The Carrero Heart - Beginning (Friends to Lovers)

I’m more relaxed after my bath, warm and lazy from the hot soak and wrapped in a fluffy robe, carrying my clothes. I leave his room and head back towards my own for tonight. Head full of things I want to say to him and lost in how I’m going to convince him that going home is not what’s best for me anymore. I’ve managed to push all the other stuff aside, boxed it in the ‘we will evaluate later’ area of my overly crowded brain. I need to prioritize not going home first.

I jump when his voice comes from right behind me.

“It’s late; maybe we should go to bed and talk over breakfast.”

I spin on him as he dumps his car keys on the table and hauls off his hoody to reveal a t-shirt molded to that hunky frame. Tattoos peeking at the neckline and the sleeve down one arm that makes his muscles a little too enticing. I turn away and clear my throat, shocked at how differently my insides react to the familiar sight.

“I guess.” I hesitate, not sure if I should make a stand and make it clear tonight that he has no chance of making me go home, or if I should let him sleep, become more amenable to what I want after some rest. He looks exhausted. There is so much to talk about, so much mess to pick through and I really have no clue where to even start.

“I called my brother and told him you were here. He’s going around to see your parents to let them know you’re with me.” Arrick walks to the kitchen, looking over his shoulder at me. His eyes meeting and sending another bout of strange tingles through my stomach. He seems, not him.

wrinkled and about a million times different from how he normally looks. I can’t even begin to dissect why this feels abnormal, why, to me, he looks new.

meant what I said. I don’t want to go back to the Hamptons just yet. I need to figure my life out, Arry, and I don’t just mean over us. I need something more. I won’t find it back there.” I answer calmly, more grounded after the headspace I got from having a bath. Feeling calmer and more in

open for discussion now after all. I sigh and tighten my robe, not sure if I am even up to this at

one before.” He goes about making

to be talking so platonically and normal as though nothing has happened at all. Even though I

carries our mugs to the living room and lays them on the low rustic table. He slides down on the couch, motioning for me to do the same then sits back, his calm gaze settling on mine. I tighten the robe further, using it as security around me, and sit on the couch, keeping a three feet gap between us on the long chair. He watches me silently, then stretches forward and slides one of the mugs further along so I can reach it, trying not to acknowledge

to do?” Arrick is in mature mode. So many times in my past he’s taken on this paternal role and been my sounding board for hopes and dreams; I couldn’t love him anymore this second if I tried. If only I wasn’t still pissed at him for abducting me aggressively from Camilla’s friend’s apartment.

a Jake and order me home like he said he would do, and I have a chance of making him listen to me. Get him on my side and maybe

and make them. I think it would make me happy.” I mutter it feebly, unsure if he’s going to laugh at my suggestion, and the truth is, it isn’t just a weak idea or vague possibility like I’m implying. I’ve actually located a couple in the state and downloaded applications already when I was soaking in the tub. I’m serious about this. I want this more than anything and the bubble of excitement that hit me when I decided that I wanted to go, was like a little candle flame in