Obligation, page 14
She should tell him never mind, that she didn’t need him to stay with her, that she’d be fine. But her lips seemed to be glued shut, and she couldn’t get a single word to form. She shifted on her feet. What if he said yes? What would happen then? She had no intention of doing anything with him, but simply sleeping in the same bed with him was crossing the line. If Danny did what she was about to do, she’d be downright pissed.
“Are you sure this is what you want?” he asked after a moment.
Now was her chance to get out of the mess she’d created without any harm. All she had to do was utter one single word: no. Instead, she nodded. She was such a hypocrite, her body a traitor to her good sense.
“I mean, if it’s too weird…” She averted her gaze to her feet, then glanced around the room.
Maybe if she pretended she was staying at a hotel, she’d be able to get some sleep. Not that she slept well at hotels, but at least she handled that better than staying in a strange house. Besides, the penthouse was really nice, and she was used to being in nice places, surrounded by expensive things.
“It’s kinda weird,” Bradly said with a half-smile. “But what kind of host would I be if I denied my guest the one thing she wants?”
Carissa tilted her head, eyes narrowed. “So now I’m just your guest? I thought we were friends.”
His eyes darkened, and he took a step closer. “Are we?”
She sucked in a sharp breath, but she refused to move or back up. Bradley didn’t scare her; at least, not in the sense that she feared for her safety. Her sanity was a totally different matter.
“I would hope so.” She laughed nervously. “If not, then maybe I need to leave because I don’t make a habit of staying with strange men.”
The corner of his mouth lifted in the most sinful smile she’d ever seen. “A strange man?” He took another step toward her.
She continued to remain frozen in place, though she had no idea why. Fear of what might happen if she moved? Or a burning desire to know what would happen if she didn’t?
“Let me make sure I have this right. You have no trouble kissing a strange man, getting in the car with one and driving to an entirely different state, but you draw the line at spending the night?” He raised a brow, his expression a pure challenge.
Some of the tension inside of her eased at the knowledge that he was teasing her, but a new type of tightness squeezed her chest. Bantering with him was a thrill, one she’d never experienced with Danny, and as she stood here with Bradley, she realized just how much she craved this type of fun, easy relationship.
“Yeah, that sounds about right,” she said, her tone cool despite the heat spreading through her. “A girl’s gotta have limits.”
Bradley laughed, the sound wrapping around her in a comforting wave. “Alright. Let’s pretend I said yes to you. What’re your limits?”
Her heart slammed against her ribs, then took off like an out of control freight train. She swallowed around the lump in her throat. “Just sleeping. No touching,” she said, but her voice wasn’t very loud, nor did she sound very convincing.
“Good thing the bed is big enough for the both of us.” He stepped around her. “Just make sure to stay on your side.”
Carissa deflated, all the breath rushing from her lungs. He was going to stay with her, and he’d agreed to keep things hands-off. Did she trust him to keep his word? Slowly, she turned to find him toeing off his shoes and pulling back the blankets on the bed.
“Um, are you going to leave once I fall asleep?” She wanted to smack herself for asking him that question.
Granted, she had specifically asked him to stay only until she fell asleep, but this was his penthouse. What right did she have to dictate what he did or where he slept? The more she thought about this, the more she regretted asking. No way this situation wouldn’t backfire horribly.
“Yes,” he said without looking at her.
She nodded, unsure how she felt about his answer. She was sure, though, that she was beyond fed up with her own conflicting emotions. Why couldn’t she figure out how she felt about Bradley? One minute she wanted him more than anything, and the next minute, she was determined to keep their relationship platonic.
“Thank you.” She walked to the opposite side of the bed, sat on the mattress, and removed her boots.
Exhaustion hung heavy on her limbs, and she yawned. The events of the past couple days were finally catching up with her, and the second she closed her eyes, she’d be out for the count. The thought of sleeping for several interrupted hours was enticing, but she needed to let Tiffany know where she was.
