I cringed, closing my eyes, happy he couldn’t see me. Why did I have to poke my nose in things all the time? I knew I could be a little too doting and overbearing. If he didn’t invite me, I wasn’t going to push the issue. Things had to progress naturally. You couldn’t make someone want you in their life, no matter how much you tried. You couldn’t love for two; I’d learned that the hard way over the years.

Carter put a hand on my thigh, moving his thumb in a gentle rubbing motion. I caught my breath.

“I can’t wait to have you all to myself tonight.” His voice was low and seductive. If I thought my senses had been heightened before, it was nothing compared to this. The skin under my skirt had turned to goose bumps, and an ache was settling between my thighs.

“You do have me all to yourself right now,” I teased, knowing full well what he meant.

“I want to take off all your clothes and touch you right here.” He moved his hand further up, close to the apex of my thigh. “Kiss you there too. Nip and lick.”

A tremor coursed through me at the word lick. I felt Carter lean in next and place a kiss on my upper arm, then my shoulder. The moment was interrupted by the arrival of the dessert, breaking the tension. We made conversation while we indulged in macarons with whipped cream. The sparks between us were now on a low simmer, though I had a hunch it was only because Carter was keeping his hands to himself.

“You know, I’m going to try and sniff samples with the lights turned off. I think it’s going to be an interesting experiment.”

“You always look for ways to improve processes?”

“Of course. How else can I stay on top of things? But in this case, I don’t know if it will improve the process. I just think it might provide an alternative perspective. I like trying out new things.”

Once we finished the food, Carter asked, “Do you want to drink anything else?”

He’d put his hand on my lower back, slipping his thumb under my blouse, and my skin sizzled at the contact. And just like that, those sparks turned from simmering to explosive.

“We can go,” I whispered. How could he set me on edge with such an innocent touch? Or maybe it was the cumulative effect of all the times he’d touched me before. I’d barely got the words out when he asked for the bill. Someone was impatient.

***

Carter

I made a concerted effort to keep my hands off Val on the way home. Once inside, she looked over her shoulder and asked, “Do I have you all night?”

“Yes, you do. The girls’ nanny is spending the night with them.”