Obligation, page 17
He'd wait for Carissa, for however long she took to realize he wasn’t going anywhere. But she needed to know that.
With a new determination, he marched down the hall and stopped in front of the closed bedroom door. He lifted his hand to knock, but before he could, the door swung open. Carissa’s eyes widened, and she took a tiny step back, almost as if she couldn’t believe he was there.
“Bradley…” she whispered and moved closer. “What’re you… I mean… Um…” She licked her lips, and his gaze dropped to her mouth, then slowly drifted back up to meet her big, gorgeous brown eyes. “Did you need something?”
You. But he didn’t say that. He had to tread carefully so she wouldn’t retreat on him again. “One day, you’re going to realize how much you’re worth, and when that happens, you know where to find me.” He turned to leave, satisfied he’d made his point.
“Wait.” She grabbed his hand, stopping him. “What’s that supposed to mean?” Her voice was incredibly soft, almost shy. She dropped her hold on his hand.
“It means when you realize you can do better than Danny, I’ll be right here waiting for you.” He grazed the back of his hand down the side of her face, and she leaned into his touch, her eyes fluttering closed.
He stood there, unspeaking, unmoving, and she did the same. He worried if he so much as took a breath, he’d shatter this moment. Not that he could explain what was happening, but he had this feeling something was shifting between them.
Slowly, her eyes opened and met his gaze. He remained perfectly still, though his heart was like a wild beast inside his chest, pounding and thrashing against his ribs. He swallowed the lump in his throat. His entire body was tense, and the smallest thing would make him snap.
She clutched his hand and lowered it from her face. He fully expected her to let go of him, to tell him to go away, to give him yet another excuse as to why he should walk away from her. But she didn’t say a word, and the silence stretched. All the training his father had taught him crumbled, and he caved to the pressure of needing to say or do something.
“Carissa, I—”
She flung her arms around his neck, pressed her body against his, and then crushed her mouth over his. His shock lasted the span of a single heartbeat, and then he wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly to him. He nibbled at her bottom lip, begging for entry, and she granted him permission. Her lips parted on a needy sigh, and he dipped his tongue inside her mouth for a taste. Though, if he had his way, this would be a hell of a lot more than just a taste.
After what happened between them earlier that morning, he was still wound tight, and his balls ached for release. Carissa curled her fingers along the nape of his neck, and he groaned. Shivers shot down his spine, and he flattened his palms against her back, the action drawing her even closer. She made absolutely no effort to get away or put any distance between them. In fact, she wiggled even closer.
Without allowing himself to think about what he was doing—or the consequences—he lifted her off her feet. She let out a small gasp, wrapped her legs around his waist, and then kissed him harder. Deeper. With an urgency he’d never felt from anyone before, but one he matched without hesitation.
Bradley carried her into the bedroom and laid her in the middle of the bed. As badly as he wanted to take this moment to savor her, to drink in the sight of her splayed out before him, he didn’t. He couldn’t, because he was too hungry for her. Instead, he shifted his weight into his arms and held himself above her; then he lowered his mouth back to hers.
She speared her fingers through his hair and shifted so he could settle between her now parted legs. His muscles strained and twitched with the effort of trying to maintain some semblance of control, but he was losing the battle fast. Her kiss remained urgent, starving almost, and he met every nip and flick of her tongue with one of his own.
Her breaths were ragged, and her chest heaved with each exhale. Her lips were a million times softer than he’d remembered, and his head swam with too many thoughts and emotions. If he wasn’t careful, he could easily drown in her. That, or he’d go up in flames with how fiery hot she burned with passion.
She disentangled her hold on his hair, coursed her hands down his back, and then she slid her fingers up his sides and over his ribs, her fingernails leaving goose bumps in their wake. He fought back a shudder and slowed the kiss to something softer, something that not only conveyed how badly he wanted her but how he truly felt about her, how special she was.
He knew he should stop before either of them did something they’d regret. Not that he’d ever regret being with her, but he knew she would regret doing this with him. If for no other reason than she was still involved with Danny, and the last thing Bradley wanted was for her to feel any worse about herself.
Reluctantly easing away from her mouth, he was determined to collect himself enough to make sure this was what she really wanted. But then she flattened her hands on his back, holding him to her, encouraging him to keep going. And in that moment, he was a goner. No way could he deny her anything she wanted, and right now, she wanted him.
Slowly, he lowered himself onto her. The instant his body touched hers, he lost all coherent thought. She was incredibly warm and soft and pliant. How could she not feel what was between them? How could she deny they had a spark so intense that they could ignite one another with nothing more than a heated look? A touch of their lips? He’d never experienced anything so potent before.
She wiggled beneath him. “Bradley,” she half-whispered, half-gasped.
He tore away from her mouth with a curse and showered her jaw with tiny, heated kisses. “My God, Carissa.” Drawing in a deep enough breath was impossible, and he was dizzy with need as he dragged his mouth down the column of her neck. Her flesh was fiery hot, and her pulse punched against his lips.
Carissa tilted her head, granting him access, and that one small act of trust had his self-controlling snapping. He rocked his hips forward, letting her know exactly what she did to him, and she moaned in response.
