“I’m glad you had fun. We’ll have to do something else again soon, as friends.”
Smiling, I reach for my keys. “Shoot, Carter, I dropped my keys in the theater.”
“I’ll help you look for them.”
“No, really, it’s fine. I know they’re right where we were sitting. Have a good night. I’ll see you on Saturday.”
I jog off toward the theater. Once inside, I check the desk first. They don’t have them. I enter the theater and start searching around the floor where we sat. My fingers find the key ring, and I lift them off the floor. Relieved, I return to the front desk and let them know I found them and head out of the theater, back to my car.
“Hey!” I turn to see a skinny, dark-haired guy ditch a cigarette and walk towards me. “Can I get a ride with ya? My friend left me behind.”
Immediately, tension coils in my gut. “I’m sorry, I’m in a hurry. I’m meeting a friend.”
“Come on. I don’t live far. You really gonna leave me hanging?”
“You don’t have a friend you can call?”
“My cell phone was in his car.”
“You can use my phone if you need to.”
Reaching for the phone in my purse, it slips from my hand as I’m shoved against the wall. Pain ripples up my back and into my head. I try to move, but he pins his weight against me.
“I’ll take your phone and your wallet,” he seethes.
With my head pounding, I hand over my phone without hesitation and slowly reach for my wallet. “Can I please take my ID out of it?”
Tilting his head, he grips my throat. “Maybe I wanna pay you a visit.”
Vomit rises to my mouth and panic takes over my body. Tears pool in the corner of my eyes, and I whimper as fear seizes me. My trembling hand holds my wallet hostage. I don’t want to give it to him. Dropping it back into my purse, I use my hand to shove at him instead. He slams me back against the wall and my head smacks the cement. My focus is obscured as disorienting pain throbs in my skull.
Reaching into my purse, he digs for my wallet. A figure moves toward us, then a fist crosses my vision before the man’s pressure on my body is released. My hand goes to my head and with my freedom comes clarity. I see Carter’s fist slam into the guy’s face, blood splattering from his nose onto the pavement. The guy isn’t quick to give up. He fights back and lands a punch on the edge of Carter’s jaw.
Without missing a beat, Carter grabs the guy, lowers him into a headlock and puts a knee to his face. Carter releases him, then swiftly turns his body, and dropkicks the guy. He collapses to the ground heaving.
Carter is at my side instantly, pulling me into his arms. Kissing my head, he runs his hand through my hair.
“I was waiting at your car for you. You were taking too long, so I came to check on you. Are you okay? How bad did he hurt you?”
I cry into his shoulder and he holds me close as he pulls out his phone and dials the police. Carter never leaves my side as the police officer asks questions and has us both fill out reports. The mugger is handcuffed and put into the back of a police car. Warrants for his arrest back up our statements. This wasn’t his first assault and robbery. The officer releases us and Carter walks me to his car.
“I’m taking you home, I’m not leaving you.” I nod as he opens the door and helps me in. When he gets in the driver side, he pulls me into his arms again. “I’m so sorry, Alex. I should’ve gone in with you.”
“Don’t even think that. You stopped him. That’s all that matters.”
Carter nods, his expression painful to see. He’s consumed with concern for me.
“We’ll get your car tomorrow.”
***
Nerves rattled, I drop my keys at the door. Carter reaches down, picks them up, takes my hand in his and kisses it before he puts my key in the lock.
Walking in behind me, Carter closes the door. Setting my keys, phone, and purse on the entryway stand, I head right to the kitchen. Grabbing a shot glass out of the cabinet, I pop the top off a vodka bottle, pour it into the glass, and quickly swallow it down. Carter steps up behind me, takes the shot glass, pours more vodka into it, and drinks it.
“Another?”
I nod.
Pouring me another shot, I take it from his hand, gulping it down. His hands slide over mine then lifts them one at a time and kisses them.
“You should take a hot bath. I’ll raid your movie collection I saw and pick one for us to watch.”
His idea is perfect—something soothing, then something distracting.
“I like that idea.”
Looking down at his hands, my eyes go wide. “Carter, your knuckles.”
Moving his hand left and right, he stares at it as if he hadn’t yet noticed it. Putting his hand under the sink faucet, he washes the blood off. The skin on his knuckles are cracked and fresh blood bleeds out.
“I have Band-Aids.”
“It’s fine,” Carter says, grabbing a wad of paper towels, pressing them against his knuckles. “The bleeding will stop in a minute. Go enjoy that bath.”
With his encouragement, I head to the bathroom and turn the faucet to hot. Stripping down to nothing, I slip a toe and foot in, then ease in the rest of me. Instantly, the warm water soothes the tension in my muscles while the liquor calms my mind.
After the bath, I throw my hair into a bun, and with fresh clothes, I join Carter in the living room. He’s sprawled out on the couch, without his shirt, watching one of my movies. He sits up as I take the spot next to him.
“I’m sorry I took so long.”
“As long as it made you feel better, I’m good.”
“It did.”
Carter reaches forward, takes me in his arms, and lays back on the couch. The sudden closeness tightens my muscles, but as soon as he pulls my hair tie loose and runs his fingers through my hair, my muscles give, and I relax against his chest. The movie plays in the background as I drift off to the soothing strokes of his hand.
