Page 75 of Expose on the Ice

LILY

I wake to the gentle caress of sunlight on my face, feeling warm and safe in Carter’s arms. For a moment, I let myself bask in the contentment of being here with him, my head tucked against his chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat.

Nevertheless, reality creeps in, bringing with it a wave of anxiety that threatens to shatter our peaceful bubble. The events of yesterday come rushing back – Tank’s confession, the impending reveal of Carter’s past, the likely end of my career. I tense, my fingers curling against Carter’s skin.

"Hey," Carter murmurs, his voice husky with sleep. "Are you okay?"

I tilt my head to look at him. "Just thinking about... everything."

He nods, his arms tightening around me. "Yeah, me too."

We lay there in silence for a moment, the weight of what we know is coming hitting both of us, and what has changed between us, hanging heavy. Finally, I can’t take it anymore. I prop myself up on an elbow, meeting Carter’s gaze.

"So... we’re really doing this?" I ask, my voice barely above a whisper. "Us, I mean."

Carter’s hand comes up to cup my cheek. "Yeah, we are," he says, his voice firm. "If you’d like to."

I lean into his touch, closing my eyes briefly. "I do. God, Carter, I really do. It’s just..."

"Scary as hell?" he finishes for me, a wry smile tugging at his lips. "Exciting as hell?"

I nod, letting out a shaky laugh. "Exactly. I mean, we don’t even know what’s going to happen today. The story... my job...yourjob... And yet..."

"And yet here we are," Carter says softly. "In our own little world, oblivious to everything outside it, and none of it matters a damn, Lily."

"Here we are," I echo, marveling at the truth of it. Despite everything, despite all the reasons we shouldn’t work, we’ve found our way to each other.

Carter sits up, pulling me with him until we’re face to face. "Listen, Lily," he says, his eyes intense. "I meant what I said last night. I love you. And whatever shitstorm is coming our way, we’ll face it together."

My heart swells at his words, and I can’t help the smile that spreads across my face. "I love you too," I say, the words coming easily now. "And you’re right. Together."

CARTER

The hot water cascades over my body as I step into the shower. Lily follows, her form sending a jolt of desire through me despite our marathon session last night. She presses against me, and I can’t help but pull her closer.

She laughs, the sound light and carefree. "Again? Aren’t you tired?"

I grin, my hands sliding down. "Nope."

We kiss, slow and deep, the water running over us. I feel her smile against my lips as she reaches down to gently caress me for a moment.

"Down, boy," she teases, reaching for the shampoo. "We’ve got work to do."

I groan but let her go, watching as she lathers up her hair. Even doing something as mundane as washing her hair, she’s gorgeous. I can’t believe how quickly things have changed between us, how natural it feels.

"So," I say, reaching for my shampoo and squeezing some into my palm, "what’s the game plan today?"

Lily’s expression turns serious, though her hands never stop moving through her hair. Finally, she sighs. "I need to confront Frank."

I nod, working the shampoo into my scalp. "And I’ve got to meet with team management and get ahead of this before it blows up even more."

"Carter," Lily says softly, her eyes meeting mine. "I’m so sorry about all of this. If I hadn’t started digging and?—

I cut her off, pulling her close again. "Hey, none of that. This isn’t your fault, Lil. You didn’t write that story."

She nods against my chest, her wet hair tickling my skin. "I know, but?—

"No buts," I say firmly.

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