Page 55 of Between Now and Forever

“Yes.”

I grin up at her, and then I eat her just like I promised.

When she’s done and begging me to stop, I carry her back to her room. Her sexy ass body, limp and languid with satisfaction thatIgave her when I tuck her into bed.

As I walk to my room, I’m buzzing. I need to come, bad, but that’s not the first thing I’m going to do. I’ve got another release happening in my mind. There’s a song, that’s been coming to me in pieces since we’ve been here. Until now, it’s only been a few bars at a time, but now there’s more, and I’m scared if I don’t get to my keyboard in time, it’ll be gone before I can capture it.

It’s been months since I’ve heard anything that I wanted to turn into music.

I thought I was broken. I run to my room, grab the electric keyboard I’ve been forced to use because of our year on the road, and lay down the bars of music.

When I’m done, and I’ve got a stanza composed, I lie down and stare at the ceiling. Through the huge skylight windows above me, the sky is like a diamond-crusted shroud. I can’t see the stars like this in any of the cities I’ll be visiting on this tour.

There’s something special about this place.

And about Beth Wolfe.

7

BIRTHDAY SURPRISE

ELISABETH

Today is officiallythe best birthday I’ve ever had, and the sun hasn’t even come up yet. Carter is driving me back to my brother’s house, and he’s holding my hand. I look down at my hand, the one that’s currently intertwined with his on the center console.

We’re winding our way back through the thickly wooded road that leads to West Winsome. His headlights are on bright, and we’ve been driving that way the whole drive, only dimming them on the rare occasion we’ve passed another car. The fog is heavy and almost impossible to see through in the still, dark dawn.

We’re driving slowly, and even though I’m eager to get home, I’m dreading saying goodbye to Carter.

Last night he gave me so many gifts, I can’t even count them. I won’t forget him or the way he showed me what my body was capable of. I didn’t know pleasure like that existed inside of me.

I wanted to ask him to put his dick inside of me—in my pussy and my ass. I wanted to feel him and see if that would feel good, too, or if that part hurts, no matter who does it. But, maybe it’s for the best. I’m afraid that if we’d done that, I would be in even more trouble over him than I already am.

We hold hands as he drives, talking and trying to squeeze as much information about each other into every second. He’s telling me about his Chelsea neighborhood, and I’ve closed my eyes while he describes his favorite Chinese restaurant and some sandwich called bao. My stomach rumbles and my heart flutters when he leans over to kiss me while we coast slowly down the road that leads to West Winsome.

The difference between the way I felt the last time I was on the road is stark. I know it’s because the sun has yet to claim its place in the dawn sky and the night has still got me in its loving grip.

He hasn’t mentioned staying in touch. I know I shouldn’t even think about it. What are the chances that this could be something…more? We haven’t had enough time toreallyknow. But the last twenty-four hours felt like something special.

I’m praying he’ll ask to see me again.

If he doesn’t, then I’ll have to ask myself.

Sure, he could say no. But, I’d rather that than spend the rest of my life wondering if I’d let my one chance at romance get away.

I glance over at him and he smiles his dreamy, heartthrob smile at me and my toes curl.

We pull into my brother’s driveway, and he throws the car into park.

James’s Porsche Cayenne isn’t in its usual spot. I frown because it’s so early, and he should be home.

But before I can think about it too deeply, Carter is reaching for me.

I climb onto his lap and straddle him.

My smile is so wide and endless that my cheeks hurt. I think I’ve been smiling like this since I sat down with his family last night. I press my forehead to his, and my heart beats triple time as we gaze into each other’s eyes.

“We’re crazy, right?” Carter’s grin is as wide as mine.

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