Enthralled: A Box Set

by Pamela Ann

  “I followed you out here because I wanted to see you. How are you doing?” Carter inquired.

  Was he for real? How am I doing? WTF!

  “I am doing fan-freaking-tastic. Now, will you leave me be?” I screeched, immediately walking towards the beach. I knew it was dark and all, and probably not a great idea to walk around alone, but I needed to get away from him. Carter was simply infuriating and I couldn’t stand being so close to him.

  “Why do you keep running away from me?” the dense man asked from behind me.

  Sigh. Honestly? “You’re an ass. You’re selfish, inconsiderate, cold, infuriating, insensitive and the list goes on and on. Now, will you please go away?”

  Carter hurried his stride to catch up, then stood before me, lifted my chin with his forefinger and gently kissed me. Before I had time to think, he pulled away. “If that’s what will make you happy, then I’ll leave you alone, but I am going to watch you from here because it’s dark and I don’t want a bunch of drunkards anywhere around you while you’re all alone, understood?”

  I nodded as I considered his suggestion. Carter kept to his promise. He did leave me alone but I could feel his searing gaze from where I sat, staring across the Pacific Ocean.

  Untitled

  “When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on.”

  ~Franklin D. Roosevelt

  Chapter One Hundred Five

  “Wake up, Emma!” Lindsey shook me. God, how many times did this woman need to wake me up during the week?

  “Go pester other people, Linds,” I grumbled against my pillow as I tried to shut her giddy tone out of my mind. Sleep…. please come back to me, I pleaded.

  “You’re such a grump! I need a favor and you have no choice but to say YES,” Lindsey Mason demanded in her own cute way.

  I ducked under my pillow and yelled, my voice muffled, “You want to borrow my car, go ahead. You need to borrow something from my closet, I don’t care. Honestly, do whatever you like as long as you leave me alone so I can sleep!”

  “Sorry, doll face, but my favor will take up your entire weekend. We’re going to Lake Tahoe.”

  “Lindsey! Look at me!” I sat up with my eyes barely cracked open as I pointed at my sleepy face. “Do I look like I want to go on a road trip? No? Good because I don’t want to go. Lake Tahoe is like an eight-hour drive. Nothing you could say or do would make me change my mind—well, unless it’s a ‘do or die’ situation, then I just might reconsider.” I flopped back on the bed and sighed as I closed my eyes.

  Finally! Sleep! I rejoiced, but it was short-lived.

  “I’ve been sleeping with Cooper for the last six months, but I accidentally slept with Brody last night. And all of us are all going to Lake Tahoe, as we’ve been planning for, like, the last three months. I need your help like so badly!” she rambled.

  Like, she really loved using that word—wait! Cooper Haze and Brody Thompson? Whoa! Talk about double hotness overkill!

  “Like, holy shit, Lindsey Mason! What? What!!! Cooper? Cooper is like even worse than your own brother! Does Carter know? He’s going to murder him. And my God! You slept with Brody? What the hell are you going to do now?” My mind ran through a few scenarios, none of them were any good.

  “I know! This is something I wasn’t expecting, Em. I mean, Cooper was just a good lay, but lately he’s been wanting to make it official. He’s even willing to talk to Carter about it. I think that happened because Brody spoke to Carter about wanting to date me and Carter gave Brody his seal of approval. Now Cooper is, like, jealous about it.”

  What a holy mess.

  “Wow—just wow. I knew there was some inner prowess in there, but I wasn’t prepared for Lady Godiva. Wow, I am in a state of shock, babe.” I really was shocked beyond comprehension. Lindsey Mason and Cooper Haze? Hold up. “Hey, weren’t you the one who said Cooper Haze had the ‘triple ew’ factor?” She rolled her eyes and smacked me with a pillow.

  “God, Emma! Come on, let’s admit that Cooper is hot. I was a little tipsy and he just looked way too delicious to refuse and from then on, it just kept going, you know?” Uh-huh. Of course it did.

  “Are you in love with Cooper?” Lindsey shook her head no. That was a good sign, right? “Okay, who do you like best then?” I asked as she chewed on her nail. I lightly smacked her hand away from her teeth. I hated the sight of chewed up nails; it was a total pet peeve of mine.

