Fear.
I pulled her against my chest, hiding my face in her hair as the panic began to sink in.
All night,that voicehad been banging around in my head.
It was relentless.
Chanting at me like some primal, barbaric brute.
My eyes shuttered as I replayed the sound of those explosions in the gallery. The sickening panic I’d felt for that split second. I’d tried to brush it off, tried to convince myself I was just being jumpy. Yet, after this morning and the threats those men had made, threats against Sara that absolutely terrified me—I’d nearly reached for the gun that had been a solid weight at my back all night.
Those men, whatever it was they wanted from me, were willing to do whatever it took to get it. Including hurting the ones I loved.
Suddenly, I wanted to puke.
Sara rested her chin on my chest and gazed up at me with asoft smile I struggled to return. She looked so vulnerable, so innocent, her eyes finally bright and alive again.
In that moment, I realized what everyone else seemed to know already. Realized the truth of that chanting voice I’d triedso diligentlyto silence.
Sara’s body seemed to know the truth of it too as she swayed in my arms, completely trusting, depending onmeto take care of her, to keep her safe.
So I let that single word in. Let that war drum beat inside me.
Let it fill me, primal and protective, lusting and wanting.
Mine. Mine. Mine.
Sara was mine, and maybe she always had been.
I surrendered to the realization that no matter how steep the cost, I would do whatever it took to keep her safe and out of harm’s way.
The guilt that washed over me was near unbearable as I scanned the waterfront, scanned the shadows all around us, looking for anything out of the ordinary. Water lapped softly against the pier, and the stars twinkled softly in the sky, as if nothing was amiss. All the while my skin prickled because I could feel it—we were being watched.
When I pulled into the garage and turned the off the car, there were a million and one things I wanted to say, but Sara beat me to it as she cleared her throat, “If you want to pretend like it never happened I completely understand. I got caught up in the moment, and I’m sorry if I?—”
“No,”I rasped, seeing the doubt in her eyes as she tried to undo our entire night.
She continued on nervously. “It’s really okay. We can just go back—” she yelped as I hauled her over the console, into my lap before she could finish whatever ridiculous thing she was about to decide. Before I lost her again.
“I don’t want to pretend,” I started and simultaneously heard a soft rip as she settled into my lap.Her dress.I quickly shifted her and made it even worse. “Shit, I’m sorry.”
Sara’s lips crashed against mine, silencing my apology. “Don’t be.” She briefly pulled back and reached down. “I don’t mind if you rip my clothes off.” She breathlessly admitted as I suddenly began to recline.
So fucked.
Sara gave me a devious look as the soft whir of my seat going back filled the air. I would have laughed, would have teased her, but there was nothing humorous about her sitting in my lap looking like that.
Nothing at all.
I swallowed hard as Aphrodite herself slid down, heavy lidded on top of me, and I gripped her thighs as she straddled me, settling in on either side of my waist. “You’re perfect, you know that?” I rasped.
“Carter,” Sara demanded achingly. “Kiss me.”
So I did. I kissed her until she was writhing and swollen lipped, until the car was fogging up, and I was basically dry fucking her over her dress—the damp heat between her legs a tempting invitation as she rode my tented zipper, leaving me wanting so much more.
However, I was not about to fuck my best friend in the car, like a horny teenager. Though it took all my strength once again, I finally broke the kiss, because Sara was not just a quickie car fuck, and definitely not for our first time.
First time. What was I even saying?
