Only With You Read online

  I nodded, and after we parted ways, I mingled again. I breezed through the remaining people on my list. Two of the conversations were a waste of time, two were semiproductive.

  I was looking forward to the fun part of the evening. What exactly did Carter have in mind?

  Once I was done, I headed to the bar, ready for my first alcoholic drink this evening. A glass of Chardonnay would do me good. I’d only had some water until now, wanting to keep my mind focused.

  The bar had been set up in one of the rooms that opened up directly onto the back terrace. It was crowded, and I wedged myself between two guys, waiting my turn. The back of the bar was mirrored, and I watched the movement in the room. My body was starting to relax now that I’d already spoken to everyone I needed to.

  But then I noticed a familiar face in the crowd, and every inch of my body went on alert again. Carter was heading toward me. Our gazes met in the mirror.

  He stopped right behind me and whispered in my ear, “Ready to get out of here?”

  Our gazes were still locked in the mirror. He’d brought a hand to my lower back, resting it there, as if the fact that he’d touched me once had broken some barrier between us.

  “I have to be here at the end for the raffle.” Everyone had bid on donated items ranging from art to around-the-world trips, and the winners would be announced at the end.

  He was now feathering his hand up and down my back. I kept my composure as long as he was touching my dress, but when I felt three roughened fingers on my bare shoulder blades, I couldn’t help the sizzle that went through me.

  “You don’t trust me to bring you back by the end of the evening?” His voice was playful and conspiratorial, but his eyes had a deliciously dark and edgy glint.

  I swallowed, licking my lips. Somewhere in the past seconds, he’d moved so close that my arm was pressed along his chest. At least it wasn’t my boob this time. People were crushing in on us from all sides. Was he so close because he wanted to be or because he didn’t have another choice?

  “We’ll just disappear for a few hours, take a much-needed breath.”

  “You promised we’ll enjoy ourselves, remember? Taking a breath sounds... boring.”

  His expression changed to a smile that was downright... wolfish. “I didn’t say that will be the only thing we’ll be doing. So? Trust me?”

  I nodded, finally turning around so I wasn’t looking in the mirror, but at him directly.

  “What do you want to drink?”

  “Chardonnay.”

  “A bottle of chardonnay and two glasses, please,” Carter ordered.

  “We don’t need an entire bottle,” I whispered to him.

  “I know, but it’s easier than carrying two full glasses.”

  While we waited, more people crammed in around the counter, squishing us together. Carter was right behind me, and I had to make a concerted effort to keep my ass from pressing against his crotch.

  “You smell amazing,” he murmured against my skin. When I felt the tip of his nose on the side of my neck, a white-hot sizzle shot through me, making every muscle in my body strum. Oh, God... how could that tiny contact set me on edge like this?

  When the bartender finally set the items on the counter, I grabbed the glasses by the stems, while Carter took the ice bucket with the wine bottle. Then he interlaced our free hands and led me through the crowd. He was holding me as if I belonged to him. My pulse thrummed in my ears as we made our way through the packed room, and then the terrace. We descended the marble steps and stepped into the garden. The crowd thinned the more distance we put between ourselves and the building.

  “This garden is huge,” I commented.

  “You’ve never been here before?”

  “No. You?”

  “Several times.”

  We slowed our pace now that we’d escaped the crowd. Carter let go of my hand, pointing to a narrow alley lined with evergreens on both sides.

  “This way.”

  I walked next to him, enjoying the sudden quiet. It seemed a few degrees cooler too. We walked until we came upon an opening on the right side of the hedgerow.

  “Wow.” We entered a smaller, private garden with a fountain in the middle. It had a circular edge made out of stone that was wide enough to sit.

  “Can we sit there?”

  “Sure.”

  “Oh. I’ve been dying to sit all night.”

  “After you.” He chuckled, keeping a hand on my lower back as we headed toward it. Now that we were alone, the contact felt different. Intimate.

