A Pound of Flesh (A Pound of Flesh #1)(74)

He’d thought about kissing her, and now he wanted to … what? Hold her? Yeah, he wanted to hold her, and, f*ck, he didn’t hold women. That was too intimate, but dammit if she wouldn’t fit perfectly under his arm.

“So,” he croaked. “This wasn’t so bad, right?”

“No,” she replied. “It was very pleasant, Mr. Carter. You continue to amaze me with your literary intellect.”

He glanced away. “It helps having a great teacher, you know.”

“Th-thank you,” she stammered. “But if you’re trying to butter me up to get more Oreos, you’re barking up the wrong tree.”

*

Kat laughed uneasily, brushing off his praise by speeding up her steps. His hand gripping the crook of her elbow stopped her. She glanced up in question when he pulled his shades from his face. When she saw his eyes, she stopped breathing altogether. His eyes were the brightest blue she’d ever seen and they seemed to look deep into her, caressing the parts of her that were aching.

“Carter?” she whispered when he took a step toward her. Standing so close to him, Kat felt very small.

“Peaches.” His gaze wandered around her face. “I didn’t say it to— I meant it. I think you’re …”

Kat’s heart thumped wildly. His touch on her arm was so comforting she daren’t ask him to remove it, and when his eyes stayed on her mouth, she felt it between her legs. She instinctively wet her lips with the tip of her tongue. No man had ever looked at Kat the way that Carter did.

“Carter,” she said again, placing her hand on top of his. “Are you okay?”

He was still staring at her in a way that made her back arch and her nipples tighten. His mouth continuously opened and closed as though he wanted to say something but didn’t know how. Eventually he dropped his head with a muttered curse and looked out toward the path.

His back snapped straight. “Shit,” he hissed. He grabbed her forearm and pulled her back in the direction they’d come.

“Carter!” Kat protested as he dragged her around a corner and pushed her backward against a tree, dropping his helmet and jacket at her feet.

He leaned over her, his arms above her head, gripping the bark with his fingers, while the apples of his cheeks turned a ferocious red. Kat’s anger turned quickly to concern when she watched him peering cautiously around the tree, mumbling and cursing.

“Carter, what’s wrong?” His eyes darted from left to right while he tried to hide her with his body. He shook his head. “Carter, talk to me,” she urged, placing a palm on his shoulder. “Who is it?”

“My cousin,” Carter answered in a quiet voice that belied his huge frame.

Kat jumped when his palms slammed against the bark above her head. “Goddammit.” He blew out his cheeks and leaned harder against the tree, trapping Kat with his arms.

“Calm down.” She rubbed her palm a little from side to side before moving it down until she could feel the hard edge of his left pectoral against the side of her thumb. He was so strong.

“I wanna see him on my time, ya know? On my terms.” Carter’s eyes pleaded with her to understand.

“It’s all right,” Kat soothed with a soft voice, keeping the motion of her hand. “You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to.”

Gradually, his body started to relax under her stroking palm. He continued to look at her in a way that made her skin prickle. As yearning washed over her, Kat was suddenly aware of how close they were standing. Their chests touched when each of them breathed, and his nose hovered by her hairline.