Page 11 of Dead and a Best Friend
"Talla, please stop crying. You're going to be sick again." Pen rubbed my back as I hiccuped, trying to calm down.
I concentrated on taking slow, deep breaths to calm down. "I was worried about you cracking and look at me!" I smacked my thigh, irritated with myself. "Oh, Pen, it's been horrible. I have some things to tell you, and I have a lot of questions for you."
"Can we do this tomorrow? I'm exhausted."
Glancing at Pen's haggard face, I felt guilty for not being more considerate. I leaned back on the sofa and took her hand. "I want you to come spend the night at my apartment. Let me look after you."
She swallowed hard and turned her face away. "I can't, Talla." After sighing heavily, she added, "I'll come to the café for breakfast."
"I don't want to leave you," I admitted.
I was worried about her well-being. Not just because of the pregnancy bombshell, but also because she spent money she shouldn't have and, more importantly, because I saw her dead. I needed to talk to Carlisle. Maybe I could explain things to Jessopso he could take charge. I wanted her to be safe, and I knew that Jessop would do anything for her.
"Don't tell the Hallen's, Talla. Just keep it between us for now."
I briefly closed my eyes. I had a sinking feeling that this decision would come back to haunt me.
Dinner with Carlisleat the Manor Hotel was supposed to be romantic, but I was too worried about Penelope and Detective Riley's voice in my head to enjoy it. I needed a distraction and hoped to find one with the sexy man who loved me.
I’d suggested the Italian restaurant that Carlisle also owned, but it was busy tonight, so Carlisle wanted something more private. I wasn’t complaining.
I dressed for the occasion in a little black dress and high-heeled shoes, which gave me butterflies. To be honest, I was dressed to kill. Well, figuratively. Actually, I was dressed to entice Carlisle into taking me to bed and stripping me naked.
He could be very patient when he wanted to be. Tonight, I planned to pull out all the stops. Enough with the teasing. I wanted the man, and he wanted me.
The moment I stepped inside the Hotel his eyes lit up with excitement. Oh, he had sex on the brain, I thought. I couldn’t mistake the look on his handsome face.
He grinned when our eyes met. I grinned back, feeling my heart race at the sight of him. "Have you decided to skip dinner and ravish me?"
He chuckled. "Oh, I've decided on a number of things, that being one of them." He waggled his brows. “You want to get naked with me, right now!?”
My heart flipped and my nerves fluttered in my belly. I wasn't sure if I was ready for what was about to happen. I knew I had teased him, and he had already put his hand in my panties, but the idea of getting naked scared me a little.
"Tallulah, you're thinking too hard." He wrapped an arm around my waist and led me toward the elevator. "I won't do anything you don't want me to."
I cleared my throat. "I've imagined you doing a lot of things to me. But doing them..."
“… is freaking you out,” he finished for me.
"Um, just a little. What if I disappoint you?"
He cupped my face in his large, strong hands, coming up short. "That isn't possible." With those words, he crushed his lips to mine. His kiss was confident and reassuring, melting away my doubts. I felt a surge of excitement mixed with nervousness. On the top floor, he led me to his apartment, which was located at the back of the hotel.
"We need to talk first," he said, turning to face me.
I narrowed my eyes, knowing that if we started talking, we wouldn't get naked. At that moment, I wanted to distract myself from everything Pen had told me. I wanted Carlisle with all my being. Before he could say anything else, I grabbed the front of his shirt to keep him in place, went up on my toes, and pressed my lips against his. I was hungry for his touch. The intensityof our kiss quickly escalated, making it clear that talking could wait. As we stumbled into his bedroom, I had only one thing on my mind: getting him naked as quickly as possible.
I had felt his body against mine frequently, but we had never been naked together. I ached for him.
"Slow down," he hissed when my hand brushed against his straining erection. "No," I hissed, tossing my clothes off haphazardly. "I've waited forever to see you naked. I can't wait another minute."
"Isn't that my line?" His hooded eyes raked over my naked body.
With only my black, lacy panties left on, I jumped on Carlisle, sending him backward onto the bed. I smirked. "I'm not nervous anymore. In case you were wondering."
He chuckled, but his laugh ended in a gasp when I wrapped my hand around his hard, throbbing penis. My eyes glittered as I met his, holding his gaze steady as I dipped down and licked along his shaft. His eyes were full of pure lust. I swirled my tongue around the engorged head, thrilled when he cursed under his breath.
"Don't put me in your mouth," he whispered. "I won't last. It's been a long fucking time."