  As we sat down he uncorked the bottle and poured wine in each of the glasses, which we then clinked.

  “How do you even know about this place?”

  “This is open to visitors during the day. I brought April and Peyton here last year, and they gave us a tour of the gardens. And whenever I’m here for an event, I take a walk when I need a break.”

  Alone? I wanted to ask. Or did he pick up someone at every event? I pushed that thought to the very back of my mind. How could he be so handsome? His dark hair was messy, as if he’d run his hand repeatedly through it tonight. Messy looked good on him, especially because it contrasted so starkly with the tux. He’d taken off the jacket at some point and was only wearing a shirt now. A white shirt that stretched over his abs and chest, showing off his sculpted muscles.

  “Where are the girls tonight?”

  “Home. They have a nanny who watches them in the afternoon and when I have commitments in the evening. April all but begged me to take her with me. I think rubbing elbows with celebrities earned me a few points in the cool department. Then I lost all of them when I told her she couldn’t come. But I’ve been to enough of these to know it’s no place for a fourteen-year-old, especially since I couldn’t keep an eye on her.”

  That was cute.

  “Thanks for stepping in earlier when that guy cornered me. Wouldn’t have pegged you for a white knight.”

  “Why not?”

  “Just didn’t get that vibe.” The honest answer was because he was giving off tall, handsome, and dangerous vibes, but I couldn’t own up to that. He watched me as if he knew exactly what I was thinking.

  Chapter Nine

  Carter

  I was battling with myself constantly between wanting to talk to this woman, find out more about her, and kiss the hell out of her. She sipped from her glass, making a little sound of pleasure at the back of her throat. I was too consumed by Val to drink. When she raised her gaze and noticed I’d been watching her, she licked her lips, looking away. A whiff of her perfume reached me with the movement of her head.

  “Tell me about your perfume. Smells insanely good.”

  She lit up. “Freesia and lavender. One of Mom’s favorite combinations. She gave me the bug for fragrances. We used to make soaps and perfumes when I was little.”

  This wasn’t anywhere on her company’s website or in the PR articles I’d come across when I’d looked her up online. She was trusting me with something intimate. There was a wistful expression in her eyes.

  “She must be very proud of you.”

  “I think she would be. They.... We lost my parents more than fifteen years ago.” Her voice wobbled for a second, and I squeezed her hand.

  I did some mental calculations. Suddenly, I realized why she was so good at giving me advice regarding April. I’d been inexplicably drawn to Val since we’d shared that first coffee, and I wondered if this was part of why. I felt connected to her in a way that took me completely by surprise.

  “And you raised your siblings?”

  “Yes. Together with my twin brother, Landon.”

  “You’ve got four other siblings, right?” I remembered reading that somewhere.

  “Correct. And it wasn’t easy, but they all grew up into responsible, successful adults. Jace plays soccer for the LA Lords. Will used to be a detective but now runs a foundation with his fiancée. Hailey works at a PR agency. Lori is a wedding planner. I’m so proud o
f all of them.”

  “You have every reason to be.”

  “Thanks.”

  I liked Valentina’s mix of strength and sensuality. And I also loved that delightful side she’d shown in that message she’d sent me by mistake. A picture was worth a thousand words, and that one was going to be my undoing. In fact, it already had been. After we’d exchanged messages, I’d hopped into my shower. All I could think about under the warm spray of the water was how it would feel to take that dress off her, uncover every inch of her sweet body. I ended up jacking off to the fantasy, crying out her name. My dick twitched at the memory.

  “Looks like we did need the entire bottle after all,” I commented when I refilled our glasses for the third time.

  Val giggled. “It was a small one, though.”

  I wondered why a woman like her was single. When I saw her with that guy tonight, my gut had clenched tightly. They were so close that I’d first thought that they were an item, or about to become one. Then when I’d glimpsed her uncomfortable expression, I saw red. I was proud that I hadn’t forcibly removed the guy from her proximity.

