Something in the Water, page 24
“You need to open the door,” Carter pointed out, her smile evident in her tone. “And do you really think my ass is cute?”
“Are you really fishing for compliments?” Kate retorted teasingly. Her heart soared when she spotted Carter through the decorative glass, phone pressed to her ear beneath the hood of her crimson and black splash jacket that she’d pulled over her head and her shoulders hunched against the rain, and she couldn’t contain her grin at the way Carter straightened when she spotted her.
“Maybe…” Carter murmured as a positively breathtaking smile lit her face.
Kate laughed and disconnected the call. She slipped the phone into the side pocket of her leggings as she padded across the cool marble tile of the foyer. She shivered against the chill that rushed in when she opened the door to let Carter in.
Carter stepped inside. “Thanks.”
Kate looked past Carter and, seeing the porch empty, closed the door. “No bike today?”
“Nah, I took an Uber,” Carter said as she flung off her hood, sending water flying everywhere. “Didn’t want to bike in this mess.”
“That makes sense,” Kate murmured, so thoroughly distracted by the way Carter’s eyes darkened as she eased closer that she barely registered the chilly hand sliding along her jaw. “Hi…”
“Hey.” Carter inclined her head and, in a voice thick with longing, whispered, “I’ve been thinking about doing this ever since I had to say goodbye to you yesterday,” as she closed the distance between them.
Kate gasped as Carter’s freezing lips slanted over her own, but that shock was quickly chased away by the heat that flared between them as Carter eased closer, her free hand wrapping around her waist to draw their bodies flush together. A nimble flutter of a tongue turned the kiss from a sweet, chaste hello to something wholly indulgent and wonderful, all soft sighs and slowly swirling tongues. Kate giggled when they broke apart and realized the rain coating Carter’s GoreTex jacket had thoroughly soaked her sweatshirt.
“I’m all wet,” Kate muttered, frowning down at herself.
Carter chuckled and dusted a kiss over her cheek. “Me too.”
Kate rolled her eyes and slapped Carter’s shoulder. “That’s not what I meant, and you know it.”
“Should I be offended that kissing me doesn’t make you wet?” Carter murmured, her smirk belying her playfully wounded tone. She nuzzled Kate’s cheek. “Is there anything I can do to fix that?”
Kate groaned and pecked Carter’s lips before forcing herself to take a step back. “If you get any better at kissing”—she grabbed the hem of Carter’s jacket and tugged her along with her as she began walking backward—“I’ll probably orgasm on the spot.”
“And that’d be bad because…?” Carter asked, her voice trailing off into a smile as she closed Kate’s door after them.
Kate lifted her shoulders in a little shrug. “I honestly don’t know.” She combed her fingers through her hair as Carter toed off her running shoes and pulled off her jacket, and hummed happily when a shoeless, mostly dry Carter enveloped her in a gentle embrace. She looped her arms around Carter’s neck and sighed as she brushed a kiss over her pulse point. “I’ve missed this.”
Carter squeezed her tight. “Me too.” Her chest lifted and fell with a deep, contented breath, and a soft purr rumbled in her throat as she rested her cheek against Kate’s forehead. “It feels like forever since I held you.”
“I know,” Kate hummed, nuzzling closer. She closed her eyes as she melted into Carter, relaxing into the feeling of Carter’s strong arms holding her tight and the warmth of Carter’s skin against her lips. Her breaths slowed to match the gentle back and forth of Carter’s fingers dragging lightly over her lower back, tension she hadn’t realized she’d been carrying disappearing with every slow inhale and exhale until her limbs felt surprisingly heavy and her thoughts reduced to a pleasant static.
“Are you falling asleep on me?” Carter asked in a voice laced with amusement.
“No. But I totally could, right now,” Kate admitted as she lifted her head to smile up at Carter. “You’re just so…” Her voice trailed off as she pressed onto her toes to capture Carter’s lips in a sweet kiss.
An adorable smile tilted Carter’s lips when the kiss broke, and Kate let her heels sink back to the floor. “You’re pretty just so, too…” Carter murmured. She pressed a lingering kiss between Kate’s brows and sighed as she lifted a hand to caress the line of Kate’s jaw. “I can’t stop thinking about you,” she confessed. “Any time I’m not busy with something, you’re all I can think of.”
