Chapter 27
CARTER
“What the hell kind of play was that?” I grumble, jumping from the chair and throwing my hands in the air.
I glance at Noah, who sits next to Ashley. Daisy is perched on the couch next to them.
I wave my hand toward the big screen TV and collapse onto my favorite recliner where I’ve taken up sentinel for the game. “Did you see that?”
Noah shakes his head and mutters something under his breath regarding the turnover that has given possession to the other team.
It’s Sunday afternoon and we’re camped out at the apartment watching the Tennessee game.
It’s a tradition during football season for the three of us.
I’m on my gameday recliner because it’s good luck.
Am I superstitious?
Hell, yeah.
I’ve also got on my lucky socks and boxers. Both have been turned inside out for the occasion.
It’s half-time and the Titans are up by seven, although with that turnover, who the hell knows what’s going to happen. Normally, I’m a hundred percent focused on the game but Daisy’s wearing a curve-hugging navy V-neck shirt with a silver T stamped across the front.
It’s sexy as fuck. Like I need any more excuses to ogle her breasts.
And the tiny white shorts she’s wearing…
Every time she jumps up to grab a snack or drink from the kitchen, my eyes gravitate to the rhythmic sway of her hips.
I shift on the chair trying to inconspicuously ease the boner I’ve been sporting for the last hour and a half.
She’s always had this kind of effect on me, but now that I’ve had a taste of her, it’s more intense.
There’s not one damn moment that goes by when I don’t want to lay my hands on her.
You know it’s bad when you’re midway through a three-hour practice, sweating your ass off, and out of nowhere, you’re struck with the memory of what it feels like to be buried balls deep in her slick heat.
That’s when the whole damn practice goes to hell in a handbasket.
For the time being, we’ve agreed to keep our relationship on the downlow. It’s just sex. And lots of it. Neither of us have attempted to slap a label on this.
In my experience, most girls want to pin you down. Sure, at the onset, they say they’re cool with a hookup situation. But you’re quickly made aware after the deed has been done, that they don’t necessarily believe the line of crap they spoon fed you.
Been there, done that. I do my best to weed out needy females. But some are better at camouflaging it than others. It’s a crapshoot as far as I’m concerned.
I kind of expected that with Daisy.
And yet, she hasn’t said one damn word about wanting to specify what this is. But Daisy isn’t like the girls I usually take home. So, I’m not sure why I thought she would be in this regard.
It’s probably best if this remains casual in nature. There’s too much standing in our way. I can’t be with anyone right now.
Especially her.
My gaze settles on my best friend. He has no idea what’s going on beneath his nose. I wince thinking about what he’d do if he discovered our secret. I wouldn’t blame him one bit for beating the crap out of me. I shouldn’t have touched Daisy in the first place but it’s too late for regrets.
So, all of us being together in the same place at the same time is a little unnerving.
Unless we’re alone in the apartment, Daisy and I have to pretend we’re nothing more than friends.
Last week, while walking to class, I almost reached out and nabbed her fingers with my own.
The urge was there and for a moment, I forgot we couldn’t do it.
If anyone caught us holding hands or with my arm slung across her shoulders, it would spread across campus like wildfire.
It would only be a matter of time before Noah caught wind of it. He’s the one person I don’t want to hurt. The guy has always been there for me. His family is like my own.
I rip my gaze from Noah and refocus my attention on the game. Although I have no idea what’s going on. Once again, Daisy is dominating my every waking thought.
Guess it’s not just my socks and underwear that have been turned inside out.
I jerk when Daisy jumps to her feet and throws her hands in the air. “Oh, come on! What the hell kind of call was that? He clearly had the ball when he was knocked out of bounds!”
Yeah, that’s another thing…
The girl likes football.
Actually, she loves it.
She understands the finer nuances of the game. Daisy isn’t pretending to enjoy football because I play it. Hell, she’d have the game on even if Noah and I weren’t home to watch it with her. And that, my friends, is probably the sexiest thing of all.
Which is precisely why I’m screwed seven different ways to Sunday. There’s not a damn thing I don’t like about her. Believe me, I’ve tried racking my brain for something to latch onto.
But I can’t. She’s fucking perfect.
The buzzer rings and I watch Daisy as she gracefully unfolds herself from the couch and jogs to the door.
Goddamn that ass.
