The Carrero Heart - Beginning (Friends to Lovers)

I roll over and open my eyes, completely refreshed after sleeping so long and the smell of food drifting my way. I sit up on the couch and blink at the tv, still playing on low, the noise of Arrick clanging pans or whatever’s in the kitchen, and gaze over the back of the couch to watch him.

He’s been making Ragu sauce by the smell of it; his moms’ recipe and I can see the pasta on the counter, he made his own. She used to teach me how to do all that stuff when I was younger too, but I never had any real affinity with cooking. He seems to enjoy it when he’s in the mood and everything smells heavenly.

I don’t know what time it is, but the skyline over by the dining table looks too dark to be early evening and I wonder if hens changed his mind about going out tonight with his friends.

I know Jenny is meant to be coming, but Christian is with his boyfriend tonight and won’t be making a show of himself. We are celebrating Arrick’s win and the fact his next fight is a championship try at a belt. He could get a real title after this, one which could completely launch him as a fighter among people he really admires. Nate set up tonight as a celebration for them both, as he’s really the one who got Arry this far.

He’s worked so hard to get here and I know even though he jokes about retiring that he loves what he does. He keeps Carrero Corp in his back pocket so that when he does retire, he still has something to do in his life, besides spend money and rely on wealth. Arrick will never be one of those men who sits idly by a pool and lets life pass them by. He’s already booked us on three or four trips over the next months, in my school term breaks, and he’s taking me to Austria soon to go skiing before Christmas. Just the two of us.

“I’m hungry.” I yawn and call out to him while stretching my limbs out, like a contented cat; he spins his head and instantly smiles at me.

“Hey sleepyhead. Do you feel better? Food will be ten minutes still.” He has a towel over his shoulder and looks a little hot and flushed from slaving over a cooker all afternoon.

Love my domestic man when he looks like this.

“I do…. But now, I’m starving.” I get up and wander across to the kitchen, wearing one of Arry’s button downs as a sleeping shirt over fresh underwear. We showered when we came home, seeing as I left such a lasting impression on both of our clothes and I am still not entirely sure it’s the wonderful thing he claims it is.

I curl up in the arms that outstretch to me, snuggling in as he kisses me on top of the head and squeezes me against him. He feels hot and clammy from being in the kitchen with the steam and heat. He smells more like his anti-perspirant than normal, so I guess he’s been sweating it out over here while I acted like a Disney princess and conked out in front of Jurassic park. I let go of him and move past to the bread bin, where I stashed my open family sized bag of Cheetos last night and pull them out to graze.

Arry turns from stirring the water and dumping the fresh pasta in and frowns at me. Switching the bag in my hands with a breadstick, in a fast swipe, that gets him a major glare.

“Hey.” I go to snatch it back, but he holds it up over anything I could ever reach and then dumps them on top of the refrigerator, which is like seven feet tall.

Douchebag.

“You literally only need to wait minutes, besides…. Cheeto’s Sophie? You’re going to turn into one at this rate.” He scolds me gently, smacking my ass to move me as he leans into a cupboard for bowls.

“Why do you always do such mean stuff to me?” I shove his hand away when he tries to pinch my cheek on the way back up and start jumping up to reach the bag of snacks, like an adolescent. Failing miserably because I am clearly vertically challenged and Arrick shakes his head at me.

“Yeah, wanting you to eat healthier is super mean. What an awful boyfriend I am.” He rolls his eyes and I smack his ass this time for his cheeky retort, and for stealing my mannerism.

the eyeroll

back against the chrome door and bite the end of my breadstick in defeat.

He turns to me, deadly serious. I blink at him, completely stupefied and the

B word? We don’t talk about the B word, or the M word. Isn’t that like the number one cardinal rule of Arry?” heat creeps up my face and I gawp at him in disbelief, stomach churning over

Sophie. I know neither of us are ready for that, but I do think about that stuff with you. I know where my future lies.” He seems so sure, says it in such a matter of fact way, going back to scooping or ladling or whatever the hell he

tiny waiver in my voice betrays the fact he’s going to make me cry and his posture changes, head turning

want to go on, Sophs, but one day, I want to marry you and have kids. Even if I’m the one who has to be the mom. You know, cos you’re clearly domestically challenged and all.” He smiles at me and my face crumbles, a tear rolling down my cheek

away my moment of weakness, heart racing in both panic and yet something more. The thought that he would completely change that for me, and I want to break into massive sobs and wrap myself around him. Arrick puts down the ladle he’s been holding and comes to me, placing his hands on my shoulders

in love with a girl who thinks Cheeto’s are one of the five food groups, and uses bath towels to dust, occasionally. Or the fact, I’m pretty sure you weren’t meaning to dust at all… I think you probably assume towels live on the coffee table when you’re done with them. And

so sweet with something extra, not sweet.” I blink at him, wiping my face and throwing a kiss on him from behind, recovering from the tenderness and hitting his neck because I am barefoot and he’s

marry a guy I can’t even tell I love

I live with you and you rubbed off on me. You have made abrasive love an art form.” He winks, once again, sass in place of

this now because it’s been on my mind and seems like a good topic to slot it in. Watching his strong shoulders move under

an Xbox room, then I am all for it.” He turns

the last of his pasta out of the water, into a colander thing and turns the heat off on the sauce. Preoccupied and not really

completely confused. Head clearly on what he’s doing and not what I am saying, although, my topics are usually random, so he probably thinks I am off on another weird

of sex rooms here…. I was thinking of ...You know? That if I’m going to move in, then I would need to bring my sewing room.” My heart skips a beat

listening and answers vaguely before he seems to frown. Arrick pauses with moving the pasta to plates and looks at me twice. Face finally registering on that extra little glance. “Moving in?” For a moment I really believe he’s maybe changed his mind and my stomach drops to my toes, but then the smile that breaks across his

there?” I sound so scared, completely out of my comfort zone and Arrick drops everything he is doing to pick me up and kiss me hard. It’s so sudden I yelp in fright and flail

whole apartment pink and fill it with fluffy cushions if it means I get to come home to you every night.” He spins me around, hugging me tighter and kissing me again, grinning like a crazy person and it’s infectious. I giggle back as he slides me

bringing my unicorns.” I point out sternly. Making it clear now, before he faints when I box

expect anything else, even if there is an army of like fifty now.” He kisses me again, obviously very happy with my decision to move in. Not caring

enough.” I raise serious brows his way, knowing the importance of my walk in, and the sheer lack of one in Arrick’s room. Just breaking

me go to wander back to what he was doing, content and smiley still. I’m suddenly bursting with happiness too. He dishes sauce over the pasta in the bowls and stoops to pull garlic bread from the oven, winking at me as he does

My cute boy.

most adulting stuff that is normal for girls.” I shrug unapologetically and know fine well that he is forever cleaning up my apartment when we stay there, being a bit of a neat freak. Arrick is forever loading my dishwasher and emptying my trash. He should understand all of this before the big move in, you know, in case he regrets it, or thinks I might miraculously turn into

then. If I wanted a domestic goddess, I would never have picked you.” He slides the bread onto another plate and puts all the pans

really doing this?” I blink at

chance to run for the hills,