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Taryn
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A full bladder wakes me. I blink my eyes open to unfamiliar surroundings and quickly remember where I am. I smile to myself, glad I had stayed strong and not hopped into bed with my jerk boss.
Sure, he’d softened up a bit after I called him out on his bullshit, but I have zero expectations he’ll be nicer to me at work, so I am definitely putting that shield back up on my heart. I flop the covers back and wander down the hall until I locate the bathroom. As I’m about to push the door open, I glance into an open doorway and a gasp I can’t stop floats from my mouth.
Holy mother of crap.
Carter is asleep on his back, one muscled arm above his head, the other lying carelessly across his chiseled abs. That silver necklace he always wears glints in the sunlight and I can see every bump and ridge of his stomach, and the crisp white sheets are pushed down to where they barely cover his package. A happy trail of dark hair from his bellybutton disappears beneath the sheets, and his hipbones form into a V. My mouth literally waters as the early morning sun shines in over his golden body. I want nothing more than to pull back that sheet and take myself for a magic Carter ride. I can see he’s pitching a tent and know he’d be ready for me.
I squeeze my thighs together and force myself into the bathroom before I do something I’ll regret. After relieving myself, I walk back out quietly and can’t resist another peek into his bedroom. This time, he’s awake and catches me gawking, both hands behind his head against the pillow.
“Good morning,” he says quietly.
My eyes have a mind of their own when they travel down to the sheet hiding his very clear erection.
I clear my throat. “Good morning, boss.”
“Come here,” he says huskily, putting his hand up and using just two fingers to make me come.
I again squeeze my thighs together and obey, my body floating on its own into his room.
Do not fuck him, Taryn!
I repeat the mantra in my head.
Stay strong.
He pats the side of the bed and I dutifully sit.
“Did you sleep well?” he asks.
“Like a baby, honestly. That was the most comfortable bed I’ve ever slept in,” I admit. I really did sleep like a rock.
“You don’t know comfort until you’ve slept in this one.” He gestures to the bed.
I swallow hard. “It does look very nice,” is all I can think to say.
He stares intently at me and I resist the urge to slide my gaze up and down his body. It’s so magnificent I can barely swallow, let alone breathe. Five years ago, it had been dark. I remember thinking he had a nice physique but I don’t remember much past that. I was so nervous and pretty distraught over my brother, so the memories are a little fuzzy.
But here I am now, with Carter again, wanting nothing more than to roll around in the sheets with him for the rest of the day, but knowing I better not. If he wasn’t my damn boss, I’d probably have already given in. But I know me. I’ll be too upset at work when he gives me the cold shoulder again. I’ll just end up feeling used.
I clear my throat. He’s still staring at me, but it’s not uncomfortable, it’s just very lust-filled and I need to get out of here. “So can you drive me home or should I call a car?”
“I will absolutely take you home. Do you need to be there at any specific time?” he asks.
I shake my head. “No, it’s Sunday and I have no plans. Just laundry and stuff.” Oh, my God, Taryn! Shut up! I clear my throat. “What about you?”
He chuckles. “Not today, no.” Carter throws back the covers and I gasp when I see he’s not wearing a shred of clothing. His dick is thick and hard and ready to go. I swallow audibly and force my eyes to meet his.
I quickly stand. “Well, I’ll uh, let you get dressed.”
He gets out of bed and grabs my hand, turning me around to face him. His cock is centimeters from touching my stomach through this oversized T-shirt and I force myself to concentrate on the thick, black five o’clock shadow on his chiseled jaw and chin.
“Taryn, you don’t need to run off. Let’s go do something today. Do you like mini golf?”
Do I want to spend the day with him? Hell yes. Should I? Absolutely not.
“I know that look,” he says, staring at me with those dark-blue eyes that look like the ocean in the sunlight filtering in from the window. “Say yes. No sex. Just golf and maybe food.”
I bite my lip in indecision, but the look in his eyes has me wavering. I can only squeak out, “Okay.”
Then, I turn and walk quickly back to the guestroom and close the door, my back to it. “Oh, my God,” I breathe, trying not to smile. His cock is seriously beautiful and it’s taking everything in me not to go back in there and help myself to it.
I grab my clothes from last night, minus the panties which I shove into my purse, and use the guest bathroom to take a quick shower without washing my hair. While inside, I use the bar soap to scrub off all my makeup and I feel a little better when I emerge, glad I managed to distract myself with getting clean instead of thinking about Carter’s beautiful cock and how I’d like to violate it a few different ways.
