Page 80 of Under the Influence

"Yeah, well, in case you forgot, Drayton is sleeping in the room right next to mine."

I shake my head, "No, Nash. It's more than that. What happened?"

"I told you, nothing happened. Just leave it alone."

"You went from kissing her in the parking lot last week, making everyone believe that you guys were Legacy's new power couple, to completely ignoring her."

He types furiously into his phone, "I changed my mind. I don't need to pretend with her to bring her to her knees."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

He just laughs, which pisses me off even more for some reason. She's just a game to him.

"Listen, I don't know what you're doing with her, but she's been through a lot." I think back to what she told me in the car the other night about her life in Chicago.

"We all have," he barks.

"Did you sleep with her?" I sigh. I didn't want to ask, but I needed to know.

"No," he drops his phone into his lap, aggravated that I even asked. He turns his head to me. "Did you?"

I look at him, the pure jealousy and rage virtually radiating off of him.

"No," I quickly retort. "Well, I did sleep with her, but I didn't have sex with her."

"Why was she wearing your hoodie?" he asks. "Why does she have it?"

"She was cold, so I gave it to her. It's not a big deal."

I regret my words the instant they fall from my lips because I'm lying to him. She is a big deal. I grip the steering wheel tighter, my tricep burning from throwing a bullpen at practice earlier.

"Do you want her?" I ask, feeling the tension between us skyrocket.

"Do you?"

Yes.

I think to myself, she's everything I want. She's practically me in a female body. We have so much in common, it's crazy, but I remember how Nash kissed her. The way he looks at her. He's my best friend.

"Carson?" He asks.

"I… we're just friends."

"Friends that sleep together," he spits.

"She just needed a friend. She's been through a lot."

He pauses, shaking his head, "Why do you keep saying that? Don't coddle her. She won't break."

I huff, "I know, man. She's strong, maybe too strong."

He smiles, wiggling his eyebrows, "It was pretty badass the way she stood up to Jovie last week."

"Yeah," I laugh. "She's a handful. Even for you."

He waves me off, "She's nothing."

But I knew better. I knew it was more, and she was far from nothing, for both of us.