by West, Maven
I pulled away. “I’m not going to chase after something that I can’t have.”
He took my hand, resting it against his chest. I stroked his chest through his t-shirt. I could feel his heart pounding. “I’m right here. God damnit just give in.”
I shook my head refusing again. He pressed his lips into my forehead settling on simplicity. “You’re a stubborn girl.”
I looked down at the floor. “I need to tell her that I know. She’s not the kind of girl you want to involve yourself with. Let me tell her and then whatever it is you want to do I’ll give in.”
Carter shook his head. “She’s not worth the drama, Morgan.”
“She doesn’t deserve you,” I insisted.
“That’s the first time I ever heard someone tell me that. You don’t even know me.” Carter shook his head.
I pushed him away, laughing at his absurd response. “Then what is this?”
“This is me liking what I see, it’s impulse.” He wouldn’t look at me. He knew he sounded ridiculous.
“You win, Carter.” I threw my hands up. “Once again I am going to keep my mouth shut. I wish you the best with your career.”
He grabbed for my arm. “Morgan.”
I ignored him, and walked away.
Chapter nineteen
“Morning, Morgan,” Dr. Lopez said as I entered the office.
“Morning,” I said back, I slipped my purse into the drawer of my desk and settled into my chair.
I rubbed my temples, worn out from the night before.
Lilith settled in at her own desk, cheerful and ready to start the day.
She shook two sugar packets for her coffee, like she did every morning. “How was your night?”
I brushed my bangs out of my eyes. Carter’s lips forever imprinted into my mind after the night at the bar, I wondered why I hadn’t kissed him, because now that was all I wished I would have done.
“Last night was a disaster,” I muttered, more to myself than Lilith. But she heard and she was staring me down waiting to hear the details.
“You know that I’m always here to listen,” she said.
I tapped my finger against my lip debating sharing my feelings toward Carter. How we hid in the dark of a bar ready to tear each other apart if only we had the balls to do so.
“A friend of mine, she’s dating this guy and doesn’t appreciate what she has.”
Lilith lifted a file from her desk. “Don’t you just hate that?”
“I hate her,” I admitted. “She’s everything I strive not to be.” A cheater. A liar.
Lilith raised an eyebrow. “I get the feeling there is more to this story.”
I turned away, opening up my file drawer. “For sure. But nothing worth talking about, I just wish this guy would see her for what she is and dump her.”
Lilith stood walking over to the fax machine. She sighed. “I hate this god awful piece of crap.”
I sighed, standing up. “Just give it to me. I need something to do before I go off the deep end.” I stared at the paper, another trip to the agents on my agenda.
***
The elevator doors opened and like every day the agency was crammed full of aspiring men and woman dying to land a gig. I was sure most were starving trying to pay their bills.
I leaned over the desk. “Fax machine is down again. Here is your paperwork.”
The young girl smiled taking the paper. “Thanks.”
I didn’t know her well. “You’re welcome. Is there anything you need me to bring back with me?”
She raked a hand through her hair staring down at the pile of paperwork in front of her. “I have no idea. This is my first week and I am swamped.”
I felt for her. I couldn’t imagine the stress of handling so many types of people.
“Morgan,” Mr. Cosgrove said coming from his office. He carried a coffee mug in one hand a file in the other.
I gave a wave. “Hi, Mr. Cosgrove.”
“Were you here to try out for the damsel in distress role today?” He joked.
I smirked, that was never going to happen. “Nope. Just here because our fax machine bailed on us again.”
Mr. Cosgrove fixed his tie. “Have you talked to Ana today?”
I shook my head. “No, but I saw her the other night.”
“She’s yet again surprised me and her mother.” He leaned against the counter, resting his coffee cup on the marble. “I didn’t know she was seeing anyone, let alone getting married. What do you think of this young man?”
I raised an eyebrow, dropping my hands to my sides. “What do you mean, Mr. Cosgrove?” He had to be mistaken.
“Carter Sterling. She brought him to the house for dinner a few days ago, and now she calls to tell me she’s engaged. I didn’t even see it coming, especially since I pulled several strings to get him in front of some very important people.”
I shook my head dumbstruck. It had to be a mistake. Carter and Ana getting married, that made no sense at all. “She never said anything to me, Mr. Cosgrove.”
He nodded. “Well, she’s heading over to bring me lunch, maybe if you wait around you two can iron out the details.”
I waved a shocked hand watching him head for his office. Carter fucking Sterling, if that wasn’t his middle name it should have been.
I turned, running a hand through my hair, waiting for an elevator to open up so I could get the hell out of the agency and back to work. The elevator dinged.
“Morgan,” Ana said.
“Ana,” I said back dryly. “Sorry, I have to go back to work.”
She stared me down, her nose wrinkling. “Another fax malfunction?”
I nodded, carving a trail through my hair with my fingers.
“Everything alright?” She touched my arm. “I need to talk to you. Something important.”
I didn’t even want to hear it. I wanted nothing to do with her news. But what was I supposed to say? I don’t want you to marry Carter because I want a chance to get to know him better?
