Engaging the Bachelor (Pulse) (8 page)

“Really?” Audra’s head bobbed as she turned to Carson, her gaze challenging. “When did you two meet?”

“Years ago,” Carson said. “Love at first sight, right Gemma? Then we met up again not too long ago. Gemma was a bit feverish, and I treated her a couple of times and told her to call me in the morning.”

Gemma nearly bit off her tongue. Oh, he’d treated her all right. Take two fabulous orgasms and call me in the morning.

But seriously, though, this was the story they were going with? Technically, it wasn’t a lie. And if people wanted to believe he’d given her pills to take down the fever, instead of the two best orgasms of her life, well, then, there was nothing she could do about that.

“Carson—” Audra protested, but he cut her off.

“Sorry, I have to run. My parents just arrived this morning, and I must go catch up.” He dropped another kiss onto Gemma’s mouth. “I’ll see you soon, babe.”

With Carson gone, Gracie sniffed at Audra’s feet. “Do you mind?” Audra asked, hands on hips, Gucci bag dangling from her wrist.

“She has good taste in shoes,” Gemma said. It was meant as a compliment. Really, she had nothing against the girl. Didn’t even know her.

“These are Jimmy Choos,” she replied, her look indignant. Audra pursed her lips, her gaze dropping to Gemma’s running shoes, the twist of her mouth suggesting Gemma wouldn’t know designer footwear if she tripped over it.

“I know. I’ve been lusting after those for a while now.”

Audra lifted her head, long, fake lashes fluttering. “Will Carson be buying them for you?”

“Excuse me?” Had she just straight up suggested she was with Carson so he could buy her things? She opened her mouth to set her straight, but Audra cut her off.

“Listen, don’t get too attached.” She waved a manicured finger up and down, indicating Gemma’s sweaty running clothes. “He’ll get tired of slumming and come back to me.”

She might be from the wrong side of the tracks but no one had any right to talk to her like that. She wanted to walk away, she really did. Audra was looking for a battle, and she didn’t want to strike back and give her any kind of satisfaction, but she couldn’t help herself from saying, “Slumming or not, he’ll be in my bed tonight, not yours. Maybe I’ll wear my Jimmy Choos when I wrap my legs around his back.”

As Audra stood there with her mouth open, Gemma patted her thigh. “Here, girl.” Gracie trotted over, and she grabbed her leash. Bolting for home, she cursed herself for her comeback. She was better than that, dammit. Why the hell had she fought back? She didn’t care what people thought of her, but she didn’t like Audra insinuating that Carson was slumming—that he thought she was nothing but a big ol’ slut.

Less than an hour later, she spotted Carson’s car pulling into the back lot of Score. His shoes pounded on her stairs, and Gracie’s tail banged against her pillow. God help her, if Gemma had a tail, it would be wagging, too. She really shouldn’t be this happy to see him.

He raised his hand to knock, but she pulled the door open before his knuckles connected. He reared back when he saw her.

“What?” She glanced at his dress shirt and pants, then looked at her outfit. Was she overdressed? Underdressed? A nervous hand went to her necklace, and she toyed with it.

He stepped into her, his fingers splaying on the small of her back. “You look beautiful.”

“Oh. Thank you,” she said, suddenly breathless when she felt his cock through his black dress pants. “You look really nice, too.” She put her hand on his chest and felt his heart beneath the crisp collared shirt that showcased his broad shoulders. The deep shade of blue matched his eyes.

He dragged his thumb over the back zipper of her dress. “Did you buy this for tonight?”

“Yeah, I needed something appropriate.”

“You look amazing, but you didn’t have to do anything special to impress my parents.”

“I’m a bit worried they won’t like me, which will cause more problems, more battles for you in the end.” Then again, if they didn’t like her, it would make breaking up easier. They’d be relieved come the end of summer—happy that Carson wasn’t marrying beneath his status—and Gemma wouldn’t feel so guilty about the ruse.

He bent forward, his lips inches from hers. His heat and strength surrounded her, and her body responded with a tremble. “As long as I like you, they’ll like you.”

“I’m not Audra.”

“Thank God.”

“I don’t think she really liked me.” She frowned and bit back the jealousy rising in her. “She likes you, though.”

