Page 67 of Boss and Brat

Carter shifted closer—not touching, but close enough that Ethan felt the warmth of him. “You didn’t mess anything up.”

“You don’t know that,” Ethan murmured.

Carter’s voice softened. “I know enough.”

Ethan wanted to lean into him for another kiss. He wanted to believe this could work. But fear still sat heavy in his stomach. His father. The ranch. Carter’s job. Everything that could go wrong.

Carter must’ve seen the worry on his face, because he said, “We’ll figure it out. One step at a time.”

Ethan nodded, even though he wasn’t sure how.

Carter added, “And we’ll be careful. Really careful.”

Ethan looked at him and saw the same fear he felt. The same hope too. He didn’t know what would happen next. But for the first time in a long time, he wasn’t facing it alone.

The ice cream sodas were long gone, but Ethan still felt the sweetness buzzing under his skin. Or maybe that was just Carter. Hard to tell. Everything felt different now—sharper, warmer, terrifying in a way that made his stomach flip.

They sat on the couch for a while, neither of them talking, both pretending to watch the muted TV. Ethan kept sneaking glances at Carter, trying to read him. Carter kept doing the same, like they were both waiting for the other to say something first.

“How do we act here when we’re alone?” Ethan asked.

Carter cleared his throat. “We should… probably talk about how we act around each other. In here.”

Ethan’s heart thudded. “Okay.”

Carter shifted, hands clasped. He looked like a man trying to build a plan out of thin air. “When we’re alone in the cabin… doors locked, blinds closed… we can do whatever we want.”

Ethan’s breath caught. Not because the words were suggestive—they weren’t. But because of how careful Carter sounded. How serious. How much thought he’d already put into protecting them both.

Ethan nodded slowly. “So… no touching unless everything’s closed up?”

“Right,” Carter said. “No slip-ups. No one walking by and seeing something they shouldn’t.”

Ethan understood. But the rules made everything feel real. Like this wasn’t just a kiss. It was something they had to guard.

He hesitated, then asked, “What about… your bedroom?”

Carter’s head snapped up.

His face turned bright red. Not pink—red. Like someone had flipped a switch under his skin.

Ethan instantly regretted asking. “I didn’t mean—I wasn’t trying to—I just meant if we’re alone and everything’s locked—”

Carter held up a hand, flustered. “I know what you meant.”

Ethan swallowed. “So… is that allowed?”

Carter stared at him for a long moment, eyes searching his face like he was trying to figure out if Ethan understood what he was asking. What it implied. What it could lead to.

Then Carter asked, voice low and rough, “What do you think?”

Ethan’s breath stuttered. Because Carter wasn’t shutting it down. He wasn’t saying no. He wasn’t pulling away. He was asking Ethan what he wanted. And that scared Ethan more than anything. He wanted Carter. He wanted to be close to him. He wanted to feel safe with him in ways he’d never felt safe with anyone. But he also didn’t want to ruin Carter’s life. Didn’t want his father finding out. Didn’t want Carter losing his job or his home or his reputation because of him.

Ethan looked down at his hands. “I think… I don’t want to mess anything up.”

Carter let out a slow breath, like he’d been holding it. “You’re not messing anything up.”

Ethan wasn’t sure he believed that. But hearing Carter say it helped a little.