The Carrero Heart - Beginning (Friends to Lovers)

The little bar is bustling and Arrick has me in the safe space of his arms at the bar, so I don’t get crushed by the people pushing in and out. He is talking to the bartender over my head as I try to listen over the noise and feel like maybe this was not the best idea I ever had.

He’s speaking French., I have no clue what he is ordering for us at all, but he knows what I like so I leave him to it. This is the second place we have been tonight after our meal in a bistro down the street. We left there when a lot of students came in and started pushing each other around merrily, obviously a little worse for wear. I could tell by Arrick’s demeanor and how close they kept coming to me that he would be bristling for a fight if they got any nearer and suggested we find a bar to move to. This one isn’t much better as we are in the trendy part of Paris where all the clubs are super busy and not the small quiet cozy nook I envisioned when I suggested this.

I’m tired, a little lightheaded from the wine we had with our food and generally wishing I hadn’t suggested this at all. I’m hot and stuffy and the noise of this place is giving me a headache.

I get that he misses New York and our nights out with friends, and that he hasn’t been able to take me out in so long, and we both miss it. Although now we are here, I want to go home. I lean back against him in a bid to rest my head on his collar bone and loop my arm around his, tensing against the bar with a sigh.

Arrick swoops down to my ear so I can hear him and pulls me tight with his free arm.

“Hey, you okay?” his voice sends shivers, his breath tickling my neck and ear and I nod obediently. He seemed really psyched about us coming out and kicking back to let off steam and I don’t want to tell him that an hour in I feel like death and want to leave.

The bar tender places drinks in front of us, two shots, a pint of beer for Arry and a glass of red for me. The shots were our sort of idea to get drunk fast in between the regular alcoholic beverages and looking at the little green vial now. I wonder if my stomach can handle it. I’ve had the bouts of nausea on and off all day and eating rich cuisine only brought it back again. I try and shake it off and keep telling myself that we need this, to get back to normal and let our hair down.

Arrick leans forward and practically presses me to the bar when he downs his, so I follow suit and do it too. I literally gag as soon as I do and wonder what the hell has happened to me. I used to be a hardcore drinker and could at least pretend to keep up with him. I’ve never gagged at a shot before and even standing with the bitter burning aftertaste, I realize it tastes weird and metallic. I pick up my wine to wash it away and screw my face up at the contrasting tastes with a grimace.

He lifts his drink over my head and holds his elbow out for me to take, leading us through the busy room to try and find a table somewhere in the packed foggy atmosphere.

The downside to Arry not really spending much time here is we barely know anyone. He nods at a face or two, but we end up finding a table near the back corner and hems me in when he sits down. It’s a little claustrophobic back here but it’s a hell of a lot quieter than by the bar.

I shift in my skirt, which looked pretty going on but now feels like it’s confining me uncomfortably. I went for cute denim and short, sexy as could be with still being modest in the aim of winding up my fiancée to fever pitch. Instead, I can’t breathe and wonder if I even bought this in the right size. I haven’t worn it since I tried it on a few months ago and now I am wondering if I should cut down on the junk food. The waist is pinching and my chest in my pastel unicorn top feels restricted as though my bra is too tight.

“You seem like you don’t want to be here?” Arrick catches me off guard, watching me pensively. I flicker my glance up to that questioning look and see the doubt.

“I do… Honestly I do… it’s just a little crowded in here and crazy noisy.” I smile, trying hard to look happy and he frowns.

“Your still not feeling great, are you?” He leans in and presses his hand to my head in a bid to check my temperature and I push it away with a nonchalant smile.

“I’m fine… I have my mind on drunken hot sex with a sexy Italian… Stop worrying.”

“You can have hot sex with him anytime… If you’re sick, then we should go back.” He’s losing the carefree smile, and worried protector frown is clearly going on. I sigh and know this is futile now his overthinking brain is clicking into motion. He will pester me relentlessly unless I get up and dance on a table and get hopelessly drunk, which I really have no energy for.

“Okay look… I don’t feel great, but I’m hoping with enough booze and maybe a shot on a dance-floor it will pass, and then we get to go be very naughty and naked.” I slide my hand under the table up his thigh and plant myself firmly on a part of him that starts stirring to attention. Arrick smirks and leans back on the seat, giving me encouragement. No one can see anyway so I have myself a little fondle and smile when he begins to show signs of arousal. His foot moves between my ankles and uses his knee to nudge mine apart gently. His hand following suit as he strokes my inner thigh right up to my panties. I have to inhale slowly to calm down the immediate reaction my body has but at least I’ve distracted him from thoughts of going back home so early.

form earlier is still like a hair trigger it seems, and I practically crush his knee with the automatic pressing

at the bar on the way out and go have sex… Now.” He’s trying to act like he’s crazy horny, but I know him; maneuvering me

God, Arrick!

friend and protector overrides everything. I want hot drunken sex and I will be damned if he is going to screw that

club with a dance-floor and you can show me your moves?” That’s a far better idea, seeing as Arrick’s dance moves always get me hot

I lift my wine as if to show him I’m in full agreement and try to down it too, almost choking halfway, but I make a great show of almost emptying my glass without retching. He

of old. I’ve missed seeing it on him, my sexy bad boy. He does look crazily hot and despite the sudden rush of booze hitting me in the brain and sending my legs to jelly when we hit fresh air, I do want to rip his clothes off and let him have

I remember what silence sounds like. The drinks I have managed to keep down must have been super strong though, as already I’m beginning to feel beyond tipsy. Not in a good way as that tinge of

needs way more than what he’s drunk to get a buzz, but

you? After what, three drinks, baby? Jesus, Sophs. When did my girlfriend become such a lightweight?” he laughs at me, hauling me into his arm as he starts heading us along the cobble street, pointing at clubs along the way. I shake my head at every point and turn

air is like some mad accelerator.

street?” He smiles, looking me up and down a little more intensely and I can

on sex and a plan and I am all in. See logic says hot horny sex to satisfy my kinky boy and then I won’t feel guilty about making him take me home, so I can pass

lately. I really want him to see we are still us and we can still be kinky and

against a wall, so I can lean against it and keep myself upright. Arrick kisses me passionately, tongue trailing mine and caressing it. I love how he tastes and feels, his hand cupping my face and sliding into my hair as he

me on in the bar, I

at the sense of power it gives me when his body reacts. Flinching: his bulge in his pants growing against my pelvis and finally, I start to get that sense of

hell is wrong with

with him turning me on,

shop window aggressively that’s opposite the wall he has me against. Maybe I need to take control and unleash the

himself on me, but there’s not much he can do with my tongue down his throat, forcibly assaulting my boy in a crazy hormonal way. I just wish

Get it together, Sophie.

relaxes as he moves into my kiss once more, his back flat to a closed and shuttered window, his hands back on my face as he takes a little control and runs his tongue along my bottom lip before sucking it in

normally I have no qualms about assaulting the shit out of him in the name of hard sex. Arrick is kissing me, groping my breasts, and making it clear this is working for him. One hand strays over my ass and under the edge of my skirt so he can

Get with this! It’s Arrick. He likes this shit,

him all hot and hard in my palm, makes it a lot easier to loosen up. Especially when he breaks free to kiss my neck and my little hand squeeze makes him groan in

more like

fuck me” I demand hoarsely into his ear as he makes another go at sucking and nibbling my neck, tingles

I’m a woman on a mission and I am not even sure what pushed me to decide this was tonight’s plan. I guess it’s some delayed reaction to today, to Claude and the whole messy