Chapter 10

10

CARSON

G o figure. A week ago, I would never have thought I'd be shopping for groceries with the most beautiful woman I've ever seen in my life. A woman who makes me laugh, asks me challenging questions, and makes my heart do triple backflips every time she gives me that sweet, saucy smile.

I am smitten. I always thought that was an old-fashioned word and kind of ridiculous. But there it is.

And here we are.

"All we need now is buns," Nikki says, pushing the cart away from me. It's adorable that she insisted on ‘driving' around the store.

I walk past her, casually grabbing her ass as I mutter, "I'm partial to these ones, myself."

She blushes enroute to the bakery section, where I grab some sesame-topped hamburger buns, then we head for the checkout.

If I can convince her to move here and live with me, we'll be doing this every week. Every daily domestic chore will be amazing, because I'll have her at my side. Or if it's my turn to do the shopping solo, I'll be thinking of little treats to get her as a surprise.

It's probably wrong that my mind is already focusing so hard on keeping her here. It makes me feel like I'm stealing her away from her real life. That's not…I don't know… honorable , maybe? But it just feels so damned right.

We drive back to my place, where I grill the burgers while Nikki takes care of the onion slices, lettuce, and condiments. We work well together, and dinner is accompanied by a lively discussion of town, gossip, life on the mountain, and the fascinating array of jobs that she wants to look into come fall. Thankfully, all of them can be done on a laptop from anywhere in the world. Thank God. I'd never want to limit her job options.

"Do you like this house?" I ask casually as we load the dishwasher.

"I do." She looks around at the large kitchen with its stainless-steel appliances. "It's comfortable. A good mix of luxury and coziness, you know?"

"Good. But I need to point out that if – you know, somewhere down the road – you decided to move in with me, we could pick another house. Or add onto this one. Or otherwise change it up. I'm not particular about these things."

Nikki turns to me with wide eyes. "Don't you think it's like a trillion years too early to be thinking like that?"

"Oh, at least a trillion. I just want to plant the seed. I need to be within a half hour drive of the shop, but apart from that I'm flexible. Anything you like."

"But isn't it incredibly expensive to buy a new house and transfer the mortgage and all that? Not to mention all the moving costs?"

"I own the house outright, and I know a dozen huge guys, all of whom have big trucks. The only expense would be a round of beer and pizza that night."

Her head tilts. "I've never known anyone who so casually announces that they're…you know. Well off."

I step closer, wrapping my arms around her and shrugging casually. "My brothers and I don't think of it that way, I guess. We have everything we need. We provide necessary services to the town doing something we truly enjoy. We lead very comfortable lives."

Her hand traces slowly across my chest. "I've heard it can be a problem when people with very different backgrounds start…" She trails off.

"A relationship?" I whisper. "I don't think it'll be an issue. The way I see it, I have a nice house with plenty of room, and should you – a trillion years down the road, of course – want to move in, everything would be taken care of."

Her shoulders tense, so I stroke lightly down her spine. "What is it, kitten? You know I don't want to upset you."

"You ever heard the expression that if something seems too good to be true, it probably is?"

I growl into her hair. "And have you ever heard the expression, just live in the moment?"

She laughs, looking up at me with such sweetness. I know that we should sit down and have a real discussion about her fears, and whatever else is holding her back. I know that I should tell her my intentions and reassure her that I would never do anything to hurt her – in fact, that I need to protect her from everything in this world.

But instead, my lips fall to hers. I love the way she kisses me gently for just a moment, then clutches my shoulders, pulling me tightly against her. Our bodies mold together as I press her against the counter. The kiss deepens, becoming so hot we can barely breathe.

I feel a passionate heat coursing through my veins every time I touch Nikki. What really gets me fired up now is how she's having the same reaction. I can feel the tight points of her nipples against my chest. Feel her longing by the way she holds me so tightly.

"I've never wanted anyone or anything as much as I want you," I groan against her soft, open lips. "I just?—"

"Bedroom." Then her eyes fly open, as if she hadn't meant to say that.

I scoop her up in my arms, making her giggle as I carry her down the hallway. "Damn, big man, you're quick!"

I love that she calls me big man . I wonder how long it will be before she calls me her big man.

I never realized there was a truck-sized need deep inside me for this connection with a woman. I mean I guess it's something I've always craved, but thinking about it in the abstract is very different from considering it in the very specific as I squeeze Nikki's hips and lift her onto my dresser.

She gasps, clutching the wall as I pull off her thick leggings and socks with one awkward movement. Spreading her knees gently, I watch her eyes until she nods. My calloused palms drift slowly along her silky skin, as my fingers nudge forward to grip the sides of her green cotton panties.

"Don't you dare rip these." She tries to glare. "I only have three pairs of these, and they're super comfy."

