Carter's Treasure (30 page)

He needed her to wake up, though. He needed to know she was going to wake up. Carter needed to know she didn’t hate him.

“Carter, honey—here, sit.” Karen pushed down on his shoulder as she nudged a chair under him. He looked up at her with a grimaced smile of appreciation. “When Jesse and Eli get back, you’re going to eat. They offered to go get something and you need it.”

“I’m okay, Karen, really.” His argument was a whisper.

“You’re going to need to keep up your strength. She’s going to need you the next few days.”

“I hope so.”

“Carter?” Karen moved closer to him. “Hey, look at me.” Her words were soothing, but he understood the no-nonsense tone in them. “What do you think is going to happen? That she’ll wake up and blame you?”

Carter’s head dropped. “I don’t know, Karen. I just don’t know.”

“Damn it, Carter. This was not your fault. Brody’s right, you saved her. You are the one that brought Mike in. You’re the one that knew he could help and made it happen, even when my son stood there arguing. Mike went in with his gun, but you brought Mike in. You saved my daughter, Carter. For that…I’ll be forever grateful. To Mike and to you.”

Carter heard Karen’s words, but he just couldn’t let himself believe them, not until he could hold Molly and see in her eyes that she’d forgiven him.

He glanced up at the clock again. It felt like the hands never moved. Carter rolled his shoulders and shifted in the hard plastic chair. He was stiff, but there was no way in hell he was moving. Hearing the sharp intake of air, he whipped his head back to Molly’s face. Gently, he brushed her bangs off her face and held his breath as her eyes fluttered partway open.

“Hey, Gorgeous,” Carter kept his voice at a whisper. He wanted her to wake, but if she was going to drift back off, he knew the doctor said she needed it. He ran his knuckle over her cheek. It was so much colder than normal. “I love you.”

Watching her try to swallow on what must have been a horribly dry throat, combined with the injuries to her neck, was just heartbreaking. “Oh, baby, you want to try a sip of water?”

Molly barely nodded, but he understood.

Using the straw to get some water for her, he let a few drops drain into her mouth, and watched her try to swallow again. Better, but still visibly painful. He repeated the motion a couple more times until it looked as if she was done, and then he sat and gently stroked her hand and arm around the IV site. She blinked several times and he could tell she was trying to fight sleep. He rushed to get his words out before her eyes closed again.

“Molly, I’m so sorry. I should’ve been there. I’m so sorry, Gorgeous.” His ragged plea for forgiveness was said on a choked back sob.

“Shh.” She was barely able to be heard above the beeping of the machines she was hooked up to, her words raspy and hard to make out. “No Carter…it’s okay. Wasn’t…your fault. I love you.” She attempted a smile.

His relief came out with a whoosh. He knew she had struggled to get the words out, but even with her being under the pain meds and trying to come out of the sedation, he felt them and he knew she meant them.

“I love you, Molly…forever.”

He lowered his head until it was on the bed beside her and draped his arm over her leg. He continued to run his finger carefully over her hand and fingers until he felt her lift them. When she threaded them through the back of his hair like she had done so many times before, he lost the battle against his emotions. Silent tears fell against his will and dripped onto her blanket as he gripped her necklace in his other hand.

~

“How did you sleep, Gorgeous?” Carter asked as he brushed her bangs off her face.

Molly stretched gingerly, the pain over various parts of her body a cruel reminder of yesterday’s hell. The alarm had gone off several moments before, and she knew Carter needed to get up, but she refused to let go of him. She wanted him with her for just a few more minutes, or maybe forever. Curling into his side, she snuggled in and hoped he’d stay in the warm bed with her.

Last night after she’d been released from the hospital, everyone had come back to the motorhome to eat take-out for dinner. As spacious as it felt on a regular basis, the small space had closed in fast, but it seemed no one had wanted to leave her side. Sitting on the couch wedged between Carter and Mike had felt like the safest place in the world. Molly had quietly listened and watched the conversations going on around her. Tom and Connie had come in last minute to support her and their sons. They all needed comforting. With the threat gone, everyone had seemed to relax and let go, and Molly sat in contented silence and listened to the old tales being brought out against Carter, Eli, and Jesse. Molly had known they were trying to take her mind off of the horror and it had worked. She couldn’t help but laugh when Mike threw in some added details to a few of the stories that had seemingly slipped past their parents, conveniently.

Molly had even quietly teased back, smiling up at Mike beside her. Molly had grown quite attached to the gentle giant who had saved her life. There weren’t even words to describe her gratitude. Though she’d tried, they just didn’t seem like enough. But sitting there last night between the two men who were now her personal heroes, listening to their childhood stories while she shared some of hers, had made the evening perfect. Low key and quiet with humor mixed in, and safe.

No one had woken her as she’d slipped in and out of sleep, tucked under Carter’s arm. Being surrounded by her friends and family had allowed her to relax enough to finally find peace.

Molly knew that this morning her parents would be anxious to hear if she’d slept through the night without a nightmare. She’d sensed how hesitant they were to leave her last night even though it was clear they completely trusted Carter with her care.

Molly was just as relieved as they were going to be that she’d made it. She’d woken twice, but neither time with a nightmare. Both times Carter’s strong arms had tightened around her and pulled her back against his warm chest. He’d whispered soothing murmurs and words into the darkness, and each time she’d fallen right back to sleep.

Molly kissed Carter’s bare chest and pulled away to prop herself up so she could see him. “I slept fine.” She smiled down at him.

“Good, I’m so glad, Gorgeous.” Carter pulled her close for a quick kiss.

“I guess I should let you get up, huh? You know I don’t want to. I want to stay in bed all day.”

“I know, baby, me too.” Carter grinned and she could see the relief in his eyes.

