Rapture (McKenzie Brothers) (3 page)

Carla

The sound of someone grabbing the door handle brings me out of my musing as it suddenly opens and standing in all his masculine glory is Sebastian.

I really haven’t prepared my
self for seeing him again, it’s only been ten days since I’ve last set eyes on him, but his whole presence surrounds me and won’t let go.

With a qui
ck glance behind him, he steps into the pantry and closes the door, trapping us together.

My
heart beats rapidly in my chest, it’s a wonder he can’t hear it. Unable to move, I stay over by the one window in the room, which I turn to look through, not really seeing anything other than Sebastian’s reflection in the glass as he comes to stand behind me.

I desperately want
to lean into him. To feel his body against the length of my back, but I know if I do it will be even more difficult to stay away from him. I’ve always avoided anything that would bring us into contact with each other, as in skin-to-skin. Even when passing a dish or a drink to one another, we always make sure our hands don’t touch.

“Carla,”
he whispers, “look at me.”

Shaking my head, I reply, “No.
I can’t.” My voice breaks as my hand goes to my mouth. I feel so close to tears with Sebastian standing behind me, mere inches separating us. The heat coming from his body beckoning me, I can always feel him.

“Please just look at me
– turn around and look at me – please,” he whispers, his voice pleading.

A tear escapes and trickles down my
cheek, hearing the man behind me practically begging me to turn and look at him is turning my insides to mush.

Ta
king a deep breath, I turn and face the object of my desire. My eyes travel up his torso and linger around his whisker covered jaw and sensual mouth before meeting his eyes.

I
want to take that one step into his arms, but force my feet to stay firmly in place.

“We can’t stay in here,” I
croak, unable to get my vocal chords working properly.

“Carla, what’s going on with
my brother?”

Sebastian reaches out and places
his palm against the side of my face in a soft caress, wiping the lone tear away with his thumb. I lean into the caress without breaking eye contact with him as he brings his other hand up to the other side of my face, bringing me in closer to his body.

His touch makes me shiver, which runs through
me, if the slight shake to his hands is any indication, he’s just as affected by our touch. Why is something that feels so right, so wrong?

Sebastian
rests his forehead against mine with my face still in his hands. He traces a line over my eyebrows, down along my cheekbones ending on my lips with his thumbs.

I need just one taste of him before I leave the pantry
, the thought whispers through me as I swipe the tip of his thumb with my tongue.

He sucks
in his breath with his eyes alight with passion.

Shit,
I shouldn’t have done that.

I pull away from him and make my way to the door, where I stop and turn
around to look back at a stunned Sebastian. “I’m sorry. I can’t be close to you because it hurts too much.” I push through the door and let it close on him.

What have I
done?

Not only
do I have an ache in my chest the size of Mount Everest, I also have a throbbing between my thighs.

It’
s been well over twelve months since I’ve had sex, if that’s what it can be called. A night of drunken pawing as my ex-boyfriend tried to maneuver out of his jeans and ended up falling off the bed into a heap on the floor. He hadn’t even managed to get it up before passing out.

I
’d known then and there that we were through, a decision I’d gradually arrived at the week before his ‘little’ incident. There had been no love lost between us and until he’d shown up drunk and used his fists on me, I’d thought he’d forgotten all about me.

“Carla, are you alright?”

Lost in the past, I hadn’t realized I’d walked back into the living room. “I’m fine Pippa, just a bit distracted.”

I smile at the small woman overseeing the shower.
Sebastian’s mom is a delight and deserves a medal for bringing up five difficult boys, because I’d bet that’s what they’d have been, and still are

. Pippa is intelligent, funny and too shrewd for most people. She doesn’t miss anything and her eyes bore into me as her gaze flicks between
Sebastian and me as he enters the room behind. I try to ignore him and Pippa’s look. With a blush starting to work its way up my neck, I smile and nod towards Lily whose being hugged fiercely by a friend that’s just arrived.

I need
to escape before I do something stupid, like grab hold of Sebastian’s hand now that he’s moved to stand beside me, with his mom on the other side. The heat from his body is slowly seeping into my skin. My brain is telling me to move away and my heart and body are telling me to grab his hand and never let go.

“Carla, come and meet Sabrina. She’s Lily’s
friend from England.” Ramon takes hold of my hand to lead me away. “Think she’s opened Lucien’s eyes,” he smirks.

