Page 23 of My Sweet Cherry
“What are you doing tonight?” Carter asked, hooking his finger under my chin and bringing my gaze back to meet his.
I shrugged. I only wanted to do one thing. “Whatever you want to do.”
“You already know what I want to do,” he said, winking. The butterflies racing toward my throat knew what he wanted to do too. “I’ll call you when I get home.”
“I’ll wait by the phone.” I cringed when I said it, trying not to kick myself.I’ll wait by the phone? Really?But when he chuckled and winked, the pending embarrassment slipped away.
Carter kissed me again. “Bye, cherry,” he said, fixing his bag over his shoulder before he walked away. I caught Isabella blushing when Anthony winked and followed him. She finally turned back around, and it was like she had forgotten that she had been digging for gossip just moments earlier. But as soon as they were gone, she turned to face me.
“Okay, his friend is really cute.” She lifted a brow, painting a cocky look on her face that told me she’d be buying a new dress that showed more of her features before the next party she crashed. “And you and Carter?”
I blushed and brought my fingers to my lips. “I know. He’s pretty great, isn’t he?”
Isabella threw her head back and laughed. “I told you to lighten up a little, not fall in love with the king of campus!” She put her arm around me, looking at me like she was proud and surprised at the same time.
“I’m not in love with him.”Not yet, at least.
“But you said yourself you like him.” Then she pointed over her shoulder with her thumb in the direction Carter and Anthony had walked. “And obviously he is pretty into you, too.”
I sighed, hoping she was right. “I like him a lot,” I said. “Do you think it’s too fast?”
“I mean, you gave him your virginity. And you don’t regret that, right?” For a second Isabella looked concerned—or nosy.
“I don’t regret it at all.” I didn’t. I couldn’t regret the way his hands felt on me or the gentle look on his face when he thought he’d hurt me—or the way my stomach flipped when he got concerned.
Isabella smiled, using her arm around me to force me to keep walking. “Then no, it’s not too fast.”
Chapter 20
Beth
They were going to start recognizing me at Hank’s Diner at this rate, but I didn’t care. I cradled the container holding a piece of cherry pie in my hand when I reached to knock on Carter’s door. I had a sweet tooth, but the excitement bubbling inside me was more about seeing him. When the lock clicked and the door opened, I grinned, holding out the piece of pie for a second before my excitement was replaced with disappointment.
“Oh. Hey, Benny,” I said when he looked at me and then the pie. “Is Carter here?”
“No. I actually haven’t seen much of him today.” Benny crossed his arms, leaning against the door frame and making it clear that he wasn’t going to be letting me into the apartment. “I think he said something about having a date.”
A date? My stomach sank under the weight of his stare. “Do you know when he’ll be home?” I tried peering over his shoulder like it would make Carter appear.
Benny shook his head. “I’m not really sure, sorry.”
“Well, thank you anyway. If you see him, will you tell him I stopped by?” I looked at the pie in my hand, debating leaving it for him. Would Benny give it to him for me if I did?
“Sure will,” he said. Then I turned around but when I took the first step to leave, Benny cleared his throat. “He’s not really that into you, you know.”
My feet stopped but my heart slammed into my chest. I turned around. “What?”
“It’s all just part of his game to get you in bed.” He smirked, and my stomach soured. Where I had held confidence knocking on his door, there was now self-doubt. “Did it work?”
My eyes stung, and I shook my head. “It’s not like that.”
“It is, though.” He looked serious, like I shouldn’t doubt what he was saying. I didn’t trust Benny, though, not like I trusted Carter. I shook my head again, refusing to believe it and stepping back. “He does this to all the girls, Beth. He makes you think you matter. Maybe he takes you on a couple of dates and makes you feel special. Then he gets what he wants and once he does, he moves on to the next.”
I didn’t believe it. I was determined to believe that it was different between Carter and me—that he really liked me. “Maybe with other girls. It’s not like that with me.”
“If you say so.” Why should I believe what Benny had to say anyway? He didn’t know anything. “I’ll bet he made you a mixtape and took you out to his secret spot too.”
“That’s not true.” Right?I haven’t really brought anyone here before.