“Carter and I, we sort of got engaged.” She smiled, shoving her ring in my face. A ring more impressive than one I ever got. “He’s on cloud nine ever since he landed his role. And I think my dad loves him.”
I swallowed. “I guess congrats are in order. So congrats, I hope you two are happy together.”
Ana nodded, biting her lip. It wasn’t the reaction she expected. “Would you be my maid of honor?”
I looked away, a sigh escaping. “Sure.” Anything to make her stop talking about the worst mistake she could ever make.
She squeezed my arm. “I knew you’d say yes.”
I let out a long slow sigh. “When’s the date?”
“I’m not sure. We haven’t set it in stone. A few months maybe. You like him right?”
I raised an eyebrow. “Carter?”
Ana nodded.
“Sure, I do. But that doesn’t mean I think you should jump right into marriage with him.” It slipped out before I could help it. “You hardly know him.”
Ana smiled. “I’m not getting any younger. You were married for three years before Eric died. What’s the big deal?”
The big deal was Carter was not the guy for Ana. And she didn’t deserve him or anyone with what she did to me.
“Some things in life aren’t all they seem, Ana,” I said. She would know that better than anyone.
Ana tossed her hands up, palms to the ceiling and shrugged. “What is that supposed to mean?”
“It means I’m sure there were better things I could have been doing with my life than devoting it to a man and a marriage.” I drug my hand through my hair, unsure where to look. The entire conversation was going in the wrong direction and pretty soon I was sure I would end up confessing what I knew if I didn’t make it out of there soon.
“I thought you would approve, Morgan. Carter talks about you all the time. I thought the two of you hit it off,” she insisted, her smile wavering.
Sure we hit it off. But
not in the way that she wanted us to. I wondered what he said about me. I wondered a lot of things. Like why he still hadn’t called me after saying that he would.
“Ana, it’s not my life. If that’s what you want to do, then I wish you all the luck in the world.” I hit the button on the elevator. “I have to go.”
The elevator opened, and I ran smack dab into Carter.
“Morgan.” He said a tight grip on my arms.
“Congratulations,” I said, forcing a smile.
Carter’s brows pulled in. He wasn’t stupid, he knew what I meant. I looked away from his brown eyes. “I have to go.”
“What about the other night?” he said low, making sure Ana didn’t overhear.
I pulled away. Oh how great, using me as his reason for making the worst decision of his life. “I bet you’re excited.”
I stepped inside the elevator, Carter’s shocked expression the last thing I saw as the door’s closed.
I leaned against the wall, wondering why I let it bother me. Carter was a player, since the first day I met him. He would do whatever it took to get what he needed in life even if it meant look the other way when he was doing the wrong things.
I didn’t need to involve myself with someone like that.
My phone vibrated. I dug it out of my pocket, staring at the unfamiliar number. But that didn’t matter because the text was all that I needed to know who it was.
I don’t understand why you’re upset.
Oh that was hilarious. And I was sure just what a guy like him would say.
Why are you even texting me?
Morgan, be honest with me. Why are you so pissed?
I rubbed the middle of my forehead, closing my eyes. Why was I so pissed?
I don’t think that matters anymore. You’re marrying her.
What are you doing tonight?
Sleeping.
Let’s meet up and talk about this.
I stared at the screen, why Carter wanted to talk to me about his mess I didn’t know. And I didn’t know why I was about to say what I was, but I said it.
Fine. I’d love to hear your stupid reasoning behind marrying that bitch. And I sent it.
Let’s meet up.
I racked my brain for the most obscene place to meet up.
Brass Kettles antique shop.
One hour. See you there.
I didn’t expect him to accept. But now that he was a small part of me was over being angry with Carter and bent on changing his mind.
Chapter twenty
I lifted an old porcelain tea cup from one of the many shelves in Brass Kettles’ antique shop, studying the pale rose petals etched into its surface. Like me it was fragile, with one crack down the middle—like my heart. But it was still beautiful to the outside world. And I knew like the store’s owner that somebody would want it, flaws and all.
“That reminds me of the one my mum had back home,” Carter said. It was the first time his accent was so apparent to me. Maybe it was the good looks that kept me from acknowledging I was dealing with someone from another place unlike my own. I wasn’t sure I’d never been there. But Eric made sure to tell me all about it our entire marriage.
I set the pot down, turning around to face him. “Your mum huh?”
“Ah, I see you do have a sense of humor.” He lifted the tea cup. “Yes, my mum. The few years I could stand to be around her. The rest were bloody awful.” He smirked.
“Ha, ha. Don’t think I forgot why we came here.”
I turned, knocking over a vase, it tipped swaying back and forth. Carter caught it in the nick of time putting it back upon the shelf.
“You’re a klutz,” he pointed out.
“And you are an idiot. What are you doing marrying her?” I studied myself in the giant mirrors on the wall, Carter’s smug face behind me.
“Why did you pick this old place?” He ran a hand across an old jewelry box. “Were you afraid to be alone with me?”
I shook my head, pushing my hair behind my ear.
