Chapter 17
Room for both.
"It's been a hell of a day. I went from believing I was doomed to die a virgin to being eaten out at a coffeehouse bathroom and then dinner with Carter's family.
And then, on our way here, we made a quick stop at the Galleria, and he bought me some Pink pajamas, a maxi dress for tomorrow, and this badass dress for this weekend from Zara.
" I had showered and rested in one of the bedrooms on my cell with Chelsea while Carter and his family hung out in the living area.
"It's crazy, Chelsea, but I think he really likes me.
His mom said I was the first girl he introduced her to. "
"No offense to you. I never pictured Carter being hubby material. That's real shit he's doing with you. Weekend plans in advance and meeting the peeps. You in there. But why are you whispering?"
"I don't know how thin these walls are, and I don't want anyone to hear my conversation. He still thinks I'm with Grey."
"Well, say that then. I'm straining even to hear you."
I slid to the floor farthest from the door, and the wall that joined with his mother's before speaking again, "It's been cool to be with him and to see him with his family.
He's close to them. His mother is something else, but at the same time, I get it.
Her son is a prize, and she probably doesn't trust any woman around him, and I interrupted their family time. "
"Don't forget you're a prize too," Chelsea reminded me.
"Thanks, bestie. I need to hear that sometimes, though I know it in my heart." I stared at the ceiling, contemplating the best way to ask about Grey. I'd been on the phone with Chelsea for at least twenty minutes, and we had yet to mention him. Nor had I heard his voice in the background.
"Future NFL player Carter St. Patrick sees you as future wifey material. He's more than worth the wait. You did good, Darren, and he hasn't seen you at your sexiest yet."
Chills shivered down my spine at the mention of me being a wife to Carter and then an NFL wife. "I wouldn't say that. We're still at the getting to know each other phase."
"Darren, his mother said he doesn't introduce his women to her, and he plans to spend his only weekend off this semester with you.
He's graduating and about to be in the NFL, and finding that woman he can trust will be damn near impossible.
Carter might be considering being serious. I'm just saying."
"He didn't plan on me meeting his family. He was just helping me get away from Grey. If anything, Carter is still feeling me out. Trying to figure out this whole thing with Grey."
"Whoa. What do you mean by help you get away from Grey? What happened between you? That at least explains why he was shitty tonight. Barely speaking when I asked about you and then went into his room and slammed the door like I did something to him," she grumbled.
"Is he still home?" I asked.
"Naw, he left a little while ago. I kept my distance."
"Probably off to see whomever he’s sleeping with?" I fussed. Knowing he left to go somewhere late only meant to another woman, yet he wanted me to choose him.
"You sound jealous? Don't tell me you gave it up to Grey. I mean, you can tell me. At the same time, I hope you didn't."
"Because you still want him?"
She giggled. "That man is fine. I'll probably always want him, and I've accepted shit ain't about to happen with him. He ignores all my flirting, and I have too many men trying to be with me to be worried about the one man who really doesn't give a shit about me like that."
"So why do you hope I didn't sleep with Grey?"
"It'd be too complicated, and he doesn't want a relationship. Obviously, Grey caught feelings, and he's pissed because you're with Carter. This pretending to be a couple went too far."
"It did." I hesitated before I confessed, "Don’t be mad, Chelsea. Grey and I made out in his room the day after you moved in. We talked about being together, and he said he had too much going on to be in a relationship.”
She screamed, “What the fuck? I didn’t go anywhere that day, which means you were about to fuck in the same space as me after I told you I wanted him. I’m going through break-up shit, and your ass decides to be greedy?”
“Greedy? When you’re juggling three guys right now.
..I’m greedy?” I raised my voice and just as quickly lowered it to a hiss.
“We were not about to fuck. We kissed and decided to stay friends. I didn’t tell you because I knew you wanted sex with him.
But why are you yelling at me and sounding betrayed when it’s only supposed to be sex between you and Grey? ”
Chelsea indignantly said, “Maybe that’s all I told you. Maybe I really like him.”
“You can have him if he wants you, because Grey doesn’t really want me.
He’s jealous of Carter. Grey asked me to drop Carter for him.
But not because he’s ready to be with me.
Grey wants me to drop Carter because Grey isn’t used to me paying any attention to another man.
