Naughty(13)

"Fly for me, babe." He pulled on the swing and released. Lifting her legs high in the air, she let out a whoop.

For the next hour, she forgot about everything. Every little worry or  fear evaporated as he hurtled her into being just a normal kid.         

     



 

She hadn't been a big kid in a long time, and it was nice to just let loose.

Leaving the park, she was still laughing even as they entered his home.

"I'm hungry," she said.

"Well, I have a full fridge and a full freezer. Would you like to cook for me?"

"I'd love it."

Entering the kitchen, she found some chicken breast in the fridge, along  with peppers, onions, and garlic. Looking at his small pantry, she  found a couple of spices to make a seasoning to flavor the dish. Some  stock, double cream, and pasta, she was set.

Carter opened up a bottle of wine as she started cooking. She tucked  some of her hair behind her ear, and was surprised by how natural it was  to work with him around her.

She'd always had a crush on Carter, and it had even embarrassed her a  few times. Thinking back to that moment, she remembered how nervous  she'd been.

****

Autumn at seventeen

She had failed another test, an English one, and she hated that her  parents were having to deal with trying to get her help at school. Every  time she failed, it reminded her that she wasn't perfect. She was  nothing like her sister, and no matter what Summer said, her sister was  perfect.

Whipping up the butter and sugar, Autumn worked her aggression on the  batter, hoping to build up as much air and creaminess that it would be a  tender crumb. She already had some cupcakes baking.

Stupid.

Thick.

Idiot.

"Something smells nice."

She looked up in time to see Carter enter. He wasn't wearing a shirt,  and it was hard for her to walk away. Holy crap, he was so sexy, but she  couldn't think that.

"Erm, thank you." Look away. Look away.

"What's cooking?"

"Some lemon cupcakes."

"What are you doing now?"

"I'm working on a pound cake."

The alarm went off, and she bent down, grabbing out the first tray of  cupcakes. Leaving them for five minutes, she went back to beating the  living day lights out of her butter and sugar. She could use her  machine, but then she wouldn't get to de-stress.

"Can I take one?"

"Oh, yeah, sure." She nodded and pointed at the cupcakes. "Be careful. They're hot."

She tried not to watch, but it was impossible to look away as he took a large bite. He moaned. "That is fantastic."

She nodded.

He moved up behind her, and she became aware of how much larger he was  than she was. "You really like to beat the shit out of that thing." His  hand touched her arm, and she tensed up.

Carter immediately let her go, and she missed that touch. "It's fine. Sorry."

"Baby, are you coming back?" Summer asked, entering the kitchen.

Guilt swamped Autumn, and she turned back to her baking. There was no  chance that anything would ever happen between her and Carter.

****

"Where did you go?" Carter asked, pulling her out of the memory.

"Nothing."

"Nah, I see that smile. Tell me. Does it have anything to do with me?"

"Maybe a little?" She added her seasoned chicken to the pan and watched  as it started to sizzle. "Do you remember being at my folks' place, and I  was in the kitchen?"

"Which time? You were always there."

"Very true. Erm, lemon cupcakes. I was going crazy on some batter."

"Oh, yeah, I remember. That was the time I touched you, and you tensed  up. I never forgot that because I thought I had fucked up."

"Why did you think you'd fucked up?"

"I touched a woman who was underage."

"You didn't touch me, touch me."

"No, but I made you nervous."

"I'm so sorry. I was  …  I was attracted to you."

"You were?"

"Yeah. I felt guilty. I thought I was doing something wrong, talking  with you, and being attracted to you. You were dating my sister, and you  don't try to take your sister's boyfriend."

"I wouldn't have cheated on her, Autumn." He stepped up behind her,  placing his hand on her stomach, and pulling her back. "Do you want to  know my secret?"

"Yes."

"I was attracted to you, too."

"No joke?" she asked.

"No joke. It used to bug me for hours at a time. I'd sometimes only go to Summer's place so that I could go and see you."

"Really?"

"Yeah. You were always so different around me than other women. I guess I  liked being with you without the need to be someone else. The bad boy."

"I was still looking at you. Just not exactly how you wanted me to." She  added more seasoning into the chicken and vegetables, tossing the pasta  into the boiling water. Carter didn't move from behind her, and she  liked it. She liked his attention.         

     



 

"This smells amazing." He leaned over her about to snag a piece of meat, and she slapped his hand away.

"Not yet. It's not cooked."

He kissed her neck, growling. "I'm hungry."

She giggled. "You're always hungry."

"For something more than just food."

****

A month passed, and with it, the passion Carter and Autumn created  didn't diminish. It actually got stronger, which surprised him. He knew  she was different, had felt that difference, but never for a second  thought it could mean something more.

"You going to stare off all day or are you actually going to get some work done?" Denny asked.

"Shut up."

"I'm being serious. You've had that goofy grin on your face. What gives?" Denny asked.

"It has been a month and a half."

"Since when?"

"Since Autumn walked back into my life, or should I say, broke down into my life."

"Ah, the power of the automobile. They're deadly, and make even the trickiest ‘meet cutes' seem perfect."

"Do you think it was fate?" Carter asked, turning toward his friend. Denny simply stared at him, looking confused.

"You seriously believe that?"

"I don't know what I believe? It has to have been in the cards."

"Is her pussy that fucking perfect that you think some cosmic force  brought the two of your together?" Denny burst out laughing. "I think  you need to think about what you're actually feeling toward her. This  has nothing to do with fates and shit. This is about what you feel for  her." Denny touched Carter's chest, and then pointed at him. "Nothing  else."

"Hello, boys," Summer said, catching them both off guard.

Carter glared at Denny, and turned toward Summer. "Why are you here?"

"I remember a time you'd have been happy to see me."

There was something different about Summer. She looked nervous and kind of scared, which surprised him.

"Come through to my office." The same office he fucked Autumn in. His  feelings for Autumn hadn't diminished. He enjoyed spending time with  her. A lot of the women he dated, he rarely spent any time with. They  were a means to an end.

"What do you want?" he asked.

Summer took a seat. "I've been thinking about you, a lot, and I was just wondering if you think about me?"

"No. I don't."

"Oh."

"Cut the bullshit, Summer. You've never been the shy little girl, and the act is boring me. What do you want?"

"I want to fuck. There. Something has happened in my life, and I want to  deal with it, and the only way to do that is to go back to what I  know."

"By fucking someone you've not seen in years?"

"Yes. I'm clearly messed up, and something is seriously wrong. You'll be doing me a big, big favor."

She rounded the desk and sat down in front of him.

Carter stood, uncomfortable with the way she was inserting herself into his life. "What the hell are you doing?"

"That locket brought around a lot of memories, and I want us to explore what we failed to have back then."

"You're crazy." He made to walk past, but she caught his arm.

"I'm not crazy. I'm overworked."

"I'm seeing someone, Summer. I'm in a relationship that means everything  to me, and I'm not about to give it up because of a quick fuck!"

"What? You don't do relationships."

"Times change. I've changed. Come on, Summer. You didn't even think I'd  own this piece of crap. That's what you called it, right? A piece of  crap."

"It's not exactly something I'd consider pouring my future into."

He shook his head. "Whatever you think, whatever you're feeling, leave me out of it. I don't want any part in any of this."

"There's no way to change your mind?"

"None, Summer. Leave."

"Wow, I keep getting told to leave."

Carter opened the door. He was so angry with her. That was one of the  things he hated about Summer. She always believed that she was perfect,  that no man would ever deny her. He was done with her brand of bullshit.

Standing at the office window he watched as Summer left. Whatever had  happened to her must have seriously fucked up her head if she thought  he'd just jump into bed with her.