  “My back hurts from being on my feet for so long.”

  “Press your thumbs into the quadratus lumborum muscle. It relieves some of the pressure.”

  “The what?”

  Without thinking, I reached to her back, pressing three fingers in the muscle in question. Val straightened, then leaned into my touch.

  “Just here.”

  After I took my hand away, she pressed her thumbs at either side of the spine.

  “Ah, that’s so good.... Where did you learn about this?”

  “From my fitness instructor.”

  “Figures,” she mumbled, more to herself.

  “Figures what?”

  “That you like to work out.” She pointed at my chest, then promptly dropped her hand, as if just realizing what she’d done.

  I smiled lazily. “Oh, yeah? You like... the package, Val?”

  “I’m trying to decide if my honesty will go to your head.”

  I laughed, and Val playfully slapped my shoulder.

  “Well, you probably own a mirror, and you see what I see, so there’s no reason for me to be dishonest.”

  Despite knowing it wasn’t the smartest thing, I leaned closer.

  “I want to hear you say it, Valentina.”

  She narrowed her eyes, as if weighing the pros and cons.

  “No, I don’t think I will. Too much self-confidence is as bad as no confidence. It’s what my dad used to say. He was Irish and tried to pass all sorts of weird sayings as old Irish proverbs, but my friend Google disagrees. I think Dad just made them up. But I like them.”

  She relaxed—until I moved even closer. “Don’t think I’m letting you off the hook about the other thing.”

  Val licked her lips, then shrugged one shoulder playfully. “Suit yourself. I can’t be pressured.”

  I wiggled my eyebrows. “No, but I bet you can be... persuaded.”

  “By you?”

  “Obviously.”

  “Mmmm... I don’t think so, Mr. Sloane. You lack the proper persuasion tools.”

  That was a sweet challenge.

  “And what might those be?”

  “Think I’m gonna make it easy for you?”

  “Give me a hint.”

  Val spoke the next words with utmost seriousness. “Well, bribery works better than persuasion, if I’m honest. If my sisters are to be believed, I can be talked into crazy things whenever there is ice cream involved. I, on the other hand, can convince them to do crazy things with my famous cheesecake.”

  Noted.

  “I have other persuasion tools.”

  “Such as?”

  I lowered my gaze to her mouth, keeping it there until she darted out the tip of her tongue, wetting her lips.

  She flexed her back and wobbled backward a little. I brought a hand to her arm to stabilize her, afraid she’d land in the fountain otherwise. She looked up at me from under those long lashes, and I didn’t even register moving my hand from her arm to cup her face, resting my thumb just under her mouth. She parted her lips, releasing a shaky exhale, and I couldn’t stay away anymore. I closed the distance between us and spoke against her lips.

  “I’m going to kiss you, Valentina.”

  When she gave me a low moan as an answer, I crushed my mouth to hers. I slid my hand to the back of her head. When I sucked a little on her tongue, she groaned right into my mouth.

  With my free hand, I drew her closer. I needed more than her lips. I wanted the warmth of her body, to feel her sweet curves. No, that was a mistake... because now that she was pressed against me, I became greedier still, wanting to feel her skin. I lost all sense of space and time, right until I realized she was whispering my name. Then I pulled her in my lap, moving my hands up her legs.

  Her skin broke out in goose bumps. When I moved past her knees, her hips slid forward an inch. When I cupped her ass, my fingers didn’t encounter fabric, and for a split second, I thought she wasn’t wearing panties. At the thought of her bare, I nearly lost my mind.

  I instantly turned rock-hard, and Val felt it because I’d pressed her into me. My hand moved from bare skin onto lace as I ran my finger over the scrap of fabric between her ass cheeks. I wanted a taste of her. I wanted to drop to my knees, remove those tiny panties, spread her wide, and work her with my mouth until she exploded.

