Page 105 of Between Now & Heartbreak

BEST I EVER HAD

CARTER

1 WEEK LATER

A streamof light cuts into the dark of my room and it’s coming from the bedroom door. I lay still and watch as Beth walks toward the door. She’s fully dressed, her shoes dangling from the fingers of one hand as she starts to pull the door shut, a loud creek from the door’s old hinges stops her mid-swing and she looks back at the bed. I shut my eyes.

Annoyance and worry run parallel in my veins and for a second, I think about letting her sneak off. Right before I come to my senses.

“Where are you going?” I speak louder than I have to, but I want to make sure she’s clear that I’m pissed.

She gasps and jumps. Her shoes clatter to the ground and she stoops to pick them up. When she stands, her hand is pressed to her chest. I reach over and turn on the light on the bed next to me.

“Where are you going?” I repeat and sit up.

She swallows loudly, her eyes on my shoulder.

“I have to go back to my parent’s house. You know that.”

I do know. I just didn’t think she’d leave before I woke up. I glance at the clock by my bed. “Is he back?”

“No, but I have to be in the house before they are.”

And so it begins….

“Let me take you,” I sit up.

She holds up her phone, a sheepish expression on her face. “I was going to call a cab.”

I look at her incredulously, a dozen questions run through my head and I can’t decide which one to ask first.

So, I just ask the one that covers them all.

“When will I see you again?”

She flushes and looks away, “After the party.” She meets my eyes then, and there’s pleading in hers, like she wants me to let her go without explaining.

At that look, my anger fizzles.

If I’ve learned anything from this is that loving doesn’t make her mine. Onlyshegets to decide that. I won’t add myself to the list of men who think she owes them something.

Everything about this pisses me off, but if I want her to be my woman, I’ve got to act like I deserve to be her man.

I swing my legs over the bed and pull on my jeans before I stand up and search for my t-shirt.

“I’ll take you.” I say and she comes rushing toward me.

“Carter—”

I hold up a hand to halt her protests and she stops her advance.

“I’ll just drop you off.”

She doesn’t say anything and I glance up at her as I finish buttoning my pants.

Her expression steals my breath. She’s smiling and her eyes… my heart lodges in my throat at the love I see there. She walks to me, presses her head to my chest and wraps her arms around my waist.

“You are the best everything I’ve ever had. Ever. And, I love you, too.” She whispers against my chest before she presses a kiss to my heart.

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