Coming Together: Welcome to Carson, Book Two Read online

  "Yep, you're going to kill me," he exclaims before pressing hard on the gas as the light turns green, causing the tires to squeal in response.

  Far sooner than Nikki expects, the house comes into view and she feels her desire begin to intertwine with nerves. She doesn't want either of them to regret this moment and she knows that it would not only kill her to lose Austin again, but she'd also be left with nowhere to go.

  "Stop thinking,” he says once he’s parked the truck. “I can see the wheels spinning in your head."

  Austin reaches a strong arm across the center console and rests it behind her neck. With a forceful tug, he pulls her towards him, sealing their lips in a passionate kiss. Their tongues swirl in a dance of their own design, each matching every thrust and twist of the other.

  Ending the kiss too quickly for Nikki’s liking, Austin turns off the truck and jumps from the vehicle. He reaches her side and helps her from the seat. Their hands stay connected as he rushes up the side steps, dragging her behind him into the warm mud room.

  Before she has a chance to settle into the house, Austin has her spun around, pressing her back firmly against the wall, his thigh resting between hers. His luscious mouth meets Nikki's as she exhales in pleasure at his exploration.

  Their lips meld and move in synchronization while Austin and Nikki fight to remove articles of clothing. Jackets and shirts first, then as Nikki's arm brushes against Austin's straining erection, he pulls away and hisses from between his teeth.

  "No, not here," Austin says, kicking aside their clothing and letting Duke (who Nikki has completely forgotten slept in this room) out the back door.

  Nikki follows him through the opening to the kitchen, but continues glancing at the back door in concern.

  "Don't worry. I have an invisible fence and he can get back in through the dog door in the basement. He just prefers to sleep upstairs," Austin assures as they climb the stairs.

  As they approach the master bedroom, he gives her a chance to change their agreement.

  "Are you sure you want to do this?"

  Reaching forward, she lets her fingers glide across the eagle tattoo that is emblazoned on his chest, swirling her fingertips across the defined lines.

  "Absolutely," she replies, her voice hanging heavily within the room.

  A growl rumbles deep from inside Austin's chest, and he presses both hands to the sides of her face, his lips devouring her as if he were starving and she were the last morsel on Earth.

  Nikki stumbles slightly as the back of her knees brush up against the edge of the bed. Unaware that she has been moving, she opens her eyes for a moment, only to close them just as quickly when Austin leans her back onto the bed. One of his strong arms tucks behind her back and he centers her body on the mattress.

  "Are you ready?"

  "Mmhmm," she mumbles against his lips.

  "Good, I've got three months to make up for," he adds, and Nikki instantly feels herself grow wetter.

  Austin leans over her, his imposing body gentle as he rests against her, carefully keeping his weight off her stomach. Lips that had greedily consumed her own just moments before are suddenly tender, pressing small kisses against her neck and shoulders, working their way across to the other side, leaving a path along her chest. Nikki's hips rock in small waves, hoping to meet anything to take away the ache at her center.

  Austin rises up and gently places a hand on her hips, halting their movement.

  "Soon, but first I need to taste you… everywhere."

  Closing her eyes again, Nikki relaxes into the sensation of his gentleness washing over her skin, but soon her body becomes greedy again as Austin creeps closer to her core. She gasps in surprise and heated want when his fingers reach behind the edge of the fabric and stroke the wet skin at her center.

  "Yes," she moans into the air, her body swaying as it seeks its own satisfaction from Austin's deft fingers.

  This time he indulges her and allows her body to find release. Nikki is surprised at how quickly she is able to let go. Her body had been worked up for months, but nothing she had done on her own had been able to trigger an orgasm: it seemed to have been waiting for Austin.

  As she settles back into her body from the heavenly respite of her climax, she finds her panties removed and Austin working to discard her bra. He slides the straps down her shoulders, his fingers encircling her arms as they make their way down to her wrists.

  "You are so fucking beautiful," he utters in amazement.