Once I’m dressed, I find a blessed hair tie in my purse and put my hair into a messy bun before walking out into the kitchen where the smell of coffee leads me like a tether.
Carter is standing there barefoot in blue jeans and a red V-neck T-shirt that clings to his body. His black hair is damp and he hasn’t shaved. It’s seriously sexy.
He looks me up and down with a smile. “Coffee?”
I nod.
He pushes a glass coffee cup at me and sets a flavored almond milk creamer next to it.
I pour some in and take a sip. It’s expensive, decadent, and I am now officially ruined on all coffee from here on out.
I close my eyes. “Mmm.”
“Delicious, isn’t it?” he suggests.
“Absolutely. What is it?”
He holds up a red bag of some brand I’ve never heard of. “Espresso roast. I won’t drink anything else unless I’m in a pinch.”
“I can see why.” I take another sip. “Say, do you think we could stop by my condo before we go out? I’d like to wear something a little more comfortable.”
“Of course,” he responds. “Just no makeup. You look beautiful without it.”
My hackles rise. I’ve heard guys tell women this before. It’s sometimes said as a control thing, thinking it’ll keep other men away. I’ll admit I’d laid it on thick last night, in the mood for a smoky eye and red lips. But I do still wear some day to day, just because it makes me feel better and more confident.
“I’ll keep it to a minimum,” I promise.
That seems to make him happy.
“I’m going to grab my shoes and do something with this hair.” He points to his head. “Then I’ll be right out. There’s protein bars in the pantry and yogurt in the fridge if you’re hungry.”
“Thanks,” I reply. “I’m good with coffee.”
I wait just a couple of minutes before he emerges in some brand name dark-gray sneakers and his hair is shellacked to perfection. He really does have nice hair. It’s thick and dark and his hairline isn’t even really receding. He must have good genes.
“You ready?” he asks, giving me a rare smile.
I down the rest of the delicious coffee. “Yep.”
***
My brow furrows as I look down at my jeans shorts and band tee, then at the country club we’d just pulled up to. “I don’t think I’m dressed for this place.”
He laughs and turns off the Bugatti, coming around to open my door. “Don’t worry, we aren’t going into the main restaurant. The bar doesn’t have a dress code and the food is still amazing.”
“Oh, okay,” I say.
The place is massive. There are trees all around and outstretched to the right is a golf course, green for as far as the eye can see. We enter through two double doors where a big reception desk is, and Carter shows a card to the older woman manning it. He leads me down a hallway to another set of double doors, these ones propped open.
The “bar” sure looks like a restaurant to me. We find our own table and are quickly greeted by a server who takes our drink orders.
“So you’re a member here?”
He nods. “Yep. I play golf here on Sundays usually when the weather’s nice.”
“But you opted for mini golf today instead?” I ask with a smirk.
He chuckles. “Yep, apparently, I did. I didn’t think you’d be interested in eighteen holes in the sun.”
“How do you know what I’d be interested in? Maybe I’m an excellent golf player but just can’t afford the fees.”
“Because I whooped your ass at mini golf, so you surely suck at real golf.”
My mouth drops open and then closes again. I lick my teeth to keep from smiling, and lift my chin. “I just let you win. You know, since you have such a fragile ego and all that.”
“You did not. Your form was totally off. You couldn’t even get the orange ball into the big clown’s mouth. And that thing was huge.”
I laugh and look down at my menu. “Okay, you have a point.”
He points outside of the floor-to-ceiling windows. “I can teach you, if you like.”
I slide my gaze to the massive green course and the multiple men lugging golf bags around and riding on golf carts. “Looks dull. No thanks.”
It’s his turn for his mouth to drop open. “You take that back.”
“No,” I say, chuckling. “What did Rosie O’Donnell say? Oh yeah. ‘Golf is just men in ugly pants walking.’”
He tips his head back and laughs. “Thank God we don’t wear those hideous golf pants like they did in the eighties and nineties.”
I slide my gaze toward the window and point to a group of old men who have to be pushing eighty. “I don’t think they got the memo.”
“You are really something today.” He shakes his head then looks over where the server is bringing us drinks.
I had enough last night so it’s just a sweet tea for me.
“You ready to order?” she asks.
“I think I need a few,” I say, laughing, as I haven’t looked at the menu.
