Series: Fever Falls Series by Riley Hart
Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 92704 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 464(@200wpm)___ 371(@250wpm)___ 309(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92704 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 464(@200wpm)___ 371(@250wpm)___ 309(@300wpm)
I dried my hands before going to the door and opening it. His hair was wet, and I figured he’d gone to his apartment to shower before coming over. He looked sexy as hell with his wet bangs hanging in his face, and wearing a tight, black, button-down shirt with a pair of jeans.
“Aw, you’re wearing an apron. Why doesn’t that surprise me? You look cute, and I’m hoping you plan to let me in.”
“Oh shit,” I said, catching on that I’d left him standing there. He took a step forward, and I felt a tingle at the base of my spine. Desire shot through me the way it always did when Carter was around. It was like this veil was pulled off me, turning me into a different person, one that was allowed out with Carter, and that I hadn’t even known existed before him.
My arm shot out, blocking the doorway. He frowned, but then I used my other hand to reach for him, let my fingers dance against the skin of his neck, gentle and teasing. Fuck if I didn’t tremble when Carter whimpered slightly. How in the fuck I had that effect on him, I’d never understand. “You can only come in if you kiss me first.”
“Oh, Naughty Sawyer is coming out to play. I’m gonna call him NS when we’re around other people so they don’t know what we’re talking about.” He winked and stepped closer. My hand wrapped around his throat, but I didn’t squeeze or anything. I just liked having my hand there, against his skin. Then his tongue was teasing my mouth open and I let him inside. Our teeth clanked together, and it was messy and urgent but so fucking hot.
When he pulled back, we both gasped. “Holy shit,” he said, but recovered first, putting his Sassy Carter mask back in place. “Was that good enough for you?”
My voice was gravelly when I replied simply, “Yes.”
Carter came in, and I closed the door behind him. My apartment wasn’t too big. It was open concept, with the kitchen to the left, a bar separating it from the dining room. Off to the right was the living room, basically filled with bookshelves and my smoky-gray furniture. There was a short hallway with the bathroom, and my bedroom was that direction too. “Make yourself at home. Do you want some wine?”
“Obvi,” he replied with a grin. “This is a great apartment. It’s…cozy.”
Was that too simple? Being cozy? I shook those doubts out of my head. “Thanks.”
Carter went to the living room and was browsing my bookshelves as I went to the kitchen and poured us each a glass of wine. “It’s rosé. And I’m making chicken with rice and Brussels sprouts. I know most people don’t like them, but mine are to fucking die for, so you’ll love them.”
Carter chuckled. “Will I?”
“Obvi,” I said with a smile.
He came over, and I handed him a glass. He leaned his hip against the counter and held his glass up. “To friends who exclusively fuck around and the hope I have of finally getting some dick tonight.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. It used to annoy the shit out of me when he spoke like that, but now it made me want to bend him over the counter and do just that. And then that freaked me out because what if I wasn’t what he expected, what he was used to? I wasn’t the dominant top Carter usually fucked around with.
“Hey…I was kidding,” he said.
“No, no. Don’t worry. I want you. I plan to have you tonight.”
“Thank God.” He grinned at me, and somehow I felt that smile in my chest.
We clinked our glasses and took a drink. “Have a seat.” Carter sat at the bar while I finished up a few things for dinner.
“It smells great. I don’t usually have guys offering to cook me dinner.”
“Sounds like you were dating the wrong kind of guys. You have good taste now, though,” I teased. “Not that we’re dating. I didn’t mean that.” Of course, I had to say that. I was supposed to be going for easy and no strings, yet I went straight to dating.
“Sawyer, we’re basically dating…kind of. I mean, we haven’t gone out a lot or really done a lot, but we’re only doing it with each other.”
I smiled. “Okay.” I didn’t know if he meant that, but I was glad he tried to make me feel better.
I finished cooking dinner, and he set the small table for us. It held four chairs, and we sat beside each other, our plates and glasses full. “So, we’ve talked a bit about my mom, but you haven’t said much about your family, and holy fuck, you were right. These are the best Brussels sprouts I’ve ever had.”
“I told you I was good.” I winked.