The Carrero Heart - Beginning (Friends to Lovers)

Pushing his mouth to mine, kissing me with intention and cooling my jets completely as he tugs my arms across my back snugly. It’s not a passionate, tongue caressing kiss but it hits the mark and renders me mute in the blink of an eye. Calming the tidal wave of insanity and making me surrender to him on every level with minimal effort and I hate that he suckered me this way and exposed a severe Achilles heel. Finally, he pulls free and regards at me for a long moment.

“I’ll let your arms go if you promise to calm down, take a breath and hear me out.” He gazes at me imploringly, swallowing nervously and despite myself, sticking up my chin in defiance, I nod. My heart hammering from exertion, my brain trying to take control, but I am so spent; the exhaustive outburst has taken what little energy I had left in me and another bout of attack won’t be effective in any way.

“Fine.” He waits a second to see if I mean it, before releasing me and I pull my arms across my chest again as he does so. I turn away, taking on a stubborn and angry pose when really, I am scared that he’s just going to deliver another blow to my wounded soul. Arrick moves back to give me space, moving to my bed and sits down, breathing a little excessively and looking completely shattered too. He pats the space beside him, gazing my way but I only scowl at him and meet a resigned frown.

“I love you … I am in love with you. I fucked up, screwed everything up because I was scared and stupid as shit. I made the wrong choice, a lot of wrong choices concerning you because of how much I thought I would lose, and I have spent every second since regretting it, Sophie. I lost the only thing which ever mattered to me in all of it. You have to believe that. I meant all of it.” Arrick stands up again, obviously hating that I am still standing here like a statue. Anger brimming inside as he gets closer to me and I turn on him aggressively again before he can lay another hand on me.

“Why should I believe you? Where were you? Three fucking months since you asked me to leave your apartment. Where the fuck were you?” I yell at him, tears finding a fresh wave and rolling down my face. Even when I thought I had no more tears left to fall. He reaches for me impulsively, but I step back away from him and pull myself into a tight huddle, wrapping my arms around myself. He pauses and waits, realizing I am on the severe defensive and touch will only make me worse. He appraises my body language and expression, so fully focused on my eyes, with so many emotions on his face it’s weird to see. The cool and calm poker face is gone and instead, a guy who is seriously struggling to stay in control.

“I came for you. I did … I swear. Four weeks after you left, when I realized just how badly I had ruined all of our lives, Sophs, like I told you. When I couldn’t function anymore with not seeing you. I came to try and do this then.” He reaches for me again and clenches his fist, pulling it back in frustration at not being able to touch me, but I stay glaring at him coldly. My heart is torn with the many things he still has to answer for, so much my heart and head want to hear before I can even contemplate forgiving him.

Like why she is even here if she is nothing to him?

saying he came when he didn’t. I would have seen him, spoken to him, maybe even been able to forgive him if he had. I

didn’t want me near you anymore, I didn’t know how to react.” Arrick turns away and back again like he has too much energy inside of him buzzing about and needs to release it. I stay still, scowling at him, so unwilling to let him past my wall and hurt me again, afraid to take anything he is saying at face value while

easily.” I turn my back on him and go off looking for a box of tissues, trying so hard to keep the tears at bay and failing. I am bristling with so much that I cannot even dissect how I

left to be happy about … I never gave up on you, I saw you happy with him and knew you deserved that more than I deserved you. I screwed it up, I wasn’t about to fuck up your life again; I only ever wanted you to be happy, even if it wasn’t with me.” His answer makes me

as his eyes stay on me wherever I go. Impulsively wiping away my tears not that they have stopped flowing and watch

make her forgive me for something I didn’t even regret, and there was no way in hell I could stay with her when you were all I wanted. I was pining for you, every second that I was around her; all I thought about was you. This

go was the single stupidest thing I have ever done in my life; failing to see what you are to me. How much I need you.” Arrick bites on his

stupidity. I know I am still drunk, and half of this reaction is because of that, and my emotional exhaustion. Trying so hard to stay strong, but he is saying everything I ever wanted to hear, breaking me apart in so many ways that I can”

going to fight for you in every way I can; do anything to be the guy who deserves you again.” I turn from him when I can’t control my tears anymore, not wanting him to see how badly this is ripping me apart as he gets closer, afraid to let him in. He comes up behind me, unable to

was diagnosed with cancer … he’s dying, Sophie, and she’s a mess, I couldn’t just cut her off. I’m not that guy, I never have been, and I can’t be cruel to someone who never deserved any of this. She knows we’re over; she knows it’s because I’m in love with you. She knows that we’re not getting back together, even if I never get you back. I asked her to come here and see my family this weekend, to get her away from the city and her problems. I never thought anything would happen with you and waking up to the realization she was arriving while we were together, in bed … I didn’t know how the hell to handle it. That’s what the “fuck” was all about, not that you were beside me, that was pretty much the happiest

arms slowly, sending a million goosebumps in their wake and sighs at me with unconcealed adoration, now I am both calm again and no longer staring at him

Arrick’s eyes come to mine, so uncertain and for the first time I see real