As he pulls
me towards Lily and her friend, Ramon leans in and wraps an arm around my waist. “Are you okay? You look pale.”

“I wish everyone would stop askin
g me that. I’m fine, just tired.” I try to pull slightly away from him, but his arm tightens and prevents me from moving.

“Carla, I was wondering where you’d disappeared to,” L
ily says, as she pulls back from hugging Sabrina, with Michael and Lucien standing like sentries in the background.

“I went to get more lemonade.”
Which I’ve forgotten to grab in the pantry with Sebastian distracting me.

Lily takes
hold of Sabrina’s arm and turns her around to face Ramon and me. “You’ve already met Ramon, so this is his girlfriend Carla. Carla this is Sabrina.”

Ramon finally releases me so I can
hug Sabrina in greeting. “I’ve heard a lot about you and the antics the two of you used to get up to so it’s good to finally put a face to the name,” I say pulling away.

Sabrina i
s about five months late at arriving back in the States due to the sudden death of her father. Lily had mentioned that Sabrina hadn’t really gotten along with him, but he was her father whom she missed and had stayed to help her mother tie up loose ends.

It has
been eight years since they’ve seen each other in person, although they’ve kept in touch via email and more recently Skype. Lily has admitted she’s missed her best friend even though she has gained so many people in her life.

“Oh Sebastian,
” Lily says, looking directly behind me just before I feel him slip his arm around my waist as he moves in and shakes Sabrina’s hand.

What i
s he doing? I‘m practically in his arms. My right breast is pushing into his chest as he holds me tight. Surely he’ll be able to feel my aroused nipples through our clothes and know what he does to me. His arm around me feels like a vice; it also feels right. I reach out to steady myself by grabbing his arm, which brings me even closer.

“It’s nice to meet you Sabrina
.” Sebastian has his sexy grin plastered on his face, but I can see how tight he’s holding his jaw. He wraps his fist in the back of my dress bringing me even closer before he abruptly lets me go and turns walking straight out of the room leaving me stunned.

I look around to see if anyone noticed what just happened between us
, but everyone is busy talking, apart from Pippa who’s watching me from across the room with a thoughtful expression. It’s anyone’s guess what she’s thinking considering I’m living with one of her sons, but can’t seem to stay away from another. She must have seen my reaction to him.

Sebastian

Fuck fuck!
How the fuck can she be dating my brother when she always reacts to me? I need my head examined, but, for now, a shot of whiskey won’t go a miss.

“Sebastian
, where are you sneaking off to?”

Turning
, I watch my dad walk towards me with a grin on his face. He looks good for sixty-four without any of that middle age spread me and my brothers used to tease him about on numerous occasions.

“I need a
drink,” I reply with my father standing in front of me. He has the knack of always seeing through my brothers and me so I decide it’s best not to meet his eyes. I also avoid running my fingers through my hair in a nervous gesture.

“
Hmm. A bit early. Instead of a drink, go let George in.” My dad points towards the porch in time for us to watch George and Janet reach the door.

“Okay.”

I can hear the laughter going on in the living room as I sigh with relief when my father retreats, which leaves me to do his bidding.

Plastering a smile on my face, I take
the few short strides to the door to greet George. George is like family and no matter how many times he’s been told to just walk in, he refuses, but that probably has more to do with him walking in at Michael and Lily’s place and getting a look at more than he bargained for.

Chuckling
, I open the door. “George, Janet…and Sylvia.” I frown looking for Sylvia’s car. “No car?”

“In the garage so Janet gave me a lift as she was comi
ng from the city.” Sylvia gives me a flirty smile and moves forward, stopping abruptly as she gives me a strange look. “Um, Sebastian, you planning on letting us in?” Sylvia grins with her purple stained lips. I’m still in the doorway like a brick wall. What the hell’s wrong with me today?

“Sorry.” I step back and follow
them through to the living room and, yeah I notice my brother, Ramon’s reaction when he spots Sylvia.
What the fuck?
My eyes widen in surprise. How can he look at Sylvia like that when he’s with Carla?

Reaching up
, I rub at my temples as I can feel a tension headache hovering, just waiting for a gap to push through and become a full-blown migraine.

It’s
frustrating as hell, not knowing what’s going on with Ramon and Carla and I’m seconds away from grabbing Carla by the hand and declaring she’s mine.

