“They have,” she said.

  She pulled him through the living room and to her room off the kitchen. He hadn’t been in here before but knew he could see the little hallway that went to her room with the bathroom across from it.

  She moved over to the nightstand by her bed and pulled out a box of condoms. She was making sure she was prepared for this night in case he wasn’t.

  He only grinned at her while she moved back and put her hands on his face. “I’m not pushing you if you aren’t ready, am I?”

  He yanked her against his body hard, his mouth crushing hers. Then he lifted his head. “Does that look as if I’m not ready?”

  “Not at all,” she said.

  Her hands went to the bottom of his shirt, lifted it up and over his head. Then she stopped and stared.

  “Is there a problem?”

  “Oh my,” she said. “I wasn’t expecting this.”

  She knew he was strong and worked with his hands, but she didn’t expect the number of muscles on his chest. His trim waist either.

  There were no gym muscles on him. No six-pack abs.

  But there wasn’t any fat either.

  She hadn’t been with a lot of men in her life, but most of them had a little fat somewhere. Their bodies were made from exercise equipment and not physical labor.

  She had no idea what she was missing and how much it would get the juices flowing in her body to the point she was afraid she was going to come on the first touch of anything between her legs.

  He only chuckled at her. He didn’t often say much and less when he was embarrassed.

  Her hands went up and ran over his chest. She had to feel it to see if it was real.

  Yep, real muscle. Real man.

  Damn.

  Her mouth moved forward for a quick taste. He smelled of a fresh green spring and tasted of cleanness. As if he’d showered before he arrived as she had.

  It was one of those things they had in common with their jobs and always cleaning up when they weren’t doing it. Like the minute they weren’t doing it anymore.

  Her tongue swirled around his nipple, and it puckered a little, some goosebumps building along his chest with it, her hand moving to the button on his jeans.

  He stopped her though. “Not yet,” he said. “Why don’t we even the score first?”

  His large hands lifted her shirt up and over her chest, then found the hook on her bra and undid it. She was sucked in pretty tight as she always felt her boobs were too big and never wanted them to be moving around.

  “You’ve got a lot more than I thought,” he said. “Why do you torture yourself and wear something so tight?”

  “I’m used to it,” she said. She wanted something sexier than a sports bra that she normally had on but didn’t want to come off as if she was trying to seduce him with sexy clothing either. That could be another time.

  His hands were massaging her now, his rough thumbs grazing her nipples and it felt as if electrodes shot through her body and were going to turn her to a puddle on the floor any minute.

  “I don’t think you’re very steady on your feet right now,” he said, picking her up as if she weighed nothing and putting her on the bed. He made quick work of pulling her jeans off too but left her little white lace panties on.

  He barely glanced at them, she could see, his eyes more focused on her breasts.

  It gave her a warning before his mouth settled on a nipple and tugged it into his mouth, his tongue moving around and sucking, his thumb and finger playing with the other.

  He kept switching it up and her hips were lifting against him.

  “Carter,” she said. “I know you’re used to moving slow and all, but I’m not sure how much I can take of it.”

  It’s like he didn’t hear her though and kept doing it so she decided to take matters into her own hands.

  By putting him in her hands!

  The minute her hands started to slide into his jeans, he scooted down her body and out of her grasp, then placed light kisses on her over her panties.

  She was dripping wet, she knew she was. She was pretty sure he knew it too.

  One finger slid under the edge of the lace and touched her and almost sent her shooting off the bed.

  “If you do that again, I’m going to come,” she said. He lifted his head and looked at her. “I’m serious. I’m that worked up.”

  He must have taken her word and removed her underwear, spread her wide and dove into her as if it were a pie-eating contest.

  She screamed out as he pulled her swollen bud into his mouth and sucked so hard it felt as if the orgasm was coming from every nerve in her body.

  Her hands were in his hair and holding him into place while he continued to make a feast out of her.

  She thought for sure he’d stop, but he wasn’t. He was moving his mouth everywhere all over her. Tasting and licking and she was worked up to let go again.

  It was as if he knew it and finally moved off of her.

  When he was lowering his jeans, she turned and reached for the box of condoms, got one out and tossed it to him.

  Her eyes were on his dick and she wasn’t surprised the size of it matched the rest of him.

  She was dying to get it inside of her now.

  He had other plans and went right back down between her legs with his mouth.

  “What are you doing?” she asked. He had the patience of a saint and she was slowly losing any she had.

  “Making sure you’re still worked up.”

  “I am,” she said. “Fuck me now.”

  Her hand came up and covered her mouth. Where the hell had those words come from? She’d never used them before with another man.

  But it got through to him and it might be the fastest he’d moved yet.

  He scooped her up in his arms, sank right into her, and started pounding into her so hard her bed was moving and she was loving every minute of it.

  Hey, she’d told him to do this and was glad that he listened to her.

  Her hips were rising and meeting with every thrust he had, but she was struggling to keep up.

  Then the second orgasm slammed into her and she could only lie back and take everything he was giving. The noises she was making got louder and then her body went limp.

