Growling, he pulled her tighter as he kissed her deeply. His tongue thrust inside her mouth, the chocolate and essence of Tara combining in an unforgettable flavor. Remembering Colleen was in the house, he slowly eased the kiss, finally separating. “Yeah, babe. I like your brownies.”
21
Tara stepped out of the shower, the water droplets still sliding over her body, the towel held in her hand. She stared at her reflection in the mirror, blowing out a deep breath. Her breasts were full. But not very perky. She definitely had tits and ass, and as she twisted back and forth, she could see the faint stretch marks on her abdomen.
Giving her head a shake, she stopped criticizing her body and dried off. I counsel women on positive image and sure as hell need to heed my own words!
As she dried her long hair and carefully applied her makeup, she tried to still her nerves. It was a date night. A real date night.
Carter had stayed for a while last evening, managing to sneak a few more brownies while they watched a Disney movie with Colleen. She was disappointed when he left, but he reminded her he wanted to do things right. When she told him that Colleen had a planned sleepover with her grandparents the next evening, she watched his eyes darken and his smile widen.
Now, with the house empty, she slipped into a matching panty and bra set, hoping that Carter would have a chance to see them and like them. And I hope he has a chance to see me out of them. On that thought, she glanced at the time and hurried to her closet. When he’d suggested they go to dinner, she’d counter-suggested they eat in. As soon as the words left her mouth, she had no doubt he was all for that idea, insisting he’d bring the food.
She chose a simple, long-sleeved, Jersey wrap dress. The emerald green color set off her blue eyes and dark hair. And the dress would make her body easy access for any plans he might have. Oh Lordy, please let him have plans!
With a last look in the mirror, she looked down at her feet. She chewed on the corner of her bottom lip, trying to decide what shoes to wear. Heels? That seems like overkill in the house. Low heeled pumps? Jesus, I’m not going to work.
The sound of the doorbell rang through the house, and making a last-minute decision for comfort, she grabbed her black satin slippers and tugged them on. Racing downstairs, she stopped at the door and sucked in a deep breath before throwing it open.
Her gaze landed on Carter and her breath left her in a rush. She barely registered that his hands were full of plastic bags and a cold wind was whipping at his jacket. All she could focus on was the tall, muscular body, square jaw, piercing blue eyes, and thick blonde hair that she wanted to get her fingers into.
“Babe? Can I come in?”
Blinking out of her Carter-induced stupor, she jumped back. “Yes, yes. Sorry, I know it’s cold out there.”
As soon as he stepped into her foyer, the scent of Chinese food wafted past. Glancing down at the bags, she saw the logo for The Golden Dragon. It was her favorite Chinese restaurant but was not close. Her gaze jumped back to his face as she exclaimed, “You went all the way to The Golden Dragon?”
Laughing, he bent to kiss her lips as he passed her on the way to the kitchen. “I asked Colleen last night what your favorite Chinese restaurant was.”
She followed him into the kitchen and watched as he set the bags on her counter. Shrugging off his jacket, he turned around and stared at her, his blue eyes darkening.
“You opened the door and all I could see was a fuckin’ vision of beauty. Jesus, Tara, you’re gorgeous.”
He opened his arms, but she hesitated, her gaze shooting to the bags of food on her counter before moving back to his face. “I know you’re hungry and we need to eat. But I’m really nervous. I put on my best lingerie under this dress, hoping that you’d have a chance to see it. But if we eat first, I’m afraid I’ll be too full from gorging on Golden Dragon goodness.” As soon as she stopped blurting, she felt her neck and face burn with embarrassment. Before she had a chance to backtrack, he stalked toward her.
“Good thing about Chinese takeout is that it’s perfect when reheated,” he said just before his lips met hers.
Their arms snaked around each other, pulling tightly so their bodies pressed from hip to chest. Noses bumped as their heads moved back and forth, searching for the best angle to drink each other in. Their tongues danced, tangled, thrust, and parried. She rose onto her toes, then was lifted in his arms.
He carried her easily through the hall to the stairs, where he halted at the bottom. She missed his lips when the kiss stopped, her gaze focused on his beautiful mouth. Wondering why he stopped, her eyes sought his.
“I want to do this right, Tara. You deserve everything that’s good, and I don’t want to take advantage of you.”
“Honey, it may have been a long time since I’ve dated, but that was by choice. I wasn’t willing to put Colleen through a revolving door of men. So, until I found one that was right, I wasn’t going to go there. You’re not taking advantage of me. This is me giving myself to you.” She placed her hands on either side of his face, holding him close. “You, Carter, are my choice. You.”
As soon as the words left
