Chasing Destiny (4 page)

“You know I’ll do it. It’s just a shock, man. Two kids.” I took another drink and shook my head. “I mean, if you’re happy, I’m happy for you. I just couldn’t be a dad to one kid right now, let alone two.”

“I’m very happy.”

“What are you two assholes talking about over here?” Ryder asked as he walked up beside us.

“How easy it was to kick your asses today. You did know we were playing basketball, right?”

“Shut the fuck up,” he replied as he grinned.

Mark joined us a few seconds later. “I’m going to take off. I promised Hollis I’d be home early.”

“I need to get going, too,” Ryder chimed in and the two of them left.

I picked up my bag and Hayes and I walked out together. “I can’t believe you knocked Mackenzie up twice.”

He shrugged. “I had a lot of fun doing it.”

“I bet you did. She looks like she’d know a thing or two in bed,” I replied, a huge smile spreading across my face. I loved messing with him.

“I will kick your ass. I don’t care how long we’ve been friends.” His voice was stern, but a smile played on his lips.

“We both know I’d be the one kicking your ass.” We hadn’t been in an actual fight since kindergarten, but I was bigger than him—especially now that he was busy playing daddy and I had plenty of time to dedicate to the gym.

He didn’t say anything else, just kept walking. We passed the entry doors and were hit with a blast of cold air. “I fucking hate winter,” I griped.

“At least it’s supposed to be warm this weekend.”

I grumbled under my breath, but didn’t say anything else. I was too busy freezing my ass off. We both nodded our chins as a goodbye as he went to his Jeep and I went to my truck. Once I cranked the engine, I let the truck heat up and I checked my phone.

Marissa: I’m not sure you remember me from the club the other night, but I’d love to hang out if you are free.

I racked my brain, trying to recall a Marissa at the club… Short blonde hair, big tits. I smirked and texted her back.

Me: I have a few hours free. Give me your address.

She texted her address and I drove home to shower before going over to her place.

***

A few hours later, I opened the front door of Marissa’s apartment as I slipped on my shirt. She’d been fun, but I didn’t plan on seeing her again. Once you’ve had your heart stomped on, you protect it a little better.

Sam had been my high school sweetheart. Well, we were on again off again for many years while she played games with me. I don’t think I was ever in love with her, but I was definitely addicted to her. And she knew it. The last straw came our senior year when she broke up with me at a party then began making out and groping another guy ten feet from me less than thirty minutes later. They finally made it to the bedroom, but that wasn’t what had bothered me. It was the look in her eye while she was kissing him and looking at me. That was when I knew I had only been a game to her. She derived pleasure out of making me jealous.

“Hey, uh…if you want to come back over tomorrow, that could be fun,” Marissa said, stopping me in my tracks. I hardly ever returned for a second go around unless the girl was really worth the time. Marissa was not.

“I’m busy.”

“Oh. Okay. Well, maybe sometime this next week?” she asked, a hopeful look in her eyes.

I walked a little farther out the door. “Nah. I’m good.” I’d admit I was an asshole, but I had to be to get the clueless ones to stop.

“
Well
,” she stated as I kept walking. I didn’t turn around, but I did hear the door slam. I guess she got the message.

I swung by the store and picked up some food and some other supplies for tomorrow. I really did hate being cold, but I loved playing in the snow. I may have been in my twenties, but I was a kid at heart. And now I had someone fun to be immature with: Kristin.

I’d be lying if I said she wasn’t insanely gorgeous and probably perfect for me. But that was off the table. I’d sworn off relationships a long time ago.

However, I couldn’t get the image of her in the shower out of my head. I hadn’t seen anything, just her shadow behind the curtain, but it was enough to get my imagination going. Her dark, long hair soaking wet hanging down her back, her smooth skin soaped up…

I need to stop. Kristin is off limits. Her friendship means more than getting laid.

Grabbing the few bags from the passenger seat, I got out and kicked the door closed before walking into our apartment.

“Hey,” I heard from behind me, and turned to find Miranda, one of my oldest friend’s and the person who introduced me to Kristin. They had been roommates, and before Brad, Miranda’s fiancé, came into the picture, I had spent quite a bit of time at their apartment. At first, I never really noticed Kristin, but one night it was like I really saw her and realized I really liked her.

