Page 81 of Between Hate and Desire

I laugh at her, knowing how she gets when she doesn’t eat, so I grab my things and follow her outside.

“I seriously couldn’t get out of my apartment quick enough. Carter’s a fucking terror, Lennon. I feel like I’m losing my goddamn mind,” she says, driving through traffic.

I sympathize with her, knowing what she’s going through.

“All you can do is ignore him or move out. There aren’t many options. But I understand and feel for you.” I offer her a smile and notice how tight she’s gripping the steering wheel as we pull into the parking lot of the sandwich shop.

She lets out an angry huff before we get out of the car and walk inside. We place our orders and grab our drinks, then sit at a table by the windows while we wait for our food.

Sophie is fuming, and as soon as we settle into our spot, she starts going off. “Carter is so oblivious. I went into the bathroom this morning, saw a giant-ass turd in the toilet, and I nearly threw up. Who the hell takes a shit and doesn’t flush? We’re adults!”

I try to hold back my laughter, but it escapes me before I can stop it. “Seriously? Oh my God, that’s disgusting!”

“I know! I’ll spare you the nasty details. Not to mention, I also caught him wearing my black dress socks the other day. They barely fit over his huge man ankles, and it nearly ate me alive seeing them on his feet. On top of the fact that he didn’t ask, they’re going to be all stretched out and smell. They can burn in hell right with him now.” She pauses, releasing a tense breath. “Oh, and the other day, an empty Coke can was left on my practice keyboard in the corner of the apartment, like it was a fucking drink coaster! Can Maria be so blinded by love that she doesn’t see how annoying her boyfriend is? He’s a damn slob and not at all like Hunter, who did it on purpose to piss you off. No…Carter is the real deal. He lives like a raccoon who sleeps in a dumpster.”

She’s pissed and frustrated, and I hate that I can’t snap my fingers and change her situation. I reach across the table and take her hand, trying to calm her down. “I’m gonna help you find another place. Just stay there until you can’t take it any longer, and we can figure something out. I’d offer for you to come live with Hunter and me, but I doubt you’d want to share a bed with me every night, and the couch sucks. Trust me, my back still hurts from sleeping on it.”

She forces a grin through the sadness on her face. “Thanks. And I know there’s nothing anyone can do. I’m half-tempted to go live with Maddie in the dorms.” She chuckles, but I know she feels defeated. “It sucks because what Maria and I had going was working out so well.”

Shrugging, I offer her a weak smile. “Things change. Nothing ever stays the same. I learned that the hard way.”

Sophie nods just as our food comes. My mouth waters in anticipation for the chicken wrap and soup I ordered. We dig in, and she practically moans as she takes a bite of her club sandwich.

“So how’s the roommate situation since finding out about the baby?” she asks nonchalantly, but I see a sparkle in her eye.

I give her a pointed look, wondering if this is a setup. “Good, I guess. Not much has changed.” Oh, except I fantasized about him. No biggie.

“You guess?”

I blow out a breath, knowing I can’t lie to her. “Last night…” I start. Sophie leans forward, waiting in anticipation for my next words, and I playfully roll my eyes. “I might’ve asked him to sleep in my bed with me.”

“Uh…mighthave?”

“Shut up. Not like that,” I tell her. “I was missing Brandon so much. I needed a warm body next to me.”

Her eyes soften as she gives me a pity look. The one I absolutelyhate.

“And so he did.” I shrug casually.

“Of course he did,” she says as if she’s not even a bit surprised. “Hunter’s a good guy. He’d do anything you ask.”

My heart flutters at her words, but I push it away. “So I fell asleep, and when I woke up, I was completely flustered because I was in the middle of a sex dream.”

“Yeah? Was it good?” She waggles her brows.

“It wasHunterin the dream,” I confess, and she sucks in her lips, but I know she has a snarky comment. “I’m losing my mind, Soph. Why would I dream about him like that? I couldn’t stop staring this morning while he made us breakfast. Shirtless.” I release a frustrated breath, needing to knock those images out of my brain. “It seemed so damn real. And now things are awkward because it’s all I can think about.”

Sophie leans forward and speaks barely over a whisper. “Maybe you should think about getting a vibrator? Girl, your hormones are going crazy, and you’re getting zero relief. You went from consistent sex to becoming a nun,” she states, then hurriedly adds, “Obviously not by choice, but still.”

I know my face tells all my secrets as heat rushes through my body. I look around the room, but no one is paying any attention to us.

“It’s nothing to be embarrassed about.”

“Oh my God.” Realization hits me. “How many of them do you have?” I ask, imagining her nightstand full of sex toys.

She twists her lips. “I can count them on two hands.”

My eyes go wide in shock. “That means more than five but less than ten. You sex kitten!”

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