Chapter 10
Willa
My eyes flutter open and catch sight of a red and orange bird. It’s the color of the sunrise. At least, that’s the first thing it makes me think of. An image of the sun rising over the mountains at early dawn I’ve seen here before when taking a break from one of Vic’s many ski trip parties.
I trace the outline of its feathers with the tip of my finger. It’s in flight, soaring over drawn mountain tops in the distance.
A deep rumble of a soft moan pulls my gaze up to the short dark stubble of a man’s chin under soft, full pink lips that are slightly open. Full thick lashes spread out at the top of his cheeks. And there’s a faded scar that cuts over the bridge of his nose.
I never noticed the scar before. It’s not as visible from further away, but I’ve seen scars like that from many hockey players getting hit by a high-flying puck or high stick to the face.
His eyes slit open the tiniest bit, revealing a russet red hue mixed in the dark brown around his tiny pupils as he looks down at me.
“Carter?” A myriad of questions start to trickle through my thoughts. But first… “Why are we naked?”
His lips tick up as his tongue licks the dryness away. “We aren’t naked.”
I move my chest back to look down and check my breasts are covered by the cloth of my thin tank top between them and his hard abs. Hair from his legs prickle my own, but then the cotton of his boxers’ brush against the top of my thighs.
“Ok then.” I try to remember, but nothing as to why I’m wrapped in a blanket with a mostly naked Carter comes to mind. “Why are we almost naked?”
“You were hypothermic when we found you.” His one eyebrow lifts slightly over the other, waiting to see if anything clicks.
“Snow.” I remember the last thing I felt. “Cold, wet snow.”
“Yeah.” He nods slowly, but doesn’t loosen his grip.
“Where are we?” Did I make it to Vic”s cabin?
“A cabin that a few of the Delta Nu’s rented out.”
“Kandi?” I ask, already knowing the answer. Kandi, Penny, Callie, Renna, and Dani. My neighbors, and who I consider friends. At least I did before I crashed their weekend ski trip. “How did you find me?”
“We drove up and searched,” he answers vaguely to not overwhelm me.
“Who?”
“Luca and I.” He moves back and brushes away some of my hair that fell over my face.
“Luca?” I look around the dimly lit room. Noticing we’re on the floor wrapped in several warm blankets a few feet from a dwindling fire in the fireplace. “But why? How did you know where I was?” Pain sears up my leg with the slightest movement.
“Easy, you’re hurt.” Carter stops me from trying to sit up. “He’s in the bedroom with Kandi. Sleeping, I think.” He smiles down at me. “Jocelyn called Luca, and Luca wanted to borrow my truck.”
“You’re smiling.” I reach up and poke his cheek. “You never smile.” Carter’s norm is a scowl or a slight smirk that doesn’t match the rest of his face. It’s the first time I”ve seen a genuine upturn of his lips paired with a crease at the corner of his reddish-brown eyes.
He clears his throat, quickly wiping that smile away.
“You gave us a good scare.” He bites his lip to stop the grin from returning. “I guess I’m happy you”re alive.”
Oh, god.
I almost got myself killed, but even worse, I could’ve gotten my friends killed.
I drop my head into Carter’s hard, tattooed pecs. “I fucked up, didn’t I?”
“Why did you go after him?” His arm tightens around me. “Why do you keep letting him do this shit to you?”
“I…I don’t know.” It’s the only answer I can give, because the present me wants to go back in time and stop the past me from walking out of that house. “I won’t.” I don’t have it in me to take anymore.
Carter lets go of me and rolls out to grab a water bottle behind him. “Drink some water.”
Fighting against the sharp pain shooting up my calf, I sit up and drink the water offered.
“Hold on.” Carter notices the tormented look on my face before I can hide it. He helps me sit up to relieve the effort that was straining my leg.
The blanket comes off, revealing all of him. His boxers, if you can call the thin white booty shorts that, are leaving nothing to the imagination. Vic doesn’t look like that in his tight-y whities.
“Thank you.” I blush and look away.
“How are you feeling?” Kandi comes out of the hallway, distracting my embarrassment.
“Not great,” I laugh. But then I remember our last conversation, and the not so nice things I said to her about hurting Luca. I haven’t talked to her in a few weeks and now she’s one of the people forced to take care of me. “I’m sorry for what I said. I shouldn’t have said that.”
