Forever Mine – Katrina Marie #2
"You and me both." I'm not sure what I would have done had I known, but it definitely puts a strain on the entire weekend.
"I guess things are still not great with y'all." She's the only person who knew we were dating at the time. I couldn't exactly hide it from her when she caught us making out at a concert.
"Nope." And I doubt they ever will be. "My plan for the weekend now includes avoiding him as much as possible."
"That might be a problem." She doesn't stick around to explain why. Instead, she hightails it inside. Most likely looking for Stella.
Carter makes his way to me with his bag over his shoulder and my suitcases in each hand. The only thing he doesn't have is my camera bag. "You didn't have to get my stuff."
He shrugs, and his bag strap falls down. He can't adjust it, so I lift it back on his shoulder. He relaxes at my touch, and I pull my hand back. "I know, but I wanted to. All that's left is your camera, and I didn't want to try to grab that with my hands full."
"Smart man," I smirk.
"Sometimes." His eyes lock on mine, and it's hard not to feel the pull between us. I'm not sure why he's here, or what game he's playing at, but whatever it is...it will not work.
"Well, I better grab my camera." I rush back toward the car and leave him behind me. This may prove harder than I imagined. Especially if I keep getting lost in his gaze.
With my camera bag in tow, I stop in the living room. Everyone is gathered in a huddle and looks worried. "What did I miss?"
"Well," Audrey is wringing her hands, "nobody told Stella that Carter was coming along. And there aren't enough rooms."
Before I have a chance to speak, the man causing all the fuss does. "I can get a hotel room. It's no problem."
"That's nonsense," Stella says. "The couch is available."
Tiffany laughs. "You and Johnny are morning people, unlike the rest of us. You're likely to wake him up coming down the stairs."
"I can make the couch work," Carter glances at it, knowing full well it's not going to be comfortable. He's also not a morning person.
I could be the bigger person or let him fold himself onto the too small couch. A part of me wants to make him suffer, but the other part, the part that locked eyes with him on the front porch, and could feel the way old times were, she's the one who wins.
"He can stay in my room."
"Absolutely not," my brother yells. Little does he know I've spent many times with his best friend in a bedroom.
"We'll buy an air mattress," I roll my eyes. "He can sleep there. I'm not giving up my bed for anyone."
"Fine," Justin scoffs. He turns toward Carter and points his finger at him. "You know the rules. No flirting or messing with my sister."
It's kind of him to think he can make that threat.
That ship has sailed for us. But I can do this.
I can resist whatever pull I still feel toward the man I thought I loved.
Everything will be fine. It's not like I'll be in the room for anything else but sleep.
Project Stay Away From Carter is still in effect.
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. "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 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 away until I know where Rin 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.
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 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.
CORINNE
I can't believe I almost let him kiss me. What the hell was I thinking? Tiffany is standing in the hallway, hands in her pocket, swaying back and forth on the balls of her feet.
"What are you two doing?" She smirks, and I can't blame her. We were in a compromising position.
"Absolutely nothing." I move away from the door, and Carter slips past me. But not before letting his hand graze my waist. The shiver that runs through my body has nothing to do with the touch. It's the air conditioning, and nothing else. "Want to help me set this up?"
"Not really, but I have a feeling you won't let me go downstairs until I do."
"And this is why I love you." I set the box on the floor and rip the tape off. Within minutes, I have the mattress out of the box and on the floor. "Do you have outfits for pictures?"
Tiffany unrolls the mattress and makes sure the plug is next to her on the wall. "Yeah. It's nothing fancy, but we're not fancy people."
"Please tell me y'all brought costumes. I would love to photograph y'all cosplaying. And it would totally work because it's who y'all are. That's what we want to show everyone."