“What are you doing here?” I asked, unlocking the door.

“Brad’s working so I thought I’d swing by and see if you wanted to hang out.” She took a bag from me before entering the apartment.

“Now you take the bag? I could’ve used the help out in the parking lot.” I smirked.

“Are you really that weak that you couldn’t carry a few bags? Maybe you should spend more time at the gym.”

“Ha-ha,” I remarked. “I think I spend enough time there considering I work there.”

“Whatever,” she said as she placed the bag on the counter and began opening it up. “Sweet! You got Doritos.”

“I didn’t say you could have any!”

She rolled her eyes. “How the hell do you stay so fit if you eat all this crap? You are worse than Brad.”

I put the ice cream in the freezer and shut the door before turning toward her. “I don’t normally eat like this, but we’re supposed to be snowed in tomorrow. That’s like a free pass to eat whatever the hell we want.”

She pursed her lips as if she were thinking it over. “I guess that makes sense.”

“So, how’s it going with Kristin? It’s been what, a couple weeks?” She walked into the living room and flopped down on the couch.

“It’s going really well. I got to see her in the shower earlier.”

I sat down next to her and picked up the remote as she stared at me. “You better not try anything with her. I swear, if you hurt her, I’ll cut you or something.”

“Oh, God, now I’m scared.” I turned on the TV followed by Netflix. “I’m not going to hurt her. We’re just friends, but I can still see that she’s got a fucking hot body.”

“You’re so disgusting—oh stop! I want to watch this show,” she said, gesturing toward the screen.

“You just told me I’m disgusting, but you want to watch a show about a serial killer? Isn’t your husband a homicide detective?”

“Fiancé. And yes, but I’m still allowed to find shows entertaining.”

Miranda snuggled up into the couch and placed her feet on my lap as we watched the drama about a serial killer. About three episodes, a bag of Doritos, and high drama induced anxiety later, Kristin unlocked the door and stepped inside.

She eyed Miranda and me. “Y’all look cozy.”

“We’re watching
The Fall
,” Miranda replied. “What have you been up to?”

Kristin bit her lip and I narrowed my eyes. She seemed nervous. “I was at Adam’s doing the same thing. Well, we were watching Netflix. Different show, though,” she rambled.

“What the hell? Why were you at that doodling shithead’s apartment?” Kristin and I had shared a lot about our past relationships. Adam was her Sam.

“It was nothing. We said we’d stay friends, so we were being friendly.”

“I know you said that, but I didn’t think you meant it!” Miranda’s eyes widened at my outburst, but she kept quiet. “He fucked you over, Kristin.”

“Calm down. It was nothing. He’d been calling and texting the last couple weeks. I’d been ignoring him, but he wouldn’t stop, so I went over there. It wasn’t a big deal.”

I sighed at my own irritation. Why the hell did I care so much? Kristin was a big girl and could make decisions on her own. She didn’t need me looking out for her. But even with that thought, I wanted to punch something. I was pissed at her giving him the chance to hurt her again.

Kristin walked into the kitchen and poured herself a drink before settling on the chair. “What are you doing here, Miranda?”

“Brad’s working, so I thought I’d spend some time with this asshole.” Miranda looked at me and smiled. “I feel bad that you might be stuck in this apartment with him if it snows.”

“Oh hell, I hadn’t thought about that! Can I come stay with you?” Kristin pled, feigning horror. I narrowed my eyes at Kristin and she smirked.

“You both can go to hell.” I stood up. “I gotta go wash Marissa off.”

“Eww,” Miranda yelled. “I’ve been sitting with your nasty ass this whole time getting whore germs on me?”

“Just your feet,” I replied, “because I was fully clothed while she rubbed herself all over me,” I called out, my sarcasm thick, as I walked down the hallway toward my room. I could hear them talking about how gross it was for me to sit with them while still having another girl on me, like I let her mark her scent all over my body before leaving. I rolled my eyes. If having sex and not showering immediately after was something that grossed them out, they needed to get over it.

