Total pages in book: 29
Estimated words: 27053 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 135(@200wpm)___ 108(@250wpm)___ 90(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 27053 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 135(@200wpm)___ 108(@250wpm)___ 90(@300wpm)
I looked at my dad, who watched me with concern.
“You look awfully pale, sweetheart.”
I nodded, but it was a lie. A really big fucking lie. I could feel Carter still watching me but refused to look at him again. I knew—just knew—Amber and my dad could see the filthy guilt of what I’d done with this man written all over my face.
“You look like you’re about to throw up.”
Leave it to Amber to point out my most attractive attribute at the moment.
“I’m fine.” I was proud of myself for at least sounding like that could be the truth.
“Well, sit down, and I’ll get you some water,” Dad ordered, and I automatically walked to the table and sat down, but I still refused to look at him. Although, I definitely felt his focus on me.
“This is Carter, Amber’s father.”
I cleared my throat and shifted in my seat, my face on fucking fire. Silence descended, and I looked over at my dad, who was watching me before he looked at Carter. Dad’s brows pulled down, then he turned his attention back to me.
“You two haven’t met before, is that right?” His tone was conversational, but there was this underlying hitch in it that told me he knew something wasn’t right. He just didn’t know what that something was.
God, I prayed he didn’t know.
“Mina, is it?” There was amusement in his voice.
Carter’s tone wrapped around me like this thick—dominating—blanket, and I knew I visibly shivered.
I looked at him then, our gazes holding. He leaned back in the chair, all broad shoulders, hard muscles, and confidence pouring from him.
He cocked an eyebrow, and I realized I hadn't responded. “Yes. It’s Mina,” I stuttered, feeling my face heat even more.
Carter smirked, and my belly did that funny thing again.
He leaned forward, thick forearms on full display as he’d pushed up the sleeves of his button-up. I let my gaze trail over the veins that lined his golden skin, my body shamefully heating to the same temp as my face because I found the sight such a turn-on.
“You sure we haven’t met before?” The corner of his mouth twitched with suppressed amusement. “You look awfully familiar.” His gaze trailed along my face, down my neck, and settled on my breasts for a second before he looked back up into my eyes.
I tried to control my breathing, but just one look from this man and I was lit up like the Fourth of July.
“Pretty sure I’d remember,” I whispered, then felt like I’d been dropped in a vat of molten lava for how hot I suddenly got. There was this knowing look in Carter’s eyes as he slowly leaned back and threw a thickly muscled forearm over the empty chair next to him.
“Dinner should be ready in about ten. You want something to drink?” my father addressed Carter. It took the man across from me a solid thirty seconds before he broke eye contact and responded to my father.
“Scotch, if you have it.”
I focused on anything—everything—but Carter, even though I could feel his eyes on me still. It was like a tangible touch, like we were back in that hotel room and he had me over his knees as he spanked my ass and pussy.
“Can I have one as well?” I squeaked out and glanced at my dad, who had a brow raised.
“Scotch?” he clarified, and I nodded in response. “You never drink the hard stuff.”
I shrugged. “Just a little.”
Dad glanced at Carter again, held his attention for a moment, then cleared his throat and nodded. “Okay.”
Fifteen minutes later, we were all at the dining room table, my father’s meal set out in the center in an array of bowls and platters, my glass of scotch sitting in front of me.
I sipped it—which might have been the nastiest thing I’d ever tasted—but it made me feel good and warm, so it wasn’t all bad.
I couldn’t stop the face I made and eyed Carter, who sat beside me. I expected him to smirk at how I couldn’t handle the hard stuff, but he was relaxed back against the chair, one hand curled around his glass, his finger running over the side slowly. Suggestively.
I couldn’t read minds, but I didn’t have to be in Carter’s to know exactly what he was thinking about.
Fucking. Me.
I glanced away quickly.
The meal went fine for the first twenty minutes… until I went for a second helping of my father’s incredible pasta. I could have blamed my increased appetite on the scotch, but the truth was, my dad made amazing food, and you were crazy if you didn’t enjoy it.
“More?” Amber’s voice had me freezing mid-scoop.
I glanced at her, then at my father, and finally at Carter. The latter was staring at Amber with lowered brows. My father was also staring at Amber like she’d gone and lost her damn mind.