You Belong With Me

by M. R. Joseph

  He finished up everything he could and then he had an idea. He would cook for her. Surely she would notice how domesticated he was. He guaranteed Jordan Reid never picked up a dust rag in his life or cooked a meal. He was raised on servants and probably didn't know the first thing about the service industry. Carter looked in Casey's cabinets and found a few ingredients so he could muster up a decent meal for her. Now he would wait till her Converse clad feet walked in the door.

  Casey and Lyla made their way to Neiman's and Casey tried on several dresses for Lyla. She settled on a bluish-green satin strapless dress the was rouged at the bodice and hung straight down. It had a big slit on the side and paired it with silver strappy Gucci heels. She finished it up with a matching hand bag and a pair of silver and diamond drop earrings. The color of the dress complimented her eye color and it made her tan glow even more. They decided to grab a quick lunch at a cafe near the store before she had to get home and do her weekly chores. She dreaded it.

  They sat down to eat their salads.

  "Case, you've been really quiet today. What's up?" Lyla shoved a piece of lettuce in her mouth.

  "Nothing really. Something happened last night and it's been on my mind all day."

  Lyla was still chewing and said with a full mouth, "What has?" Casey took a sip of her water and began twirling her hair in a sped up motion.

  "Last night, Jordan and I were having sex."

  Lyla raised her eyebrows up and down at her suggestively. "Oh, really. Tell me all the nasty details."

  Casey shook her head and continued the twirling frenzy.

  "Carter was also home with Ashby."

  "Oh God, don't even tell me you heard them. Gross, Case."

  "Yes. Unfortunately, I did hear them having sex but that isn't all I heard. I think when he was.. you know..."

  "Finishing?" Lyla asked. "God Case, just say it. You can be such a prude."

  "OK. Yes. Finishing. Geez. He called out.... my name."

  Lyla's jaw dropped and she was about to say she wasn't surprised but she stopped herself because she couldn't betray Carter's wishes and tell her how he felt about Casey. Besides she was happy to see her friend happy with Jordan. Lyla knew what Carter was like. He was a ladies' man and always was.

  "Ly, say something. I feel so. I don't know. Dirty?"

  "Don't feel like that, Case. It may have just been the fact that he was most likely drunk off his ass and he was in your house and that's why he said it." Lyla tried to lie and she internally cringed when she realized that it wasn't a very good scenario.

  "I guess your right. I can't eat anymore. Let's go. I have a ton of housework to do before I have to work a twelve tomorrow."

  The girls made their way home. Casey dropped off Lyla and pulled in her driveway. She walked up to her front door and heard soft music coming from inside. She opened the door and heard the smooth as silk vocals of one Mr. Al Green playing. He crooned about staying together. She smelled fresh lemons and looked around to see that the house was spic and span. She looked towards the bottom of the steps to see her laundry basket filled with fresh folded clothes and towels.

  As she ventured further into the house she spotted the dining table set for two and a candle burning between two place settings. As Al still sang, she heard the soulful voice of another man. She peered around to the kitchen and saw a sight that stopped her heart. A shirtless, tanned, barefooted, lean, muscular specimen of a man stood at her stove bending over into her oven singing away. His gray drawstring sweatpants hugging his tight, well defined ass. As he straightened up after retrieving some kind of baking dish from inside, she noticed his muscles flex and curve as he moved his body. His skin looked soft and supple. He wore her big red and white floral oven mitts and she noticed how his sweat pants hung low on his hips and she could see the side of his natural 'V' that lead to his center. She thought it was without a doubt the sexist thing she had ever laid her eyes on and it pissed her off to no end that his body stirred these unwanted reactions from her. She cursed his body in her head: Son of a bitch, fucking wash board fucking abs, fucking flexing muscles, Goddamn "V," mother fucking treasure trail of hair going towards his fucking....

  Carter continued his singing and turned to place the baking dish on the table when he spotted Casey standing there with her lip pulling in and out of her mouth. One thing entered his brain. Affected! Score another point for Carter. He turned towards her.

