I left the hospital five hours later. I sat there forever, and the longer I was there, the more pain I started to feel. Raegan knew that would happen, which is why she finally agreed to a date. Should I be ashamed that I lowered myself to such a pathetic level? Maybe. But I’m not. I actually feel pretty damn good about it.
After several tests and time sitting on that uncomfortable gurney that I will never get back, I was told I would live. Shocker! I had no broken bones, and thanks to all my gear, I didn’t even have any cuts or bruises. They said hitting the dumpster first probably helped instead of just falling all two stories at once. But they did say I would be sore for several days, gave me some pain pills, and sent me on my way, telling me to take it easy. Easy? Do they even know who I am? Nothing I do is ever easy.
I never saw her again. As the night went on, they got slammed. Every now and then, I would hear her barking out orders or speaking to a patient, but she never came back to check on me, and I didn’t bother her. She gave me what I wanted.
After I was finished there, I went home and passed out. I slept most of the day, and by the time I woke up, it was time to start getting ready for my date with Raegan. While I was taking another cold shower, I realized I hadn’t gotten her phone number or given her mine. So it was a good thing she suggested meeting me at my house instead of hers. Not like I couldn’t get it if I needed it, but it just saves me the trouble of looking like a stalker.
By seven o’clock, I’m pacing back and forth in my living room, eyeing the clock like it can tell me when she is gonna arrive. We never set a time. And for all I know, she could be stalling, thinking the later she is, the less I’ll take her out.
I laugh at that. McDonald’s is open twenty-four hours. Not that I would take someone on a date there, but if it came down to it, that’s where we would go. I couldn’t care less what we eat; I just want the time alone with her. Hell, I would have offered to cook her dinner, but I figured she would be more likely to say yes to a public place.
I’m just about to throw in the towel and call Brayden to get her number when my doorbell finally rings.
I take a glance at the clock for the hundredth time to see it’s now almost nine. And I don’t know why, but it pisses me off that she thought coming so late would get her out of it.
“It’s late!” I growl, ripping the front door open.
“I know, I’m so sorry,” she says, rushing into my house. She spins around to face me once she’s standing in the living room. “I … I couldn’t find anything to wear,” she says softly and then looks away from me.
All my anger fades the moment she walks in. Her dark hair is in big curls over her right shoulder. She wears a soft pink sleeveless dress with a high neckline that fits tightly against her small body and stops just above her knees.
It shows me every curve yet still leaves plenty to be desired. It’s the first time I’ve ever seen her wearing makeup. I’m not one of those guys who prefers a woman all dolled up, but the way she has her eyeliner makes her blue eyes pop. Her lips are coated a soft pink that matches her dress and her cheeks.
“You look gorgeous,” I say, a soft smile spreading across my face.
“Are you sure?” she asks. Looking down, she runs her hands over the fabric as if she doesn’t believe me.
“Absolutely!”
“I didn’t want to overdo it,” she adds, biting her bottom lip nervously.
I walk over to her and place my hands on her waist as she tilts her head back to look up at me. “It’s perfect,” I say. Cupping her soft face, I’m unable to keep my hands to myself.
She has the same look in her blue eyes that she had in this very spot two nights ago when she asked me to take her to bed. And I wish she would say the words right now because I wouldn’t waste a second this time. Instead, she whispers, “We should get going. I was late, after all.”
Raegan
I sit shotgun in his truck as we drive toward my favorite restaurant quietly. I felt like such an idiot for being so late. Last night, I was so busy with work that I had actually forgotten about it. Then when I woke up this afternoon, I started digging through box after box, looking for something date-worthy. I didn’t find a single thing. I shouldn’t have been so surprised, though, because Steve and I rarely ever went out. And when we did, I never dressed up for him. He didn’t like the time it took me to get ready, and it would piss me off because I’m not one of those girls who takes hours to get ready.