He scoffed and backed away. “It’s not me she likes, Gemma. It’s the lifestyle—the name, what I can offer her. She’s fake. Like everyone else I know. ”

“I don’t know about that. I saw the way she was looking at you.”

He shrugged. “I don’t want to talk about her. Let’s talk about us.”

“There is no ‘us,’ Carson. I’ve been giving it some thought, and we should keep this a business arrangement only.”

“Really.” He looked past her shoulder. “That’s too bad. Because tonight, after I bring you back home, I plan to tear this dress from your body and take you up against that wall.” Heat moved into her cheeks, and he brushed his thumb over her warm face. “Medically speaking, we
do
have to do something about this tension between us.”

He touched the sleeve of her dress, running the material through his fingers. “I don’t normally do house calls, but in this situation, I’d be negligent not to.” A little whimper caught in her throat, and it gave him all the encouragement he needed. “I could take you so good against that wall—your legs around me, nails digging into my back as I fuck the hell out of you until you come all over me.”

Her knees wobbled. “No…no wall sex,” she protested, squeezing the words out past a tightening throat.

“Oh, if it’s wall sex you don’t like, then maybe you’d prefer to heat things up in the shower.”

She’d never had shower sex before. What would that be like? Her hesitation seemed to do something to him. “Hot water, suds…you with your hands braced on the wall, back arched. I could fuck you so good like that, Gemma.” His dirty words sucked all the oxygen from her lungs. “I could slide my cock in so deep, and slam into you so hard, you wouldn’t even remember your name.”

She couldn’t remember it now. Her hips moved, and her sex clenched, aching for it. “No shower sex,” she somehow managed to say.

He glanced into her small living room. “Ah, maybe it’s coffee table sex you’re into. I could bend you over the table, slowly slide your panties to your knees, put my fingers inside you and make you scream for me. Then, I’d take you soft and slow at first, to build your orgasm, and then I’d grip your shoulders for leverage and pound into you. Or maybe you’d rather I lay you out on top of it, so you could watch me fuck you. Yeah, maybe you’d like to watch my cock slide in and out.”

Her body grew tight, burning with sexual tension as this man, unguarded and powerful, stared down at her, offering to give her the best, hottest sex of her life. Why on earth would she refuse that?

“But hey if you don’t want any of that, fine.” He took a step back.

Her gaze jerked to his, disappointment forming a dark cloud as her pulse beat away at the hollow of her throat.
I am in so much trouble.

“All I’m saying is there is so much tension between us, and as a physician I was just prescribing—”

“Carson…”

He stepped back into her, crowding her, and her arousal crept higher. His head lowered, and he brushed his thumb over her bottom lip. It was all she could do not to lick it, suck it into her mouth. Heat crawled up her neck, and she had no doubt her cheeks were scarlet. He was a doctor, and would damn well know the signs of arousal when he saw them.

“What?” he asked, his warm breath seeping under her skin and stirring all the desire bubbling up inside her. “Do you need more time to think about it?”

Of course she didn’t need more time to think about it. After what he’d just promised, she was definitely going to have sex with him. It might be against her better judgment, but his prescription for against-the-wall, in-the-shower, and bent-over-the-coffee-table sex sounded just about right.

He inched back, staring at her, unblinking and in full control as she broke before him, shattering like a damn piñata, desperate to have his hands on her body, his mouth between her legs.

“You look a bit feverish.” Hooded eyes dropped, feigning innocence as he went into doctor mode. “You sure you don’t need something to help cool you down? I could give you two—”

She drew a long, unsteady breath and glared at him, knowing full well what he was implying. He obviously knew he’d gotten to her, and she wasn’t sure whether to smack or kiss that cocky smirk off his face. Well, two could play his game.

“Speaking of taking two,” she said, stealing back the control. “Gracie, why don’t you come over here for a second.” Carson backed up, laughing, knowing full well what
she
was implying. Gracie came rushing over. She gave her dog a pat on the head. “See you later, girl. Be good.”

Lord knows later on I’m not going to be.

