Chapter 28
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
After a quiet dinner with John, Audrey headed to her room. She climbed into bed, wondering where Carter was and who he was with. He had texted her intermittently throughout the evening, taking a little sting out of the jealousy that had reared up.
She knew he took clients out to dinner from time to time—she had run into him at Eros while he had been doing the same thing. But the idea of him sitting across from a pretty female client in a romantic restaurant folded her stomach into knots.
He had said he would see her when he got home, but he hadn’t specified when that might be. Tonight? Tomorrow morning? She wasn’t going to show her cards and give him the satisfaction of looking for him.
She had been bored out of her mind sitting there all day, even with John’s company.
Worse, she couldn’t get Carter off her mind.
Surrounded by his things, it was even harder than usual.
She thought of the past couple of days and how attentive he had been, and she realized she was in deep trouble.
She wouldn’t be able to hold him off much longer.
If she was entirely honest with herself, she wasn’t sure she wanted to.
He was sweet and funny, even if he did try to change her dog’s name.
Peanut—or Caesar as Carter liked to call him—had made good friends with John, and he had spent the last couple of nights sleeping in the spare bedroom downstairs.
Audrey picked up the book on the nightstand and began to read but couldn’t focus, her thoughts continually drawn back to Carter.
Her life was rapidly spiraling out of control, and there was nothing she could do to stop it.
She knew the police were doing everything they could to find the person responsible, but she also knew it was a long shot.
For better or worse, she was stuck in Carter’s house for the foreseeable future.
She felt on edge, and though a huge part of that was due to the shooting at the coffee shop, she knew the tension building between Carter and her was a contributing factor.
It was thick enough to cut with a knife, and her skin ached with the need to be touched.
She had stopped him a couple of nights ago; now she wished she hadn’t.
She was on fire for him, but she didn’t want to give in.
She was afraid it would make her look easy in his eyes, and she hated the idea.
With a harsh exhale, she tossed the book on the nightstand and turned off the light.
The darkness only made it worse. The room felt empty, and she craved his touch.
The soft sheets caressed her body, and the scent of laundry detergent wafted up to her from the pillow, reminding her of the way Carter smelled—manly and fresh.
Though she hated to admit it… she missed him.
She curled onto her side and lay there for several minutes, staring into the dark.
She felt more alone than she did even when Scott and she had first separated.
She couldn’t explain it, and it sounded stupid to her own ears.
She had chosen this; she had kept Carter at arm’s length, and he wouldn’t make a move until she gave the green light.
At some point over the past few weeks, her heart had begun to heal.
If she hadn’t known all along that Scott and she weren’t meant to be, being with Carter solidified it.
They had only been intimate once, but there was an inexplicable connection, an indefinable emotion between them.
And even after everything, he had never wavered from his course.
Most men would have thrown in the towel and walked away. But not Carter. He said he wanted her, would wait forever—and he had been true to his word. They had had their hiccups, but she knew he was loyal. If she gave him her heart, he would treasure it, do his best never to hurt her.
A knock on the door startled her, and she practically jumped from the bed. Worried that John might need something, she quickly yanked on her robe and crossed to the door. She opened it a few inches and peered through the dimly lit space, her heart jumping as Carter’s face came into view.
“Hey,” he said quietly. “Just wanted to check on you before bed.”
This side of him made her knees weak, and she wrapped her hand around the edge of the door, using it to steady herself. “I’m fine,” she whispered.
“Good.” He reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Were you bored today?”
“A little bit.” She shrugged and leaned her head against the back of her hand where it curled around the door. “But your dad was here to keep me company at least, so it wasn’t too bad.”
“I’m glad.” He stared at her for several long seconds. “I like having you here.”
His admission made her heart swell. “Me too.”
“Did you miss me?”
Somehow, she managed a tiny nod, and his eyes seemed to darken further as he took a step closer. “You’re all I think about.”
“Audrey...”
Her name fell from his lips, sending a rush of sensation through her.
They stood barely a foot apart, yet she felt as if they were on the precipice of a great divide.
The time had come to either risk everything and jump or turn away.
For the first time in a long time, she shut off her brain and listened to her heart.
“Yes.”
One dark eyebrow lifted toward his hairline. “Yes what?”
“I want you.”