  He grunted out a few times as she was throbbing, felt him coming with her, and then he collapsed on top of her.

  It’d been a long time since she’d felt the weight of a man in bed and she didn’t want to let him go.

  20

  Getting Naked

  Carter knew he was probably squishing Avery right now, but he couldn’t get his mind and his body to work together.

  He finally shifted some and gravity had him landing on his side, his arms still around her, holding her tight.

  Her head was on his chest and he felt a contentment he hadn’t ever felt with a woman before.

  He ran his hand down her hair which was a tangled mess on the pillow, but he found it charming just the same.

  His mouth went to her forehead, he kissed her and then asked, “Are you okay?”

  “I think so,” she said. “I’m still taking inventory of my body. That was so intense.”

  Now he felt like shit and moved fast to check her over. “Did I hurt you?”

  She started to laugh at him. Truly laugh. “No,” she said. “It was in a good way. I guess I should apologize to you though.”

  “Why?” he asked, pulling out of her.

  “I’m not normally that forward. I pretty much attacked you at the door, then dragged you back here and started to issue you demands.”

  This time he laughed. “You can do that any time you want. I have no problem with it.”

  “Really?” she asked.

  “I’m not sure many men would have an issue with it,” he said and moved to get off the bed. He had to take care of the condom anyway.

  He walked to the bathroom across the hall, cleaned up, and then came back. She had her bra and underwear back on already and was reaching for her shirt.

  He grabbed his jeans and underwear together and pulled them on. Guess they were done for the night. It’s not as if he was staying when he had his dogs at home.

  “I haven’t been with a lot of men,” she said.

  “What?” he asked, pulling his shirt on.

  “You commented on not many men would have a problem with it. I didn’t want you to think I’ve been with a lot.”

  “I didn’t mean it that way,” he said, wondering how he put his foot in his mouth with that statement. He tried to play it back in his head, but it wasn’t coming out the way he was thinking it.

  He was going to try to explain when she said, “Last week when I was talking to Ava and Seth, I got thinking they might think ill of me. I’m here on the island not even two months and I’m dating someone and what that might look like to people.”

  “It doesn’t look like anything to me,” he said. “Do you care what people think? It’s not like you came here with another man.”

  “I don’t normally care with people think, but this is a new life for Josie. Back in Danbury people knew the situation. Those that knew us knew about Kurt and then I’ve been single for a long time.”

  It was the first he’d heard the name. “Kurt?”

  She let out a sigh. “My ex,” she said.

  “Do you want to talk about it?” he asked. She hadn’t said much about him other than once she got Josie things didn’t work out.

  “I guess I should,” she said. “It’s not a secret. Obviously the guy can’t even take care of my tire properly so it was probably best we didn’t have kids or that he isn’t with me now.”

  He laughed over the dry tone she’d used.

  They walked out of the kitchen and he almost stepped in a pile of dog shit on the floor and stopped himself. “Had a little accident.”

  “Urgh,” she said, running her hands through her hair. “I’m a hot mess. I can’t believe this is the second time I’ve forgotten about Betty when you’ve been here.”

  “She’s a puppy and puppies have accidents.”

  “I let her out right before you got here. I had planned on putting her in the crate, but my mind went to you and us getting naked and not the dog. I’m a vet. How can I not think of the dog?”

  He pulled her into his arms and gave her a quick hug. “Cut yourself some slack, Avery. You’ve got the world on your shoulders. It’s a little bit of shit on the tile floor that has probably been there before. Nothing to worry about.”

  He felt her take a few deep breaths in and out while he held her. He supposed there was so much built up inside of her right now that she wasn’t letting out and cracks were bound to form and spill. It seemed to be happening.

  “I know,” she said. “It’s that no matter what I plan it doesn’t seem to go the way I think it will in my life.”

  “That happens to most people,” he said.

  He reached for the paper towels and bent down to clean up the mess. She got the cleaner and they did it together.

  “Thanks,” she said. “Though I’m sure that isn’t much compared to what you are used to getting with your dogs.”

  “Dopey’s piles are bigger than Betty alone,” he said.

  She started to laugh and he was glad he could lighten the mood by stating a close fact.

  “Can I get you something to drink while we talk?”

  “Whatever you’ve got,” he said.

  She opened the fridge and pulled out a beer, opened it and put it in a glass; then she grabbed wine and got herself a glass. “I dated Kurt for a few years. I thought for sure we’d get married. We got along well. We never had any issues.”

  “Did you live together?” he asked.

  “No. He liked what he liked. He had a house and wanted me to move in with him, but I liked my house and wanted to stay. I guess I figured when the time came for the next step, we’d both have to sell what we had and compromise and get something new.”

  He supposed that could work for people. “So what happened?”

  “He knew Colleen and Josie. They were both such a huge part of my life there was no way he couldn’t know of them.”

  “Did Colleen like Kurt?”

  He didn’t want to pry too much, but he already hated the guy and was glad he wasn’t in the picture now. He wasn’t used to having such confusing thoughts.

