Fool Me Once Read online

  “Well, I’m sure I’ll get some points for my date tonight.”

  I sure hope so. We leave after I grab my bag and when I’m out the door, I can’t find his car. Sitting pretty in my driveway is a large cherry red accented motorcycle.

  “The weather’s so beautiful, I figured we could take my bike for a ride.”

  “Did my mother tell you I’m a sucker for a man on a motorcycle?” I ask in shock.

  “No,” he chuckles. “I love my bike, she’s my other baby.”

  “Jeez, now I have to compete with two other women?”

  Carter surprises me when he closes the distance between us and places his hands on my hips. “Don’t tell them, but you’re my favorite.” He kisses the top of my head, and my body sags into him, my trembling knees unable to hold me up any longer after that comment.

  He links our hands, and a moment later I’m bouncing on my feet with excitement as he tries to put my helmet on. “Hold still, or we won’t be going anywhere,” he laughs. “Excited?”

  “Extremely.”

  “Now, have you been on a bike before, is riding a mandatory rule for boyfriends?” When the last word comes out of his mouth, it’s almost as if he had to force himself to say it.

  “Nope, never been on one before.”

  “Your saying I get to be your first?”

  “Yes, please be gentle and ease me into it. I want to walk without a limp tomorrow.”

  “Christ,” he mumbles, and there’s no mistaking him adjusting his pants.

  “Too much?”

  “Just enough.” He helps me on the back, carefully instructing where to sit and what to avoid. He’s not happy until I’m plastered to his body.

  Riding on a motorcycle is freeing. I thought I would be terrified but feeling the wind hit my body and holding tight to Carter’s stomach… this is my new favorite place. Here on this motorcycle with him. We ride for a while down the coast before pulling into a little restaurant called the Crab Shack.

  I’m secretly thrilled because this is my favorite place to get seafood and decide to keep that to myself. I can’t make this too easy.

  “Some of the film crew that are from around here told me this was the best place to get lobster.”

  “Oh really? Sounds great.”

  “You do like seafood, right?”

  “I grew up on the ocean, I love it.”

  The waitress approaches our table and introduces herself. “Hey there Lex, you want your usual?”

  My cheeks heat and Carter gives me a knowing look after I tell her yes.

  “Well, well. It seems one of us is a regular here. Now tell me since you have a usual, what the hell did I order?”

  “As long as you love lobster you’re all set. You could have asked for a menu, but I’m confident you won’t be disappointed.”

  “I never am with you. Plus, you have good taste.” He sits back in the booth stretching his arms across the top of the bench. I’m momentarily dazed, unable to take my eyes from what’s become my favorite part of his body.

  I cough trying to cover up gawking at the arm porn. “Good taste?”

  “You’re out with me, aren’t you?”

  “You’re such a cheeseball.”

  We talk about his show a little while waiting for our food. It’s clear to see how much he loves it when he talks about filming with his friends. It’s the same way I talk about my jewelry. He doesn’t have a large family with it just being him and his parents. I guess they live out in North Carolina, not where he’s originally from. They moved when he went off to LA to pursue his comedy.

  Some of the pranks I get the details about sound insane. How was my fist the first to ever land on his handsome face? It sounds like they really push the boundaries which I’m sure makes for good TV. Throughout all the talk and getting to know each other, Carter holds my hand across the table. It’s nice. Really nice.

  “Have you ever had a prank go wrong?”

  “Oh yeah. You wouldn’t believe it, but a few days ago I ended up getting punched in the face.”

  I laugh so hard other people in the restaurant stop eating and turn our way. “Sorry about that again. At least the bruising is practically gone.” I shrug my shoulders. “Can’t have your money maker out of commission for too long.”

  “I deserved it. Generally, we goad each other to lose, so we push the limits on what we want the other to do. I didn’t want to stop talking to you, so I did what they told me to. Plus, when we were in the back room, I saw you come in on the camera and told them I had to go first.”