  “I don’t know. I’ve always had a crush on Brody, you know. I don’t even remember how old I was exactly when I realized that I loved the man. So, I guess I’ve always loved him. I mean, always—to the point where I threw myself naked at him—but he refused me and told me I was a ‘little girl.’ Now that Cooper wants to see where this is all going, Brody wants to date me, but the whole Cece thing kind of kills it for me. It’s really confusing, Em. I don’t know what to do.” Freakin’ Cece!

  “I guess I should say, may the best man win! Ooo, how juicy is this? Your life is officially a soap opera.” Lindsey just rolled her eyes at me. If I had to guess, I bet she was feeling like she really was in a soap opera. Two hard-headed males vying for her, pulling her in all sorts of directions. How hot and frustrating would that be to watch? Uh… sort of sounds like your life, too, right? Shit. I forgot for a second. Ha!

  “You’re going with me, right?” Lindsey pouted, looking at me all doe eyed, pleading and begging for me to say yes.

  Damn. Those eyes were quite convincing.

  “Sure, what are friends for?” I mumbled.

  A very long weekend with Carter, how taxing could that be on my sanity?

  E

  “All set, doll?” Amber asked as she took a peek in my room.

  “Almost, give me a sec,” I called without looking back to Amber as I folded my clothes and placed them in my small getaway bag.

  She threw something and it landed on my bed. “Bass has called, like, twice now. Go pick it up. We’ll be waiting downstairs when you’re ready. Don’t be long though, and oh, tell him I said hi.” Amber winked and left me to get the call.

  Picking it up, I spoke, “Hello?”

  “All packed and ready?” Bass asked.

  I smiled at the sound of his voice. “Yes, you could say that. Are you all packed for Vancouver?” I couldn’t believe he’d be gone for six months. I was saddened knowing I wouldn’t be able to see him for such a long time.

  “I’m not leaving until Wednesday, Em. I still have a few days to pack and stuff. Anyway, I just called to say have a safe trip and I will see you before I leave for Vancouver.”

  “Great, I’ll see you then. Be safe and have a great weekend.” He would be hitting the Hollywood party circuit, no doubt. Bass got invited everywhere and he’d probably hit it a little hard this weekend before he left for Canada.

  “I want to say the same, but I honestly don’t want you to have too much fun with your ex. Just be safe, all right? Do take care, my sweet Emma. Bye.”

  “Bye,” I whispered, feeling a little deflated.

  I knew it was crazy, I’d known him barely a week, but he seemed to have grown on me. Bass’s approach to life was different and I found it invigorating. He was such a remarkable man.

  I grabbed my things and headed out the door. There were about twenty people meeting us in Tahoe. I looked around for Amber, Trista and Cece to ask if I could ride with them so I didn’t have to ride with Carter. They were parked behind Carter’s black Escalade and I could tell that there wouldn’t be any room for me. I guessed I was riding with Carter, Lindsey and her sexy boy toys.

  The man himself was in the driver’s seat and the seat next to him was empty. Brody, Lindsey and Cooper sat in the back—all three of them were silent and broody. Ha. I guessed I would be sitting in the front seat then? Sigh.

  “Sorry I took so long,” I apologized as I opened the door. Carter immediately got out of the car and took my bag. “Thank you,” I said kindly as he went to the back of the SUV and shoved it in the trunk.
r />   After four hours of a completely silent ride, I knew some serious stuff was brewing in the back. Carter tried to engage Brody or Cooper to talk, but none of them were speaking. After several attempts, Carter cranked the music up to fill the silence. It was better that way, I supposed. He, himself, barely glanced at me.

  Still mad, was he? Well, tough.

  I could ignore him all the same. Although his nearness was almost killing me, I could pretend that he didn’t bother me one bit.

  When my phone vibrated, I was relieved to have something to do. It was a message from Bass. He sent me the picture of us that had been on the cover of the gossip magazines, the one where I’m looking up at him with a huge smile pasted on my face, the one I looked happy in. There was a silly caption underneath it.

  Bass: I guess someone is finally ‘star-struck’?

