it’s really okay. You don’t have to be that nice.”
“I’m not being nice. I’m telling you the truth. Can’t you see it?”
She could see it. There was nothing in his expression she didn’t believe. She wasn’t even sure why it had overwhelmed her so much, him saying that he liked Kayla and wanted to hang out with her.
“Ruth?” Carter prompted when she didn’t answer. “You look like you’re about to cry.”
“I’m not.” She wasn’t a crier. And she definitely wasn’t going to cry about something so silly.
“Do you not want me to hang out? Would you rather it just be you and her? Because I’ll understand if—”
“No, no. That’s not it. I’d love if we could take her out to dinner. Thank you for volunteering. I just didn’t think it would be very fun for you.”
“Well, it is.” He opened the car door for her, and she got in. When he’d walked around and slid behind the steering wheel, he added, “You know I’ve been working pretty much constantly for most of this year, right? So any meal that isn’t eaten at my computer is fun for me.”
She laughed at that. Then she texted Kayla, who replied immediately that she’d LOVE to go out for dinner and could they come as soon as possible if it wasn’t too much trouble.
So Ruth’s really good day wasn’t over yet.
THEY TOOK KAYLA TO a fancy little bistro that Ruth usually couldn’t afford. Carter made sure they got all the best stuff, so it was a real treat for Kayla.
For Ruth too.
It was almost nine when they dropped her off, and Ruth was tired and happy when Carter drove them back to his house.
“Oh,” she said, blinking as she realized where they were. “I guess I need to head back home.”
“Why? Just stay here tonight.”
“But your mom might not—”
“My mom is probably assuming that you’ll be staying here all the time. You’ve got your own room. There’s no pressure or anything. But you look tired, and it’s dark. Just stay here tonight. You can go back home tomorrow if you want.”
She hesitated since it seemed dangerous somehow to give in to something she wanted so much. But there wasn’t any mental argument that could convince her. “Okay. Why not?”
Carter seemed as pleased by that arrangement as she was. They talked to Mrs. Wilson for a while before they headed up to their rooms. Carter said he needed a shower, and that sounded like a good idea to Ruth too. So she took a long, hot shower and changed into the pajamas she’d worn the night before (since they were the only ones she had there).
She was wondering if it would be too bold to knock on the connecting door and announce to Carter that she was ready for sex anytime he was when he knocked instead.
Trying not to snicker, she swung the door open.
He blinked, as if he hadn’t expected her to be standing there. “Hi.”
“Hi,” she said back.
“I wasn’t sure...” He was wearing a clean pair of pajama pants with no shirt. The shirt he’d put on last night to come and talk to her had obviously been for her benefit since he must not sleep in a shirt. “Did you want to...? You said you’d like to have sex again, so if you’d like...”
She burst into laughter, grabbed his hand, and hauled him into her room. “I definitely want more sex. I was about to pound on the door and demand that you service me.”
He arched his eyebrows, trying for a sardonic look, but the corners of his mouth were twitching too much to pull it off. “Service you?”
“Well, something like that.”
“I’m at your service, if you think I’m up for the job.”
Ruth pulled down the covers on the bed and climbed in. “I’m optimistic about the prospects. And we have the two condoms you didn’t use from this morning. I told you that you were overly ambitious.”
Carter got into bed too and climbed over her, smiling down at her with a hot glint in his eyes. “Maybe I can make up for it tonight.”
“We’ll see.”
He leaned down to kiss her. “Yes. We will.”
Seven
RUTH PARKED IN AN EMPTY spot in the parking lot of the Wilson Hotel central offices and stared down at the plastic bag of take-out food in the seat next to her. When Carter had called to cancel their lunch an hour ago, he’d sounded so tired and emotionally stretched that she’d immediately decided to bring the meal to