Page 24

Indy closed the door behind Carter and leant against it, glancing around her space to try and see it as he would.

The living area was a giant rectangle separated by a three-seater couch facing the television that sat against one wall.

A kitchenette lined the wall opposite the TV.

In the back left corner was the bathroom—with the door closed, thank goodness; she hadn’t been bothered to pick up her wet clothes.

The door to the right led to her bedroom; it was open.

It was tidy. Her green and grey bedspread was rumpled—she’d never had the chance to build the habit of making her bed, but she wasn’t a messy person by nature.

It helped that she didn’t have a lot. Her most valued possession was the piece of art hanging on the wall between the two doors, a gift from Nova when she’d moved in.

A beautiful painting of a golden mare on top of a mountain, pawing at the ground, a view of a valley stretched out beyond it.

She’d always found comfort in the view’s similarity to the one from the top paddocks.

But not so much after nearly becoming part of it.

‘It’s not much …’ She trailed off.

‘But it’s home,’ he finished with an earnest face.

‘Yeah.’

‘I like it. It’s cosy.’

She glanced around again, recognising the comfort of it.

The plush navy pillows on the couch and khaki blanket draped over the back of it.

The little Zen garden on top of the microwave and the brightly coloured tea towels that Emery had given her one Christmas, which Indy secretly loved but would never admit.

It was her space, a place to truly relax.

And Carter Hendrix was standing in the middle of it. Was she dreaming? The butterflies in her stomach flapped harder. They’d kicked off the moment she’d seen him on her porch.

‘I didn’t wake you, did I?’ he asked, peering through the open door to her bedroom.

‘No, I was having a beer and putting a few more pieces together on my puzzle.’ She nodded towards the coffee table and the half-finished photo of a bull rider in motion, an empty beer can next to it. She shrugged. ‘It’s a good way to unwind when there’s nothing on television.’

‘You must be beat after today. It was a long one.’

She nodded and pursed her lips, studying him. He’d dropped his hood and left his shoes by the front door, making himself at home. ‘What do you want, Carter? You didn’t sneak down here to make idle chit-chat about my house and the day.’

He gripped the back of the couch, keeping his elbows straight. His jaw shifted as he held her gaze. Was he just here to spin a line? Or something more?

‘I can’t help thinking back to the moment on the cliff when you slipped.’

That’s not what she thought he was going to say. But she stayed silent and let him continue.

‘I keep replaying it. Holding Mara’s arm in both my hands. Watching you go further and further over the side.’ He swallowed hard. There was anguish in his voice. ‘And when you slipped, I let go of Mara to catch you.’

‘You what?’ No one chose her. Ever.

‘One hand was reaching for you and the other was milliseconds away from joining it when Emery stopped you.’ He swallowed again.

‘I didn’t think about what I was doing. Didn’t think about Mara or hope that Ethan had her.

I just reached for you. You were all I could think about.

Ever since I arrived here and saw you, it’s only been you.

To the detriment of all others, even myself. ’

Indy was frozen. That didn’t sound like a line.

Did she dare believe it was true? She remembered fingers sliding down her back, then when she stopped, there’d been more hands on her than just Emery’s, although she hadn’t registered that at the time.

Was he just using the situation to appeal to her?

Wasn’t his attraction to her surface level?

Right now, there was no cockiness in his tone or smugness in his smile.

He was nervous. His eyes were wide and shiny. Shit, this was real.

Her tongue darted out to wet her lips. ‘Are you … are you serious? I don’t want to be made a fool of. You’re a young, gorgeous football star and I’m … I’m a no-one. Just a farmhand hiding out in the mountains.’

‘As serious as a heart attack.’ He dropped his hands from the couch and took a step closer to her.

Her breathing quickened. ‘I know what you said this morning in the truck. I respect it and if you want me to walk away, then I will. But not without you knowing exactly how I feel about you. This is so much more than anything else I’ve ever felt for anyone.

I doubt I’m ever going to feel like this again. ’

Her legs weakened and she grabbed onto the back of the chair closest to her to keep herself upright. No one said such sweet things to her. Yeah, drunken professions of love, perhaps, or mid-climax cries, but nothing like this. This made her feel wanted. Desired.

Carter took another step towards her. Like a magnet suddenly finding its match, she went to him.

Clutching the front of his jacket, she rose on her toes and pressed her lips against his.

Fire raced through her body. His hands moved to her hips, pulling her against him.

She held the soft material tighter, bunching it between her fingers.

Then she broke away, pulling her head back. ‘We shouldn’t.’

Carter dropped his hands immediately and took a step back, forcing her to release his hoodie. She instantly missed his warmth.

‘But what if we did?’

His eyes lit up and she went to him again.

His hands cradled her face gently, contrasting with the fierce kiss consuming her.

She was drowning in him. Her lips parted, inviting him in, and he accepted without hesitancy.

His taste turned the fire inside her to molten lava, making her want things, like, really want things.

Sex had been transactional when she was younger and, after she’d come to Windale, it’d been to fill a chasm that kept opening up.

She’d never wanted anyone like she wanted Carter right now. Was that all it was, though?

Indy pulled back again. ‘Maybe this is a bad idea.’

Carter ran his hands down her arms to take hold of her hands. ‘Then I’ll walk away,’ he said, breathing heavily. ‘Your terms, Indy. As much as I want you, it has to be on your terms.’

She desperately searched his dark eyes, torn.

She wanted him so badly—not just for a night.

But could she actually have him? Could she break the rules?

She bit her lip. Her need for him was like the iceberg that sank the Titanic , and every second with him was fuel for the mass growing beneath the surface.

