The Carrero Heart - Beginning (Friends to Lovers)

Arrick has boyish, cute sort of gorgeousness; always clean shaven. He’s still manly and would still be called handsome, but there is a softness to his face that I always preferred. Square-jawed with man brows and a steely glare when he wants it, but something sweet, almost a gentleness when he’s relaxed. Eternally young.

“Food fit for a queen.” He laughs jokingly, dishing out my fries and burger and hands me my banana shake. Everything I always order.

McDonald’s used to be a place we hung out on a Saturday morning for our junk food fix and for something to do. My mom would have had a fit if she knew how many times Arrick drove me to burger joints and ‘unhealthy’ eating places to pig out, but that was the nature of being kids. We didn’t care if it was bad for us; we just liked it and we had no pre-conceived notion that because we came from rich families, we couldn’t enjoy normal places like everyone else. That is one of the things I have always loved about Arry. He’s normal.

He doesn’t do the whole overly flashy lifestyle; he doesn’t have a million housekeepers or assistants or acts inaccessible because he’s rich and becoming famous. He cooks, he sometimes does his own laundry, drives himself places, and he does things for himself. He hangs out at fast-food joints and goes to movies and theme parks. He has normal friends, with normal incomes, and likes bars that are downtown and unknown, with no flashy price tags. I came from poverty and when I was adjusting to the grand lifestyle of my new family, Arrick reminded me that it was okay to not fit in with the expected grandeur. He was the link between two worlds.

I dig into my food heartily, never shy about making a pig of myself in front of him, even now. I’ve always been an eater; food is like my second weakness, after shoes.

releases everywhere at every food joint. He shakes his head at me and holds out his burger for me to take a bite without question. It looks laden

stuffing his own mouth. He’s not an ugly eater; he eats like a guy who has zero cares about looking sexy while doing it, yet strangely, he does. Chewing enhances that muscular jaw and crazily handsome bone structure of his. I pick up my milkshake to wash it down and gaze out at rain that seems to have calmed down already. The noise in the restaurant has

dark?” I ask, lost in staring out at the way the rain hits the puddles and sends little ripples in the temporary pools being created all around. The rain is fierce today and it’s already getting late in the day. We spent a few hours in his apartment after seeing Jake; Arrick stuck in his study making calls to his fight promoter, and I know Natasha called him too. He closed his door to take that call and I tried not to listen in, creeping around his apartment amusing myself, and trying hard to focus

a passing storm probably. My car can handle moderate rain but when it’s this bad, it’s worse than useless, with zero traction. All the powers at the back.” He frowns out at the rain too, looking up at the dark sky, seeing some gaps in the distance where the sun is peeking through. “We’ll get there when we get

rescued me in the city, or for just being there in my life when I needed you.”

table, hesitant for a second as he thinks. “No matter how things work out between us, I will always be here for you. I’ll always care about you.” He says

if it wasn’t for you. I owe you as much as I owe Jake and Emma for bringing me to my family, and my mom and Dad for taking me on. I know I’m not easy to handle sometimes …” I trail off, emotions getting the better of me as tears fill my eyes, and I can’t continue. Arrick reaches out across the gap in our food and takes my fingers in his. Cradling and running a thumb over the outside of my hand softly. Igniting more sparks inside of me

show you the way. You’re hard to handle, you always have been, but that’s what I love about you the most. You’re fight, your spark and your fire.” Arrick tugs my hand to the middle of the table, so he