I look at Carter. “What’s good here?”
“The nachos are popular,” he replies.
“What are you getting?” I ask.
“Hot honey chicken and coleslaw.”
That sounds good too. I set the menu down.
“So how often do you come here? Just on Sundays?” I look at Carter’s handsome face.
He lifts a shoulder. “Yeah, sometimes on Sundays. Been to a few weddings here of some of my buddies.”
“Oh. I bet that’s beautiful. I can’t imagine how much it would cost to have your wedding here, though.” I whistle through my teeth as I take in all the ornate décor and the vast golf course.
“It’s affordable,” he replies.
I look up at him. “For you, maybe.”
“I own a million-dollar company. We’re about to hit one billion soon. Do you understand that?”
I furrow my brow and set the menu down. “Okay. That’s great for you. Why are you telling me this?” I really am confused. Is he bragging about his wealth? Because if so, that’s just... gross.
“Because I want you to feel safe that you’ll always have a job.” He grabs my hand. “I mean it, Taryn.”
Swallowing hard, I just nod. “That’s... that’s good to know. You must be real proud, huh?”
“I am,” he replies, lifting his drink. “I worked damn hard to build this company. And the fact that I can employ you and the rest of my employees makes me happy. Like I’m contributing somehow.”
I smile at him. “You should be proud.”
The server comes up and takes our orders. I decide on the nachos but also decide I’m going to help myself to a bite of his hot chicken because that also sounds amazing.
“Speaking of jobs, did you know Eric asked me for one?”
My tea pauses at my lips. “He did?”
Carter nods. “He did. He called me last week, told me he was getting out in March. Needed a job for his release plan.”
So, Carter does know.
I’m not sure how this makes me feel. Both our incomes dependent on Carter Lockwood? He seemed confident that his business is expanding, but it is still an uneasy prospect. Still, I realize it’s nice of Carter to offer him a job, even if my brother knows next to nothing about computers.
“What’s he gonna do at Lockwood Tech?” I ask.
“I’m not sure yet. I’ll have Lisa make up a position for him when it gets closer to the time,” he answers.
“That’s really cool of you, Carter.”
He smiles. “I want him to succeed and not go back to drinking and partying all the time. In fact, my buddy Declan works for CU Health. He’s going to look into maybe getting him a therapy job. The convicted felon thing could pose a problem.”
I chew my lip. “But he has a sports medicine degree. In fact, he’s halfway to his doctorate.”
He nods. “I know, Taryn, but employers are leery about hiring felons. He told me there’s a few in the kitchen and janitorial services, but a therapist? That’s a step below doctor, and also works with patients. The others aren’t around the patients.”
I guess that makes sense. “I understand.” I let out a dramatic sigh. “I really worry about him getting out, you know. I do too much reading, I guess.”
“Reading about what?” he asks.
“Just about inmates getting ‘institutionalized.’” I use air quotes. “They get used to being taken care of and told what to do. When to eat, when to sleep, where to work, when to take their medication. The ones who are in a long time lack the functionality to thrive on their own outside of prison.”
Carter quickly takes my hand. “Six years is a long time, but I’m pretty sure those articles were talking about people who’ve spent a lifetime in there. Think about it. Could you imagine getting locked up in say, the nineties, and then are suddenly released? You wouldn’t know how to work a cell phone, navigate the internet, or the myriad of other technologies that have advanced. Eric’s only been there a few years. He’ll adapt just fine. He’s smart. I know him.”
I nod sadly and stare at him. “I’m scared he’ll change. Lose that sweet, carefree smile and be hardened and angry. I couldn’t take it.”
“We need to not kid ourselves that he won’t be different. He’s probably going to be on edge and a bit standoffish. I cannot imagine living in dorm-style housing with nothing but dudes for years. And not just regular dudes... murderers and rapists and whatever else those guys are in for. He will be different but with your help, he’ll get through it and reacclimated to the real world,” he says softly.
This is the Carter I know. This is the Carter I want to see all the time. Not the jerk at the office or the one manhandling me out of a bar because a guy was flirting with me.
“Our,” I say.
He looks at me, confused. “Our what?”
“Our help.”
He smiles, still holding my hand. “Absolutely. I want to see him succeed. I think he got dealt a bad hand with this whole deal. He needed to be punished but the whole situation was just a fucking tragedy all the way around.”
He’s right. That poor woman lost her life and my brother will have to live with that for the rest of his.