by Amy Gregory
“Which,” Brody interrupted, “is why you’re going to leave her alone.”
“If not me, then who, Brody? You going to chase off every man that comes along?”
“It’s been working up to this point.”
“Maybe for you, but what about her?” When Brody didn’t answer, Carter shook his head. “I’m not going anywhere.”
“You don’t know what she’s been through.”
Brody was right. He didn’t know, and the scenarios that ran through his mind all made him sick to his stomach. He had dated enough women who had brothers to know this was not a common reaction. Something about the whole night was off. The melt down she’d had during the confrontation with Dylan, the way Brody had been treating him all evening, and now this? Something was way off.
“You know what, Noland, you’re right. I don’t know what she’s been through, and I told her when she was ready, she could tell me. I’m not going to push her, but I’m not stupid. She’s been through something obviously traumatic, and I’ll be here for her when she’s ready. I won’t push. Just like I won’t push her for anything else. Ever.”
“I’m not buying that shit.”
This guy was a real piece of work. Luckily for Carter, one of the many things he’d learned from his parents was patience. It was a necessity on the track, but in this situation, it was a godsend. He blew out a breath and looked toward the door Molly had disappeared through moments ago. He could imagine her sitting close to the window, even though the blinds were closed. He pictured her listening to every word through the thin walls. It wasn’t as if either one of them was trying to keep their voices down.
Carter had heard the story of his parents’ whirlwind relationship a thousand times. How they met and it was love at first sight. How his dad fell madly in love with this beautiful girl in the library while in college and offered to walk her to her dorm when she was finished studying. They were engaged a month later. Married three months after that. But he never heard anything negative from his grandfather. Surely he must have been a little nervous, like Brody. But Carter knew he had never heard of any knock down drag outs over it.
Love at first sight could happen. It worked for his parents and they’d been happily married for over thirty-five years. He felt it with Molly. With every fiber of his being, he felt she was his. His, as simple as that. Carter’s heart swelled and his anger faded. His to cherish. His to protect. His to love.
He took another deep breath and turned back to Brody. “We can play this however you want. You can fight me all you want or we can get along, but at the end of the day,” Carter waved his hand toward the door, “It’s still her choice. And I’ll do whatever I have to do to prove to her how much I care for her. It might be quicker than rationally possible, but I’m falling fast for that girl. And like I said, I’m not going anywhere.”
Carter nodded toward the door and snickered out loud. “Now I’m willing to bet money she’s sitting right inside that door, listening to every word we’ve said. And there’s only one of us that looks like an ass right now.”
Carter patted the door to the motorhome twice. “Goodnight, Gorgeous. See you at breakfast.” He turned back around. “It’s your call, Noland.”
As he walked past Brody, he gave him a hard pat on the back. “Night.”
~
Molly and Carter sat together the next morning, eating breakfast at a plastic table outside Brody’s utility trailer. Carter’s hand was on her thigh, lightly stroking her skin with his thumb as she drank her protein shake and happily chatted with him. She sneaked a look over at the man sitting so close. She could feel the heat radiating off his body and her heart skipped a beat—again. She might have to look into getting a medical device to keep it regulated, because, hot damn, the man was killing her.
Brody came trudging up from the motorhome and pulled up a chair beside them with Erin following close behind. “How in the hell can you drink that shit?” Brody said as he plopped down into the chair.
Well, apparently Brody was going for round two. Molly had seen him make an ass out of himself around guys before and it never bothered her. And if she had to be honest with herself, she was always thankful he ran interference for her. This time he was taking things to a whole new level. Somewhere along the way, he’d bypassed crazy on his way to flat out insane.
“Geez. Good morning to you, too. What?” Molly held up her bottle. “This tastes good. I really like the chocolate. The vanilla is nasty, but this one tastes fine.”
Popping the tab on his energy drink, Brody took a drink. “And you argue with me all the time on the modeling contracts.”
Damn. He’s just trying to start something. Molly blew out a breath, taking her bangs with it. “That’s because I’m no model,” she said through gritted teeth.
“Yeah, well, working out two to three hours a day and drinking that crap and living off that nasty grass shit you pass off as salad is what makes you a photographer’s wet dream.”
“Damn it, Brody,” she said in almost a snarl. “Don’t be so damn crude. That’s gross. Why do you always say that?” She took in the scowl and tempted the fates above. “Did you not sleep well or something? What’s wrong with you this morning?”
Brody almost growled. “Bite me.”
“That’s my line.”
Erin stood back up and held out a hand for Brody. “You want to go walk around for a little bit?”
Oh thank God. At least Erin was going to get him out of there. Molly smiled at her in appreciation. Erin rolled her eyes and shrugged. Molly knew that Erin thought Brody was out of line and was doing everything to help. She mouthed It’s okay, and winked as she pulled Brody’s arm, trying to tug him out of the chair.
“You sure you feel up to it?” Brody asked Erin as he looked up at her.
“Yeah, I just need some fresh air.”
Brody eyed Carter and Molly still sitting at the table. “You two stay out of trouble. That’s the last thing I need.”
