by J. R. Ward
Though, they weren’t what he’d planned to say. Not even close.
He’d meant to come clean about her father.
Carter stirred in his arms, a smile spreading her lips as she looked up at him. He reached down and stroked her cheek. There was an unmistakable glow in her eyes and he felt himself harden.
She uncoiled herself gracefully and then took his hand and led him upstairs to her bedroom. As soon as they ascended to the pine-scented space, he took her in his arms and kissed her while he undressed her. He took his time, savoring the feel of her skin and the way she looked in all the light. When she was gloriously naked, he tossed aside his own clothes and laid her down on her bed. Her smile of anticipation took his breath away.
His hands drifted across her breasts and stroked her flat stomach. As he kissed her and swallowed her moans of pleasure, as he plied her moist secrets, he felt as though she was really letting him in. Again and again, he pleasured her, driven to make her feel the love he had for her so she would remember it always.
When he entered her slowly, an aching tenderness in his heart, he watched as her head arched back and her mouth parted. Her nails bit into his back and he threw himself into her again and again, until they were wet with passion. When he released, it was with a hoarse cry like nothing he had ever heard come out of his mouth before.
They lay together, still joined, for the longest time, until he felt a new wetness against his neck and pulled back. Carter was crying, fat tears rolling out of the corners of her eyes and strolling down her cheeks onto the white pillow.
He wiped one of them away, concerned.
“Don’t mind my leaking,” she said in stilted tones.
“Did I hurt you?”
She shook her head. “I just never expected…this. You.”
Nick wiped away another tear and kissed her eyes. The tears came faster and he held her close. Rolling them over, he rocked her side to side, stroking her back.
After her crying eased, Carter pulled back from him. Her eyes glistened from her tears, the blue in them as deep and dense as the midnight sky. She had an embarrassed smile on her lips.
“I must be a mess to look at.”
“You couldn’t be more beautiful,” he whispered.
Bringing her to him, Nick kissed her long and slowly, tracing the edge of her lips with his tongue. Her soft sigh of pleasure drifted up into the air.
“I’m going to do my best not to ever hurt you,” he told her solemnly.
“God, I hope so,” she murmured with a tremor of fear.
“Trust me.”
“I’m going to try.”
He pulled her to him, kissing her with heartfelt intensity. When they took a breath, she was smiling.
“So tell me, Mr. Fancy Pants,” she said in a husky voice. “You ever been in a cramped shower stall before?”
He laughed softly. “Teach me, Master.”
After the shower, which had much more to do with making love than it did with soap and water, they closed up the house and headed back to the ferry. While they were waiting to get on, Nick hopped out of the Jeep and returned with two ice cream cones, which they ate while perched on the front bumper of her car. During the trip across the lake, they sat on the upper deck, holding hands and watching boats head home for the evening.
Just before they returned to the car, she looked at him and said, “Thank you for a wonderful day.”
“You’ll stay for dinner, won’t you? I’ve got a dessert in mind I know you’ll like.”
Carter flushed. “Does it come with whipped cream?”
“Only for you,” he said, leaning in and putting his lips against hers.
The bump of the ferry coming into the dock separated them.
While they were speeding over the mountain, Carter looked over at him. Her eyes were joyous, full of a light that hit him square in the chest. “I’m sorry this day is over.”
“We should do it again.”
“Fall in love?”
“No, we’ve already done that. I was thinking about getting away.”
Carter was beaming as she turned off the main road and onto his driveway.
“I think we should go to Montreal for dinner,” he suggested. “We could drive up to the Ritz—”
Nick frowned as they rounded the final turn.
In front of the mansion was a black stretch limousine.
“Expecting company?” Carter said, coming to a halt behind it.
The front door of the house was wide-open and, as they got out of the car, they could hear voices.
When Nick saw Bob Packert’s round face and stocky body emerge from the interior darkness, his heart went cold.
When no one followed the man out, Nick’s hopes soared. Had Wessex stayed behind?
Then her father walked into the sunshine.
Nick turned in slow motion and saw Carter blanch, wobble in her boots, and reach out a hand blindly. He took it, steadying her.
“Well, how do you do, Nick Farrell?” Packert asked in his broad Texas accent. “I guess you weren’t expecting us all until tomorrow. You’re gonna have to forgive my jumping the gun, but the three of us have a lot to talk about. Best to get started early—you know what I mean?”
Nick didn’t even acknowledge the man. He watched as Carter pulled away from him, horrified.
“Why is he here?” she said softly as she lurched backward.
“Carter—”
Packert spoke up. “Wessex, is this your little girl, the one you were nattering on about? Real nice of Farrell here to get the two of you together again. You owe him one now, don’t you?”
Carter spun on Nick, her eyes widening with alarm. He reached out to her, taking her arm.
“I didn’t mean for this to happen.”
She pulled herself free from his grasp. Her head was shaking back and forth, her face a tight mask of horror. “Don’t touch me. Don’t you ever come near me again.”
She ran off toward the mountain, leaving the doors of the Jeep wide-open, the key in the ignition, and her backpack on the seat.
Nick swore, long and hard.
