I love that he wants to make sure I am okay, and that he doesn’t pressure me. Chris is never satisfied, and he always wants more. “I’m not ready to have sex. But can we do other things? As crazy as this sounds, I just want you to touch me and I’ve never wanted that before. I’m not going to lie to you and say I’m not scared, but I trust you and I know you’re not going to hurt me.”
“Baby, I’ll do anything you want me to. I just want you to promise me that you’ll tell me if you want me to stop, okay?” I nod my head and he starts kissing me again.
I grip at the hem of his shirt. He helps me and pulls it off. His body is beautiful. His chest is hard and well-defined and his stomach is like the pictures you see in magazines. I run my fingers down his chest from his neck to his waistband. He lets out a groan and crashes his mouth to mine. He runs his hands under my shirt, but I can tell he is apprehensive. I grip my shirt and pull it over my head. I wasn’t wearing a bra so now I am completely exposed to him.
Carter looks up at me and smiles. He leans down and starts kissing my left breast. He kisses around it in a circle, then pulls my nipple into his mouth. I let out a moan I didn’t even know I had in me. He moves onto my other breast and does the same thing. “Carter!” He kisses down my stomach and when he reaches my pants, he kisses all along the waistband. He looks at me as if he is asking for permission. “It’s okay.”
With that, he eases my pants and my panties off of me. Then, he comes up and presses a kiss on my lips. “I love that you trust me with this and I do believe this is another first, Miss Stevens.”
“I do believe it is, Mr. James.”
He ran his hand down my body till he got to where I’d been aching for him all night. He runs his finger between my wet folds and slowly strokes me. It feels amazing and I know he can tell how much I am enjoying it by all of the sounds I am making.
Just when I thought it couldn’t get any better, he leans down and I instantly know what he is about to do. As soon as his tongue touches me, I scream. “Oh my god!” He laughs, but keeps going. He keeps his tongue there and, at the same time, his thumb finds my clit. I feel what I can only assume is an orgasm rocking through my body.
I can feel myself shaking, and the waves of pleasure that were rocking through me felt like nothing I’ve ever experienced before. It was the most amazing feeling I’ve ever had, and I am glad that it was with him. After I catch my breath, I look over at him. “Carter, that was amazing.”
“I’m glad, baby.” I knew I should do something for him. The truth is that after everything Chris has been doing, I am scared. “Do you want me to…?”
He looks up at me and smiles. “Baby, tonight was about you. I can see how scared you are when you look at me right now. If you’re not ready, it’s okay.”
“Carter, are you sure? I know that guys have needs.”
“My only need right now is a cold shower, and coming back to you in my bed.” He kisses me and then goes off to the bathroom.
I look down at my side and breathe a sigh of relief that the bruises are gone. Chris has been more verbally abusive then physically lately. That and he has been making me do things to him rather than hitting me.
I don’t know what I would have done if Carter had seen the bruises.
Chapter Seventeen
Carter
She is asleep when I get back to the room. I loved being able to do that for her tonight, and I knew how much it meant that she let me. I hated that she felt like she owed me, though.
As much as I would’ve loved for her to do it, I saw the look on her face. I wanted her to know that I didn’t expect something in return, like everyone else in her life always had.
I climb into bed beside her and wrap my arms around her. She lets out the most contented sigh I’ve ever heard. Then she said, almost too low for me to hear it, “I love you, Carter.”
“Maddy, are you up?” Nothing. I couldn’t believe she loved me. To know that she felt the way that I did gave me so much more motivation to win her over tomorrow. I would show her why she should choose me. I wish it was tomorrow already. I am going to give Maddy the best birthday ever.
* * *
When I wake up, she is still asleep in my arms. I slip out from underneath her and go to work. I make breakfast and put up the couple decorations I bought yesterday.
There is a Happy Birthday banner that I taped to the kitchen counter, and a couple streamers. There is also a pile of presents on the counter. I can’t wait for her to get up. I know she is going to be surprised. I hear my bedroom door open and I am thankful that everyone else is still asleep. I want to be able to share this just with her.
When she sees everything, the look on her face makes all the running around yesterday worth it. She puts her hand over her mouth as she draws in a breath. “Carter, what is all of this?”
I walk over to her, put my arms around her, and whisper in her ear, “Happy Birthday, beautiful.” I move my head to the side and kiss her. Then I feel wetness on my cheeks, and pull back to look at her. She has tears running down her face. “What’s wrong, baby?”
She leans in and kisses me again, wrapping her arms around my neck and pressing her body into mine. “This is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me. How did you know it was my birthday?”
“Nicole told me about it on Thanksgiving. Why didn’t you tell me?”
She let go of me and went to sit on the couch. “I haven’t celebrated my birthday since I was three. My mother died on my fourth birthday and my father always blamed me. A drunk driver hit her when she went to get my birthday cake. When she didn’t come home that night, my father told me I killed her. He started drinking after that and couldn’t even bear to look at me. Then when I was put in the foster homes, no one cared. I eventually just stopped celebrating it myself. When I started dating Chris, I thought maybe he’d want to celebrate it with me. He told me I was already used to not celebrating it, so why change it now.”
I hated him with every fiber of my being. I didn’t understand why she ever stayed with him. I needed to talk to her about this.
“When I walked out here and saw all of this, I thought I was dreaming. You’re the most amazing person I’ve ever known.” She leans in and kisses me again. Maddy has been through so much. All I want to do is make every day from now on special. She starts to look around and that is when she sees the presents. “You got me gifts?”
“Yeah. When I stopped by the mall yesterday, I gave Holly some money to get you some stuff.” I hear footsteps coming toward us. My dad, Ant, and Holly came in the room. They all say happy birthday to Maddy and give her hugs. “Is everyone hungry? I made breakfast.”
Ant looked at me and scowled. “I’m not trying to get sick, dude. I’ll pass.”
I hear Maddy giggling next to me. “I have to say, he made me breakfast before and it was really good.”
I put my arm around her waist and pull her against me. “See, the birthday girl likes my cooking.”
“Hey, all I said was your breakfast was good. I don’t know anything about the other stuff.” Everyone starts laughing. I love how well she fits into my family.
After we eat breakfast, we all sit in the living room and give Maddy her gifts. Holly did really well. She bought her a new pair of boots, two shirts, a jacket, and a pair of jeans. I’ve never seen her smile this much. She thanks us and gives out hugs to everyone.
I help her carry her stuff into my bedroom and as soon as I shut the door, she shoves me against it. She crushes her lips against mine, and I am so surprised and turned on that I let out a groan. She slips her tongue into my mouth and starts playing with my hair.
I wrap my arms around her and lift her up a little. She clenches her legs around my waist. The sounds that she is making are getting me so worked up. I want this girl, and I want her bad.