Page 36 of Vodka And Virtue

He turned me mindless with need and passion and want.

I pushed my hips into his, seeking friction, but he held his lower body away from mine. Was he purposely edging me? Or just not aware of how much I needed him?

“Carly, I’ve got to let you go now. Or else I’m going to push you too far.” He looked as if he were in pain as he gently pushed me away. “Go get your jacket and lock up.”

It took a moment for my mind to begin functioning again as the blanket of lust that smothered it slowly lifted.

What would happen on Monday? Alone together in his home? How far would Rory push me? And just how far would I let him?

13

RORY

From the momentI walked him to his car that night at the bar until he pulled up in my driveway three days later, I could think of little else but Carlisle. And now I had him all to myself for the entire day.

I showed him into the kitchen, and his reaction was immediate, filling me with a pleasant warmth.

He gasped, eyes wide as he took it in. “How much of this did you do yourself?”

His eyes traveled over the rough-hewn wooden beams that supported the vaulted ceiling. Carlisle trailed his fingers over the soapstone counters and kitchen island as he made his way to the floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked the backyard. I thought the freshly painted white walls contrasted nicely with the dark counters, and all of the natural wood.

“All of it. The kitchen had a very nineties vibe when I moved in.”

“You’re so talented. It’s amazing what you can do with your hands.”

He seemed unaware of the double meaning behind his words, but they went straight to my cock, and I longed to show him what else I could do with my hands.

“Let me show you outside.”

I opened the heavy sliding glass doors that connected the patio and the kitchen into one large indoor/outdoor space. The couches and chairs were covered with all-weather fabric. Large potted plants decorated the deck.

“Wow,” he breathed. “I love the lights.”

He looked up at the strings of white globe lights secured to the overhang.

”I spend a lot of time out here. Especially in the evening. Much nicer than sitting inside watching TV.” I pointed beyond the deck. “Out there is my garden. Maybe later you’d like to see it?”

“I would love to.”

“Make yourself comfortable while I start on lunch.”

While I prepared sandwiches, homemade chicken salad with pecans and cranberries, I kept an eye on Carlisle as he wandered around my living room and dining area, looking at all the pictures on the walls.

“Is this from your time overseas? God, it seems like you’ve been everywhere.”

Chuckling, I answered, “Not everywhere. At least, not yet. I would love to do some more traveling, though. Is that something you’re interested in?”

He whipped around. “Traveling? Definitely. I would love to see more of the world. There are so many places I would love to go.”

“I would gladly take you there. Whereverthereis.”

Carlisle swallowed, his throat bobbing before he turned back around. “Oh wow, look how young my uncle G looks in this picture! How long ago was this taken?”

I peered over his shoulder. The picture was of me and Graham on our bikes down in Myrtle Beach for bike week. “I would say close to fifteen years ago. I couldn’t have been more than thirty there.”

He laughed nervously and palmed his face. “Oh my God. I was like thirteen then. No wonder I don’t remember.”

I put my hands on his shoulders, squeezing the tense muscles beneath his skin. “I’m sure you had more important things to worry about than the old men your uncle hung out with.”

---