“Well, that’s a fine hello,” Packert commented.
Nick wheeled on the man, about to vent his fury when Wessex, who was looking shaky himself, stepped between the two.
“How about a tour of the house?” the man offered the Texan.
“Mighty fine idea.” Packert leaned in close to Wessex and said in a stage whisper, “This man looks like he’s got a burr in his shorts. Best give him a little time to cool off.”
As Packert ambled inside the house, Wessex hung back.
Nick fixed the man with a deadly expression. “What the hell are you doing here?”
“I tried to call it off. I really did. But Packert was determined to come up here. He called while he was in the air, heading to Albany. I had no notice. I was on the phone all day trying to warn you but you were out.”
Nick’s eyes flashed up to the mountain.
“Occupy that asshole,” he said tersely. “I’ll be back.”
14
CARTER HAD no recollection of her trip up the mountain. One moment she was looking into her father’s eyes for the first time in two years and the next she was in her tent, packing. Even though her mind had shut down, at least her hands seemed to know what to do. They had pulled out a bag and started to stuff clothes into it.
Progress was slow, however, on account of the great rolling sobs coming out of her.
Suddenly, the tent flap was pulled aside.
“We found another one!” Ellie announced.
Carter hid her face from the girl and wiped her eyes. “Another what?”
“Skeleton! Quick, come see— What are you doing?”
Carter searched for a convenient lie. Nothing came to mind. “I have to go.”
“Why?”
“I just have to go.” Carter resumed the frantic packing, not noticing as Ellie disappeared.
Minutes later, she heard B
uddy’s gentle voice. “Carter?”
“Go ’way.”
“What’s going on?” He started to open the flap.
“Don’t come in,” she said in a choked rush. “I don’t want you to see me like this.”
His soft laugh preceded him into the tent. “I’ve seen you after a week without a shower. In the morning before you’ve had your coffee. And what about in that god-awful Bo Peep costume last Halloween? Nothing’s going to scare me.”
Carter tried to keep up the pace by grabbing another bag to pack. It kept slipping out of her hands.
“Talk to me,” he begged. “Please.”
But she just shook her head and began to disassemble her cot. Buddy stopped her by putting his arm around her and sitting her down.
“Take a deep breath and tell me what’s wrong.”
“I have to leave.” The words came out disjointed and rough.
“Okay. Why?”
“I— He’s here. He invited him, here. Purposely.” Desperation and hurt caused her voice to waver.
“Who’s here?”
Carter sagged against her friend’s shoulder. “Oh God, Buddy, he used me. He knew exactly what he was doing. The whole time we…”
Stroking her hair and murmuring softly, Buddy let her ramble until she exhausted herself.
When she finally lifted her head, he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and said patiently, “Who’s here?”
“My father.”
His eyes widened. “Good Lord. Why?”
“Nick invited him.”
Buddy frowned. “Does Farrell know how it is between you two?”
“I told him. He knew weeks ago.” She wiped her eyes. “What a fool I’ve been.”
“You aren’t a fool.”
“What else do you call someone who throws herself at a master manipulator? Brilliant sure doesn’t fit.” She got to her feet. “Nick engineered his visit. On purpose. As a favor to my father.”
“You don’t know that.”
“Yes, I do. I watched as he tossed Candace out like garbage. Why am I surprised to be treated just as badly? He’s a born liar and a knee-jerk opportunist.”
“Carter, you’re rambling. If you could just calm—”
“He’s got a hell of a track record with women. And I knew that going in. God, I can’t believe I let myself get involved with a man like that.”
“I don’t understand.” Buddy’s eyes crinkled from thought. “What would he get out of inviting Wessex up here?”
“My father is a powerful man and would do anything to see me. He’d owe Nick a hell of a favor for pulling off a stunt like this.” Carter started pacing. “I just need to get out of here. I need to go. You finish the dig if you want but I’m through.”
“Hold on.” Buddy put out his palms in a show of caution. “Just slow down a minute. Stop and think about what you’re doing.”
“Believe me, I am.”
“Carter, I want you to do whatever you think is right, but your name’s the one on the grant. You walk and the dig is over.”
“So go to Grace and replace me as the principal investigator. I don’t care.”
“But we can’t leave the site unattended, even if it’s just for a day so I can go meet with the Hall Foundation board. Whoever made off with the logbooks could pick the site clean, Ivan or no Ivan.”
“Christ, Buddy, what do you want me to do?” She threw her hands up. “I don’t care if they take the whole mountain away in pieces. I can’t stay here and pretend everything is okay.”
“You don’t have to pretend.” His eyes were unwaveringly sympathetic but firm. “I don’t want to come across as insensitive but you should finish what you started.”
“I just can’t,” she cried.
“Look, it’s only a couple more weeks. You think you’re going to feel any better prowling around your house? Stay up here and bury yourself in the work. I’ll take care of everything else. You won’t have to leave the mountain until we pack up and go.”
Carter pictured her house, which had now been contaminated by memories of Nick. Her porch where they had sat and talked about the renovations she’d done. Her bed, where they had made love. Her shower, for God’s sake. Suddenly, the idea of going home and being alone with her memories seemed worse than staying at camp with her friends.
