God, I’m a terrible person. Like, for real.
He slings an arm behind his head, his eyebrows lowering. In fact, he’s full-blown frowning at me. Guess he doesn’t like what I had to say. “I just wanted to tell Caroline. I don’t like keeping secrets from her.”
I am an expert at keeping secrets. I’ve been sneaking behind my parents’ back since I was a teen. I’m all about being secretive, which isn’t the best trait, I know. “I’m not saying we can never tell her. Let’s just…wait a while. See how this plays out.”
With his other hand he reaches out, his fingers drifting across my jaw, featherlight and sending shivers through me. “I like you, Stel. I like you a lot. You’re the first woman I actually want to spend time with that has nothing to do with how fast I can get her into bed.”
I laugh and sit up completely, causing his hand to drop and the sheet to fall into a puddle in my lap, exposing my naked chest to him. “Oh really? I figured that’s exactly what you’ve been trying to do since you moved in.”
His gaze drops to my breasts. Of course. Men: they can be so complicated, yet so simple. “Not true. Hell, I didn’t want to move in with you. Not at first.”
“Bullshit,” I say good-naturedly. “You’re the one who practically goaded me into asking you to move in.”
“True.” Now he’s touching my breast with the back of his hand, making my skin tingle. “I can’t seem to resist you.”
I remain still, letting him touch me. I’m enjoying it, so why should I stop him? But I’m also mulling over what he said, and I do understand what he meant—he enjoys my company. The end result to us spending time with each other doesn’t have to be us falling into bed together and having sex. I feel the same way about him.
Though the sex part is a nice bonus, I can’t deny it.
This time around was just as good as the first, maybe even better. Me bent over the couch while he had his way with me—super hot. Coming back to my bedroom where I rode him into oblivion—extra hot. The way he’s touching me, looking at me right now—still extremely hot.
“Come here,” he whispers, and I go to him, a gasp escaping me when he pulls me even closer and tucks me beneath him. He hovers above me, dipping his head and pressing his mouth to mine. His lips are warm and soft, and I melt into the mattress from the languid kiss, the lazy tangle of his tongue with mine.
“We’re really going to do this again?” I ask after he breaks the kiss first. I can feel his erection pressing against me. Impressive. The man can just go and go and go.
“We are definitely going to do this again.” He twists away from me to grab a condom from my bedside table. I pulled them out of the drawer a few hours ago when we came back to my bedroom, and I’m grateful I was so prepared.
So, so grateful.
Twenty-Two
Carter
I’m at my new job, sitting at my new desk and going over company procedures with the branch manager when a bell rings, indicating someone has entered the building.
And when I glance up to see who it is, I go still with shock.
It’s Grace Ricci, Stella’s nonna.
Of course Jolene, the branch manager, knows Grace. This town is too small. Everyone knows everybody.
“Mrs. Ricci, it’s so wonderful to see you.” Jolene rises to her feet and walks over to where Grace is still standing, just on the other side of the glass door. She’s leaning heavily on her cane, her gaze searching as her head swivels this way and that, and I slouch in my chair to try to hide behind my laptop.
“Good afternoon, Jolene,” Grace says formally, a little grimace on her face when Jolene pulls her into a brief hug. Maybe Grace doesn’t like Jolene? Hmm. “I hope you don’t mind my stopping by unannounced.”
“Of course not! What brings you in today?” Jolene is gushing. Maybe that’s what Grace doesn’t like.
Ass kissing.
“I was hoping to meet with your newest agent.” She lifts her chin, a determined gleam in her eye.
Oh shit.
“Carter Abbott,” Grace finishes, rising a little on her tiptoes to try to see over my laptop no doubt. She’s a small woman. Maybe a little over five feet? “I think that’s him right over there.” She raises her cane and points it right at me.
Damn. Caught. Why am I hiding from her again?
Yeah, I don’t want her to know that I’m banging her sexy-as-fuck granddaughter. Or that we’re living together, when that’s supposed to be a secret. Keeping our living arrangements a secret makes it seem like we’re up to no good. Originally we weren’t. Now we are.
And that leaves me feeling guilty.
I quickly shrug into my jacket and stand, making my way around my new desk, past the other empty desks that are normally occupied by other agents, though most of them are out on calls and a couple of open houses this afternoon. I paste my best agent smile on my face, walking swiftly toward Grace until I’m standing directly in front of her.
“Mrs. Ricci,” I tell her, bending to press a kiss to one of her wrinkled cheeks, then the other. “Long time, no see.”
She laughs, patting my cheek as I pull away. “Don’t you clean up nicely.”
I’m in a suit because hello, I dress to impress. I am not your casual real estate agent who shows up to the office or meets with clients in jeans and a polo shirt. I sell houses that are worth lots of money. I have to look the part.
“Thank you,” I tell her with a faint smile. “I didn’t expect to see you today.”
Jolene is watching everything unfold with confusion on her face. She’s a nice woman. A few of the other agents I’ve befriended since starting six days ago say she’s a shark, though she reminds me of someone’s grandma. Someone’s posh, designer grandma dripping in diamonds and Chanel, but a grandma nevertheless.
“How do you two know each other?” Jolene asks pleasantly, her face frozen into a half smile. Or maybe that’s all the Botox, I’m not sure.
“He’s interested in my granddaughter,” Grace says, gesturing toward me with the cane again. I rear my head away before she knocks me out with it. “Stella.”
“Oh, Stella! How is she? I see her almost every morning when I grab my coffee at Sweet Dreams, but we never really get the chance to chat. She’s always so busy,” Jolene says.
Great. My boss knows Stella. And wait a minute. What did Stella’s grandmother say again…
“I’m not interested in your granddaughter,” I say with a chuckle, trying to keep it lighthearted. Last thing I want to admit to this older woman is that I’m fucking her granddaughter on the regular now.
Crude, but true.
“Don’t lie, Mr. Abbott. It’s not becoming.” Grace stomps the cane onto the floor, making it rattle. “Can we talk for a moment? Privately?” She shoots Jolene a look that says get the hell out of here.
“Yes, absolutely. Let’s go to one of the offices.” I move so I’m standing beside Grace, grasping hold of her elbow and leading her to the back of the building, where there are a cluster of offices are. This is where agents take their clients so they can close the deal. Not that I have any deals to close with one Grace Ricci, but she did ask for some privacy, so…