Page 13 of Unraveled

CHAPTER

SEVEN

Carter stifled a smile as Audrey inched the bathroom door open and tried to contort her body through the narrow space. She froze when he shifted slightly, holding her breath to make sure she hadn’t awakened him, then released a soft sigh and slipped out of the room when he didn’t stir.

As soon as the door closed behind her, he dropped the arm covering his eyes and let loose the grin threatening to split his face. She was truly something else. So open and passionate last night, she scurried around this morning like a nervous little mouse, afraid to wake him. He’d bet any money that she was terrified to come face-to-face with him, instead trying to usher him out the door like a dirty little secret.

Audrey was strong and independent, but she wasn’t one to act rashly, and he had a feeling that’s exactly how she would see their night together: as a mistake. It would be up to him to soothe her fears, show her how good they could be together. Because after last night, he wasn’t done with her. Not by a long shot.

Eager to ease her misconceptions, he swung his legs over the bed and went in search of some clothes. He had no idea what time they’d finally fallen asleep, but he estimated it to be somewhere around dawn, judging from the faint glow lighting the sky as he’d fallen asleep with Audrey tucked in close to his chest.

She'd felt so perfect there, her head tucked beneath his chin, her warm body fitting perfectly against his. A quick glance at the floor told him Audrey had already picked up his clothes from last night.

A peek into the bathroom confirmed his suspicions. His clothes were folded neatly on the counter, a silent message that it was time for him to gather his things and get out. If that’s what Audrey thought, she was in for a rude awakening, because he wasn’t going down without a fight. He was going to take that fiery little red-headed temper of hers and wrestle it into submission. And he was going to enjoy every second of it.

A feral grin lit his face at the thought, and he quickly tugged on his boxers and dress slacks from yesterday. He refused to greet her naked, but there was no way he was going to put all of his clothes on, either. If he did, that would mean that his time with her was over—and that was the very last thing he wanted. His plan was to get out there and find her before she had more time to second-guess herself, then take her back to bed and show her how good they were together.

He padded down the hallway to the kitchen, toward the smell of freshly brewed coffee. Audrey stood by the counter, purse over her shoulder and keys in hand, and he immediately tensed. What the heck? She was running out on him?

A floorboard creaked under his foot, and she whipped toward him, eyes wide. Guilt shone brightly in her blue orbs, and anger flared around his heart. How dare she? She’d really planned to just cut him out of her life without any explanation at all—just disappear like their night together had meant nothing. Screw that.

Back rigid, he stopped several feet in front of her and crossed his arms over his chest as he glared at her. Her eyes flicked over his bare torso, but he couldn’t find it in him to be pleased by her obvious reaction to his nearness. He was still too pissed. “Going somewhere?”

Her eyes darted back up to his, and she licked her lips. “My friend… I’ve got to go.”

“Running away already?”

“No, of course not. I⁠—”

“No? Because that’s exactly what this looks like.”

She shifted uncomfortably. “Well, it’s… Fine,” she huffed as she threw her hands in the air. “You’re right. Kind of. But I really do need⁠—”

“I can’t believe you were just going to run out. Seriously?” He swept his arm toward her in an agitated motion. “You’re such a coward.”

“I am not.” She stepped forward so she was almost toe-to-toe with him.

“You’re afraid,” he taunted. “You loved what happened between us last night, and now you’re running scared because you’re afraid.”

“What do you think I’m afraid of?” She propped her hands on her hips and stared him down, fire in her eyes. Perfect. She was almost where he wanted her. Just another little nudge and she’d be his.

He’d push her until that red-headed temper of hers snapped, then once she was all good and riled up, he’d take the little wildcat back to bed and settle her the best way he knew how. He had a feeling that, with a little love and reassurance, she’d turn from a ferocious tigress into the cuddly kitten she’d been last night.

“I think you’re afraid of me. Of us.” He gestured between them. “Tell me you didn’t enjoy last night.”

“I didn’t⁠—”

“Liar.”

She rolled her eyes. “That’s not what I was going to say. I was going to say”—she punctuated her words with a hard poke to his chest—“it’s not that I didn’t enjoy it, but I can’t do this right now. I’m not in a good place in my life.”

“We haven’t even talked about what this is!” he exploded.

“Then what is it?”

The question stumped him for a second as she turned the argument around. “I… I don’t know. What if it could be something? You were just planning to run away before you even found out?”

“It doesn’t matter,” she said airily, waving one hand in the air as if it meant less than nothing.