  “Do you ever hold back? Get embarrassed? I’m genuinely curious. You throw out cheesy lines and pretty much wear your heart on your sleeve. It can’t be easy for you to be a dick.”

  “What you see is what you get. Running naked through Time Square asking people for clothes takes all humility out of the equation, and I’m not always a cheeseball, Lex.”

  “Fair enough.” I feel my cheeks redden at his last admission.

  “Now tell me about your jewelry.”

  Our food finally arrives, and we dig into our stuffed lobsters. In between bites, I tell Carter about my work and how I do it. He doesn’t seem bored in the slightest, and that makes me happy he’s actually taking an interest in my passion.

  “Can I special order some stuff for my mom? She loves jewelry and her birthday’s in a few weeks. I’m sure she’s sick of the same old stuff I always get her.”

  “I’m sure Tiffany’s and Cartier are so boring,” I joke. “Sure, I can work on some stuff and show you if you want?”

  “Sounds great, I’m definitely getting her one of your signature bracelets. I try to get her something symbolic of where I’m staying to take back to her on my trips.”

  “That’s seriously really sweet.”

  “Don’t tell your mom,” he grins.

  I pretend I’m zipping my lips and carry on attacking my food. I’m a sucker for lobster and finish the entire plate. Carter does the same and pats his belly after he takes his last bite.

  “Would you like to look at the dessert menus?” the waitress asks.

  I’m about to say yes because I’m a sucker for chocolate, but Carter declines. He can tell I’m disappointed and winks at me when he hands his credit card to the waitress.

  “Don’t you pout those sexy lips at me. I figured we could get dessert somewhere else.” His tongue peaks out licking his bottom lip. Oh, I’m sure he wants dessert of a different variety. Hint received.

  We’re about to get on his bike when I stop him as he reaches for my helmet. I stare into his eyes searching, for what I’m not sure, but the sunset at his back and the sincerity in his eyes has me slowly leaning in. My eyes close as Carter’s lips meet mine the rest of the way, touching in the slightest. Just a hint of touch that he’s there.

  “Don’t tease me.”

  “Never.” I can feel his smile.

  Then his lips seek out mine, and they mold together like they were made for each other. Carter bites my bottom lip, and my hands find his biceps to keep me grounded. My senses are on overload when I’m assaulted by his scent, his taste, his touch. I’m wrapped up in Carter, and I don’t ever want him to let me go.

  When his tongue slides in my mouth, my body trembles at his taste. I pull back a moment later to try and catch my breath, but our foreheads remain touching, our eyes locked together and our breaths fusing between us. I close my eyes not wanting the moment to be over. You only have one first kiss with another person, and this has been the best first kiss of my life.

  “You’ve ruined me, Lex.”

  “Oh, you have no idea.”

  “Stop thinking so much and just let it be.” His lips peck mine one last time before he places the helmet on my head and once I’m seated on his bike, I wrap my body around his.

  I whisper, “Okay,” thinking he won’t hear me over the roar of the motorcycle, but when his hand gives mine a squeeze at his waist, it’s clear he did.

  I know I’m a gon
er when he picks up my hand from his waist and kisses my palm.

  ***

  The second Carter has the bike in park, I pull him off and into my house. I attack him, there’s no nice way to say it. With full force, I jump up expecting him to catch me, which he does thankfully, and I bite his bottom lip, hard. With his fingers kneading into my ass, I feel more alive than I have been recently.

  “What’s gotten into you baby?” He pushes my back up against the wall and flings my shirt over my head.

  “This is me… going with it.” Also, a whole motorcycle ride plastered to his body.

  And with it, I went all the way until shit got real and Carter slid his tongue through my pussy until I fell apart at the seams. He surprised me with his unhurried lovemaking. I took him for more of a hard fuck kind of guy, and that would have been better…for my willpower.

  With every slow thrust of his hips and the whispers of how good I make him feel, I lose myself a little more to him and can only hope he’s there to catch me when I fall.