Besides, no matter where she went she knew there’d be no escaping from the hurt. She had been betrayed by Nick, used as a pawn in the business world he dominated. No change of zip code was going to make that go away.
She struggled to hold on to her composure. “I don’t know how to get through this. Here or anywhere. God, I knew I should never have trusted him.”
Buddy stood up and put his arm around her. “I’m on your side. Anything you want or need, I’ll make it happen.”
She raised troubled eyes to him. “Can you make it all go away? Can you change him into who I wanted him to be?”
He shook his head sadly. “I wish I could.”
Nick was striding across the lawn, with Carter’s backpack and keys in his hand, when Ivan stepped in his path.
“Storms are comin’,” the man said. “Gonna be some bad ones.”
“When are they going to hit us?” Nick asked numbly. He felt as though they had already arrived.
“Tomorrow afternoon. They’ll last into the night.”
Nick looked up at the high, thin clouds. “Looks fine now.”
“Things change. Anyway,” Ivan continued, “I’ll be settling the boats real good tomorrow and pulling in the lawn chairs. May even batten down the shutters on the north side of the house. Hey, you all right?”
“No, I’m not. I’m not okay at all.” Nick started across the meadow, feeling bereft and pissed off at himself.
He scaled the mountain quickly, thinking only of Carter. He was worried that she might bolt from the dig. Disappear from his life altogether.
He was glad he knew where she lived.
When he got to the campsite, he didn’t see anyone around. He was about to head over to the dig when she appeared out of her tent, a logbook in her hand. She stopped short when she saw him, and he watched as anguish flared in her face. It was covered quickly by anger.
“For Chrissakes, can’t you just leave me alone?” Her voice was strong and sure.
He approached cautiously. “Carter, please. Let me—”
“Why did you bother coming up? You want to pick over the carcass?” She marched over to the office area and started rifling through papers. “I’d have figured mowing me over would have been sufficient. Usually drivers don’t back up to make sure roadkill isn’t moving.”
“Let me explain.”
“Wait. I know. You’ve come to make sure the job is finished.” She gave a bitter laugh. “Just in case I survived the first set of tires. As a matter of fact, we’ve already been through this whole apology thing a few times before. It never seems to stick, does it?”
“Carter, you have to believe that—”
She wheeled around. “I don’t have to believe anything that comes out of your mouth. I was naїve enough to fall for the I-love-you crap. I’m not going to make that mistake again.”
“I do love you.”
She talked right over his words. “One of the first things I ever said to you was that I don’t believe in conversions when it comes to people like yourself. I should have listened to myself.”
“I didn’t know that he was coming today. I’m sorry—”
“I don’t care that you’re sorry! You want to make things right, then tell me you didn’t engineer a reunion between my father and me so he’d be in your debt.”
Carter stared at him as he tried to find the right words. When he didn’t immediately offer a denial, she shook her head.
“You did, didn’t you? You set the whole thing up. That’s why you let me come here and dig in the first place, wasn’t it? That’s why you changed your mind.”
Nick made sure his voice was even. “Look,
in the beginning, I admit that I thought it was potentially beneficial to try and bring you and your father together. I knew he missed you and—”
Carter slammed a folder down on the table. “My family is—was none of your business. My father can go to hell and take you with him.”
“Listen to me. As soon as I realized I was falling in love with you, I knew I had to call the whole thing off. I didn’t want to jeopardize us.”
“Then why didn’t you tell me before?”
“I was going to today but I didn’t want to ruin everything.” Nick stepped forward, and when she started to look around wildly for an escape, he froze.
“What could your father possibly have done to deserve this?” he murmured.
“My mother is dead because of him!” she shouted. “Is that enough for you? Enough to justify to the great Nick Farrell why I choose not to speak to the man?”
“Carter, I—”
“But wait. Mr. Farrell wants the details.” Her eyes were burning as she spoke in a shrill voice. “My mother and I lived alone while he traveled the globe racing after business deals and other women. His life was a revolving door of socialites only too eager to be with a man who had plenty of connections and a lot of money.”
She pegged him with a hard look. “Remind you of anyone?”
Nick flinched.
“Two years ago, after I’d moved out and my mother had no one but servants in the house with her, she decided to reach out to him. They fought because he refused to stay home and talk with her about their marriage. He had to rush to Paris for a really important meeting. After more than twenty years together, you’d think he could have put off one lousy appointment, but he was far too busy for that. His driver took him to the airport and my mother got in a car to go after them.”
Abruptly, Carter’s voice grew quiet. “It took me three hours to get to her bedside at the hospital and I was almost too late. I watched her die and her last words were about him. How she loved him.”
Her blue eyes were so full of pain that it hurt to look into them. He didn’t turn away.
“You want to know where my father was when she died? Over the Atlantic Ocean. By the time he had the jet turned around and headed back, she was gone.” Carter pushed a hand through her hair. “My father had the gall to want to give the eulogy but I refused. I wasn’t going to have a philanderer speak in front of my mother’s casket. The last time I saw him up close was when I left him at the grave site. Until today.”