The decor down here is incredible. Everything is purple, chrome and glass. I’ve never seen a restaurant like it.
“This is something else. How didn’t I know about it?”
“It’s fairly new, but it’s getting more and more popular.”
“And how do you know about it?”
“The guy who just brought us over here. He’s a client of mine.”
“Why didn’t he say anything?”
“Because we’re on a date.” My heart pounds at his assumption.
“I’m not sure…” His brow rises, and I trail off.
“We’re on a date, doll. Now, take your pick. Everything is either low or no carb, so you can eat your heart out and not worry.”
I stare down at the menu for a few moments, not knowing what to look at first. “Everything looks so good. I don’t know how I’ll choose.”
“What’s your favourite food?” he asks, looking genuinely interested.
“Aside from all the carbs I try really hard not to eat?” I ask, thinking of the bread, pasta, cake and chocolate that I cheat with occasionally. Usually when I’m with Biff. I like to tell her that she’s a bad influence, but it’s not like I really put up much of a fight.
“Yeah.”
“Salmon, cheese of any kind, spicy chicken wings.”
He nods, taking it all in.
We order drinks and, soon after, food, once I’ve managed to choose. I’ve not tasted the food yet, and I already know that I want to come back here.
The meal is incredible and reminds me why I try to eat the way I do. I’m so full after three courses, but I’m not bloated like I know I would be if I had all the carbs that usually come with a big meal. Having said that, the thought of having to go shopping now doesn’t fill me with delight.
“I think I’m too full to walk around a supermarket,” I complain when we emerge after well over two hours in the restaurant.
“That’s the best way to go. Stops you making hungry impulse purchases.”
“It’s like you want to ruin all my fun,” I joke.
“We’ve already had plenty of fun today, don’t you think?” His hand brushes across the small of my back, and I shudder at his touch.
His fingers wrap around my waist and he pulls me into his side. I’m too content with a full belly and his hot body against mine, so I stay put.
“So what’s your usual supermarket?”
I call us another Uber, and in only a few minutes we’re on our way to the store that’s closest to my flat.
With me pushing a trolley, Carter takes charge in filling it with everything he thinks we need, all the while asking my preference about all kinds of food.
“Strawberries or raspberries?” he asks as we stand at the fruit section.
“Both?”
He nods, picking up a punnet of each.
I watch as he collects all kinds of meats, vegetables, herbs and spices. I’ve got no clue what he’s planning, but it seems like he’s got it all under control.
“Make sure you pick up anything you need or want.”
“Gee, thanks,” I say with a laugh. I don’t want to tell him that he’s already filled the trolley with about four times the amount of food I buy on a weekly basis. I pick up a few things, including some more coffee, just to make it look like I actually need something.
When we get to the checkout, we’ve got a conveyer belt full of food. I feel like a kid again, shopping with my mum when she used to buy almost everything in the shop. With two older brothers who were always hungry, she was forever restocking our kitchen.
“I was going to suggest we walk back, but I’m not sure that’s such a wise idea,” I say, looking at the trolley full of bags as we walk out towards the car park.
“I’ve already got a car waiting.” I turn to him in shock. “When did you do that?”
“You’d wandered off to find something. I knew we’d need one, so…”
“You’re just a little bit too efficient.” I hate to admit it, because I always thought I was on top of things, but he’s taking it to another level.
“Why don’t you go and chill out. I’ll find a home for all this. Plus, I want to prep something for dinner tonight.”
I place the bags in my hand on the counter and turn to him. “I can help, you know.”
“I know, but I’m saying you don’t have to. Go and watch TV or something. I’ll come and join you once I’m done.”
I narrow my eyes at him slightly. I can’t figure out if he’s trying too hard to make this work or if this is just who he is. “Oookay. I’m not sure I’m going to want dinner though,” I admit. I’m still so full from lunch.
“Then we can have it tomorrow. It’s no problem.”
He continues emptying the bags onto the counter, and I hesitate to leave. It feels weird to allow him to sort all of this out when it’s my flat.
“Go,” he says, pressing his hands against my arse and squeezing lightly.
Not wanting to sit on the sofa watching him work, I grab my laptop from the side and go through to my bedroom. I keep the door ajar so I can hear him but close it enough so that he won’t be a distraction.
I pull up my emails and get to work, catching up on everything I missed last week. Carter crashes about in the kitchen, and after a while the most incredible scent starts to filter down. He wasn’t lying. He really can cook. Maybe having him around won’t be so bad.
I’ve no idea how much time passes. I lose myself in work and barely register the noises he makes. It’s not until the door opens and he walks in that I really remember he’s here.
“You didn’t need to run away,” he says, reaching behind his head and pulling his shirt off in one swift move. I’m powerless but to drop my eyes to his bare, inked skin. My fingers twitch to trace the artwork, to really discover what’s there and to find out the meaning behind it.
“W-what are you doing?” I stutter, feeling stupid that he’s able to make me forget myself by only removing his shirt.
“I splashed marinade on my shirt.” Bending over, he pulls another from his small case and pulls it on.
