Carter Read online

  © 2018 Sheridan Anne.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are products of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead is entirely coincidental.

  All Rights Reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever.

  Cover Design by: Sheridan Anne

  Photograph: Andrew Poplavsky

  Editing by: Sheridan Anne & Jessie Lynn

  Introduction

  Brianna

  He’s the love of my life until one day, he’s gone, leaving me behind with a shattered heart.

  Dreams of wedding bells and babies ripped away.

  How will I ever move on from such an earth-shattering love?

  How will I ever be satisfied with any other man?

  I ache for him every day and I crave him even more.

  I wish things could be different but I understand why they can’t.

  I just wish the pain would go away.

  Where is he now that I need him the most?

  Carter

  She’s the sun in my sky and the love of my life.

  But I’m nothing but a monster.

  I had to. I had no other choice.

  It was the right thing to do, for everyone.

  So, why does it feel like this? Why do I hurt so bad?

  Why is it that months later, I still crumble every time I hear her name?

  Why does the thought of her moving on kill me?

  What have I done?

  WARNING: Carter is a steamy romance with a HEA and NO CLIFFHANGER. It contains sexual content and coarse language and is recommended for mature readers. Please be aware that some scenes may cause stress for some readers.

  The Denver Royalty series is made up of standalone novels, however, for maximum enjoyment, it is recommended that readers start with the Kings of Denver series.

  Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Epilogue

  Sneak Peek – Sean – Denver Royalty (Book 3)

  Other books by Sheridan Anne

  Chapter 1

  Brianna

  I slide my thong back up my legs as I watch myself in the mirror. I straighten up the golden bridesmaid dress and once again find myself admiring how the dress sits over my petite body. Man, I look amazing. “I love this dress,” I murmur to my boyfriend, Carter as I slide my fingers down the silky material, taking in the feel of the dress on my skin.

  His eyes follow the movement before reaching out and taking my hand in his. He goes about putting himself back inside his pants before coming to stand behind me. He watches us in the bathroom mirror as his hand comes around and mimics my own movements. “You and me both, babe,” he tells me before leaning down and pressing a kiss to my neck.

  “Come on, we better get back out there before they come looking for us,” Carter says.

  I know he’s right, after all, it's my best friend's wedding and I'm supposed to be the maid of honor, yet something screams at me that there isn't much honor in screwing her older brother in the bathroom while she’s dancing the night away with her new husband.

  It was worth it though. The guy is dynamite. I’ve never met a man who can satisfy me. Every. Damn. Time. He always rises to the occasion and gives it his all.

  “Do we have to?” I ask, turning around in his arms to look up at those stormy eyes. “I’d much rather head upstairs and do that all over again.”

  His eyes remain on the mirror and I soon feel his fingers running down the exposed skin on my back. “Don’t tempt me,” he murmurs. “Cassie would kill us if she knew we were in here.”

  "I know," I groan. He takes my hand and leads me out of the room and back into the party. I find my eyes locked on his body. It's been two years that we've been together and yet I still find myself desperately attracted to him. He's in a suit that fits him so freaking good, well, all the boys are. Carter, Logan and Sean, they're triplets and each of them looks particularly delicious, well, by that they all look exactly the same, but there's just something about Carter that draws me in, maybe it's the cocky, don't give a fuck attitude. It's sexy as hell.

  We’re currently at Cassie and Carter’s parents’ estate and it’s fucking massive. The place is absolutely beautiful with its tree-lined driveway, landscaped yards and its freaking dining hall that’s decked out with wedding decorations. Hell, the place even has a chandelier. I’m absolutely blown away by how mesmerizing this wedding has been but more so, how amazing my best friend looks today. She is nothing short of stunning.

  God, it makes me want this with Carter. We’ve been together for two years now and it has honestly been the best two years of my life. He’s the man I want to spend the rest of eternity with. There’s no doubt about it. He’s my man and nothing could ever change that. I can’t wait to marry him and have a million little Carters running around… I just need the ring now.

  We make our way back to the bridal table where Sean is sitting with Sara perched happily on his lap. Carter takes his seat and pulls me into his lap. I fall into him and loop my arms around his neck before turning my face to his and catching those delicious lips in mine. I give him a quick kiss as to not draw attention, but the second I touch him, I melt.

  “I fucking love you,” he murmurs against my lips.

  “Love you, too,” I tell him with a smile that threatens to tear my face in two.

  Our moment is ruined as I find my arm being yanked back by a very beautiful bride. Cassie forces both me and Sara to our feet. I grab my glass of champagne off the table and allow Cass to drag me to the dance floor.

  “Don’t wear her out too much,” Carter yells after us. “I need her to have plenty of energy for what I plan to do with her tonight.”

  "He's so gross," Cassie whines as she grabs my shoulder and leans on me. I follow her movement down and watch in amusement as she pulls off her heels and launches them across the room. They connect with the wall before dropping to the floor where I'm sure they will stay for the rest of the night. "Where the hell did you disappear to?"

