“Shh… it’s okay, baby.”
“No, it’s not.” His face brushed across my chest as he shook his head. “I was so out of order. I can’t believe you left. Then you were gone. You weren’t here. Mom and Dad are giving me the silent treatment and throwing me looks like they’re disappointed in me, and I let you go.” He sniffed, and I hoped to God he wasn’t crying.
“Hey.” I pressed a kiss on top of his head. “I love you.” His head brushed across my chest as he lifted his face. When his eyes finally met mine, I spotted the pink, but there were no tears. Thank Christ. I was sure if he cried, I’d be offering the goddamn world to get him to stop. “It’s okay. Let’s just go to bed.”
“You’re staying?” Brightness filled his eyes, hope lighting them. He looked so fucking adorable.
“Yeah,” I answered with a grin. “Not going anywhere, okay?”
He nodded. “I am sorry though. I know I overreacted.”
“You did,” I agreed. I then laughed at his wide-eyed expression. “What? I’m just agreeing with you.”
His eyes squinted a little. “I know, but you didn’t have to agree right away or anything.”
I laughed a little harder.
“Fine,” he sighed, “I know I did, but you were pushing—”
“Because I care.”
“I know.” He nodded, his lips finally tugging up. “And I’m glad you do, but you can be so pushy, and stubborn, and all growly and stuff over me.”
My brows lifted in amusement. “Growly?”
“Yes.” He rolled his eyes. “You get all demanding and macho, and don’t get me wrong, it’s hot and everything, but, Tanner, you told on me to my parents.”
I pressed my lips together, trying to contain my laughter. Apparently I didn’t do such a great job as Carter ended up saying, “And it’s not funny.”
I may have snorted.
“I’m serious.” He pushed at my chest.
I grabbed hold of his hands and wrapped him back in my arms, my laughter breaking free at the same time. “Listen,” I managed to say around the chuckle spilling forth, “let’s just get to bed, let me take care of you, and we’ll deal with your tattletale issues tomorrow.” He struggled a little in my arms. Unable to move, he bit my chest. “Ouch!” I laughed. “If anyone bites, it’s going to be me, yeah? You know, when I’m being all macho and shit.”
He bit again, but this time his small snicker touched my ears. My chest felt lighter at the sound, and I was almost lightheaded at the thought of truly taking care of Carter and putting all this bull behind us.
“Right.” I ducked down, and before Carter had the opportunity to react or figure out what I was going to do, I pushed my shoulder against his stomach and lifted him. He flipped over my shoulder with an oomph and a loud laugh, and I held on, racing upstairs with him in a fireman’s lift.
As we went past the spare room, I smacked his ass and shushed him, my reminder for him to be quiet. He grunted and pinched my ass cheeks in response. We carried on to his room, and I was never more relieved that it was at the opposite side of the house, with a couple of rooms separating us from his parents.
I needed to make Carter scream.
The morning lightspilled through the curtains, and I drew Carter closer, not quite ready to get up yet. He stirred, and I smiled at him, then brushed my lips over his. “Morning.”
“Morning,” he breathed before stretching into me and groaning.
“You okay?”
He hummed in response. “Deliciously sore.”
I moaned at the visual of a writhing Carter and captured his mouth in a heated kiss, immediately needing his lips. The image of last night and pounding into him was too close to the surface to ignore. After forcing myself to pull away, I asked, “Too sore?” I searched his eyes, waiting for his honest answer.
“Well,” he said with a laugh, “it depends on what you have planned.”
Casting my gaze over his face and then chest, I then lifted the sheets, my eyes landing on his erection. “Well, I am hun—”
“Knock, knock.” Two sharp taps on the door interrupted us and had us separating like we’d been caught making out by, yeah, Carter’s mom. I snorted as Carter fumbled with the sheet, his cheeks heated and his eyes wide as he stared at the door.
