Carter drove back to Ruby's apartment as she sat quiet in the seat next to him and held the to-go boxes. Even though the apartment was only a couple of blocks away, it felt like an eternity. She smelled so damn good he could barely keep his hands on the wheel. A hint of lust wafted from her and curled through his senses, driving the lion to near madness. As soon as he started telling her what to do, she got a glint in her eyes that promised a hell of a night. The steering wheel creaked in his grip.
Her phone rang and she answered, listening before she said, "Just leaving dinner. Carter looked at the records. He's going to come up with a plan."
He'd promised no such thing, but she slid him a sideways look and bit her lip, so he knew he would. Carter nodded, trying to hide his smile, and concentrated on the road. She lived downtown, but on the edge of safe neighborhoods. He wondered why she didn't just live over the bar with Rafe. Although he was grateful she didn't, since they would have had to get a hotel room and explaining that to Logan might have gotten dicey.
Still, he'd meant it when he talked about making her a safe den. And the neighborhood where she lived was not safe. After the two weeks, they'd find some place nicer. A place for both of them, together. He was tired of living in the mansion full-time, and wanted to escape to the city when he needed space.
Ruby shifted in the seat and the skirt of that sexy dress rode up, exposing more of her creamy white thigh. A hint of a tattoo teased. Carter focused on parking the car next to a moderately crappy apartment building. He liked that dress. He really didn't want to ruin it, but his lion wanted to shred the fabric until every naked inch of her was exposed. Covered in berries and chocolate and whipped cream – his dessert.
A growl escaped before he could control himself, and Ruby started to grin. Her fingers trailed across the back of his hand, sending a shock through his entire body. "Penny for your thoughts?"
He put the car in park, killed the engine, and leaned over to drag her mouth to his. He kissed her, hungry, and she made a soft sound and braced her hand against his shoulder. His growl increased as he tasted her, felt the slick heat of her tongue against his, and slid his hand up her side to her cleavage, warm and soft against his palm. Ruby reached for him and almost dumped the dessert on the floorboard. Carter broke the kiss and sat back, struggling to sound normal as he opened his door. "Sorry. Didn't have any pennies."
He took a deep breath of the cool night air, ran a hand through his hair, and walked around the car to open her door. She hadn't bothered to wait, and was half out of the car already. Carter fought back irritation but captured her hand and tucked it in the crook of his arm, keeping her warm for the walk up to her apartment. The wind caught her perfume and it tangled in his brain. He could hear her heart racing as she jiggled the key in the lock and shoved the door open, and he followed close behind.
Inside, Ruby turned on a few lights and tossed her house keys on a side table on her way into the galley kitchen, still carrying the boxes of dessert. Carter locked the door and set the deadbolt and chain, taking in the moderately priced furniture and generic artwork. Nothing cheap, but nothing too expensive. He was willing to bet she saved the quality furnishings for her pack, and lived with the leftovers as good enough. He wanted more for her. Much, much more.
Ruby returned from the kitchen to hand him a bottle of water, her hips swaying in the fancy dress. She leaned against the wall and fiddled with her shoes, her eyes gold as she watched him. "These damn…"
"Leave them on."
She went still and heat sparked in her gaze. Carter's voice came out deep and rough, and he set the water aside. His hands flexed. "Come here."
Her breasts rose and fell as her breath came faster, but she swayed forward the few steps until she stood in front of him. Waiting. Carter wanted to rip the dress off her, take her to bed with her heels on. But he picked up her wrist, studying her hand and fingers. "This is about trust, Ruby. You have to trust me. Do you?"
Her lips parted and her pupils dilated as he kissed the inside of her wrist, and her pulse jumped against his lips. She touched her throat with her free hand, expression dreamy but a touch uncertain. "Yes."
Carter smiled and caught her other hand to hold her wrists captive. He leaned in to brush his lips to hers, and trailed kisses down her throat to her shoulder. She swayed against him, sighing, and turned her face to breathe against his cheek. Carter nibbled behind her ear, reaching up with his free hand to tug her hair free of the ponytail, and the dark locks cascaded around him with a honeysuckle scent. He inhaled it, inhaled her. "Pick a word to use, if you want to stop for any reason."
