Series: Fever Falls Series by Riley Hart
Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 92704 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 464(@200wpm)___ 371(@250wpm)___ 309(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92704 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 464(@200wpm)___ 371(@250wpm)___ 309(@300wpm)
“You wish,” I replied as I went to the window to look out.
“Duh,” he replied, and I closed my eyes, ignoring him. “And you should too. You have no idea the things this ass can do.”
“You’re relentless.”
“Nothing wrong with being determined. Plus, I like getting under your skin.”
Which he was obviously good at. Why was he so good at it?
“And I think you like it.”
“Wrong,” I replied. It was different than it had been with Julian, though. While I always felt like Julian was quietly making fun of me, I didn’t with Carter.
“Then tell me,” he said. I looked over as he rolled onto his back, head on my pillow, with his arms bent and his hands behind his head. “Tell me you don’t like it when I give you shit…when I flirt with you.”
Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck. I didn’t like it…I didn’t. Why the fuck did I sort of like it? “I don’t like it,” I told him.
“You don’t like what, Saw? It doesn’t count if you don’t tell me what you don’t like.”
I had no idea why I was considering placating him, but then, maybe I did. Maybe I needed to say it out loud so I could make myself believe it too. “I don’t like it when you give me shit.”
“And?” He batted his eyes playfully, confidently.
My pulse was slamming like crazy, and my head felt like it was full of cotton. There was that voice inside me that wanted me to retreat into myself, to ignore him and avoid all this, but then…there was something else in there too. This part of me that Carter seemed to bring out, one that I often stamped down. The part of me that did like it when Carter got under my skin…the one that wanted to shake things up, wanted him to be left speechless or shocked at my reply.
I felt like he always had the upper hand, and fuck if I didn’t suddenly want it.
“Fine. I like it when you give me shit, and who doesn’t like to be flirted with?”
Carter jerked up to sitting, those expressive brown eyes wide and pinned on me…and I trembled, fuck if I didn’t tremble as he looked at me.
“Cat got your tongue?” I asked and hoped my voice didn’t shake. No one else got to me like this. I didn’t even know where it came from, but something about fucking Carter James made me act different.
“Oh, sugar. You have no idea what you just did.” He shook his chocolate-brown hair off his forehead, stood, and walked over to me. “That was so…simple, but something about you gets me hot.”
Oh fuck. Mayday! Mayday! What in the hell did I say now? I didn’t know how to do this. I didn’t want to do this…but I started it, didn’t I? So I fought every instinct inside me not to take a step backward. I just looked at him and shrugged. “Sorry about your luck.” Was that the right thing to say? Why the fuck did I start this shit?
He grinned. “This is going to be so fun.”
“If you say so. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to take a shower and then lie in that big, comfy bed all by myself.” Ooh, maybe I could do this. Maybe I could flirt with him so it was more on my terms instead of always on his.
“You sure you don’t want me to join you?” Carter leaned in, his mouth close to my ear. “I’ll be good and do what you say.”
Oh fuck. Damned if my dick didn’t plump up. Do what I said? No one did what I said when I had sex. That wasn’t my role. I was always the one following orders.
Why the fuck did it sound so hot to be on the other side of it, and why had I never realized that before?
I cleared my throat. “Um…no… I…”
Carter dropped his head back and laughed, which immediately made me pissed again.
“Seriously, Carter, give me some space.”
“Your wish is my command, Serious Sawyer. And if you need me, I’ll be in the room next to yours. I won’t be far.”
With a wave over his shoulder and a sexy shake of his ass, Carter walked out.
What in the hell was I doing? I’d just upped the ante, and I had no idea how to compete with him.
I only had to make it until the next day. Once Cam and the others got here, it would be easier.
But nope, things got worse when Cam’s phone call woke me up the next morning. “Hey, Baby Burke. How’s it going?”
“Good. I can’t believe I slept in so late. Are you guys on your way here?”
Cam was quiet for a moment, then said, “So I’m guessing you haven’t looked outside? That blizzard was gnarly shit. We’re at the airport, but there’s no way we’re getting out of here. We can’t get to the resort. I’m not sure when we’ll be able to.”