Page 23 of Instant Bond

“Did you go out with him or not?”

Again, he took a few moments to compose his voice before answering me. I suddenly remembered my initial impression of him at the café, how I’d thought if I had a boss like that who yelled at me I would have been scared shitless.

“No, I did notgo outwith him or anyone else.” He said between clenched teeth, his chest still rising and falling with the effort of his deep breaths. “I don’t know what I need to say or do to prove that to you, but I’m willing to do whatever you require.”

“If you didn’t go out with him, and you aren’t interested in him, then why are you holding his hand?” I was afraid. Afraid of the answer he would give me, afraid of his anger. But no matter what I’d discovered about him, I didn’t think he would take it out on me. I just hated being the source of his fury.

“I am not holding his hand. I would never hold Lucas Caldwell’s hand.” He loaded up the article like I had, and clicked the photo so he could zoom in. Pinching the screen over and over until only their hands were in view, he handed the phone back to me.

With the extreme close-up, I could suddenly see that they weren’t really holding hands. More like the model guy was holdinghishand. More like his wrist, really.

I didn’t know what to say. Embarrassment throbbed through me, bathing my skin in burning heat. I wanted to die. But the weight in my chest, the one that felt like it had cracked through my ribs to pulverize my heart, was lifting. It was a heady, dizzying feeling. Then the anticipation that Karter would react badly to my assumption joined in, and I was pretty close to just passing out from overstimulation.

“I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have accused you.” My words stuck in my throat, like I could barely force them out.

“No, I’m sorry that you had to see that. I can understand why you reacted how you did, but…” He moved closer to me, erasing the space I’d created when I’d pulled back from him. When he reached around me, pulling me to his chest, I didn’t struggle against it. Things should have been more weird between us, but maybe he felt the same way I did. He didn’t want to be the source of my unhappiness. “Next time something leads you to believethat I would betray you or do anything to hurt you, please come to me first. I promise there will be an explanation.”

“I swear I will. I feel stupid, but…” I trailed off, unsure if I should even even express my next thought.

“But?” He prompted me.

“It’s just that… Are you sure there’s a point to really starting something with me?”

“What makes you doubtful?” His teeth were no longer clenched together, and he didn’t sound as angry. Because I didn’t want to see his face while I said my next words, I curled into his body more, pressing my face into his shoulder.

“Well, you’re 33, right?”

“And?”

“If you wanted kids, you’d have them by now, right?”

“Not necessarily,” he corrected me. “I wouldn’t consider having children without meeting the right person. That’s always been my mindset on it.”

“I just don’t want to force you into something you don’t really want.”

“There’s nothing about you I don’t want, Cameron.” He pulled me back, forcing me to stare into his eyes. “Don’t make assumptions that keep you from getting closer to me. Give this a fair chance.”

The intensity of his gaze sent a shiver creeping through me, from the top of my head down to the tips of my toes. It was like everything about him, from his voice to his eyes to the way he held me tightly but without using force, had been created just for me. So that he was exactly everything that I wanted. How could I have been so willing to throw all of that away over one stupid picture, without even talking to him about it first?

“Okay. Let’s just forget about all of this. Please,” I begged. I didn’t want to remember the despair I’d felt, anyway. And Ididn’t want him to suddenly decide that someone so flighty and indecisive wasn’t worth pursuing.

“We’ll forget it,” he assured me. “You don’t need to worry about the person in this picture. I’m going to make sure you never have to see or hear about anything like this ever again. Trust me.”

“I do. I trust you. I’m sorry for doubting you. You’ve been way too good to me for me to just accuse you of anything.”

“You saw a very convincing picture of me with someone else, Cameron. I think anyone would have reacted the way you did. There’s no need for guilt. I won’t hold it against you.”

“Okay. Forgetting it. Never bringing it up again,” I said, holding up three fingers like a boy scout. His smile took forever to spread across his face, like waiting for a sunset.

“I have to go now, because Ty’s going to be here any minute. I’m getting on a plane, and by the time I land you’ll already be asleep. But once I’m finished with everything they need me for tomorrow, I’ll make sure we have a chance to talk on the phone. I don’t want you to have any insecurities in regards to how I feel.”

“Okay. That sounds really good.” I didn’t usually like talking on the phone, but if it was to Karter I’d take anything I could get. “Um, can we still kiss?”

He chuckled lowly, pulling me in to appease me.

By the time his car pulled out, the daycare directors pulled up to the spot he’d been in less than a minute later. Wonderful timing.

Ty scrambled out of the backseat as I walked up to their car, waving around a decorated piece of construction paper. The woman in the driver’s seat gave me a friendly wave as I approached.

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