Night to Forget

Win-win?

-Harper-

I sipped the slightly chilled wine without taking my eyes off Carter. This handsome bastard surprised me. And now he has the nerve to look at me like I'm a tasty snack. I'm a complete dish, buddy, and you know it. I laughed internally.

"So, what do you want to talk about?" I asked, setting my glass down. "You mentioned something about an offer, so I'm listening. What kind of party should I throw you?" I got down to specifics, not letting him surprise me.

Carter sipped his amber drink without taking his lustful gaze away from me. His white shirt perfectly fit his sculpted body, and the slightly unbuttoned shirt allowed me to admire his torso and beautifully sun-kissed skin.

The bastard knew very well what effect not only a man in a suit had on me but also the awareness of the beast hidden under it, and Carter Remington was the best example of this. Carter smiled mischievously, noticing my growing excitement, and set the glass of bourbon on the table, staring at me.

"Of all the possible things I want you to throw at me. I can even call you Party if that's what you want." He winked, using my own words against me.

I rolled my eyes at his cheap move. "Don't twist my words for your use. Please tell me what else you expect from me besides spending dinner with you this evening. Be serious for a moment." I admonished him.

Carter shifted his position in the chair and rested his elbows on the table, resting his chin on his clasped hands. His eyes held the answer for him; I knew what he wanted, but this time, I wouldn't be stupid or drunk enough to let him have me.

"You," he confirmed, making me laugh. I want you, Harper Pierson because I like you. It's your curves, as well as your character and self-confidence, that turn me on." He started listing his reasons, and it warmed my heart.

"From the moment I saw you in that club, I knew I wanted you. And our first night made me believe we were perfect for each other. So all I want is you. I want to be your boyfriend." He confessed, completely shocking me.

"Are you completely crazy?" I screamed, not believing what I was hearing. "Look at your hand and ring finger. If this wedding ring doesn't mean anything, let me remind you that you have a wife." I leaned towards him, outraged at him.

"Her name is Madison McKenna, a famous model and my main contractor. She is the reason I earn money. Do you think she will want to continue using my company's services when I tell her I’m dating her husband?" I reminded him how much we can't be together.

"I'm getting a divorce. You know very well that this marriage is a sham. I had to enter into it to receive the shares. Now that my position is stabilized, I will happily pay Madison her promised fee and even throw in a little extra for her wonderful performance." He confessed boldly, not understanding me completely.

"And what next?" I shook my head, "Hmm? Have you thought about how it will affect me when you get into a new relationship right after the divorce?" I challenged him, "You think no one will start digging into our past, looking for some hot topic? Damn it, Carter, what if the press finds out? You'll be finished, and they'll think you're a scoundrel who left his wonderful wife for me." I started shouting out all the theories that came to my mind.

"I will become a housewrecker, a cheap w***e, a toy who flashed her t**s and seduced a married man. I can't afford that, Carter. I have to be guided by my head, not my heart. Otherwise, we could destroy everything we fought for. My company will cease to exist, and your reputation will be tarnished. Is that what you want? Problems?" I asked, shaking with nerves.

I stared at him, hoping Carter would understand that he would come to the same conclusions as I did, but his determined look revealed an entirely different decision. He had already decided; he just needed to convince me of it.

"I love you." He confessed, pushing me into my seat with shock.

"What?" I stammered, disbelieving his confession.

"Don't pretend you don't know. I love you, Harper. I've been in love with you since I saw you in your office when you agreed to arrange my wedding." Carter stood up, walked around the table, and crouched beside my chair, taking my hands.

"Your professionalism, how you handled Madison when she started acting like a damn Queen, and how you didn't let her intimidate you." He smiled, remembering a scene I would like to forget, "All this made me unable to forget you, and my heart didn't beat so hard for anyone." He looked at me with that love-struck look he always gave me when no one was watching, "Even when I was getting married, I imagined it was you under that veil. I guess that's why I had that stupid smile on my face all day long. For me, it was you. You, not Madison. And I would finally like to make it happen." He lifted my cold, shaking hand and kissed it tenderly.

