Page 67 of Under Control

Chapter Twenty-Five

Danica

The muffled sounds of male voices woke Danica from a deep sleep. At one point, someone had drawn the curtains on the glass sliding door, leaving the bedroom a dark, warm cocoon. A little fuzzy, she blinked a few times, trying to focus and realizing that she had no idea where she was.

Until she knewexactlywhere she was.

Carrick wasn’t alone in the living room, and immediately she was anxious as hell. She raised her hands to her naked chest and hugged the sheets tighter. Her swollen, sore pussy reminded her just how much trouble she’d gotten into the night before—and with whom…again.

Why do I keep giving myself to him?

Lobbing her feet off the bed, she tiptoed to the master bathroom. Memories from the night before began pouring into her hungover, aching head as she eyed the tub. That bath… It had been the most intimate moment she’d ever had with him—or anyone.

Picking up a toothbrush that had been set on the unoccupied side of the granite counter, she found everything she needed to clean herself. After drying her face with the softest white towel she’d ever used in her life, Danica threw on a plush robe that was obviously cut for a man. She tied the robe as she looked into the mirror, trying to figure out if she was presentable. Her hair was voluminous—if not complete sex hair. Her lips were plump from all the rough, passionate kissing.

That was when she decided she would be better off just staying in the bedroom, waiting it out. She had no idea who he was down there talking with, and though she was damn curious, she was also apprehensive. Carrick hadn’t exactly been one to show his cards, and she had no idea what the man had up his sleeve.

She returned to the bedroom and found her cell phone on the top of his dresser. She had a missed text from Addie.

Wellness check—still alive?

I’m present.

She didn’t want to be melodramatic, but her mind was racing with another sex hangover.

Addie immediately responded.

That doesn’t sound good. Just come home. We can move somewhere else together.

Danica smiled, knowing their friendship bond was deeply powerful. But her smile slowly dissipated as she acknowledged what she’d been feeling for a while—that she was a burden on Addie’s life. Eventually, Addie needed to move on from having a needy, runaway roommate. What would happen when Addie fell in love?

He asked me to marry him.

Oh my God, he’s in love with you!

No, he’s not. He wants a marriage of convenience…to protect me, to save me.

Well, that’s fucking bullshit. Look… I’m starting my shift, but I can be late if you want to have a call.

No, I’m all right. I’m not dragging down your life anymore.

You aren’t, but okay. Call me at lunch.

Danica edged her teeth along her lower lip, worrying about how she was impacting her friend. Putting her cell down, she heard the voices growing heated downstairs. Clutching the robe shut, she put her ear to the closed bedroom door, trying to gain clues.

Who’s there?

Unfortunately, she hadn’t quite learned her lesson yet. Carrick was a former Navy SEAL—as in, Black Ops, on top of his game.

And she was no match for him.

With her ear up to the door, she bounced back as it opened swiftly. Carrick shot his dark-blue gaze down on her as he loomed in the space.

“Hi,” she whispered.

“Morning.” He nodded, cool and collected, and motioned for her to join the living space. “Coffee?”

Danica swallowed a lump in her throat as she gazed up at him—his steely face, his kissable lips…yet his lack of emotion.

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