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“I owe him a few throat punches though,” I say, earning a laugh from both her moms.
“Angie, why don’t we drive your car home and then Carter can take you to yours?” Kate offers. “You don’t look in any state to drive.”
“Sure, Mom, thanks.” Angela hands over the keys with no argument, seeming to understand that none of the people present are going to let her drive right now, including me.
“Want to come to my house?” I ask Angela, after her moms leave. “I’ll give you plenty of space to rest, but the thought of leaving you home alone kills me.”
“Staying over with you sounds perfect,” Angela says, leaning in and placing a kiss on my cheek. “But, I don’t think I want space.”
35
ANGELA
“Wantme to carry you inside, Angel?” Carter asks me, turning off the car and unbuckling his seat belt.
“I’m not a baby bird,” I grumble.
“No, you’re not. But I want to take care of you,” he says simply.
“I actuallyhatebeing taken care of,” I say, even though I don’t mind being taken care of byhim. The whole time we were on Isle North he looked out for me, and I liked it plenty.
“Really? I hadn’t noticed,” he says with a smirk.
“Oh shut up.” I pause, and look out the window so he can’t see my face. “I mind it less with you. But I’m fine to walk to the house all by myself.”
“At least let me carry you up the stairs?”
“Deal,” I say, mostly because I’m truly exhausted from the last few days, and the staircase in Carter’s house is massive.
We walk over to the front door, and as soon as we’re inside, Carter takes my purse out of my hands, slings it over his shoulder, and scoops me up into his arms like I weigh absolutely nothing.
“Mountain man strikes again,” I murmur.
He carries me up the stairs as promised and deposits me in his enormous, cloud-like bed.
“You rest,” he tells me. “I’ll get some dinner started.”
“I love you,” I say, because my heart is truly full of it. “Thank you for coming today.” Having him at the hospital with me made me feel so cared for, and so sure of his affection and love for me. It’s exactly the type of thing I need from him in order to feel safe in this relationship.
“Don’t thank me, Angel. I’m only doing exactly what you deserve.” He kisses me gently on the lips, and then heads downstairs.
Something about his comment feels strange to me, but I’m too tired to think it through and figure out why.
A few hours later,I wake up to the delicious smell of braising meat wafting through the room. I throw on one of Carter’s t-shirts, and go downstairs to investigate.
I find Carter standing over the stove wearing an apron, and staring at a pot of food intently.
“Oh my god, what is that smell?” I ask him. He’s wearing jeans and is barefoot, and I can’t help but appreciate the view of his ass that I get as he leans down and put the pot into the oven.
“Braised short rib ragu,” he tells me.
“Shut up. That sounds amazing.” My stomach rumbles as if to underscore my point.
“It will be done pretty soon.”
I open the cabinet and get a glass for water, and find Carter’s eyes devouring me.
“You look good in my shirt, Angel,” he says. “Really damn good.”
