Carson had gone several days without experiencing anything significant. He would go about his usual routine, sleeping in bed with Savannah and being gawked at by Maeve. Except for the fact that he was still unemployed, nothing unusual had happened to him. He needed to start doing his part soon or he would feel like a waste of space.
Fortunately, Maeve had some good news for him. He wanted to avoid her as much as possible, but this was necessary. This allowed him to contribute to the household's needs while also purchasing a bed for his room. Sleeping next to Savannah is enjoyable, but she will eventually want to kick him out. Especially if she starts to take Wyatt seriously.
Maeve trotted to the couch and sat next to him, her feet digging into the cushions. She tried to get as close as possible without suffocating him. “Hey, you!” She smiled graciously. "I have great news."
"Lay it on me," he said, willing to hear what she had to say.
“You, my good sir, will be able to start working this week!” She was excited. "When I gave them my recommendation, your application was golden."
Carson couldn’t help but smile. "Seriously? You’re the best.” He wrapped his arms around her out of happiness.
Normally, he would avoid touching Maeve so intimately. It was a simple hug, but even the slightest touch would have given her the wrong impression. He was overjoyed to have landed a job. It was his first, so he had little experience serving others and working in general. He could only hope that his ethic was strong enough to keep him going. Carson thought he would be fine with his flexible schedule and slow business.
Besides, his real reason for taking this job was to be closer to Savannah. There was only so much he could do while she was working. Now that they will most likely be in the same building, he will be able to be the first to invite her out for anything. The strategy was not the best, but it did give him peace of mind.
Maeve released him with a knowing smirk on her face. "Oh, you may have to hug me more often," she said softly.
Carson smirked. "Okay, settle down." He switched topics quickly. “The important thing is you got me a job. That I can’t thank you enough.”
“I’m sure there’s one way you can thank me,” she said, trailing her fingers up his chest.
She bit down on her lip, hoping to get the attention she desired. Carson understood what she wanted, but he could not bring himself to give it to her. He usually jumped at the chance to sleep with a woman. Which he had done with Savannah and wanted to keep it that way. Having more than one partner was enjoyable, but he believed Cole was correct. The worst thing he could do was succumb to temptation. He would do everything he could to avoid breaking Savannah's heart.
He grabbed her hand and tried to figure out the best way to tell her it was not going to happen. Even though she was trying to sell him on the idea, he had to decline. Maybe thinking about Savannah will help him. The image of her in his mind would be enough to give him the courage to speak. Maeve was also a beautiful girl. She could have anyone she wanted other than Carson.
Carson smiled gently at Maeve. Her sultry eyes caught him tugging on his innermost thoughts. With that gaze, he could not turn her away. She practically begged him to take her then and there. If only he was more willing to go against the grain.
“Maeve, you know I—“
“Come on Carson, you know you can’t possibly resist me.” she cut him off.
He squeezed her hand, realizing how right she was. "But I have to," he explained quietly. “It’s just…”
Maeve's face scrunched up as she realized why he was declining her advances. "You have got to be kidding me." She scoffed. “You’re turning me down for her?”
Carson licked his lips, surprised at her tone. “It’s not like that,” he argued. “I’m just…a good friend.”
Her body turned towards him before she sat in his lap. Carson was caught off guard and had no idea what to do with her there. Her breasts were perfectly aligned in his view, and his hands were itching to squeeze them. It did not help that she pressed her arms together, making them stand out even more. She was trying to kill him with minimal effort. Her body was immaculate.
Maeve grabbed his shirt, leaning closer to him. "Be a good friend to me," she whispered seductively. “I’ll make it worth your while.”
Her lips brushed against his skin, and he shuddered beneath her touch. Carson grew increasingly concerned that he would give in. It only took a little push to send him over the edge. She knew exactly what she was doing and was unconcerned about anyone walking in on them. It was as if she wanted someone to see them.
Carson's face turned pale when he heard Savannah's voice. He had no idea how long she had been standing there. How much did she see? Most importantly, what did she hear? It is bad enough that she caught them in this particular situation. Whatever Savannah was thinking could not have been positive. That was obvious from her expression.
Savannah crossed her arms and stared at Carson with daggers. “Um, I didn’t mean to…” her voice trailed off.
