Free Whiskey and Lace (Lace Series) by Adriane Leigh Page A

the forehead. Then he went to work toweling me off and soaking up the water in my hair. 
    Carter finished and pointed me to the garment bag laying across the vanity. "Your dress. I think there's a blow dryer under the sink, too." He stepped over to the walk-in closet to get dressed. I watched his perfect ass walk away, wrapped in a white towel, and I was ready for him all over again. Carter disappeared and I turned back to the vanity. I fingered through my hair as best as possible without a brush, and then opened the drawer of the vanity to dig for a hair dryer. I found one, along with hair spray and a partially used bottle of perfume. I picked it up with a frown on my face. My first instinct was to throw it at the mirror and head for the door, but I knew Carter deserved more than that, and I did too. We were in a better place now weren't we? We'd learned something over the last few days about ourselves and each other. 
    I sniffed the perfume and recognized it instantly. I jogged my memory trying to recall where I’d smelled it before. 
    The ball. 
    The night Carter and I had first been together. 
    Madeleine. 
    This was Madeleine’s perfume. 
    My grip tightened on the bottle and my heart pounded erratically. I thought they were just friends, why would she keep toiletries here. I knew instantly that they'd been more at one time, but I chose to have faith that it was no longer. Or at least I would give Carter the benefit of the doubt. I decided at that moment that I cared about Carter enough to give him the chance to explain.
    He came back out of the closet dressed in dark wool pants with a black shirt hanging open. That man was impossibly sexy at any given moment. Locks of wet hair fell over his forehead in errant disarray and his eyes flashed in pleasure, as his eyes scanned my still naked form. And then his eyes zeroed in on the bottle in my hands. I locked eyes with him in the reflection of the mirror and stood expressionless. 
    "Fuck." Carter took two steps to me and grabbed the bottle from my hand and tossed it back in the drawer. He wrapped his arms around me and held me tight to him. "It's old. God, Eva, I didn't even know it was still here. I never go in that drawer. I'm sorry." He held me by the shoulders with both hands and looked me straight in the eye. "Are you ok?" He didn't know how to gauge me since I still hadn't said a word. I nodded slowly and took a deep breath. 
    "Yeah, I’m ok. It just took me by surprise. It's just irritating when your man-whoring ways come up to smack me in the face." I gave him a small smile in an attempt to lighten the mood. 
    " Former man-whoring ways." One eyebrow raised up at me, still watching me as if I might explode at any moment. "You're really ok?"
    "Yea." I smiled at him and actually felt it this time. 
    "I left a bruise." His fingertip touched my neck softly. I glanced in the mirror and my eyes widened for a moment, surprised at the damage he'd done to my skin. 
    "It doesn't hurt." I shrugged. He bent down and kissed it tenderly. 
    "I’m sorry, Eva, for this, and the perfume." He locked eyes with me again. "I have something for you." He dodged back into the walk-in closet and then came out holding the Tiffany blue watch case. My eyes darted to his.
    "How did you get that?" 
    "I stopped at your place earlier. Cate gave it to me." He opened the case and took the watch out. "I want you to wear it tonight." His gaze held mine. 
    "I don't think I should keep it." I frowned. 
    "I want you to. It's a gift. Please?" Carter held my wrist gently, clasped the watch closed, and then brought my hand to his lips and kissed my palm. 
    "I feel like a gold-digger." My eyes pleaded with his to understand me. 
    "Don't ever call yourself that." His eyes flicked in anger. "I know you're not, and that's all that matters."
    I smiled weakly at him. 
    "A beautiful girl deserves beautiful jewelry." He placed a soft kiss on my lips. 
    I smiled and tucked my head into his neck