Page 117 of Debts and Desires
“I love you, too, Emogen.”
44. THE REAL CREEP
November 8
Day Seventy-Three
Icould barely move anything except my eyelids when Carter kissed my forehead.
“I’m going to work. You stay here today,” he spoke softly. I was exhausted from a good night. Areallygood night. The thought had me biting my lip. Last night after dinner, we finally broke out the wax candles he had bought. My skin and body were delightfully sore all over.
“Did I fuck you that good, baby?” Carter whispered. I could only nod. “Maybe I’ll fuck you just as good again tonight.” He gave me another kiss and started to get ready. I couldn’t stop thinking about the night before, how tender he was, how loving. But also how animalistic he was. It made me wet with need, so much so that I woke up much more.
“What time do you have to leave?” I asked, sitting up, holding the blanket to my chest. He was just buckling his belt.
“About twenty minutes from now,” he answered, picking up his socks.
“Good,” I said, moving the blanket off of me. His eyesdanced shamelessly over my body. “That’s enough time for one round.” He sighed, tossing his socks to the floor.
“Why’d you wait ‘til I was dressed?” He huffed before pulling his shirt over his head and shimmying out of his pants.
“If you needanything or want to go anywhere, take the truck,” Carter said, putting his socks on finally. “I’m probably not coming home for lunch sincesomeonemade me late.”
“You mean yourself?”
“You, Emogen. I meanyou.”
“It’s notmyfault you took so long to come,” I said, earning myself a playful glare.
“Absolutely is. With the amount of fuckin’ we’ve been doin’, I’m surprised it’s still functionin’.”
“Are you sure it isn’t just an age thing?”
Oh, if looks could kill.
“I will bend you over my knee and spank that ass of yours ‘til you learn to be more respectful of your elders.”
“But then you’d be evenmorelate. And we both know you can’t do that.”
“Behave yourself,” he said, standing, kissing me once. “And absolutelynonaughty pictures while I’m at work. S’bad enough I already can’t concentrate just from thinkin’ about you.”
“I make no promises.”
“Brat.” Carter gave me another kiss. On his way out, he let Mac in, but not before patting him on the head. I quickly grabbed my phone and sent him a tit pic. I heard his groan at the bottom of the stairs before he yelled up, “I said, behave!” I laughed, throwing myself back on to bed, falling asleep not long after.
I was in the kitchen,preparing lunch, when I heard a knock at the door. Glancing at the clock, I saw that it was just before noon.I knew Carter said he wasn’t going to come home for lunch, but I was planning to bring him food, anyway.
Another knock had me wiping my hands off. It wasn’t Carter, obviously, and I wasn’t expecting anyone, but I had a feeling I knew who it was. I crossed the room and opened the door, a polite smile on my face as I slipped outside, telling Mac to stay.
Jed had stopped by at least once a week, or every other week, when Carter wasn’t home. We were on friendly terms, exchanging pleasantries and chatting about small-town gossip, mostly. But today, something felt different. His usual easygoing, friendly demeanor was replaced by a tense and agitated energy that had me on edge.
“Hey, Reverend. What brings you by?” I asked, trying to ignore the uneasy feeling that had settled in the pit of my stomach. Jed shifted nervously on his feet, his eyes darting around the porch as if searching for something. He was near the stairs, as if he’d stepped back after knocking.
“Oh, just thought I’d stop by and say hi. Haven’t seen you in a while,” he replied, his voice slightly slurred. I frowned, noticing the faint smell of alcohol that clung to him like a cloud. His normally neat clothes were rumpled, the buttons in the wrong places.
“Is everything okay?” I asked, unable to keep the concern out of my voice.
“You ever been so close to somethin’ and then someone swoops in, and messes it all up?”