Carson quickly moved Maeve off his lap, who was smirking wickedly. “Sav, I…hey.” He was at a loss for words. He also felt embarrassed about what he had allowed to happen. He promised his brother he would put an end to it, but instead he was putty in Maeve's hands.
Maeve stood up, feeling accomplished, and walked back to her room. "Well, I need to get ready for work now," she said, looking at Savannah. "Be prepared to start this week."
Carson nodded, wishing she would hurry up and leave. His main concern was ensuring Savannah was okay. Despite her lack of words, Carson could tell any time Maeve flirted with him it bothered her. He did not understand why she was so upset about it, but he knew he had to stop Maeve in her tracks. It was just so hard.
Savannah looked at the ground after hearing the door close, too annoyed to look directly at Carson. “You got the job?” She asked him.
“According to Maeve, yeah.” He smiled nervously. Why would she not look at him?
She shrugged. "Cool." Her body turned away as she walked into the kitchen.
The atmosphere between these two was not as it should have been. Carson sensed the heaviness of unspoken words amongst them. She was content not to look his way, whereas Carson wished to see those bold, brown eyes resting sweetly on him. Everything she saw was Maeve's doing. It’s not like he invited her to sit on his lap. She chose to sit there. Or maybe she knew Savannah would notice.
Carson could not let her ignore him like this. Shouldn’t they be celebrating the fact that he was able to land a job? Some of those days, they will be working together. Going into the building with a bad attitude would only make the workday more difficult.
Carson entered the kitchen and watched Savannah pull out ingredients for breakfast. Despite sensing his presence, she did not look at him once. She should not have been upset, but she was. Who knows what they would have done on that couch if she had arrived later? Savannah was fortunate to be able to stop it before it got out of control. But at what cost?
“Savannah,” Carson called out to her. "Nothing happened during the whole thing with Maeve."
She still refused to look at him, giggling. “You don’t have to explain yourself to me, Carson.” She tried to mask the annoyance in her tone. “It doesn’t matter.”
Carson refused to let it go. "It does matter. Aren’t we…ya know?” He was always nervous to say it out loud.
“Sure, but that doesn’t mean you can’t sleep with whoever you want.” She argued. There was so much more she wanted to say, but she remembered that her emotions should not be involved.
Carson smirked, participating in her game. “Alright, if it’s not a problem, then look at me.” He prompted.
He watched her pursed her lips. Deep down, he knew that scene irritated her greatly. She tried to brush it off as nothing, but Carson knew Savannah better than that. Her emotions were an integral aspect of her personality. Even when she tried to hide them, her true feelings were always on display. She did not care about how she was perceived either. If she felt a particular way, it would be obvious. He didn’t call her a crybaby for nothing.
Savannah realized she was not doing a good job of hiding her discomfort. She did not want to dwell on it for too long because nothing had happened other than Maeve sitting in his lap. While she could be upset about it, it was not worth avoiding his gaze. Besides, she would rather be lost in his wonder than avoid it.
So she opened the carton of eggs and took out two of them. This may not go well, but she was in the mood to have some fun. It would undoubtedly lighten the mood between them and put them back on track for rekindling. The situation was childish, but engaging in childlike behavior on occasion was never a crime.
She threw an egg directly at his chest, followed by another to his face. She struggled to hold back her laughter as she watched his face turn surprised. He was not expecting it, but he would play along with her. It’s not every day that you get an egg chucked right at your face. Savannah unleashed a beast.
Carson nodded and walked over to the carton of eggs, grabbing two for himself. "You want to play this game?" He asked as he stalked her around the kitchen island.
Savannah's eyes widened as she gradually backed away. “Carson, I advise you to be very careful with that.”
“Oh, I’ll be careful alright,” he said before throwing it straight at her.
She ducked just in time with an egg getting splattered on the wall. Savannah ran for it, sticking her tongue out, and grabbing more eggs for defense. Carson was not far behind her, throwing them at her back left and right. They were having fun, despite making a mess in the kitchen. That did not matter because they had gotten out of that awkward situation a few minutes ago. This was the most fun Savannah has had in a while. It was even better that she could do this with Carson.