Carissa rubbed her hands over her face and yawned again. “Can I use your phone to call Tiffany?”
“Yeah, of course.” Bradley slid his phone from his back pocket and handed it to her.
“Thanks.” She took the phone, opened the call feature, and stared at the keypad, trying to remember Tiffany’s number. She punched in the numbers and held the phone to her ear.
“I’ll give you some privacy,” Bradley whispered, then left the room.
“Hello?” Tiffany answered. She sounded confused, probably because she didn’t recognize the number.
“Hey, Tiff. It’s me.”
Loud noises drowned out everything else. That’s when Carissa remembered Garrett was hosting an after party, which was where Tiffany had gone. Music, laughter, and shouts filtered through the phone.
“Who?” Tiffany all but shouted the question. “Hold on.” A moment later, the noise dulled. “I’m sorry. Who is this?”
“It’s me. Carissa,” she said.
“Carissa? Where the hell are you? Are you okay? Why haven’t you been answering your phone? Wait—why are you calling me from an unknown number?” Tiffany fired off the questions so fast Carissa’s head spun.
“Yes, I’m fine.” She sighed and rubbed the tension from her forehead. “Danny and I got into a fight, and he left me at the bonfire.” She quickly recounted the events of the night, including Bradley finding her and offering her a ride home.
“Oh my God. I’m so sorry,” Tiffany said, her tone full of compassion. “If I had known, I never would’ve left. Garrett and I would’ve—”
“It’s okay. You had no way of knowing,” Carissa said. The last thing she wanted was for Tiffany to feel guilty for something she had no control over.
“I know, but still. I’m sorry.” Tiffany paused. “So, where are you now? Do you want me to meet you?”
“No.” Carissa cringed. “I’m not on campus. I’m with Bradley. In Phoenix.”
Dead silence.
“Tiff? You still there?”
“Yeah.” Tiffany cleared her throat. “So, Bradley didn’t take you home? He took you to Phoenix? As in Phoenix, Arizona?”
“Yeah,” Carissa said, then bit down on her bottom lip. “But only because I asked him to. I mean, not Phoenix specifically, but somewhere.” She sighed with frustration. “I wasn’t really in the partying mood, and I knew if I went back to campus, Danny would find me, and we’d fight again. I just needed some time to myself.”
“Yeah… About that…”
“What?” Dread landed hard in Carissa’s gut. “Is Danny there?”
Part of her hoped Tiffany would say no, but Carissa wasn’t an idiot. Danny lived there, so of course he’d be there. But would he really go to a party after what had happened between them? Surely he must be upset, right?
“Yeah, he’s here. And he’s drunk.”
Carissa’s stomach sank, and she closed her eyes against the tears threatening to break free.
“That’s why I’ve been blowing up your phone,” Tiffany continued. “He showed up, said you two had argued and you didn’t want to come. He then acted like everything was normal. Drinking and laughing with the guys. And then…” She took a deep breath. “He’s in his room with another girl.”
An involuntary sob tore from Carissa’s throat, and she cupped her hand over her mouth. Not only had Danny said some terrible things to her tonight, but he’d also broken her phone and left her stranded. Then he went to a party and hooked up with another girl. What was left of her heart splintered, and her entire body went numb.
She was done.
“Carissa, I’m so sorry,” Tiffany said softly, but her words did nothing to soothe Carissa’s raw emotions.
“It’s not your fault. Thanks for being honest with me.” She sniffled and blinked back tears. “I wanted to let you know I’m safe, so please don’t worry about me, okay?”
Tiffany huffed. “Fat chance of that happening. You’re my best friend. Of course I’m going to worry about you. Are you sure you’re going to be alright?”
“Yeah, I’m going to be fine.” If only she believed that. “Can you let Garrett and Cory know I’m okay, too? And please tell Cory not to say anything to Mom and Dad.” She groaned at the thought of having to explain all of this to her parents.
“Sure. So, what’re you going to do?”