  I moved my lips down to her jaw, to her earlobe.

  “I can’t stop kissing you,” I confessed. “Or touching you.”

  “Carter,” she whispered, sounding as if she wanted to be kissed again but unsure if it was a good idea.

  I held her close to me, resting my nose in the crook of her neck, right up until a loud gong rang from the villa.

  “Oh, they’re calling us back already.” Val sounded as dejected as I felt. I didn’t care about the gala, or the prizes. I just wanted more time with her. Something had shifted between us during this hour we’d spent here, and I wanted to solidify that before the night was over.

  I took her hand, helping her stand up from the edge of the fountain.

  “Always so gallant.”

  “Never forget my manners.”

  On the way to the villa, we ran into one of the organizers.

  “Val, I’m so sorry I haven’t had time to greet you. And you are Ethan, I presume?” she asked.

  I clenched my jaw, stretching my hand forward. “Carter Sloane. Pleased to meet you.”

  “Oh!”

  She looked between Val and me, confused.

  “Could we quickly go over the prizes you donated before we move inside?” she asked Val.

  “Sure.”

  “I’ll be in the villa,” I said. Val nodded, not quite meeting my eye.

  My gut clenched as I headed inside. I’d forgotten that she was supposed to be here with another man. Did she still have feelings for him? Was she looking for a rebound? I didn’t know what this was between us or what it could become, but I sure as hell didn’t want to be Valentina’s rebound.

  I went to return the empty bottle and glasses to the bar, keeping an eye on the entrance. When Val came in, I fell into step with her as everyone headed to the main hall.

  She gave me a small smile but still didn’t meet my eyes.

  I swallowed, trying to gauge what was going through her mind. She was going to announce the winners along with one of the presenters, so I didn’t have much time left with her.

  Once we were inside the hall, I pulled her to a semisecluded spot.

  “Val, if you want, we can forget what happened tonight. It’s your choice.”

  “Mine? What about you?”

  “I already made my choice. I don’t want to forget. I’d make an effort if you wanted to. But I don’t think you do. Judging by the way you opened up to me.... Fuck, I’m getting hard just remembering it.”

  “Carter,” she whispered in a chiding tone, casting her gaze downward.

/>   “You don’t have to answer right now. Just enjoy the evening.”

  We weren’t alone again for the rest of the evening, but I kept close. Whenever our gazes crossed, she smiled before looking away quickly. Whenever I put my hand on the small of her back, or on her arm, she leaned into my touch for a few seconds before straightening up and sucking in a breath. Watching her inner battle was delicious.

  By the end of the night, I knew I wouldn’t rest until Val was mine.

  Chapter Ten

  Val

  On Monday morning, I barely found a place to sit at Walter’s. I sat on one of the chairs at a small, round table in one corner of the room, sipping my cappuccino and people-watching. My neck was oddly stiff, because I’d foregone my morning yoga session for some extra sleep, but hey, cheating was good for the soul now and again. I hadn’t bought a pancake though. Nature punished too much cheating by bestowing extra pounds.

  I was midway through my coffee when I smelled the familiar whiff of mint and ocean. At first I thought I was imagining it, because Carter had been on my mind almost constantly since Saturday. But then his voice reached me too.

  That sexy voice that went with the rest of the package, exactly like caramel completed my cappuccino.

  “See you found a seat.” He was holding a to-go cup.

  “Early bird gets the worm,” I said on a wink. “Or in this case, the table. It’s crazy here on Mondays, so I always come earlier.”

  He was carrying the jacket of his suit over his arm, and his shirt stretched over his taut skin and muscles, almost as if daring every woman around to look at him... which they did.

  “You’re not eating a pancake.”

  “Nope. Not this morning.”

  “I see. So Mondays are for denying yourself things you want?” His tone was playful, and I wondered if he included himself in those things.

  “It’s healthy to exercise self-restraint now and then.”

  “Might be healthy, but it’s no fun.”