Her CEO Stalker and Her Second Chance Mate Chapter 105

Carter

Something was off with Briar, I noted as I walked up. I couldn’t place it but her smile was forced as she talked to Lana. Our conniving friend had blindsided her. Surely she was still reeling. She had been friendly with everyone thus far but she had been put on the spot and forced into the lime light. If there was one thing I had learned about Briar; she was humble and this may have rattled her. I pushed my thoughts away, willing them to bank.

Lana steered her out of the tent and I took the basket from her, giving her back her unicorn. We meandered through the fair when Larson appeared with his stupid perfect dark curly hair and tan skin, a pink cotton candy wand in hand as presented it to Briar. I scowled at him as he grinned at me falling into step next to Briar who took it tentatively and glanced back at me as she walked. The male had a death wish. Briar had stayed long enough that I suppose the other single males in our age group were getting curious. This wasn’t happening on my watch. 

I shook my head at Briar, and a spark lit her eyes. They seemed to say ‘Oh? Whatcha gonna do about it?’ I grinned back before defecting to another cotton candy stand and coming back with a blue raspberry flavored one. I handed it to her and took the pink one, which she hadn’t touched. Good Girl. She took the blue one and took a bite nodding in approval. I took a bite of the pink one and grinned at Larson.

“Your a buzz kill Carter,” he huffed before steering off and the girls chuckled together as I took my place beside her.

“Dominate male posturing bullshit,” Lana murmured. Briar offered her a bite and Lana took a pinch of the spooled candy and stuck her tongue out letting it melt on her tongue.

“Bet that's how Briar’s pussy feels every time you rev her engine,” Lana mushed out loud, giving me a wink. Briar smacked her with the unicorn.

“See it’s true!” Lana said laughing. 

Mazzie walked up just then. Apparently having seen it all as she caught up with us.

“Larson is going to be licking at his wounded ego for a while,” she said with a laugh. Briar snorted but when Mazzie stole a big clump of the pink one I handed it off to her. She sidled up to Lana with it and they kissed before settling in close and sharing it as they walked. 

It was getting late when Mazzie hit a game and won Lana a kitty corn stuffy. Which Lana squealed with glee on receiving hugging the fish and stuffy to her as we reached the ferris wheel. We each took different cars, it was our last ride before we headed to her grandparents for a late dinner. They had said they would rather have a late dinner then miss the weekly ritual. I knew though Briar loved the time with them every Saturday night the chasm just grew where the questions about her father were not answered. Lana and Mazzie took the car ahead of us and Briar and I slipped into the next one. She was quiet as the wheel slowly eased up, the car swinging with each new passenger as it rose to it’s assent.

“You ok?” I asked pulling her close to me when we were halfway to the peak. She shrugged. That was as much indication of her admitting she wasn’ t as I was going to get. “What is it?” I asked as I looked down at her.

She sighed. “Everytime I think I have life figured out, something blindsides me. Jake and my mother’s death, Creedon’s fury…”

“What is it this time?” I asked, concerned.

“My conscience.”

I couldn’t fathom what that was about, so I said.

“Sometimes, our consciousness gets in the way of where we should be, we don’t have to be noble all the time to still be good on the inside. Sometimes we deserve to take from the world we give so much too.”

“I’ve given nothing to this world.”

“That may be how you see it Briar, you're humble and that’s admirable, but think about it the way I see it, and I haven’t even known you all that long. You are Lana’s only friend outside of me and Mazzie, she may play nice with the girls on the crew but she’s different with you. She feels safe with you to bare things she doesn't even talk about with me, maybe not even Mazzie. Amber’s kids, they don’t just warm up to anybody, that's why she has a hard time finding a sitter, with you they were more at ease then I’ve ever seen them. Usually babysitting duty is a chaotic mess. You have a grace about you Briar, it's a beautiful thing to see, you touch people without realizing it. Misty and Cricket, even Beck have all fallen in love with you. Because your soul is beautiful, because you are kind. Even when you are selfish you are thinking of others. You care for the people that matter most to you even when you are within the grip of your own grief and misery. So no Briar you give to this world in ways that matter. Ways that impact people in leaps and bounds. You may not see that for yourself, but it’s what matters most to the people you touch. Your love for others is unending. Beyond the fact you are so much stronger and more capable then you know. 

“Thats what I love about you the most.” She peered up at me. “You have so easily navigated your new life, and I can’t wait to see what you become. What hopefully we can become,” that was a heavy load to rest upon her. The wheel rose us to the peek and she looked out over the fair and the city and the darkness beyond that was the outskirts. 

“It’s beautiful.” she rasped taking it all in.

When she looked back at me, I decided this was my moment. 

“No, you're beautiful—she was about to deny it so I followed with—I love you,” I said. I had clearly caught her off guard. The well of emotion and uncertainty in her eyes had me pressing my lips to hers, slow and languidly to prove my point. She hesitated only a moment before she opened to me and that kiss poured down into my soul. The world melted away, I didn’t feel the wheel as it descended and we were nearly to the bottom when we pulled away, but her eyes searched mine as mine searched hers. She was too afraid to voice the words, but those damn beautiful green eyes of hers said it all. She loved me, and that was scary for her I knew. I got it because I was scared as hell too. How did I protect her but still love her until her wolf finally surfaced and he was off our backs? Not to mention her ex out there somewhere with a bond that could easily destroy it all for us.