AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“But did you really search the internet for how to care for him?”
“I wanted to make sure an arm didn’t fall off on my watch.”
“She wanted to make sure I didn’t die in her house and she would be left to explain how that happened to the cops. Purely selfish. It wasn’t about me.”
“Oh, a woman after my own heart,” Elena teased. “It looks like all limbs are intact and it got you here. I consider it a win.”
“Definitely a win.” McKenna’s stare met Carter’s again before she added, “For him.”
And they all fell out laughing with understanding. She was the prize but Carter wouldn’t argue because he agreed.
An hour later, Carter and McKenna were back in the car. She was feeling a buzz from the wine she’d indulged in and the potency of the man who sat in the driver’s seat next to her. His air of confidence but relaxed posture, while one large hand maneuvered the steering wheel and the other rested comfortably on her thigh, had a pulse of excitement thumping between her legs.
His downplayed arrogance was enticing. Carter was sexy without attempting to be. McKenna also noticed that through his silence, as he navigated the city with streetlights shadowing his profile, Carter had something heavy on his mind. She sensed it throughout the evening but elected not to ask. He offered smiles and conversation most of the night but she picked up on his reserved mood and how often his expression was unreadable.
She missed him. The silence and his heavy mood felt as if they were disconnected. McKenna glanced at his profile and raked her teeth over her lip. Carter turned his head, silently catching her gaze.
A small smile surfaced on his handsome face before she was blessed with his voice. “What’s up?”
“Tonight was fun.”
“Yeah?”
“Mmhm.” She nodded. “I really like Elena. She’s sweet and we had a good talk.”
“About me?”
She nodded again.
“I can tell you whatever you need to know, Kenni.” His gaze was on her once more.
“You can but you’ll only tell me what you feel I need to know and maybe that’s not always going to be enough. You also can’t tell me from a woman’s perspective.”
He grinned and nodded. “How is her perspective any different than mine?”
“You’ll keep things from me to make sure I don’t worry. She’ll tell me things that will teach me how to navigate so I can manage my fears.”
“You don’t have to fear shit about me.”
Losing you will always be a fear.
She wouldn’t argue the point. His ego wouldn’t allow him to understand, so she changed the subject.
“Where are we going?”
He held her gaze for a moment longer. “I want to show you something.”
“Should I be worried?” She arched a brow and a ghost of a smile appeared on his face again.
“If I say yes, are you gonna run?” His gaze flicked to her. Their eyes locked for a long moment.
“There’s no running from you, Carter. I wouldn’t waste my time trying.” An assured arrogance glinted in his eyes. Her pulse amped up its cadence.
“We’re almost there.”
He smoothly switched lanes, darting around a quickly approaching vehicle then skillfully hitting a right he shouldn’t have been able to properly execute at the speed he was driving. After a few more turns, they pulled into the driveway of a quaint little house. It was completely dark. When they parked and Carter sat, quietly staring, she took in the view.
The property was small, but homey. The yard was simple but maintained. A few shrubs on either side of the small porch and recently-cut, patchy grass, based on the pristine edge, a few feet ahead of the parked car. The late hour didn’t allow for a clear visual of all the details, but she could see enough.
