The Carrero Heart - Beginning (Friends to Lovers)

I’ve endured being yelled at, hugged and cried on. Yelled at some more, by various members of my family, and I’m now standing in the last address on my tick list of people I owe apologies to. So far, I’ve stood up to it well, and in the end, most of them, minus Leila, have forgiven me for my disappearing act.

Leila is being Leila, and no doubt will come around after she calms down; luckily, her husband, Daniel, is good at restraining her and my apology was pretty much shouted from behind Arrick as Mr. Hunter. kept her lassoed in his arms across their lounge. I’m sure that even Arrick would have little to no chance of being any sort of interference if she actually flew for me. Leila’s an actual psycho.

Now I’m standing in Emma’s kitchen, while her housekeeper alerts her to our presence. Arrick checks his watch, standing beside me with an arm casually around my shoulder. I’ve literally given up trying to point out that maybe he shouldn’t keep touching me, knowing that it’s natural for him, it always has been. We were always this way, and he can’t break the habit of an entire friendship that easily. To him, touching me, being close to me this way, is like breathing, and would be more awkward if he stood feet apart with a gap between us.

As much as I like to think that Jake and he are not alike, I guess he does have that same touchy-feely thing going for him when it’s someone he is really close to anyway.

“Jake should be arriving home any minute, when he gets here, we’ll go out and give you two a little time.” He kisses my temple reassuringly, causing me to become a bundle of nerves I’m not sure it relates to seeing Emma at all. He knows how important Emma is to me and I want to be alone with her to talk properly.

“Sophie”. Emma’s voice rings out from behind us and she envelops me as soon as she walks in, that bump making an awkward obstacle, but it feels better than good and instantly I lose all the fear and tension in those loving little arms. Emma pulls back and regards me closely.

sense to call us.” Emma kisses me affectionately on the cheek and slips her arm in mine as she pulls me back towards the low table to our familiar place to chat. Arrick lingers back as the housekeeper follows and prepares a tray of refreshments. It’s late, getting on into evening and we should head home soon, give her space to rest and put the kids to bed, but I had

said you were really stressed. I’m sorry if I put you through that. I’m sorry I ran. I just didn’t know what else to do.” I sit down with her, opposite each other at the kitchen table, while the housekeeper lays out the glasses and cakes in front of us, freshly baked I guess, as they smell divine. Once she tends to us, she ups and leaves

honest.” Emma regards me with a gentle nod and pushes a glass of iced tea towards me. “Were’ just glad that Arrick came and got you. Best thing right now is being with him. Jake called and told me that you have big plans ... How about you tell me all about them.” Emma beams at me,

children running crazily in with him and chasing off after the nanny in a fit of screaming giggles; obviously on a sugar high that Jake has inflicted, and he tries to hide the empty ice cream wrappers as he walks in. Emma gives him that knowing look, the one that is a sort of telling off, mixed with a ‘what am I going to do with

then me, straight through to lean in and plant a steamy kiss on Emma’s mouth, across the table between us. Ignoring our presence until he has stuck his tongue down

Close enough to make feel incredibly awkward, but Jake has never cared about making a scene when it comes to her. He has eaten her face at just about every family function there has been and makes no apologies for

later.” He winks suggestively, leans back in, and kisses her, with a smile, lingering a moment, rubbing noses, and grazing his thumb across her cheek in a cute

moment. I’m still trying not to watch the way he always heats his wife up with minimum effort, wondering what it would be like to be that way with someone

chest, or the way my eyes keep wandering to him, wondering what they are saying to each other and that gut-wrenching bite of jealousy. I swallow it down and take a steadying breath to try to ignore it, that sadness hitting home again, that I will

hair affectionately, dragging my somber expression back to him, he smiles, straightening to stand over