***
The morning light shines through the window, warming my face. Lifting my head, I grimace at my stiff neck. Carter is sleeping peacefully with his arm still comfortingly around my back. Looking down at his tattoo, my curiosity gets the best of me, and I trace the outlines, mesmerized by the interlocking shapes.
Carter shifts and his eyes flutter open. Looking at me, he smiles, then raises his hand to my cheek and caresses it before leaning forward and kissing me. His kiss is warm and sensuous. Arousal swirls in my stomach, then travels south, between my legs. His erection presses into me, and I pull away as my nerves splinter.
“I’m sorry. I can’t.”
“Alex, wait.” Carter adjusts himself before getting up from the couch. “I would never hurt you or push you faster than you want to go. Give me a chance. Give us a chance.”
“I’m sorry, Carter, it’s not you, it’s me.” Embarrassment prickles the back of my eyelids and tears take shape.
Turning toward the hall, I escape into my room. Tears trickle down my cheeks as I change into fresh clothes. Carter taps on my door, and I take a breath, wiping the tears from my eyes. Behind the door, his agonized expression nearly breaks me.
“I know what happened. I know why it’s hard for you to let me in.”
Shock slaps me in the face. “How?”
“I asked Kyle the night of the party.”
“You have no idea what happened!” Fresh tears stream down my face. “No one knows what happened!” My head falls into my palms and my knees give out.
Catching me in his arms, he lifts me and carries me to my bed.
My broken words spew out. “Why did he tell you? He shouldn’t have told you. It’s not his past to tell.”
“Alex,” Bringing my attention to him, he wipes the tears from my face, “I don’t know what you’re feeling right now. Talk to me.”
I look away from him. “I’m angry, shocked, embarrassed, humiliated.”
Gently, he takes my hands in his. “Ssh, don’t
cry. It kills me to see you cry.” He kisses my hands. “You can tell me anything. I want you to know you can trust me. I understand why you need to take things slow.”
The pain, embarrassment, and humiliation swirl in my stomach like a whirlpool. I pull my hands from his.
“You should go.”
“What? Why?”
“Please, just go.”
Carter’s expression morphs into confusion and frustration. “What about your car?”
“I’ll have Jane take me.”
“Alex.”
“Please, Carter. I need to be alone.”
I sit there numb as I listen to him gather his things then close the door behind him. As soon as he’s gone, I fall into my comforter and sob.
***
Jane enters my apartment and stares at me, bewildered.
“It’s ten a.m., and you’re drinking?”
“He told him, Jane.”
“Who told who, what?”
“Kyle told Carter what happened to me. Why I’m so fucked up.”
Jane walks to my table and takes the wine glass from me. “You’re not fucked up.” Sitting across from me, she takes a swallow of my wine.
“When did Kyle tell him?” I can see the anger forming on her face.
“I don’t know, but now he knows what that sick fuck did to me. Why I can’t handle a relationship. Why I’m nuts. There’s no point in giving it a shot. I’ll freak out like I did before, and Carter will ditch me just like Todd did. No man wants a woman who’s afraid to have sex. I’m hopeless. Meant to spend my life alone in misery.” I pull the glass from her hand and chug the rest of it.
“You’re not meant to live your life alone in misery. You need a good guy who is patient and understanding and I think that guy is Carter.”
Raising my brows, I laugh. “Even good guys want sex.”
Moving to the counter, I pour another glass, but Jane swipes the glass from my hand and dumps it in the sink. I grab the bottle and smirk before chugging it.
“You’re not gonna do this to yourself.”
“Do what to myself?”
“Backtrack, get depressed, close everyone off.”
“What the fuck do you know? Your life is perfect, with your perfect house, and your perfect marriage.”
Jane snatches the bottle from my hand and sets it top down in the sink. “No more alcohol! You’ve had enough!”
Traipsing to the living room, I fall onto the couch, and lay back, watching the back of my lids. “You should go.”
“What about your car?”
I laugh at the irony of the repeat conversation.
“I’ll figure it out later.”
“I’m not leaving. You’re drunk.”
“So, what? It feels good to be drunk. It’s better than crying, alone, in my bed.”
“Get in the shower.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
Jane pulls me off the couch and pushes me forward.
“I really don’t like the mean Jane.”
“Sometimes I have to be the mean Jane. That’s what friends are for.”
CHAPTER NINE
—
ALEX
Pulling out my debit card, I hand it to the receptionist at the massage parlor. I point to Jane. “I’m paying for hers and mine.”
The sweet, round-faced receptionist politely nods and swipes my card.
“This is a good way to make up for being a jerk Sunday morning,” Jane quips.
“It’s the least I can do. I was a jerk. I hope you understand why I was so angry.”
“Oh, I did, and Kyle got an ear full.”
“I hope you weren’t too hard on him.”
“I was. He deserved it. He wants you to know he’s really sorry and hopes you’ll forgive him.”
“Of course, I will, eventually.”
Jane chuckles. “Kyle says you skipped kickboxing class this week.”