"You want to marry me? Is that the offer?" I squealed, almost fainting from terror. Carter chuckled, amused by my panic, but quickly denied it.

"I can't." He bit his lip, suppressing the laugh. "Not yet," he added, giving me another heart attack.

"I didn't think the prospect of being my wife would scare you. I thought your feelings for me were similar. And I'm even convinced that this beautiful, stubborn, and brave woman is just as in love with me as I am in love with her." Carter tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, which turned red at his words.

He was right; although I couldn't admit it, my body did it. My heart was pounding in my chest, my stomach tiding with stress and excitement, and my body shuddered when he touched me. My skin turned red with embarrassment that someone had discovered my secret.

"Aren't I right, darling?" he whispered, moving closer to my ear and blowing on the skin of my neck.

I closed my eyes, swallowed nervously, and nodded almost imperceptibly. Carter chuckled victoriously and began to nuzzle my neck, gently scratching it with his stubble.

"I want to hear it, Harper." He kissed my chin, gently turning my face towards him.

"I want to hear it from those voluptuous, full lips. Say it, baby." He repeated, rubbing his thumb against my lower lip.

"I." I stuttered. "Yes," I admitted, my voice shaking with emotion.

"Oh, come on, Harper. I know you can do it. Say it in a complete sentence." Carter pressed, and my throat suddenly became dry. I could not even say my name.

"Here, let's moisten that lovely throat a bit to release the words I've been waiting for a long time." Carter put the glass of wine to my lips, and I opened my eyes and took a few sips.

Carter was still staring at me expectantly, and suddenly, I decided to do what I was so afraid of for once. I licked my lips and looked deep into his eyes.

"Yes. I've been in love with you for a long time. And you don't know how many nights I cried after your wedding. You smiled so much that I thought you were happy. Your happiness was my misfortune. I want you. I want you just as much as you do. I am so scared." I shed tears that had been suppressed for a long time.

"I'm afraid, Carter. Because wanting you can make me lose a lot. And I want to have everything. I've loved you, Carter Remington, for years." I confessed, and a significant burden lifted from my shoulders, and I felt lighter.

Carter smiled broadly, obviously happy with my confession, and wiped my tears.

"It was worth the wait. You can't get rid of me now, Harper. I'm yours. And soon I'll be single, and we can stop being afraid." He stood up and pulled me with him, wrapping his arms around my waist.

"And now let me kiss those lovely lips because such a confession needs to be sealed somehow." he leaned down and caught my lips in a hot and passionate kiss.

My body trembled in his arms, my blood boiled in my veins, my heart filled with hope, and the feeling of desire returned to my loins. And I already knew that I wouldn't escape him this time either.

"Then, before we go to bed, let's discuss the offer I have prepared for you," Carter whispered in my ear, pressing his swollen c**k against my lower abdomen, making me moan loudly.

"You better summarize because my ability to reason and listen to you is slowly starting to fade," I whispered, standing on my tiptoes to kiss his neck, inhaling his wonderful scent.

"I want you to organize a party for me. It is to be a gala to celebrate the fortieth anniversary of our company, during which Madison will announce our divorce. Thanks to this, we will show that we are still good partners despite our differences, and our love has burned out." Carter stepped aside and explained all the details.

"Our lawyers have already prepared the divorce papers. We are waiting for our fifth anniversary to fulfill the contract, and we both signed it." Carter grabbed his glass of half-finished bourbon and took a sip, smiling triumphantly.

"In eight weeks, I will be free, and Madison will be several million and a few percent richer in shares." He drank the entire drink and winked at me cockily.

"It's a win-win. Until then, we have to make sure no one notices us." He came to me and hugged me again.

I stood staring at him with mixed feelings. On one hand, I was filled with joy, and on the other, with fear. Could our future together finally begin? Would everything end happily as Carter planned? I wanted to believe in it and agreed to play the game. I had no idea that by doing so, I was bringing upon myself problems that I might not be able to cope with.