After I destroyed my apartment with clothes thrown all around, I went shopping. Have I mentioned I hate shopping? I am not that woman who can shop for hours. It gives me headaches. The traffic, the parking, and then you have to search for what you have in mind. I’m an online shopper. Spring hates that because she has to try things on. Not me. Which explains why this dress is a little too tight. I bought it without trying it on. Then I got home, showered, and did my hair and makeup before getting dressed. I cussed myself for putting it on at the last minute. Then I berated myself for even caring and putting so much effort into it.
I sneak a glance over at him as he drives his truck. He has his left wrist propped on the steering wheel, and his free arm rests on the center console. He looks so relaxed and beautiful. His hair is styled with gel, and his face is shaved smooth. His shoulders are pulled back, and even though he wears a dark blue button up, he has his sleeves rolled up and I can see his toned and tatted forearms.
My thighs clench at the fact I’m sitting next to him. The scent of his cologne filling the inside of his cab makes my heart rate speed up. God, tone it down, Raegan. He’s a man, and you’re a woman. Not like you’ve never been on a date before.
I clear my throat, wanting to say something, but fail. Instead, I cross my right leg over my left and shift in my seat to help ease the ache between my legs.
He chuckles.
“What?” I ask.
“You.”
“What about me?” I ask, still rubbing against the seat. Very, very slowly so he can’t see.
“You’re so nervous.” He takes a quick look over at me, and then his eyes drop to my legs.
I freeze where I am. Maybe he can see what I’m doing. “Been that long, huh?” My eyes widen. He can’t be talking about … “The other night, you told me you couldn’t remember the last time you had sex.”
Oh, God. Kill me now! “What else did I say?” I decide on, instead of replying to that comment.
“Just that you wanted me to take you to bed,” he says with a cocky smile. This time, he doesn’t bother to look over at me.
I place my hands over my face as I feel it heat and mumble, “I’m so sorry.”
“I’m the one who is sorry.”
I pull my hands away from my face and look over at him as he pulls into a parking spot outside the restaurant. “Why?”
He puts the truck in park and shifts his body to turn and face me. “Because the last guy you slept with must have really sucked for you to forget him. Unless you were drunk.” He shrugs. “Then that’s a different story.”
I pull my shoulders back. “I’m not one of those girls who gets drunk and sleeps with random men.” He arches a brow in question, and I let out a huff. “Yes, I got drunk at your house the other night, but I hadn’t had a drink in over three months. And I can’t remember the last time I slept with my ex-fiancé because we never had time for one another.” By the time I’m finished, my teeth hurt from grinding them.
How dare this man guilt me into a date and then think he knows me. He stares at me for a long time and then finally nods his head once. “Then I feel sorry for him.”
“Excuse me?” I snap.
“Any man who doesn’t make time for you doesn’t deserve you. And I feel sorry for any man willing to let you go.” Then he exits his truck.
I sit there trying to determine his angle. He doesn’t feel sorry for Steve. I know how his mind works. If the bastard hadn’t dumped me, I wouldn’t be with Karter tonight. And that is in his favor.
He
comes around and opens the door for me. I take his offered hand but give him a glare as he helps me out of his lifted truck. He keeps hold of my hand while we walk to the door to the restaurant.
He opens the door for me, and I go to tell him thank you, but the words die when I see the man and woman who are walking toward the door to exit.
“Raegan?” Karter says my name, and I pry my eyes from the couple before they see me.
“We have to go,” I say and turn around, heading back to his truck.
“What?” He yanks me to a stop since my hand is still in his. “You’re not backing out on this date …”
“It’s not that,” I snap, turning around to face him.
He must see the surprise written all over my face because he steps into me as his eyes search mine. “What is it?” he asks, reaching up to cup my face.
I let out a long breath. My entire body is shaking, and I can’t explain why, but I know he can feel it. “Please, can we just …?”
“Raegan?”
He stiffens against me as the man now behind him calls out my name. I don’t answer. Instead, I look up at Karter in a silent plea to leave. I don’t want to do this. Not now.
“Raegan, is that you?” the man continues.
