us, I’m sure I see his ears move, like he’s smiling, maybe. But why would he be smiling?
“Good morning, Iris,” he says with a gravelly tone. He stands and wipes his hands on his jeans while he turns around to greet Meg as well. When he sees her, he looks stunned for just the briefest of moments before gathering his wits again.
I’m not surprised, she’s beautiful.
“Carter Blackwell,” he says, extending his hand out. His smile is easy now, like one of those country singers who’s about to whisk her off her feet and into his bedroom. Or kitchen counter, maybe.
His eyes slide to mine and I panic. Did I say that out loud? Did he hear that? I really hope he didn’t hear that. I’m trapped in his gaze and I want to escape but I don’t know what to do. Look away? Run?
I’m about to do just that when he winks. And I am baffled. What was that for?
“You two know each other?” Meg asks with a slow draw.
“Oh we’re great friends, Iris and I.” Carter’s smile is wry with evil lurking around it. He knows we’re not friends and I’m quick to diffuse him.
“No we’re not.” I give my friend a reassuring shake of my head. Being friends with men leads to being more than friends, which leads to more serious things and then the next thing I know, I’m being controlled again.
Not going to happen. “He’s just flipping a house across the street.”
“Oh really?” he says. “What was last night then?”
This comment, the way he says it, and I’m sure he did this on purpose, is very misleading and it throws Meg into full blown gossip monger mode.
“Do tell,” she says in her mocking sexy voice and a cock of her eyebrow.
“It’s—” I choke trying to explain. “Nothing.” I laugh and it comes out as more of a cracked meow. I clear it out. “Really.”
“Oh, she played me like a pro.” Carter leans in. He’s telling her a secret. One he ensures I can hear as well. “I’m lucky to have all my parts this morning, if you know what I mean.”
He nudges Meg and winks at her. I can only watch in horror as the two of them joke. It’s not until Meg slaps my arm that I realize, my mouth is hanging open. What is it with this man?
“We…” I huff. My lids blink so fast, the two of them look as though they’re moving in slow motion, now. “He showed up out of nowhere and--”
“I thought you were playing cards with the bitch squad last night.” Meg’s perfectly shaped eyebrows pull together and she waits for me to explain the unexplainable.
“Right, wait, no, Meg, they’re not bitches, but yes, cards, that’s all. We just,” I breathe. “Played cards.”
“That’s what I said.” Carter taps his lips gently with his index finger before pointing at Meg. “What did you think I meant?”
She shrugs and doesn’t think twice about eying the full length of Carter’s body, head to toe and back again, before turning her attention to me once more.
“Why are you blushing?”
“I’m not, I--”
She ignores me. “You know we could really use you to help out with some other things for the carnival Carter. Interested?”
I grab his arm and make a play at Meg’s own game. Playful.
“Oh, he’s . . . busy, Meg. Aren’t you Carter? Don’t bother the man, he’s probably got ten thousand things to do with that house he’s flipping. I’m sure he’s not interested in our silly carnival.”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa,” he interrupts. “Why am I not interested, exactly?”
“Well,” I give a small laugh. “you’ve got . . .”
I glance over toward Meg for help but she’s got nothing. And look ways too entertained by this conversation to think of anything either.
“Actually,” Carter begins.
I hadn’t expected him to disagree with me and quite frankly, it makes me twitchy. I mean, doesn’t he have a freaking house to flip here? Or not? I look up at him. His eyes are dark and full of something other than playful right now. He rubs at the stubble around his jaw.
“Good morning, Iris,” he says with a gravelly tone. He stands and wipes his hands on his jeans while he turns around to greet Meg as well. When he sees her, he looks stunned for just the briefest of moments before gathering his wits again.
I’m not surprised, she’s beautiful.
“Carter Blackwell,” he says, extending his hand out. His smile is easy now, like one of those country singers who’s about to whisk her off her feet and into his bedroom. Or kitchen counter, maybe.
His eyes slide to mine and I panic. Did I say that out loud? Did he hear that? I really hope he didn’t hear that. I’m trapped in his gaze and I want to escape but I don’t know what to do. Look away? Run?
I’m about to do just that when he winks. And I am baffled. What was that for?
“You two know each other?” Meg asks with a slow draw.
“Oh we’re great friends, Iris and I.” Carter’s smile is wry with evil lurking around it. He knows we’re not friends and I’m quick to diffuse him.
“No we’re not.” I give my friend a reassuring shake of my head. Being friends with men leads to being more than friends, which leads to more serious things and then the next thing I know, I’m being controlled again.
Not going to happen. “He’s just flipping a house across the street.”
“Oh really?” he says. “What was last night then?”
This comment, the way he says it, and I’m sure he did this on purpose, is very misleading and it throws Meg into full blown gossip monger mode.
“Do tell,” she says in her mocking sexy voice and a cock of her eyebrow.
“It’s—” I choke trying to explain. “Nothing.” I laugh and it comes out as more of a cracked meow. I clear it out. “Really.”
“Oh, she played me like a pro.” Carter leans in. He’s telling her a secret. One he ensures I can hear as well. “I’m lucky to have all my parts this morning, if you know what I mean.”
He nudges Meg and winks at her. I can only watch in horror as the two of them joke. It’s not until Meg slaps my arm that I realize, my mouth is hanging open. What is it with this man?
“We…” I huff. My lids blink so fast, the two of them look as though they’re moving in slow motion, now. “He showed up out of nowhere and--”
“I thought you were playing cards with the bitch squad last night.” Meg’s perfectly shaped eyebrows pull together and she waits for me to explain the unexplainable.
“Right, wait, no, Meg, they’re not bitches, but yes, cards, that’s all. We just,” I breathe. “Played cards.”
“That’s what I said.” Carter taps his lips gently with his index finger before pointing at Meg. “What did you think I meant?”
She shrugs and doesn’t think twice about eying the full length of Carter’s body, head to toe and back again, before turning her attention to me once more.
“Why are you blushing?”
“I’m not, I--”
She ignores me. “You know we could really use you to help out with some other things for the carnival Carter. Interested?”
I grab his arm and make a play at Meg’s own game. Playful.
“Oh, he’s . . . busy, Meg. Aren’t you Carter? Don’t bother the man, he’s probably got ten thousand things to do with that house he’s flipping. I’m sure he’s not interested in our silly carnival.”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa,” he interrupts. “Why am I not interested, exactly?”
“Well,” I give a small laugh. “you’ve got . . .”
I glance over toward Meg for help but she’s got nothing. And look ways too entertained by this conversation to think of anything either.
“Actually,” Carter begins.
I hadn’t expected him to disagree with me and quite frankly, it makes me twitchy. I mean, doesn’t he have a freaking house to flip here? Or not? I look up at him. His eyes are dark and full of something other than playful right now. He rubs at the stubble around his jaw.
Similar Books
