The Carrero Heart - Beginning (Friends to Lovers)

“Have you been to see Emma yet? She’ll be over the moon to see you; feels like it’s been years.” He moves back to lean his butt against his car, hands pushed in his pockets as he regards me seriously with that hotshot twinkle in his eye and that infuriating Carrero half smile that brings out the dimples. Family feature.

“Umm, nope. I was thinking about maybe popping in later if she’s going to be around.” I answer evasively, non-committedly. I’m not sure if I’m ready to face this one particular person just yet.

Emma and I have history, a special relationship, and I’m truly terrified about how exactly she is going to react at finally seeing me again. I have dodged her calls and emails for weeks, maybe months, and I know I’ve been putting this off. My stomach churns with nerves, an image of her beautiful soft blue eyes and pretty face in my mind’s eye. Emma is one of the few people who can reduce me to tears with just a look of disappointment, well one of two, but that asshole can go drown himself in the nearest tub for all I care.

“Come now. I’m heading home with her craving requests; this baby has her devouring gherkins like they’re going out of fashion, and I am seriously thinking she may need an intervention. Would cheer her up to see you back here. This pregnancy has been tougher than the last two and I daresay will be our last. I can’t stand to see her go through this anymore.” Jake shrugs his shoulder in a very masculine, yet boyish way and I find myself nodding before I’ve even decided about seeing her. He has this knack for coercing you without even bloody well knowing he’s doing it.

Goddammit, Jake!

“Great. Hop in.” Jake thumbs over his shoulder at the car and turns to slide into his own seat confidently; obviously end of conversation and a hint to do as I am told.

Typical Jake!

we’re only minutes away from home, maybe even seconds with this car, so it’s not a hardship getting a lift in it. It’s a sexy black beast of a machine after all. Emma still calls this bad boy ‘The

molded bucket seats and expensive leather upholstery. This car is still his pride and joy, even though he has newer and fancier models. Emma once told me he has a sentimental attachment to this car because of her, and I really don’t ever want to know what that is. Knowing Jake, it means he seduced Emma in or on top

the beast and slowly gets us onto the road with the roar of that grumbling, purring engine. The thrill of this car is not lost on me. I have tried so many times to get Arrick to borrow it in the past, to take me driving. It’s a beast and when he was teaching me to drive, I just wanted to try this out. In the end, I passed my Driver’s Ed in something boringly slow that Arrick chose from his dad’s garage, and since then I have never had a need for a car of my own

houses and lawns and the immaculate streets in our millionaire’s neighborhood. It still never lost its sparkle and grandeur to me, and I know I should thank my lucky stars every day that this is how my life ended up. I got the fairytale ending that Cinderella hoped for, and it only makes it so much more

‘money doesn’t buy happiness’ is

there. It’s only after you do find your feet you realize you made a mess of getting there.” Jake winks at me cheekily, that knowing look and smug manner and I find

a warning frown that I’m hurting his precious car and gets one right back on the arm. He

mascara into panda eyes, scolding him with a haughty look and sticking my tongue out immaturely. Jake just grins, hitting me with that ‘I’m hot and I do

Sounds familiar!

now, Miele, that my brother tells me everything, well mostly everything. And that I knew he was hauling your ass home at stupid o’clock, when he interrupted my sexy

I fire back with that cringe running through, trying to not visualize him and Emma doing anything X-rated, and shoving his arm away as he goes to