"I'll see you tomorrow?" I ask, kissing him again.

Before I can pull back, he angles his head, and I let the kiss pull me under like a riptide, momentarily losing myself.

"You're dangerous, Taylor Clarke."

"Me?" I scoff. "You're the one who—"

"Kept you pinned to my bed for most of the morning?"

“You know you liked it.”

“I loved it. I’m definitely not debating that point.”

I roll my eyes, wondering about how Carter’s even holding up in this moment. We fooled around quite a bit but we didn't have sex. In fact, my dress stayed on the entire time. But it wasn't for my lack of trying. Every time I tried to take our physical intimacy to the next level, Carter pulled back.

"We're not doing this for the first time with a house full of people acting like they belong in a frat house." His voice was serious.

I had huffed and moved in for another kiss.

"I'm serious, babe. The first time I have you, I won't be interrupted by one of my idiotic brothers or my sister's drama."

I laughed at that, remembering his frustration with Daisy earlier in the morning.

"Okay," I agreed.

But that didn't stop him from worshiping my body in a slew of other ways that make me blush and beam just thinking about them. The acts somehow were more intimate given the fact that I was nearly clothed for all of them.

"Don't be embarrassed. Please, pin me to my bed every morning," he says, bringing me back to the here and now.

"One day," I agree, wrapping my fingers around his wrist and pulling him closer for another kiss.

He hesitates and I look up.

"I think your parents are waiting for you."

I turn in time to see the curtains in the front window flutter. How embarrassing. It’s like high school but worse, since I’m twenty-six. I really do need to move home.

"One more kiss." I pucker my lips.

Carter chuckles, tucking a piece of hair behind my ear before brushing his lips against mine.

"Okay, I'm going." I exhale loudly, my hand on the door lever.

Carter reaches out, his hand coming down on my thigh and stopping me. "Let me know if you need anything, okay?"

I nod.

"I'm serious."

"I know."

"Thank you, Taylor. That was the best date I've ever been on."

I smile, suddenly shy. "Me too."

He reaches over and kisses my cheek. "I'll talk to you later."

"Yes." I push open the car door and climb out, pulling my purse along with me. Giving him a small wave, I shut the door and walk the few steps to the front porch. Turning, I wait for Carter to pull out of the driveway and disappear down the street before entering my parent’s home.

“Morning Taylor.” Daddy says cheerily as soon as the door closes behind me.

“Hi Daddy.”

“Good date?” He asks, raising his eyebrows.

“Great date.”

“How hungover are you?”

I snort. “Not awfully. But I definitely need a nap.”

“Coffee?”

“That’d be good. I actually want to talk to you and Mom about something.”

“Oh?” He pushes open the front door and steps inside. “What’s that?”

“We could grab a coffee first.”

He nods, steering the way to the kitchen.

He turns to look at me over his shoulder, “You want to move back to your home?”

I nod. “It’s time. I miss my space and my life and –”

Daddy holds up his hand, halting my speech. “It’s good to see you enjoying your life again, Taylor. I understand. When do you want to move back?”

“This weekend.”

“I’ll help you move.”

“Thanks Daddy.”

“But if you don’t feel well or anything changes –”

“I can always come home.”

Daddy’s eyes soften as he stops in front of the coffee maker, pouring us two mugs. “Always. So this guy?”

I accept the hot mug gratefully. “He’s the real deal.”

Daddy sips his coffee slowly, mulling this over. “That’s what I was afraid of.”

I roll my eyes, taking in the small smile that passes over his mouth, even as his forehead wrinkles and his tired eyes meet mine.

“How are things going?” I ask, implying about the business and the gambling.

Dad breathes out a large breath of air, leaning against the counter and crossing his ankles. He shakes his head, pinching the bridge of his nose. Immediately I think of Carter and how he does the same gesture when he’s exasperated.

“Not great. I’m starting to pay back some of the people I owe money to which is buying me more time with others. In the meantime, Barrington is taking over more and more of the daily operations of Clarke Enterprises. He will have a much larger role moving forward. You sure things with you and him –”

“No.” My tone is sharper than I intend it to be and Daddy watches me closely for several seconds before nodding.

“Alright.”

“So, the business?”

“May just be saved with Barrington’s help. But he will control fifty-one percent of the shares, so I’ll be the minority shareholder. It won’t really be our company anymore.” Daddy’s voice drips with disappointment as his eyes dim with regret at the words.

My heart squeezes in my chest as I see how devastated he is, my frustration toward him lessening. “I’m sorry Daddy.”

