A Pound of Flesh (A Pound of Flesh #1)(76)

“Peaches,” he moaned, taking her hand and words in the wrong way. He kissed her harder, plunging his tongue farther into her mouth and pressing his hips firmer against her stomach.

Kat shook her head, making their lips slide against one another. “Please stop.”

But the words didn’t reach Carter’s ears. She knew. He was too far gone.

“Please, I can’t,” Kat said again, pushing a little harder. “Stop, Carter.”

Her words finally met his ears. “What?” he asked through his daze, his lips barely stopping.

“Stop.” She pushed again and he moved back, but not far enough. “I said stop!”

She pushed with all her strength and, this time, he stumbled back.

*

Carter stared at her in utter confusion, taking in her perfectly plump red lips, before she covered them with her hand. Gathering his wits, he realized with a terrifying jolt that she was crying. Carter’s heart dropped to the soles of his shoes.

“Peaches,” he murmured. He took a step toward her but stopped when she held up her hand. “I— What the …? Shit, did I hurt you?”

[page]She shook her head. “No. You didn’t hurt me.”


“Then what?” He risked taking another step and breathed easier when she didn’t stop him. The urge to be near her, now that he’d tasted her, was so f*cking strong.

“We just … I can’t believe—” She looked up. “Do you realize what could happen if people knew what we just did?”

Yeah, he did know, but right then he couldn’t have given a shit. “Peaches,” he said, holding out a hand, which she didn’t take. “It’s okay.”

Her head snapped up. “Okay?” she exclaimed. “There is nothing okay about this, Carter. I’m your teacher!”

“Don’t yell at me,” he fumed, his temper rippling. “I know exactly what you are. I also know that you liked it just as much as I did.”

“Regardless,” she snapped, “it can’t happen again. It won’t happen again.”

Searing pain sliced across Carter’s chest, and he covered it with anger. “What-the-f*ck-ever. Like I give a shit if it happens again.”

Her eyes met his and he immediately saw the hurt. He swallowed down his pride. “Peaches, I— Shit— I …” He hesitated, feeling that, somehow, “sorry” wasn’t nearly enough to fix the moment.

“I’m going home,” she muttered.

Carter noticed how tired and small she looked. He was almost desperate with need to take care of her and make it better.

She started to turn from him, and he took another step toward her. “Peach—”

“Don’t,” she begged, closing her eyes. “Just … don’t.” Her shoulders fell. “Carter, I’m sorry that I—I didn’t mean to lead you on. The kiss was— I need to go home.” Her eyes opened slowly. “I’ll see you on Tuesday.” She kept her eyes on his for a beat before she turned away.

Carter stood silently and watched her walk away, certain that she was taking half of him with her.





15


Carter’s entire apartment shook as he slammed the door shut behind him. He launched his keys and jacket against the wall, threw his helmet on the sofa, and collapsed against the breakfast bar of his loft. He’d been struggling to breathe properly since Peaches had walked away from him.

She’d walked away.

Christ, that had hurt.