  When I dive over the edge effectively taking him with me, I’ve never had such an intimate experience in my life. Never been more in sync with another person. It’s like our bodies were made to be together, as corny as that sounds.

  “Thank you,” he finally whispers in my ear breaking the companionable silence as we lay in bed.

  “For what?”

  “Giving me a shot even though I had the worst first impression known to man.”

  “You’re not all that bad,” I chide.

  He turns towards me and snuggles close. “You’re all that’s good, baby. You shine so bright sometimes I can’t believe you’re here with me.”

  His compliments have me squirming, and I decide to use a different angle. “Maybe I went based off of my gut instinct.”

  “I feel a gut instinct coming on right about now.” He rolls over pinning me to the bed.

  “Is that so?” I smirk, but he stares at me seriously.

  “God, you’re beautiful.”

  “And you’re a charmer.”

  “If you only knew.”

  I look at him and love how his smile lights up his face. “Tell me something about you,” I whisper. “Something, nobody, knows, that’s just for me.”

  His face shifts to serious, and he brushes the hair off of my forehead. “I’ve never had this before.”

  “Had what?”

  “This, us. I’ve never had feelings this strong after so little time. It terrifies me.”

  “Thanks for sharing that with me.” I lift my head and brush my lips across his.

  “That you terrify me?” he laughs.

  “For showing me a side of you I haven’t seen yet, and letting me know what I’m feeling isn’t insane.”

  He doesn’t know it, but his answer was music to my ears. I needed to hear I’m not the only one scared with how I feel about Carter in such a short time. It shows me he’s in deep just like I am.

  I fall asleep in Carter’s arms knowing this is where I’m meant to be. Carter was brought into my life for a reason, and that reason was to open me up to the possibility of love. Something that doesn’t seem so terrifying anymore.

  Chapter 6

  I see Carter almost every day after that night. We’re inseparable other than when I have to get work done, and he needs to shoot something for his show. Thankfully, I’m not involved in any of that. It’s nerve-wracking enough knowing the first time we met will be airing in a few months for all to see.

  That leads us to this afternoon. I’m taking Carter to Sunday dinner at my mom’s house. She insisted of course and promised to be on her best behavior.

  I know she’s lying, my mom is never on her best behavior.

  “Damn, you didn’t tell me your parents are loaded,” Carter states pulling his car up the long drive after punching the code into their gate at the road.

  “That’s because we’re not. My stepfather is loaded. My mom does pretty well for herself with her jewelry store, but George does something or other with the stock market. Anytime he explains it I tend to zone out. He’s like Chandler Bing to me.”

  “Chandler who?”

  “Never mind. You obviously have horrible television taste if you’ve never seen Friends.”

  “You say I have bad taste when you’ve never seen an episode of Funny Guy's.”

  “What? I’m not really into the whole reality TV thing. Except for anything on HGTV, that channel could occupy me for hours.”

  “What am I going to do with you?” He places his hand on my knee and gives it a squeeze before we get out of his car.

  Once we’re inside and introductions are made, for my stepdad not my mom obviously, my mom dotes on Carter like he’s a King. It’s over the top and completely my mom. It doesn’t surprise me in the least.

  “Carter, not that I’m putting any pressure on you…” She looks at me and winks. “But do you see yourself having a big wedding or a small wedding?”

  “Jesus mom? Knock off the wedding talk. We’ve only just started dating.”

  “Nonsense.”

  Carter clears his throat. “Not to burst your bubble, Mrs. Brantly.” He looks at me and I know he’s about to drop a bomb and I’m not talking about in the bathroom. “I don’t believe in marriage.”

  “Pardon?” she says politely, but really, she’s saying his answer less than pleases her.

  “My parents are happily married, but most of the people in my family have failed miserably and well…” He looks between my mother and stepfather.

  “Oh, my ex was a lying bastard.” She looks over to me. “No offense, honey.”

