Page 3 of Temptation In Lingerie (Bare Naked Designs 2)

There was something different about his feelings toward her. Aleks wasn’t looking to lay her...who was he kidding, of course he wanted to lay her. But more importantly, he wanted to be with her. Just be together. She knew his fears, his desires, his dreams. Carrie was there when he fell out of Mr. Crawford’s oak tree and broke his arm. She cried all the way to the hospital, stroking his back and reassuring him that everything was going to be okay.

He didn’t know how she felt about him. When they were younger her puppy dog eyes told him she was enamored, but as an adult she had developed a sarcastic, distant attitude. Was that to shield her heart?

“Dude, are you coming or what? She won’t be home for a while if you plan on waiting.” “I’m not waiting. Just thinking about something.”

“A certain female.”

“Something like that.”

Thankful that Rob was never one to interrogate, Aleks watched as he barreled down the basement stairs, two at a time. How was he going to tell his best friend that he thought he was in love with his sister? He was ready for the anger. The possible punch in the face when he explained he wanted to defile Rob’s only sibling.

It wasn’t love. It couldn’t be love. Aleks Turko wouldn’t love. His mom made sure of that when she left him and his dad for a better life. It was all a fantasy brought on by Amie’s weird witch magic. His fantasies would go away eventually. He just needed to find a filler to keep his mind off Carrie and the smokin’ hot lingerie that was probably still sitting in her bedroom.

Aleks knew no matter how hard he tried, he was never going to get that image out of his head. He laid his hand on the doorframe leading to the basement and stood still, hunched over, trying to dispense the blood from his cock to the rest of his body. When his mind finally settled and his heart stopped racing, he

made his way down the narrow staircase and joined his friend.

“What kind of bonehead call was that?” Rob yelled at the television.

Aleks headed to the couch and grabbed the bottle of beer that was handed to him even before he hit the seat. He took a swig from the bottle, unable to concentrate on anything other than Carrie and his inappropriate fantasies. Maybe their friendship could survive a roll in the hay. Maybe once was all it would take to get her out of his system. He had to at least try. Gauge her thoughts on the subject. He would confront her when she got home.

“What the hell, ump? Al, are you watching this?”

Aleks looked over at his friend, his best friend, wishing he could tell him about his feelings for Carrie. Maybe Rob wouldn’t take it so hard. Maybe Rob would believe Aleks wasn’t in it just for a quick bang.

“Throw to home! Throw to home!” Rob slammed his fist into the coffee table. Who was he kidding? He was a dead man.

Chapter 2

Four hours, two lies and a disappointed date later, Carrie stepped through the doorway of her home and let her body relax against the front door.

The date had been bearable. Dave was nice. Attractive. Had a good paying job. He was into her. What more could she want?

Aleks Turko.

Carrie kicked off her heels and left her sweater on the hall table. She padded her way across the plush neutral carpet.

Tonight was the third date. The sex date. Dave had made reservations at the harbor. She really wasn’t into the whole show-off routine. Before she knew it, Carrie found herself walking up the plank to a large boat, trying to drown out the cheesy elevator music that played in the background while being led to a table by a pimple-faced maître d’.

The jerk probably thought he could wine and dine her then slip into her pants. Or little black dress, actually. It had been a little tricky to maneuver her way out of sleeping with Dave, but she’d managed. A headache and an early morning. At least that was true. The Bridal Show was in three days, and she had a lot of work to do.

Between the store and the launch of her own custom line, Carrie was too busy for dating but deep down she knew why she’d agreed. She needed to move on with her life, and sitting at home with her brother and Aleks wouldn’t accomplish it.

Carrie made sure all the lights were off then headed up to her room, counting down the minutes until she would be asleep in her own bed.

She thought about her dilemma as she slipped out of her dress. What did she need to do in order to move on? Him. That thought came out of nowhere. Carrie needed to do Aleks. That was the answer. She would have him and realize that he had been a teenage fantasy this whole time. That they didn’t belong together. She would satisfy her curiosity and finally break free of the Aleks Turko hold.

Changing into a t-shirt and pajama pants, Carrie was comfortable at last. She hadn’t even worn matching underwear on her date. Nor had she prepared her nether area. Sleeping with Dave just wasn’t appealing. She rarely slept with any of the men she dated. Carrie had saved herself for a long time. Saved herself for Aleks. At a certain point, she realized it was a foolish dream. It was never going to happen.

Carrie grabbed her cleanser from under the sink and scrubbed the makeup from her face. She was comfortable in her skin. What was it about her that Aleks didn’t like? She knew who she was. She had a dream. A goal. She was calm, collected and had a purpose. Except when it came to Aleks. With one simple glance he could render her speechless.

She scraped her toothbrush across her teeth, barely concentrating on the task. Every time she let a man inside her, all she could think about was Aleks. It was him kissing her, touching her, writhing against her.

Ramming her toothbrush in the holder, Carrie stared at her pathetic face in the mirror. It was time she did something about this crush. This all-consuming lust that took over every time he was near. All she had to do was think about him and she was good to go. Logically, it seemed the only way to get over Aleks would be to have him. Carrie would go after him, seduce him and finally take him to bed. Then she could move on. Aleks Turko would be ancient history. The only question was how she was going to do it? Would she even be able to convince him?

Carrie flicked the light switch off and stepped out of the bathroom.

“Was the evening not what you expected?”

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