  "Hey, sweetface, when did you get here?"

  It took her a moment to answer. She swallowed hard and open and shut her eyes, trying to focus better on the question at hand.

  "I.. um. I. Wait you cooked?"

  "Yep." He said as he made his way to the table and put down the dish.

  "And you did the cleaning and the laundry too?"

  He stood up and leaned against the door jam of the kitchen. He crossed his legs at the ankles and his big, strong arms in front of his chest. Those damn sexy muscles flexed again. She took notice. In all reality, how could she not? He smiled at her with his dark haired, five o'clock shadow, and the deep, insanely hot dimple that made it's appearance on one side of his face.

  "I did. I know you have a busy week with work and the dinner party so I figured since I'm crashing here, I mind as well pitch in."

  She plopped down her bag and keys on the table and went over to him.

  "You really are a big old softy aren't you, Carter London? Now feed me." She placed her hand on his naked bicep and instantly felt something that she never expected. She felt a surge of electricity. It was almost painful as though she was burnt or shocked by what she felt. She retracted her hand quickly but not enough not to feel what was apparent. She backed up towards the steps unsteadily. He watched her reaction when she touched him. It was like the blue light in her eyes began to dance.

  "Car, I'm kind of not feeling well right now. I sort of have a headache. Everything smells great but I think I need to...no I know I need to lie down. Can you wrap mine up and I'll eat it for lunch tomorrow?"

  Carter looked concerned on the outside but inside he knew she was full of shit. The whole time she spoke to him she was practically ripping out her hair from twirling it and he noticed how her bottom lip was swollen from sucking it in and out of her mouth.

  "Sure, sweetface. You go lie down and I'll bring you up a cup of tea when I finish cleaning up ok?"

  She just nodded and quickly went to her room and fell across her bed and screamed into her pillow.

  Carter smirked and he knew she felt it too. She felt what he was feeling. With just one touch, he knew Casey's heart was just one beat closer to being his.

  A little time had passed and Casey was buried under her sea of blankets. She pretended to be asleep when she heard Carter enter her room and she could smell the Chamomile from the tea he had placed at her bedside table. He never spoke. He left the room and she let out and exasperated sigh of relief. A few moments later she heard the sounds of Carter's piano playing. Chopin entered her brain. She closed her eyes and instantly felt relaxed and at ease. If for only a moment before she cursed herself and Carter.

  "Damn me and damn you, piano man."

  CHAPTER 8

  A case of Mistaken Identity

  Casey was never so happy to wake up for work and get there as quickly as she could. She rose at 5:30 and padded her way silently towards the bathroom. She decided to forgo a shower in fear of waking Carter. She couldn't face him today. Not after last night. What she felt, rattled her to the core. It baffled her. She was sleep deprived and the bags under her eyes told the story. She washed her face, brushed her teeth and put on a little facial moisturizer to make her look a little more fresh. She slipped back into her bedroom, put on her scrubs and her purple Converse and made her way downstairs. She hadn't been down there since she chickened her way out of an uncomfortable situation last night. When she tip-toed down to the kitchen she opened the refrigerator to grab a vitamin water and an apple. What she found was her little pink thermal lunch bag with a
note attached to it. She collected it and read the note.

  Sweetface,

  I packed you last nights' dinner for your lunch today. As you wished. Hope you have a great day. Text you later. XX-Car

  Her heart fluttered in her chest as she read the line 'as you wished.' His famous quote to her from The Princess Bride Her back fell against the counter and she pressed the note into her palm. She grabbed the tote, puffed up her cheeks, released the air in her lungs and flung her work bag over her shoulder. Casey made sure to be super quiet as she closed the door behind her.

