Page 45 of Between Now and Forever

He scrapes the sharp edge of his teeth along my throat.

“Carter,” his name is a jagged plea for relief.

“Beth…baby…” his breath is hot against my skin and I want…more.

“It’s not enough.”

The slam of a door and the creak of the floorboard on the stairs sounds, and we stop kissing, our heads turn to watch the stairs, both of us frozen as we wait to see if anyone materializes.

“I know you’re making out, so I’m going back downstairs, but I’ll be back in three minutes. Hurry up,” his mother calls out.

We look back at each other, our eyes wide with mortification. And then he laughs, and so do I.

He presses his forehead to mine and keeps his hips in the cradle I’ve made for him. We’re chest to chest now, and I drape my arms over his shoulders and try to catch my breath.

I close my eyes and let my head loll to the side.

Today started off so terribly, and I can’t believe it's ending on such a high note. I sigh contentedly.

“Open your eyes, please.” His voice is thick and his words run together like his tongue has lost its dexterity.

I have to flutter my heavy lids a few times before they open all the way. But as soon as we lock gazes, I’m instantly alert.

He’s watching me and the look in his eyes is as candid as I’ve seen from him all night.

“Are you okay?”

“Better than okay. This has been one of the worst years of my life. I’d written it off and was prepared to spend the rest of it just trying to survive. I stopped believing that anything would feelrightagain. But that.fucking.kiss.” He draws out each word and I know exactly how he feels. “Did youfeelall of that?” He shakes his head and laughs self-deprecatingly.

Oh my heart.

This man…he always knows just what to say.

I nod. “All of it,” I whisper.

His smile is broad, revealing a row of even white teeth and a dimple in each cheek. The lines of his face shift, and the symmetry is less pronounced. His brilliant green eyes are lit intimacy.

The effect is nothing short of devastating and disorienting.

“You’re so beautiful.” I blurt out and then slap a hand over my mouth when I hear myself. I look at him, my eyes wide with horror as I wait for him to laugh. But he doesn’t, even though his eyes glitter with delight and he flushes.

He pulls my hand from my mouth.

“I don’t know where that came from. I wasn’t even thinking it,” I sputter. My embarrassment is only heightened by the fact that I know my cheeks must be aflame.

“That’s funny, because Iwasthinking the same thing about you. Your skin is incredible.” His voice is husky and his eyes cling to and caress mine so sweetly.

But that sweetness is lost on me.

He might as well have blown an artic wind over the wings the kiss gave me. I come crashing down to earth and reality. I flinch and turn my head so that my good cheek is all he can see.

“Are you okay?” His expression goes from tender to baffled and I hate that I ruined the moment for him, too.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Just tired suddenly and I think our three minutes has been up for at least three minutes,” I force a smile that I know is convincing to most people.

He nods, but his silence is full of skepticism. He glances in the direction of the stairs, but his eyes aren’t focused.

“What’s wrong?” He asks again and I hate the tension that’s evident in his tightened jaw.

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