They started to walk away and Molly hollered after them, “Hey, Dad, I’m not fifteen anymore.”
Erin turned back around to smile. “That’s exactly what he’s afraid of.”
When they disappeared around the corner, Molly lowered her head to her hands. She waited a few seconds before running her hand through her hair and turning to see the lop-sided grin of Carter beside her. He had no anger, no embarrassment. He seemed to be taking this all in stride.
“I’m sorry, Carter. I really am.”
“Don’t apologize, Molly. It’s not a big deal, I understand.”
“You shouldn’t have to understand. That’s my point. You shouldn’t have to put up this.”
“So, when are you practicing today?” Great. A subject change. Completely new to this guy thing, she couldn’t help but wonder what that meant. “George told me three.”
“The guys and I are going to come watch, if that’s okay?”
“Yeah, no biggie.”
“So, modeling huh?”
Molly rolled her eyes but stayed silent. She loved being on a bike, but she knew her skills, like her beauty, were fleeting. Someday she’d wake up and she would be the has been. Not a comforting feeling, but a real one nonetheless. In the meantime, she did the exhibitions and modeling to cash in on her name. She didn’t need the money now, so she tucked every penny away for the future. She hated the modeling, especially the shoots where she wasn’t covered from head-to-toe in gear, but they paid damn well. She had grown up on a track. She and Brody were homeschooled so they could travel. She hadn’t made it to college yet because she’d been too busy winning. So far as much as she hated to admit it, her pretty face along with her name in the sport were earning her much more than she ever could working nine-to-five in an office building somewhere.
“What? It’s no big deal. I’m just not a model, no biggie.”
Carter raised an eyebrow, completely serious. “You’ve got to be kidding, right? Have you looked in a mirror?”
&nbs
p; “Um, yeah.” It was the mirror that was her second biggest enemy these days. Her memory was her arch nemesis. I have muscles, whoopee. It was the scars that she couldn’t hide that floored her. A real model needed perfection and that was something she simply couldn’t give, no matter how well she controlled everything around her, to make her body perfect. The hours spent sweating in the gym, the miles she logged running, it would never be enough. She absentmindedly snaked a delicate hand up to her shoulder. “Yeah, that’s why I know I’m no model. I don’t like people staring at me. With an ad, it’s you on the paper that people are looking at. Put me in gear and I’m fine. Put me on my bike, even better. Anything less makes me cringe. Paycheck or no paycheck, I just don’t like it.”
“But Gorgeous, we all saw you last night, you’re beautiful.”
She looked at him as he hesitantly finished, her eyebrow slowly rising.
“What do you mean, you all saw me last night?”
“When you and I ran. Your workout clothes are….well.” It seemed as if he let the description hang open-ended on purpose.
“Well, normally no one is ever up when I workout. But it’s still different than when people are truly staring at you.”
“And you don’t think that every one of us wasn’t staring at you last night?” he asked, grinning nervously.
With blinding speed, her jaw dropped. “Like staring, staring? Eww!” She tried to cover herself up with her hands. “No, not until you just said that. You all are just…eww…a bunch of nasty boys.”
“Look at the bright side…you’re freaking hot.”
“Whatever.”
“You do know that, right?” His face and voice had turned sincere.
“Well, if your idea of hot looks like a boy, then okay.”
Carter turned to face her as they sat at the little plastic table. He squeezed her leg again and rubbed her arm with his other hand. He gave her a sweet smile. “You do not look like a boy, you’re ripped. I mean seriously, you’re muscular and toned from head to toe.”
“Yeah, and have no boobs. I’m not stupid, guys like big boobs.”
“You have no body fat on you. You’re not going to have big boobs, I know you know that.”
“Well still.”
“Well, I think you’re perfect, and you have an amazing body.”
She blushed and looked away.
“What are you so embarrassed for?”
She smiled nervously. “I don’t know. It’s just…it’s just. I don’t know. Having a guy talk about me like that is embarrassing.”
“I think it’s sweet that you are so shy with this, but please…” He pulled her chin toward him with his finger. “Please don’t be embarrassed with me, okay?”
“I’ll try,” she said very quietly.
“Molly?”
“Yeah.” She looked back down.
“Molly?” She wasn’t going to look at him, so he did it for her. Putting his finger back under her chin again, he brought her face to his.
She could feel the fire in her cheeks; it tingled all the way down her neck to her chest. The conversation had hit that awkward point. She wanted nothing more than to run for the comfort of her motorhome, to shy away from the embarrassment. But the love in his face kept her rooted where she sat. She whispered before he could ask flat out, “I know what you’re going to ask.”
“Oh, yeah?” he said softly.
She shut her eyes. “The answer is no.”
“Really?”
“No, never.” She tried to look down again, but his fingers wouldn’t let her. She finally opened her eyes to look at him. “So…now what?” she asked quietly.
Wow. She’s all mine. Absorbed in his own thoughts and wanting to scream out that this beauty was his, he finally blinked. When he did, her face broke his heart. As hard as she tried, she couldn’t mask the embarrassment and hesitation. Ashamed at his own selfishness, Carter smiled lovingly at her then leaned in to kiss her softly on the lips. Here he was, wanting to celebrate, and she was ready for him to drop her like yesterday’s news. He kissed her again, trying to apologize.