  Carter woke up with the biggest grin on his face. He slept like a baby. The thoughts of his plan succeeding last night gave him a feeling of satisfaction. Casey touched him and the look on her face said it all. It stirred an emotion in her and it was very noticeable because of her manic habits that were displayed. The insistent twirling of her hair and the sucking in of her bottom lip. Carter needed to be persistent in his conquest of finally making Casey his. Fuck Jordan Reid's feelings. He was the reason Carter was in this position in the first place. The heart wants what the heart wants and Carter's heart wanted Casey. He remembered his mother's words from the day before. Life was about taking chances. He had to make this count. His whole life revolved around Casey and if a chance was what he needed to take, then so be it.

  He needed to make his way to Neiman's to buy a tux without Jordan Reid's credit card. No fucking way he was going to allow Jordan to buy his tux. This time when he went into the store he would most definitely find a male sales person.

  At work, Casey had a hard time concentrating. The thoughts of the God like man standing shirtless in her kitchen last night invaded her mind. ER intake forms and a few stitches to assist with didn't take away from the image plaguing her mind. Confusion wasn't a strong enough word to explain how last night left her. She was frustrated, perplexed, and bemused by what she felt. Was it just an attraction to his body or was it more? This was something she didn't want to deal with at the moment. Especially at work when concentration was critical. She needed to be on her toes. Casey felt her cell buzz next to her and she looked to see who the text was from. She willed it not to be Carter because she didn't want him to seep further into her head again. It was from Jordan. Thank the Lord.

  Hi love. Hope ur ok. Called last night but it went right 2 voicemail. I miss u.

  She instantly felt sick to her stomach. She shut her phone off when she went up to bed last night after her interaction with Carter. She felt awful missing Jordan's call.

  I'm fine. Had a very bad headache last night. Went to bed after shopping. Sorry I missed ur call.

  That's ok baby. Hope u got something spectacular even though u would look beautiful in a burlap sack :-)

  Oh God he was so sweet when he said things like that to her. That was it. Thoughts of Carter's rock hard, tattooed, bad boy body needed to make their way out and immediately.

  u r too sweet. Hope u r having a great day. Miss u 2. will I talk 2 u later?

  Yes. I'm in meetings till about 9 tonight in Palm Harbour. I'll call u when I get back to the house.

  k. don't work 2 hard. xoxo

  Xoxo was his reply to her. The 'L' word hadn't come to play in their relationship but she knew he felt that for her. She thought the same thing. She couldn't bring herself to say it for some reason and that choice had her worried. She put down her phone and smiled at the thought of Jordan and his handsome face. The way he made her feel was perfect. It didn't matter to him that she didn't come from money. He was extremely respectful to her and he worshiped her.

  The dinner party at the Reid's mansion was something she looked forward to but made her nervous. She had only been in the Reid's company a few times and only in social settings, work functions of Jordan's and a small gathering for his mother's birthday a few months back. Nothing one on one. They were always traveling and Mrs. Reid was very big into organizing charity functions.She knew before the Reid's were married Laura Reid, Jordan's mother was a nurse at a hospital in Bradenton. That's where she met Kingston Reid. All she knew about their courtship was that when they met at the hospital. Laura was the nurse for Kingston's father who had suffered a heart attack on a job site near the hospital and he was rushed there. He was there for a few weeks and Laura was the day nurse. Kingston spent a lot of time there and struck up an interest in the young nurse. Laura had come from a poor family and she helped raise her younger sister when her alcoholic father left. Kingston scooped her up and took her away from her old life of struggles and gave her a new one full of wealth and promises.

  Casey needed to make a good impression. She had a feeling Laura approved of her because she knew what an honorable profession she had taken but it was Kingston she had to be on her toes for.

  Just then, she heard her phone again and she figured Jordan may have forgotten to tell her something. She picked it up and when she saw the text was from Carter, she fumbled with the phone nervously.

  Hey sweetface. Got a tux n damn do I look good in it ;) want 2 meet me @ Redington Beach after work 4 a quick swim? I haven't been 2 the beach since I've been back.

  Oh sweet Christ! No way. She couldn't subject her eyes to his incredible physique again so soon. She had to come up with an excuse and quick. He knew she got off at seven and she only lived ten minutes from that particular beach.

  hey! glad u got a tux. having a busy day. may be too tired for a swim.