Kate closed her eyes as the quiet affection in Carter’s voice stole the air from her lungs. She knew the feeling all too well, as Carter dominated her thoughts whenever she found herself between tasks and starred in her dreams every night. “Carter…”
“Too much?” Carter asked softly, hesitantly.
“No,” Kate breathed. She blinked her eyes open and mirrored Carter’s touch, dragging the backs of her fingers along the sculpted line of her jaw as she whispered, “I can’t stop thinking about you, either. It’s…” She licked her lips. “Distracting.”
Amusement danced in Carter’s eyes. “Distracting, huh? What are you thinking about, Kate?”
Images of her dream the night before flashed across Kate’s mind—Carter’s hands spreading her legs wider, dark eyes watching her intently as full, smiling lips dipped between her thighs—and Kate trailed a single, teasing finger along the back of Carter’s neck as she purred, “Wouldn’t you like to know.”
“Shit,” Carter exhaled, a delicate shiver rippling through her. “I really, really would.”
It was a rush to know that she had such an effect on a woman like Carter, and she was about to tell her about the dream that had left her so turned on when she woke that she’d dug her vibrator out of her nightstand drawer and made herself come three times to the memory of dream Carter’s voice whispering words of adoring encouragement in her ear when real-life Carter’s stomach growled and effectively shattered the mood.
“Worst timing ever,” Carter groaned.
Kate smirked and pecked Carter’s lips. It really was, but she had to admit that it was probably a good thing. She had no doubt that she would have found herself pinned against the door if she had shared that dream with Carter. Which was all kinds of appealing, but something that’d be best saved for a time when they were actually alone.
“Come on, you,” she said, taking Carter’s hand and lacing their fingers together as she led her toward the kitchen. “What are you in the mood for?”
“Besides you?”
Kate threw her a warning look. “Maddie’s home.”
“Two minutes ago, you were going to tell me how distracting I am in the sexiest voice I have ever heard,” Carter grumbled playfully. “But noooo, now you’re all—‘the kid’s downstairs, we can’t’.”
That, Kate had to admit, was a fair point. “Sorry?”
“You should be,” Carter chuckled, her fingers tightening around Kate’s as she pulled her close. “I am so wet for you right now. I would have let you take me right there in the foyer.”
Kate hooked a finger in the collar of Carter’s shirt and swayed into her to whisper huskily against her lips, “And if what I wanted was for you to take me instead?”
“Fuck.”
Kate smiled and nuzzled Carter’s cheek. “I was thinking something softer—you, on your knees, my leg over your should—”
“Hey, Carter! You’re here!”
They both started at the interruption, and Carter blew out a shaky breath as she brushed a soft, “You two might be the death of me,” over Kate’s lips.
Kate groaned and hid her face in Carter’s neck as Carter turned to greet Maddie with far more composure than she felt.
“Mads! How was the steady state?”
Despite her embarrassment that Maddie had once again walked in on them—though this time, she was at least fully clothed—Kate smiled at the sound of Maddie blowing a long, drawn-out raspberry and muttering, “Steady state is the devil.”
She sighed at the feeling of Carter’s hands settling lightly around her hips, and pressed a quick kiss to her throat before pulling away to face her daughter. “You hungry? I was just going to make some brunch.”
“French toast?” Maddie asked, a hopeful smile lighting her face.
Kate bit her lip and glanced at Carter, and it slipped free with a smile when she saw her wearing the same expression. “Yeah, we can do that.”
“Can I help?” Carter asked, her expression gentling as she lightly stroked the inside of Kate’s wrist.
Kate’s heart skipped a beat at the affection shining in Carter’s eyes. She wanted nothing more than to sink into Carter’s arms, but she settled for capturing Carter’s hand and giving it a quick squeeze as she said, “Sure. Can you get the bread, eggs, and milk out for me?” When Carter nodded, she turned to Maddie, who was starting to slink out of the kitchen. “Oh, no, no, no, my dear. You’re not getting out of helping. Get out a baking dish for the eggs.”
“Ugh, fine,” Maddie grumbled, though her smile belied her disgruntled tone. “Carter, can you grab me a chocolate milk, too?”