  “No,” she said. “But she never said it much. Just that something seemed off with him that she couldn’t put her finger on.”

  “What was it?” he asked.

  “Nothing horrible other than he was selfish,” she said. “I realized that when I got custody of Josie. I didn’t want to leave Josie overnight at my mother’s all the time so I could be with Kurt, but I didn’t think it was right to have Kurt spend the night with Josie in the house.”

  “Seems fair enough,” he said. “You’d think he’d give you the time to adjust. Or help in any way you needed.”

  “He didn’t like that. I think the fact he wasn’t there for me to even understand what I was going through rubbed me the wrong way. It’s like he couldn’t understand why I was grieving and crying so much.”

  Prick!

  “You lost your best friend. You were now responsible for her daughter on top of it. You were trying to get a handle on your own grief and then trying to be there with Josie while parenting her at the same time. I don’t know what is so hard to understand.”

  “You get that and you didn’t even know me,” she said. “That was part of the problem too. I think it’s what made it easier for me to keep telling him no. I’m to blame for that.”

  “I don’t think you’re to blame for anything other than trying to do what was right for Josie.”

  “Thank you for that,” she said.

  “And there is no blame to be had either. I’d do the same thing if I were in your shoes.”

  She took a healthy sip of her wine. “I know you would. The tipping point came with a fight with Kurt one night. I asked what his problem was. I thought he wanted kids someday.”

  “What did he say?”

  “He said he wanted them but his own, not to raise someone else's. It made sense then why he kept bringing up Colleen’s mother and sister. Both of them live out West somewhere and Colleen had never been close to them.”

  “Obviously not if she listed you as Josie’s guardian.”

  “Exactly. I wasn’t going to send Josie to live with strangers. I’m her family. My mother and I have always been Josie and Colleen’s family. My mother is Josie’s grandmother. It’s been that way her whole life.”

  It was the first he’d heard about Avery’s mother. “Your mother lives in Danbury?”

  “She does. She has her hands full too. She is caring for my grandmother who is in a wheelchair and not very verbal from a stroke years ago. My grandmother understands what is going on, but she can’t really speak or move well.”

  “I bet before Josie you were helping your mother care for your grandmother.”

  This was a woman who put everyone before herself.

  “I was. I felt horrible having to cut back and then moving here was another guilt. But I had to. My mother pushed it too. It was for the best.”

  “Why did you have to?” he asked. “Just to start over?”

  “Yes and no. Colleen worked for the City of Danbury. She knew so many people. The police and some of her friends pushed me to file a lawsuit against the driver of the company that hit and killed Colleen. I hadn’t wanted to do it, but then in a moment of guilt, I told myself I should. If there was some kind of settlement it would help Josie’s future.”

  “Did you get one?” he asked. “I mean I don’t need details or anything. I’m trying to understand.”

  “After months, I settled out of court for an undisclosed amount. By then I had broken up with Kurt. When he heard about the lawsuit, he tried to get back with me.”

  “Fucker,” he said.

  She laughed. “Yeah, I called him that too. It’s not that he stalked me or anything, but he was selfish and greedy. He never knew what I was awarded. Not me. Josie was. Josie doesn’t even know. I’ll tell her at some point in her life. The money is still in a trust with my lawyer and I need to figure out what to do with it. I suppose I should invest it, but I need to find someone I trust.”

  “You don’t know me that well,” he said, “but…”

  “I know you better than any other man I’ve ever known or dated in my life,” she said seriously.

  Carter nodded. He couldn’t express how those words made him feel and wouldn’t for now. “My brother is a financial adviser on the island. He works for Rex Knight who is married to Hailey Bond.”

  “Oh,” she said. “I’ve heard Laine say that name before.”

  “Hailey? You’ll hear it a lot on this island. She is my attorney. She is most of the family’s attorney for businesses.”

  “Rex too,” she said. “Laine mentioned it when she told me about Raymond’s for accounting for my business. Kelsey is related to you and Alana who is handling my finances, to her. So you too?”

  “Yes to them all,” he said.

  “If you don’t mind, maybe I’ll reach out to your brother then.”

  “That is up to you,” he said. “It has nothing to do with me. I’m offering it up that there are people on the island. You can research Grayson or Rex easily enough.”

  “I know,” she said. “But I want you to know where I stand on things. No secrets or anything. I don’t mind people knowing we are dating. I don’t want Josie to know just yet.”

  “I understand,” he said. “She has a crush on me.”

  She laughed at his grin. “She does. She gets attached to people easily.”

  “I won’t hurt her or you,” he said seriously.

  She moved over and sat on his lap at the table. “I know you won’t. But we’ve both been hurt so much. And the last reason we moved out of Danbury is because of the settlement. People were talking. They didn’t know the amount, but they knew it was big. They were saying I was doing it for the money. I haven’t touched it and won’t. I’m raising Josie as my daughter and can afford it. It’s her money.”

  He wondered what a lot was. “That’s your decision and your life. No one should say a word if you did use it.”