Not to mention the adorable navy socks she has pulled up to her knees with the silver T’s on them.
I hear a deep male voice followed by her laughter.
What the hell?
She offers some playful banter I’m barely able to make sense of even though my ears are attuned to the sound of her voice.
I’m two seconds away from flying over there and putting the kibosh on whatever flirtation is happening when she returns with three boxes of pizza, an order of breadsticks, and a salad.
Her gaze collides with mine. Whatever she finds there is enough to leave her stumbling to a halt as her eyes widen in alarm.
Fuck me.
I avert my gaze and rub the back of my neck where tension has gathered. I’d like to blame it on the game, but it has nothing to do with that and I know it.
What the hell am I doing?
Better question—what the hell am I going to do about it?
Because this situation can’t continue indefinitely. Already, it’s spiraling out of control. I’d secretly hoped that I would grow tired of banging Daisy.
Not to sound like a prick, but I usually screw someone a couple of times and get bored. It’s been two weeks and instead of feeling that, I can’t get enough of her. The more I have, the more I want. I’m insatiable.
Daisy sets the boxes on the peninsula that separates the kitchen from the living room. She doesn’t glance my way again, but I can tell she’s affected by what she saw on my face. Her fingers flutter as she grabs the plates and napkins.
Always ready for his next meal, Noah is off the couch before she has a chance to set the paper products down. He opens the first box and helps himself to four pieces. Ashley wanders over and stares at him.
Noah holds out the overloaded plate to her. “Here, you want this?”
Her face scrunches with disgust. “You know I don’t eat carbs and fat.” She glares at the pizza. “God, it’s practically swimming in oil. My arteries are getting clogged just looking at it.”
Noah shoves half a slice into his mouth. Apparently, he doesn’t feel that way because he proceeds to wolf down the entire piece like he hasn’t eaten in months. Ashley stares in horror, looking a little green around the gills.
Between bites, he says, “Yeah, I know, babe. It was a joke. Chill out. Your rabbit food is on the counter.” He reaches for the second slice. “A few carbs might do you some good.”
She glowers and heads to the counter where her salad awaits inspection. She doesn’t open the clear plastic container, just peers at it. “Why are there croutons? Didn’t you ask for them on the side?”
Noah sucks in a breath and releases it as if trying to hold onto his patience. He’s a better man than I am, that’s for damn sure. I would have thrown in the towel a long time ago. Actually, I wouldn’t have gotten involved in this situation in the first place.
“You heard me on the phone, babe. I asked for them on the side.” He rolls his eyes. “Honestly, it’s not that big of a deal. They’re just croutons, pick them out.”
I glance at Daisy with a raised brow. Even though she’s never admitted it to me, I don’t think she cares for Noah’s girlfriend. As far as I’m concerned, Ashley is a huge pain in the ass.
Daisy returns the look and grabs a plate, taking a seat at the table to watch the show. And by that, I mean the Ashley-Noah drama that’s about to unfold and not the football game. It’s like a horrific car accident you can’t look away from.
Ashley huffs and returns to the couch where she scowls at the television screen. Noah glances at me with a frown as if he doesn’t understand what just happened. I shrug and shake my head.
Sure, I get what’s going on but I’m not touching this with a ten-foot pole. I have enough of my own shit going on to get involved in his issues.
Noah studies his girlfriend. You can almost see the gears turning in his head as he tries to piece together this puzzle.
“So…you’re not going to eat your salad because there are a few croutons on it?” he asks.
Ashley jerks her head into a tight nod. “I ordered it without croutons and they messed up. Even if I picked them out, there would be crumbs mixed in with the lettuce.”
I shift my body and silently munch my pizza. I’m genuinely curious as to how Noah is going to play this one. Because I could see it going one of two ways.
He shrugs, not looking bothered by her tantrum. “Suit yourself.”
That’s actually not how I saw this going.
What we’re witnessing here today, folks, is unprecedented.
I’m not the only one who thinks so because Daisy snorts before attempting to cover it with a cough.
It wasn’t all that long ago that Noah would have grabbed the keys and hustled his ass out the door to do her bidding.
Times, they be a changing.
Ashley’s mouth falls open when she realizes it. “Well?”
She drops the word like an atom bomb. The aftershock can be felt for miles.
Noah stuffs another enormous bite into his mouth. Once he swallows it, he says, “Well, what?”