Something More (18 page)

Her mind raced. Nothing held him in New York. What if he never came back? What if she never saw him again? Pain unlike any she’d known pierced her chest. Yes. It would seem she had a heart after all.

She had to find him.

Wild thoughts flew through her mind like leaves scattering in a March wind. LA. He lived in Los Angeles. A flight. She needed a plane ticket.

Grabbing her phone, her fingers shook as she called for information and booked the next flight out of New York. Then she called her assistant.

Getting her voice mail, Carrie waited for the beep. “Brenda. I’m going out of town. Hold down the fort while I’m gone. And no, I’m not sure for how long.” Won’t she be pissed she wasn’t home to get the scoop.

Carrie recalled her self-made promise to send Brenda some flowers of her own. She called her friend, who made a career in planning weddings. And got her voice mail too.

“Angela, it’s Carrie. Hey, I need a favor. Make up one of your most extravagant bouquets and send it to my assistant at the office. It must be there tomorrow morning. She’s my right arm and I’ve put her through the ringer lately. Her name in big bold letters on the envelope. Put these words on the card. You get your raise. And yes, I will give you the juicy details when I get back.”

Well. Maybe not all the details, if things work out the way I hope.

She dropped her cell onto the table and ran to her bedroom like her feet were on fire. Tearing through her closet, she grabbed a suitcase and tossed it on the bed. She flung her hair over one shoulder and jerked clothes from her dresser. All she needed was enough to get her there. Anything she forgot, she would buy later.

Her heart lifted.

She would see Matthew.

Soon.

Chapter 26

From the first moment they’d met, Matthew knew he wanted Carrie to be a permanent fixture in his life. Now he wondered if he’d ever see her again.

Sprawled back in his comfy recliner, a dark bottle of brew dangled from his hand. A single lamp gave off light from the stereo while lilting keys of Jacques Abram hovered about the room. With his white shirt open several buttons, the cuffs rolled to his elbows, he stared at nothing through the gloom.

No matter how hard he tried, the scene with Carrie played again and again in his mind. What happened next was entirely up to her. He damn sure was not about to apologize for a sin he never committed. Didn’t take him long to get serious about Carrie. He thought she’d grown deeply involved too. True, there were no rules in their relationship. No commitments.

The knot in his stomach grew.

Their connection had happened fast, maybe too fast. But he knew what he felt. And it hurt to find out she had not experienced the same emotion. Hell, it had devastated him. The blow to his ego, learning she didn’t trust him. She’d taken the word of another over him.

But then, more than his self-esteem had been damaged. His heart had splintered.

What about the hell she’d endured? He’d noted the pain in her eyes as she issued her allegations. Uncertainty flashed in her gaze. She’d asked him. Why must he deny the charges when she should have believed in him? The thought that Carrie would consider him guilty of such an offense only enraged him.

Of course he reacted with vehemence. All he could see was her accusing him, pushing him away, when all he wanted was her love.

Love.

He loved her. He needed her. In his arrogance, he’d walked away. Expecting her to come after him, begging for his forgiveness. Hell. What was wrong with him?

If he knew anything about Carrie, he knew she’d never give in, and not to a man. She was a fighter. Her strength and character is what he admired about her. If only she weren’t so single-minded on the male gender. He couldn’t remember a time in his life when he’d been more frustrated. She’d dealt him a blow, his pride attacked, and his hurt fashioned a wall of self-preservation. Thinking his heart would never recover, he’d written her off.

Which lasted about a day.

Did she really doubt him? Surely she did not believe him capable of such corruption? Despite his wealth and position, nothing had gone the way he’d anticipated. He couldn’t control the incredible disappointment of Carrie’s attack.

He’d have to meet her at least half way. Convince her to drop those walls, take a chance with him. Deep down, she had to believe in him. Her wound was old and she’d been scarred. He needed to convince her to give up any lingering resentment of the episode regarding her teenage sister.

He took a pull of his beer. He thought his life was empty before . . . he was damn hollow without Carrie.

He stilled. It took a moment for the sound to register, a persistent knocking. Placing the bottle on the table, he climbed from his cozy chair, strode to the door, and threw it open.

“Carrie?” He blinked to make sure it was not his imagination. “What are you doing here?”

“Matthew. I need to talk to you.” She seemed out of breath. And by her body language, very determined.

“What’s this about?”

“May I come in?” Her voice had a hint of uncertainty, which he never expected to hear from her.

He hesitated only an instant before he stepped back and held his arm to the side. “Please come in.”

