Page 62 of Beauty Beneath the Sorrow
He’s leaning against the side of the wall with his arms crossed at his chest.Fuuuck.
“Good morning to you, too.” Running his tongue along his bottom lip, he shoots me a wicked smile. “Just get out of the shower?”
I look down at the thin white towel wrapped aroundme—the only thing that’s covering all my lady parts. Whatthe fuckever.
“It’s not like you haven’t seen me naked before,” I quip, pushing the door open and walking back into the bathroom. Carter catches it with his palm before shutting it behind him.
“I’ve also had my tongue inside of you if we’re being specific.”
“Funny,” I comment from inside the bathroom while I finish getting dressed. I don’t even bother shutting the door.
“I want to take you to breakfast,” he says.
I pop my head out, “It’s okay, Carter. It doesn’t have to be weird.”
“Nothing is weird.” His posture straightens. “There’s a cool breakfast place a little north of Seattle that I’d love to take you to. It’s about an hour’s drive, so we have to get going soon if we want to be back to the airport on time.”
The corner of my mouth curves into a smile. I place the rest of my makeup in my bag, biting my lip.He wants to take me to breakfast.Can this be as simple as a momentary lapse in judgment, and that’s all last night was? The tension and attraction between us are no secret, but moving on after what happened could be simple. We are friends, coworkers, and running partners—it seems harmless enough.
My face grimaces.I slept with my dad’s best friend.It’s not like it’s going to happen again. People make mistakes. No one has to know.Everything will be fine.
Walking out of the bathroom, I see Carter sitting on the edge of one of the queen beds with a smile as big and bright as mine.
I blush. “Where are we going?”
“It’s a surprise.” He stands, struts over to me, and sweeps theback of his knuckles across my cheek.
“Okay.”
“I have a buddy that works in downtown Seattle. He said we could use his convertible for the morning. As we speak, his driver is dropping it off in front of the hotel.”
“Oh really? What’s wrong with getting a rideshare?”
“What’s the benefit of knowing people all over the country”—Carter cocks his head to the side—“all over the world if you can’t use them for favors.” He steps into me, dipping his head down. I feel the warm feathering of his breath on my lips. His mouth smells like mint.
My pulse picks up. “Oh yeah? What type of favors do you get?”
“Lots. I have unique connections,” he says, walking toward the door and leaving my lips tingly and flushed with heat.
I swipe my jacket from the back of the chair and swing my purse over my shoulder. “Ready?”
A short time, we’re driving in a white Porsche with the top down. It’s chilly but a surprisingly clear day for Seattle. The drive is a long, windy highway lined with tall Douglas fir trees. Whipping past them, I take in the beautiful, vibrant green color of the needles hanging off each branch.
Deeply inhaling the fresh smell, I’m reminded of Christmas time. It’s comforting. Glancing over at Carter, his aviator sunglasses cover his eyes, and his leather jacket is zipped up. He catches me staring and smiles. Then, he does something that I would have never expected, and I don’t know how to respond at first. Carter reaches over the center console and rests his hand on my thigh—a sweet gesture for meto clasp mine in his.
I hesitate at first, but as soon as I give in, his fingers intertwine with mine, taking my breath away. Neither of us moves until we pull off the highway and drive down a short, narrow road, where a large log cabin structure catches my eye.
“This is Snoqualmie Falls,” he tells me before turning off the engine.
My eyes roam the scenery. The large trees, the tilted parking lot, and the small cabin. “A breakfast restaurant?”
He nods. “Yeah. Wait until you get inside. It’s beautiful.”
“I’m excited.”
Carter and I walk up the tree-lined walkway. After check-in, the hostess takes us through the narrow hallways and low ceilings until we reach a private room in the back. As soon as she opens the door, I gasp. The room is no larger than a small office with a small two-seater table by one of the floors and ceiling-ceiling windows covering 180 degrees.
“Carter,” I whisper, taking in the incredible view of a massive waterfall. It’s surrounded by a forest filled with tall trees in various shades of green. Halfway up, the forest meets an almost perfect split with a turquoise blue sky.
