Their greetings at the beginning of the session had been torturous at best, with Kat wanting nothing more than to hightail it home and lose herself in a couple of stiff drinks. Never had she felt more chaotic, more off balance. Her mind whirred unrelentingly with question after question, punctuated with words from her conversation with Jack and her talk with Beth, before it would go back to the kiss.

Oh God, the kiss.

Throughout their session, her gaze landed unapologetically on Carter’s mouth. She cleared her throat when he glanced up at her, as if sensing her staring, and halted in his reading. Her cheeks warmed. She averted her eyes back to the page.

Carter frowned before he continued: “‘I had treated seeing Catherine very lightly, I had gotten somewhat drunk and had nearly forgotten to come, but when I could not see her there I was feeling lonely and hollow.’”

“Okay, stop there.” Kat laid her copy of the text facedown on the desk between them, alongside the Oreos and can of Coke Carter had brought. “In regard to the last few pages, what do you notice about the change in Henry’s attitude toward Catherine?”

Carter fidgeted and his fingers became wedged under the edge of his beanie while he scratched his head. His eyes flickered to hers nervously.

“He’s, um, he’s confused by his feelings.” He picked up his can of Coke and took a long sip.

“How do you know that?” She watched his Adam’s apple dip and rise in his throat.

“Because he misses her, you know, when, um, when she’s not there.”

His eyes met Kat’s for a split second, but that was enough time to send a burning-hot dagger of desire straight through her center.

“How do you know he’s confused?”

Carter smiled with the right corner of his mouth. A knowing look shimmered across his high cheekbones. “A hunch.” He looked at the text. He scratched at his jaw. “He’s … ‘hollow.’ He’s empty without her.”

His blue gaze lifted from Hemingway’s words. What Kat saw there made her heart almost stop.

Usually, when Carter’s eyes were on her, Kat saw raw sex and desire. It always tinged his irises, making them a cloudless blue. That was still there, but more prevalent than that was a remorseful haze surrounding every inch of his pupils. It was so clear, Kat knew without his saying a word how he was feeling. He was sorry. And she felt the exact same way.

She had no idea how long they sat—looking at each other, lost in each other—and only returned to where she was when Carter touched her. His palm was warm and comfortable on the back of her hand, and the hot fizz of energy that was always present between them breathed a sigh of relief.

It seemed like forever since he’d touched her.

Carter edged forward. “Peaches,” he said, allowing his thumb to smooth its way across her skin. He kept his eyes on the table where their hands joined. His hands felt so good. Fleetingly, her mind began to imagine how they would feel on other parts of her.

Her attraction to Carter was slowly turning into something more, something scary and irrevocable. She was tired of denying it, of course, but she still had to tread a careful path.

Carter’s hand squeezed hers. “About Saturday—”

“It’s fine.”

“No,” he retorted firmly. “It’s not. It was— I mean, yeah, the kiss was …” He raised his eyebrows. “Look, whatever you think of me, I didn’t kiss you to be a dick. Honestly.”

“I know, I—”

“The thing is.” He paused, his brows almost meeting in the middle. “The thing is, I might not have flowery fucking words or anything, but I’m … I’m serious about you.”

Dizziness accosted Kat, making her grip on Carter’s hand tighten.

“I know it’s not the perfect situation.” He pointed to himself. “I’m just a … and you’re … but, fuck, I’m happy to have anything you’re willing to give me at this point. Just sitting here with you would be enough.”

The sincerity of his words made Kat want to fall into his arms and never leave them. Unable to articulate how hard her heart was beating, she simply uttered, “Okay.”

Carter appeared satisfied with her answer. “Okay?”

She smiled.

“Are we good?” he asked quietly, watching her carefully.

Kat cleared her throat. “We’re good.”

Carter exhaled, seemingly torn. “I’m glad, but I need you to understand something, Peaches.” He licked his lips. “I’m not sorry, and I’d do it again in a fucking heartbeat.”

Oh God.

Realizing she was staring and barely breathing, Kat dragged her eyes from Carter and quickly pulled a folder full of papers from her bag. Change the subject. Change the subject …

“Do you want these now?” She placed them on the table.

Carter scowled. “And what are ‘these’?” He slid the folder toward himself.

“Your resources for next week.”

Carter blinked, confused.

“I’m going away,” Kat clarified. “With my family, to Washington, DC.” She let her fingertips dance along the edging of the table. “It’s the anniversary of my father’s … We do it every year. I’ll be out of town from Sunday to Sunday.”

Carter’s face changed imperceptibly. He didn’t look happy. After scratching the back of his neck, he slid his hands into his pockets. “Um, yeah, okay.” The frown was tight above the bridge of his nose.

“Just do what you can,” Kat encouraged. “I’ve assigned you some more reading and questions, and we need to talk about an assessment paper …”

She trailed off when Carter’s dark, somber gaze met hers.

“Text me,” she said without thinking. “Or call me if you need any help. Don’t hesitate. I— Yeah, just, just call me.”

“I will.”

Kat tried to smile but it was harder work than she expected. Leaving to be with her family at this time of the year was one thing; leaving Carter for a whole week was another. She was suddenly very hollow indeed.

* * *

Carter was edgy: edgy and fucking miserable, to be quite honest, despite it being Saturday night.

He took a huge gulp from the fifth bottle of Corona placed in his hand by Max and rubbed a finger along his eyebrow. Seriously, seven days. How hard could it be? He only saw his Peaches three times a week anyway, so technically it was only six hours he’d be missing.

Big. Deal.

He sighed. Yeah, it was a big deal. They’d had their last session a day ago and already he could feel an uncomfortable sensation of wanting and emptiness curl within his stomach at the thought of not seeing her.

Dammit.

Paul, Max’s head mechanic from the body shop, knocked Carter’s elbow, which was resting on the bar.

“What’s up?” he asked above the music. “You look like someone pissed on Kala.”

Carter stood from his hunched position. “Nothin’. I’m good.”

“Don’t lie,” Paul smirked. “You hate this club, don’t you? It’s all right to admit it to me. Max loves it, but I don’t see the appeal.”

Two statuesque blondes sauntered past, causing the two men to stare at their minimal clothing and flirtatious smiles.

Carter chuckled. He clinked his bottle against Paul’s. “Where is Max?” he asked, narrowing his eyes toward the dance floor in the hopes of spotting his friend.

“Outside having a smoke,” he replied with a wave of his hand. “With his new friend Laura. He’s shitfaced already, high as a damned kite, yammering on about some deal he’s doing tonight.”

Carter rolled his eyes in frustration. From the snippets he’d heard from the other boys at the shop, since Lizzie had left, Max had lost himself in many women. As much as Max played that he was okay and lived for bedding the females he did, Carter knew he was simply trying to fuck the pain away. With the amount of coke Max was doing, it was clear that the one-night stands weren’t working. Asshole was on a slippery slope.

“He needs to get out of that shit,” Carter muttered.

“No doubt,” Paul agreed. “But he’s not going to listen to either of us, you know that. He’s in too deep. When that bitch left, she took the best parts of him with her.”