Page 67 of Fall to Me
“I wanted to see my wife.”
Oh. My cheeks hurt from smiling so hard. He grabs the glass paperweight globe from my desk and sits down in the chair across from me, twirling it around in his hand. That will be another thing to add to my list of reminders of him.
“What did you want to see me about?”
He tosses the paperweight up in the air, catching it each time without ever taking his eyes off me. That thing is going to drop right on his head if he’s not careful.
I stand up, taking the globe out of his hand, and set it on my desk. “Stop. You’re gonna hurt yourself.”
Threading his bottom lip between his teeth, he asks, “Can I maybe take you out to dinner tonight or buy you a drink?”
“Carter Graham, are you asking me out on a date?” I laugh, leaning against my desk and crossing my arms.
He leans forward and grabs my hips with both hands, pulling me toward him. Resting his head against my shoulder, he wraps his arms around me, pressing his fingertips into my back. I take off his cap and run my fingers through his hair.
“We've done this whole thing backwards,” he mumbles against my shoulder, then leans back to look at me. “But I would still like to take you on a proper date. So, what’s it gonna be, Kitten? You running from me or to me this time?”
“Always to you.”
“Fucking finally,” he breathes, taking my hand in his and standing to leave just as the alarm goes off on my phone.
I round my desk and silence it as I glance at the screen. “Shit! I have to go. I have a meeting in five minutes.”
As he leaves, I gather my things to take to the conference room. Carter peeks his head back into my office. “I almost forgot, be ready by six.”
I’ll be ready, alright. Though I would’ve never admitted it before, I think I’ve been waiting as long as he has.
Twenty-Two
River
Standing at the sink in the kitchen, I fiddle with the pill package, my nails scraping uselessly against the corner before I finally peel it back. The white pill drops into my palm, and I stare at it for a second before I hear the door open. I smile to myself, warmth blooming throughout my chest knowing Carter is here to pick me up for our date. The man has the patience of a saint to have waited this long. And it’s a good thing he does because he’s gonna have to wait a little bit longer. I just walked through the door, and I’m not ready yet.
Filling my glass with water from the tap, I call out with a smirk, “I had to go buy a Plan B pill because your no-pulling-out-ass is obviously trying to knock me up. By the way, I called to get on birth control, so condoms for the next couple months.”
“Rivie?”
It’s one word. One single word. And it makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up on end. The pill slips from my palm.The glass crashes to the ground and water spills all over my feet. I whip around, all the blood rushing to my head.
“What are you doing here? You need to leave.”
Jaxon leans back against the countertop, with his arms folded against his chest.
“I’ve tried calling, but you don’t answer. I’ve tried texting too, but they go unread.”
“Because I blocked your number, Jax. Now, leave.”
My feet shift as I try to map out an escape. I have nowhere to go. He takes a step closer, and my ass presses harder against the counter.
Carter will be here any minute. Maybe if I keep talking . . .
“How did you get in here?”
“I have my ways.”
I lift my hand, swiping the hair back from my face. His eyes narrow in on my wedding ring, and he closes the distance, his face red with anger. His eyes dilate and turn completely black. I see it coming and dash to the left, but he grabs my hair and violently jerks me back.
“I heard you got remarried, but I wanted to see it with my own eyes and hear it from your whore mouth.”
