Page 17 of Love to Hate You

Chapter Six

Daisy

Keeping an eye on Carter’s bedroom door from my perch on the kitchen counter, I dig into a heaping bowl of Cap’n Crunch. It’s not exactly the breakfast of champions, but I don’t particularly care.

I need sugar pronto.

My blood still simmers over my run-in with Carter yesterday. First, he told me that I’m the last person he would check out. Then he had the audacity to tell me that my bikini was too small. Every time I think about it, I want to throw something at his head.

After that conversation, I steered clear of him for the rest of the day, which wasn’t easy considering we were trapped at the same party. More than a handful of times, I felt the heat of his gaze on me. It took every ounce of my self-control not to bare my teeth and snap them at him. Carter has the ability to make me feel like a rabid dog.

I hate that he holds so much power over me.

It shouldn’t come as any surprise that the king of hookups brought home a girl at the end of the night. It wasn’t even the same chick who’d clung to him like a barnacle for most of the afternoon.

Ugh.

Whatever.

It’s not like I care.

Actually, I couldn’t have planned it better myself. As Carter is about to discover, payback is a bitch. I’m not going to get mad, I’m going to get even.

What happened yesterday was the straw that broke the proverbial camel’s back. It was difficult, but I didn’t allow that incident to ruin my day. Instead, I did what I should have done from the very beginning and ignored the cocky jerk.

With thoughts of retribution dancing like sugarplums in my head, I grin evilly around a spoonful of peanut butter-flavored cereal and patiently bide my time. I don’t have to wait long. Ten minutes later, the door to his bedroom swings open and the girl he brought home after the party saunters out.

Well, someone looks a little worse for the wear. Half of her makeup is caked under her eyes, giving her a raccoon-ish appearance, and it looks like birds have built a nest in her long, dark hair.

Fine, that’s a lie. Her hair is tousled in that freshly fucked way, and she has sleepy, come-hither eyes going on that clearly say, Hey,I’m ready for round two. Or would that be three or four?

Bitch.

See what this guy does to me?

Within minutes, I’m turning against my own kind.

A shirtless Carter trails behind her as if he’s in no rush to leave the bedroom. He stretches, his arms flexing above his head. Everything within me sits up and takes notice. My gaze slides over his muscular chest before I can yank it away. A swirl of dark hair arrows down his six-pack abs to the chiseled V that dips beneath the athletic shorts he’s barely managed to pull on for the occasion. If the material sank any lower, it would be indecent.

I quickly push that last thought from my mind.

Unaware of my presence, they stop in the living room. She turns and presses her palms against his sculpted pecs and stares up at him. “I had a really good time last night,” she coos.

“Yeah, it was definitely fun,” Carter replies.

Is it me or does his deep voice sound like it’s been roughed up by sandpaper? Its raspy tone shoots straight to my core before exploding like a firework. I squeeze my thighs together to stop the ache from growing into something more.

I’m mad at this guy, I remind myself harshly. Not attracted to him.

Okay, okay…I’m attracted to him. For the love of God, I’m only human. And apparently, very weak. Not wanting to find him desirable should count for something. But I don’t think it does.

Little Ms. Hookup leans into him as she purrs, “The Sigma Taus are having a huge bash tonight if you’re interested in meeting up for an encore performance.”

I stare at them and shift slightly, feeling like a perv for watching a private moment unfold between Carter and one of his many conquests.

“I’ll have to see what’s going on,” he says evasively. “But maybe I’ll see you there.”

I’m sure Carter wants to keep his options open.

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