“There’s no need to apologize.” Kandi shrugs and sits down on the couch to face me while Carter gives us some privacy. “You weren’t wrong, but I wasn’t either.” She sighs and points at the hallway. “He’s sleeping in the room. I know I hurt him, but I’m trying not to. I won’t do that to him.”
She refers to me accusing her of playing with Luca’s heart and how she’ll toss him away once she’s through with him. That’s what I thought she’s always done, but maybe I was wrong. I’ve been wrong about a lot of things lately.
Carter comes back in as if he wasn’t listening to our conversation from the next room. “The roads are still bad, but we should be able to head back down tomorrow morning.”
Kandi and him share a look before she gets up to go back to her room. “I’m going to go check on Luca.”
“I’m making tea.” Carter looks around the room, unsure of what to do. “What else do you need?”
“Some clothes would be nice.” I shiver in my thin camisole and satin underwear. I left the house without a bra and no bag. I left with nothing and will go back with even less.
“I’ll be back.” He slips his coat and boots on, running outside before I can stop him. Clothes aren’t that important. I can wrap myself in blankets to keep warm or borrow from the many girls in the cabin.
The wind howls through the cabin when the door opens back up, and Carter shakes off the snow before dropping a bag on the floor. Leaving his coat and boots behind, he pulls out clothes from the bag. Then comes over to carefully pull a sweatshirt over my head.
“You just went outside in your boxers,” I state, still in shock at what I witnessed.
“Wouldn’t be the first time.” He smirks while helping my arms through the sleeves.
He looks from his sweatpants to my bare legs. Only a brief hesitation before he’s rolling a pant leg onto my good foot.
“Um…” I move my leg away, not sure how I feel about Carter dressing me. The sweatshirt was weird but doable. Carter pulling my pants up my legs and over my ass? That’s not happening.
He stops and looks up at me from my feet. “Think of me as a trained EMT.” His eyebrows raise in question, waiting for me to give the ok to keep going. “If you prefer, I can get one of the girls to do it.”
“No.” I’m being silly. He’s a trained professional and there’s nothing intimate about helping an injured woman put pants on. “It’s fine. Just do it.” I’ve already intruded on their time enough.
He slips my good left foot through the pant leg, then rolls the right side of the baggy sweatpants before carefully picking up my ankle to feed it through.
I suck in a breath and clench my teeth together to stop from screaming. Carter is going as gentle and slow as he can, but any slight movement sends a sharp stinging pain through my ankle and up to my knee.
“Take a minute.” He stops once the pants are up to my knees.
I let go of the breath I was holding in and take quick deep breaths to prepare myself for more.
“Is it broken?” I ask in a shaky voice I don’t recognize. “It’s broken. Isn’t it?”
Carter nods without looking at me. “Callie said it’s most likely broken.”
Sucking in another quick breath to hide any sign of agony I’m in, I close my eyes and will the tears to stay in. Forget the Bobcats. Not even they will want me now. I’ve destroyed any chance of turning hockey into a career. I have six months of school left, and I can’t spend any of that time on an injured list, sitting on a bench, and watching my team from the sidelines. That’s if I don’t get kicked out of school.
I endangered my friends and myself by going against the prohibition set on us. Everything I’ve worked so hard for is shattered.
“She said it might not be that bad.” Carter awkwardly pats my knee to comfort me. “We won’t know anything until we get you to the hospital in the morning.”
I swallow down those tears that are threatening to break through. “Can we get these pants on now?” There is nothing more pathetic than breaking my ankle while chasing after my lying, cheating boyfriend, except crying about it with my pants around my knees.
Carter leans over me, lifting my pelvis with one arm wrapped around my hips while pulling the pants up with the other hand. In any other situation, this would be a very precarious and somewhat sensual position, but Carter is focusing on not moving or harming my ankle. While I’m focusing on not screaming from the excruciating pain burning up my leg.
“Are you good?” He sets me down with a grunt.
“Perfect.” I steady the shakes rolling through my muscles.
“I’ll get that tea for you.” He leaves me to relax on the hard blanket covered floor.
Renna stands at the edge of the room, quietly watching us. She bites her lip, keeping her eyes on Carter’s tight ass in those tiny underpants he’s walking around in, winking at me before following him to the next room.
