Only With You Page 16

  “OhGodohGodohGod.”

  She stopped moving her hand on my erection, as if the pleasure I was giving her was so intense that she couldn’t do anything else besides surrender to it.

  “Carter, I can’t—”

  “Yes, you can. Just let go.”

  My control was stretched thin, and it snapped when Val went over the edge with a primal sound, stretching out one shaky leg, pinching her eyes shut. I needed to be inside her right now.

  ***

  Val

  My breath was ragged, and I still hadn’t opened my eyes, but when I heard Carter whisper my name, a shiver went through me, turning my skin to goose bumps from my toes all the way to my shoulders.

  Anticipation built up inside me again. I’d just climaxed, for God’s sake. The fabric of my panties was torture against my sensitive skin.

  I opened my eyes when the mattress caved between my legs. Carter leaned over, hooking his thumbs at the sides of my panties. I lifted my ass just enough for him to pull them down.

  He parted my thighs wider still, settling between them. Lifting one ankle, he placed it on his shoulder. He did the same with the other one. I felt his erection pressing against my right ass cheek before he gripped himself at the base. I thought he’d slide right in, but he just rocked his length along my entrance, a gentle move that drove me crazy. My center was pulsing like mad, and that pulse reverberated across my skin, lighting me up. Our gazes locked, and my breath came out in a rush. I felt as if I was laying bare more than my body, surrendering more than my pleasure. He was looking at me as if he felt that scary connection as deeply as I did.

  I gasped when he slid inside me, filling me up so much that my insides strummed tight. He moved fast, and he seemed to reach deeper with every thrust, growing wider still. Every move brought me closer to another climax... or maybe I was still riding the wave of pleasure from the first one.

  The muscles in my belly contracted, and when he skimmed his thumb over my clit, I grazed the bedsheet with my nails. I desperately needed my release. But Carter had other plans.

  Pulling out of me, he flipped me around on all fours. I whimpered, missing the contact, that sensation of being full of him. He didn’t enter me though, and I shifted backward.

  He laughed softly, and then I felt his lips on my back.

  “You miss my cock inside you already?”

  I whimpered again.

  “Yes.” I wasn’t sure he’d heard me, because the word had come out lower than a whisper.

  He brought his lips lower, to the base of my spine, and lower still, to my ass cheek. Kiss. Bite. Kiss. Bite. Moving on to the other ass cheek, he applied the same sweet torture. Carter rubbed two fingers in wide circles around my clit without ever actually touching the sweet point. He was just lighting up the nerve endings but not quite setting them on fire. And his tongue was licking up the most sensitive part of me, where my string had covered me before. It was enough to turn me blind with need.

  When he finally, finally thrust inside me again, I felt every inch of him more intensely.

  “Fuck, you’re beautiful, all flushed like this.”

  I’d pressed one cheek to the mattress, and he could see half my face. My burning face. When I brought one hand to my clit, I met Carter’s fingers.

  I took my hand away, using it for leverage, pressing my palms into the mattress as I thrust back into him, needing every last drop of pleasure. Carter worked my clit relentlessly while he pumped in and out of me. I’d never experienced pleasure so raw and all-consuming. My muscles burned and protested as I moved to the feverish rhythm. Spasms ricocheted through me as the tension circled closer to my center, the orgasm building up mercilessly.

  I reached back with both of my hands to touch Carter’s thighs, urging him to go even faster.

  I exploded, my vision fading at the edges. When I felt him swell inside me a few seconds later, I thought I might shatter from so much pleasure.

  After we cleaned up, we lay next to each other, Carter cradling me in his arms. I smiled against the skin of his torso.

  “What’s with the smile?” His voice was a mere whisper, as if he was still regaining his strength.

  “I like that you’re sweaty. And that you cuddle me.” And that he’d wooed me with that spectacular date before speaking so openly about his feelings. Part of me still thought I’d imagined all that. I was a little ashamed that I’d laid out my insecurities, but when he’d asked what I was afraid of, I couldn’t bring myself to feign nonchalance.

  I nipped at his shoulder playfully, and next thing I knew, Carter had rolled on top of me again, pinning my hands above my head.

  He did have some strength left after all.

  “How do you do this to me?” He spoke against my nipple. I was about to ask what he was referring to, but then I felt his hard-on pressing against one of my thighs. I sucked in a breath.

  “I can’t believe you sometimes.”

  He lifted his head, looking straight at me. He’d taken that as a challenge.

  God help me.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Val

  The holiday season was always a bit crazy in the Connor clan. Carter and the girls spent Christmas with us the next week, and introducing April and Peyton to my family was simply precious. Peyton had been shy and silent in the beginning but opened up when she realized everyone had a present for her. April was starstruck by Jace. She wasn’t a soccer fan, but she’d started following him on social media after his newest GQ title. I’d overheard her inform Carter later that evening that he was officially a “cool uncle” because he knew Jace.

  At the next Friday dinner, April asked my brother for an autograph. It took yet another week for her to work up the courage to ask him to take a photo with her, but now I could confidently say the girls felt comfortable around the Connor clan... which was why I was certain they wouldn’t be overwhelmed when I introduced them to two of my Bennett cousins.

