The light of all lights I know I’ll carry in my heart forever.
Where the two of us have been made one. Whole again.
“I love you too, Carter,” she finally manages, shivering breaths as I feel her body tremble under mine before we both collapse.
A perfect heap of exhaustion, contentment, and love.
Her body perfectly knotted into mine as we both listen to the other breathing until it’s still and quiet again.
Chapter Fifteen
Serena
A part of me wants to think about my dad. To worry.
The rest of me is so damned content wrapped up with Carter in his bed, warmer and cozier than ever once he pulls the blankets over us both.
Once our shared climax finally subsides, but I know a part of it never will.
It’s something inside me now.
Carter.
That piece of himself he’s given me and I know I’ve given him myself too.
I’m his now and it’s the best feeling in the world.
Safe. I’ve never felt safer or happier.
My dad’s the last thing from my mind once I feel myself drifting off to sleep, but the cabin telephone by the bed jolts us both awake, Carter groaning at the unwanted interruption.
Those thoughts of my dad?
Come back again and I sit up in a near panic, wondering who it could be.
Carter sighs heavily, and lazily lifting the phone to his ear, he listens patiently before replying.
I can’t hear much, but figure it’s the front desk, the gruff voice of that old woman cutting through the silence as Carter sits up, lifting his legs to the edge of the bed.
“Uh, well Mr. Blaxhall left as you probably know… I’m not sure what it has to do with-”
He stops suddenly, turning to me as he covers the phone with his hand.
“Why don’t you go grab a shower, baby,” he says. Telling me rather than suggesting it.
I feel a little stab of hurt but get the impression it’s a private call, maybe something to do with Carter’s work or some other business he has.
I want to feel upset, to challenge him. But at the same time hearing him tell me to take a shower seems like the best idea ever when it has those dark eyes of his blazing, cocking a brow in suggestion before he gives me a subtle wink too.
Maybe he’ll join me in the shower?
The thought alone is enough for me to peck his cheek and obey his command, ignoring my shyness and skipping to my own bathroom while I hear his deep voice muted by the water and the space between our rooms as the shower sends up plumes of steam from the hot water.
My legs feel weak, and there’s another pleasing ache through most of my body.
It reminds me of what we’ve just done and I can’t help but smile, giving a few little moans and groans as I reach for the soap and finally my toothbrush, wondering what’s taking Carter so long.
I wash and rinse my hair, figuring I may as well seeing as I’m in here, as well as wanting to look my best for Carter from now on.
I’m just about done when I feel two shocks.
The sound of the cabin door slamming shut, followed by the hot water running out, making all the relaxation I’ve just worked on evaporate in a split second.
My biggest concern though is Carter leaving.
That was the door I just heard, right?
I call out for him but only hear silence once I shut the faucet off.
Shivering, I reach for towels and feeling them still damp from my last shower, I growl out loud and call for Carter again.
Something’s wrong.
He wouldn’t just leave without saying anything, would he?
Covering myself with a damp towel until I can reach Carter’s room, I find a dry towel for my hair and help myself to the robe hanging on the back of his door.
I feebly call out for him again, hoping he might just be hiding in plain sight but I know he’s gone.
I tell myself not to panic but can’t help wondering why he wouldn’t just put his head around the door and let me know if he was going anywhere.
Glancing out the window I can see it’s nearly dark already, the night’s coming in quick with the weather which looks and sounds like it’s getting worse by the minute.
A cooling log shifts in the fireplace, making me jump a little. The wind howling down the chimney all of a sudden too, sending a crackle of sparks back to life but nowhere near enough to keep the fire going.
A quick scan of the bathroom means there’s no hairdryer either, so I draw my robe tighter, resigning myself to stoke the fire again to at least get enough heat to dry my hair before I go looking for Carter.
I’m not just gonna sit here and wait, worrying.
I’ll just go see where he’s at, he’s probably ordering us some food or something. Even though dad’s left us enough supplies for three winters.