He waves away my words, taking a large gulp of coffee. “Don’t be. It’s my own fault and it looks like we’re going to come out on the other side better than we thought. I’ll still have a stake in the company, we aren’t losing our house, and you, your mother, and I are healthy. Gotta focus on the good things, Taylor. Besides, it’s me who should be apologizing to you. The support you and your mother have showed me,” he shakes his head, his eyes growing cloudy with moisture, “I don’t deserve it. But I’m going to earn your mother’s and your respect back, Taylor. I promise. This will never happen again.”

A lump forms in my throat and I take a sip of my coffee, trying to wash it away. Daddy was definitely lost for a while there and it’s a relief to see him making the right decisions. I can’t imagine being consistently let down by my dad and my chest aches for how much hurt and disappointment Carter must have endured from constantly being disappointed by his own father.

“It will all be okay, Daddy.” I say the words quietly, finally believing them.

He offers me a wry grin as he pulls me into a hug and holds me longer than necessary. But I let him have this moment. I think we both need it.

“So, you’re moving?” Carter asks me over the phone the following day.

“Yes. I think it’s time I get back to my own place, my own routine.”

“Cool. Do you need any help?” he asks, his voice warm through the line. As if he really wants to help me move. Maybe he does.

“That would be great. My dad is helping me too but he’s not free until the afternoon and I’d like to get a move on in the morning.”

“It’s not a problem. I’m starting at Cork’s at 1:00PM so I can help you get started in the morning.”

“Great. 10:00AM?”

“I’ll see you then. I’ll grab the coffee.”

“And donuts.”

“Demanding, are ya?”

I chuckle. “See you tomorrow.”

Hanging up the phone, I feel lighter than I have in a long time. Tomorrow, I’ll be back in my townhouse, with my own belongings and familiarity surrounding me. And Carter is going to come and help me move, come and see my home. Little by little he’s becoming someone I rely on in ways I never imagined I could. I never counted on Barrington or the other guys I ran in the same circles with for anything. But Carter’s different and I’m excited I will see him tomorrow.

The next morning, the doorbell rings and Carter greets me on the front porch, a bag of donuts and a cup of coffee in his hand.

“Good morning.” He greets me cheerily, as if there is nothing else he would rather be doing on a morning he isn’t working.

“Morning. Thank you.” I accept the coffee cup and bag of donuts.

“These are for your parents. I have another bag for you in the car.”

“That’s so sweet of you. Come on in.” I hold the door open for him and he steps into the foyer, taking a quick look at the packed suitcase and boxes I have lined up in the hallway. When I moved in with my parents a few months ago, I never anticipated staying so long. And I definitely didn’t realize how my dad running to my townhouse every few days to pick up something I forgot would accumulate into so many of my belongings.

Carter’s eyes widen as he takes in my family home, his eyes lingering on the framed photos of my parents and me lining one wall. “You have a beautiful home.” He says finally.

“Thanks. It’s my parent’s place. I promise my own space is a lot simpler.”

He smirks, following me as I lead the way into the kitchen to deposit the donuts on the counter top.

“Thanks for coming so early on your day off.”

“Nah, it’s nothing. I’ve been up since 6:00AM anyway. Sort of fell into a pattern of running with Jax and decided to keep it up even though he’s gone. Although I’m not hitting the same pace without him.”

“He’s a tyrant?”

“You have no idea. But I miss him.”

“I bet.” My heart warms at his words, liking that he has no problem admitting his feelings, of missing his brother.

“You want to get started? We can probably move everything in one trip between my car and yours. I’m not sure your dad will even have to haul anything.”

“I realized that once everything was in the hallway too. I’ll just see if he wants to pass by for lunch.”

“That’s nice. That you and your dad are close and have that type of relationship.”

I take a sip of my coffee, nodding in agreement. “Yeah. He’s really trying to turn things around and I respect that. I don’t want to be annoyed with him, not about this. He was honest with me and my mom and that’s all that matters. I think part of the reason I was so hard on him is just because I wasn’t in a great place myself.” I shrug, hating that I took my own frustrations out on my father’s situation but knowing it’s true anyway.

“It happens. You had a really tough summer.”

“It’s been better in other ways.” I admit, smiling at him.

The corners of his eyes crinkle as he smiles back, and a beat of silence stretches between us. Except its comfortable, natural, easy. Just like everything with Carter.

“Okay. Let’s get going.” I say, before the moment can stretch too long and I lose myself in Carter Kane.

He nods and we head out to the foyer where Carter efficiently loads up our SUVs with all our belongings. “Don’t forget your coffee.” He turns to tell me over his shoulder as he opens the door to this SUV. “There are more donuts for us to eat. We can celebrate once moving is finished.”

“A picnic?”

“Something like that. I’ll follow you.”

“Okay.” I slide behind the wheel of my SUV and pull out of my parent’s driveway with Carter following closely behind me.