“I think that’s amazing,” he answered quietly.
“Amazing that I’ve never been with a guy and I don’t know what I’m doing? And you might have to be with me for a long time before I’m ready to have sex with you?”
His heart raced, thinking her first time might be with him that she might find him worthy. “Well Gorgeous, you’ve known exactly what to do so far. And you’re worth waiting for. As long as you want, I’m not going anywhere. Honestly, I think it’s amazing that I won’t have to share that part of you with anyone before me.” He gave her a small smile, trying to be calm when all he wanted to do was jump up and down with his fist in the air.
“Every time I look in your eyes, my heart stops for a second. You have the bluest eyes I’ve ever seen and a truly spectacular body, and…” He ran his fingers through her hair, letting the sheet of gold fall. “I just want to hold you and not ever let go.”
She bit her bottom lip. “And when you do that lip thing you do, it about drives me insane. I know you do it when you’re nervous, but it is so sexy.”
Molly’s eyebrows furrowed.
“You don’t get it do you? You aren’t even trying to be sexy and you are. How can you not have had guys beating down your door?”
She shrugged and a tiny grin escaped. “Have you met Brody? Then wait until you meet James. You’ll know why.”
“Thanks for the warning.” Carter winked at her.
Damn, those ice blue eyes were beautiful. But it was that lop-sided grin that allowed her to be able to bare her soul. When he smiled, it graced his whole face and she could feel herself melt a little more each time. She pushed her nerves aside and continued.
“I’ve never really been looking for someone. I’ve been busy. I practically live on the road and I’ve met thousands of people over the years. But that’s not how you find someone special when most of your conversations are ten words or less. I know I’m really old to be a virgin,” she shrugged as she said it, embarrassed, but wanting to be open with him. “And I haven’t really had some big plan to wait until I am married to be with a man, but I wanted to at least be in love with him.”
She risked a look back at his face. She didn’t want to scare him off with plans of forever. I’m not hinting, I promise. “For some reason, I just kind of thought that when the time was right, the right guy would just show up. Sounds so…storybook, huh?” She huffed out a breath.
“Kind of like a prince, huh?”
“Or like a knight in shining armor?” She smiled sweetly at him.
Carter continued to rub her leg. “I have to tell you…I kind of already knew.”
“Knew?” She paused. “Oh. How?” Molly could feel her face warm, but she was interested in his answer, so she made herself keep eye contact.
“You made some comments last night that I picked up on. And at the track last night, I could tell.”
“Tell how?”
“You’re just…”
“Just what?”
“Just timid when we touch…and kiss…or when I talk about your body. And I realized that I spooked you a few times with jokes and comments, which, sweetheart, I’m so sorry.”
Molly turned redder. “Is that a bad thing?”
“No, of course not. I think it’s very sweet. I can just tell you’re a bit shy and pretty nervous. Just like a second ago when I started to ask if you’ve ever been with anyone. I was pretty sure you hadn’t, but you could hardly look me in the eye.”
This was the part of the conversation that was going to put her all in. She blew out a breath and went for broke. She normally played her cards close, but not when hearts were on the line. “And that is exactly why guys don’t come around. They know they’re not going to get what they’re looking for, so they don’t even bother. At home I’ve got a pretty good reputation for being cold when it comes to men and dating. You add Brody and James in to the mi
x, and well, guys quit trying…which is fine. I’m not looking for a good time, Carter. I want more. I just want to be honest with you up front. I don’t want to scare you off, but…” She shook her head.
She didn’t know where her sudden bravery came from, but it all tumbled out. Molly knew her heart would hurt if he walked away, but she just couldn’t invest more time without the truth. Every hour, every minute she was with him she got more and more attached. She just hoped that there was someone out there that could make her heart race like he did, because up until now, it had never happened. “But I don’t want you thinking I’ve changed things on you. If you don’t want to do serious, that’s fine. But I’m not—”
He interrupted her with a scorching kiss before she got the threat out. With her face still cupped in his hands, he murmured, “Shh. Gorgeous, it’s okay. Trust me, that is attractive to some guys, to me. I don’t want one of those ‘in your face, hang on you women’ that tend to follow some of the guys around. That’s not me. I’m excited that you’re not in this just for the weekend and a good time. I want more too, Molly. I told you yesterday, I knew it the second we met. When I looked in your eyes, I knew. You’re the one for me, I mean it. I don’t play games and I’m not feeding you lines to get you in bed.”
With his finger under her chin again, he pulled her face closer, looking into her eyes. She knew he was pleading with her to believe in him. “Do you trust me?” He paused. “Do you believe me?”
The relieved breath she let out was audible. “Yeah, I can’t explain it, but I do.”
Chapter Six
“What do mean, you are going?”
Molly crossed her arms and lifted her chin in defiance. This was definitely one of those times when it sucked Brody was so much taller than her. All he had to do was look down at her and she felt like a child again. Humph. Well not this time.
