“Here.I love your hair.I love touching your hair,” Carer handed her the water, while he kept a fist in her hair.“What were you afraid of?”
His eyes darted from her to the door, and she wondered if he was expecting someone.
“Of mixing work and pleasure.They drill that into your head, you know?Not to sleep with anyone in your kitchen,” Josie forced herself to reach out and place a hand on Carter’s thigh.“But I guess if my landlord doesn’t mind.”
“I don’t believe you.”
“I’m serious, Carter.My friend Maisy tried to tell me that you were interested in me in that way, but I never believed her.I’m self-conscious.I don’t pick up when people are flirting with me.”
“But when Jared and I took you out?”
‘“It was so sudden.I didn’t know what to say.”
Carter’s eyes narrowed at her.But he didn’t react.He just sat back on his hunches.“We could get married and then can show them.What do you say to that, Josie?”
Oh god, he wasn't the guy she wanted to marry.
Ares’s smile, the one where his dimples showed, flashed in her mind.She wished she had never left his house.
“Yes Carter.”
“Good.then you won't mind staying here until I get everything arranged.”
“That’s fine,” Josie tried to keep her voice even.“Where am I going to go anyways?”
“To that rich asshole!”Carter shot up on his feet again and paced frantically across the room.“Do you have any idea how hard it was to watch you cook?And not to see a line of customers outside of my door.But they weren’t there for me.They were there for you.”
“I’m sorry,” She tried to sit up.“You make good food, too, Carter.I like that crispy cabbage appetizer you guys had for a while.”
“You did?”He stopped, crouching down to peer at her face.
Josie forced herself to grin as wide as she could.“Yes.It was very different.”
“See?That was my idea.I came up with that.”
“All those reviews say you’re a good cook.They can’t all be wrong.”
In a second, he was at her side, his eyes so huge that she was sure he took something.
“I knew you would be good for me!”Carter rubbed her thigh in a circular motion.She wanted to kick him but forced herself to stay still, to breathe through her nose.
“I like to look on the bright side.”
“My mother thinks that I should have opened another restaurant before now.Each bad review I get, she screams at me.She's the one who pushed me into opening a French bistro.”Carter patted her leg, like she was a pet.“I don’t mind the French bistro but it's not a huge draw.”
“What did you want to open?”Her throat felt so dry.
“I wanted an upscale taco place that served flights of bourbon.”
“Maybe that could be your second restaurant.”
“I don’t know.My mother doesn’t like tacos and thinks the bistro idea is the strongest.”
She started coughing so hard her eyes watered.He gave her more water then laid his hand against her skin.
“Jared is supposed to be here any moment.He didn’t think I could drag you in from outside all by myself but I did.It was his idea to take you to his house and this converted garage.”
Her stomach roiled.