"Then lift that hot little ass up for me."

I help her slide them off, still watching her eyes carefully. Damn, she has absolutely no idea how seductive she is. It's like every single movement of her body is directly connected to my cock, making me harder by the second.

My balls are throbbing, my heart pounding too hard. Kissing a trail along her inner thigh, I reach up to pull off her t-shirt and bra together. Then I stretch up to admire the perfect curves of her soft round breasts as my lips latch around a nipple.

Nikki shivers, clutching my shoulders. Then her eyes snap wide open. "Oh…wow…yes."

There's a brand-new huskiness in her voice. Her throat begins to flush and her fingernails dig into my skin when I switch to the other side. My hands hold her thighs steady, thumbs massaging her skin as they inch inward until they're trailing along the edges of her naked pussy.

My chin tips up to catch her lips with mine, the electric thrill of each kiss more amplified than the last. Her breath is coming in hot little bursts as she clutches me to her, my torso wedged between her perfect thighs.

Although I could kiss my girl forever, I'm dying to taste her again. My warm breath travels lightly over her skin as I kiss my way down, scooping my hands under her legs, holding her tightly in place before staring transfixed at her soft, delicate pussy.

Then I dive in and devour her.

I want to be a gentleman and focus on how we're bonding, and on my true feelings for her. There's no room in my mind for that as it shuts off completely and my animal nature takes over. I treat Nikki like the ultimate object of my lust, kissing and licking, moaning all over her skin. It arouses both of us to the point where I can't see straight, and Nikki seems to have lost the power of speech.

Her tortured, wordless moans grow louder as my tongue plunges into her, my thumb tracing around her clit as I lap up her honey. I can sense the tension building inside her and press my index finger into her soft little tunnel while I drag my tongue across her clit.

"Delicious," I growl against her soft skin. Her eyes are glittering with lust and I lick a bit harder. "This is what you need, isn't it, kitten? To be nice and soaked. And then once you've come on my tongue, you can decide if you want anything else."

She nods desperately, her thighs spreading wider apart as I settle my lips back around her clit. She trembles at my slightest touch, and moans throatily when I apply more pressure. I tease her by going back and forth between the two, not letting her sink into a rhythm. I'm in no hurry at all and need to be sure she is more than ready.

Her breasts heave with her ragged breath, her nipples so tight it almost looks painful. She begins to squirm, hips shifting against the polished wood. Turning my head, I give her sensitive inner thigh just enough of a nip to make her gasp. She lightly smacks the top of my head. "No biting, big man."

"No squirming, then. Because if you fall, I'll be breaking my vow to take perfect care of you."

Her lovely brown eyes blaze. "What vow?"

"The one I made to myself as soon as you agreed to come over so I could get you alone."

She sputters in disbelief, then I add another finger, caressing her drenched pussy slowly and deeply. My tongue resumes licking straight across her tender bud, but this time I stick to a quick, firm pace. When she starts yanking on my hair and muttering nonsense, I increase the pressure.

The orgasm breaks over her like a tidal wave. I watch the tension growing in her eyes, then a spark of disbelief followed by blurry, blinking helplessness as the climax rolls through her. Her shaking breasts, quivering thighs, half-lidded eyes – Nikki is a vision as she twitches helplessly. The feeling of her body spasming around my fingers gives a shot of adrenaline straight to my soul.

I wait another half minute for her to come down, then kiss my way back to her lips. She leans forward, falling into my arms so I can carry her to the bed. Instead of limp and languid, her body is twitching and energized as I lay her across the duvet.

"I can't believe you're real," she whispers, reaching for the bottom of my t-shirt.

"What's not to believe? That a small-town mechanic would fall head over heels for a smart, beautiful academic?" I slip off my shirt, then drop my jeans and shorts, pausing to allow her to stare at me open-mouthed.

"You…" She sits up to get a better look. "You're hard as steel everywhere ."

"Not everywhere." I lie down beside her, my arm wrapping under to pull her close as I place her hand on my heart. "I'm not hard here, kitten. You're making me feel all kinds of mushy soft things."

Her eyes drop to my cock, which is so hard it looks angry. "Soft and mushy, you say?" she laughs, her hand sliding down to stroke my shaft gently. My breath is already getting heavy as I kiss her gently while we cuddle together. My hand scoops between her legs to slide my fingers back inside, keeping her wet and open.

Nikki looks like a goddess in the soft light, her hair fanned out messily, lips wet and puffy from our rough kisses, her gorgeous breasts shifting every time we move.

It hits me like a bolt of lightning. I am about to make love to my future wife for the first time.

And the white hot ball of desire inside me will never be sated, not even when she comes all over my cock. I'm always going to need more of her. Always.

This is my woman. Forever.