“Kandi said you were awake.” Callie comes out from behind Renna with a small white container in her hand. She crouches down and ties back her long black hair from her face. “How are you feeling?”
“I’m fine.” I straighten up and put on a brave face.
“Don’t lie.” She looks up through the top of her eyelids and holds up the container of what I’d presume is a homemade herbal cream. “We don’t have any aspirin, and the salve would have worn off by now. It’s not going to take away all the pain. It works better on muscle strains, not fractures.”
With her nimble fingers, she carefully removes the ace bandage and smoothes the cream over my calf and down, lightly spreading it around my ankle and foot.
I hiss from the pain, but bite the inside of my cheek.
“I have a clove that will help ease the pain or take your mind off it, if you want?” She asks quietly and looks up for my response as she wraps my ankle again.
I nod, unable to open my mouth without crying. I’ve never smoked before, but I’ve heard about Callie’s special herbal cloves that give good highs without getting detected on the athletic department’s drug tests. At this point, I’ll take anything to get rid of the pain. My life as a hockey player is already over.
She sets my foot down on a stack of pillows. “I have some clothes you can borrow, too.”
“I’m ok for now.” I don’t want to go through another dressing by Carter. “Thank you.” Grabbing her hand, I stop Callie from leaving. “Really. Thank you for everything.”
She shrugs. “Don’t worry about it. We’re all happy to help.”
Carter comes back with a heaping mug of tea.
“No one’s complaining about the eye candy either,” Callie whispers beside me. She looks at Carter and gives me a wink. “I’ll be back.”
Carter passes me the mug, careful not to spill the hot water.
“Callie said she has clothes for me.” I keep my eyes on his, not daring to check out his hard lined six-pack abs or his thick package that the other girls are ogling.
“It’s fine. I have extra in my bag.”
He moves around the room and starts laying out the bundle of wet clothes in the corner to dry off in front of the fire. Luckily, it’s a gas fireplace. Last year, some cabins still used wood burning ones, but the old resort recently updated them. Carter checks the gas and raises the flames to increase the heat.
“What’s wrong?” He looks back, noticing me shifting to get comfortable.
“My ass is numb,” I answer honestly. Any decorum I had before being stripped down and pressed against Carter’s naked body is gone. The floor is hard even with the blankets over the thin rug. My foot being raised isn’t helping either.
Carter jumps over and takes the hot mug from me to place on the table they moved out of the way.
“I’m going to lift you onto the couch.” He squats down next to me. “Are you ready?”
No.
“Sure.”
With one arm around my back and the other under my knees, Carter lifts me up.
“Ow.” I whimper before I’m able to cover the pain with my clenching teeth. My fingers dig into his flesh as he sets me down.
“Is that better?”
I nod with my eyes squeezed shut, willing the pain in my ankle to go away. Carter sets up a pillow on the table for my foot and wraps a blanket around me before folding the rest.
“Hey, Carter.”
“Yeah.” He stops what he’s doing to check on me. “What do you need?”
“As much as the others appreciate you walking around in your underwear, can you put some clothes on now?”
He looks down at himself and smirks up at me.
“I’m back,” Callie sings into the room holding up a freshly wrapped clove and lighter.
Penny follows behind her and kneels down on the floor in front of me. “Hey, hot stuff.” She calls out to Carter while tucking the pink ends of her hair into a messy bun. “Do you want a hit?”
Carter still hasn’t put clothes on and stands off to the side with his veiny arms crossed over his thick pecs. “No.”
“Party pooper,” she mutters with the clove between her lips, lighting it up and taking a puff. “Callie had me test this out before we came out here.”
“I didn’t want to waste too much time, but so far it seems good.” She takes the clove from Penny for her own hit before passing it to me. “Inhale just a little bit and hold it in.”
I do what she says, catching Carter’s eyes on me the entire time. I cough up the smoke, but it’s not as bad as I thought it would be.
“Take another, but the same way. Keep it short,” Callie encourages me.
“That’s enough,” Carter barks out, gaining a laugh from Penny and Callie.
“It should be enough,” Callie says while sucking in her lips and snubbing the clove out. “You’re handling the pain really well, but if you want more, I’ll keep it ready.” She winks at me, and Penny giggles as she rises from the floor to give me a hug.
