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 closed my eyes and rested my head back against the center of his chest. “Some people are just that way. It doesn't matter about their upbringing or environment. They just… are.”
He exhaled harshly and squeezed me closer. We stayed like that for so long that I let myself relax further, so much so that I didn't hear my father enter the kitchen. The air in the room changed, and I tensed. But Carter still held me, and in fact, he kissed the top of my head as if he didn’t give two shits my father caught us embraced like this. And there was no way he didn’t know.
I twisted around. Carter made a disgruntled sound, as if I were inconveniencing him by sliding out from under his hold, and then I faced my father.
He stood in the doorway with a stoic expression, staring at Carter with a look in his eyes that made me a little nervous.
“Um,” I said and looked over my shoulder at Carter. He leaned back against the counter, arms crossed, focused on my dad and wearing the same blank expression. “Hey,” I greeted stupidly once I faced my dad again.
He looked at me—finally—and his expression softened. “I’m sorry again, sweetheart.” He scrubbed a hand over his face and stared at the ceiling. “She’s a—”
“Bitch.”
He chuckled deeply, then sobered, nodding. “She’s never disappointed me so much as she has tonight. I want to blame it on the alcohol she’s been drinking all day, but even so… not a fucking excuse.”
“She and I have never gotten along,” I admitted for the first time, even though it was probably pretty damn clear by our interactions since she began seeing my father. “But I know she makes you happy, and you deserve that.” I went to my dad and gave him a hug, feeling that familiar warmth I always did. “As long as she doesn't treat you that way, I can deal with her cattiness.”
“Her treating you that way is worse than her saying that shit to me, Mina. And I won’t stand for it.”
I pulled back and looked at him, but he was staring over my head at Carter.
“I won’t stand for it either,” Carter said, and I heard him come closer.
There was a tense moment of weird silence as it was clear everyone was trying to figure out how to deal with the other stuff that had nothing to do with Amber and everything to do with how my father walked in on Carter holding me.
“We gonna discuss how you two clearly aren’t strangers?”
I pulled back, taking a few steps away and to the side so I could keep both men in my view, and smoothed my hands down my pants. “Yeah… we met at the wedding.” I glanced at my dad and saw him lift a brow. “I wasn't lying when I told you I didn't think I met Amber’s father. I had no clue Carter was her dad until he walked into the house tonight.”
“That’s why you ran off like that and looked sick?” Dad asked.
I nodded. “Yeah. To say I was in shock is a bit of an understatement.”
Out the corner of my eye, I saw Carter move closer to me until I felt his body heat wrap around me. It should have been more awkward than it was, but truthfully, it felt good he was giving me his silent strength.
“I had no clue Mina was your daughter,” Carter told him, and I tensed when he slid his hand around my back to curl his big fingers around my hip.
I wasn’t embarrassed he did the act, but the fact that he clearly had the arrogance to do it right in front of my father was another shock.
“She’s beautiful and smart, witty and engaging, and I want to get to know her better.” Although he wasn’t asking my father permission to… date me? See me again? He left it hanging at the end, so there wasn’t a level of cockiness tied to it.
My father was silent—too quiet for too long—as he stared at Carter. Finally, he looked at me.
“How do you feel about what he just said?”
I licked my lips and glanced at my shoes. I knew how Carter made me feel, and I wasn’t just thinking about the incredible night we had the week before. I felt funny things in my chest when I thought about him. I wanted to know more about Carter, about his work, his likes and dislikes, and he apparently wanted to know the same things about me.
As if I were screaming my thoughts, Carter placed a finger under my chin and tipped my head back so I had to look at him. We held each other’s gaze for long moments, and I felt that funny thing in my chest again.