And I close my eyes again as I try to take a calming breath. I thought I overreacted when I saw him with his girlfriend the other night. Now here I am face to face with them while on my date with Karter.
When I open my eyes, Karter is looking down at me with a sly smile on his face.
“No,” I whisper. “Please don’t.” I have no clue what he is thinking, but that smile can’t mean anything good.
Instead of listening to me, he wraps his arm around my shoulders and spins us around until we’re facing Steve and his new girlfriend. The worst part—she’s pretty, if you’re into that flawless look. She has strawberry blond hair that stops past her shoulders. She has emerald eyes, a button nose, and a big smile. It makes my stomach knot.
“Hey, Steve,” I say with a fake smile. As if I don’t want to kick him in the balls. “Yep. It’s me.”
Karter steps behind me and wraps his arms around my waist. As if he can feel my anger that once again this bastard is going to ruin my night. “Who’s your friend, darling?” Karter asks, sounding as nice as can be.
“Oh, sorry.” I’ll play along. “Where are my manners? This is an old friend Steve.”
Karter allows me to step to the side of him as he reaches out his right hand and shakes Steve’s. “The name’s Karter Brooks. Nice to meet you,” he says with a warm smile. Steve holds the same one until his hand is in Karter’s. His smile fades, and he looks down to his hand as if Karter is squeezing it too hard. “Any friend of Raegan’s is a friend of mine.” When their hands separate, he reaches down and grasps mine. “Although I must say, I’ve never heard her mention you.”
Score one point for Karter. Maybe it’s a good thing he didn’t let me leave.
Steve frowns and then looks at me. “Are you guys …? Uh …?”
I let him hang for a second ’cause it’s funny. Payback is a bitch.
“We’re in love,” Karter answers, and I cough at his choice of words. “Are you all right, baby?” he asks, looking down at me. His dark gray eyes are full of worry, and he reaches his free hand up to cup my face. I look up at him wide-eyed. My mind screaming what are you doing?
But I nod once, and he smiles. We both look back at my ex and his date who hasn’t said one word, and Steve’s eyes are bugged out.
“How long have you been together?” he asks, his tone now on edge.
I smile, and it’s genuine. Fucker. You think I was already cheating on you, but you were probably the one who was fucking behind my back.
“Two weeks,” Karter lies smoothly.
“That’s fast,” Steve says shockingly, looking back and forth between the two of us.
I shrug carelessly, waiting for Karter to say something. He’s running this make-believe party, not me. As if on cue, he says, “What can I say? When you know, you know.” Then he pulls me into him and leans down, kissing me.
Surprised at his bluntness, I part my lips in a gasp, and he takes advantage of that. His tongue slides between my parted lips and caresses mine. His hand moves from my face to my hair, holding me in place so I can’t pull away. He grips it tightly, and then his body position changes to where he is pressing into me, his free hand splayed across my lower back, pulling me to him. I moan into his mouth as I start to kiss him back.
He tilts my head back by my hair, and I wrap my arms around him as he deepens the kiss. His soft lips and demanding tongue take my breath away. Goose bumps cover my skin as my heart pounds in my chest. My pussy tightens, and I kiss him back desperately. My mind thinks of nothing but him kissing like this while on top of me. Both of us naked and sweating. For a moment, we’re not pretending. I moan into his mouth again as I lift on my toes, needing more.
When he finally pulls away, I whimper in protest at the sudden loss. He turns back to face them and pulls me to his side. I’m dazed as I stand beside him, sucking in breath after breath while trying to calm my racing heart. What the hell just happened?
Steve stares at me with hatred whereas his girlfriend stares at me with appreciation.
“How long have you two been together?” Karter asks as if he didn’t just knock me off my feet.
“Four months.”
“Four weeks.” They both answer at the same time.
She looks over at him and laughs. “Four weeks?” She shakes her head. “It’s been months, babe.” She slides up next to him and places her arm in the crook of his. He doesn’t push her away, but he also doesn’t acknowledge her affection either.
