The Carrero Heart - Beginning (Friends to Lovers)

“These are good, Sophs, I mean it. You have skills.” I can’t tell by his tone if he’s joking and mocking me, or if he’s serious. I’m still hanging down his back, using my palms on his muscular shoulder blades to try to lever myself up. Aware my hands are roaming over him freely, and he doesn’t seem to give a shit. It’s obvious that his ‘not appropriate’ sensor is switched off at the moment, and he really is focused on my artwork.

“Let me go. You’re an asshole.” I snap at him and then yelp when he slaps me on the ass hard enough to make it sting and ring loudly. I guess my book has been discarded if he suddenly has a free hand and twist to try and get a better look. We’re now at the kitchen counter, and instead of holding it up he has it laid out on the black marble surface and is turning it, page by page, slowly as he takes a proper good look.

“Sophs, I’m serious. These are good. Really good.” He stops squeezing me and instead slides me down him, so I’m front to front. My body slides down his in every way, faces passing, intimates grazing but he’s too intent on looking beyond me at the book and doesn’t seem to realize how weirdly sexual this is. Every part of me just slid down every part of him, direct contact. Oblivious, he turns me in his arm to face my own sketches and distracts where my brain was teetering, still tingling as though part of him is still against the entire length of me, and unable to shift the eruption of aches in my pelvis. I swallow hard, feeling his heat through my back instead, and the way his muscly tattooed arm is still across my upper chest possessively.

Spying my book laid out without guarding fingers, I snatch it from the counter, yank it against me, duck under his arm and run, but he only catches me around the shoulders with one arm again, almost instantly, and holds me tight,. His other hand prodding in to try and retrieve it childishly.

“I hate you.” I sulk and cradle the book firmly against my breasts like a feral beast, wrapping both arms over it to protect it from falling into his devil hands once more, and turning away to shield it.

“I’m sure you do, but really... Where did you learn to draw like that? Or even where do you come up with half that stuff?” He sounds genuinely surprised and finally lets me go, no longer trying to annoy me into surrendering the book back to him. I shove him in the abdomen with a flat palm, glaring icily like he’s broken some circle of trust between us. I ignore the boyish chuckle I get, completely unaffected by the fact I hate him, and he’s just laughing at me.

“I do. You’re a massive douche bag.” I sulk and storm back to the couch, protecting my notebook fiercely and growl at him when he follows me at a distance. I don’t want to leave this thing unattended again if he’s going to be a snoop and nosey into shit that has nothing to do with him. My temper’s properly riled and even all his compliments on my drawings have not changed the fact I didn’t want anyone seeing these.

Does little Miss. Huffy pants. want Massive Douchebag to take her for a sundae?” He’s still laughing at me, amused by

Ha fucking ha!

to believe that he really is offering ice cream, because he just got home from the gym and it’s on his no-go list of foods. I guess he’s trying to be cute and make up for being a massive pain in my ass if he’s offering, and I ponder over whether I want it

considering last night

on an ice cream ban, why would you do that?” I pout, glad

winks at me smartly, cocky with his quick wit, obviously pleased with it and sauntering over to me like God’s gift to women. I roll my eyes at him and throw the book on the couch,

than a sundae.” I smirk, softening a little, but also

on Carrero heartthrob, the kind Jake throws about, and I narrow my eyes suspiciously at him. Suddenly wondering why he’s in such a good mood. I really don’t want to contemplate what might have gone down with Natasha last night, but I do know the saying ‘If a guy is happy next day, then it’s a sure sign he

throw back in a lackluster way and see his smile fade to a

completely killed my own mood. My lip trembles and I turn away towards the couch instead, trying to control the