  Her words choke in her throat, and she is unable to respond. Instead, she quickly sits up, causing Austin to step back from the bed.

  "Your turn," she whispers huskily as she works the buckle of his belt and slides it from the loops of his dark denim jeans.

  Her shaky fingers struggle with the button, so Austin reaches down and completes the task for her.

  Leaning back slightly, she mumbles, "Sorry."

  "Don't be sorry," he murmurs, lifting her chin up with his finger. "What's wrong?"

  "I'm just nervous," she admits. "It feels different this time."

  Austin leans forward and strokes his thumb against her bottom lip for a moment, then leans forward and tugs it between his teeth.

  "It is different this time," he whispers in return.

  He stands back again and removes first his jeans, then his boxer briefs. His erection is now sporting a purple tip, evidence of his intense craving for her. Nikki can't stop herself from licking her lips in desire.

  "Later,” he says, following her gaze. “Right now, I want to feel all of you."

  She reaches her hand forward in invitation and scoots back on the bed, requesting that Austin follow, then uses her other hand to push his shoulder so that he is now the one resting on his back.

  This time, Nikki returns the favor and places open mouthed kisses along his neck and shoulders, but spends a lot of time licking and nipping at his chest.

  As Austin groans in yearning, Nikki aligns her core with his cock and slowly lowers herself onto his member.

  "Holy shit. How do you feel tighter?"

  Her head tosses back in pleasure, the blonde hair swaying against her lower back, she moves her hips in a back and forth motion as she adjusts to his size.

  "It's the pregnancy. I read about it in the books," Nikki breathes, gaining speed and confidence.

  "Jesus Christ, you need to slow down or I won't last much longer."

  With a naughty grin, she gazes down at his chocolate eyes – pupils now so dilated they’re almost black - and reminds him, "We have all night. Right?"

  "Fuck yes we do," Austin promises as he grabs hold of her hips, halting her movements, and begins rapidly thrusting in and out of her slick junction.

  Their screams resonate in the large room as they rapidly seek release. Once they both reach their pinnacle, Nikki collapses on top of Austin's body, which he soon tucks into his arms.

  As their breathing slows and serenity washes over them, Nikki says in wonderment, "That was...different," trying to wrap her mind around the fact that their lustful relationship from previous months has suddenly transformed to this new emotion-filled bond

  "That was everything," Austin corrects her, setting Nikki's mind and heart at ease.

  AUSTIN CLOSES HIS EYES as he rests his head against his pillow, reveling in the feeling of Nikki's warm body pressed against him. He had missed this with her, their bodies always aligning perfectly together. No one else had made him crave a touch the way he did with Nikki.

  His hand snakes across her skin and rests on her small baby bump. The joy of knowing that a life grows within her body – something that is both a part of him and her -- engulfs his soul. He would be forever grateful to Nikki for giving him this gift and this second chance.

  As the early morning light flickers against the top of the tree line outside his window, Austin gazes down at the woman who stole his heart. He watches as the beauty stirs in her sleep, and he fights to refrain from waking her and taking her body a
s his own once more.

  He knew she was tired. Hell, they had only fallen asleep a couple of hours ago, but Austin had always been one to wake with the sun. Unfortunately, his dick didn't get the memo and it moved enthusiastically against her backside.

  "Mmm," she grumbles in her sleep at the unwelcome intrusion.

  "I'm sorry; he has a mind of his own."

  "How is he ready to go again?"

  "He's missed you. Go back to sleep, baby. It's still very early."

  Her beautiful face turns in his direction and her body follows closely behind. She smiles sweetly up at him, and something in his heart begins to cement together those remaining broken pieces.

  "I'm awake," she confirms groggily, a yawn overcoming her smile.

  "Sure you are," he chuckles, tucking a few wayward strands of hair behind her ear.

  Finishing the yawn, she wraps her arm around his waist and pulls herself closer to him, seeking his warmth.

