Free Into You by Danielle Sibarium Page B

stop until I spilled every detail of Jamie and my father doing the nasty.
    Elizabeth hadn't said much after. I worried she thought I was weak because I didn't fight for Jamie, but Jamie wasn't worth it. I hoped Elizabeth wouldn't look at me differently in the morning. I didn't want her pity. I wanted her love.
    My heart thrummed hard against my chest, like a sledgehammer. Holy shit, did I just tell Elizabeth I loved her? I thought it all night, but did I say it aloud? She didn't answer. Didn't respond. Didn't acknowledge it at all. What had I done?

Chapter 25

Elizabeth
    I stretched and yawned in the glory of the morning. I felt relaxed and rested. Most nights I tossed and turned, waking at odd hours, unable to fall back asleep. This morning I opened my eyes surprised by the strange surroundings until the realization of where I was came upon me.
    I rolled over expecting to feel the warmth of Carter’s body but the bed was empty. I sat up and searched the room, he wasn't there. I checked the bathroom. Finding no sign of hi m I made my way to the kitchen.
    Carter sat at the small, round kitchen table leaning back in his chair, eyes closed, legs outstretched, hands behind his neck. I climbed onto his lap squeezing between Carter’s body and the table. I clasped my hands behind his neck and placed a quick kiss on his lips.
    “Good morning,” I said with a smile.
    “Morning.” He opened his eyes and darted them away from me.
    He looked strung out. I understood why he might be nervous to see me. I should have answered him. Shouldn't have just left him hanging, especially after his confession. My first, big mistake.
    An awkward silence filled the empty space. I took a deep breath gathering my courage to tell him what I should've said the night before. But Carter spoke first.
    “About last night . . .” He sounded far away and detached.
    “Don't worry. I'll deal. If I'm lucky, no one from the office but Dr. Penbrook knew I was there.” I planted another small kiss on his lips and smiled.
    Carter shook his head. “I don’t think you understand.”  He cleared his throat, trying to keep his voice steady, “I . . . I don’t think we should see each other anymore.”
    His words were like a big hard football to the nose. After the roller coaster ride of emotions the previous night, I expected if he had anything to say it would be an apology.
    I climbed off him and took hold of the pendant on my necklace, staring at him in disbelief. I fiddled with it, pulling it from side to side co ntemplating what I just heard.
    “You can’t possibly mean that.”
    He shook his head, “Last night got a little out of hand . . .”
    "It got a lot out of hand ."
    "Exactly."
    "But I never felt closer to you. It's like there's this part of you that's been completely closed off. I don't know how to explain it, but now it makes sense."
    The previous night had me reaching into my soul, asking myself if I could love Carter in the way he needed, with every ounce of my heart. I knew my feelings for him ran deeper than I wanted to admit, but until his drunken confession I didn’t realize how deep. He led me on a journey of pain, and all I wanted to do was take it away. Yes, I could love him. Totally. Completely. And with my whole heart.
    Although I tried to keep myself detached, I couldn't. Even from the beginning, there was something haunting and dangerous about Carter. As much as I knew letting him in my heart was like showering hairspray on a flame, I couldn't stay away.
    “I love you, too." My heart pounded hard.
    Carter looked confused.  “I don’t think you understand . . .”
    “I heard what you said. And I heard what you said last night. It took me a while to respond, but I love you, too.”
    Carter brought his hand to his forehead and rubbed his temples looking very uncomfortable. “I never said that.”
    Was he kidding? My stomach dropped. “That’s what you said when I got into bed with you. And in case you’ve forgotten,