Chapter Seven

Carson put his hands in his pockets and adjusted his pants. All Gemma had to do was glance down to see how hard she made him. He liked teasing her, playing with her, and showing her how much they wanted each other, but Jesus, at the end of the night, if she refused him, pushed him away…

She locked the door behind them, and he led the way to his car. Music drifted from the open window in the bar, and laughter could be heard as he opened the passenger-side door for her.

She cocked her head, her long hair falling over her shoulder. “Well, aren’t you a gentleman.”

He put his hands on her hips, holding her to him. “Yeah, I am. You’re in my hands now, Gemma, and you can be guaran-fucking-teed that I plan to take good care of you. You’re mine for the summer, and anything you need, I plan to give you.”

She visibly quaked, her lashes fluttering. Despite her body’s reactions, she lifted her chin a little higher, an unconscious gesture of defiance. “You know I can take care of myself, right?”

“I know.” She might be strong and independent, but he was protective by nature, and she’d damn well have to get used to it. A door banged behind him, and he cast a quick glance over his shoulder. He caught a glimpse of Jake walking to his Jeep. Their eyes met and Jake nodded, his glance flashing to Gemma. Good, let the douchebag see him with her. Then he’d know she was off-limits and he could stop eye-fucking her. “While we are on the subject of being in my hands. I plan on touching you tonight—a lot.”

She exhaled a shallow breath. “For show, right?”

“Partly.” A sound caught in his throat. “And partly because I want to.” He leaned in and brushed his tongue over her bottom lip, a slow sweep, moist and languid. Her heated breath spilled over his face, feeding his arousal. Fuck, he must be some sort of masochist. Now was not the time for the hard-on of all hard-ons, not when he had to meet his parents for dinner. He just couldn’t seem to resist her, or her sweetness. “You like when I touch you, don’t you?” he asked, his voice dropping an octave.

A car pulled into a spot near them, and she shot a nervous glance around. “I do.”

“Good.” He let go of her hips, and she slipped into the car. He leaned into her. “And you’d better get used to people watching.”

He circled the front, climbed in, and pulled out of the parking lot. She stared out the window, but every few seconds would cast a glance his way. “You’d better tell me everything I need to know before we get to your place.”

“Okay, well, you know how we met, and I grew up in Manhattan. My dad’s a corporate lawyer, and I was going to go to law school until…well, there was a change of plans.”

“I actually knew you’d planned on law school. I overheard that at your party. So why did you change your mind?”

His hands tightened on the steering wheel, painful memories flashing back. “Change of plans,” he repeated. “Crystal is finishing her law degree, and Mom stays home and does charity work.” He saw her frown and look at her hands. “What?”

“Are your parents…happy?”

He shot her a glance. “Why do you ask?”

“Crystal said something when I ran into her today.”

He scoffed. “No, they’re not happy. I’m not sure they ever were.”

“Why don’t they get a divorce then?”

A laugh caught in his throat. “Out of the question. How would that look?”

“If they didn’t marry for love, why did they marry?”

“They each had something the other needed. But it wasn’t love, and you can’t build a marriage on that.”

“I don’t get it. Then why are they trying to get you and Audra together? Don’t they want you to be happy?”

“I don’t know, Gemma. They just want me to settle down.” He winked. “You’re not the only one with a reputation. And maybe they think we’re a good fit and the love will come later. Or maybe they don’t even care if it does. Audra isn’t the first daughter of a friend they’ve tried to set me up with.”

“Arranged marriages.” She shook her head. “I’m sorry, Carson, but I think your parents need to step into the twenty-first century.”

He laughed at that. “Until they do, I just want them off my back. I’m a grown man, I make my own decisions about who I want to spend time with.”

“How are they going to feel about me, truthfully?”

“I’m not going to lie to you, Gemma. You wouldn’t be their first choice, but I think once they get to know you, they’ll like you. If they don’t, they’ll be dealing with me.”

“Okay. I like Crystal. She was really sweet when I ran into her.”

“Why wouldn’t she be?” He looked her way and smiled. “You’re going to be the sister she’s always wanted.” Her head dropped again, and she started fidgeting with her hands. “What?” he asked.

“This is one dinner, Carson. I’m not getting involved. I don’t do ‘close.’ At the end of the summer, you and I will both be leaving here.”

