Page 60 of Carter

I nodded, taking on board his words wholeheartedly. “Okay.”

He seemed a lot more interested in talking now. “What made you want to go into it?”

“I like accounting. I’m good with numbers.”

My favourite heroine from one of my steamy—and cheesy—reads had been an accountant, and something about pencil skirts and an office job was tempting beyond belief. Also, I loved money. Who doesn’t when they grew up with nothing?

We chatted a little more. He told me about the courses he took, and I tentatively listened. He was actually very helpful, and I found myself excited for things to come. Like, perhaps, I hadn’t picked a degree that was out of my depth after all.

Sometime during the conversation, I stopped thinking about the shrilling girl and looked back at the band. A lightning spike of alarm shot through me when I saw Carter’s eyes on mine. He didn’t look happy at all, and I stilled, wondering what I did that was so wrong. It wasn’t like I was dangling my boobs in this guy’s face. Not that my boobs were big enough to be dangled anywhere, but you get the point.

“Yay, you found her,” Mel suddenly said, stopping in front of us. She stared at Peter with a huge smile. “You know, my girl here loves to dance.”

“Not really,” I immediately replied, scowling at her.

“Oh, don’t be shy, babe. Go and have fun. I’ll cover you for another five.”

I looked at Peter and realized he’d already extended his hand out to me.

Oh, fuck.

There was that brief split second of indecision. I tried to find the right words to say no, but anything I said would sound like a flat-out rejection, and I didn’t want to humiliate him. You couldn’t live that kind of awkwardness down, right? Plus he’d been sweet, and he hadn’t attempted to flirt.

It’s just a dance, Leah, calm your tits.

With a sigh, I finally took his hand with my own. He led me to the dance floor just as Mel whispered in my ear, “You’ll thank me later.”

Thank her later? I didn’t fucking think so!

Peter pulled me close to him and I naturally slipped my arm around his neck. Everything about it felt all wrong to me, so I turned my head to avoid looking him in the eyes. I looked over at Mel and she was having a field day, glancing up at Carter and then at me. She secretly gave me a thumbs up and scurried off to collect empty glasses from deserted tables.

The bar had slowed down heaps. It was close to closing time, so there weren’t many people left, except for the groupies swooning over Carter like a bunch of pussies in heat. I didn’t once look at him as I rocked to and fro with Peter, but when the guy started to lower his hand down my spine, I took his arm and pulled it back up.

He chuckled at the move. “Sorry, it just slipped, I swear.”

Yeah, I was sure it did.

As soon as the song ended, his friends at his table hollered and whistled. Peter laughed again, a little red in the face. I pulled away from him and nervously tucked my hair behind my ear. I didn’t have time to find an escape route because one his friends called out, “Hey, Peter, introduce us to your blondie!”

Peter looked nervous and shook his head at me. “Sorry. Do you mind…?”

I stared at the guys, both drunk and grinning like mischievous idiots. I shrugged at Peter and followed him to the table. He introduced me to them, and I didn’t even remember their names the second Peter said them. I was too busy glancing over my shoulder at the guys who were starting to pack their instruments away.

Carter was nowhere to be seen.

“Where’s the other girl?” one of the guys asked. “She’s so hot!”

I cringed. “Melanie?”

“Melanie? Is that her name? Fuck, that’s a nice name. There’s a lot I can do with that name.”

Peter cleared his throat, looking between his friends and me, seeming a bit uncomfortable. “They’re just a bit drunk,” he told me quietly. “I’m the designated driver, so I gotta put up with their shit…”

“It’s okay,” I assured him, eager to escape.

“Whatever!” one of them said. “You’re just as bad! Don’t lie.”

Peter’s face fell as he glared at his friends.

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