Kristin

After Carson went to shower and Miranda left, I disappeared into my room and began to think about my night with Adam. It had been…nice. When we broke up, I had been hurt, but he had wanted to remain friends and I agreed. We had spoken, and like I had told Holly, he had texted me a lot. I would respond every few days or so, just for the sake of my past. We had history together and I couldn’t forget that.

But since Carson moved in, Adam’s texts had become more and more. I wasn’t sure if he was jealous of Carson, but after tonight, his attitude didn’t seem that way. He seemed genuinely interested in being friends.

I huffed. Maybe I was making this more complicated than it needed to be. I could be friends with Adam without hanging out all the time—or anytime at all.

“What’s wrong?” Carson asked from the doorway to my room. I really needed to learn to shut my door.

“It’s nothing.” I got up from my bed and walked to my desk, moving things around for no reason at all.

“Something is wrong,” he said before walking into the room and sitting on the bed.

“How was basketball?” I asked, changing the subject. I really did not want to discuss Adam with Carson. Carson hated Adam.

“It was basketball.” He scrubbed his hand over his scruff. “Don’t change the subject.”

“I’m fine.”

“Now I know something is wrong. Fine really means the opposite.”

I rolled my eyes and leaned my butt against my desk. “I should go to the store. The weathermen keep saying it is going to get bad.”

“I already got food for us.”

“You went to the store? On your own?” My mouth popped open and I gasped, feigning shock.

He smiled and I couldn’t help but melt at his dimpled cheeks. “Yeah. I can do things, you know. I even tied my shoelaces and brushed my teeth today, because I’m an adult.”

I pushed off the desk and flopped on my bed. Carson leaned back so we were lying next to each other. “So, what else did you do today, besides basketball and some random chick?”

“I went to the grocery store, remember? Can’t forget that big feat for me.”

I playfully slapped his rock hard stomach. “Owww. When did you get so fit?”

He smirked. “What these?” he asked, pulling up his shirt. “You know you like it.”

“Well, I’m a girl,” I said, pointing to myself while trying my best not to let my eyes linger. I really liked them. I also really wanted to let my fingers trace each and every amazing tattoo that covered his very muscled arm, but
he
didn’t need to know that.

“That you are,” he stated slowly, letting his eyes travel my body.

“Stop it! You aren’t allowed to look at me like that,” I huffed. “And put your shirt down. You look ridiculous.”

“Oh, I can,” he said, rolling on top of me and staring into my eyes, “and I will.” His stare was intense and as I looked into his beautiful blue eyes, the air was sucked out of me. We were both caught up in each other; neither of us moving as the energy around us crackled with sexual tension.

His phone began ringing from his pocket, breaking our connection, and I couldn’t have been more grateful. He pulled his cell out and looked at the screen, rolling his eyes. “Yeah?” He got up and left the room, leaving me to deflate on the bed. Had that really just happened? I knew he found me somewhat attractive and you’d have to be blind not to see how gorgeous Carson was, but I hadn’t ever experienced this overwhelming attraction to him before. And apparently he was feeling it for me as well. Too bad Carson was my friend and that was a level of complicated we did not need in our relationship.

About twenty minutes later, the sounds of a guitar filled the apartment and I scooted up and let my head lean against the headboard to listen. Carson played beautifully, but that wasn’t the amazing part. The amazing part was his voice. I hated to call it beautiful, but that’s exactly what it was.

He was singing a song I didn’t know, but the lyrics were about a one-night stand.
Very fitting, Carson
, I thought and laughed to myself.

I spent the rest of the night letting Carson’s voice wash over me and send me into a dreamless sleep.

***

“Get up!” a bellowing voice hollered, followed by bouncing on my bed.

“What the hell?” I half said, half screeched while I cracked an eye open to see Carson using his arms to jostle the mattress.

“Morning. You gotta wake up because we have shit to do.” He smiled, then sat on the edge of the bed.

“What could we possibly have to do at,” I grabbed my phone off the nightstand to check the time, “eight in the morning?”

“Well, first off, we have to get some snow for ice cream before it gets yucky.”

“Okay, seriously what is wrong with you this morning?” I asked as I sat up.

He looked down at the floor then back to me. “I just had someone call me I could’ve lived without ever speaking to again.”