“Wow,” I say as that kiss starts to wear off and recognition sets in. “Four months? That’s a long time,” I say, realizing I had been right all along. Bastard!
“Yes,” she agrees happily. “We met while he was on a business trip in Colorado. I just recently moved here to be with him. Four weeks ago, actually.”
My mouth opens, but nothing comes out. So that is why I never had a fucking clue. She didn’t even live here! Then he broke up with me right before she moved here to be with him. Fucking, lying bastard!
I go to take a step forward to rip into him when Karter grabs me and pulls my back to his front. Securing me tightly with his arms wrapped around me like a vise. His hands are practically on my boobs, but I couldn’t care less what he feels up at the moment. “That’s …” He squeezes me tightly. “Awesome,” I grind out and give her a big fake smile that feels like it may break my face. “I wish you both the best of luck,” I say, and I don’t even recognize my own voice. It could be due to his arms locked around me, or the fact I want to rip Steve’s balls off. I pick the latter.
“Thank you,” she says back, returning the smile as if she has no idea who the man really is standing beside her. “I wish you guys luck too.”
I nod because that’s all I can manage at the moment. “Thank you,” I hear Karter say.
We all stand in awkward silence. If Karter releases me, I’ll pounce on Steve. We need to leave. Walk away so I can calm down. “Well, we must be going,” Karter says, sounding in high spirits. “You know, gotta get my girl home. She needs her sleep. We were up late last night.” He then winks at Steve’s girlfriend.
If possible, Steve’s face looks like it’s about to pop like a balloon. His girlfriend looks at me and blushes. Karter very carefully unwraps his arms from around me but slides his hand into mine before he walks off.
I throw Steve one last fuck you look and then smile at his girlfriend before I allow Karter to drag me away from the restaurant and to his truck.
Chapter 7
Karter
“You need to eat something,” I tell her as she sits in the passenger seat of my truck. She hasn’t said much since we left her ex and his new girlfriend on the sidewalk. I’ve tried to stop twice since then to get her some food.
“Lost my
appetite,” she responds, looking out the passenger side tinted window.
I don’t argue because I did too. Seeing him look at her as if he truly cared that she was in love with me was sickening. It was okay for him not to want her, but no one else should either? What the fuck is wrong with him?
I kissed her. It was a last-minute decision, of course, but it needed to be done. I could tell how upset she was the moment she begged me to leave. And for a split second, I thought about it. But then it hit me. Why let him have that satisfaction? I was going to take the opportunity to rub it in his face that she was with me and better off. I think I made my point by the way he stared at us when we walked away.
“I’m sorry,” I say as we enter my house.
She slowly turns her face to look at me. “Why are you sorry? You saved my ass back there. You made him jealous, and you kept me from ripping off his balls,” she growls angrily.
“But it doesn’t change the fact he had been cheating on you.” My words make her flinch. “I’m—”
“Don’t apologize,” she interrupts me. “Don’t apologize for something you have no control over.” She looks over at me, and her blue eyes are large with rage. Her lips are still thinned. Her entire body tight as if it’s about to snap like a rubber band. “That selfish son of a …”
I cut her off by grabbing the back of her neck and pulling her to me. I slam my lips to hers for the second time tonight. And this kiss is just as powerful as the first.
It takes her less time to react to this one, though. And once she does, I show her just how much better I can be.
I have no problem with competition. It’s healthy and all that shit. And I am determined to show her that I am the better choice. Obviously.
I don’t know if it’s her anger or the fact she wants more, but she throws her arms around my neck and the force has me taking a few steps back. I groan into her mouth at the pain in my back from her force. I’m still sore, and I haven’t taken any of my pain pills. Not a fan of those nasty things.
But I’m not gonna let a little pain keep me from having her. I let go of her neck and both hands go to the hem of her dress. I yank it up over her ass before my hands grip each cheek and yank her up off her feet.
Burn Me Anthology Page 78