“Absolutely.” Carter pulled open the fridge, grabbed one of the little cartons of the protein-boosted chocolate milk from the bottom shelf, and tossed it to Mads with a light, “Here ya go. I love those, too.”
Kate was glad they were both occupied so neither of them could see the way she blushed as her brain decided to pull up a memory of a very naked Carter leaning against the sink after chugging one of the milks and grinning at her as she declared, “Protein is important for recovery after a workout.”
“Kate?” Carter’s voice drew her attention.
“Hm?” Kate blinked as she looked at Carter standing in front of the open fridge.
A knowing smirk quirked Carter’s lips. “How many eggs do we need?”
Kate shook her head at herself and asked, “How hungry are you?”
Carter’s stomach chose to answer for her, growling so loud it was basically a roar, and they all laughed.
“Grab four to start. We can always add more,” Kate said, still chuckling as she turned on the burners under the flattop plate in the center of the range to get it hot. “Oh, and butter, too, please.”
“You got it,” Carter replied as she began piling the requested ingredients in her arms.
“Here’s that dish, Mom,” Maddie said as she set it on the counter beside the stove.
Kate smiled at her. “Thank you, sweetie.”
“So, Mads, tell me about your row,” Carter prompted as she set the items she’d collected beside Maddie’s dish.
There really wasn’t much more for the two of them to do, so Kate left them to discuss Maddie’s workout as she cooked. She added her own two cents here and there, but with Carter being the expert, she didn’t contribute much to the discussion. It was nice, though, just hanging out in the kitchen with her daughter and girlfriend. Like the night after the regatta, the entire thing felt effortless, like Carter had always been a part of their lives and that this was just another morning, and she found herself imagining a million more just like this.
After the breakfast dishes were cleared and the kitchen cleaned, Maddie challenged Carter to the Happy Little Dinosaurs rematch Carter had promised her two weeks ago, and Kate smiled when Carter pointed toward the family room and told her, “Set it up.”
Rather than join in, Kate tucked her legs under herself on the couch and leaned back against the cushions to watch Maddie and Carter battle it out. They both took the game far, far too seriously, and it wasn’t long before best-of-three turned into best-of-five, and Kate couldn’t help but smile at the way Carter pouted when Maddie emerged the victor.
“Aww, you gave it a good run,” Kate consoled Carter, rubbing her shoulder as Maddie danced happily in celebration.
“Yeah,” Maddie said, stalling her jumping to grin at Carter. “You’re way better than Dad. And I’ve been playing it with him for like a year!”
Carter rolled her eyes. “Yeah, yeah.”
Kate laughed and, though it felt strange to do so in front of Maddie, leaned in and kissed Carter’s cheek. “I thought you had her there at the end,” she murmured.
“Me too,” Carter whispered, her cheek beneath Kate’s lips lifting with her smile.
“You know what we should do?!” Maddie declared, her voice rising with excitement.
Kate hummed as Carter shifted to lean back against her. She rested her chin on Carter’s shoulder as she asked, “What?”
“We should get everyone to play!” Maddie answered as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
Not quite following, Kate prompted, “Oh? And when would we—”
“Thanksgiving!” Maddie interrupted before steamrolling onward to elaborate, “Dad and Brian, Aunt Missy and Uncle Kevin.” She cackled. “Carter, you’d kill Uncle Kevin—he sucks at this game.”
Kate’s heart lodged itself in her throat. While Maddie wasn’t wrong, Kevin was awful at board games, her relationship with Carter was still so new and holidays—
“Sounds fun,” Carter said, snapping Kate out of her thoughts. She turned to look at Kate. “If it’s okay with you, of course. I wouldn’t want to crash your—”
Kate blinked at her. She remembered Carter telling her how her family always did a Turkey Trot before serving dinner at the shelter. “You’re not going home for Thanksgiving?”
Carter smiled shyly and shrugged. “I was going to, but if you want me there…” She glanced at Maddie before looking back at Kate with soft eyes. “If you’d rather wait a year, I totally understand.”
All Kate could hear was the confident way Carter said, ‘Wait a year,’ as if there was no doubt that in a year, they’d be right where they were now. She could picture it easily—her, Carter, Maddie, Grant, and Brian all together—and she swallowed back the lump in her throat as her heart took the reins. “I wouldn’t want you to be anywhere else.”
