Whiskey and Lace(13)

"No," my voice came out in a choked whisper.

"Bye, Evangeline." And with that Carter hung up on me. My heart dropped to my stomach. I was profoundly hurt and wildly angry. How could he think that I was the type of girl that would use him? If he wanted to leave, I would survive, but I couldn't let him take the cowardly way out thinking it was my fault; that I'd been the one using him.

Before I could think twice I grabbed my purse and stomped out of the apartment and hailed a cab to take me to Beacon Street and Carter Morgan.





Six





The cab pulled up in front of his house and I took a deep breath. I hadn't thought this through at all; what if Nikki was still in there with him? What if he wasn't even home? The cab driver arched an eyebrow at me in the rearview mirror. I handed him cash and then stepped out into the cold night. Snowflakes drifted down around the street lamps and I had half a mind to turn around and walk home. I could cut through the garden and be home in ten minutes. I looked back at Carter's door and realized I couldn’t walk away having him think I had mistreated him.

I strode up the steps and pounded on his front door. Nothing. I pounded again louder. I stood chewing my lip wondering what to do now. He wasn't even home; and then I heard a loud crash coming from inside the house. What was going on? What if there was an intruder? Or, what if Nikki was in there with him? My stomach twisted in knots at that thought. But I couldn't walk away again. If I did I would never have the courage to come back.

I knocked again and waited. Then I tentatively tried the knob, fully expecting it to be locked. The door opened easily. I cautiously stepped into the foyer, ready to dart out if I heard Nikki’s voice from anywhere in the house. I stepped further into the hall. I passed the kitchen and saw clothes strewn over the island and bar stools.

Carter's jacket and tie from last night.

My heart thudded in my chest. I took a few more steps and found a side table knocked over with a broken vase and Carter's discarded dress shirt on the floor.

Oh God, Nikki was here. He'd brought her home last night, and here were his clothes all over the floor, torn off in the throes of passion. Just like he'd done to me the first night we were together.

My insides wrenched at the thought that if I took another step I might find a bra and panties discarded too.

I turned to beeline for the front door when a heavy hand grabbed my arm. I spun around to find Carter, eyes blazing at me. He was wearing a pair of jeans and nothing else. I may have been angry at him, but he still made my blood hum with arousal. I stared into his eyes and bit my lip. Now that I was here, face to face with him, I had no idea what to say.

"Why are you here?" Carter ground threw clenched teeth. It was then that I noticed in his other hand he held a bottle of expensive whiskey. Carter was drunk. Now it made sense; the angry texts Thursday night, his cold manner on the phone earlier today. He'd been drinking all weekend.

"I wanted to see you." Tears sprung to my eyes. My world felt so out of control right now. My emotions were all over the map. "Is Nikki here?" I peered around his hard body.

"No, why would she be here?" He narrowed his eyes at me.

"Last night. I saw… I thought…" my voice trailed off as I looked down at the marble floor. Carter dropped my arm and turned on his heel and headed back for the living room. He plopped down on the couch with his feet on the coffee table and took another long draw out of the bottle. I stood frozen in place, wondering what to do.

"Here to fuck and run?" Carter's eyes burned into mine and then a lazy smile spread across his face, "'Cause I'd probably be interested." I glared at him and stomped to the couch. Now I remembered why I'd came.

"No." I shoved his feet off of the coffee table and crossed my arms, glaring right back at him. Carter's eyebrows shot up in surprise and whiskey splashed out of the bottle and on to the leather couch. He recovered and looked me in the eye.

"That's too bad, Eva. You were the best fuck I've ever had, and I've had a lot." He had a cool gleam in his eye. Fire shot through my veins and I clenched my fists in anger. Carter knew exactly what he was doing to me and a slow, lazy grin spread across his face. My eyes flashed with rage and my hand came up and made contact with his stubbled cheek before I could even think to stop myself.

Carter's eyes widened in surprise before he slammed the bottle of whiskey on the glass table so hard I thought it would shatter. He grabbed my arm and pulled me into his lap to straddle him. His fingers dug into the flesh of my thighs so hard I knew it would leave bruises. His eyes flashed dangerously before he twisted one hand into my hair tightly and pulled my lips to his. Lust spiked through my body and suddenly my arms wrapped around his neck and held him to me as I kissed him fully. Our tongues twisted together roughly and my core pressed into his hardened arousal.