“Marinade?” I echo.
“Yeah, you know—sauce that you put meat into make it taste good.”
“I know what marinade is,” I say with a huff. I might not be a culinary genius, but I’m not an idiot.
The bed bounces as he launches himself onto it.
“Hey,” I complain, gripping on to my laptop to stop it flying from the bed.
“Hey! Whatcha doing?”
“Work.”
“Wow, sounds riveting. Fancy telling me what it is you do exactly?”
“I already have.”
“No, you told me you were an Operations Manager. I’ve since discovered you work for the Abbot family business that Zach ran away from, but that’s the extent of my knowledge. Care to fill me in?”
I blow out a breath and close the lid of my computer. “I’m in charge of the day-to-day running of the company. I oversee staffing, budgets, and expansion, amongst other things.” When I see his brows are drawn together in confusion, I summarise. “Together, Harrison and I run the company. We’ve spent the past few years taking everything over from our father and his associates. Harrison is the antiques expert, and I’m the businesswoman. Perfect team.”
“You don’t like antiques?” he asks.
“You’ve seen my flat, what do you think?”
“I’m assuming not.”
“I don’t hate them; most are just a little old-fashioned for my taste. I love the business, the money-making side. I find it all fascinating. Challenging.” I pause for a few minutes. “So what about you? Did you always want to be an artist?”
“Yeah,” he says with an unamused laugh. “It’s the only thing I’m good at.”
“I don’t think that’s true for a second.”
“Drawing has always been my escape. I could never imagine doing anything else.”
“Did you go to art school or somet
hing?”
“Nah, I started working in the studio straight from school. I was lucky to find a place willing to give me a chance. I learnt on the job.”
23
Carter
My stomach twists with the way she looks at me. It’s similar to the look I’ve received all my adult life from my family when they think about my lack of education and qualifications.
It’s bullshit. Utter fucking bullshit. Whoever said you had to sit in a classroom and succeed to do well in life needs fucking shooting.
“So no, I didn’t go to college or university. I’ve not got the qualifications I’m sure you require of most of your dates.” I don’t mean for the words to come out quite so spitefully, but the memories she’s dragging up within me have poison filling my veins.
“What? No, that’s not even close to what I was thinking.”
“Really?” I ask, climbing from the bed, turning my back on her. My muscles tighten and my fists clench. My usual reaction to feeling like this is to fight, but that’s not exactly an option right now.
Instead, I blow out a long breath and try to push down the feelings of not being good enough. This isn’t the side of me I want her to see this early on in whatever this is—or ever, if I have an option.
“Carter,” she breathes. The bed creaks behind me and still I flinch when she places her hand on my forearm. “Qualifications don’t define us. I have no requirements for such things in the men I date. All I want is someone successful with motivation and drive to continue to improve. And I mean that in whatever sector they are in. I won’t cover up the fact I’m always pushing for more, for better. I can’t be with someone who isn’t the same. We’d clash. End of.”
I force myself to swallow down the emotion this conversation drags up before moving away from her touch and back out to the living room.
“Carter,” she calls, her footsteps racing behind me. “I really don’t care. You’re incredibly talented. There is so much more to life than education. I—”
“I know. I believe you,” I say, cutting her off. “I just need to get some fresh air. I’ll be back in a bit.”
Before she has time to say anything, I march towards the front door and pull my trainers on.
I leave everything behind in my need to outrun my demons. The second the front door shuts, I take off running. I’d usually head to the gym and unleash my frustration out on a punching bag, or better, someone’s face. But I’m the wrong side of town for that, and I need this release now.
My feet pound against the pavement as I pick up pace. I’ve no idea where I am or where I’m going, but I’m fairly confident that I’ll find my way back when I’m ready.
I run until my heart thunders in my chest and my lungs heave for the air I need. I slow to a walk, my muscles screaming at me to stop, but I can’t. Not yet. Those feelings of uselessness are still clutching at me, and I need them gone. I’m no longer that boy anymore. I need to let him go.
I end up taking two wrong turns before I stumble upon a familiar street and jog down towards where I now live.
The whole thing suddenly feels ridiculous, but that still doesn’t stop me from taking the stairs down to Danni’s flat and pushing through the front door.
“I’m sorry, I’ve got to go.” Her soft voice filters down to me before I walk through to find her dropping her phone, pushing from the sofa and walking my way. She comes to a stop right in front of me and stares into my eyes.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m good, doll. I’m just going to shower and then I’ll finish off dinner, if you’d like it.”
“Yeah. That would be nice.”
I nod and step around her towards the bathroom.
“Your phone’s been going off.”
“Who was it?”
“I don’t know. I didn’t look.”
“I’ve got nothing to hide,” I call back.
I turn the shower on and then undress.
“It’s Spike,” she says, making me jump. I didn’t realise she’d come to stand in the doorway.
“Couldn’t resist watching, eh?”
“I wasn’t sure if it was important.”
“If it’s from Spike then probably not. You can read it.”
“It’s locked.”