Ramon ca
n’t keep his eyes off Sylvia, who does actually look different. Her blonde hair is swept up from her face with some loose bits around her face, but it’s more her clothes. Apart from Lily and Michael’s wedding when she’d worn the sexy bridesmaid dress, which she’d nearly fallen out of, her clothes aren’t usually revealing. Well that isn’t the case today. Today she has on a fitted dress, which shows all her curves, the front dipping low between her breasts.

“Sebastian, ple
ase stop ogling the guests,” mom comments slipping her arm around my waist.

“I’m not–
” I pause mid-denial when my mom raises an eyebrow. “Okay, so I was. She looks different.”

“More
desirable?”

I decide
it might be best to keep my mouth shut now that my mom’s in matchmaking mode. The only woman I want to be matched up to is Carla and she’s suppose to be with Ramon, who, after a quick glance in his direction, is still passing sly glances at Sylvia.

Unable to help myself
, I glance towards Carla, who’s already watching me with my mom. She meets my heated look before turning back to Janet who seems to be in deep conversation with her.

“Perhaps you
need to keep ogling Sylvia,” Mom comments dryly, making note of the direction of my gaze.

“
I hear you, but I’m not having this conversation with you.” Pulling my mom into my side, I kiss her on the top of her head before letting her go and greet the new arrivals.

I wander
over to Lucien who is standing to the side passing sly glances at Lily’s friend, Sabrina.
What the fuck is up with my brothers today?
“Not you as well,” I grumble coming to a stop beside Lucien with Ruben coming up and shoving beers in our hands.

“Not me what?” Lu
cien asks, taking a long pull on his beer.

“Sabrina, brother,”
I say with glee, nodding in her direction as Lucien’s eyes darken.

“She’s hot…an
d have you seen the size of her–” Ruben trails off seeing the look on Lucien’s face.

“Do not finish
that sentence,” Lucien growls. I stiffen and search his gaze. Lucien doesn’t usually get so defensive with Ruben’s teasing.

I know
Ruben’s only teasing Lucien, but it actually looks like our brother is interested in Lily’s friend.
Oh this should be good!

Turning
to Ruben, I wink and say, “You know since she’s new in town, I think you should offer to show her around.”

Mirth flashes in Ruben’s eyes as he struggles around the laughter to
get an answer out when Lucien looks between the two of us. “
Fuck you.
” With that, he follows Sabrina out of the room to Ruben laughing and me whistling ‘love is in the air.’

“That was fun,”
Ruben chuckles, but stops when he catches sight of Carla walking passed. “Carla baby. Come and keep two bachelors company,” he says wrapping his arm around her.

If I didn’t know any better, I’d say she looks uncomfortable, which Ruben seems
to pick up on as he releases her.

“Carla, you and Ramon have been dating for a while n
ow, any sign of, well, you know?” Ruben asks and looks toward me for help, but I stay silent wanting to plant my fist in my brother’s mouth.

Carla looks
up into my face and clears her throat before she looks back to Ruben. “Ah, no. Sorry, nothing like that.”

Thank god!

Carla’s eyes dance from side to side as she looks everywhere but me. Anger slices through me and I fight the urge to grab her and shake her until she looks in my direction. Yes we’re attracted to one another, but there’s no need to ignore me.
Fuck
, who am I kidding, I’ve been ignoring her practically since we met at the wedding.

“Damn, I wouldn’t mind having you for a sister-in-law
…besides if he isn’t interested there’s two more handsome McKenzie men right here.” Ruben wraps his arm around my shoulders with a large flirtatious grin spreading across his face.

My brother and his mouth sometimes don’t know when to stop. Wanting to shut him
up for putting Carla on the spot, I push him away. “What about Rosie?”

“What
the hell are you talking about,” he scowls.

I quickly glance at Carla and notice a frown cross her features before
I turn back to Ruben and watch as his face darkens with emotion before he turns and walks away, which has me watching his retreating back with a frown on my face. I had no idea that saying Rosie’s name would cause such a reaction.

“Excuse him Carla,” I
say as our eyes finally meet. “I’m not sure what’s going on with him.”

Carla smiles, which
brightens her whole face. “Don’t worry about it.” She turns and watches Lily. “Don’t they look good together?”

“Who
? Lucien and Sabrina?” I tease, having watched my brother walk back into the room with Sabrina not looking too happy.