  "I am,” she states again with a little more enthusiasm. “The baby usually wants her first meal at sunrise."

  "Ok, well we can head downstairs and I'll make some breakfast and start a fire."

  "That sounds perfect," she replies, pressing a kiss to his lips before backing away and turning to get out of bed.

  Nikki stands unabashedly in the center of the room, absorbing its beautiful contents. She seems impressed as she admires the large doors that open fully to a private deck, then takes in the king-size mattress covered in navy and cream-colored bedding - a striking contrast to the dark wood furniture placed throughout.

  "Your room is beautiful."

  "Thanks, I like it. There is a claw foot tub in the bathroom. Avery seemed most impressed with that feature," he chuckles as he remembers finding Avery most ecstatic over that piece: not the seven-head shower or the heated floors.

  "Oooh, that is nice. A girl loves a good bath."

  Moving from his place beside the bed, Austin reaches into the dresser and tugs on a pair of boxer briefs and hands a gray shirt to Nikki for her to wear.

  "I'll meet you downstairs. Just in case you needed to do anything."

  "Thanks."

  He leaves the room after placing a gentle kiss on the top of Nikki's head. Once downstairs, he lets Duke up from the basement and gives him an extra treat for behaving himself. The dog then promptly heads towards the fireplace, alerting Austin to the fact that he wants the fire turned on so he can rest in front of the heat. Austin laughs to himself as he trails behind his dog and completes the silent command.

  Moments later, Nikki appears downstairs and he stares at her as he rises from where he knelt, turning on the gas stove. His hunger returns with a vengeance at the sight of her long legs, covered to the knee by his too-large shirt. Unable to control himself, he stalks over to where she stands by his small desk and grips the front of the shirt, tugging her towards him and sealing his lips over hers. Her mouth tastes of cinnamon, the flavor of toothpaste he remembers she is addicted to.

  Her arms wrap around his neck and he reaches down, bunching the shirt up above her waist and feeling the soft skin of her thighs, prompting her to wrap her legs around his waist. As she complies with his nonverbal request, he moves the two of them back against the wall, using his hips to hold her in place.

  Gliding his hands up her legs towards the apex of her thighs, he can feel the heat coming from her swollen pussy as he dips a finger into her sweet honey. Her moan resounds within his mouth and the sound of her desire urges him forward.

  Taking one hand from her body, he works at sliding his boxers down his legs. As his pulsating cock springs forth from its entrapment, Nikki rocks against the tip, coating the angry point in her wetness.

  "Shit," Austin exclaims as Nikki bites down on his lower lip, impaling herself onto his dick.

  They meet at each thrust, her bearing down every time he drives upward. Her head bangs loudly against the wall as an intense orgasm overtakes her senses. Austin thrusts a few times more before meeting her in joint ecstasy.

  Coming back to herself, Nikki jokes, "I could have that for breakfast every day."

  They both laugh as he slips out of her body and she unwraps her legs from his waist.

  "I should go get cleaned up...again."

  "I'll actually go start some breakfast this time," he interjects, kissing the tip of her nose and then smacking her ass for good measure. She shrieks and hops away to the bathroom.

  If my mornings are like this all the time, then maybe being in a relationship won't be so bad, Austin thinks to himself as he tugs on his boxers again.

  Ten minutes later, Austin has plated some eggs, bacon, and toast just as Nikki comes back down the stairs, dressed for work with a notebook in hand. As they sit down to breakfast together, he can’t help but focus on the spiral-bound papers placed within arm’s reach.

  “Can I ask what you write in the notebook?”

  Embarrassed, her cheeks redden as she snatches the book and holds it to her chest.

  “It’s, um…personal.”

  “Nikki, is something wrong? Is there anything I can do to help?” he asks, concern evident in his voice.

  “No!” she cries out. “Nothing is wrong, I just…I write, ok? Please don’t make fun of me.”

  “Make fun of you? Why would I do that? What do you write?”

  “I write books – romantic stories.”