Carter stared at her for a long moment as a slow smile lit her face and, without breaking eye contact, said, “Maddie, turn around.”
“Why?”
Dark eyes dipped to Kate’s lips as Carter answered, “Because I’m gonna kiss the shit out of your mom, and I’m not sure you want to see that.”
Kate choked on a laugh, Maddie’s amused but slightly grossed-out, “Yeah, I don’t need to be traumatized like that,” barely registering as Carter turned more fully to face her and gently cupped her face. Her eyes fluttered as Carter’s thumb swept over her cheek, and her heart followed suit as soft, soft lips covered her own. Despite Carter’s warning, the kiss was relatively chaste as their lips slotted and molded together, though the emotion behind it was anything but. She grabbed Carter’s thigh for balance as she melted into her, pouring every ounce of affection she felt for Carter into the kiss, and a hitched whimper caught in her throat at the way Carter’s lips clung to hers as she pulled away.
“You mean it?” Carter exhaled.
Kate smiled and chased after her lips as she whispered, “I’ve never meant anything more.”
Just as Carter’s tongue flicked at the seam of Kate’s lips, Maddie effectively ruined the moment with a playfully aggrieved, “Are you guys done yet?”
Kate sighed as she squeezed Carter’s leg before pulling away. “Yes, sweetie. Sorry.”
“I’m not,” Carter muttered, her cheeks flushed and her pupils so blown that the honeyed ring of her iris was barely visible.
Kate squeezed Carter’s thigh again and confessed softly, “Me neither.”
“Okay, for real, though. Can we watch The Marvels now?” Maddie asked as she flopped onto the other end of the sectional.
Carter winked and pecked Kate’s lips before turning to Maddie with a grin. “Absolutely. I freaking love that movie!”
“So, the fall season’s over?” Carter’s mother, Melanie Burke, asked.
Carter looked up from the hand-thrown mug cradled in her mother’s hands on her computer screen. The steam rising from it showing it was still full of the apple tea she’d preferred for as long as Carter could remember. “Yep.” She waved at her father, Nate, who entered the frame and sat in the empty chair to his wife’s right. “Hey, Dad.”
“Hi, Sprout.” He grinned and ruffled a hand through his hair. “Sorry, I was out back clearing leaves. How was your first day of erg season?”
Carter beamed. “Amazing.” Erg Season had been her least favorite as a rower, but, as a coach, she found herself looking forward to the next six weeks of reduced responsibilities. Instead of twenty hours a week with the kids spread over six days, her ‘hands-on’ schedule was reduced to ten hours over five days until their training trip to Florida after New Year’s. “The coxies supervised practice this morning, so I got to sleep in.”
“Must have been nice,” her mom noted. “So, what do you have planned for your free time?”
Carter rubbed at the back of her neck. “You know, catching up on laundry and stuff. Me, Erica, and Jeremy are helping Amber with content for Axis—the interactive rowing machine startup she’s working on—and…” She licked her lips. “I’ve been seeing someone.”
Her mom’s eyes widened, and a delighted smile tilted her lips as she leaned forward interestedly. “Oh? Since when?”
“Officially? Around the beginning of October. But we met back in August and spent a lot of time together before then.”
“And? What’s her name?”
“Kate.” Carter smiled. “Her name’s Kate.”
“Well, I like that smile,” her dad chuckled. “Is Kate going to be joining us next week for Thanksgiving?”
“Um, no, actually.” Carter took a deep breath. This, right here, was why she’d FaceTimed her parents in the first place. Thanksgiving was a big deal for the Burkes, and she knew they’d been looking forward to having the whole family together to celebrate—her, Chloe, and Chloe’s husband Logan and their daughter Brenna—since it was little Brenna’s first. And while she didn’t regret her decision to stay in Boston with Kate and Maddie in the slightest, she wasn’t exactly looking forward to breaking the news to her parents, which was why she’d pushed it off again and again until, suddenly, it was the weekend before she was supposed to be in Philly and she couldn’t delay any longer. “She’s invited me to stay here and spend the day with her family.”