They were out of ammunition and each had only one egg left. The walls and floors were covered in yolks, which was gross to see. Savannah's top was like a huge target, while Carson's face bore the brunt of the attack. She couldn’t tell how this was going to go, but she threw the egg toward him. He was able to avoid that one and immediately pursued her.
There was only one place he wanted to crack this egg, and when he finally got her, he cracked it right on top of her head. Every bit dripped down her hair strands, resulting in a slimy consistency. It was nothing that a good shampoo and conditioner could not fix, but it was still unpleasant.
Despite this, Carson wrapped his arms around her and laughed at their chaotic situation. The kitchen was a mess, along with their clothes. The smell wasn’t much better but Carson didn’t care. He was just happy to hug her again. Anything that happened with Maeve was irrelevant in his mind.
“I’ll be washing my hair for days,” Savannah said with a laugh. She rested her head against his chest even with egg against it.
Carson chuckled. "To be fair, you caused this mess." He smiled. "But it was fun."
Savannah agreed. “I’m glad you came back, Carson.” Her voice lowered. “I haven’t had this much fun since you left.”
He sighed, feeling his chest tighten as she spoke. "You do this every time," he complained, hating the feeling he got when she was sentimental. "No one has ever been able to evoke genuine emotion in me the way you do."
“Not even—“
“Not even her.”
She was referring to Maeve and what she had witnessed. Carson was in the middle of telling Maeve that they could not sleep together under any circumstances. He was attempting to do the right thing for once in his life. When he was at his lowest, he loved being able to do whatever he wanted with no consequences. However, since returning home and being with Savannah, he wanted to change that. He wanted better for both himself and his friend.
What remained a mystery to him was how they could be friends while appearing to be constantly at odds. It did not make sense why they were competing in such an unusual way. Carson knew he was good-looking, but not that good-looking. To the point where two friends who have agreed to live together are silently fighting over who will sleep with him. It was crazy for him to think about.
Keeping Savannah close to him, he asked her the one question he had been dying to know. “What’s with you and Maeve? I mean, aren’t you guys friends? Why is there this need to outdo the other?” He’s been wondering this for a bit now.
Savannah sighed, wishing she had a better response to give him. “I’m not sure. Maeve has always been like this.” She brushed off.
“Been like what though?” Carson needed more clarification.
"She has this thing where she goes after every guy I’m into," she explained. "I think she just gets upset if I get a hot guy first."
None of that made sense to Carson but what stuck out to him was the words ‘every guy I’m into.’ Maybe this is what Cole was hinting at, but hearing her say it out loud left him entirely speechless. His breathing quickened and his face turned rosy. He never expected her to admit to having feelings for him. Carson had no idea what to do with this information, as it was the first time it had ever been acknowledged.
Carson, pulling slightly away, looked down at her with a red face. “I’m sorry…does that mean you’re into me?” He asked breathlessly.
Savannah looked back at him, her cheeks turning red as well. She did not realize what she had said until he repeated it to her. One slip of the tongue may have revealed everything that she’s been keeping so dear to her. Does she admit her feelings or continue to pretend she is only interested in sex? Wouldn’t both answers be true?
Stuttering, Savannah had no idea what to say. “I uh…what?” She played dumb. It was easier than confessing her feelings to him.
Carson refused to let it go. “You’re into me. You said it. You said that!” He kept repeating hoping for a clear response. What if she did admit it, though?
Cole walked into the kitchen in shock, leaving no time to investigate. He noticed the egg everywhere, including on those two alone. It was a complete disaster from the walls to the floor. Cole was aware that they would engage in silly antics, but this was a long time ago. He could not believe they were still playing these crazy games, but he was glad they were reconnecting. It made him feel like he had made the right decision to return.
“I’m assuming you two did this?” Cole pointed to them in amusement.
She nodded after unwrapping herself from Carson. “Sorry, we’ll clean it up. I just have to take a shower first.” She looked at Carson with a gentle smile and red cheeks. "I recommend that you do as well." She then walked away quickly.
Cole raised his eyebrows at Carson. "Am I missing something here?” He asked him confused.
Carson shrugged. "I wish I could tell you." He sighed, trying to figure out what had happened. His entire world changed in an instant.