Loving Cara (12 page)

“Get it through that gorgeous head of yours, baby, this is not pity, charity, or just because I’m fucking horny. I want you, Cara.
You.
” He grips my hair in his fist and pulls me back so he can whisper in my ear, “You.”

“Josh,” I whisper, and hold on for dear life as he smacks my ass again and then loses himself in the fast, hard rhythm of taking me from behind. There is just the slapping of skin and our harsh, ragged breaths filling the room until I can’t stand it anymore and I convulse as my orgasm rips through me, clenching around his cock.

Josh growls and finds his own release, holding himself buried to the hilt as his own shudders rack through his body. He kisses my back gently and slides out of me, turns me to him, and wraps me in his strong arms.

“Do you want to hear my list?” he murmurs as he brushes his lips across my temple.

“What list?”

“I have a whole list of reasons that I’m attracted to you, sweetheart. It goes without saying, although I’ve repeated it many times, that you’re beautiful. But more than that, you’re funny. You are dedicated to your job and you’re proud of what you do.”

His hands glide up and down my back in long, sweeping motions, soothing me.

“You’re kind and generous. You’re so fucking smart, baby. I plan to spend a lot of time making you see you how I see you because the view is unbelievable.”

I bite my lip and will the tears that have gathered in my eyes at bay.

“What I feel for you is so big, Cara. No more doubts.” He tips my chin up to look me in the eye. “You’re with me because there’s nowhere else I want you to be. Got it?”

I offer him a small smile and nod. “Got it.”

“Good.” He lifts me and carries me toward the bedroom. “But just in case, I think I’ll work on reminding you some more.”

CHAPTER

Eight

JOSH

The house is quiet as I let myself in the back door. I’ve been at work for a few hours, having left Cara in my bed before the sun was up this morning.

She is not a morning person.

I rinse out my coffee mug and grab a clean one from the cupboard above the sink, and as I turn to the coffeepot to pour both Cara and myself a cup, I hear her shuffle up behind me. She wraps her arms around my waist and presses her sweet little body against my back, nuzzling her face between my shoulder blades.

And just like that, I’m hard.

“Good morning,” she murmurs sleepily into my back. I grin and grip her hands in my own, turn in her arms, and loop my arms around her shoulders as she snuggles into my chest.

God, she’s so fucking adorable.

“Good morning, sweetheart.” I press my lips and nose to the crown of her head and take in a long, deep breath. She smells like strawberries and Cara, her own soft, sweet scent mingling with the berries. It’s intoxicating. “I’m pouring you some coffee.”

“Mmm.” She rubs her nose against my chest.

I lean back against the counter, holding her to me, content to stand with her as she wakes up. “Did you sleep okay?” I glide my hands up and down her slender back, enjoying the feel of the soft cotton of my faded, old college T-shirt over her skin.

“Slept fine.” She tilts her head back to smile up at me.

Dear God, I’d give anything to wake up to this smile for the rest of my life, and that thought is more than a little unnerving.

“Good.” I kiss her nose and then her lips softly before offering her the mug of steaming-hot coffee.

“Thank you,” she murmurs, and, holding the mug between both her hands, takes a long sip. “How did you know how I like my coffee?”

“I pay attention.” I shrug and take a sip of my own coffee, watching her over the brim. She’s all mussed up, her blond hair a bit tangled and messy, and her face is clean of makeup, glowing and flawless. My old University of Montana T-shirt hangs on her petite frame covering her yoga shorts and leaving her smooth legs bare. “You have great legs.”

Cara takes another sip of her coffee and blushes. Since the other night after the movie, she hasn’t said one negative word about her body. Instead, she simply blushes and smiles when I compliment her.

Remembering Friday night both pisses me off and turns me on. That anyone could look at Cara and call her fat or ugly is pure insanity and fills me with such rage that I can’t see straight. But the aftereffects when I fucked her against this kitchen counter and then showed her over and over all night long how beautiful I think she is made it one of the best nights of my life.

As her eyes widen and begin to shine, I can see that she’s remembering too.

“We don’t have time for this,” I mutter regretfully, and take another sip of coffee.

“Time for what?”

“For me to haul you back to my bedroom and bury myself inside you for the rest of the morning.”

She swallows hard, making me grin.

“Rain check?” she asks with a half smile.