  “Where do you think she went?” Sara says with a knowing look. “Carter was gone, too.”

  Cassie’s eyes turn on me in horror. “You did not sneak off to have sex with my brother during my wedding,” she accuses.

  "I did not," I say outraged. Relief instantly flashes in her eyes but that's about to change. "We snuck off to have mind blowing, earth shattering sex."

  “Ugh,” she groans. “I don’t want to hear it.”

  “You asked,” I shrug as the waitress comes around with another tray of champagne flutes. I throw back my current glass and make a quick switch for a new, much fuller one.

  “You’re going to have to slow down if you intend on catching my bouquet later,” Cassie says.

  “Please,” I scoff. “I could drink a million more of these and still be bright and chirpy in the morning.”

  “I know,” she sighs. “It’s not fair that you don’t get hungover the same way the rest of the world does.”

  "Hey," Sara cuts in. "At least you actually get to drink," she says as she rubs her hand over her pe
rfect little 4 month baby bump. "I would do anything to be able to let loose and have a few glasses of champagne. I already can't wait for this baby to come out."

  “I bet,” I say, looking at her baby bump adoringly. “I can’t wait to have a baby. Me and Carter would make the cutest babies.”

  “Geez, slow down,” Cassie says. “Do you realize who you’re talking about here?” She laughs. “Carter is not in the market for a baby any time soon.”

  “Ha,” Sara laughs. “That’s the understatement of the year.”

  “I know,” I tell them. “But a girl can only dream.” It’s no secret Carter is a reformed playboy and the thought of knocking up a girl is scary as hell. He’s not ready. Really, us as a couple are not ready. We’re enjoying what we have, but I can’t help but want more.

  I could picture us being the next couple to walk down the aisle, maybe have a few kids a few years after that. Either way, I’m thinking about it and I know it’s what I want and where we’re heading. I can’t wait. Watching that magnificent man running around with a little boy hanging off his legs makes my ovaries explode.

  We’re in the middle of busting a move when Logan comes up and throws his arms over mine and Sara’s shoulders. “Have any of you fine ladies seen my woman anywhere?” he asks.

  “Nope,” I tell him as I finish off my champagne. “But when you find that little hussy, tell her to get her ass on the dance floor. Sara here is slowing me down.”

  “Shut up,” Sara laughs. “If I wasn’t pregnant, I would have drunk you under the table by now.”

  “Impossible,” I tell her as Logan disappears.

  I look over to Carter to find his eyes firmly on my ass and grin that I still have that effect on him. Carter was always the biggest playboy, in fact, he had a nasty reputation for it. I’ve always worried that I wouldn’t be enough for him, but he broke down those walls and proved that I could trust him, that I was all he needed in the world. The second we got over that hurdle, magic took over and it’s been that way ever since.

  He’s my absolute world and I wouldn’t have it any other way. His eyes travel up to find mine on his. I hold up my hand and look at him with seduction heavy in my eyes. My finger rolls out and I indicate for him to come and join me.

  He gets up from his chair and slowly makes his way towards me making that familiar, needy feeling known in the bottom of my stomach.

  Fuck, I love this man.

  He stands before me and I crave his touch, but the fucker knows just how bad I want it and holds back. He reaches out and touches my shoulder ever so softly with his fingertips. He runs them down my arm and slides his hand into mine, sending shivers all over my body.

  He gives a hard pull and my body instantly falls into his, satisfying that touch that I constantly crave. “You’re so fucking beautiful,” he murmurs as the music slows. He adjusts his hold on me and falls into a slow dance like the world’s cheesiest gentleman, but that doesn’t stop me from going along with it.

  I watch in awe as all the men in the room follow his lead and find their partners. The dance floor quickly fills with couples slow dancing to the music Cassie very carefully picked out.

  I look up at my man and see nothing but love shining down at me. All thoughts of getting busy in the supply closet are gone as we focus solely on being in each other’s arms.

  Carter pulls me in tighter and I rest my head against his chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat as we move across the dance floor. Sara and Sean dance beside us and I can't help but watch them as they focus on each other, locked in their personal love bubble.

  “They’re so happy,” I murmur to Carter.

  “Yeah,” he says with pride in his voice. “They certainly are.”

  “They have it all.”

  “No,” he says pressing a kiss to my head. “I have it all.”

  I can’t help but smile at his comment. This man is definitely good with his words. “You don’t think they have it all?” I question.

  “I guess that depends on what your version of ‘having it all’ means?” he questions.

  “Married. A baby on the way. I can’t wait to have that with you.” His body stiffens and his eyes leave mine to look back at Sean and Sara. A crease appears right between his eyebrows and I realize he’s completely freaking out. “Hey,” I say, gaining his attention again. “Stop stressing. I don’t mean I need to have that right now.”

