Page 14 of Fall Back
Her eyes soften as she steps up to me, close enough that our toes are barely touching. “You could have called or texted me,” she points out.
“No way, little criminal.” I wrap an arm around her waist and pull her flush against me. “That wouldn’t have been good enough at all. Your first day is cause for celebration, and I wanted to be the first person you see after finishing up.”
Her hands come up and rest on my chest. “You did?” Her question is a whisper.
“Oh yeah,” I agree and kiss her forehead.
I want to taste her lips. They’re so plump and kissable. But if I start, I don’t think I’ll be able to stop.
As it is, I’m barely holding on to my control with the way her body molds against mine. It’s sinful and sweet. It’s perfect and profound. I’ve never felt anything like it.
“You’re sweet,” she muses.
I chuckle softly and squeeze her a little tighter before I let go slowly. “Only to you,” I admit honestly. After glancing around furtively, I add, “Don’t tell anyone.”
“Your secret is safe with me.” She mimes zipping her lips, locking them, and throwing away the key.
I smile down at her, amusement dancing through me.
“How was your day?”
She starts to fucking glow. It makes me want to know her even better. It makes me want all of the beauty she radiates for myself; to possess her, to make her mine. The need to claim her is riding me hard, but I take a deep breath and get my shit together.
“It was amazing,” she gushes. “I love the shop and the space. Roan was really cool and so was everyone else. I mostly set up my station, but I was able to do a walk-in.”
“You know it’s just a matter of time before the rumor mill reaches Limitless,” I point out. Carson sighs so hard that I can’t help but chuckle. I give her a gentle shake and ask, “What are you afraid of?”
Carson’s gaze drops down to my chest as she freezes and goes rigid. I run my hand from the small of her back up her spine to the nape of her neck. When I grip her neck, my fingers wrapping around from the back and brushing against her pulse point, she sucks in a breath.
I squeeze and murmur, “You can tell me anything, little criminal. I’ll keep all your secrets, but I don’t like you hiding.”
“I’m not hiding,” she shoots back, far too quickly.
“You are hiding,” my voice is gentle and without even a little bit of judgement. Who the hell am I to judge her anyway. “Tell me.”
“They’re going to be disappointed,” she whispers, her lips barely moving to form the words.
If I wasn’t looking at her mouth and focused on her, I would have missed the admittance. But I caught it.
“No one is going to be disappointed in you, Carson,” I promise her. “Why would you think they’d be disappointed?”
“Because I’m back here after insisting the place for my career is out there and never in Wintervale.” She slumps into me, her body melting. “There was a time not long after I left, when I said I would never be back, that Wintervale was too small for my dreams.”
“You’re allowed to change your mind,” I point out, meaning every word and not just because it’s been bothering her. “You also didn’t just come back to Wintervale. Your tail is not tucked between your legs, and you have nothing to be ashamed of. You achieved your dreams, and you came back here with a job waiting for you and excited about bringing you on because of your talent.”
“I know they’ll be happy to find out I’m here and am staying,” she mumbles against my chest. “I just know there will be so many questions. I don’t want to answer any questions,” she pouts.
I chuckle, but her words make me wonder if there is more to her moving back to Wintervale. Sure, a chance encounter at a tattoo convention, and the desire to be closer to family as more Burns are added to the mix, whether marrying in or being born, is probably part of it. It’s the reason she gave me when we talked about it before. Still, I can’t help but feel like there is something she’s not saying.
I change the subject and asked, “You walked to work?”
She nods before pulling back enough to look up into my eyes. “Yeah, it wasn’t too cold out and I wanted to stretch my legs.”
“Then means of transportation is up to you,” I offer. “You can hop in my truck, and I can drive us. Or we can walk, which also means people will be talking about it.”
“You don’t want anyone to talk about seeing us?” She looks away as she asks, but I can hear the vulnerability in her voice.
My fingers tighten a little bit more on the nape of her neck. “I want everyone in Wintervale to know we’re together. But I’m also not going to push you farther than you’re comfortable with. You wanted to lay low and us walking down the street together is the opposite.”
