Page 84 of The Reading

“You know, because how I believe Madam Brousseau’s prediction that my soulmate is someone that I know. Are you telling me that you’ve always likeme as a joke? Are you…is this your way of…I don’t know…using my hopes to get laid?”

Insecurity really was a bitch.

Carter’s chin came up, and the man did not look happy. “If you would take one second to realize that not all men are like your shitty ex-fiancé, then you’ll see that I don’t have to play games with one of my employees to get my dick wet, Alessa.” I flinched. “Not only am I risking losing one of my best bartenders and servers, but I’ve opened myself up to a sexual harassment lawsuit that you’d undoubtedly win.” I lowered my head and closed my eyes, wishing the floor would just swallow me up. “Also, I’m not a fucking asshole. I don’t play with women or lead them on. I don’t need to.”

When I found the courage to look up at him again, I said the only thing that I could. “I’m sorry. I was out of line and-”

The countdown to midnight stopped my apology. The excitement was so loud that you could hear everyone in the bar from Carter’s office. It was finally the moment that I’d been waiting for, and I had ruined it all with my doubts. Suddenly, it felt like my baggage was smothering me, and it didn’t feel good.

…seven…six…five…four…three…

Before I could decide what to do next, Carter had my face in his hands, and his lips pressed down on mine when the countdown landed on one.

Chapter 5

Alessa~

This wasn’t a New Year’s Eve peck on the lips. It wasn’t a sweet, soft, affectionate acknowledgement of the new year.

Nope.

This kiss was every bit as passionate as the kiss that we had shared before, and it was stupid how elated I felt that I hadn’t ruined this thing with Carter before it had even begun. I wasn’t sure if this was all part of Madam Brousseau’s prediction or not, but I found myself no longer caring. I felt…safein Carter’s arms, and I couldn’t remember if I’d ever felt that before with anyone else. I’d felt happiness, lust, contentment, and even love before, but I couldn’t remember if I’d ever felt safe.

“Baby,” he moaned against my lips as his hands slid up into my hair. “This is about us, Alessa. Nothing and nobody else but us.”

“I’m sorry,” I repeated. “I just-”

“I don’t care,” he said, grabbing my face and forcing me to look up at him. “I don’t care about your palm reader, your ex-fiancé, that you’re my employee…any of it, Alessa. I don’t care about anything but this. Me and you. That’s all I fucking care about, baby.”

I slid my hands up his chest and around his neck. “Okay,” I whispered against his lips. “I…I believe you, Carter. I…and I want this. I want us.”

“Thank fuck,” he growled, and all I could do was moan as his hands grabbed the back of my thighs, lifting me up to wrap my legs around his waist.

Our uniforms were really just shirts with the bar’s logo on it. We were given the option to wear skirts, shorts, or pants with our uniform tops as long as the shorts and skirts were a respectable length. When I had gotten ready earlier today, I'd gotten ready with the mindset that I was going to meet my soulmate tonight, so I had done my best too look sexy, though presentable. So, with a midnight kiss in mind, the man of my dreams, and the hope ofsome New Year’s Eve sex, I had chosen a black skirt to go with my black Drops of Heaven shirt, and I was thanking God for that fashion choice now.

Carter had me by the thighs, my legs wrapped tightly around his waist, and the man had me pressed up against his office wall, making all my wicked fantasies come true.

“If you don’t want this, you need to tell me now, Alessa,” Carter grunted. “I…I don’t think I can wait any longer if you don’t step on the brakes now.”

I had my arms wrapped around his neck, my face buried underneath his chin. “No. I want this,” I told him brazenly. “You’re not the only one that’s been harboring a little crush all these years.”

“Not a little crush,” he corrected. “A big one, baby.”

“Same,” I confessed.

With my legs holding me in place, Carter was able to secure me against the wall as his left hand slid over my skin, then dipped in between my legs. As soon as his fingers touched wet flesh, my body jerked, and my arms tightened around his neck some more.

“Fuck, you’re soaked,” he groaned. “Is that wet pussy all for me?”

“Yes,” I whimpered. “Anything you want, Carter. Whatever you want.”

“Be careful what you promise me, Alessa,” he said. “I just might take you up on that.”

“God…that feels…oh, God…”

“You like that, baby?” he teased. “You like my fingers playing with your pussy?”

“Yes,” I mewled, not embarrassed in the least.

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