Her voice went a little high as he caught her lower back and pressed her to him, until she felt the strength of his desire against her hip. The lion growled and grumbled, furious with the delay. Carter kissed the other side of her neck, dragging his teeth across a tribal tattoo on her shoulder, and she tried to link her arms around him. He kept her wrists caught between them, despite that she tugged on his grip, and nipped at the soft flesh where her shoulder met her neck. "Pick a word."
Ruby laughed breathlessly. "Glacier. Does that work?"
"Perfect." He wished he'd been more prepared but necessity was the mother of invention. He stepped back and released her, even though Ruby swayed toward him, and loosened his tie. "Get some candles. Matches. And the dessert. Go to the bedroom and wait for me."
She eyed him, about to speak, but he patted her hip and pointed her toward the bedroom. "Go."
He watched her saunter to a linen closet to retrieve some candles and matches, then she picked up the boxes from the kitchen, and made her back once more past him. Carter wanted to grab her but resisted, instead looking through the coat closet near the door for a scarf or two. When he found what he wanted, he followed Ruby into the bedroom.
She'd left the lights off but lit the candles, and she stood at the end of the bed, hands on her hips. So much attitude. He fought back a smile and tossed the scarves onto a nearby chair. He took off his jacket and tie, studying her in the flickering shadows, then pointed at a spot on the floor directly in front of him. "Come here."
Ruby obeyed and his heart jumped, his cock painfully hard. Watching her submit, or at least pretend to, was so fucking arousing he almost needed to excuse himself. She bit her lower lip as she looked at him, almost taunting. Carter brushed her hair back over her shoulders so he could examine her, walking a slow circle around her as he played with one of the scarves.
Carter leaned closer and breathed against the bare skin of her neck, making a hungry noise in his throat. Her breath caught. He trailed his fingers across her shoulder as he stood behind her, playing with the zipper at the back of her dress. Ruby tensed as he worked the zipper and the dress fell to the floor in a dark cascade. He caressed her lower back and ran his finger under the waist of her thong. She shivered.
He almost couldn't breathe. Perfection. She was absolute perfection — soft, smooth skin decorated with a multitude of tattoos over gentle curves. The lacy black bra and silky hose drove him wild, almost as wild as the high heels. He stepped back to appreciate her, and when the silence stretched and he said nothing, she shifted her feet. "Are you —"
"Don't speak." Carter knew it would drive her crazy, so he let the scarf brush her shoulder. She jumped at the touch, about to turn, but froze as he slapped her hip. Ruby made a needy noise instead but didn't move. Carter eased the scarf over her eyes and began to tighten it. She inhaled sharply so he paused, standing close behind her so she could feel his presence, and whispered in her ear. "All you have to do is say that word and we stop."
He could sense the tension in her, the desperate wanting to move or speak or take control. But instead she only gave a small shake of her head and exhaled. He finished tying the scarf around her eyes, made sure it was secure, then ran his hands over her shoulders to her breasts. "Good girl."
She chewed her lower lip as he moved around to the front, studying her once more. He leaned to lick her breasts through the lace bra, using the rough fabric to tease her nipples to hardness. Her chest rose and fell faster and her lips parted to allow panting breaths to escape. He watched a flush turn her skin rosy. Carter's hand grazed her stomach and she jumped. He eased the thong down her lush thighs until it caught around her ankles, and knelt to remove it entirely. He didn't want her to trip when things got exciting.
He breathed against her stomach and ran his hands up the insides of her legs, easing them apart, and she gasped. Carter stroked the length of her damp slit, chuckling as he straightened. "Ready so soon, Ruby?"
Her lips curved but he didn't give her a chance to reply. Instead he crushed her mouth to his in a deep, demanding kiss, one hand tight in her hair to maintain control as he walked her back to the mattress. He lay her out on the mattress and took off his shirt and pants before reaching for one of the candles. Things were about to get messy.