The kitchen was empty, and I knew I had to take my chance before anyone came in. My heart pounding, I slipped through the doors and ran for the hallway that led to the stairs.
It seemed that luck was on my side for once. I made it to the stairs and raced upstairs as fast as I could. At the top, I took a moment to catch my breath before I crept along the landing towards Carter’s bedroom. Turning the handle softly, I inched inside and closed the door behind me. The room was dark, but the blinds were open, and from the glow of the streetlights I could easily make out the features of the room. I had the torch on my phone that I could use, too, because there was no way I was going to risk turning on a light.
First up, I went for Carter’s desk drawers, flipping on my phone torch after opening the top drawer. Reaching inside, I shuffled the items around—pens, an old camera—
“Carter!” My head snapped around at the giggling word coming from outside the room. Shit! Where could I hide? Slamming the drawer shut, I dived for the door next to me, shoving my way into piles of material. Oh, bloody hell, I was stuck inside his wardrobe. I left the door cracked open, because who knew if it could be opened from the inside? I wasn’t about to be stuck in here all night.
“Mmmm. So this is what Carter Blackthorne’s bedroom looks like.” Tina strutted across the room as Carter flicked on a lamp, and I was suddenly unreasonably jealous. He pulled her to him, and my eyes closed. I couldn’t watch. If only I could close my ears, too.
“What do you want, Tina?” His voice was bored, yet he was still holding her. “What was so important that you had to speak to me in private?”
“What do you think? I wanted to get you alone. Want me to give you a blowie?” Her voice grated on me, and I wanted to rake my nails down her face. Again. My eyes flew open, and I watched her caress the front of his jeans, unable to drag my gaze away even though I was only torturing myself. “Huh. Not feeling it today? Brewer’s droop, maybe?” Her voice was disappointed, and I found myself smiling.
He scrubbed a hand over his face. “Not today, Tee. Why don’t we go back down to the others? Shots?”
That seemed to appease her, and she nodded. “Yes! Got any of those apple ones?” They moved towards the door, and Carter opened it, letting Tina walk through first.
“I’ll see you down there. Just got to do something first.”
Then he closed the door.
Oh, no.
I pressed further back, and held my breath, trying not to make a sound. Then the next thing I knew, the wardrobe doors were being flung open, and he was yanking me out.
“Raine? What the actual fuck?”
Our bodies were aligned, and every part of me was pressed up against him, tingling with awareness. Panic overcame my reaction to his nearness, and I pushed away from him and ran for the door. I only made it two steps before he was behind me with his hand gripping my throat.
For a second, time slowed, and I was aware of everything. My harsh, unsteady breaths, the electric current of lust that was sparking between us, the goosebumps that were breaking out all over my skin. Then, he was spinning me around to face him, and his mouth was on mine.
I couldn’t resist him even if I’d wanted to. My lips parted, and I let him in, kissing him back, feeling his tongue slide against mine. He lifted me into his arms, and I wrapped my legs around him as he walked us backwards, our lips never leaving one another’s.
Spinning us, he pushed me down onto the bed and climbed on top of me, kissing me again. As he settled his heavy body between my legs, I felt his cock, hard as steel between us. My legs wrapped around his waist. “No brewer’s droop, hmm?” Tearing my mouth from his, I couldn’t resist teasing him, and he laughed against my lips, grinding his hips into me.
Lifting himself onto his elbows, he slid my top up, over my stomach. Dropping his head, he pushed down my bra cup and took my nipple into his mouth. He bit down lightly, and I moaned.
“Fuck, Raine.” His voice was a rough, tormented whisper. “Fuck.”
I slid my hands up his back to his broad shoulders. “Carter.”
At the sound of his name, he stilled, then raised himself above me. He blinked a few times, the haze of lust disappearing, replaced with a dark expression. “Wait. Why are you in my bedroom? How did you get in here?”
Oh. He was asking the difficult questions now. I was pinned in place, unable to move, and as I stared up at him, his jaw clenched. “Answer the fucking question.”
“I…um…” I licked my suddenly dry lips. “I…”
Turning his head, he scanned the room, and when he inhaled sharply, I followed his gaze to the desk. No. The top drawer wasn’t closed all the way. “Have you been snooping in here?” His voice was hard.
“I just wanted to see—”
“Is this about the money?” he interrupted me, hissing the words through gritted teeth.
The silence between us stretched, until it was unbearable, and the
