Another half an hour or so passes before Ashley joins me in her office. I glance away from my screen, and it’s clear from her sour expression that something has happened.
Chapter Seven
ASHLEY
“What’s wrong?” Carter shuts his laptop and stares at me.
How he can tell that I’m out of sorts, I have no idea.
“Nothing is wrong.”
His eyes remain on me as I cross the room, making my way to my desk. I grab my laptop and set it on the table in front of him before walking to one of the bookshelves.
“Is the fridge toast or something?”
“No, Neil fixed the fridge.” I grab the holiday candle, the scent of berries and cloves wafting up my nose.
“What is it then?”
“It’s nothing. Just drop it.” Blood rushes to my cheeks, and they’re probably redder than all the Santas.
I grab the lighter off my desk and light the wick of the candle before bringing it over, setting it next to my laptop on the coffee table. I’m going to need some zen vibes to deal with this man and all the tasks we have to complete. I sit on the couch beside Carter.
His closed laptop rests on his lap. “Did Neil do something inappropriate?” His voice is laced with… something. I’m not sure what though.
“Not exactly.”
“Well, what exactly did he do then?”
I recognize the note to his voice now for what it is—restrained anger.
I sigh. “He came on to me, and I turned him down, but he kept pushing.” I shrug. “I was just uneasy, that’s all. He didn’t do anything wrong. I embarrass easily. I don’t like uncomfortable situations.”
When I glance at him, he meets my gaze, and I’m pretty sure we’re both thinking back to that night we went out on a date and my reaction to what happened.
“Do I need to go kick his ass? Because I will.”
Appreciation warms my chest. “No, Carter, you don’t need to kick his ass. He’s clear on the fact that I’m not interested.”
His shoulders relax a bit after I tell him I’m not interested in Neil. Which is annoying, given how he made it clear he wasn’t interested in me this past summer.
“Why don’t you like him? He’s an okay-looking guy, seems like he’s successful.” Carter shrugs, but his nonchalant action belies the interest in his eyes as he waits for my answer.
“I had this traumatizing night with this guy six months ago, and I’m not eager to relive it.”
The corners of his mouth tighten. Our eyes lock, and I wait for him to say something. “Let’s just get this over with,” he says.
I open my laptop and type in my password, refusing to glance his way. “Get what over with?”
“What happened on our date.”
I don’t look at him as I open my email. Regardless, my face heats from remembering that night with him. The most humiliating night I’ve ever had.
“You made your feelings clear. There’s nothing to talk about.” I click my sister’s email in the long list of junk emails from companies I swear I’ve already unsubscribed from.
Carter sighs beside me. “I apologized. I don’t know what more you want from me.”
With a huff, I slam my laptop shut and put it on the coffee table, shifting to face him better. “You acted like you wanted me, then once I was half naked, you pulled the ‘chute. Said you couldn’t do it.” I use air quotes around the words couldn’t do it. “Do you have any idea how humiliating it is to be all in, practically naked, and then you pull away and look at me with disgust in your eyes while you reject me?”
