Page 24 of Guarded Hearts

She reached out to him. “Carson…I’m…I’m sorry. I never received a single letter.”

He stared at her. “How can that be?”

Dazed, she stared back. “There’s only one answer: someone intercepted them.”

She climbed out of bed, scooping up her discarded clothes. Without a backward glance, she left the guest room and slipped into her own.

After donning a bathrobe, she went in search of Faye. She found her in the kitchen, up to her elbows in bread dough.

The fact that her housekeeper was making bread—a carb that Layne didn’t eat—didn’t escape her notice.

Faye looked up. Whatever she saw on Layne’s face pinched her lips. She abandoned her dough and rushed to wipe her hands on a dishtowel.

“What happened, honey? Did you receive more texts from…”

Layne’s heart tumbled at the reminder. She shook her head. “Faye, you’ve been with me forever. What do you know about letters that Carson sent me?” Her wide eyes made Layne’s stomach bottom out. “Youdoknow something.”

She gave her a nod. “Come with me.”

Just when Layne didn’t think she could handle another shock in her life, she received another when she followed Faye into her private quarters and the woman produced a huge cardboard box.

Filled with bundles of letters.

Chapter Six

The bathroom fogged with steam, but it was nothing compared to the fog in Carson’s head.

Standing directly under the hot spray of the shower, he gathered his scattered wits. That wasn’t easy when they’d been flung to the four corners of the earth by a beautiful little vixen who’d rocked his goddamn world.

He blamed the miniskirt. If she’d been wearing pants, she never would have been able to wiggle out of her panties and toss them at him.

He dragged in a deep breath and focused on releasing it slowly. The calming technique the military vets used in the Black Heart Lodge didn’t work at all.

Bracing a hand on the wall, he bowed his head, letting the water sluice over his neck and shoulders.

What happened between them was the result of pure carnal lust.

Instead of right or wrong, it was right or fuck. There were no losers, only winners. At least in the game of pleasure.

His cock was still half stiff, his balls throbbing again at the thought of her sweet pussy squeezing his length.

Sex between them was good…but there was so much baggage.

He raised his head, letting the water wash over his face. He always wanted to be with Layne again, but this was different. Their past encounters were filled with awkward tenderness and love.

This was passion…and rage.

They’d hurt each other. He believed she ignored his attempts to contact her, had walked out on him.

She never received any of his letters. No wonder she was so fucking mad.

Touching her again, being inside her, left him with endless questions. Most of them felt like trash heaped inside the dumpster of his mind, useless and covered in filth.

It was too late for them. He was too dark. Too different. Now they didn’t have a chance.

Maybe staying on this case was impossible. Being in close proximity to Layne kept him straddling the edge between desire and anger every single moment. If he stayed here at Golden Horizon with her, chances were he’d drag her into his bed again.

And again.

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