His eyes weren’t sad and heavy like they had been yesterday. It was a new day, time to put it all behind them as best they could. Their families were supposed to come back over for breakfast and then they’d planned to hang out in the pits and enjoy race day. Carter had been doing so well this season. Molly could only hope that yesterday wouldn’t harm the second place standing he was in. She’d have to make sure he stayed in the game.

Molly could hear bikes being kick started and revved all around her, the drawback to parking so close, but really, she loved that sound, loved the smell of the pits, loved it all.

She was ready to ride.

Mentally preparing herself for battle, Molly knew there were going to be some men who would try to stand in her way. She grinned to herself, ready to take them all on.

“What’s the shit eating grin for, Gorgeous?”

Busted.

Well ding, ding, ding—round one, now only James and Brody to go. Crap—she hadn’t even thought about Karen.

Here goes nothing.

“Um…well, I was just trying to decide…I think I’ll ride without my chest protector on. I’m afraid it will rub the stitches in my side.” She bit her lip and waited.

“Excuse me?”

“And I’m going to see if James will mind…I think I’ll leave the neck brace off too, just this once. I won’t pull anything too dangerous. I’ll be okay.”

“What the hell are you talking about? You really think you’re riding? Tonight?”

If Carter’s eyebrow went up any further, it’d reach his hairline. Molly giggled at the mental picture.

“Honey, I really don’t think you should push it.”

Damn, that was easier than she’d expected. After years of battling like this with James, she knew which words to clue in on. He had said think. Bingo.

“I’ll be fine. I really need to, Carter. I know you of all people understand that, right?”

Carter took in a deep breath. Molly knew that signal. He was almost there.

“Okay, Gorgeous, if you think you’re up to it.”

“I am, I promise. Now you can help me convince James and Brody.”

“Oh, no.” Carter shook his head, his tongue in his cheek. “You’re on your own with them, baby.”

“But…”

“You thought you were playing me? I’m smarter than you think, apparently.” Carter started laughing. “And don’t think for a minute I won’t start calling the boys to vote against you. You might make it past your dad and Brody, I’m not sure…I doubt it. But just in case you do, I highly doubt you’ll convince Jess or Eli. And then there’s always Mike.”

Molly lay back on the pillow, contemplating her next move. George.

“And don’t even think about, George,” Carter snickered. “I can see the steam coming from your brain, it’s working so hard. Nice try. I only agreed to give you false hope.”

“You’re a mean boy.” Molly crossed her arms over her chest. The longer she lay there, the harder it became to hold in the laughter. “Mean, I say.”

“But you love me.”

“Well, yeah. You did kinda save me and all. I kinda…owe ya,” Molly said with mock aloofness.

“Hmm…owe me, huh? I like the sound of that.”

The humor in his voice made Molly weary. She had gotten to know Carter’s ornery side. He could still be that twelve-year-old boy she’d heard stories about last night. Molly lay very still. If she had been standing, she would have thrown her shoulders back and chin up, ready to take him on. She wasn’t in a position to look that cool. Unfortunately.

“Well? Spit it out, boy.”

“Boy?”

Shit. That sin-laden grin that danced across his face was a doozy. And damn it all to hell, it got her every time.

“Yeah…boy.”

“All right, little girl.” Carter winked. “The way I see it, I love you. And even though at first you were staying with me while…you know…” He waved his hand dismissively through the air. “It was something I needed you to do. We don’t have that excuse anymore.”

The conversation and playful banter had just taken a ninety-degree turn going way too fast and skidded into something else. Suddenly, Molly felt like he wasn’t teasing anymore and a tingle rushed across her skin from head to toe.

“I want you to move in with me permanently, Molly. I want you with me because you want to be here now. Not because we need it. I know, even though it feels like we’ve lived a lifetime over the last few weeks, it really hasn’t been that long. I also know it feels like I’m rushing things, but Molly…I love you.”

Carter propped himself up on his elbow, his head inclined in emphasis.

“This isn’t a proposal yet, but only because I need to get the ring from my parents house. It was my Grandmother Sterling’s and it will be yours. That’s how serious I am.”

She’d had drugs in the emergency room yesterday, maybe they were still in her system. Molly wasn’t sure she was hearing the words he was saying, because it sounded an awful lot like he was proposing.

“We can take it as slow as you want. I just know you will start to feel better day-by-day and I don’t want to get to the point that that because you’ve healed, you think you need to move back in with Brody. I don’t want you to wonder how serious I am. I want you with me and not just until you’re healed.”

His voice was steady, his face happy but entirely serious. Molly took a long look, reading every line, every nuance. She was looking for…she wasn’t sure what. Maybe he was teasing? But he wasn’t laughing. He had a reassuring smile, but nothing more. Suddenly, she realized he was waiting for an answer.

When she didn’t say anything, he continued, “I told you when I made love to you that first night, it was going to change everything. You’re mine. I wouldn’t have let you go, but after almost losing you yesterday…” Carter shook his head. “I can’t bear the thought of being apart from you. I won’t risk losing you a second time.”

He wanted her.

After everything she’d put him through, put Mike through, Carter wanted her. Nightmares, scars, panic attacks, her crazy brother and all, he wanted her.

Molly was in awe. “I love you.”

“I love you too, Gorgeous. So much…I always will.”

His mouth turned up in that lop-sided, sexy as sin smile that pulled at her heart, but it was his eyes this time. They were beautiful and so full of love. She melted.

It didn’t matter what happened from here, she knew she would always be his.

He had leaned in over her, and she raised a shaky hand to his jaw and stroked the early morning whiskers. “Yes.”

It was an answer to moving in with him, but it was so much more than just that.