Carissa shrugged, not that Tiffany could see her. “Right now, I’m going to sleep. I’m exhausted. I’ll figure the rest out later.”
“Okay. I’m saving this number and calling you tomorrow,” Tiffany said in her don’t-even-try-to-argue-with-me voice.
Carissa cracked a smile. “Okay. I’ll get a new phone sometime tomorrow, too.” She yawned again.
“For what it’s worth, I yelled at Danny for being a cheating asshole.” Pride rang through in Tiffany’s voice, and Carissa laughed.
“Thanks for that.” She wanted to spill her guts about the way Danny had been treating her, about all the awful things he said to her, about the baby and the miscarriage and how everything changed after that. But now wasn’t the time for that discussion.
“Go get some sleep. Be safe, and we’ll talk tomorrow,” Tiffany said. “And I’ll let you know what other stupid shit Danny does tonight.”
“Don’t worry about it. I don’t care anymore,” Carissa said.
Surprisingly, she meant that more than she realized. Sure, knowing he was with another girl right now hurt, but she was technically with another guy. The only difference being she wasn’t going to have sex with Bradley, and she knew damn well Danny was hooking up with that girl. Why else take her up to his room?
“Thanks again, Tiff. Love ya.” Carissa ended the call and set Bradley’s phone on his side of the bed. She stood and stretched.
A light knock on the door had her turning toward the sound. “Is it safe to come in?” he asked.
“Yeah,” she said.
Bradley walked in carrying some clothes, a glass of water, and a bottle of pills. “My sister says she always gets a headache after crying, so I thought you might want these.” He shook the pill bottle. “And I found some of her extra clothes.” He set the neatly folded pile on the foot of the bed.
Carissa’s heart melted at how considerate Bradley was. He’d taken the initiative to get her what she needed without her having to ask. He genuinely cared, and that completely shattered every last defense she had. She buried her face in her hands and sobbed.
Without a word, Bradley embraced her. She clung to him and cried. Why did she have to be in a relationship with a guy who cared more about himself than her? Who did and said mean things just to hurt her feelings? What happened to the Danny she’d first met? The Danny who treated her like a queen and made her feel like the most important person in his world? Was she wrong for wanting all of that back?
Bradley stroked her hair and held her close, his steady heartbeat grounding her in the moment. He rested his cheek on the top of her head. His ability to just hold her, to offer comfort without the need for words astounded her.
“Sorry,” she mumbled.
His heavy breath jostled her, and he held her out at arm’s length. Then he very gently wiped her tears with his thumbs before cradling her face. He searched her eyes for a moment before holding her gaze.
“You do not need to apologize to me. You’ve done absolutely nothing wrong,” he said, his tone compassionate yet firm.
She nodded, and he eased his hands down to rest lightly on either side of her neck. “I did get your shirt wet,” she said lamely.
He softly ran the pads of his thumbs along her jaw. “I don’t care about my shirt. I care about you, Carissa.”
Her breath caught, and as badly as she wanted to look away, to break whatever hold he had on her, she couldn’t. She was too mesmerized by him, by his heated, assessing gray eyes. By his full lips that were begging her to taste them again.
“Danny went home, to the party, and he’s there with another girl,” Carissa whispered. Shame and guilt swirled inside of her at admitting the truth so bluntly.
“I’m sorry,” he said sincerely. “You don’t deserve any of this.” He shook his head, his expression turning hard and angry.
But he wasn’t angry at her. He was angry because she was hurting. She didn’t know how she knew that, but she did. The knowledge was as solid in her mind as her own name.
“I really just want to go to sleep,” she said.
“Okay.” Bradley released her without complaint or argument. “I’m going to change, and then I’ll be back. Make yourself comfortable.” And then he was gone again.