  He called bullshit. Carter knew there was no way she would ever turn down a swim at dusk in the freaking Gulf of Mexico. She lived for those swims. He laughed to himself when he figured out that being close to him may be confusing her...in a good way.

  come on! The beach Case. Our beach. Sand Dollars. Please :(

  Damn his sad face text and damn him for making her remember that beach.

  2003

  Carter and Casey started their friendship out slowly. She still wasn't sure about her previous feelings for Carter and how she could get passed them in order to keep it platonic. Her attraction was something she couldn't shut off right away. She watched day after day girls practically throwing themselves at him. Gorgeous, maintained, girls. She always thought she couldn't compete with that.

  The beach close to the college, Redington, was a long stretch of white, soft sand and a lot of Bayshore students hung out there. The water was clear and transparent like glass. The temperature of the water in April and May was always eighty degrees or warmer. Casey loved the water and wasn't like the other girls who just laid there trying to work on their tans. She would drop her beach bag and head directly for the water. She would stay in it until her hands and feet resembled those of a ninety year old woman.

  The first time they went to the beach together there were a ton of people from Bayshore and it was just before finals. As soon as Casey made her way down, she said hi to a few people, threw her bag down, peeled off her Converse and her tiny jean shorts. Beneath them revealed the smallest of cobalt blue bikini's Carter had ever seen. He stood there with his jaw wide open. It was the first time he had seen so much flesh on her and he feasted his eyes on her behind his aviators. Carter looked around and noticed that he wasn't the only one gawking at her. She was beautiful and she didn't even know it. He watched her make her decent into the warm waters. A few moments later he watched as several guys that were with their crowd gravitated towards her in the water. Carter sat on a towel and cursed inwardly. You my friend, are an ass. He let this one get away because of his stupidity. Dumb ass he thought. Lyla sat next to him on the blanket.

  "You enjoying the view Carter?" She didn't turn to look at him. She focused on Casey splashing around in the water with a few suitors.

  "Yep. The water's real nice today."

  Lyla laughed. "That's not what I meant and you know it." Her tone was a little more harsh.

  "What are you getting at, Lyla?" He sounded annoyed.

  "You know you fucked up. She could have been yours, but like any other man, you thought with your crotch and now she frolick
ing in the Gulf of Mexico with a bunch of hotties from school. Stop staring, get off your ass, and talk to her."

  He pulled his sunglasses down to the tip of his nose to look at her.

  "First off, I'm not staring. I know I fucked it up but we are friends. That's all she wants and that's what I want too. We could never be together. We're better at the friend thing."

  Carter rose and peeled his shirt off. He dropped it on his towel and made his way to the water. Lyla yelled to him.

  "Keep telling yourself that, London."

  Casey came up from underneath the water to see before her a pair of striking blue eyes, a long lean and well defined body. Tanned and glistening with salty water clinging to his perfect body. Sweet Christ, Carter was hot. There was no denying his sublime appearance. He still made her heart speed up a little faster. He approached her and the few guys swimming in proximity to her.

  "Hey. How's it going?" he asked.

  "Great! I love this beach. You can see your feet right to the bottom. It's incredible. What's up with you?" she asked.

  "This is my favorite beach, too. Clearwater beach is cool too but there is something about this one. I bet if we looked we could find some Sand Dollars. Want to try?"

  She squeezed some water out of her blonde locks and smiled at him.

  "I've never looked for them before."

  "Are you kidding me? You practically live on the beach and you have never searched for sand dollars? You were a deprived child."

  She looked at him a little sad.

  "I actually was. My dad left us and my mom had to work two full time jobs to support me and my brother. I started working at fourteen busing tables to help out. There wasn't much time for cavorting at the beach."

  He briefly shut his eyes with regret.

  "I'm sorry, Case. I didn't know."

  "You wouldn't have known it unless I told you. Now you know. Just something else to add to our friend repertoire." She winked at him.