The Carrero Heart - Beginning (Friends to Lovers)

I keep my thoughts to myself, beam at Jake with a smile as he stands to walk us out, and try not to react in any way to the hand holding, even when Arrick’s grip tightens and he moves so close to me that his arm rests against mine.

“We’ll drive rather than fly. I think she needs the time to think things through before we face Leila.” Arrick pulls me with him as we turn to leave the office, lifting my black cardigan from the chair for me and guiding me to the door.

“I’ve never understood your aversion to the jet; it cuts travel time by three hours. Why do you hate flying so much?” Jake grins at his brother and is met with a shrug.

“I guess I’m just not as flashy as you. I prefer the simpler things in life. Cars that don’t require neck braces to drive them, and keeping my feet planted firmly on the ground, taking things more slowly with less possibility of death.” Arrick smiles at his brother, leaning in for a male shoulder to shoulder hug from Jake, and a solid pat on the back. Jake leans in and throws a kiss on my cheek, slides a hand over my head like he’s stroking a cat and waves us both away.

“Wuss.” Jake goads him, but Arrick just shrugs and pulls me out through his assistants’ connected office. She is no longer sitting there but the doors are all open.

“Call ahead and tell them we will leave later today. We will probably get there late evening and stop somewhere to eat first. I have some things to deal with before we go.” Arrick turns to face his brother at the door and Jake leans into the frame casually.

not to let her off her leash this time.” Jake smirks at me cheekily. “She’s a runner, and she hasn’t yet been chipped.” He ducks as I aim a slap at his shoulder. Gone is the commanding bossy father figure, and that annoying Carrero pain

***

everything wet, dull, and super shiny. Bored and listless as music fills the car. We’ve listened to various radio stations as we travel and Arrick seems lost in his own head. Nothing unusual there; he’s always been a thinker, someone who went quiet and just sorted shit out while he drove us anywhere. I find it strangely reassuring to watch that focused frown, the gears turning in his

with his face, or if it was just always something I ignored. Taking in every detail and trying to

to stop for food?” He glances at me with a frown, obviously unnerved with the intense way I am staring

I ask petulantly. “What goes on in my head while I’m doing so?” I look back at

Rains’ pelting it down, the roads slippery, and yet I am only aware of a set of beautiful baby blues trying to bore into my skull.” He slides forward in his seat to squint between the wipers as the rain seems to break into a hurricane-style downpour and almost obscures the view instantly. I too squint out at the sudden dramatic weather change and know for a fact he will make us stop now. His car doesn’t handle well in the wet at the best of times, and even though he is a proficient driver, I know how seriously he takes the safety of his passengers. The rain is forming shallow rivers across the road, and I

through the waterfall view to a flashing McDonalds’ sign on my side and he nods. Maneuvering us so we are soon off the main road and following the signs to the car park, to get out of the

to use as a shelter. “Stay there until I come around and open

screw my eyes up to see where he goes and jump when my door clicks open seconds later. Arrick using his jacket as a makeshift roof and I slide up into the little shelter his body creates under the jacket he’s holding. It’s over his head with one hand and he pulls me into him, so I’m molded to his body, an arm tight around my waist

as rain and puddles splash up around me and my naked legs, in shoes that let everything in. Hiding my face against his chest as we get into the calm