  Ha. Sure.

  Me: Wishful thinking, aren’t we, Mr. Bass?

  Smiling widely, I typed the message. I loved the playful side of Bass.

  Bass: Indeed, Ms. Emma. Indeed, I am… can’t get your smile out of my mind. Did you cast a spell on me? For there is no other alternative reason for this raging delirium.

  I bit my lip as I tried to conjure a response. Did I cast a spell on him? Ha.

  Me: No witchcraft involved. Sorry to disappoint. Indeed, it is all crafty me, the one and very same. Maybe it’s been a while? Suppose you need to get laid or something?

  Yeah, I was hella fishing for information, but I couldn’t help it. I was curious.

  Bass: Why, Emma? Do you want me to stop?

  Stop what? Stop him from having sex? Shit, who had he been sleeping with?

  Me: No, Bass. Your life is your own. That’s solely up to you.

  I searched for him the other night on Google and there hadn’t been any news of him hooking up with anyone. Who had he been sleeping with? I guessed he could get laid without having it splashed online. I mean, he could easily hook-up with another pretty actress without getting caught.

  My phone vibrated.

  Out of nowhere, Carter snatched the phone out of my hands and shoved it in his pocket. “Give it back!” I furiously demanded of the man next to me.

  “No.” His lips pressed together in a straight line, clearly determined and not budging an inch.

  Dickwad!

  “Give Emma her phone back, Carter! Stop being such a tool!” Lindsey chimed in. Her brother was unyielding.

  “Do you honestly think I’m going to sit here idly while you talk to another guy, Emma? Try to be a little sensitive here. I’m trying to drive, but I can’t help being distracted when you smile stupidly at his messages. I fucking hate it!”

  Okay, maybe I was being a little insensitive, but confiscating my phone was going overboard. “I apologize. That was rude of me. Can I have my phone back now?”

  “No.” Carter’s eyes were stuck on the road, not even bothering to glance at me.

  “What the fuck, Carter!” I yelled at him, but he was unmoving. What the fuck!

  FML!

  Oh, he was definitely going to face my wrath once we got to his uncle’s cabin in Tahoe. My anger was brewing fiercely. Once we were out of the car, I was going to erupt like Mount St. Helens!

  Untitled

  “Do you want me to tell you something really subversive? Love is everything it’s cracked up to be. That’s why people are so cynical about it. It really is worth fighting for, being brave for, risking everything for. And the trouble is, if you don’t risk anything, you risk even more.”

  ~Erica Jong

  Chapter One Hundred Six

  “Finally! My butt is killing me! I hate long car rides! They’re the most uncomfortable things, like, ever!” Lindsey declared as Carter finally parked right outside cabin McMansion, which was big enough to hold all twenty guests for the weekend. It was beautiful. I’d seen pictures of it before, but they didn’t do it justice. I remembered Carter promising to take me here, but again, that never happened.

  It was almost eight at night and the long drive was beyond exhausting. I was ready to unpack and unwind.

  “Hey, Lindsey! I need to talk to you for a minute,” Carter yelled out to his little sister, as she headed toward the other parked cars on the driveway.

  She halted. “Sure, what’s up?” Lindsey asked as Carter pulled her off to the side to talk.

  “I’ll get the rest of the things, Em. Go on up and relax,” Cooper said. He sounded a little sad. His usual flirty self was nowhere in sight. Guess he really was fighting for Lindsey and trying to be on his best behavior. Well, I wasn’t on anyone’s side. I used to be on Team Brody, all the way, but that went down the drain the moment I found out he ran his tractor through Cece’s rotten infested field. I was a little reserved now.

  “Thanks, Coop.” I stretched my body and yawned. The smells of fall were floating in the crisp autumn air. Sleep was calling me, but from the looks of things, it would be hours from now before I would get any. I followed everyone towards the house.

  When am I ever going to catch up on my much needed sleep? I wondered.

  E

  “Who’s up for some hot tub?” Brody asked everyone.

  It had been three hours since we’d arrived and everyone seemed to have the same goal—to get wasted.