“Absolutely.”

“What are you doing in here, anyway?” She refills her mug. “I don’t usually see you until lunchtime.”

“I have a surprise for Seth.”

“You do?” She grins widely and leans a hip against the countertop. “What is it?”

“You’ll see; you’re coming with us.”

“Well then, I guess I’d better get dressed.”

“I guess you’d better.” I slap her ass as she saunters past me and back to my bedroom to change. I’m thinking about following her to cash in on the rain check now rather than later when a sleepy Seth wanders through the front door, munching on a breakfast burrito.

“Mornin’.”

“Good morning. How are you?”

“Sleepy.” He plops down at the kitchen table. “I don’t want to do any schoolwork today.”

“Didn’t sleep well?” I pour him a glass of orange juice, which he gulps down quickly.

“I stayed up too late reading the book Cara gave me.” He shrugs and takes a bite of his burrito.

“Pretty good, huh?”

He shrugs again, then nods reluctantly. “Yeah, it’s good. I finished it already.”

“What did you finish?” Cara asks as she joins us. She’s changed into jeans and a green V-neck T-shirt that shows off those amazing tits of hers perfectly and makes her eyes glow.

I should have come back to the house earlier to make love to her before Seth got here.

“The book you gave me,” Seth replies as if it were no big deal.

Her eyes widen in surprise and then she laughs. “I haven’t even finished it yet.”

“Slowpoke,” Seth taunts her, and she shoots him a mock glare.

“You were only supposed to read a chapter a day.”

“Too slow,” he mutters. “Do I have to build that model of the solar system this morning?” He stuffs the rest of the burrito in his mouth.

“No,” I answer before Cara can, earning a surprised look from both of them. “At least not this morning. Cara, do you mind if you have class this afternoon instead?”

“I don’t have a problem with that.”

“Why?” Seth asks skeptically.

“I want to take you somewhere. Come on, let’s hop in the truck.”

“I don’t want to wash dishes again. I’ve been good.” Seth turns his wide, hazel eyes to Cara. “Don’t make me.”

“This isn’t that kind of field trip,” I inform him dryly. “You’ll like it.”

“Okay!” He jumps up and runs out the front door and to the truck, hopping in the backseat.

“You’re coming with us.” I take Cara by the hand and lead her out to the truck as well, helping her climb in the front seat.

“Cara, where are we going?” Seth asks, bouncing in the backseat.

“I don’t know, Josh didn’t tell me either.”

“I really hope I don’t have to wash any dishes.” Seth buckles himself in and watches out the window as I pull away from the house and down the long driveway to the highway.

The poor kid is going to need therapy because of that field trip.

Among other things, such as a bat-shit-crazy mother.

We don’t have to drive far. I pull into Louie’s driveway and come to a stop at the side of his small, ranch-style home. He saunters outside and waves, smiling at Seth as he jumps out of the truck.

“Hey, Louie!”

“Good morning.” Louie fist-bumps Seth, then motions for us to follow him to his small barn behind the house.

“You have a barn too, Louie?” Seth asks.

“A small one. But I don’t keep livestock.”

Cara and I walk behind Louie and Seth. I grip her hand in my own, lacing our fingers together, happy to hang back and let Louie reveal Seth’s surprise.

“Why are we here?” she asks with a smile.

“Wait for it.”

My eyes are glued to the barn door as Louie slides it open and Seth walks through.

“Puppies!”

Cara’s eyes find mine, laughing. “Puppies?”

“Puppies.” I lead her into the barn. Louie has a large corner fenced off with blankets, dog beds, bowls for food and water, and six Lab puppies, four black and two yellow.

The mama dog sniffs Seth’s hand and offers him a friendly lick before backing away so her pups can beg for attention.

“I didn’t know you had puppies!” Seth lets himself in the pen and sits on the floor, right in the middle of the pups, laughing as they climb over him, licking his face and pulling on his clothes.

“Lola had her pups almost three months ago and they’re ready to go home,” Louie tells him, grinning as he watches Seth with the pups.

“Do they have homes?” Cara asks, also grinning at the boy. “They’re adorable.”

Louie nods. “Five of them do.”

“Only five?” Seth frowns.

“One of them still needs a home.” Louie points to one of the black puppies. “One of the black males isn’t spoken for yet.”