  “None taken.” It’s not like I have a relationship with my dad. He took off with his tennis instructor when I was sixteen, and I never saw him again other than an occasional birthday card. He really is a lying bastard.

  “My point is if you’re happy, why try and change that? In my experience, the legality of it messes with your head and drives you crazy? How else can a couple be together for ten years, finally decide to get married, then divorce a year later? Why can’t people just be?”

  “Because my daughter needs to get married, young man!” She’s shrieking now, and I need to get Carter out of here before she throws her good china at him.

  “Let’s go.” I grab his arm, and I’m halfway out of the dining room when my stepfather stops us.

  “This is preposterous. Come back and enjoy dinner. You know how your mother is with marriage and Sharon, you know better than to bring it up. Let’s all agree not to talk about it and enjoy what I’m sure is going to be a magnificent dinner.”

  We reluctantly sit down, but all I can think about is the elephant in the room. Carter doesn’t want to get married, doesn’t believe in it. With a mother like mine, you can imagine I always thought I’d find the perfect guy and eventually say I do. Is that guy Carter? That’s yet to be seen, but he has qualities that I can definitely see myself falling in love with. Am I okay with him not wanting marriage when I could possibly see that in our future? Honestly, I’m not sure yet.

  The dinner goes on, and it’s actually not as awkward as one might think given the first twenty minutes. I have my stepdad to thank for that. George is a people person in his line of work and knows how to work a room. He told some funny stories about his recent poker tournament and had everyone forgetting about the dreaded M word.

  Okay, my mother could never forget, but you catch my drift. It was a pleasant evening, and Carter fits in really well with our family dynamic. By the time we’re saying goodbye Carter’s planning a morning of playing golf with George.

  My mom gives me the eye saying she’s still not pleased, and I shake my head telling her I don’t want to discuss it now.

  “Go ahead,” Carter says a little way into our drive.

  “What?”

  “I know you probably have something to say about the whole marriage thing.”

  “Not really, it’s your opinion and how you feel, just like I have my opin
ions.”

  “And what are those opinions?”

  “Have you met my mother?”

  “Point taken.”

  “Hey, this is new. We’ll hit that hurdle when we get there, okay?”

  “I think you’re too good to be true, babe.”

  I grab his hand. “When do you go back to LA?”

  “In two weeks.”

  “Okay.” Even I hear the disappointment in my voice. We’ve been dating for just shy of two months, and they’ve been the best of my life. It’s long enough to know I want this relationship to continue. I’m invested, and I’m willing to do whatever it takes.

  “That’s not the end of this, Lex. I’ll be damned if I just found you and have to let you go.”

  “It’ll be long distance.”

  “Not all the time and I’ll fly you out whenever I can and visit when my schedule permits. We don’t film all year round.”

  “Okay, we can try.”

  “Would it be rude to say I’d like to keep you in my bed until I leave?”

  “Will there be food and water?”

  “Only if you’re a good girl.”

  I know he’s joking but the thought of staying in bed all day sounds like music to my ears. Carter knows how to work my body like no one I’ve ever met, and whenever I’m with him, all I tend to think about is sex. The attraction is unreal, and our pull towards each other is beyond intense.

  “I can feel the way you’re looking at me and if you don’t stop I’m going to pull this car over.”

  I continue staring and run my finger up his thigh.

  “Fuck it.” He swerves and pulls off into the tree line.

  In a quick motion, I’m up and over the center console landing on his thick erection. “This is going to be hard baby. You make me lose all control.”

  “Same here,” I pant lifting my skirt up and sliding my panties out of the way.

  Once Carter’s free of his pants and places a condom on, he impales me in a quick thrust causing my fingers to dig into the headrest behind him. I try to find a nice rhythm, but he has other plans. He power bottoms the hell out of me, and all I can do is hang on for the ride. Carter frantically pulls down the top of my sundress and latches onto my nipple before biting it. It sends a jolt to my already wet pussy, causing it to contract and I have a hard time holding back.