Page 36 of Rules of Engagement
Tears stung her eyes and she blinked them away, let herself be drawn even closer to Carter, her head tucked under his chin. His strength surrounded her. His breath warmed her ear and sent shivers down her spine as they swayed back and forth in time to the music in the best slow dance she'd ever experienced.
But was it because she was with Carter? Or because of the sheer relief she felt at having a plan?
The song came to an end, and she blinked when the band did a loud riff and said their good-nights. She stopped and took a step back, shocked at how easy it had been to lose herself the last several minutes. How easy it was to forget her fatigue and exhaustion from burning the candle at both ends and running on fumes because her pulse now pumped with possibility. "I should… I have stuff I have to do."
"I'll help."
"Carter… aren't you supposed to be hosting a bachelor party?"
He smiled at her and her entire body warmed in response.
"Linc is fully aware of why we're here. I'm sure he and Mac will be in as soon as they see everyone leaving."
She blinked at him. Simply astounded. He'd done that, brought his brother and Machereon the ruse of a bachelor party, because of her. To helpher. Whereas James had come to take photos of her event no doubt so he could pass them off as his own.
A laugh caught her by surprise. She didn't know if Carter's statement was stalkerishly weird or adorably sweet. Her heart really wanted to err on the side of sweet, but her mind still screamed at her to be wary. "How did you know I'd be here today?"
She watched as Carter grimaced and then shrugged.
"I may have looked at your calendar the other day when you scheduled Piper's party."
Stalkerish it was. But still sweet. "I see."
"You know why, Eliza."
Because he wanted her. But want and desire were fleeting. And as a man who was obviously used to getting his way with women…
She inhaled again and glanced around but saw no signs of James and Clarissa. "You do realize that even if I accept your offer to up my wedding planner game and we work together, I learned my lesson with James. We'd have to keep things strictly professional."
Carter's jaw clenched at the news. "Okay," he said, frowning. "Deal's off."
She shook her head at him, smiling because she just couldn't help herself.
"Or maybe with time, you'll realize I'd never do anything to deliberately hurt you," he added.
The air left her lungs because of the intensity of his gaze, and she tilted her head to one side, forcing herself to shake off her gratitude for earlier, the coziness of the dance, and see him as the whole dangerously bad-to-her-senses package. "So you say. But what'll happen when you finally accept that I'm not going to just fall into bed with you?"
"I accepted that the first time I met you," he countered. "It's one of the things I like about you, Eliza."
She faltered and gaped up at him, surprised by his matter-of-fact statement.
Was it true, though?
The dimples came out when Carter smiled at her, and she braced herself for impact.
"Sweetheart, any man in his right mind would want more from you. But all I'm asking for is a chance," he said. "Time for you to get to know me and see me for who I am, not just what you think you see."
Not just what she… She sucked in a sharp breath and realized she had been pretty focused on Carter's bad-boy looks. Maybe there was more to the man than his handsome face?
Her mind flashed back to that moment before James had said her name. That moment when Carter had been about to kiss her and she had been about to let him.
"Eliza?"
"I have work to do."
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Chapter 14