  My cousins Pippa and Sebastian were in LA. Since they were flying back to San Francisco tomorrow morning, they couldn’t make it to our traditional Friday dinner, so I’d invited them over today, on a Thursday.

  I was picking up Peyton and April from school, then going to my house with them.

  None of my siblings could stop by, unfortunately, but that gave me a chance to brag about my man and the girls.

  After picking them up from school, I headed directly home. Carter was meeting us there.

  On the way, the girls talked my ear off.

  “So, I don’t know what to do,” April said thoughtfully. “Should I text him back? Or not?”

  “Go for it.”

  April grinned at me. “I will.”

  Peyton had other issues. “Val... I need a costume for the festival. Can you come shopping with us? Pleaaaase.”

  “The festival is next Tuesday, right?” Since Carter and I were actively trying to shift things around in our lives to make time for each other, I also had a copy of the girls’ schedule.

  “Yep.”

  “We’ll go shopping Saturday, okay?”

  Peyton clapped her hands, nodding excitedly. Carter was already at my house when we arrived. I’d offered to pick up the girls because their school was on my way from a meeting. I loved spending time with them and goofing around. We’d grown closer since that swoon-worthy night with Carter.

  The girls and I also plotted behind Carter’s back quite often, which was probably why he scrutinized us as if we were in the witness box when he saw us.

  “What secrets are you keeping from me this time?” he asked.

  “No secrets. We’re just going shopping on Saturday to buy a costume for Peyton,” I replied smoothly.

  He grimaced. “Got it. I’m in for a few hours of torture.”

  April rolled her eyes, heading inside the house with Peyton. I took advantage of the fact that we were alone and whispered, “I promise to reward you very generously after the shopping trip.”

  Ah, that glint in
his eyes was simply delightful.

  My Bennett cousins arrived shortly afterward, and we ordered in dinner.

  They were in town on a business trip for their company, Bennett Enterprises. They made the most beautiful jewelry, and they were in talks with Blair, one of Hollywood’s hottest leading ladies, to have her be the face of the company.

  Sebastian was the CEO, and Pippa the head designer. Out of the nine siblings, five worked at Bennett Enterprises. I was always eager to catch up with them. Over the past few years most reunions had been at weddings (all nine of them were married), or when they had business here.

  “Such a pity no one else could make it,” I commented.

  Pippa waved her hand. “Everything was too short notice, but we wanted to meet Blair before we signed her, to see how she is as a person.”

  “We’ve never had someone represent the company this way. It’s a big risk, but she has international recognition—in Europe especially,” Sebastian continued.

  “Taking over the world, huh? I will forever be in awe of the way your brain works,” I told Sebastian honestly.

  “I’m not doing it on my own. Everyone works hard.”

  “He just likes being modest from time to time,” Pippa mocked.

  “My wife would disagree with you.”

  “I can’t believe Ava actually agreed to share an office with you.”

  Sebastian grinned wolfishly. “What? I am the CEO. If I want to share an office with my marketing director, who also happens to be my wife, why shouldn’t I? It makes perfect sense. Many synergies in our work.”

  “Uh-huh. That’s why it took you years to convince Ava. Because those synergies will be so productive.” Pippa chuckled, but her eyes flew to April and Peyton, and I knew that if there hadn’t been kids at the table, she would have called him out on the tactic. I imagined those synergies included some hot make-out sessions... at the very least.

  “By the way, I saw that Jace is in one of your social media campaigns,” Pippa said.

  I grinned. “He is. And he’s killing it.”

  “Pity he’s not here.” Pippa flashed one of her trademark “I’m plotting” smiles. She liked to tease Jace relentlessly.

  I went on to pepper Sebastian and Pippa with questions about their international endeavors. I was curious, but business talk made me nervous. I’d hoped the litigation with Beauty SkinEssence would be resolved before it went to trial, but to no avail. We had the trial date in six weeks. I was getting more nervous by the day.

  But for tonight, I resolved to shove the issue to the back of my mind and enjoy my cousins and my man.

  ***

  On a bright Tuesday morning two weeks later, I found Anne close to tears at her desk.

  “What’s wrong?” I asked.

  “You didn’t read it?”

  “Read what?”

  She turned her monitor to me, and my heart sank. A business publication had written an article about the upcoming lawsuit, and it wasn’t painting me in a pretty light. They used terms like fraud and foul play. A source inside Beauty SkinEssence had given them their side of the story, but since the publication hadn’t asked for mine, it was clear this wasn’t impartial journalism. It was a smear campaign led by Beauty SkinEssence.

  Despite the fact that a chill of panic raked through me, I set my hand soothingly on Anne’s shoulder.

  “This doesn’t mean anything, Anne. The judge will decide, not the press.”

  I wanted to set an example for my employees, and I needed them to know they could trust me to lead them even through difficult times.

  But over the next week, my leadership skills were put to test like never before. Three other business publications picked up the story, and since only Beauty SkinEssence’s side of the story was available, that’s the one they highlighted.

  As a PR pro, Hailey was my counselor.

  “Call journalists and give them your side.”

