Page 49 of Love to Hate You

Chapter Sixteen

Carter

The alarm goes off and I roll from bed. I’ve been lying here for the last thirty minutes thinking about Daisy. I need to burn off some of the excess energy crashing through my body. I have football practice three hours a day, five days a week and lift weights a couple times a week because I’m trying to stay away from the apartment when I know she’ll be around. You’d think all this physical activity would be enough to diffuse the hot spikes of need that flare to life inside me at the mere thought of her, but you’d be wrong.

She’s all I think about.

In a last-ditch effort, I’m going to hit the pavement in hopes that five miles will be enough to kill my growing lust.

You know what I need?

To get laid.

I need to bury my cock in some sweet pussy and forget all about Daisy Thompson. Forget about her long golden hair and flashing aquarium-colored eyes, and all those goddamn curves I want to get my hands on.

Yeah, that’s not helping.

As luck would have it, tonight is Thursday night. And around here, that’s when the weekend starts.

I yank on a pair of athletic shorts along with a sleeveless T. I lace up my shoes, grab my phone and earbuds, and I’m ready to go. As I head out of my room, I hear someone else moving around the apartment. I stumble to a halt as Daisy comes around the kitchen corner. Her step falters as our gazes collide. She looks just as thrown by my presence as I am by hers.

My eyes flicker over her outfit. What I find doesn’t make me happy. My jaw locks at the shorts that are way too damn short. This girl certainly knows how to put the Daisy in Daisy Dukes. I’m not even going to mention the athletic tank top that molds her breasts to perfection.

Her hair has been pulled up into a ponytail, and there are trainers on her feet. Her phone is in hand, and pink earbuds are already in place. Apparently, we have the same idea. But I doubt she’s trying to work me out of her system the way I’m trying to work her out of mine.

Daisy pulls out an earbud. “Are you going for a run?”

Her eyebrows scrunch together. I get her confusion. Normally, I’m not up this early, but I’ve got a packed day ahead of me and this was the only time I could squeeze in a run. “Yup.”

She nods and shifts from one foot to the other. “Me, too.”

Neither of us say anything more. Instead, we head out the door to the staircase that will take us to the lobby. Thank God, because being alone with Daisy in the close confines of an elevator is dangerous. Especially when she’s wearing something so scantily.

The urge to touch her pulses through me as we enter the stairwell. Daisy takes the lead and I fall in place behind her. But it’s not so I can stare at her ass as it enticingly sways back and forth in those tiny shorts.

Fine, maybe it is.

This is definitely a view I could get used to.

I wince.

Talk about counterproductive…

It’s probably best if we separate. She can go one way, and I’ll head in the opposite direction. Until I have a better handle on the feelings she rouses in me, I don’t want to spend more time than necessary with her. Especially alone. It was so much easier when I would mess with her, and she would swipe back at me.

It kept our relationship in check. We didn’t venture too close. I was able to tamp down my feelings for her. Right now, everything is running amuck. If I’m not careful, all hell will break loose and that, I just can’t have. Except for the situation with my parents, everything else in my life is controlled and orderly.

Just as we’re about to part ways, I see two guys who have the same idea as us stretching next to the sidewalk. They both perk up when they get an eyeful of the girl next to me. Which isn’t surprising. What hot-blooded guy wouldn’t notice Daisy? You’d have to be dead not to do a double take when you see her.

Apparently, they all know each other because they both call her name and wave her over.

Just as she’s about to step away from me, I wrap my fingers around her arm. Not too tightly, just enough to keep her at my side.

Her ponytail whips around as she glances at me in question.

“Let’s go this way.” I jerk my head in the opposite direction of the douchebags who are still ogling her.

Sorry boys, not gonna happen today.

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