I take my card back from the receptionist’s outstretched hand. “How’d you know that?”
“Carter told Kyle. He came over to our house last night. They played Xbox and Carter asked me about you. He was worried and wanted to know how you’re doing.”
“You can tell him I’m fine.”
“Why don’t you tell him yourself?”
Tucking my card back in my wallet, I frown at Jane. “I’d rather not. Things were already getting complicated. I’ll reimburse you for the classes or get another instructor.”
The receptionist points to a door to the left. “You ladies can go back now.”
I push the door open and a woman with blond, curly hair tied up in an up-do smiles at us. “I’m Connie. I’ll take you ladies to your massage room.”
As we enter, the scent of lavender and vanilla hits my nostrils, and I take a deep breath, letting it shed some of my tension.
“There are water bottles on the counter and a changing room to your left. I’ll come back in a few moments with Lori and we’ll begin your massages.”
“Thank you.”
Moving to the changing room, I hang my bag and strip down.
“You really gonna cancel the classes or get another instructor?”
“Yes. I told Carter from the beginning I didn’t want things to get complicated and now they have. It’s best I cut it off now.”
Stepping out in the white robe provided, I hang the robe on the peg, then slide onto the bed. Jane comes out next and does the same.
“What about Todd? Did you text him back?”
“Nope. I never responded. My life is less complicated without men in it. I was doing fine before either of them started messing with my head.”
***
The massage was just what I needed. Dabbing my hair dry, I step out of the shower. After a blow dry and fresh clothes, I go into the living room to relax and read a book. A knock at my door interrupts those plans.
Looking through the peephole, my stomach does a loop-the-loop. Opening the door, I stand between it and the outside.
“Todd, how did you find my house?”
In a gray tailored suit, he stands with a dozen red roses in hand and a smile that would charm the pants off any normal woman.
“Perks of being a lawyer. These are for you.”
Taking the roses, I bring them to my nose and inhale their beautiful scent. My stomach flutters. The memory of how he used to do this when we were dating flashes through my mind.
“Why are you here?”
“I haven’t been able to stop thinking of you since I saw you. I know I messed up. More than messed up. What happened between us wasn’t your fault. It was mine. I couldn’t handle what happened to the woman I loved.”
“Coming to my house with roses and an apology doesn’t fix the pain I went through.”
Head lowered, he raises his eyes, searching mine, for any sign of empathy.
“I know it doesn’t, but I’m hoping it can be a start to you someday forgiving me.”
I glance at the roses, then his handsome face smeared with anguish. “It is a start.”
Todd smiles and old feelings stir. “Have dinner with me tonight? I reserved a table at our favorite place.”
My stomach grumbles. I’m starving and the food at Algino’s is too tempting.
“I’ll go, but it’s not a date. You know how much I love their food. It’s impossible to turn it down.”
Todd’s charming smile widens. “I’ll wait while you get ready.”
When I enter the living room, his eyes roam over my body then drop to my black heels. He always did have a thing for me in skimpy lingerie and tall heels.
“You look stunning.”
His words affect me more than I want to admit. I ignore the sensation warming my body and go for my jacket. “Thank you.”
Instantly, he’s behind me, lifting the jacket over my shoulders, and brushing my hair out from under it. Goosebumps trickle over my shoulders and arms.
“You ready?”
“Yeah.”
> Holding the door open for me, I step out then lock it behind us. When we reach the car, he opens the passenger door for me and I catch his gaze follow the length of my legs. My cheeks grow warm from the desire I feel.
As we drive to Algino’s his gaze catches my attention several times. His bottom lip slides between his teeth as he watches me.
“I meant what I said. I’ve missed you.”
My reserve falters and the words spill out. “I’ve missed you too.”
Todd places his hand on my knee and I try hard not to flinch. I don’t want him to know physical contact from a man still startles me. I only want him to see my confidence. Holding my composure, I finally relax as his thumb caresses me.
When he smiles, it’s obvious how happy he is I haven’t jumped or brushed him away. He suffered through it so many times in the beginning.
We arrive at the restaurant and the valet opens my door. Todd joins me after his keys are handed over. We walk in together and are quickly seated.
“I’m guessing you’re ordering your favorite?” Todd asks as the menus are handed to us.
“Of course, I am.”
“Then I’m ordering your favorite dessert too.”
Algino’s is fine Italian and as much as I love the food I haven’t walked into the restaurant since Todd left me. I take a moment to take it all in—the linen, fine china, the chandeliers, and marble floors. It’s as exquisitely decorated as the food they prepare. Todd is attentively watching my movements and I take note of how much he’s doting on me. It reminds me of what it was like before when we were together and happy.
“What are you getting?” I ask.
“You know I like to try new things.”
Briefly, he glances over the menu then lowers it. He’s made his decision. Always decisive and confident. Even if it’s a façade, I want him to think I have that same confidence I once had.
“I’m getting the Pansotti Alla Genovese.”
The waiter comes, and I order a glass of wine and Todd orders a Scotch and an appetizer for us.
With my nerves tense, I finish my glass of wine before the food arrives. I’m thankful when it does so I can fill my nearly empty stomach.
Unbreak This Heart Page 5
