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Carter's still looking at me challengingly, and I wonder how full of herself she must be not to notice that he's not paying any attention to her.
I’m furious that he’s doing this. Making someone jealous is such a childish thing to do.
My anger fades quickly though as I acknowledge that Carter probably thinks that I'm making him jealous by dancing, flirting, and doing everything else with Logan and Quaid. He still doesn't get that me loving the others—not that I've admitted what I'm still feeling is love—doesn't detract from what I feel for him.
He doesn't understand how they can all exist in my heart at the same time. I'm determined not to waste time trying to play this useless game.
Standing up, I ignore Carter and Celeste and grab Logan and Quaid's hands.
They don't argue as I lead them to the dance floor, and we lose ourselves to the music. Logan isn't as good at dancing as Quaid, he never was one for parties or club settings like this, but his eyes burn as he watches me dance. He tries to move along with the beat. And he's mostly successful…only managing to step on my feet a few times.
Through it all, I can feel Carter's hot gaze on the three of us. The few times that I do look over, Celeste is still draped all over him, but she could be giving him a blowjob and I don't think he would pull his gaze away from me.
After another hour, I tell the guys I need to use the restroom. They walk me to the line for the ladies’ room, staying with me until it's my turn to go inside. I appreciate the gesture, you never know what creeps are going to be at a place like this.
I use the restroom and wash my hands, smiling a bit manically at my sweaty look. For the past year, I haven't expended much energy. My treatments had zapped me of what little strength I possessed. Letting myself be free like this is invigorating, even if my body is protesting and I'm going to be feeling it in the morning.
When I step out of the bathroom, I don't see Quaid or Logan anywhere. Frowning, I look around towards the men's bathroom, wondering if they decided to use it while they were waiting.
But there's no sign of them.
I set off down the hall. Before I can get very far, I'm grabbed and pulled into an alcove.
I attempt to struggle until I'm turned around and see that it's Carter who grabbed me. He's staring at me like he's desperate. Desperate for my taste, my body, or is it my soul?
"What are you—" I begin to ask, but his lips slamming against mine cut me off.
He kisses me like I’d never been kissed before. Like he’s going to war. Like he doesn’t care about breathing. Like something in him needs something in me so desperately, he has to find it or die trying.
His hands are all over me. He shifts my body so I’m straddling his thigh, pulling my head back as he runs his tongue along the base of my neck. My clit pulses at his touch. My hands flex on his back. I whisper his name…and he pushes me away.
As if hearing his name has signaled the end of a scene we were filming, he puts his hands on my shoulders and steps back, separating us. We stare at each other in silence, both of our chests rising and falling with rapid breaths. His eyes are clouded with something I can’t read—I see desire there, but pain too.
"This was a mistake," he growls before he strides away, leaving me staring after him in shock.
It takes me a minute to recover, but eventually, I find myself back at our table where Logan and Quaid both see my swollen lips and smirk knowingly. There's no sign of Celeste though.
Carter still goes back to his hotel after we're done dancing.
And I fall asleep dreaming about his lips and the way he tastes, even while safely encased between Quaid and Logan's bodies.
I guess Carter Hayes hasn't forgotten how to drive me crazy.
Chapter 14
Then
________________________________________
Valentina
Carter's lips latch onto my neck, my heartbeat racing madly with the way his teeth scrape over my feverish skin. He whispers my name longingly, as his tongue traces over my skin until his mouth makes mine hostage. I give in to his dominant kiss, loving how his finger rubs against my sensitive nub over my tank top. I sigh into his warm mouth, when suddenly, my bedroom door bursts wide open, surprising us both frozen still. My father's disapproving face looming in my door’s threshold is the bucket of ice water I need to push Carter away from me.
"Is this what you two call studying for a big test? Because I can tell you right now, it doesn't look like either of you will ace it," my father states fumingly.
Carter doesn't say a word as he picks up his books from the floor and starts packing up to leave. No apologies leave his lips. No excuses either. But I guess that's Carter for you. He isn't ashamed of anything he does. Me on the other hand, I’m beyond embarrassed that my dad just caught us making out in my bedroom.
"I'll see you tomorrow, Valentina," Carter says as he presses a kiss to my temple before making his way out the door.
