Page 198 of Tormented Billionaire Romance Series

That might be a good thing, because I can’t foresee myself talking much at all.

“What do you say?” Carter encouraged.

Logically, I should have turned him down, nudged him Suzie’s way with a declaration of, “She’s notthatbad.”

But the logical part of my brain seemed to be napping, because I found myself thinking of a lot more reasons I should accept the invitation. For one, I actually didn’t have any plans tomorrow; I wouldn’t even be working. I hadn’t been to a real restaurant in a long while and I didn’t know when the next opportunity would be.

Plus, there was Carter himself. He was so attractive, with his dark brown hair, like coal, shimmering with auburn undertones whenever the light hit just right. His green eyes brought to mind a cool, shaded forest, foliage dappled by the sun. The flashes of silver in his beard gave him a dignified edge. He managed to be both slim and fit, a rare combination that would get any straight woman’s loins throbbing.

I had felt that throb when we danced, the warmth, and hemusthave felt the same way from how he held me so close. A person couldn’t fake that sort of desire, the deep and subconscious kind.

I took a deep breath and clenched my hands into fists. “Okay. Okay, yes. I’ll have dinner with you, Carter.”

His serious eyes widened, his face brightening, smoothing the beginnings of wrinkles from the corners of his eyes. “You will? Wonderful! I’ll pick you up. Where do you live? Or I can meet you somewhere, if that’s more comfortable for you,” he amended.

I tried to slow my heartbeat, hoping he was simply polite and that I hadn’t looked as horrified as I thought I did. I couldn’t let this wealthy man see where I lived. I didn’t even want him aware of the neighborhood.

“Why not here?” I said, with only a hint of a stammer.

Carter smiled and touched one of my clenched hands. He worked his finger through mine and unfolded them, laying them flat on the countertop. “It’s a date,” he said, “not an execution. And itisa date. I’ll gladly meet you here. Is six fine?”

Six was not fine. Six was too long to wait. It was not long enough.

“Perfect,” I said.

“Then, I’ll see you tomorrow.” Carter winked at me. “Can you give me an empty cup to hold in case Suzie comes out?”

I laughed and handed over an empty cup, straw included.

“Thanks, Megyn. See you then.”

Carter walked away, straw between his lips as he sipped on his pretend drink. I giggled. It was a pretty good pantomime, I had to admit.

Suzie came dashing out of the bathroom. She had completely redone her makeup and somehow wrangled her hair into perfect curls. “Carter?” she gasped.

I pointed out the window, at his receding back. “You missed him.”

“Shit! And that’s his car. I can’t catch up to him.” Suzie flopped over the counter, knocking into a bottle, which teetered sideways and bumped into another, which also fell. A chain reaction began and soon bottles lay in clusters all over the countertop and floor.

June came dashing in, chest heaving. One hand still on the door, she demanded, “What in the world?”

Suzie looked at her without getting up. “Now you show up?”

June gaped at her, clearly astonished at being talked to in such a manner by one of her own employees.

I stepped over a bottle and tapped June on the shoulder. “Carter Bryant came in again.”

June turned her attention to me. “I don’t know who that is, and I don’t care if it was Jesus, Tupac, and Elvis who came through that door. Clean up that mess.”

I looked at Suzie. Suzie looked back at me. And then we both laughed about the ridiculousness of it all.

CHAPTER15

CARTER

Ileft work and headed to Effervesce to go pick up Megyn, knowing I’d get there too early. I was too nervous to keep sitting around in my office, though. My stomach felt like it was on fire, burning with all my different anxieties. I really didn’t want to mess this up. Now that I had found Cinderella, I had no interest in meeting up with any other woman at all. Megyn was who had so captivated me. Megyn was the one who made my heart skip beats when I saw her. No one else could fill the place she occupied.

After she was gone, I still doubted anyone would be able to hold a candle to her. And that was if this date turned out to be our only one, which I hoped it wouldn’t be.

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