Page 40 of Now and Forever
"Son of a bitch," Carter grumbled, kneeling down next to her.
"No wait!" she cried as he guided her foot to his bent knee.
Gently Carter examined her foot along with a woman who stopped at the commotion. Soon there were three people looking at it explaining the shard wasn't too deep but she did need to see a doctor.
Holding her breath, Golden bit her lip at the sharp pain that shot through her foot as Carter removed the glass. Using a towel someone gave her, they wrapped her foot up.
Golden thanked everyone as Carter took her bag from her shoulder and put it on his. Standing in front of her he turned and bent down. "Okay, get on."
For a second she just stared at his back before it Rayed on her. He wanted her to piggyback. Golden shook her head and tried to hop backward but realized she wouldn't get far. "I can just lean on you -" she began, but Carter gave her a look over his shoulder and pointed across the remainder of the long beach to the blazing hot parking lot ahead.
"You really want to try and hop that far?"
He was right. She was already sweating and her foot stung like hell.
After carrying her from the beach to his car, Carter drove her to the nearest urgent center while she shot off a few texts to Lydia explaining why she left. Thankfully the nurse on duty informed Golden she wouldn't need stitches. With her foot cleaned and bandaged, Golden allowed Carter to take her back to her house.
"Carter, you can put me down!" she cried from the top of his head. He had insisted on piggybacking her from the car to her front door.
Standing with her on her porch, Carter showed no signs of letting go of her legs. "But what if you get your bandage dirty? You only have the damaged flip-flop to wear and it still might have glass in the foam."
The urge to yank a handful of his hair was overpowering. "You just want to come inside!" She knew the moment he crossed that threshold it would be hell to get him out.
Carter turned his head and gave her a mischievous smile. "That you're not wrong on, darlin’. Now give me the keys."
Chapter eighteen
A familiar ring punctured her sleeping mind, making Golden open her eyes with a groan. For a second, she just stared up at the softly illuminated ceiling trying to get her bearings. A soft blue light was cast around the dark room and she realized it was from her phone. Her phone was ringing.
Groggily she reached for it and frowned at the late hour. Seeing the icon on the screen her frown deepened. Gaige? Golden stared at Gaige's picture on her phone. It was a picture of him standing in her empty apartment in New York looking at her from over his shoulder.
Tired and a little uncoordinated, she swiped the accept icon and answered with a sleepy voice. "Hello?"
"Just what in the hell are you doing?" Gaige's angry voice was wide awake. What time was it in New York? Was it not equally late there?
"What?" Golden groaned as she propped herself against the metal headboard and squinted into the darkness as she tried to make sense of him. "What are you-"
Gaige cut her off. "I log on to see your social media feed filled with pictures of you and Lydia Harper at the beach. You're wearing a lime-green bikini. I scroll past and what do I see? Carter fucking Serrano posting not only a picture with you and him smiling-"
"Me, him, and Lydia," she pointed out, but Gaige went on as if he hadn't heard her.
“But another picture of your huge ass bed with a familiar lime green bikini sitting on top," he growled. "So, what the hell is going on?"
Golden groaned, inwardly cursing Carter. For five full minutes, while she changed in the bathroom, he remarked on the size of the bed, calling it an art structure more than a bed. When she got out, she tossed the bikini onto the bed; she had no idea the little shit took a photo of the scene.
"It's nothing like that,” she yawned into the darkness. “I just hurt my foot and-"
"Let's be straight with one another," he said stonily. Golden could just imagine Gaige’s handsome face staring down at her, pinning her to the spot. "Are you trying to fuck my dad or not?"
All the sleep vanished from her system and Golden sat straight up. "What -"
Gaige didn't give her a chance to finish. "You've wanted him for years. You're finally working with him. This is your goddamn opportunity but all I see you doing is fumbling the ball with Carter fucking Serrano of all people."
Outraged her heart hammered in her chest. "I'm not doing anything and my relationship with Grayson is nothing like that."
"I swear you two are like children," he muttered. "Could you just take the next step, dammit? Just a little initiative, that's all I'm asking for. Kiss him, put his hand on your boob, just do -"
Golden jammed her finger against the red icon and tossed it onto the covers in front of her. Flopping back down onto her pillows, she draped an arm across her forehead.
