A shudder worked through her. She arched up for more, and his fingers slid under her top to stroke and play, scraping her nipple with his thumb. Her breasts swelled, and he muttered her name in question. She paused, on the verge of mind and body warring together, but then his fingers tightened on her nipple, and a bolt of pain and pleasure shot through her and weakened her knees.
“Yes.”
His mouth reclaimed hers. He tugged her bra down, exposing her bare breasts, and teased the tight tips, the strength of his body holding her pinned against the wall for leverage. His fingers tweaked and played and tormented, until her breasts were swollen with need. Their tongues tangled together, and his hand moved downward, fingers hooking under the elastic of her panties and parting her swollen folds. She dampened, a demanding heat between her legs fogging her brain and making her crazy as she lifted her hips and allowed him full access.
His teeth nipped her bottom lip at the same time his fingers surged inside her tight channel. She cried out his name at the exquisite pleasure, and he growled blistered curse words in a symphony while his thumb rubbed her throbbing clit.
She dropped her head onto his shoulder and rolled it back and forth, helpless to fight or stop him. “I need—” She gasped, caught in the rising tide of pleasure that threatened to push her over.
“I know, sweetheart.” His fingers worked faster, diving so deep that shimmers of heat gripped every muscle. Her core wept and squeezed around him. “Come for me.” The demand was matched with one final thrust of his fingers while his thumb pressed hard on her clit.
She convulsed around him, her body writhing while he held her and milked out every last bit of her orgasm. He whispered her name, and when the shudders began to slow, he removed his hand and pulled her into a tight embrace, pressing kisses in her hair.
Her knees stopped trembling. Her breath evened out.
And Avery realized what she’d just done.
The full implication of surrendering to an orgasm with a man she’d planned to walk away from blasted into her. She’d wanted him badly enough to damn the consequences. But it hadn’t changed anything between them. Even worse? She’d spend the rest of her life wondering what making love with Carter Ross would be like.
She lifted her head. His gaze locked with hers. Her lower lip trembled. “What did I do?”
He pulled back, face ravaged with arousal and regret. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have pushed.”
“No, I am,” she tore out. “We can’t do this. We’ll only hurt each other in the end, and I don’t want that for us.”
Eyes stinging with tears, she kissed him one last time, then grabbed her bag and hurried out. The echo of her name drifted in the air, but she didn’t look back, knowing she might not have the strength to leave again.
The door slammed behind her with a finality that reminded her that sometimes happily ever after didn’t exist.
At least, not with Carter Ross.
Chapter Fifteen
“What do you mean you’re sick?” Avery whispered frantically into the phone. She quickly ducked into a quiet corner amid the chaos of the bridesmaids fussing with the final touches to the bride in the back of the church. “I can’t do this alone, Gabe.”
His voice came out weak. “I know, dammit, and I tried. But every time I get up, I get dizzy and puke. There’s no way I can get to the wedding.”
She filled her lungs with air and cleared her mind. “I’m sorry, I don’t mean to sound like I don’t care. I just freaked out. Go back to bed and rest.”
“You can’t do it alone; there’s too much room for error with only one person on duty. I’m sending over someone to be your bitch for the day.”
“I thought Jessie was out of town this weekend,” she said with a frown. Their receptionist was known to cover in tight circumstances, but she’d booked a trip away with her boyfriend. It’d been on the calendar for weeks.
“She is. I found someone else. Don’t worry about it. Good luck.”
The phone clicked.
Poor Gabe. Maybe he was sending over one of his friends to help. Even sick, he always looked out for her and the business.
Tamping down a sigh, she began lining up the bridal party, and positioned the two mothers who’d be escorted down the aisle first. The groom, bridesmaids, and groomsmen were ready and waiting at the altar. From the middle of the aisle, Pierce nodded—the signal he was ready to begin shooting the pictures.
“Hi.”
She whirled around and her jaw dropped. Carter stood before her, dressed in a sharp, conservative black suit. His hair looked thick and slightly damp as it curled over his forehead. He wore his glasses, and his stormy gaze slammed into hers, reminding her of their intimate encounter.
Shock froze her for a moment. “What are you doing here?”
“Gabe sent me. Said you were short-staffed and to do what you tell me.”
Yeah, she was going to strangle Gabe when she saw him. What the hell had he been thinking? “Why would he call you?” she asked.
He shrugged. “We’re friends now. What do you need?”
The music cued. The bride’s hissing voice rose in her ears, breaking her out of the trance. She snapped to attention. “Pretend you know what you’re doing even if you don’t. Keep your eyes and ears open to any potential disasters, and tell me immediately. I’ll get you a wireless mic later so we can communicate.” Damn, she was thrown off by Gabe’s absence and Carter’s disturbing presence and needed her head in the game. She couldn’t afford shredded nerves at this point. This wedding needed her full attention.
“Avery?”
Her voice cracked on a high pitch. “What!”
“I got this. Just tell me exactly what you need me to do right now.”
The quiet confidence in his tone and reassurance of his gaze loosened her tight muscles. “Okay. Go down the line and check in with the bridesmaids, making sure they’re calm and have their flowers. We’re on live time.”
She pivoted on her heel and headed to her stressed-out bride, praying it wasn’t a dress issue. They were the worst. She channeled her calm, hypnotic voice that helped in every situation. “Selena, what’s the matter? We’re ready to go. Do you need a few more minutes?”
The bride blinked furiously behind her veil, but, thank God, there were no tears to mess up her makeup. “That dog is going to ruin my wedding—I swear it.”
Avery glanced over at the canine ring bearer. The pug looked clueless, his fat body scrunched into a tuxedo that matched his master’s. His tongue lolled out as he sat on the floor, his black eyes peering out from a face full of thick rolls of flesh. The rings were secured to his collar in a velvet pouch.
“Gus is going to be fine,” she said firmly. “You’ve practiced with Adam, and the dog knows exactly what to do.”
“I wanted him to have someone walk him down with a leash, but Adam insists he’s trained to do it on his own. What if he stops walking? What if he runs around?”
Knowing all of that could possibly happen, Avery smiled with reassurance. “Gus knows what to do,” she repeated. “I’ll be standing by to handle anything. Now, look at me, Selena. This is your wedding—your moment. Don’t let Gus take that from you.”