“Five-five-eight-eight.”
“O-oh okay.”
“It’s just a passcode, doll. Like I said, I’ve got nothing in there to hide.”
“Okay, he wants to know how it’s going with the ball and chain. I’m assuming that’s me?”
“Ha, yeah, that would be you.”
“Shall I reply?”
“Up to you.”
She smiles at me coyly before turning and walking from the bathroom, still looking down at my phone.
I chuckle at her, wondering what she’s going to say to him. It’s not until she’s disappeared from sight that I realise just her presence has rid me of the final lingering anger from our earlier conversation and the memories it dragged up.
“I hope you’re hungry,” I say as I re-join her back in the living area and turn the oven on.
I pull out everything I prepped earlier from the fridge. I put the chicken into the oven once it’s up to temperature and begin plating up the salad.
“That smells amazing,” Danni says from the sofa where she’s scrolling through something on her phone.
“It’s one of your favourites,” I admit.
“Oh?”
“Just wait and see.”
I serve our dinner out on her little bistro set by the front door. It’s a warm evening on her quiet street in Kensington. Spike and I could never do this at our place, even if we did have some outside space.
We stay out chatting and drinking until it gets too cold.
“I think it’s time for bed,” Danni slurs slightly as we make our way inside.
“You go to bed, I’ll tidy up.”
She looks over her shoulder to the bedroom and then back to me.
“It’s okay. I’ll sleep on the sofa.”
She nods, and my heart drops slightly.
“G-goodnight.”
“Sleep well.” The earlier lightness to my voice has vanished, replaced with that dejected one I’m so familiar with.
She drops off a pillow and blanket for me as I’m cleaning, and, not half an hour later, I’m stripping down to my boxers and attempting to get comfortable on her sofa.
Her flat is so quiet compared to what I’m used to. Although we can’t hear the music from the surrounding clubs and bars, there’s always noise of some sort. The only thing here is the soft tick of the clock somewhere behind me that taunts me with every minute I lie here wide awake, wishing I was in bed with her hot body tucked against mine.
I’ve no idea how much time passes, but at some point the sound of footsteps approaching has me opening my eyes.
There are no lights on, but my eyes have well-adjusted, so I see her as clear as day as she walks towards me in a tiny pair of pyjamas.
I don’t say anything. I’ve no idea if she knows I’m awake or not. She crouches down bedside me.
“Carter.” Her voice is so soft. It would never wake me if I were asleep. Her touch, however, when she places her hand against my arm is another story. My body is instantly aware of everything from that second.
“Yeah?”
“I can’t sleep with you out here. Come to bed.”
“For real?” I pray she can’t see as well as I can, because the smile that splits my face is huge.
“Yeah, come on.”
She pulls the blanket from me before lacing her fingers with mine. Gently, she pulls me from the sofa, and we walk towards her bedroom where she immediately crawls under the covers. I follow her actions and climb in behind her but still the second I lie down. She might not have wanted me sleeping on the sofa, but that doesn’t mean she wants me here doing anything.
Every muscle in my body screams for me to do something, but I’m aware that we’ve already rushed m
ost elements of this relationship. Although parts of my body might disagree, I’m happy to let her take the lead. For now.
She shifts beside me, her arse brushing against my side, and my body moves without instruction. I roll on to my side, wrap my arm around my waist, and pull her tightly into me. The satin of her pyjamas catches against my rough, calloused hands, but pressed up against my body, it’s almost as soft as her skin.
“Good night, Carter.”
“Night, doll.” I drop a kiss to her bare shoulder and rest my head back on the pillow. Unlike out in the living area, I fall almost immediately asleep. I tell myself it’s the comfortable bed, but I know I’m only lying to myself.
When I wake the next morning, I feel refreshed and ready for what she might throw at me. Yesterday was… eventful, and looking back now, seemed like the longest day of my life. It started in a different country and ended up with me living with my wife.
Shaking my head at the craziness that is my life right now, I stretch my body out and turn to the side to find Danni, only her side of the bed is empty.
As I lie quietly, I can just hear the soft beat of music coming from the living room. A smile curls my lips, wondering if she’s still wearing the little satin set I fell asleep thinking about.
I’m up and in the bathroom before I’ve had a chance to blink. I do my thing, ensuring I don’t smell like the waking dead, and go in search of my wife.
I find her the second I pull the bedroom door open. She’s standing with her back to me, waiting for the coffee machine and staring into the fridge like she’s lost something.
She must hear my footsteps, although she doesn’t turn to look, but she also doesn’t flinch when I slip my hands around her waist and step up behind her.
She’s pulled her hair up, exposing her neck, and I can’t help but place my lips to the sensitive bit of skin beneath her ear.
I don’t hear her moan of pleasure, but it sure vibrates against my lips.
“Good morning. I don’t think I got a chance last night to tell you how sexy you look in this.” I tug on the hem of her top.
“Oh yeah?” she asks coyly.
Trick You: A Brother's Best Friend Romance (Rebel Ink Book 2) Page 17