Page 20 of Unraveled

“I really hope you’ll let me take you out on a date sometime.”

It was tempting; she couldn’t deny that. But the insecurities of her failed marriage came rushing back. She didn’t want or need a man in her life at the moment. She needed to get her head on straight and fix her life. She needed a job, something positive to focus on. Maybe down the road, she and Carter could be friends or… more. But today was not that day.

She shook her head and reluctantly pulled her hand from his. “I’m sorry. I just… I can’t.”

“Can’t or won’t?”

She met his gaze. “Both, I think. I just… With everything that’s happened recently, I have a lot of things to sort through, and I need to do something for myself for once, not what someone else wants, and⁠—”

She caught herself rambling and immediately jerked to a stop. He stared deep into her eyes as if trying to read what lay in her soul, and she shifted under the scrutiny.

Finally, he took a step back. “Okay.”

Okay? Her brows drew together. A mixture of relief and disappointment swirled in her gut at his immediate acquiescence. Maybe everything he had said was a lie; maybe he didn’t want her as badly as he had tried to convince her.

She swallowed hard and forced herself to speak. “Okay, then.”

After all, what more was there to say?

Eyes still locked on hers, Carter took several slow steps backward, each one putting more and more distance between them. Panic suddenly seized her. She had only felt truly happy lately when she had spent time with him. Granted, it was only one night, but still… What if she was letting a truly good thing slip through her fingers?

Part of her wanted to lunge after him and apologize, beg him to go out on that date he had offered. Her fingers twitched at her side, and she curled them into a fist to keep from reaching for him and drawing him back to her.

She didn’t need his kind of complication in her life. If she said it a hundred more times—maybe a thousand—she’d start to believe it. She shook off the thought. No, this was definitely for the best.

With a slow nod, Carter winked at her. “I’ll see you soon, red.”

Before she could utter a response, he had spun on a heel and was already striding away. She had turned him down. Why did he look so confident? Then his words sank in.

“I meant what I said!” Her words lacked conviction, even to her own ears, and she resisted the urge to stamp her foot.

He didn’t respond, didn’t even turn around, just waved a hand over his head to acknowledge her statement. With a harrumph, she yanked open the car door and slid inside. She slammed the door on the thought of him and started the car, heading toward home and a whole future of possibilities—hopefully one lacking arrogant, overbearing men like Carter Cross.

CHAPTER

TEN

Playing with fire had never been so much fun. Carter sat back in his chair and linked his fingers behind his head, the scene from the health center playing through his mind once more.

He loved the way Audrey got all fired up. He’d had to bite his cheek to keep from smiling when she tried to pass the huge guy off as her boyfriend. Yeah, right. He saw the appeal, but the guy wasn’t her type—not like he was.

Her cheeks had gotten bright red, and he swore she was tempted to smack her friend—Hannah—when she’d refused to play along. He thought he should send the woman flowers or something for doing him a favor. Then he’d heard them talking about him as he strode away. Hannah was solidly Team Carter. He grinned. Winning over the best friend was step one.

His desk phone rang, and he picked it up, tossing a quick look at the clock in the lower right-hand corner of the computer screen.

“Yes?”

The elderly receptionist’s warm voice flowed through the speaker. “Your two o’clock is here.”

“I’ll meet them in the lobby. Thank you, Mrs. Hodges.”

Dropping his feet to the floor, he shrugged into his jacket, then straightened his tie before heading out of his office to meet his next clients. He flipped on the light for the conference room as he passed, then continued toward the lobby, following the childish peals of laughter that drifted his way.

He rounded the corner and paused midstride at the sight that greeted him. A tall man stood in the middle of the small lobby, making airplane sounds as he held a baby suspended high over his head. The toddler waved her arms and legs, clearly delighted with the activity. Next to them, seated on the couch, a pretty brunette watched on, her lips curled into a soft smile.

As soon as they saw him, the woman stood and the man lowered the baby to his chest, a huge grin on his face. “Sorry about that.”

He waved away the man’s apology. “No need. She seemed to be enjoying it.” He held out a hand, first to the woman. “Carter Cross.”