Did he have any condoms anywhere in this penthouse? He hoped to God he did, because if she continued to be so agreeable, he would spend the rest of the day worshipping her and her body. When he was done with her, she’d know what it felt like to have a man attend to her every want and need and desire.
He eased his hand up the hem of her shirt and along her ribcage, his thumb grazing her breast. She sucked in a sharp breath, and he claimed her mouth in another kiss; this one slower than the others but packed full of promise.
“Bradley,” she said, her voice breathless. “I can’t do this. I’m sorry.”
He immediately moved away from her mouth, and then pushed himself off her, his weight once again in his arms. Then, he peered down at her. She had her hands covering her face, almost as if she were ashamed.
“Hey.” Bradley adjusted so he was on his side next to her, and then he gently pulled her hands from her face. “It’s okay.” He forced a smile and worked to calm his erratic heartbeat. “You don’t have to apologize. If you don’t want this, that’s okay. No hard feelings.”
“Really?” she asked, her tone shocked.
He nodded. “Yes. Really. In fact, I should be the one apologizing.” He flopped over onto his back, draped his arm over his face, and blew out a breath. “I never should’ve taken things this far, especially after everything this morning.”
She was silent for a moment, and he dared to sneak a glance at her. Her bottom lip was tucked between her teeth, and she was staring up at the ceiling, hands folded on her stomach.
Bradley turned his attention to the ceiling, too, because staring at that right now was easier than looking at her. Not because she wasn’t gorgeous or because he didn’t want to get lost in her beauty, but because knowing she was so close yet unattainable was too much for him to bear.
“For what it’s worth, that was fun. I liked it,” she said.
He laughed. “Fun? Not exactly how I’d describe it, but okay.” He’d take what he could get.
“Fine. It was the hottest thing I’d ever experienced, okay?” She sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bed. “But I just can’t do this with you.”
“Because of Danny,” he said, defeated, as he got off the bed. “Yeah, I get it.” He raked his fingers through his hair, his hand trembling.
“Yeah, but more so because being with you like that terrifies me.”
His eyebrows shot up, and his ears rang. “I scare you?” Dumbfounded, he pointed at himself as if that would somehow explain what she’d just said. “Carissa, I never—”
She stood abruptly and faced him. “No.” She shook her head adamantly. “You don’t scare me, Bradly. Being with you scares me.”
He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. What was he supposed to say to that?
Chapter Twenty-Four
Crossing her arms over her chest, she mentally scolded herself for saying that to Bradley. She hadn’t meant to imply that he scared her. He was the least terrifying person she’d ever met. He was always so kind and caring, and he made her feel things she never knew possible.
Instinctively, she reached up and touched her still tingling lips. She wanted nothing more than to kiss him again, to feel his arms around her, to taste his lips, to hear his ragged breaths as he stole her ability to think. And God help her, she wanted the weight of his body on top of her, his erection pressing between her legs and hitting all the right spots.
“You’re going to have to give me a little more,” he said, “because I have no idea what you mean.”
She sighed, hoping she could explain what she meant without making things worse. “When I first got together with Danny, things were great. He was so nice to me, and we couldn’t keep our hands off each other.”
Bradley scowled. “Okay, maybe you don’t need to give me that much.”
“Let me finish. Please.” She stared at him with a pleading look. More than anything, she needed him to understand.
He nodded for her to continue.
“Things with Danny were crazy intense at first, and I’ll be the first to admit that it overwhelmed me, but I liked it, y’know?” She paced toward the window, then turned back. “I thought we had something special, but then things changed.” She shrugged and shook her head, frustrated. “I’m not making any sense.”
“No, I get it,” he said and moved around to the other side of the bed. Though he didn’t come too close to her, and she wasn’t sure if she was disappointed or grateful for that.
“What I’m trying to say is… everything I felt with Danny in the beginning of our relationship is nothing compared to what I feel when I’m near you,” she said, her voice dropping to a whisper. “No matter how many times I tell myself that I’m going to stay away from you, I can’t. I’m drawn to you in a way I can’t understand let alone explain.”
“Trust me. I know the feeling,” he muttered and raked his hand through his hair.
Her fingers tingled at the memory of running through his thick, soft locks, of how he’d groaned with pleasure. She dropped her arms and flexed her fingers, but the sensation wouldn’t go away.
“That’s what scares me, Bradley. My inability to stay away from you. My reactions when I am with you. I can’t seem to control any of it.”
He took a step closer, then another. She stiffened. Was he going to touch her? Kiss her? If he did, she wouldn’t be able to tell him no again. She wasn’t sure she wanted to. Thankfully, he stopped just in front of her.
“Is that such a bad thing?” He tilted his head, eyes narrowed, studying her. “I’ve never had this reaction to anyone before, either. The only difference is I’m running toward it, not away from it.”
Her shoulders slumped, and the threat of tears burned the back of her throat. She wanted nothing more than to run toward her feelings for him, but how could she when she was still with Danny? And breaking up with him wasn’t as easy as everyone thought.