She marched past him with the huff of a stampeding bull. Not the cool, collected woman she normally showed the world. Unwilling to delve further into the purpose of her visit, he took a deep, silent breath and quietly closed the door. When he turned, he found the cool Carrie Stratton no longer inhibited this woman’s body. She stood with her hands fisted and breathing heavily as if ready for combat.

If a battle was what she wanted, he’d give her one.

Carrie blurted, “I know you’re probably upset with me.”

That was putting it mildly
. “Upset?”

“Please don’t interrupt until I’ve finished.”

He stared at her for all of five seconds, then bent at the waist and made a gallant show of sweeping both arms in a grand gesture. “The floor is all yours.”

He strode to the sofa, and without another word, he sat. He leaned back resting one ankle over the opposite knee, his arm stretched across the back. And waited.

Her heart thumped as if she’d run the entire distance from the airport to his place. Now that she faced him, Carrie automatically analyzed the situation. For the first time in her life she was nervous.

Good Lord, she’d made a mess of things. The fluttering in her stomach would not cease. She had intended conducting herself as the professional she was. But standing before him, her nerves overrode her brain. If she’d listened to her heart earlier, she wouldn’t be standing here ready to throw herself at his feet—beg for mercy—
Crawl.

Oh . . . my . . . God!

Another minute and she would have . . .
crawled?

Insane. She’d lost her mind. But then . . . she’d lost her heart. Yes, she’d crawl if she must, to keep Matthew. Things would not progress any farther if she didn’t take the first step. Carrie drew in a deep breath, and prayed she was not too late.

“I’ve been a fool.” She hated the breathless sound of her voice.

Come on, Carrie. Pretend you’re in the boardroom.

But she was not at work and Matthew was not a board member. He was so much more important. “I came here . . . I hoped you still cared for me . . . as I do you.”

Tears threatened as she watched him slowly rise. Never taking his gaze from hers, he advanced a step and opened his arms. “Come here.”

She gaped. Then she ran to him. He held her tight with her head pressed against his shoulder. Tears ran down her face, her shoulders shook, she muffled her sobs. Matthew’s arms were around her. Everything suddenly felt right with the world.

“Hey,” Matthew crooned, “I’ve got you.”

His fingers caressed her back as they traveled a path up and down her spine. His soothing strokes calmed her and eased the tension from her body. When she quieted, he held her away, just enough to see her face.

“Carrie, look at me.” His deep voice assaulted every nerve in her body.

When she lifted her head, the longing conveyed in his eyes caused her breath to catch in her throat.

“I love you,” he said. “If you didn’t believe me the first time, believe me now. I love you. I’ve never known a love the way I love you.”

“I can’t believe it.” Then realizing what she’d said, she hurried to explain. “I mean, I believe you. I can’t believe you’re holding me. I didn’t think it would be this easy. I’ve dreaded facing you again. I was horrid the last time we were together.” She hugged him tighter, reaffirming he truly held her.

Then she leaned back, cupping his face with her hands. “My life has changed since I met you. My mind, my entire way of thinking. Without realizing it, I let one incident sculpt my entire life. At an early age, I developed an animosity toward men. I foolishly allowed my distrust to dictate my life.

My beliefs kept me lonely. Even when Ellie and Andrea lived with me, I felt something was missing. I convinced myself my career was everything. Yet down deep I wanted something more. I never needed a man in my life.” Carrie smiled. “Until now. I love you, Matthew. I need you. In my life, forever. As long as I have you, I have everything.”

When he pulled her tight and captured her lips, she knew it to be true.

Also by
Samanthya Wyatt
and
Soul Mate Publishing
:
THE RIGHT ONE

A man without a heart.

Morgan Bartholomew Langston
, Earl of Whetherford, has finally decided to accept his fate. Tired of dangerous assignments and putting his neck on the line, he has returned to his ancestral home to accept the title of his birthright and produce the required heir. But, when he arrives, he finds his home has been invaded and a female has taken off with his mother’s jewels. Morgan decides the traitorous jade will not get away, so he sets into motion a plan to bring her ba
ck. When he abducts the wrong woman, his reaction to her brings him dangerously close to breaking his vow of forbidden emotions.

A woman without a love.

Katherine Elizabeth Radbourn
is a strong, independent woman and at the age of twenty three, is still unwed. In a desperate attempt to find her brother, she is abducted which leads her on a journey to love and mistaken identity. Once she meets her captor, fear and indignation dissipates to an overwhelming awareness. Even though he tells her she is the wrong one, Kat realizes she has finally met a man that—not only she is attracted to – but has awakened her woman’s body. Does he really care for her or does he secretly yearn for the woman she is supposed to be? Uncertainty makes her risk the very man she has given her soul.