Page 80 of Pink and Country

“Shoot. I have all night, girl. My man is out with friends tonight, and I’m not even a bit tired.”

I closed my eyes, silent for a few seconds. “Okay, let’s see.” Might withhold information and torture my best friend as well. “I finished packing when Carter—”

“You’re on a first name basis now? No more Handsome Neighbor, huh?”

“Saund, let me finish.”

“Okay, I’ll zip up now.” I imagined her sliding her fingers over her lips.

“Where was I? Oh, yes, Carter. He disappeared three days ago after we got back from Nashville. No news, nothing. Radio silence. This morning I texted him I was leaving, and he wrote back, asking me to wait for him because we needed to talk. Anyway, I got curious and waited. I wanted to know why he ghosted me after we spent an amazing weekend together.”

“Oh, April, I’m sorry. I had no idea.”

“I know. Don’t be. I didn’t feel like talking about it. I was upset he left without a word. Anyway, he came back today after lunch, looking like hell, but also with a spark in his eyes. Then he told me he left to stay away from me—”

“Girl, are you all right?”

“Saund, you’re supposed to zip it, remember?”

“Sorry.”

I snorted. “We never talked.” Images of our afternoon together passed through my mind. My breath caught in my lungs as I remembered his hands on me, his mouth eating me up, and how we became one person. My tongue ran over my lips when I relived all we did in the shower. My body tingled, and I fought the urge to run upstairs and wake Carter up to do it all over again. Sore but energized, my body yearned to be cherished by him again. Blood warmed my cheeks. I shut my eyes, my heart wild inside my chest.

“April?” Saunders’s voice snapped me out of my daydream.

“Sorry. Got lost for a moment.” I composed myself, a grin etched on my lips. “After he came home, Carter kissed me like a madman and fucked me like an animal. Twice. We had dirty shower sex, and I can’t stop thinking about how hot it was.” I huffed. There, I said it. A repeat performance was required to fuck the first one off my memory. To free me from reliving it in a loop in my mind forever.

Saunders gasped.

Where was her usual smart-ass retort?

“Oh, my freaking God, April!” she shrieked, and I pulled my phone away from my ear, my eardrums crying in pain. “Carter Hills fucked you. You saw him naked. He touched you. Ohmygod, ohmygod. I can’t believe it. Dammit, girl, I’m so proud of you. I feel like a mama bird whose chick flew out of the nest for the first time. I thought you’d never live again. That you’ve forsaken the idea of love and sex forever.” Saunders’s voice got serious, and she added, “What now? Did you finally have that talk? Is this a one-night thing or you’ll be at it like rabbits until you leave next weekend? Does Carter hope to see you afterward? Do you want to see him again? I’m dizzy. I have too many questions. What now?”

I gulped down the lump forming in my throat before it’d choke me. “That’s where it’s tricky. We haven’t talked since we did it. He’s still asleep, and I’m like a caged bear pacing his house, doing everything I can to not think about it. I ignore what it means. Even if it’s a one-time thing, I’m okay with it. Or I have to be.” I slouched down on the sofa, sighing. Could it be just sex? I buried my face in my hands, a tightness in my chest.

“You want to do it again, girl. I know you do. I can tell. There’s happiness in your voice. Something I haven’t heard in a long time.” Tears tickled the back of my eyes, and I snorted. “Don’t be sad, hon, you deserve to be happy. Travis left you. It wasn’t his choice, well, not entirely. You deserve love, even if you doubt it. Don’t push Carter away just yet. Wait and see. He might surprise you.”

I sniffed, unable to speak, as more tears streamed down—no doubt messing up my face and reddening my eyes.

Coiled in a ball and covered in a blanket, I lay on my side, my best friend reassuring me over my sobs.

I sprang up, wide awake.

I had no memory of falling asleep. The last thing I remembered was Saunders’s voice telling me over and over that everything would work out. Did she hang up on me when she realized I’d dozed off? I scratched the side of my head. My night was blurry in my mind.

In the dark, I patted around me, searching for my phone.

I found it between two cushions.

Three thirteen a.m.

Was my insomnia coming back? Please, no , I prayed to whoever was listening to me. Just thinking about it, my heartbeat increased.

I had one unread text message my best friend sent at ten o’clock. With my thumb, I unlocked the screen and opened the message app.

Saunders: Sleep it off. We’ll talk in the morning. Love you -X-

My lips curled into a smile. “I love you too,” I whispered.