, Louis wouldn’t be home. He’d be out spending his newfound riches at the nearest casino.

Carter rubbed her shoulder. “I could give you the mon—”

“No.” It was embarrassing enough that he knew Louis had cleaned out her bank account. “Thank you.”

“Fine. Then tomorrow you’re eating Sunday dinner at my parents’ house, but not as Zoe’s best friend.” Okay make meeting her daddy the second most shocking and scary thing ever.

“I’m pretty sure Zoe won’t be mad at me too long for forgiving you,” she teased.

“I’m not joking.” Grasping her chin, he lifted it and looked her right in the eyes. “You’re going as my date and there’s no way you getting out it. Hell, I’ll make sure we sit together at church tomorrow, and I’m holding your hand during the service, too.”

“What about your momma?” she croaked.

“I’m too old to hold her hand.”

“What about my daddy?”

“Pretty sure Louis would punch me in the throat if I tried holding his.”

She let out a weak laugh, then closed her eyes. “That’s not what I meant.”

“Let me worry about that.” He brushed a kiss on her lips. “Night, Melanie.”

“Night, Carter.”

Soon he was snoring softly while she stared at the wall. He’d lost his mind. She’d screwed it right out of him. His momma was going to kill her.

Chapter Fifteen

Melanie couldn’t go to hell for having erotic thoughts in church could she?

Not only had Carter held her hand as they walked in the sanctuary, he’d also put his arm around her as soon as they sat with his family. Presently, he was lazily gliding his fingers back and forth along the back of her neck.

“Can’t wait to get you alone,” he whispered in her ear. “That modest little dress of yours is driving me crazy.”

Leah Ambrose shot daggers at Melanie with her eyes while her thin lips held an even thinner smile. Melanie pointed at Carter. He was the one doing the talking not her. He was the one making her think of last night…and this morning. He had decided to conserve water by showering with her, which had led to her ridding him like a cowgirl on his shower bench.

Only falling asleep right after take-off on the plane ride home had kept them from joining the Mile-High Club.

She blushed and scooted over a little from Carter. He pulled her right back into place.

Melanie swore she heard Leah growl at her.

It was a good thing Leah had strong objections to violence, but that might not stop Carter’s momma from maiming her, or from his ex—who was still in Holland Springs and looking all virginal sitting on the pew wearing white—helping her.

Melanie rolled her eyes and heard Leah gasp. Great. Now Melanie had confirmed what that woman thought of her. She was a pure heathen.

Thankfully, the pastor had everyone close their eyes and bow their heads as he prayed. As soon as he was done, she shot to her feet and tried to high-tail it out of there, but Carter laced his fingers through hers.

“Slow up.” He smiled at her. “I want to enjoy this.”

“Enjoy your momma and April having un-Christian thoughts about me?”

“Melanie, ignore them,” he said, his green eyes gleaming with amusement. “And no, I’m enjoying having the prettiest girl in Holland Springs by my side today.”

Her heart did a little flip, didn’t stick the landing and fell to her toes. But she tried to play it off as they walked outside. “Are you sweet on me, Carter Ambrose?”

“Nah, I’d rather be in you.” He winked.

“We’re at church,” Melanie gasped, looking around to see if anyone overheard.

Tilting his head to one side, he shook his head. “We’re in the parking lot.” Opening her door, he helped her inside and shut the door behind her.

“And since someone made us late, we’re in overflow parking,” he added as he got in and started up the car. “So I can talk as sinful as I want.”

He was hopeless. “Good grief,” she moaned.

“Keep that up and we’ll be late to Sunday dinner.” He pushed up the hem of her dress, exposing the thigh highs she’d put on this morning under his very lusty eyes. As soon as they hit Juniper Street, he tugged on the top of her lingerie. “I plan on fucking you tonight while you wear these.”

“Carter!”

“Hey,” he said with a grin. “I waited until we weren’t on holy ground.”

“Such a gentleman.”

“Do what I can.” He slid his hand higher, until it disappeared under her dress. Large fingers brushed her curls. “You’re not wearing panties?”

Spreading her thighs a little, she let him get the tip of his finger inside of her. “Isn’t that what ladies do?”

“Damn if I know.” His finger slid deeper, another joining it. He pulled them out, then shoved them back in.

“Oh God…yes,” she said on a groan.

The sound of her arousal filled the interior of the car. She grabbed the door, her hips jumping. Again he pulled his fingers all the way out, but this time, instead of pushing them back inside, filling her where she was empty, he put them to his mouth and sucked the wetness off his skin.

Turning off the main road, he went down a dirt path, until nothing but woods surrounded them. “Get over here,” he said, his eyes darkening as he cut off the engine.

“Now,” he added when she didn’t move right away.

Taking off her seatbelt she scrambled across the bucket seat and into his lap. “Turn around and face the front. Hands at ten and two.”