“I’m so happy you’re ok.” Penny tightens her hold before letting go. She waltzes up to Carter and pokes at his abs and waistband while dancing past him.
“Callie’s stuff is stronger than you think.” He scowls at me after they skip into the kitchen to get snacks.
“Carter.” I scowl back at him. “Shirt and pants. Now.”
His scowl turns into another smirk, unable to hold it back.
I felt like a zombie, sitting through dinner, and playing card games with everyone in the cabin. Besides Kandi and Luca, who remained held up in her room the entire night.
Luca kept coming out to check on me, but I’m happy he and Kandi are back together. He’s happier. He’ll be ok as long as he’s happy. He just informed me, he’s going to the NHL after this semester is over in a week. The call came in to start a few days ago.
We all knew he was drafted, but I thought he opted to finish school first. I’ll miss him, but he’ll be happy living his dream.
A dream I once shared before now.
“You look sad.” Carter breaks into my thoughts after getting the sofa bed set up in the living room. “Are you in any pain?”
Yes.
“No.”
“Your bed is all set up, princess.” He tosses a pillow at the top.
“Don’t call me that.” I toss a throw pillow at him. “Where are you sleeping?”
“On the floor.” He fluffs the pillow I threw at him before tossing it on the floor beside the bed. “Right next to you.”
He bends down and lifts me into his arms to place me on the bed. I could get used to being carried around all the time.
“Why don’t you sleep in the bed next to me?” I let him help me into the bed and under the covers.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.” He shrugs. “I’ll be fine on the floor.”
“Why not? We slept against each other earlier?” I hate the idea of Carter sleeping on that floor again after all he’s done for me today.
“You were hypothermic and passed out.” He argues with me before switching gears. “Did you drink that bottle of water I gave you?”
“Yes.” I wave the empty bottle at him. “I don’t like how you feel the need to sleep on the floor.”
He shuts the light off and lies down on the floor, ignoring me.
“Carter,” I whine and look over the side to see him. “We’re both adults. Do you think I’m going to try and touch you or something?”
The corner of his lip turns up. “You’d love to touch me again.”
I roll my eyes at him. “You are not at all my type. Get up here, or I’m going to keep whining.”
“Fine,” he groans and makes his way to the other side of the bed, lying on top of the blanket and covering himself with another. “And I am so your type. I’m every woman”s type.”
“Please,” I scoff and hit his chest with the back of my hand. “You are so full of yourself.”
“If I roll in my sleep and land on your ankle, it’s your fault.”
I smile at him, watching his eyes close as he settles into the bed to get comfortable. He acts all tough and callous, but deep inside, I think he really cares. I don’t think he’s a bad guy at all. He’s only acting like the villain.
“Carter?”
“What?” he growls in frustration at being kept awake.
“I don’t think you’re a bad guy,” I say, pleased with my revelation. “Cocky? Yes. Rude? Sometimes. But I don”t think you”re that much of an asshole after all.”
“Based on your track record, I think you have terrible judgment when it comes to men.” He grunts when I hit his stomach.
I don’t care what he says. It’s a ruse to push people away.
“You’ve proven it tonight,” I say to have the last word, because I know I’m right. “No matter what you say, actions speak louder than words, and I’m finally getting that. You are one of the good guys.”
He sits up abruptly and peels his shirt over his head.
“You’re right, Willa.” He tosses his shirt into my face. “I’m being too nice.” Leaning over me, his breath fans my face. “You thought Vic was a good guy too, but look what happened there. Don’t underestimate what’s going on in our heads. I am not a good guy.” He taps the side of his head and hops off the bed to go down the hall to the bedrooms.
I can’t see anything, but there’s a knock before the creaking of a door opening.
“I’ve changed my mind.” Carter’s voice comes out in a husk from right inside the hallway.
There’s some giggling before the door creaks closed.
Earlier, I overheard Dani and Renna propositioning him with a threesome. I guess he decided to take them up on their offer.
I lay his shirt out on the bed next to me and let my head fall back on the pillow.
He’s probably right. I don’t have great judgment when it comes to men, but I don’t think Carter falls in that category. I’m done with men.
I’ll be friends with them, but I’m done dating. I can’t be with a guy like Vic. He broke me down to nothing, and I won’t ever let that happen again.