Page 42 of Under Control

Danica

The early morning came, and beautiful sunshine washed across the sky. Danica opened her still-tired eyes enough for her to see tender waves on the deserted beach—quiet even for a Sunday morning.

But, behind her…cold sheets.

She was immediately awake. She’d survived the night, but she was alone.

Stretching under the bedclothes, she realized that her pussy still ached from what he’d done for her the night before, and her heart sang from how he’d cared for her, how he’d wanted to make her feel so damn good. More questions sprang to her mind. Would he regret it? Would things be different now?

She had no idea. All she knew was that the previous night had been something special altogether. Never before had she met a man like Carrick.

As Danica moved out of bed with renewed energy, she was curious as to where Carrick was. Timid and hesitant, she found herself, still in his white T-shirt, tiptoeing out of the third-floor bedroom and down the stairs onto the second floor. He wasn’t there either.Where is he?

As she snuck quietly toward the staircase leading down to the entry level, she finally overheard Carrick’s voice coming from the office. He was arguing with someone.

“I don’t give a shit,” Carrick growled, then there was a pause.

Danica could only assume he was on the phone, and she cranked her neck to hear better whatever was happening. Listening to his hoarse morning voice float up the stairs, she experienced chills running up her legs. He was just so damn sexy.

“I’m not afraid of him. He can threaten all he wants,” Carrick continued in a heated tone.

Threats.He was receiving threats. Danica gripped the wall, knowing what was going to come next.

Then she heard Carrick grumbling, “Get it to the lawyers. See if we have a legal problem here.”

There was a longer pause and Danica thought the phone call was finally over, until she heard Carrick say one last thing.

“Look… I’m just trying to help a runaway girl who can’t help herself,” Carrick explained. “This is charity, man.”

And Danica’s heart dropped.

That was charity?

That’s what she was? A charity case?

Every negative emotion crashed down on her as she collapsed backward, finding the doorframe of the bathroom behind her. Hearing Carrick moving around downstairs, she grabbed her black backpack that had been lying close by, jumped into the bathroom and locked the door. Tears once again found their way to her eyes, and she bit her lip so hard that it bled.

Turning to the shower, she flipped on the hottest water, ripped off his shirt and stepped in. She couldn’t afford to let him hear her sob. Her question had been answered. Things were certainly going to be very, very different from that point on, now that she knew the truth about why he was helping her.

But why did he kiss me? Why did he put me in his bed?It all seemed like a cruel joke.

After letting it all out, crying under the hot water, she pulled herself back together. After getting out of the shower and toweling off, she pulled on a yoga outfit from her backpack. She hadn’t packed much when she’d run from her apartment, but then again, she didn’t have much to begin with.

Ran from my apartment—Danica thought through the words again, hating how she was starting to feel about herself.A runaway girl. Helpless.

After brushing out her long, wet hair, she wiped a homemade aloe lotion on her face as a matter of habit. She stood back from the mirror and took one long look at herself. This whole misadventure was making her ask a lot of questions. Carrick was challenging everything she’d thought about herself.

Adjusting the tight purple athletic tank top, she exhaled.What type of woman am I? Am I the type to run and cry or the type to shine in the face of adversity?She didn’t know who she was anymore. Turning to leave the bathroom, she peeked out of the door. He hadn’t come upstairs yet.

Good.She didn’t want to see him. His brutal words were still fresh.

Danica reached to pull her clutch, sketchbook and pencils out of her black pack, taking them along with her as she made her way into the living area. Trying to take a breath and pushing down the anxiety that kept rising higher and higher, she took in the stunning ocean view. Carrick’s beachside home broke out onto the long, white sandy beach of Southern California. She still couldn’t get over how much this place would cost as she tiptoed toward the sliding door in the living room.

Maybe he really doesn’t own it? Maybe he doesn’t even live here?

Danica looked around and again found it odd that he had no TV, no personal mementos and no photos anywhere. It was like he’d rented a fully furnished home.Let the past be the past—the words from the housewarming gift on his bedside table rang through her mind.

What’s he hiding in his past?

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