Chapter 2

After I finished, Carter's Adam's apple bobbed again.

He turned to look out the window, staying silent.

Unbeknownst to me, Carter's lips flicked up in a quick, barely noticeable smirk.

Half an hour later, we were back in my penthouse on the top floor of a luxury building downtown.

I kicked off my heels, letting my bare feet sink into the plush carpet, and pointed at the guest room.

I said, "You can crash in there. By the way, you can cook, right?"

Carter nodded. "A little."

"A little," he replied.

"Perfect," I said. I sank into the couch, getting comfortable. "I'm starving. Go make me a midnight snack. There's plenty in the fridge."

Two seconds ticked by. Carter didn't budge, still standing right where he was.

I quirked an eyebrow at him. "What, something wrong? Want me to pay you overtime or something?"

Carter pressed his lips together, then finally turned and headed into the kitchen.

About ten minutes later, Carter brought over two steaming plates of spaghetti and set them on the table.

The spaghetti was perfectly al dente, the sauce rich and savory, and it was topped with tender meat and a sprinkle of freshly grated Parmesan and herbs.

I took a bite, and my eyes lit up.

"Not bad, Carter. Looks like you've been holding out on me," I teased.

Carter sat down across from me. He totally ignored me, just kept his head down and quietly polished off his noodles.

The vibe between us got kind of weird for a moment.

We'd known each other for over a decade, and honestly, we'd been at each other's throats since we were kids.

We'd fought over everything, like lollipops, top grades, student council president, project partnerships, and even the right to adopt the same stray cat.

Funny how I ended up eating spaghetti Carter cooked for me after all those years.

I really went to town on the spaghetti, enjoying every bite.

Once I was full, I wiped my mouth, feeling totally satisfied.

I watched Carter tidying up the dishes, his back to me.

My eyes darted, and suddenly I spoke up. "Take off your shirt."

Carter stopped in his tracks.

I stood up and walked right up to him. I repeated, "I said take off your shirt. Let me take a look."

Carter turned around, his brows furrowed. "Irene, you're crossing the line."

I snickered and said, "Crossing the line? Funny, you didn't think it was crossing the line when you took my money, huh?"

Then I pulled out another stack of cash from my wallet and waved it right in front of his face.

"Every shirt you take off, that's another 300 dollars for you," I said, grinning.

Carter's face darkened, his fists clenching and unclenching.

Finally, he dropped his gaze, looking defeated as he started unbuttoning his shirt, one button at a time.

Under the lights, his toned upper body came into view.

He had broad shoulders, a trim waist, muscles that flowed smoothly and packed real power, with a sharply defined six-pack and a V-line disappearing into his waistband.

His skin was sun-kissed and healthy, catching the light with a subtle, polished glow.

I made no effort to hide my admiration. I stepped right up and jabbed a finger into his abs.

"You've kept yourself in pretty good shape," I remarked.

Carter's whole body was tense, his breathing a little shaky, and his ears were burning red.

I was loving every second of it.

After all, the guy who'd always lorded over me since we were kids was now just standing there, blushing, letting me tease him.

"Alright, put your shirt back on," I said with mock generosity, turning to head back to the living room.

I looked at him. "Go take a shower. Use the bathroom in my bedroom. And don't forget to use my body wash. It's my favorite scent."

Carter stood rooted to the spot, not moving an inch. He watched me walk away, a storm of emotions flickering in his eyes.

With the shower running in the bathroom, I called my bestie, Amy Blunt.

"Amy, guess what I did today?" I asked.

On the other end, Amy was gleefully posting all kinds of hot guy videos on my Instagram.

"Did you land another project?" she asked.

I dropped my voice to a whisper, "Way juicier than that. I brought Carter home."

"What?" Amy nearly dropped her phone. "Carter, the guy who went broke? Are you nuts? Don't you hate him to your gut?"

I replied, "That's exactly why! I brought him home so I could mess with him."

I grinned cunningly. "You should've seen him today. He's so restrained and humiliated. It's amazing."

Amy was quiet for a few seconds, then said, sounding worried. "Irene, don't go overboard. Carter might be broke, but he's still trouble."

"Why should I be scared?" I scoffed.

Whatever, I wasn't bothered.

"He's basically my kept man now," I said, not even fazed.

Two seconds later, Amy laughed. "Come on, spill it. How's Carter's body? Is he hotter than those stunners I sent you?"

I flashed a big, toothy grin and said, "Compared to those guys? He's definitely up there."

Then, I hung up the phone.

When I turned around, I saw Carter standing there in a bathrobe, looking a bit lost.

His hair was still damp, water droplets trickling down his neck and pooling at his collarbone. The belt of his bathrobe was loosely tied, revealing a well-built chest.

I blinked and swallowed hard, almost without thinking.

"All done?" I asked.

"Yeah," Carter replied, his voice a bit rough. "I cleaned up the bathroom."

"Such a good boy," I said, walking over and standing on my tiptoes to plant a quick kiss on his cheek.

"A little reward for you," I teased.

The soft touch lasted only a split second, and Carter went rigid, totally stunned.

I just waved him off, acting as if nothing had happened. "Go to bed. Oh, tomorrow morning, I want ravioli."

With that, I turned and headed into my bedroom.

Once the door was shut, I clutched at my chest. My heart was pounding like crazy.

Seriously, I was so nervous back there.