Chapter 4
CHAPTER FOUR
CARTER
All the ladies went to the store. No doubt trying to find an air mattress. It's not exactly what I wanted to happen. It beats sleeping on the tiny couch or floor. So, there's that. "Do you know which room we're going to be in?"
"I don't know that I like the way you say we," Justin shakes his head and sighs, "please don't think anything is going to come out of this. I know you flirt with Corinne...a lot, but please don't make me regret this. I've told you from the beginning that dating her is off limits. And it still is."
He acts like I need it repeated constantly.
I don't. He's told me that since the day I met Corinne.
The only problem is we haven't exactly listened to him.
Which in turn is what bit me in the ass.
She wanted to tell him, but I didn't. It may be a little selfish, I can admit that.
Him being on my ass is the only reason I was against it.
Also, the fact he most likely won't think I'm good enough for her.
I'd like to avoid that bit of rejection at all costs.
It hurt enough coming from the woman I was falling in love with.
I can't take it from my best friend, too.
"I know, Justin." Every time he brings it up it gets more annoying. "I'll be on the air mattress. Besides, I don't think she's all that warm and cuddly toward me. You saw her reaction when I showed up at your house."
"Good." He nods and points toward the stairs. "I'll show you to the room y'all are staying in. I swear if I hear anything I shouldn't, I'll make you sleep with me."
"Gross," I scoff. "No offense, dude, but you snore."
"So does my sister."
"Not like a freight train."
"You have a point." He grabs their bags, and leads the way up the stairs. "We'd normally fight with Tiffany over who gets the bigger room, but since you'll need it for the mattress, Spencer already moved their stuff to another room. After we get settled, we can grab a beer."
This house is massive. It looks big on the outside, but that's nothing compared to the inside. I didn't think this much space could fit inside the frame. I was wrong. Justin stops at a door next to the bathroom. "I guess this is me?"
"Yep." He points to the door two doors down. "That's me. Meet you in the kitchen in a bit. With any luck Johnny will be home and we can really kick this weekend off."
I nod and open the door. Anything to put some distance between us.
I'm not really annoyed, but he tends to suck the fun out of the room when he's harping on me.
I throw my bag on the bed and roll Corinne's suitcase to the dresser.
I have no idea where she wants her stuff, and I'm definitely not the type to look through a woman's things. She'd also probably murder me.
Glancing around the room, I scope out the best spot for the mattress. There will only be about two feet of space between the bed and where I'm sleeping. Temptation will be hard to resist. But I can do it, I think. Well...at least for one night.
Sitting on the bed, I pull my clothes out of the bag and set them on top of the dresser. They won't get put up until I know where Rinne is putting her things. I don't want to take up the space she's going to use. I'm trying to get on her good side, and hogging everything won't accomplish that.
With my bag empty, I roll it up and set it inside the closet. Hopefully, Stella and Johnny have some blankets I can put over the mattress. The texture isn't great for sleeping on it bare. I search the closet and come up with one.
I close the door at the same time the bedroom door opens. What does Justin need now? "I'll be down there in just a sec."
"Down where?" I drop the blanket on the floor at the sound of Corinne's voice. "We just got back with this thing." She lifts the box with a huge grin. I don't know how to feel about that. She looks like she's planting some sort of trap. Or happy I'll be uncomfortable most of the time we're here.
"Oh, sorry." Bending down, I pick up the blanket and set it on the bed.
"Your brother told me to meet him downstairs once I was done getting settled.
" This is one of those awkward moments where I don't know what to do with my hands.
Do I get the box out of her hands and set up the bed?
Or do I excuse myself? In all honesty, I don't want to do either.
I want to stay here with her and figure out a way to fix things between us.
"Oh yeah, they are getting dinner together and pulling out the liquor bottles." She hooks her thumb over her shoulder. "Sounds like your kind of time. Better hurry down there."
She's snarky now. At least she's talking to me, even though this is totally her style, too. "I'll set that up later," I point to the box. "And help with whatever they need since I crashed the weekend."
"That you did," she bites back, but her eyes betray the statement. They haven't left me since she entered the room. I don't know if she's lying to me or herself, but there's still something there between us. Even if she's denying it.
I move toward the door. She moves to make room for me, but it's the same way I was going and we're face to face.
The box holding the mattress is the only thing between us.
A piece of hair has fallen from her bun, and I push it behind her ear.
My fingers a soft touch against her skin.
Her breath hitches. She moves closer, and I lean down, my lips inches from hers.
She's not stopping me, and I close the distance between us.
She jumps back at the sound of a throat clearing and steps aside.