Page 52 of Above All Else

Pain hacked through the numbness, causing my fingers to tremble as I untangled the mess in my hair. Pine needles and dirt tumbled to the shower floor.

The water darkened as it swirled around my feet, carrying away the filth and his cum. I scrubbed harder, my nails digging into my scalp as I broke. The dam fell away, and the flood of tears destroyed everything in its path.

I wrapped my arms around my breasts and pressed my forehead against the lukewarm tiles, sobbing--Ethan’s vacant eyes burned into my retinas. I pinched myeyes tighter.

Bang.

Wiping my tears from my face, I kept my back to the door and glanced over my shoulder, my hair standing on end.

Carter stood in the doorway, his gaze sweeping over my nakedness with a wide stance and three large white designer bags hanging from his hand. “You locked the door.”

How long have I been in the shower?

“For a reason.” I turned into the water and washed the remaining tears from my face. “Take a picture. It’ll last longer.”

“Let me put the bags down, and I will.”

I flashed him a narrowed look. “You wouldn’t.”

“You offered.”

The camera phone flashed, and a ferocious growl slipped through my clenched teeth. “Carter Morgan, I’m going to murder you while you sleep.”

His smile grew as I turned off the water and pulled back the curtain. “Too soon, dollface.” He faded around the corner, and I grabbed my towel, covering my soaked frame.

I wiped my feet on the bathmat and met him next to the bed where he stood, staring down at his phone with a grin that would melt my panties—if I were wearing any. “Erase it.”

He glanced up with a raised brow, and I swiped at his phone. “Nice try.” He held his phone above his head as I jumped with one hand in the air, the other holding my towel tight against me. “Standing this close to me with only a towel stopping me is a dangerous game.”

I gulped. “If you touch me, so help me, God.”

Carter stepped up to me, his hulking frame toweringabove, causing my neck to crank back. “Or what, princess?” He leaned in, his phone held high in the air.

I backed off with a scowl. “Actually, you keep it. Use it for your spank bank so you can remember what it felt like to have me.”

The smirk fell off his face as he tucked the phone back into his pocket. “We’ll see about that.”

“You’re sleeping on the floor. I don’t know what you were thinking getting one bed.”

“No way.” He shook his head. “I’m the driver,” his finger dug into his chest, “I need all the sleep I can get.” Turning, he dumped the contents of the bags out onto the bed. “And for the record, this was all they had. We could have had a single queen. Should I change it?”

I glowered. “You’re sleeping on the floor.”

“I’ll tell you what. If you can fall asleep before I get out of the shower, I’ll take the floor.”

“This isn’t a negotiation, Carter.” I crossed my arm over my chest. “No deal.”

“We’ll see.”

He stripped his shirt over his head. His powerful back muscles, corded with tight sinew, shifted with every movement as he worked his belt free. My eyes locked on as though hypnotized.

No, we won’t.

I can’t risk having him in my bed, even if it is for a night.

How will I think things through with his hands on me?

Carter dumped his clothes at the bathroom entryway,gave me one last look, his cock hanging heavy at his thighs, then walked into the bathroom.