  At ten, I decided to call it a night when a few drunk girls—I had no clue where they had come from—took off their clothes and ran naked towards the lake. Of course, some of the guys from the soccer team followed them. Ah, living the good life! I shook my head towards the screaming crowd, amused.

  I scoured the party looking for Lindsey and was relieved to find her in the kitchen. “Hey! Can you tell me where my room is? Cooper took my bag to a room, but I don’t know where it is, unfortunately.”

  Lindsey stopped smiling then. “Um… I have no clue. I’m rooming with Amanda.”

  HUH?

  “What do you mean? You dragged me here! Now, who do I have to room with?” There were like twenty random people here and I only knew a handful of them. The thought of sharing a room with a stranger seriously freaked me out. I should’ve just stayed home. Maybe I’d have been with Bass right now…

  “You have to ask Carter and the boys. They’re the ones that arranged it.” I stared at my friend, not knowing what to say.

  “How could you invite me and not room with me? This just doesn’t make sense at all!”

  “I know and I’m sorry, but it was just such a last minute thing and I had been paired with her months ago. I’m so sorry!” Just then Brody joined us with a bottle of beer in his hand.

  “Want to join me in the tub, pretty ladies?” Brody grinned at us. Hmm… was he trying to score some with Linds? Well, he’d have to try harder than that.

  “Actually Brody, do you think you could show Emma to her room? She doesn’t know where it is.”

  “I will, but I need you to stay put. We need to talk,” Brody spoke to Lindsey. Her smile wavered.

  “Yeah, of course,” Lindsey murmured. Brody looked like he meant business and he seemed to be very determined to talk to her.

  “Here you are. Everyone’s been looking for you.” Carter strolled in the room in nothing but a pair of jeans, displaying his tanned pecs and rigid six-pack. My cheeks burned when I stared at his body a little longer than I should have. Nice…

  Dammit!

  “Oh, great, man! Emma wants to turn in. Can you show her to her room?” Brody asked.

  What? What? He’s handing me over to Carter?

  “You’re ready to sleep? It’s still early.” Carter’s dark gaze landed on me, burning holes, searing right through me.

  “Yes. I want to sleep. I’m exhausted.”

  Carter nodded. “Okay, then. Let me show you to your room.” He exited the kitchen and climbed up the wooden stairs. I followed silently behind him, not wanting to make unnecessary chitchat.

  The house was humungous and I would’ve easily gotten lost by the time I got to the second floor. There were three wide carpete
d hallways that were adorned with black and white abstract paintings. They were a striking contrast amongst the woodsy theme. I followed Carter as he turned right and made another right down a long hallway. There were two large, dark, wooden doors at the very end of it.

  “Here you are, Emma.” Carter opened the doors and he ushered me into a massive room with a fireplace and a big king-sized bed with a large bay-windowed lounge area that overlooked the lake. It was gorgeous! When I looked back, Carter was just standing in the middle of the room, observing me.

  “Can I have my phone back?”

  He pulled out my phone from his front pocket. “You mean this?”

  “Yes. Can you hand it to me now?”

  “No. I’ll give this back to you once you set foot back in Santa Barbara. For the time being, though, you’re phone free.”

  Incorrigible man! I just wanted to kick him in the nut-sack!

  I went over to him. “What the hell is your problem, Carter? I don’t get why you’re acting like a petulant kid!” With another angry whine, my finger poked his hard muscled chest. “You. Are. Being. Ridiculous.” I emphasized each word with my finger poking on his skin before I withdrew my finger, his hand caught it.

  “You ask what my problem is?” He leaned forward, closing the gap between us. “You. You’re my problem.”

  I swallowed. “You have to let this go, Carter.”

  “It’s not over until I say it is.” Arrogant jerk!

  “Well, fuck you! We broke up already. You kicked me out of your house!”

  “You wanted out. I didn’t. It was my ego talking.” We stared at each other. Carter gently reached out and caressed my cheek with the back of his finger. “You’re beautiful, Emma. You don’t know how lonely I’ve been without you.”

  Carter was lonely? What a joke! There were rumors flying that he got it on with Amanda. I wasn’t stupid.

  I licked my lips. Wrong move because his eyes darted there and he stared at them. “I think you should go. I want to rest.”