With a tug of the wheel, he turned the corner and headed toward his place. “You’re right. And if you don’t want to get close, I understand. It will make it easier for you to walk away.” He knew firsthand how good she was at that, but why? He had his reasons for keeping his distance, but what were hers?

She nodded. “Thanks.”

He pulled into the driveway and made his way around to the back of the house where he usually parked. They climbed out, and he met her at the front of the car. She cast a quick glance over his shoulder toward the doors that led inside.

“Nervous?” he asked.

“A little.”

He brushed his knuckles over her cheek. “I’ve got you, Gemma, and you have nothing to be nervous about. In, out, and it will be over before you know it. Then you won’t have to see them for the rest of the summer.” At her slight chuckle, he asked, “What?”

“Nothing. It was just something Andy had said earlier.”

“You two go way back, huh?”

“Yeah, since we were kids. She was always there for me when Mom…” She stopped talking, like she’d said too much. “She’s a good friend. The one person I can really count on.” She sucked in a quick breath and blinked, her mask back in place. She pushed past him. “Let’s get this over with, Sailor Boy.”

His stomach tightened at that quick display of vulnerability. Dammit, he wanted to be the guy she could count on, the guy she trusted and went to when she needed something.

What the hell?

Even if he wanted more, it couldn’t work. They’d both made it perfectly clear that they were anti-marriage. He believed everyone wanted something from him, and she didn’t do close. He already knew she was a runner. Plus they were both leaving at the end of the summer.

He turned and caught up to her. Keeping pace, he put an arm around her waist, and she settled against him. They slipped through the back door of the house, and entered one of the sitting rooms. Gemma shot a glance around, her eyes narrowing, as if she was trying to orient herself. Her gaze went to the large bay window overlooking the ocean, the exact spot she’d stood when Jason had given her a spiked drink.

“You okay?”

She let go of his hand and stepped up to a picture on a nearby table. She picked it up to examine it closer and ran her finger around the silver frame. Her nail tapped the glass. “Is this you?”

He followed her to the window and smiled. “Yeah, that’s me and my granddad.” He drew a breath and let it out slowly. “I miss him.”

“I’m sorry.”

“That’s okay. It was a while ago. We were really close and used to spend a lot of time together before he died.”

A small smile curved her lips as warmth lit up her eyes. “That’s so nice.”

He looked out toward the water, where his granddad’s sailboat still bobbed in the water. He pointed to it and she followed his gaze. “We use to hang out on his boat. Talk, fish, cruise out to Montauk Point… He’s the one who taught me how to sail.”

She ran her fingers over the sill of the bay window. “There was a model boat here. Just like that one. It broke during the fight.”

His jaw clenched. “Yeah. Granddad had it handcrafted and gave it to me for my eighteenth birthday. It actually meant a lot to me.”

She laid her palm against his cheek. “I’m sorry, Carson. It was destroyed because of me.”

He scoffed. “You have nothing to be sorry about. You weren’t the one responsible, Jason was. I’d kick the shit out of him again if it meant protecting you.”

“You didn’t even know me.” She crinkled her nose. “And I kind of snuck into your party.”

“I didn’t need to know you to protect you, Gemma. I’d never let any guy hurt any girl, even if she crashed my party.” He looked deep into her eyes. “Why did you do that anyway?”

“It was Andy’s idea.”

He grinned. “Of course it was.”

“We saw you and your friend on the beach earlier that day and heard some girls talking about a party at your place. We thought you guys were cute so—”

“You thought I was cute?”

She laughed and poked his chest. “Key word being
thought
.”

His chest puffed up. “Right, and now you think I’m a stud muffin.”

“Yeah, me and Ethel.”

He laughed and slid his hand around the back of her head, dying to taste her. His lips brushed hers, barely a kiss, when someone cleared their throat.

He grinned and pulled back, meeting his father’s eyes. The fine lines beneath them deepened as the older man watched them carefully, as if he could see through the ruse. “Hey, Dad.”

“Your mother sent me to find you.” A pink flush crawled up Gemma’s neck, and she pressed her hands to her lips. For a girl who supposedly slept around, she sure was embarrassed at getting caught kissing. “Gemma, it’s nice to see you.”