On the way home from school, we got into it because he insulted me again about Carter, and I jumped out of the car when Grey pulled into the driveway.
Carter was walking to his car, assumed the situation was worse than it was, and told me to get in the truck.
For a minute, I thought the two would fight, and it would have been all ego on Grey’s part.
He had a chance to be with me and didn’t want me.
I’m not waiting for him to decide what he wants when I’m not even sure if he’s really into me or if it's his ego. So please don’t be mad at me.
Not over Grey. Please. Feel like I lost one best friend. Can’t lose another.”
“You like Grey enough to be in a relationship?” Her tone softened. Less shrill. Less angry.
“I didn’t think of him that way until recently.
Maybe all the togetherness is messing with me.
We’ve had years to date, and we never even discussed it.
Even on my most lonely days, I didn’t see Grey as an option.
Yes, he’s handsome, has a crazy body, is loyal, and is ambitious.
What any woman with eyes wants in a man, yet I didn’t feel that way about him until he kissed me.
I never felt the chemistry between us. That kiss changed the game for me.
I was willing to see what could happen, with emphasis on what was.
Now, I want to move past what I believe is a blip in our friendship and see what happens with Carter.
He's a man I’ve crushed on since last year, and as far as I can tell, he feels the same.
I’d rather take a risk on potential than a man I know isn’t. ”
Someone knocked on my door.
“Chelsea, let me go. Someone’s knocking.” I clicked off and hurried to the door.
Carter leaned on the door jamb with a sly grin.
“So, this is what you look like at night?” His dark eyes traveled my barely clad body.
The Pink pajama set he bought didn’t leave much to the imagination—thin straps and soft material that hugged my breasts.
The shorts left some of my ass cheeks out.
“Hmmm...maybe I can reconsider you leaving old dude and moving in with me if I get this vision every night.”
I felt this stupid, cheesy grin on my face, and I didn’t care. Being in Carter’s presence made me smile. He gave me good vibes. “I didn’t think you would actually see me in this.”
“Not even this weekend?” He lowered his head to kiss me slowly, our tongues mixing before he pulled away. “Then again, I want you naked. Don’t bring anything to sleep in.”
I tugged on his goatee. “Surprised you didn’t request no clothes the entire weekend.”
“Well, if you want to go nude when I take you out Saturday night, go for it.”
My birthday. This weekend couldn’t get better. I smiled up at Carter. “Where are we going?”
He kissed me again before moving me backward and closing the door. “A surprise.”
I put my hands on his chest before he kissed me again. “Nope. Not having sex with you when your mother and brother are in the same house. I can tell your Mama doesn’t like me. I don’t need her to add disrespectful heifer to her list with my name on it.”
“’ Disrespectful heifer?’ Sounds like Mama.” He chuckled before moving my hands. “I’m not trying to have sex for the same reason. She purposely put you in the room next to hers. I’m only here now because she’s on a business call, and my brother is in the pool. Wanted to hang.”
I pulled the blanket over my thighs after we climbed into bed with our backs against the headboard. “I really think I should catch an Uber to campus tomorrow morning, so you don’t have to get up early to take me.”
“Why do you keep insisting on taking an Uber? Are you trying to get back to him?” A hint of anger tinged his voice.
“No. I appreciate you being there for me. Now it’s time for me to deal with whatever I need to deal with.
Your family came to see you, and I don’t want to intrude anymore.
It makes no sense to leave here when you don’t have classes tomorrow.
” I leaned my head on his shoulder. “Besides, you’re avoiding something. ”
“Yeah.” He grew pensive and sighed.
“You can tell me it’s none of my business, and I swear I won’t get offended.”
Carter nodded.
“Why do they call you Stank?”
He burst into laughter, and his eyes crinkled, and I remembered the first time I saw him smile in class while he did a presentation.
My breath caught in my throat because I’d never seen him smile.
He usually appeared serious, mysterious, actually.
Now that I’m up close and personal, I only wanted him more. Friday couldn’t come fast enough.
“Darren, you’re kicks, you know that?”
“I try...seriously, why is that your nickname? It doesn’t fit.” And it didn’t. He always smelled sexy. Fresh. Clean. Even sweaty, he didn’t appear to have an offensive odor.