“I was trying to figure out what kind of place you lived in,” he said. “Or if you owned a cat like all the rest of the single women out there.”
I reached for the cute little mouse figurine but stopped. “Why?”
“Why what?”
“Why do you care?” If he wanted to marry Ana, I couldn’t begin to understand why it mattered.
Carter moved closer. “I thought I made that clear. My career is important to me. And with the help of the Agents and Ana I’m pretty much a shoe in.”
“I’m going to tell her. And it doesn’t matter what you have to say because I’ve been thinking.”
Carter shook his head.
I didn’t care what he thought anymore. He proved more and more how much of a pompous asshole he was. “This isn’t about you. It’s about me. I refuse to sit by and be friends with Ana anymore. Maybe it doesn’t bother you, but it bothers me.”
Carter’ grabbed my arm. “Don’t be that girl.”
“What girl?”
“The weak one that lets every little thing get to her.”
I looked down at his grip. He let go.
“I’m weak if I out Ana?” I spun around before I slapped him.
Carter was behind me, in my ear, his teeth deviously grazing the skin on my neck. “Your better than that. Ana will get what she deserves, it’s called Karma.” His hands slid up my arms, stopping at my shoulders.
He knew what he was doing. He was no idiot.
An excitement started between my legs. He was that good at what he did, even the simplest of things. I couldn’t imagine what the whole shebang entailed.
“Sounds to me like she is getting what she wants,” I said.
“For now. Sometimes we have to make tough choices to get what we want in life. I’m not afraid to do that.” He inhaled, breathing in my perfume. “You smell amazing.”
I turned around. “Why are you doing this?”
Carter reached out, touching my hair. “I think you’re beautiful.” He stroked my hair, watching every stroke his fingers made as he waited for me to decide on the next move.
“That’s why you’re marrying Ana?” I rolled my eyes. He pressed his finger into my lips before I could attack his poor judgment again.
I ran my hand down his neck, running my fingers across his throat, touching him felt more amazing than I thought that it would. I trailed my fingers down his chest, wishing the white t-shirt wasn’t in the way of feeling the way his skin felt. And before I talked myself out of it I went lower.
“I want you to admit that it makes you mad,” he said.
I ignored him, letting my fingers slip lower until they met up with the bulge in his pants. And I was impressed.
“I’m not mad.” My fingers traced the metal on his belt buckle. “I’ve already been married.”
“Not to me,” he said, a playful grin formed on his lips.
“I was under the impression you weren’t that kind of guy.” Boy how I wished I could pull him free of the belt and the jeans that were holding him back. “But as long as there is something in it for you I guess you make exceptions.”
I stroked him through the fabric of his jeans with my palm. He grabbed me by the wrist. “You’re going to kiss me first.”
Before I could object Carter knocked me into the shelves, rattling the fine china as he went for the kill. His lips pressed against mine, soft just like I knew they would be. His tongue worked its way into my mouth, stroking against my own, a sinful dance, we moved so beautifully together. And I wanted more.
I cupped the back of his head, to pull him as close as I could get him. And the kiss continued, neither one of us cared if anybody was in the antique store, or if we were about to knock down the entire display of breakables. All that mattered was the way his hands were making their way down to my ass, and how great it felt when he pulled me closer, pushing himself against me.
He pulled away, teeth biting my neck, he pulled me by my skirt back to
him. I was dizzy and excited. And he kissed me again, biting my bottom lip, his tongue circled, teasing mine. He kissed me like he couldn’t get enough. Not like somebody set to marry another girl.
His tongue swept mine, sending me further off the deep end. Soon enough I would need an escort out. Never in a million years did I think some dusty antique store would be the place I fucked a man. But I was pretty sure that was just what was about to happen if we didn’t stop soon.
He leaned in, his chest crushing mine. “I want you.”
And he did the unthinkable, his fingers brushed against my stomach and toyed with my skirt, we looked at each other as if to weigh the moment. Were both of us willing to go there? He lifted my skirt, his fingers touching me, and he started rubbing through the cotton of my panties. I was wet, so turned on that I feared the worst if it didn’t take place.
We kissed again, bumping into the dishes on the lower shelf. And then I broke away and look at him. “I want you too. But you’re marrying Ana.”
He grabbed my chin. “But I want you.” Another devastating kiss and I was putty in his palm.
I pulled away licking his bottom lip before I turned away from him. I didn’t have it in me to let him fuck me head on. He drug down the panties he managed to drench by just being such a damn good kisser and so hot and pressed himself against me.
“I want to fuck you right here. With the old lady at the counter, anyone could catch us,” he stroked my ass with his hands.
“So do it,” I moan.
His fingers moved to the front slipping inside me. I wished I would have stayed face to face with him so I could kiss him again. But I reminded myself that Carter was a jerk and this was sex nothing more. Who cared if my lips got another try?
His cock thumped against my ass. And when I thought I couldn’t take anymore the bell on the door chimed and shattered our moment. Carter was back in his pants before I had a second blink.
I made sure my skirt was down and kicked my panties off, lifting them off the ground. I would have never had the chance to pull them back up; the old couple was already coming down the aisle.