She was going to crash into it. She didn’t want to stop herself.

‘I want you, too. There are so many reasons not to, but fuck it, I don’t care.’

She released his hands to put her arms around his neck, bringing his mouth down to hers for a third time.

His arms wrapped around her waist as their tongues swirled together, dancing.

His smell was intoxicating, his taste driving her wild.

She ran her fingers through his hair and down to the zip on his jacket, making quick work of pushing it off his shoulders.

Met with the soft material of his T-shirt, she wanted to groan at the idea of more clothes between them.

Finding the hem, she pushed it up, their lips breaking contact only briefly to free him of it.

A shudder ran over his body when her hands met the bare skin of his chest and her fingers traced the hard muscles in his pecs and down the delicious washboard of abs before finding the V that was like an arrow, guiding her to his track pants. She ached for him.

‘You’re wearing too many clothes,’ he growled as he pulled at the bottom of her jumper.

She took the time to admire the muscles she’d been touching before raising her arms dutifully.

Carter gave another growl that vibrated through her as she stood there in a thin crop top.

Her nipples hardened. In one quick move, he’d hoisted her up so her legs wrapped around him and his lips sought hers.

She grasped his shoulders, kissing him hard.

He walked them towards the bedroom, or so she thought.

She gasped as the cool plasterboard hit her back, his mouth peppering kisses across her jawline, tracing a scorching path down her neck.

Stubble scratching her skin. A moan escaped her.

It spurred him on. With the wall supporting her, he traced his fingers beneath the band of her crop, tickling, teasing, leaving her panting.

She pulled the top up and over her head, tossing it on the ground.

His mouth moved lower, and her spine straightened as searing heat shot to her core. She moaned again.

Carter pulled back to stare at her. His eyes were filled with lustful admiration. He traced her lips with his thumb. ‘God, you’re perfect.’

He carried her into her bedroom and sat on the mattress, leaving her straddling him.

From this position, she had all the control.

She pushed herself against him, thrilled at the sensation of her bare chest against his and the pressure of him straining against his track pants.

His strong thighs made the perfect perch. She reached for him.

‘Wait,’ he said, his voice a mixture of gravel and strain. ‘Protection? I don’t have any on me.’

‘Top drawer.’

When he didn’t make a move, she pulled her head back to look at him. ‘What’s wrong?’

‘I want to be sure this is what you want.’

Her face softened as she smiled. ‘I’ve never wanted anything more than I want you.’

The corners of his mouth rose and he smoothly flipped her so she was lying on the mattress. He hovered above her. ‘Me too.’

There was no more talking after that.

Indy sighed with complete and utter happiness. Her legs were tangled with Carter’s, and she used the last of her energy to rub against his muscular thighs. The power in them had o?cially rocked her world and she needed to rethink every assumption she’d ever had about sex. Mind. Blown.

‘Are you trying to start something again already?’

His gravelly voice tickled her ear, sending a shiver down her spine, and she stopped her movements with a giggle. ‘I may need some recuperation time between rounds.’ She was so extremely sated from the first round, but a low tightening confirmed that another rumble in the sheets would be welcomed.

Carter nuzzled her neck, pressing a kiss to her skin. ‘I meant what I said earlier. You’re perfect.’

‘And you’re a sweet talker.’

He chuckled. ‘It’s hard not to be around you, Indy. My blue-eyed beauty.’

Indy squirmed as his fingers traced the native flowers and leaves tattooed up her thigh to her hip.

‘This tattoo is hot.’

She spun in his arms, her smile turning into a giant yawn that she smothered with his bare chest. ‘Much hotter than the crappy home jobs it’s covering. Pitfalls of stupid teenage decisions.’

He hugged her closely. ‘I don’t want to go, but you need to get some sleep. I also meant it when I said it’d been a big day.’

Humiliation burned in her cheeks. Had he got what he wanted and now he was just going to leave? Why’d she ever believe he was more than just a player?

With her palms flat against his chest, she tried to push off him, but he crushed her tighter to him.

‘No, no, don’t do that. Don’t put those walls up. This isn’t just a hump and dump. I’d stay all night and proudly walk out of here in the morning holding your hand, but I know that’s not what you want.’

Relief swamped her and she relaxed, enjoying the warmth radiating from his embrace. ‘It’s not about want, it’s about keeping my job.’

He tilted her chin up and placed a soft kiss on her lips. ‘I know. We’ve got to be smart about this.’

He squeezed her then climbed from the bed. Indy pulled the sheet around her tightly, watching him find his clothes and put them on. He was one fine specimen. And she had an intimate knowledge of every single one of those muscles. She pressed her thighs together at the reminder.

When he was fully clothed, he leant over the bed, drew her into his arms and kissed her. What started soft quickly grew like embers into flames.

Carter pulled back, breathing heavily. ‘Bloody hell, we’re electric.’

Indy smiled at him and let him go. ‘Fireworks.’

‘Every time, baby.’ He grinned and stood. ‘You want me to keep the lamp on for you?’

She nodded. She wasn’t ready to say goodbye, but he couldn’t stay.

Carter slipped on the shoes that he’d left by the front door, peeked around the side of the blinds then, with a glance back to her, slipped outside, taking part of her with him.

The quiet that descended over the cabin as the door clicked shut was like a bucket of cold water.

Her stomach clenched painfully and she raised a hand to her forehead.

What had she done? They’d crossed a line tonight, one they couldn’t come back from.

She’d broken Nova’s golden rule. Nova could never find out or Indy would lose her home.

What had she been thinking? She gulped in mouthfuls of air and propped herself up in her bed, keeping the sheet around her naked body.

What the hell did she do from here?