Chapter Twenty
Bradley had no idea what he’d been thinking when he agreed to stay with Carissa until she fell asleep. He’d lost his damn mind. That was the only explanation he could come up with. Well, the only explanation he was willing to accept, because anything else and he’d have to face the fact that he wasn’t a very good guy. Then again, Danny was the one who’d put Carissa in this situation in the first place. If the asshole hadn’t left her…
Bradley curled his hand into a fist, then flexed his fingers. He was already pissed enough at Danny; no need to make things worse by dwelling on his anger. Right now, he needed—no, wanted—to focus on Carissa. She clearly needed someone to be with her, to listen and not judge or yell or anything else.
He hurried into the room he’d shared with his brother and dug out some of the clothes he’d left here. Snatching a pair of gray sweatpants, he sniffed them just to make sure they didn’t smell moldy or anything. Not that they would—his father employed a stellar cleaning service to come in once a week and clean the place.
After changing, he wandered back toward the master suite. Even though he wanted to rush to Carissa’s side, he didn’t. He took his time and tried to calm himself. But no amount of pep talks and deep breaths would prepare him for what he was about to do.
From the moment he’d met Carissa, he’d been attracted to her. And that kiss they’d shared… He stifled a groan and licked his bottom lip. The spark that had ignited between them when their lips touched had been intense, and unlike anything he’d ever experienced before. And he knew she’d felt the same thing, too. How could she not? Since then, they’d been dancing dangerously close to the edge, flirting but not really. Teasing one another in what he tried to convince himself was simply two friends joking, but he knew better.
And now he was supposed to lay in bed next to her and not touch her? He had to be a serious glutton for punishment.
Reaching the door to the master suite, he knocked, and she called for him to enter. He took another deep breath, and with his heart racing, he opened the door and walked into the room.
Carissa was in bed already. She was on her back, hands folded on her stomach, staring up at the ceiling, much like she’d been in the lounge chair on the roof. She’d changed, too, and from what he could tell, his sister’s clothes fit Carissa well.
“Comfortable?” he asked, gently closing the door behind him.
“Mm-hmm.”
Her throaty hum had desire sizzling through his veins. Slowly, he strode across the room and eased onto the bed, careful to keep a respectable distance between them.
“Um, you’re sleeping in that?” she asked, turning her head to glance at him.
“What’s wrong with this?” He settled onto his back.
“You’re half naked.”
He laughed. “Normally, I’m fully naked when I sleep. Count yourself lucky I put pants on.” He turned his head to look at her, too, and her cheeks were a delicious, delicate shake of pink. “If you’re uncomfortable with me being half naked, you’re welcome to get half naked, too. You know, make it fair.”
A strangled sound of disbelief tore from her throat, and then she barked out a shocked laugh. “I don’t think so.”
“Can’t blame a guy for trying,” he said.
“This is probably the softest bed I’ve ever been in,” she said, her voice heavy with sleepiness. “It’s like heaven.”
“It’s the best bed in the house.” He shifted slightly, but he was far from relaxed. His muscles tightened with tension, and nervous energy thrummed inside of him.
What would he do if she tried to make a move? Would he stop her again? That would be the smart thing to do, but he wasn’t sure he’d have the strength, not when every cell in his body screamed for her.
“So, do you come here often?” she asked.
He momentarily froze, then laughed. “There’s really no need for cheesy pick up lines. I mean, you’ve already got me in bed with you. What more do you want?”
“Shut up.” Carissa laughed and shook her head. Then she rolled onto her side so she was facing him, hands tucked beneath her cheek. “I meant the penthouse. How often do you stay here?”
“Not as much as I used to.” He rolled onto his side, too, and propped his head in his hand. The last thing he wanted to do was talk about his ex-girlfriend, so he hoped Carissa wouldn’t push the topic.
“I wish I had a place like this.” She sighed.
“What do you mean?”
“Somewhere I could go when I needed to get away.” She gave an awkward shrug. “Somewhere no one could find me.”
He studied her intently. Her hair was wild despite her obvious attempt to tame her locks; her face was no longer tear-stained, though her cheeks were redder than usual; and her normally vibrant eyes were dull and devoid of the spark he’d come to associate with her.
