The tension between us was a band ready to snap as Carterstrolled over the lush Savonnerie rugs, and shrugged off his suit jacket, casually laying it over the arm of the closest chair.
I retreated another step,towards his luxurious bed.
The feel of his lips on mine was still a burn, branded on my skin as he unbuttoned one sleeve and then the other, before slowly rolling them up.
I suddenly bumped into the bedpost and fumbled, gripping it for stability while he leisurely unclasped his belt, pulling it out loop by fucking loop. My mouth went dry as he rhythmically wound it around his hand and then set it on the dresser, watching me very carefully as he did so.
Finally, Carter spoke, his voice exceptionally low and smooth. “I won the last dare. Now what?” He crossed his arms with a smirk and leaned against the dresser, keeping ample distance between us.
I could tell he was letting me guide the pace of things, letting me control how far tonight would go. That’s why it was so easy to trust him, why I’d always felt so safe with him—I knew he would never push me past my limits.
That tiny voice in the back of my head immediately went to work, reminding me that he was capable of rejecting me, that he’d done it before and he could do it again. But that didn’t stop me from imagining that muscular body looming over me, doing very dirty things.
“I guess that would make it my turn.” I whispered, still clutching the bedpost for dear life.
“Truth or dare then?” He murmured.
“Truth.” I breathed like a chicken.
He nodded, all too amused, and considered, finally, in a voice as soft as the starlight at the pier, “Tell me what the fuck Isaac did to make you react like that.”
Oh fuckerson.
I thought I’d been so clever by averting a dare, andthisis what he wanted to talk about? Talk about a cold bucket of water. “Pass.” I said, as Carter settled in against the ornate dresser, like he’d be there a long while. Just great.
Carter chuckled darkly. “You know, pretty girl, part of my job is getting people to talk.” His eyes glimmered, something determined lurking just beneath the surface, and I felt myself bristling. I could dig in my metaphorical heels too. Watch me. See if I tell you a damn thing. Arrogant jerk. What was he going to do, muscle the answer out of me?
Carter continued, “You could save me some time and tell me yourself or alternatively,” His voice dropped low and menacing, and I suddenly realized he hadn’t been talking aboutmeat all. “I could just pay him a little visit. The options are really endless, but I doubt he’d hold out very long.” Carter continued on as my lips started to form a question. “Since the moment he laid eyes on you, I’ve been considering all sorts ofinterestingthings.”
“What the hell does that mean?” I demanded.
“It means,” His lips twitched, cocky confidence rippling off him like smoke off a signal fire. “Well, I don’t need to fill that pretty little head of yours with violent things, now do I?”
He was going to what? Beat him up? “You wouldn’t.” I set my jaw, wondering if in fact he would. All bets seemed to be off now.
“Try me, sweetheart.” Carter smirked. “Besides, if you don’t say your truth, then you lose, and that would bring our little game to an end tonight.” He tilted his head, a predator assessing its prey.
And how damn badly I wanted to be caught.
“Do you want our game to be over?” He asked too quietly.
Abso-fucking-lutely-not.
“How do you even know there is a story to tell?” I countered, inching towards the bed. Wondering when I’d grown so bold. I’d only had one glass of wine with dinner, and now I could hardly feel it—I suddenly wished I’d slogged down a second or third before we’d left, but Carter hadn’t ordered the wine by the bottle like he usually did. I knew a little liquid confidence would beso veryniceright about now, but simple bravery would have to do.
Carter’s eyes flared as he watched me sit on the edge of his bed. “You think I didn’t notice how your entire body recoiled the moment you heard his voice?” He spoke softly, though his voice bordered on outrage. “Or how you belittled yourself in front of him.”
I shimmied back on the bed until only my heeled feet were dangling off the edge, arguing, “I did not.”
Carter’s jaw fanned. “I seriously beg to differ.”
“I did no such thing.” Heat flushed my cheeks because I couldn’t reasonably admit what he was saying was true. Not to him, not to myself. I didn’t want to acknowledge that I’d felt so horribly weak in that moment. Helpless.
Not like I felt now though, right now, I felt pretty damn powerful. Carter had always been so freaking restrained with me, and right now, it felt like he was wrapped around my finger, and Ilovedit.
“Did you sleep with him?” Carter asked, a wave of dark jealousy passing over his expression.
“With Isaac?” I raised a brow, tossing out casually. “Maybe I did.”