“Well, Seth,” I say, wrapping my arm around Cara’s shoulders, “I thought that maybe you might like to take him.”

“Me?” Seth asks, his eyes wide. “Really?”

“A boy needs a dog.” I shrug.

“Which one is mine?”

“I guess that’s a yes,” Cara murmurs with a laugh.

“That little black fella you’re holding right now,” Louie informs Seth, and props a booted foot on a bucket.

The little guy just curls up for a nap in Seth’s lap.

“I think he likes me.” The boy’s face is all smiles, his eyes are shining in excitement.

“Looks like,” Louie agrees, and helps Seth out of the pen with his new friend. Louie clasps a simple leash to the dog’s collar and hands it to the boy.

“I can take him home?” he asks me hopefully.

“You can. But he’s your responsibility, Seth.”

“I get it.” He shakes his head and buries his nose in the fur on top of the pup’s head. “I’ll take care of him.”

“He’s so adorable.” Cara takes the puppy out of Seth’s arms and snuggles him. “Oh, I love that puppy smell.”

“We’ll all think he’s great until he’s chewing our shoes and anything else he can get his paws on,” I remind her as I lead them out to the truck. Seth jumps in the back and Cara hands him the pup before shutting the door and climbing into the passenger seat.

“I’ll train him,” Seth announces. “I’ll look at videos online and learn how.”

He giggles as the puppy licks his face and then burrows in Seth’s neck to take a nap.

Cara clasps my hand in hers and squeezes tightly. “This is good for him,” she whispers.

I nod and drive us back to the ranch.

“What are you going to name him?” Cara asks as I pull up to the house and we all climb out.

“Optimus Prime,” Seth announces proudly, making me laugh.

“That’s a long name,” Cara reminds him with a chuckle.

“He’s not a Spider-Man.” Seth furrows his brow, deep in thought.

“No, he’s not,” Cara agrees dryly.

Seth leads the dog around the yard, waiting for him to relieve himself before going into the house.

“I know! Thor!”

“Thor?” I ask. The kid obviously loves comic-book movies.

“Thor.” Seth nods his head decisively.

“I like it.” Cara’s smile is sweet and happy.

“Thor it is.”

“Come on, Thor, we have to do our science project.”

“We don’t have any supplies for him.” Cara frowns up at me as Seth guides Thor into the house.

“We have other dogs on the ranch, honey. I brought a dog bed in. He can eat with the other dogs in the morning, and we’ll get him some toys the next time we go to town.”

“Okay.” She pulls me to her and stands on tiptoe so she can brush her lips over mine. I immediately grip her hips and pull her against me, sinking into her.

Each time I kiss her it’s like the first time.

“What was that for?” I ask as I pull back to give us both a chance to breathe.

“I just like you.” She shrugs as if it were no big deal.

“Gee, that’s convenient.” I swat her ass, then soothe it with my palm. “You’re not so bad yourself.”

“Convenient,” she agrees, and plants a sweet kiss on my chin, then pushes her hands into my hair and pulls me down for another all-consuming kiss, practically climbing me. It’s all I can do to not pull her into the backseat of my truck and take her hard and fast.

“Thor peed!” Seth announces as he comes barreling out of the house with a happy Thor.

“You go back to work.” Cara laughs and pulls away reluctantly. “I have to teach science and potty-train a puppy.”

“I didn’t mean to add more work for you.” I grimace as I realize that’s exactly what’s just happened.

“It’s fine.” She shrugs. “You owe me.”

“I’ll make it up to you, sweetheart.” I feel the smile grow across my face as I picture exactly how I’ll make it up to her.

She answers with a grin of her own. “I know.”

*  *  *

“So did you find the Mustang?” I ask my brother, my phone pressed to my ear, as I stride toward my house. The sun is shining brightly again today, making my head sweat under my green hat. I need a shower.

“Yeah, the bastard sold it back to me.” Zack sighs on the other end of the phone. “I have a feeling I paid more than what he bought it for.”

“Kensie didn’t tell you what she sold it for?” I ask with a frown.

“I haven’t spoken to her since before she left Seth with you.” He sighs again. “Is Seth nearby?”

“He’s in the house with Cara, working on math or something.”

“He still won’t take my calls.” I hate hearing the defeat in my brother’s voice.