The Undercover Playboy (Captured by Love Book 3) by Miranda P. Charles Page B

off these stupidfeelings?
    She held her head in her hands as she tried to concentrate on the document she was studying. But the words and numbers wouldn’t register. Her heart was pumping too fast, and every beat stirred hurt and regret, bringing them to the surface—along with her yearning for Carter.
    She’d dreamt about him again last night. Her same horny dream. Only this time, Carter had stared at her withsuch love and tenderness while he’d made love to her. When she’d awoken, that magical feeling had swiftly dissipated, replaced by the harsh truth that it wasn’t real.
    She’d cried, a lot, and mourned the love that never was and never would be.
    Her eyes pooled at the memory. Oh, no.
    She stood up, needing to escape. In her haste, she hit Carter with the steel legs of her chair. “Oh, I’m sorry.”

    “No worries, it didn’t hurt,” he said with a grin, which quickly disappeared when he looked at her face. “Cassie...”
    “I need to go to the bathroom.”
    She stayed away for a long time until she was sure that Carter was done working in her office.
    *****
    “ I need to go to my mum’s tonight, Cass,” Natasha said.
    “Is everything okay?” Cassie asked as she stirred her bolognese sauce in the pan.
    “Yes.She just needs my help with something. I was so looking forward to your spaghetti, but I won’t be joining you for dinner.”
    “No worries. There’ll be plenty left over.”
    “Great. I’ll see you later tonight—or maybe tomorrow, depending on how late my mum keeps me.”
    “Okay. Say hello to your parents for me.”
    “I will. Bye!”
    Cassie breathed a sigh of gratitude. She was glad to be alone. She didn’tfeel like talking to anyone, not even her best friends. And while Natasha was a great, supportive buddy, she was still Carter’s sister.
    She mixed some sauce and cooked spaghetti in a bowl and went to sit on the couch in front of the TV. She flicked the channels, searching for a comedy show or something light that would help alleviate the heavy sadness that sat in her chest like a rock.
    She hearda knock. Ah, Natasha must have left her keys.
    She placed her bowl on the coffee table and went to answer the door. Her heart jumped. “Oh, it’s you.”
    “Don’t you even check who it is before you open the door?” Carter asked with a frown, hands on hips.
    “I thought you were Tash,” she said dryly.
    “She would have let herself in.”
    “I thought she left her keys.”
    “It could have been a robber wantingto tie you up,” Carter said with a shake of his head as he walked into the apartment.
    She rolled her eyes. “This is a safe building. And I assume you only got in because you bumped into Tash downstairs.”
    “No. Someone else was going out so I slipped in. Anyone else can do what I just did.” His expression changed. “Mmm. Something smells good. Is there some more?” he asked, eyeing her bowl of pasta.

    She stared at him in dismay. He meant to hang around? Why was he even here? “Do you know that Tash went to your parents’?”
    “Uh-huh.”
    “Shouldn’t you join them?”
    “No.”
    “Today is Tuesday.”
    “Yup.”
    “You usually join us for dinner on Thursdays.”
    Carter faced her. “I wanted to see you.”
    She let out a heavy sigh.
    “Yes,” Carter said.
    “What?”
    “To your suggestion last night. Yes.”
    She lookeddown on the ground, tears springing to her eyes. This was worse than his rejection yesterday. “No, Carter.”
    “Cassie—”
    She smiled at him mirthlessly. “You’re sweet, Carter. But I don’t want a pity fuck.”
    His jaw dropped. “A pity fuck? You think I’m here for a pity fuck?” he asked incredulously.
    She smirked. Why else would he have changed his mind? He’d just felt guilty after seeing her tearyearlier today.
    Carter approached her. “I’m not here out of pity,” he said in a low voice.
    She took a couple of steps back. He was getting too close for comfort. And why was he looking at her like