“Look.” He shifted on his feet, bringing his body closer. “If it wasn’t obvious from the moment we met, then after what happened just now”—he inclined his head toward the bed—“it should be crystal clear how I feel about you.”
She averted her gaze, unable to look at him. She had known right from the start that he liked her, and she returned those feelings, but things were too complicated. Bradley deserved more than what she could give him.
“I’m sorry.” She lifted her head and looked him straight in the eyes. “It was never my intention to lead you on.”
“I know that,” he said, his tone ringing with sincerity.
She buried the urge to rest her head on his chest and sob. Instead, she straightened her shoulders and held her head high. “I think it’s best if you take me home.”
“Is that what you really want?” He raised a brow, everything he wasn’t saying coming across loud and clear.
Hesitating for a moment too long, she ran through all the possibilities in her mind. She could say no, tell him she wanted to stay here longer, that she wanted to hide from the world so that she could be with him. But that wasn’t fair to him, and he was too great of a guy to take advantage of, because she had no doubts if she did say all that, he’d agree.
“Yes, I think it’s best,” she finally said.
“Okay.” He nodded. “I’ll get dressed, and we can go.”
“Thank you.”
With a forced smile, he left and closed the door behind him. Carissa expelled a long, heavy breath. She blinked hard against the tears pooling in her eyes, but her efforts were useless. Tears spilled down her cheeks, and she hastily wiped them away.
Why couldn’t she have met Bradley before Danny? Better yet, why couldn’t she find the strength to leave Danny? He wasn’t the same guy she’d fallen for, and he didn’t really respect her. Not the way she deserved anyway.
Bradley’s promise from earlier whispered through her thoughts. Would he really be waiting for her when she got her shit together? She desperately wanted to believe he would be, but a guy like Bradley wouldn’t be single for long, and any girl who snagged him would be the luckiest girl on the planet.
She could be that girl.
Yeah, right. She huffed, then busied herself with changing back into her clothes from the night before. After making the bed and piling the pajamas she’d borrowed onto the foot of the bed, she left the room.
Bradley stood near the living room window, his back to her, and he was on the phone. She stood silently in the kitchen, not wanting to interrupt him. Yet, she was curious who he was talking to.
“Yeah, we’re leaving in a few minutes so we should be back in a few hours.” He paused. “Sure… Okay… See ya soon.” He lowered the phone from his ear and spun around. “Sorry. Didn’t know you were there.”
“No, it’s okay,” she said quickly. “Everything alright?”
He nodded. “That was Jeremy.” Bradley slid his phone into his pocket. “Ready?”
“Yeah.” She moved toward the front door, both happy and sad to be leaving.
“Did you want to stop by the mall first to get your phone?” he asked as he guided her from the penthouse and down the hall to the elevator.
She really wasn’t in the mood to fight the crowds at a mall, but she did need a new phone, and her father had said he’d call ahead to make sure one was ready for her.
“If you don’t mind,” she said and stepped into the elevator.
“I don’t mind at all.” Bradley pushed the button for the lobby, and they rode down in silence.
Why were things suddenly so awkward? Their make-out sessions had been hotter than hell, so she didn’t think that was the problem. Stopping him and then poorly explaining why was probably the issue. She really needed to learn to keep her mouth shut.
The short drive to the mall was made in silence, too, and Carissa’s thoughts raced with all the things she’d said and done wrong. She analyzed and overanalyzed every word she’d said, every facial expression and move she’d made. Had she done something he hadn’t liked?
Thankfully, the trip into the mall to get her phone went quickly, and she didn’t run into any problems getting her new phone. Her father had even handled the payment, too, and so within minutes, she and Bradley were back in his car and headed home.
She spent the first hour of the trip catching up on all her messages. Considering she’d already talked to Tiffany, Carissa cleared all notifications from her friend, along with ones from Garrett and Cory—she assumed Tiffany had told them what was going on.
The two dozen messages from Danny were another story. At first, his voicemails started out as they always did—sweet and apologetic and begging for her forgiveness—and then they slowly morphed into meaner, nastier messages. She deleted every single voicemail he’d left for her. Then, she turned her attention to all the text messages.
Danny: Went back to find you and you were gone. Where are you?
Danny: I know you’re pissed but this isn’t funny. Where are you?
Danny: WHERE ARE YOU?!?!?
Danny: Okay, enough. I’m really worried. Please tell me where you are.
Danny: Really? You’re just going to ignore me now? Real mature.
Danny: C’mon, Carissa. Knock it off and talk to me!
Danny: I said I was sorry. What more do you want?
Danny: If you don’t answer me right now, I’m calling the police and then I’m calling your dad.
Carissa’s face grew hotter with each new message she read. Was he for real? He’d left her with no way home and no working phone, and he had the nerve to act like she was in the wrong for not answering him? Her hands shook with anger as she held her fingers poised above the screen. She was so tempted to send him a few nasty messages of her own, but that would only lead to an even bigger argument.
If Tiffany hadn’t bothered to tell Danny that Carissa was okay, then she was going to let him sweat it for a little while longer. That was the least he deserved after what he’d done. But she would check in with her friends.
