Page 32 of Training Maisy

Chapter 20

Carter let her hit him as much as she wanted, glad to have that much contact with her. When she got tired of that, he opened his arms and pulled her into his embrace, breathing in the scent of her hair, his heart beating right for the first time in weeks. There was a little hesitation from Maisy, but finally, she gave in and wrapped her arms around him, burying her face in his chest. Carter placed his hands on Maisy’s face and raised it, looking into her eyes. Then suddenly, they were kissing, lips meshed as they tasted each other, oblivious to the people around them.

After a while, Carter broke the kiss and raised his hand to stop a cab. He helped Maisy in and then gave the driver the address of the gym. When they got there, he paid for the fare and led Maisy in, glad to see the gym was empty. When they got inside, Maisy immediately headed for their workout space, more out of habit than anything. But as soon as she got in, she stopped in her tracks, looking around the room, recalling the memories she had in this place. Turning around, she looked at Carter and asked, “Why did you bring me here, Carter?”

He shrugged. “Because this is the only place that seemed right for this.”

“Right for what, Carter? To remind me of everything that happened between us?” She looked at him with a pained look on her face, and that, more than anything, hurt Carter. It scared him a little because he never wanted to see that look on her face again, much less cause it.

“No, to tell you that I’m in love with you, Maisy,” he stated simply, hoping she would see he was telling the truth.

Maisy stared at Carter, almost not believing what he was saying. “You’re in love with me? Why, Carter? You saw me today and thought I looked so bad you’re going to pretend to be in love with me to make me happy?”

Carter grabbed her by her shoulder. “Christ, Maisy, take a look at me and tell me if I look like someone who’s had fun these last few weeks? You left, and it may sound cliché, but as soon as you did, I realized what I lost. Nothing has been the same for me since that day. Nothing tastes right or looks right. Things are just not as good without you in my life, Maisy. I tried calling, wanting to hear your voice, even just once, and you never picked up my call. You never even tried to see me again.” He was almost shouting now, his voice not as steady as it used to be. “Then I saw you today, and it finally clicked why I’ve been so miserable all this while. It was because of you, because I love you. And I know I fucked up once, but I swear if you give me another chance, you won’t regret it.”

Maisy looked at him, slightly stunned by the emotion behind his words, and even more than that, by the words themselves. Then, realizing what he was asking, and knowing the answer to that question, she wrapped her arms around him. “Yes, Carter; yes, I’ll give you another chance.”

The relief that crossed his face made Maisy laugh, then his lips on her lips made her moan as they both threw themselves hard at each other, kissing passionately and long till they had to come up for air, laughing the whole time.

“You’re leaving that gym and coming back here; you know that, right?”

Maisy smiled giddily. “Actually, I now teach a class there, Carter. Even going to community college for my degree.”

“I know that you can teach a class here, too. You were already teaching one before you left, remember?” he said as he hefted her easily and carried her farther into the gym.

“How did you know I was teaching a class over there?”

“Facebook,” was his simple reply as he began to undress her, starting with the buttons on her blouse.

“So, you’ve been cyber-stalking me all this while?” Maisy coyly asked as she lifted her arms so he could take the blouse off.

“Sure. I had to see you, Maisy. Needed to know that you were okay.” Maisy closed her eyes at the onslaught of emotions that swamped her at his statement. She reached up and kissed him softly, a meeting of just their lips as they stared into each other’s eyes.

“Okay, I have some conditions if I’m to come back,” she said after they broke the kiss.

“What conditions?”

“First, I want you to double my pay—”

“Done,” he simply said, without allowing her to finish, as he went back to undressing her.

“Okay, something tells me I should have asked for more there. Anyway, my other condition is that we still get to come here, use this place anytime we want, just the two of us.” She looked at him so he knew what she meant, and if he didn’t, the naughty smile on her face told him exactly what she meant.

“I’d have it no other way, baby girl,” he said as he finally got her in just her panties, a mesh-lacy number that sent the wiring in Carter’s head going crazy. Groaning, he reached down for a kiss as he fondled her nipples.

“I love you, Carter,” she said, and when he lifted his head to look at her, Maisy saw the reply in his eyes even before he said it.

“I love you more than anything in this world, baby girl.”

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