  He nods his head and pulls me back into his chest. I rest against him, but his body doesn’t fully relax. The poor guy. He’s probably coming up with a million excuses of how to prolong the inevitable. “Relax,” I tell him with a smile as I look up at him. “I didn’t mean to freak you out.”

  “It’s ok, babe,” he says as his body finally relaxes. He spins me around, promptly putting the conversation to an end.

  At the end of the song, he gives me a gentle kiss on the cheek before heading back to the table with Sean and commencing their drinking at the table while watching our asses sway in these golden dresses. ‘I love you,’ I mouth to him.

  He sends me one of those panty dropping winks and everything is right in the world.

  Logan shows up at bridal table and steals the boys away, so us girls do what we do best and keep dancing.

  An hour later, Carter and Sean return with no sight of Elle and Logan. I make my way over to Carter and drop down into his lap. He puts an arm around me, but something is off. “What’s wrong?” I question. “Where did you guys go?”

  “Nowhere, babe,” he says. “Don’t worry about it.”

  He doesn’t meet my eyes and I know there’s definitely something to worry about. “Carter?” I prompt. “What’s going on?”

  He finally looks at me and presses his lips together. “There was a situation with Elle outside, but she’s ok now.”

  “What do you mean ‘she’s ok now’?” I ask.

  “Babe,” he groans. “Now’s not the time. Can we talk about it later?”

  I look at him and take in the seriousness in his eyes. “Are you ok?” I question.

  His eyes soften, and I realize there’s some level of pain hidden in there. “Yeah,” he finally says. “I’m fine.”

  “You know the bonus of dating hundreds of losers is that I can tell when a man is lying. What’s going on?”

  He lets out a sigh and looks around to see who’s close. With only Sean in earshot, he lets it out. "Elle was slipped a date rape drug by a guy on Logan's team. We got there just in time, she was unconscious and roughed up but she should be ok."

  “Shit,” I gasp as I hold onto him a little tighter. “Is there anything I can do?”

  “No, babe. Just enjoy the rest of the wedding and don’t let Cassie know. I want her to remember tonight as the best night of her life.”

  “Ok,” I tell him. “How’s Elle? Can I see her?”

  “She’s upstairs with Logan. You’ll be able to see her in the morning,” he says.

  “Ok, well, why don’t you get yourself another drink?”

  “That’s not such a bad idea,” he says before getting up and heading towards the open bar.

  I watch after him with the feeling that something bigger is going on. What happened to Elle is awful, but Carter isn’t the kind of guy to get broken up about it. He would have beat the guy to within an inch of his life, made sure Elle was ok and then called the cops. He doesn’t stew about things that have been dealt with. Something else is going on, something that’s eating him up which he’s refusing to talk about.

  Maybe it’s the fact we’re at his sister’s wedding, experiencing yet another amazing night that his parents are no longer around to see.

  Whatever it is, he will come to me when he’s ready.

  At the end of the night, he leads me upstairs to his old bedroom. He loses his suit and lays down on the bed while I put on a show of getting out of my dress and undoing my hair. He watches me with desire in his eyes but it’s still clouded by something I don’t understand.

&
nbsp; I strip out of my underwear and make my way towards him. Maybe he needs a release after the massive day we've had. I come to his side of the bed and climb on top of him so I'm straddling his waist. His hands instantly find my hips, but it seems too robotic, usually, he gives a squeeze and splays his fingers to feel more skin.

  I lower myself to him and press a kiss to his lips. His hand slowly travels up the center of my back and comes to a stop in my hair. I deepen the kiss, but he's not into it, instead, he pushes me away. I sit up with a frown as I try to work him out.

  “I’m sorry, babe,” he apologizes. I don’t reply as quite frankly, I’m fucking confused. Over the past two years, he has never once turned me down. “Can we just… sleep?”

  “Um… yeah,” I say. I climb off him and slide in under the sheets beside him. He draws me into his chest and strokes my hair.

  We lay in silence, both of us wide awake as we struggle to get out of our own minds.

  What the hell is going on here?

  Sleep finally comes after going through every possible scenario, trying to work out what’s got him acting so strange.

  All I know is, come morning. I wake up to find myself laying alone, in an empty, cold bed.

  Chapter 2

  Carter

  I sit at the breakfast bar absolutely hating myself.

  I laid awake all night, unable to turn off the thoughts running through my mind. I hate myself for making this decision, knowing the kind of heartache and pain I’m going to cause, but it’s for the best.

  I need to do this, no matter how much it hurts.

  I hear someone coming from behind me, but I don’t have what it takes to turn my head and find out who it is.

  The cupboards of the kitchen open and close, followed by the sound of the fridge being searched through. A glass is placed on the kitchen counter and filled.

  A glass of orange juice is put down in front of me before the sound of my sister-in-law breaks the tragic thoughts creating chaos in my mind. “What’s up with you? You look like shit?”

 
-->