Bound, Chalen D. [notion reading list txt] 📗

It’s mine.”

“Oh.” She shoved her feet into flip flops.

“Are you really going to ear those? It’s cold outside.”

“Okay, let me just dig through my mile long walk in closet and find some shoes. These are all I have.”

She grabbed a thin jacket off the back of the table chair.

“Is that your best jacket?”

“Can you stop picking on my clothes?” She asked. “This is all I have.”

By the time they had gotten to Carson’s car she was freezing, but she was trying to be strong. She wasn’t really a complainer, Carson noticed. He turned on the heater and she put her hands to the vent. He grabbed his favorite hoodie from the backseat. He always had it stashed there. He handed it to her and she smiled.

“What?” He asked.

“It’s so simple.” She smiled at him. “I like the simple things.”

He watched as she slid her arms through. The jacket made her look little.

“Where to?”

“There’s a burger place around the corner.” She put her hands to the vent again, “Or there’s a pizza place across the street right there.” She nodded.

“Pizzas good.” He looked at her. “What do you think?”

“Yeah.” She nodded.

They ordered a basket of cheesy sticks, two cokes and a large pizza. When Morgan looked at him Questioningly, he just grinned.

“So.” He said dipping a stick into mozzarella sauce. “You have siblings.”

“Yes.” She followed suit with her own bread stick. “Mason, Olivia, and Millie.”

“And your Mom?”

“Her names Victoria.”

“And your Dad?”

“I don’t have a Dad.”

“Everyone has a Dad.”

“Mines dead.”

“Oh.” He said, shocked that she said it so easily.

“What about your family?”

“I have five older brothers.”

“Five!” She laughed.

He liked the way her eyes sparkled.

“Yep.” He laughed. “Five, and they all pick on me. Nick, Alex, Daniel, Austin and Peter. And then I have a little sister who was a surprise. She’s five.”

“She’s so young.”

“That’s the thing about surprises.” He grinned at her. “They come out of nowhere.”

“Do you like surprises?”

“Big ones. Do you?”

“Little ones.”

He smiled, “Her names Emily. My little sister.”

“That’s Olivia’s middle name.”

“Really?” He laughed.

“Yep.”

“Hot pie!” The waitress set down the pizza. “Is there anything else Carson?”

“Nothing for now Alice.”

“Who’s Alice?” Morgan asked with a hint of jealousy.

He grinned, “Are you jealous Ms. McPhee?”

“Not at all Mr. Maxwell.”

He handed her a slice of pizza.

“What are your parents’ names?

“Alexander and Vivian.”

“I like Vivian.”

“Me to.” He smiled. “I want to name my daughter Vivian. But a middle name though.”

She watched him eat half the pizza in one bite. He reached for a napkin in the napkin holder, and knocked out the whole stack. Big sister mode kicked in and She quickly stacked them and put them back.

“Thank you.”

“Sure.” She took a bite of her pizza.

He played for the bill threatening to sit on top of Morgan if she tried to get her wallet. And it did happen that way. He sat on top of Morgan as Alice took the check. She bit his back, which was hard since it was all muscle.

“Don’t do that.” He reached down and squeezed her leg.

He got up and looked at her.

“I have to run to the store if it’s okay.”

“It’s eleven at night.”

“There’s just a couple of things I have to pick up. They can’t wait.”

“Alright.”

“I have to stop off at home first to change.”

“Do I get to see Puppy?”

“You get to see puppy.”

“I’m in.” She grabbed her purse and they left the building.

Carson pulled down Morgan’s sleeve and kissed her palm, sending chills down her spine. She had no idea what it was about this guy but he sent shivers down her spine every time he touched her. And he was pretty friendly for breaking up with someone. He guided her to the car with his hand on her back.

“Are you okay?” He asked, at the car.

“I can’t think when you touch me.” She moved away from him.

He smiled, and opened the door for her. His smile was killer, and she loved his laugh. It was deep but it wasn’t creepy deep. It was strangely attractive. She also felt intimidated by Carson, because no man had ever made her feel nervous about the way she looked. Carson lived in a big Victorian looking house.

“How many rooms is this?”

“Seven.”

“Seven?” Her big eyes widened.

“You are too pretty for your own good.”

She blushed and looked down. He opened the door and the puppy jumped at Morgan.

“Hi!” She scooped up the dog, and kissed its ear.

The puppy licked her cheek.

“And I’m just chopped liver I guess.” Carson kissed the dog, and then he had the nerve to kiss Morgan’s cheek, “I’ll be down in a second.”

“You know your Father has some nerve.”

The puppy wiggled and Morgan put her down. She headed down the hall and barked. Morgan followed the echo to French doors. She opened the door and the puppy ran outside turning on porch lights. The back yard was rolling hills. There wasn’t any neighbors and Morgan thought it was a little scary if Carson wanted to kill her. She normally didn’t just go with people she didn’t know but Carson made her feel safe.

The puppy bounded back over and jumped on Morgan’s leg like she was demanding a good job. Morgan did give her a good job and went into the living room. There was a big fire place and there was one picture frame on the fire place. Morgan walked over. The picture was of Carson and A girl with Brown hair and eyes. They were both smiling and they were bent down next to a big black shaggy dog.

“Morgan?”

She jumped and hurried out of the living room.  Carson was jogging down the stairs. He wore faded blue jeans and a grey T-shirt and keds, of all shoes. He looked good enough to eat, and Morgan mentally shook herself. He held a pair of socks in one hand and a pair of black boots in the other.