  “I plan to do that, but I also want to do more.”

  In the end, I contacted each journalist and posted an open letter on my company’s website, which I penned myself under Hailey’s supervision. Some of the journalists said they would mention my statement, some were skeptical.

  What gnawed at me was that these publications were respected in business circles, and a judge might believe that what they were reporting were facts, not suppositions.

  Apparently, my lawyer thought the same thing.

  “You can’t be serious. The trial is in three weeks,” I barked into the phone.

  “Ms. Connor, I’m sorry, but... my current health does not permit me to continue with my current workload.”

  “Why don’t you tell me what’s really going on?”

  “The case is receiving too much attention, and if the judge will not rule in your favor... our firm doesn’t want that kind of negative press.”

  “I’ll give you negative press,” I said through gritted teeth. “You think it’s going to look good for you that you dump your clients when you can’t win a case?”

  “Bowing out is preferable to losing.”

  “That’s a very shitty company policy.”

  Anger coiled through me, and I tried to relieve it by squeezing the little stress ball Hailey had brought me a few days ago. It wasn’t helping.

  I barely ended the call when Landon’s name appeared on the screen. Sometimes I wondered if he could feel when I was upset, because he always had uncanny timing.

  “How is it going?” he asked.

  “Well, I’d like to tell you I have good news, but my lawyer just dropped the case.”

  He went on to call my ex-lawyer every profanity in the book as I told him what had happened.

  “I’ll cast my net wide. We work with many lawyers on our deals.”

  “Thanks. You do that. I have a meeting starting in ten minutes that will last the entire afternoon, but I’ll talk to Carter first. He’s in the industry and might have some recommendations.”

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Carter

  “Carter, come on. Don’t take the Connor case,” Anthony said.

  I’d asked my two partners into our meeting room to let them know what I was planning to do.

  “I’m not asking for permission.”

  I’d made up my mind the second Val texted me, asking me for lawyer recommendations because hers dropped the case. I’d missed her call because I’d been with a client, and she was in a meeting now, but I’d talk to her afterward.

  “The case is too public,” Anthony continued. “And the trial date is in three weeks. If you lose, it’ll cost us a lot of business.”

  “I am not planning to lose it. And again, I’m not asking for permission.”

  “We’re all partners in this,” Zachary reminded me. “You can’t put our reputation on the line for some woman you’re dating.”

  No one spoke for a few seconds. I could already feel a vein pulsing in my temple.

  “Zachary, I’d shut up now if I were you,” I said dangerously. Val wasn’t just some woman.

  “Look, Carter, I wouldn’t touch this with a ten-foot pole,” Anthony added. “We can’t stop you if you want to take the case, but is she really worth the risk?”

  “Yes. Yes, she is.”

  I wanted to take on Val’s case. I wanted to fight on her behalf. I was a damn good lawyer. I couldn’t just stand by as she went through this mess. I dropped by her office around the time she’d told me her meeting would end.

  It was apparent that everyone except Val had left. I found her sitting on her desk. I could only see her back, but she was obviously tense. Her spine was straight, and her shoulders looked stiff. She’d been talking on the phone, but she must have heard me come in because she muttered a quick “I’ll call you later” before placing the phone on the table and glancing at me over her shoulder.

  I went straight to her, hooking an arm around her waist and bringing her to the edge of the desk. Then I kissed her, deep and slow. She kissed me back, reluctan
tly at first, but as I demanded more, Val gave in, releasing a small moan against my mouth, burying one hand in my hair and pressing her heels into the backs of my thighs, urging me closer. I wanted to wring out every single drop of tension from her, drive out all her worries.

  I pulled back a little, tipping her head up.

  “Hey,” I greeted.

  “Hey.”

  “What have you been up to?”

  “Regrouping, mostly. Landon found a few law firms, but the ones I’ve spoken to are reluctant to jump in so late. Have you thought about any recommendations?”

  Right. She’d texted me to ask for recommendations. I’d completely forgotten.

  “Val, I want to represent you. I want to be your lawyer.”

  She blinked up at me. “What?”

  Okay, so I’d expected a more enthusiastic reaction.

  “I know you said we should keep the professional and personal separate, but the situation has changed.”

  “I know, but what about your firm? Have you talked to your partners?”

  “I informed them, yes. They weren’t thrilled, for the same reasons your previous lawyer gave you. I don’t really give a damn. Why are you hesitating? Why didn’t you even ask me to be your lawyer?” My voice was harsh, but I was a little pissed that she hadn’t even considered it.

  My heart was racing as I considered all possibilities. The lawyer in me wondered if she didn’t trust my abilities. The man in me was fearing that she wanted to keep the lines between professional and personal intact because her feelings didn’t run as deep as mine did.

  “It’s a risky move for you, Carter. I didn’t think it would be fair to ask you.”

  She started twiddling her thumbs in her lap.

  “I’m offering.”

  “I’ve just....” She trailed off and took a deep breath before continuing. “No one outside of my family has ever wanted to put themselves on the line like this for me.”

  “Val, I want to fight for you. I want to win this for you. Just say yes.”

  She nodded, and I released a breath, leaning closer, feathering my lips over hers.