“You too, Mr. Reynolds.”

“Call me Alistair.”

She nodded and relaxed in Carson’s arms.

“Come on.” He pulled her against him and followed his father to the kitchen. His mother was putting the final touches on her famous strawberry shortcake.

“Gemma,” she said, her smile unsure, cautious. “Come in, come in.” She waved her over. “Have a glass of wine. We have so much to talk about.”

“We do?”

“Of course we do.” She poured Gemma a glass of wine and pointed to the salad bowls on the island. “Carson, Alistair, please grab those dishes and take them into the dining room.”

Since he wasn’t quite ready to leave Gemma alone with his mother, Carson stood there for a second, ready to come to her rescue if she needed it, but his sister did it for him.

“Gemma,” Crystal said, rushing to her with open arms. Carson watched as his sister gave his pretend fiancée a big hug, and a wave of unease moved through him. Shit. Crystal wanted to bond. Gemma didn’t do close. Asking the girl from his past to play pretend with him might have seemed like a good idea at the time, but now that the plan was actually in motion, he worried he might hurt those he cared about the most when they broke it off.

He grabbed a salad bowl off the counter and carried it to the dining room as the talk turned to dresses and each exclaimed over the other’s style. He stepped back into the kitchen to collect his girl.

His girl?

Well, for the summer anyway. As the two women continued to bond, his mom stared at them with cautious eyes. A knot tightened in his stomach. His mother had better play nice, or they were out of there. He’d allow no one, and he meant no one, to ever hurt Gemma.

His mom clapped her hands. “Dinner is ready. Now come on, let’s all sit and have something to eat and get to know one another better.”

Carson captured Gemma’s hand and guided her to the living room. “I hope you like seafood,” he said quietly. He probably should have gone over a few more things with her before this dinner. But she wasn’t the kind of girl who gave information away freely.

She nodded and glanced at the table. A tray full of lobsters sat in the center, along with an array of salads. “Everything looks beautiful.”

Carson pulled a chair out and indicated for her to sit. She slid into the seat and he dropped into the one next to her. Everyone filled their plates and broke into their lobster.

“So Gemma…”

The inquisition was starting.

“Mom, no.” Carson held his palm out. “Let’s all just have a nice dinner.”

His mother waved a dismissive hand. “Oh, Carson, stop. I was just going to ask Gemma if you two have set a date.”

“Not yet,” she said.

“Well, I was thinking, we should have an engagement party, here at the cottage. The back garden is the perfect spot.”

Carson gave a hard shake of his head. “I don’t think that’s necessary.”

“Why not, son?” his dad asked. “I think it’s a great idea.”

Dammit. Gemma was right. This was going to get complicated.

His father raised his glass of wine. “To Carson and Gemma, and an upcoming engagement party.”

Everyone lifted their glasses. Gemma put hers to her lips and pretended to drink. He studied her, and her smile wavered. She worked at a bar, yet didn’t drink. Interesting.

Crystal set down her glass, and smiled at Gemma from across the table. “What are you doing on the weekend, Gemma?”

Gemma adjusted her napkin on her lap. “Ah, working in the evenings.”

“Where do you work, again?” his mother piped in, not about to miss an opportunity to pry.

“Score. I’m a waitress.”

His mom’s eyes went wide, and flashed to his dad’s as she straightened in her chair. “Oh,” she said. “I’ve never been there.”

“We mostly cater to the hospital. My best friend’s mother owns it. She used to be a nurse at the hospital and saw a need.” She smiled at Carson. “Now we make sure the doctors and nurses are properly nourished.”

Carson put his hand on the back of her head, and kissed her forehead. “And we thank you for that.”

“If you’re not busy during the day, maybe you’d like to help me,” Crystal said.

A little flush moved into Gemma cheeks. “With what?”

“I’m running a clothing drive for the shelter Carson oversees in the city.”

Her gaze shot to his. “Shelter?”

“Of course, you must know all about that,” his mother said. She angled her head, her eyes narrowing. “I mean, you are engaged.”

“Of course she does,” Carson responded easily.

“Anyway,” Crystal continued. “I do it once a year, and collect clothes and toys for the women and children in need. I’d love the company, and we can grab some lunch afterward.”