Page 48

EMMA
Carter and I had a gorgeous, beautiful Sunday to ourselves before he’d be forced to leave to watch Nikolai fight. I didn’t realize how much time he would be spending away from me. Once Carter got home last night, he took a shower, and we laid in bed. He didn’t speak; he just held me. I wanted to tell him how much I hated myself for getting him involved with Scar, but I knew he didn’t want to talk about it. So that was why I decided to give him his space. When he was ready to speak, he’d find me. But it killed me to feel the distance between us.
Closing my eyes, I tilted my head up to the sky and let the sun soak into my skin. It did nothing to calm my nerves. The back door opened, and I watched Carter stroll toward me from the corner of my eye, dressed in swimming trunks with a towel draped over his shoulder. He grabbed one of the lounge chairs and pulled it over beside mine.
“I’m sorry I slept so long. I needed it,” Carter said.
I lifted my sunglasses on top of my head and looked up at him. “It’s okay. I’m just out here relaxing.”
Taking my hand, Carter helped me up, and he sat down with me straddling his lap. He wrapped his arms around my waist, his fingers gently grazing my bare skin. “I love you, Emma.”
In his eyes, I could see the real Carter. When he came back last night, there was a wall he put up between us. Right now, it was gone, and I wanted to hold onto him.
Cupping his cheeks, I leaned in and kissed him. “I love you too.”
When I looked into his eyes, he smiled. “Tell me something good.”
“Something good, huh?” I swiveled my hips against him, and he groaned, making me smile. “Let’s see.” I thought back to all the memories we shared; there were so many. However, there was one that I never came clean about. It seemed like the perfect time to confess. “I got one,” I said, grinning wide.
Chuckling, Carter rested his hands on my hips, his cock stirring between my legs. “Uh-oh. I can’t wait to hear this.”
“Oh, you’ll love it,” I promised. “Remember that time when everyone visited my family’s cabin? You were fifteen, and I was thirteen.”
His eyes lit up. “I do. All of us took turns taking the four-wheelers out. You and I ended up riding the trails together.” We only had two four-wheelers, and the boys thought it pertinent that one of them get paired with the girls. Ethan rode alongside Peyton while Reagan and Braden were adamant about competing against each other. It was a rivalry that continued to exist today. Ripp and Brooks rode out together, leaving me with Carter.
“It couldn’t have worked out perfectly if we tried,” I confessed.
Carter’s eyes narrowed with curiosity. “What am I missing?”
A snicker escaped my lips. “My four-wheeler didn’t break down that day.” I had disconnected one of the hoses, and hid it so he wouldn’t be able to fix it. That way, I’d have to ride with him through the rest of the trails.
Understanding flashed in his greenish amber gaze. “You’re a bad girl, Emma Jameson.”
I shrugged. “What can I say? I wanted to hold onto you. I never knew that silly teenager crush would turn into so much more today.”
He slid his hands up my body, grazing the sides of my breasts before cupping my cheeks. “Who would’ve thought.”
Leaning into his touch, I stared right into his eyes. “Do you see me in your future?”
A sad smile spread across his lips. “I’ve never seen anyone but you in my future, Emma. Of course, there are a lot of uncertainties, but I’d like to think that one day our lives will be what we want.” He glanced down at my lips, his gaze heated and raw. “I only want you, Emma. You are my forever.”
Tears sprung to my eyes, and my heart overfilled with joy. “Then, I guess it’s the perfect time to tell you that I plan on staying for a while. I already told my roommate not to expect me back in New York just yet.”
“How long are we talking?” Carter asked, excitement in his voice.
I shrugged. “Not sure, but we’ll figure it out. All I know is that I’m not leaving you to deal with this mess with Scar yourself. I’m going to be right here.”
He slid his hands back down my body to my waist, his gaze never wavering from mine. “I don’t want you to worry about me. The only person I’m worried about is you. I’m so afraid Scar will use you to get to me. It’s what he does.”
Sadly, I knew that, and I was prepared. “I know,” I replied softly. “And if it comes to that, I’m ready to fight. I’m not helpless, Carter. You don’t have to protect me twenty-four-seven. I’m stronger than I look.”
His smile made everything inside of me tighten. “Yes, you are.”
Wrapping my arms around his neck, I offered up a cheeky grin. “We have the day to ourselves before you have to disappear tonight. What do you want to do?”
Carter’s eyes darkened with need, his cock twitching between my legs. I thrust my hips against him, earning a low growl to escape his lips. “I can think of a few things,” he said.
Biting my lip, I ran my hands over his arms, his skin hot from the sun. “I think you need to cool off a bit.”