“Here. These might be too big.” He handed over the socks. “I never had the chance to give these to Caroline.”

Morgan took the boots and sat down on the stairs. Carson bent down on his knees and pet the puppy. She flipped on her back and he rubbed her stomach. He then picked her up and kissed her nose.

“Lucky dog.” Morgan muttered.

“I could kiss your nose.”

She looked down turning red. He smiled.

“I wish I could take you, but we’re going to the store.” He kissed the puppy again, “Do they fit?”

“Caroline had abnormally big feet.”

“I know. I never knew a woman with big feet. I’ll be back I have to get a jacket.” He came back down quickly.

“Ready?”

“Yep.”

Morgan and Carson were halfway to the store when he heard a suspicious sigh from Morgan’s purse.

“Morgan?” He questioned slowly.

“Yeah?” She asked, as if they were discussing the weather.

“Is Puppy in your purse?”

Her eyes slowly slid to him, “Maybe.”

He reached over with one hand and unzipped the purse. The puppy stuck it’s head out and licked his hand.

“Damn it Morgan.”

“She didn’t want to be left alone!” Morgan objected.

“And how do you know?”

“She told me.”

“She told you?” He asked flatly.

“Yes.” She nodded, and pet the puppy’s head, “And I couldn’t leave her alone.”

“We’re going to the store.”

“So?” She demanded, irritated. “I’ll stay in the car with her.”

She was cute when she was irritated, he noted.

“I hope she throws up in your purse.” She gasped and smacked his arm.

“You’re very abusive to me.”

“I’m sorry.” She muttered, and looked down, letting the puppy lick her finger.

“Hey.” He lifted her head. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” She looked down.

He pulled into the store and got out. “Honk the horn if someone comes.”

“Okay.”

He locked the door and went into the store. Thirty minutes later he came out and opened the back door.

“What the hell were you buying?” She shot off. “I saw two  drug deals, an old dirty man punch himself in the face and a guy trying to break into the car next to us.”

“Why didn’t you honk?”

“He wasn’t trying to break into our car. And I wasn’t going to let him know I was in here.”

He liked the way she said our car. He shut the door and got in. She had the puppy out of her purse now and she was sleeping on her lap. Carson pulled out of the parking lot. Ten minutes later Morgan was sound asleep. He made a U-turn and headed back to his place. No way was she going to last for him to put up all the window locks he bought plus the new locks he got for her front door.

He didn’t even want her living there, but he knew damn well she wasn’t going to be going anywhere any time soon. He stuck the puppy into the purse and slung it over his arm. He scooped up Morgan and walked to the front door. He stuck his thumb to the door, and a sound beeped and the locks turned. He had his house programed to unlock at his thumb print. He carried Morgan up stairs to his bed room. He just had moved in and only had one bed.

He yanked the covers down with one hand and set Morgan down. He pulled off her shoes and socks, and she tugged at her jeans.

“Take them off.” She muttered.

Carson moved her hand and grabbed the blanket.

“Carson.” She pulled at her belt loop. “Take them off, I trust you.”

Carson unbuttoned her pants and undid the zipper. He pulled them off. Of course she had to be wearing frilly underwear. He dropped the jeans on the floor. She rolled over to her stomach and he pulled up the blanket. He grabbed the Puppy and set her on the bed. Morgan reached out and pulled her close.

The Puppy yawned and plopped her head down. Carson kissed both of their heads and then left the room. He had to get Morgan out of there. He cared about her. He had never cared about anyone before. She was the first person he cared about and it started up when that pervert touched her ass. He felt the need to protect her, although Morgan McPhee didn’t need protecting.

She could protect herself he knew this but he wanted it to be his job. He wanted her, and Carson Maxwell always gets what he wants.

Morgan woke up with a start Puppy giving a small yelp of annoyance.

“Sorry.” Morgan muttered.

She pulled on her jeans, and slipped into her flip flops. She had fallen asleep in Carson’s Hoodie and his bed. She grabbed the puppy and her purse and went down stairs. She took the puppy outside and then went into the living room. She wanted a second look at the picture, but instead found Carson asleep on the couch with a thin blanket. She bent down at his head. His hair was flat against his forehead.

She reached up and brushed it out of the way. Carson opened his eyes and she almost had a heart attack.

“Hey Beautiful.” He caught her arm and kissed the inside of her wrist.

And the chills. The chills that happened every time he kissed her, touched her. He wasn’t supposed to be allowed to kiss her. But she wanted him to kiss her. Wanted him to kiss her in other places.

“I have to go home. I have to take my pills.”

“What pills.” He looked confused and sleepy at her.

His voice was sexy, and she just wanted to curl up next to him.

“Vitamins.” She lied.

He couldn’t know all her secrets just yet.

“Can’t they wait?”

“No. I have to take them. And I have to go to work.”

“Where do you work a stripper club?”

“How did you know?”

“Are you serious?” He demanded.

“No.”

He sighed and closed his eyes.

“Come on,” She said without thinking she bent down and kissed his cheek bone.

Big mistake. It was like she was possessed or something.

He was wide awake now, “Did you just kiss me?”

“It was an accident. Honest. Come on.” She hit his leg.

They both gasped.

“Did I hit it?” She questioned, quickly.

“No, thank god, but you got pretty close.”

“I’m sorry.”

He grinned at her, “If you want to cop a feel go for it. You don’t have to