  “Really?” he asks, impressed with her ever-growing list of talents. “Do you think I could read them sometime?”

  “You don’t think it’s silly?”

  “No, not at all; I think anything you do is incredible. How did you start? I mean, did you always know you wanted to write?”

  And Austin listens intently as Nikki describes her lonely childhood, watching her parents constantly bicker and have affairs. Parents that showered her with gifts and fake affection, but never cared for her or loved her the way a parent should. Nikki talks about how her love of fairytales turned into a desire to create her own. She seemed to have the ability to draw into herself and place herself as the character. It’s why the other day she had been so closed off, she hadn’t heard him coming into the room or speak to her.

  “It’s like the characters talk to me and I can’t get anything done until I write it down, they take over my mind and body. The other night, I woke up and wrote an entire chapter in an hour and I didn’t even remember writing it when I woke the next morning.”

  “Is this something you’ve thought about trying to publish?”

  “I hadn’t really thought about it; I write them for me. I have hundreds of notebooks full of stories, somewhere. I wouldn’t even know the first thing about trying to get published.”

  “Hmmm,” Austin murmurs to himself. “So, do you think you’d let me read it?”

  “You’d want to read a romance novel? Don’t men usually correlate those with the long-maned Highlander carrying a woman in his arms on the cover?”

  “Nikki, I’d love to read anything you wrote.”

  With a heavy exhalation, she hands over the notebook and Austin takes it with a gentle hand. He opens the crisp pages and starts reading through her curvy handwriting, indicative of the owner, and falling in line with the story presented before him.

  Austin reads through a few pages, already feeling himself drawn into the tale, and glances up at Nikki. She sits hunched into herself, biting her bottom lip in nervousness.

  “Nikki, I’ve only read a few pages, but this is great stuff. You have an amazing talent. I seriously hope you consider publishing these,” he says, holding the book in her direction.

  Chuckling as if the thought is impossible, she says, “I wouldn’t even know where to start. Thank you for your kind words, though. And for not saying I was being silly for writing down stories.”

  “No one should ever belittle you for doing something that makes you happy.”

  A chime echoing in the living room alerts them to the fact that they need to leave for work in a short period of time.<
br />
  “I’m going to go get ready.”

  “Ok, I’ll clean since you cooked.”

  Nodding in her direction, Austin runs up the stairs and rushes through a shower, eager to get through the work day so that he can come home to Nikki – a feeling he has never experienced before.

  Ten minutes later, Austin scrambles down to the first floor, sliding along the hardwood floors in his sock covered feet. Austin has always prided himself on being the first person in his office – always. Today he was cutting it close…way too close.

  “Nikki! Are you rea…?” he begins, but stops when he sees her perched at the table, scribbling madly, the sun beaming across the kitchen and glimmering onto her face.

  The last remaining cracks of Austin’s broken heart seal up tightly at the vision of the angel in front of him; his angst and madness over her disappearance easily forgotten as he stares at her beauty from across the way.

  Walking over to her, he places a hand on her shoulder, startling her. She clutches her hand to her chest and heaves a few breathes.

  “Sorry, I thought you heard me.”

  “No, I’m sorry. Sometimes I get so into my writing that I miss everything going on around me. Is it time to leave?”

  “Yes, it is. You can bring the notebook with you. I’m happy to let you write during your lunch break.”

  “Really? Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  Austin grabs their jackets from the pile on the floor where they had fallen the night before, placing Nikki’s onto her shoulders. They situate themselves in the truck and head towards Connelly Construction.

  Pulling into the parking lot, Austin cuts the engine, but takes a hold of Nikki’s hand. Yanking her towards him, he brings their lips together, feeding off of her taste. As their tongues swirl around each other, he uses his free hand to slide it over and up the fabric covering her legs, searching for her sweet spot. Through the thick, wool material of her pants, he can feel the heat seeping through and he has to quickly end the kiss before his erection becomes too much to control, his throbbing member begging him to bend her over and fuck her.